Ashland City Council
MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR SESSION OF COUNCIL
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Council President Glen Stewart called the meeting to order at 7:00
p.m.
ROLL CALL
Ward 1: Robert L. Valentine Present
Ward 2: Robert M. Valentine Present
Ward 3: Ruth Detrow
Present
Ward 4: Paul Wertz
Present
At-large: Glen Stewart
Present
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Note: William E. Strine, Mayor is not present.
PRESENTATION OF MINUTES:
December 4, 2007 Regular Session
No Corrections:
Move the Minutes of 12/4/2007 be accepted by Paul Wertz, seconded by
Robert M. Valentine W2.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM
THE AUDIENCE: (Items not appearing on the Agenda)
None.
Glen Stewart: The first item on the Agenda needs to be removed
from the Table and brought back.
Move to remove Ordinance Item (a) from the Table by Robert L. Valentine
W1, seconded by Paul Wertz
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
LEGISLATION:
Ordinances:
Ord. # 90-07
Item: (a) AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE
THE FOLLOWING HEREINAFTER NAMED SUM
OF MONEY IN 2007 AND DECLARING THIS TO BE AN EMERGENCY MEASURE NEC-
ESSARY TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND,
OHIO. 2ND READING
Glen Stewart: This particular Ordinance has had some amendments
that have been shared with us and if there are any of those amendments
that would be appropriate or this Council sees fit, we may move to
accept it as written, accept as amended and there are two options to
amend it. Does everyone follow me on the amendments? One of
the proposed amendments is to pay the $379,500.00 and that said amount
to be repaid in full to the Ohio Department of Development. The
second proposal is that same Ordinance and it will be not as sent to
you but it will be $168,682.03 for Anna’s recommendation and that
would also be amended to the said amount to be repaid in full to the
Ohio Department of Development.
Richard P. Wolfe II, Law Director: If you want it to be anything
other than the way it was on the first reading, somebody needs to move
to amend it to how you want it to be. There were drafts that were
proposed for your convenience, but until you make a motion to amend, it
is still as it was originally.
Glen P. Stewart: Which is $379,500.00 without the addition that
is to be paid.
Ruth Detrow: And that has already been passed on one reading?
Glen P. Stewart: It has been passed on one reading, and tabled.
Move the Ordinance be passed on the second reading by Ruth Detrow
(unamended), seconded by Glen Stewart to invoke Section 113.01 of the
Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied
the requirements of said Section and that a further reading be
dispensed with at this time, to pass Ordinance on the second reading.
Comments:
Glen Stewart: I want to share something with the Public in
general with my fellow Council members. Mayor Strine presented
this to us 3-4 weeks ago and at that time, I didn’t have all of
the information that I wanted or felt I needed and I think some of the
rest of us felt the same way. We passed it on one reading and
tabled it. My research into is that, our Mayor gave a verbal
commitment to individuals in the State to the Ohio Department of
Development and it is not a written contract, it is a verbal
commitment. It is a level of integrity that I personally believe,
and I will put myself in the same position. A lot of people look
at people like myself as Politicians. We don’t enjoy the
greatest level of integrity in some eyes. But I think when
someone gives his or her word, I think it should be honored and I am
prepared to honor the statement that the Mayor gave and support this.
Robert L. Valentine W1: What you said Glen; I
don’t like that word Politician, that is a poor evaluation, not
saying what you said is a poor evaluation. But they pretty much
represent the Public at Large, so if there is problems with
Politicians, there are problems with the public at large. I guess
my concern was that one of the things as far as tabling is concerned,
is hoping that the two elected officials could have come up with some
kind of compromise. And hearing none, I have heard none,
otherwise it is pretty much the same as originally introduced and I
think when you get into situations like this, I think you want to take
time, as Council did take time. I think in defense of Council, it
should be that way, because that is our responsibility. I think
now, though it is time to take action one way or the other.
Comments or questions?
None.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move to suspend the rules, three separate meetings, three separate
nights by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow to invoke Section 113.01
of the Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has
satisfied the requirements of said Section and that a further reading
be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Move that the Ordinance by passed by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth
Detrow.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Ord. # 91-07
Item (b) AN ORDINANCE TO APPROPRIATE THE FOLLOWING
HEREINAFTER NAMED SUM OF
MONEY IN 2007 AND DECLARING THIS TO BE AN EMERGENCY MEASURE NECESSARY
TO MEET THE IMMEDAITE FINANCIAL NEEDDS OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OHIO
(202-
1001-55405) Ford Rd project $ 32,750.00 and (405-4655-55005) Ford Rd.
project
$112,750.00.
Move for non-reading in full by Paul Wertz, seconded by Robert L.
Valentine W1, to invoke Section 113.01 of the Codified Ordinances as
the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied the requirements of
said Section and that a further reading be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Comments:
Anna Tomasek, Finance Director: This is an Ordinance to
appropriate money for the Ford Road project. This is a Federal
Grant that the City applied for to appropriate the amount of money for
the city’s share $32, 750.00 for fund 202. We already have
$80,000.00 dollars appropriated for the city’s share with fund
202. That’s why there is only 32,750.00 and for fund 405
the capital improvement fund $112,750.00 dollars.
Comments or questions? None
Moved to pass the Ordinance on the first reading by Robert M. Valentine
W2, seconded by Robert L. Valentine W1 to invoke Section 113.01 of the
Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied
the requirements of said Section and that a further reading be
dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move to suspend the rules, 3 separate meetings, 3 separate nights by
Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow, to invoke Section 113.01 of the
Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied
the requirements of said Section and that a further reading be
dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move the Ordinance be passed by Robert L. Valentine W1, seconded by
Robert M. Valentine W2
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
Ord. # 92-07
Item (c) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
SERVICE, TO ENTER INTO A MODIFICATION OF THE ROCK ROAD/WELLS ROAD SANI-
TARY SEWER PROJECT – SIMONSON CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC.
CONTRACT
AUTHORIZED BY ORDINANCE NO. 59-07; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Move for non-reading in full by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow, to
invoke Section 113.01 of the Codified Ordinances as the distribution of
this Ordinance has satisfied the requirements of said Section and that
a further reading be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Comments:
Jim Cooper: This is a change of a request as to we need to
increase the size of the pump out there to a 3 hp pump to maintain
minimum flow. In the process of doing that the expense has
increased for the actual station itself and the pump so that is what
this is all about. This is going to take property flow from
McMullens in the Building out there, Ohio Electric and then it will
pump it around to Wells Road and Ford Road to our existing manhole.
Comments or questions?
Moved the Ordinance be passed on the first reading by Paul Wertz,
seconded by Ruth Detrow to invoke Section 113.01 of the Codified
Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied the
requirements of said Section and that a further reading be dispensed
with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine, W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move to suspend the rules, 3 separate meetings, 3 separate nights by
Paul Wertz, seconded by Robert L. Valentine W1, to invoke Section
113.01 of the Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance
has satisfied the requirements of said Section and that a further
reading be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move the Ordinance be passed by Ruth Detrow, seconded by Robert M.
Valentine W2.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Glen Stewart: The next order of business, in fact the next four
orders of business are Ordinances establishing the Compensation and
other terms and conditions of employment for Employees.
I would like to entertain a motion to move to Executive Session to
discuss the matters pertaining to public employees compensation and
other terms and conditions of their employment.
Move to Executive session by Ruth Detrow, seconded by Paul Wertz.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Glen Stewart: There will be no action taken and we will be back
in to conclude our Agenda in a relatively short order. I
would like to ask Cherie Helterbridle, Richard P. Wolfe II to join us.
Moved into Executive Session at 7:15 p.m.
Move to reconvene back into Regular Session by Paul Wertz, seconded by
Ruth Detrow.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Moved back into Regular Session at 7:56 p.m.
Glen Stewart: With Council’s permission, I am going to
withdraw items (d), (e), (f) and (g) from this evenings Agenda.
Moved to withdraw the four items by Robert L. Valentine W1, seconded by
Robert M. Valentine W2.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Ord. # 93-07
Item (h) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE MAYOR
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
SERVICE, TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR CONSULTING ENGINEERING SERVICES
TO DESIGN AND PREPARE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT STANDBY POWER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT; AND DECLARING
AN EMERGENCY.
Move for non-reading in full by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow to
invoke Section 113.01 of the Codified Ordinances as the distribution of
this Ordinance has satisfied the requirements of said Section and that
a further reading be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
Comments:
Jim Cooper: It is critical that we get the design work done
in relationship to our electrical system down at the Waste Water
Treatment plant. One thing that is very important down there is
to have a back up emergency generator to the Equalization
Basin. We could possibly say we could get along year after
year but if that one occasion comes, everybody is going to say, well
why didn’t you have that? Because without it, we will have a
major problem. This particular design and effort we are talking
about here includes that. This one has an overall energy system
down there and also would take in consideration the possibility of
getting electric to our water wells, 3, 4 and 5 at a future
time. We currently get electricity from Ohio Edison,
but there may be ways that we could reduce our cost and have two
sources of power there so that if we did have another crisis with our
electricity as far as a power outage, we would have back up generation
there. So we would have water vs hauling it in if we had no electricity
at all. So this is a first stage of getting the design work done
and we would like to get the emergency generator in 2008.
Questions or comments?
Robert L. Valentine W1: I am just curious, what fund is 630,
right off hand I don’t know. What is 635601.
Anna Tomasek: 630 is a Sewer Capital fund.
Comments or questions? None.
Move the Ordinance be passed on the first reading by Robert M.
Valentine W2, seconded by Robert L. Valentine W1.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Move to suspend the rules, 3 separate meetings, 3 separate nights by
Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow to invoke Section 113.01 of the
Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Ordinance has satisfied
the requirements of said Section and that a further reading be
dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Move the Ordinance be passed by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Resolutions:
Res. # 22-07
Item (a) A RESOLUTION URGING THE OHIO GENERAL
ASSEMBLY TO REVIEW THE PRAC-
TICES OF SMALL LOAN LENDING AND TO CONSIDER THE NEED FOR REMEDIAL LEG-
ISLATION WITH REGARD THERETO.
Move for non-reading in full by Paul Wertz, seconded by Robert M.
Valentine W2, to invoke Section 113.01 of the Codified Ordinances as
the distribution of this Resolution has satisfied the requirements of
said Section and that a further reading be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
Comments:
Ruth Detrow: If this passed, are we going to somehow communicate
it with some legislature?
Glen Stewart: I think it would be appropriate to ask our clerk to
make sure that all of our local legislatures in the sponsor of similar
legislation to support this and make sure he would be copied on it and
if there are others that you think should be copied.
Ruth Detrow: I read somewhere that there were three different
bills they are working on.
Glen Stewart: We could ask Valarie to research that on the
Legislative lending site.
Richard P. Wolfe II: It is probably most appropriate to
communicate with our Representatives, the ones that represent our area
and then they can take it from there. That would be
reasonable and then they can send it to whomever and it then will be
public record and it will be in to communicate directly with our
representatives, our senators, our state representatives. That
would be the appropriate way to go.
By the way this is worded, you are not telling them what they should
do, but you are saying that you have concern about the matter and you
feel it should be looked at and addressed and it is a matter of
statewide concern.
Ruth Detrow: I did have a conversation with Bill Harris
concerning this and that is one reason I am glad the Resolution you
drafted is as it is because his comment was that something definitely
needs to be done, however if we make it so that they can’t exist
at all, then we have done a disservice to the people who need
them. So it is a manner of regulation apparently. Rather than
lets make it totally illegal for these places to exist.
Richard P. Wolfe II: There are a variety of concerns on all sides
of the issue and you are not polarizing yourself; you are addressing
the fact that you feel it is a matter of concern and it’s a
matter that affects the community and you urge the legislature to
carefully study it and come up with the appropriate solution. I
think that is a reasonable way to approach this.
Questions or comments?
Dan Bilkert, Pastor of Ashland First United Methodist
Church: I appreciate that Council is bringing this as a
Resolution to see you wanting information. We are hosting another
gathering on January 14, 2007. Senator Harris and Representative
Bob Gibbs have already agreed to be there to address this issue.
We also are trying to get Senator Amstutz to be at the meeting.
Monday evening, January 14, 2007 at 7:00 pm is the meeting time at
Ashland First United Methodist. I would personally invite any of
the Council Representatives to be there. I did ask Marilyn
Ferguson to be here this evening. She is the head of the
Associated Charities and she could tell you personal front line stories
of how this is impacting our community and where our charitable dollars
are now going to help people with utilities and rent and grocery
dollars for families and individuals who have been entrapped in the
cycle of these businesses. So while they are making excessive
profits off of the lives of individuals and families; our charitable
dollars have been used to help support these families and that is the
situation that we feel needs State Legislation to bring the first set
of regulation to this industry.
Glen P. Stewart: I personally believe that our Resolution will
bring this to the attention of the Legislation bodies and I hope they
address it in a professional and reasonable manner. So thank you
for the invitation.
Comments or Questions?
Move to pass the Resolution on the first reading by Ruth Detrow,
seconded by Robert L. Valentine W1.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Move to suspend the rules, 3 separate meetings, 3 separate nights by
Paul Wertz, seconded by Robert L. Valentine W1 to invoke Section 113.01
of the Codified Ordinances as the distribution of this Resolution has
satisfied the requirements of said Section and that a further reading
be dispensed with at this time.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Move the Resolution be passed by Paul Wertz, seconded by Ruth Detrow.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth Detrow, Paul
Wertz, Glen Stewart
WARD REPORTS:
Ward 1 Robert L. Valentine
(a) I had a call from Russell Newcomer, the house
just as you west on Claremont just beyond Aldi’s and each year we
get a lot of snow. He has problems with his mail box, so he
called Jerry Mack’s office, I am not sure who he talked to about
it and asked him to come out and he called me back that afternoon and
they came out and had taken care of it and fixed it and he wanted Jerry
and the group to know that he appreciated it.
Jerry Mack: I might add one thing, that was the newspaper box, we
really didn’t fix it. We called the newspaper and told them
what we had, because it had rotted off at the ground, so our snow plows
really didn’t get it, it was just fatigued and old. So
obviously the TG took care of it. Thank you TG.
Robert L. Valentine W1: Well he called me and at first he wanted to
know if I was Ward 2 and I said no, I am Ward 1. He called me
back and said thanks and I am passing it on to you.
Ward 2 Robert M. Valentine:
Nothing to report.
Ward 3:
Ruth Detrow
Nothing to report.
Ward 4:
Nothing to report
At Large
President Glen
Stewart
Nothing to report.
Old Business: None.
New Business: Public Records Policy
Robert L. Valentine W1: All five Council members and Clerk of
Council went to the Training session at Fairhaven Hall in Mansfield on
Monday, December 6, 2007 and we found out that only one had to attend
for everyone.
Glen Stewart: A Public Records Policy has been established
for the Council Office. Mr. Wolfe, Law Director has reviewed it
and made some adjustments to it so I would entertain a motion to adopt
this as the Clerk of Council’s office of the City of Ashland as
our Public Records Policy.
Move to adopt the Public Records Policy by Robert L. Valentine W1,
seconded by Robert M. Valentine W2.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart
Comments?
Phil Rafeld: Is this the documentation where you were planning
going to the meeting in November; is this the same?
Glen Stewart: We went last Thursday. We all have a degree
now.
Phil Rafeld: I am not prepared to answer that because I was to
understand that each term that you serve, you need to go.
Glen Stewart: Additional New Business this evening is we have Mr.
Scurti here this evening and he is going to give us a brief update of
the Economic Development.
Evan Scurti, Economic Development Update:
Thank you for inviting me. We are putting the Goals and
Objectives in place for next year. I wanted to share with you my
highlights for the year 2007. We are a countywide agency.
You can ask me questions as I go along. Starting in the area of
New Business developments, what happened in the City of 2007 from my
perspective? I wanted to talk a little bit about the Bio Science
Sector. You all may have read about the Bio Science Consortium of
Northeast Ohio. It is a new group that has formed. The TG
has done a great job of covering their quarterly meetings. They
meet every 3 months. It is really exciting news, probably
accomplishments, of a 7 County consortium but the hub of it really is
right here in Ashland. The unofficial leaders of this is Mike
McDaniel, Superintendent. He was instrumental in starting all of the
consortium and more specifically the Career Center Program for High
School students right now in the Bio Sciences. Marla Akridge from
the Chamber has been very involved as well as a local consultant.
But every three months we have folks from as far away as Cleveland, the
technology leaders, and the State’s Bio Science statewide
agency. They come every three months from Columbus. I think
some real traction is being made in terms of putting the infrastructure
in place for future growth in the sector. The Career Center
program, 12 high school students are pretty impressive. I have
met all of them and have learned about their studies. It is a
nationally recognized curriculum that is being used here at the Career
Center. North Central State College is involved and is developing
curriculum. Even the Adult Education Program is talking very
closely with W.I.L. Research trying to get our Adult population more
seamlessly into those positions. We know W.i.L. Research is doing
well. This is how this all started. Thinking and
collaborating on how we feel the growth of W.I.L. Research, but more
generally the whole Bio Science sector. So, how am I going to get
involved, our office in 2008? I think in the next few years, it is not
out of the question for actual company formation to take place in
Ashland. I have even been contacted by someone who is doing some
research in another area but really likes our location. He said he
would contact me in about 6 months. There is potential for small
business development. So I will be talking with you if things
come up where we learn that the Bio Science sector needs specific
things in the Business Park for instance. Hopefully we can work
together on getting those things in there to meet those needs. Right
now it may be even more important to get the Work Force Development and
the programs I listed and having capital available. A lot of
these companies are starting out, are small and new ideas and
inventions. So I am going to be putting committees together and looking
at putting investment groups together. These companies need money
to take a year or two and development their processes.
There are investors in this town and could be interested in that. More
generally, in terms of new business, of course you are aware of the
Novatex deal, It was a success of 2007 and they are located in the
Business Park. It was a great Public/Private partnership.
Our five local banks stepped up; CIC was involved as well as the City
with the Land sale. I actually spoke on that deal statewide
Economic Development conference; professionals like myself have
seminars once in a while. They asked me to speak because they
heard about this. It was nice to be able to talk about Ashland in
front of that statewide group. In 2008 we will continue to target
research and marketing not just Bio Science, but plastics, fabricated
metals. Distribution type companies are still strong in this area
so we will be continuing to do some targeting marketing throughout the
year. Community Development: I call Community Development
everything from repairing old buildings to staying involved with the
downtown merchants group. I believe in those things, but
primarily an Industrial type organization, a lot of our work is working
with site selectors and Industrial type businesses, but in
today’s world with the new researchers and those Bio Science type
companies, entrepreneurs, folks looking to move in the area. The
quality of life is very important here. We are lucky to have
things like, a very nice downtown, nice school systems but I think it
is important to stay in that. We attend their weekly
meetings. We are involved in their planning efforts.
Something I would like to work with you on in 2008 is the “empty
building” issue. There are still several vacant
Industrial facilities in town and I think it is an important project
for our group to work on, number one it is good planning to reuse the
facilities, put them back into use and going back to community
development; it improves the aesthetics of the community so I really
want to focus on that knowing that we put some committees together and
meet with some developers. We are seeing a lot of leads coming
through our office through the State system and there is a Northeast
Ohio lead system, a group called Team NEO. They receive these
project leads. A lot of them are for call centers. We have
two big boxes as you well know on the west side of town. Again, I
want to maybe meet with some developers, there is potential here.
Get them ready and recruit those types of businesses on that part of
town. That is just one example. Hospira would be another
one. The Mayor and I have had some talks with the Hospira
Executives on the 4th Street Complex. They have been very
cooperative, still very preliminary but the important point is that
they are talking to us. Too often, large Corporations forget
about small communities and buildings set vacant. It’s not
happening with the Hospira folks in Chicago. In terms of what we
call retention and expansion working with the existing firms and we did
our bi-annual survey in 2007 of the manufacturing base of the community
and talked to about 50 companies. We will be putting out our
summary report showing the stats in summary. We won’t
reveal individual statistics but what percentage of the companies has
increase in sales, increase in employment, etc. and a handful of follow
up projects. Work Force development is becoming more and more
important as we meet with companies. I am going out with Job and
Family Services staff, Career Center staff to meet with companies
because their needs are more work force focused these days. It is
not all about the infrastructure and sites of buildings. And even
providing additional work force training incentives for companies to
upgrade skills for the work force. So that is a quick
update. The projects that came before you, Liqui Box is underway; they
were offered tax abatements; they committed to 25 jobs. Ohio Electric
Control has a nice building out there on Rock Road. Ashland
Chemical, it is not a canceled project and an approved abatement for
them. But the last I heard, it is tabled. They have to do
some more Market Research. The General Manager Mike Billo is no
longer with the firm, he went into semi-retirement but there is a new
general manager; he looks forward to meeting some community leaders the
first of the year. Mike was instrumental in bringing him into the
community. That is about it. I would like to have
more of these meetings. One thing Nikki and I are thinking about
is a seminar sometime in 2008 for all elected officials throughout the
County. As you know the landscape the way it is now, cities and
governments; they are definitely a part of the process. I would
like to bring in an outside speaker to talk about everything from the
Industrial Park to Tax Abatement, Low interest loans. And you can
come into my office at anytime.
Robert L. Valentine W1: Evan, you mentioned Hospira, and you
mentioned Job and Family Services. I guess this is not negative
but what about the people who are laid off. What has transpired,
do you know? They lost their jobs, have most of them been placed
elsewhere? Do you have any idea? Because that is Job and Family
Services to get into that.
Evan Scurti: That is a good question and it is tough to track
exactly how many of them have been placed. I don’t have an
accurate number for you. Several antidotes in talking with Gary,
some folks that have transitioned to W.I.L. Research, of course 25 of
them went straight to Novatex. Many went into retirement.
Robert L. Valentine W1: Of course you always want to hear about
the positive things. I think we have obligations. You were
concerned. You put some effort into this.
Evan Scurti: Just today I talked to a former employee who has
ideas for just using 1000 square feet; doing some of the work he was
doing at Hospira but becoming his own entrepreneur and doing it for
other companies.
Questions or Comments?
MAYORS COMMENTS:
Absent
Glen Stewart: I am going to the Mayor’s Comments. I
am going to pass a letter to each of you to keep a copy and I am going
to read it. It is dated December 18, 2007 from William E. Strine,
Mayors office and Director of Public Safety. As I verbally
expressed earlier this year, effective the beginning of January 1,
2008, I hereby submit my resignation as Mayor of the City of Ashland
Ohio, Sincerely, William E. Strine, Mayor. There was a quote in
the newspaper, it had a little different take on that last week, but
this should put to rest any concerns about Mayor Strine changing his
mind. I think our Law Director maybe can rescind this, I
don’t know. But his intention in writing is to resign
beginning January 1.
Robert L. Valentine W1: Do we officially have to accept this?
Richard P. Wolfe II: No we don’t.
Questions or Comments
Glen Stewart: I am going to do something a little special.
50 years ago, my Father was a member of the New London Village Council
in 1957. He received a gavel when he left the Village Council and
as Mayor in 1977. I thought since 50 years ago, he started his
career as a, well village council is not a career, it is a volunteer
job. But I have Dads gavel and after the motion is made to
adjourn and after we vote on it, I am going to close tonight’s
meeting with Dads gavel. So if there is nothing more to come
before Council this evening.
Motion to adjourn the meeting by Glen Stewart, moved by Robert L.
Valentine W1, seconded by Robert M. Valentine W2.
Ayes: Robert L. Valentine W1, Robert M. Valentine W2, Ruth
Detrow, Paul Wertz, Glen Stewart.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:26 pm by Glen Stewart, Councilman at Large.
Submitted by
Valarie Bishoff
Clerk of Council