MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION OF COUNCIL
August 17, 2004
Council President Greg Gorrell called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Ward 1: Bob Valentine Present
Ward 2: Greg Gorrell Present
Ward 3: Ruth Detrow Present
Ward 4: Paul Wertz Present
At-large: Glen Stewart Present
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
LEGISLATION
Item (a) AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 221.02 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND, STATE OF OHIO, RELATIVE TO THE RATE OF MUNICIPAL INCOME TAX; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Moved by Wertz and seconded by 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: Gorrell, Detrow, Stewart, Wertz, Valentine
Comments:
Director of Accounting Anna Tomasek explained that this legislation applies only to lottery money if it is $600 or more, and an annual Ohio Lottery Commission Report sent to the Ashland Municipal Income Tax Department will enforce it. Gorrell further noted that the information on that report should be consistent with the information the actual winner has with the form they receive at the time they win the earnings. They will know at the time they win whether they will be taxed or not; if it is under $600 they will not be taxed, but over $600 they will be taxed.
Tomasek added that the City will buy the annual report sent out by the State of Ohio.
Moved by Gorrell and seconded by Valentine that the Ordinance be passed on the first reading.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Detrow that the rules requiring the reading on three separate days be suspended and that the Ordinance be passed on the second and third readings.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Stewart and seconded by Valentine that the Ordinance be passed.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Motion carried.
Item (b) AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE A CERTAIN ALLEY SITUATED IN THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OHIO; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. (Pleasant Street)
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Gorrell 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: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Comments:
Mayor Strine reported that the Board of Revision of Assessments met on Monday, August 2, 2004, and unanimously recommend to Council to vacate the Pleasant Street and the College Boulevard alleys.
Gorrell noted that the public hearing was held for this alley, and one letter opposed to the vacation was received.
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Detrow that the Ordinance be passed on the first reading.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Detrow and seconded by Valentine that the rules requiring the reading on three separate days be suspended and that the Ordinance be passed on the second and third readings.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Valentine and seconded by Stewart that the Ordinance be passed.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Motion carried.
Item (c) AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE A CERTAIN ALLEY SITUATED IN THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OHIO; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. (College Boulevard)
Moved by Wertz and seconded by 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: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Stewart and seconded by Wertz that the Ordinance be passed on the first reading.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Valentine that the rules requiring the reading on three separate days be suspended and that the Ordinance be passed on the second and third readings.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Detrow and seconded by Valentine that the Ordinance be passed.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Motion carried.
Item (d) A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THAT THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OHIO, MAKE APPLICATION FOR A GRANT FROM THE STATE OF OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE ASSISTANCE; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Stewart 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: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Comments:
Economic Development Director Martin Irvine told Council that last year his department petitioned the State of Ohio to designate the City of Ashland as a Situationally Distressed Municipal Corporation, and they did receive that designation for the calendar year January 1st through December 31st of 2004. That gives Ashland a couple of benefits including, if a company were to buy new machinery or equipment during this time period, they would get a tax credit on corporate franchise tax of 13½% instead of 7½%.
In addition to that, it allows the community to apply for various grants through the State Department of Development, one of which in particular is a Rural Industrial Park Program. This would allow Ashland to apply for up to one million dollars, half of that being a grant and half being a 0% interest loan, to make improvements on designated parks like the Garber-Ford Industrial Park. The monies can be applied to roadway infrastructure improvements, water and sewer infrastructure improvements, or possibly a speculative building, but it is to allow the City to stimulate the economy by them giving the monies to put in place “shovel ready” sites.
Irvine told Council he is asking that they approve the resolution so they can apply for these monies from the state, once the City decides what it will use the money for.
Valentine asked if there had been applications from companies in 2004, and Irvine responded those companies would apply directly for the tax credits, not through the City. This particular resolution is for access to the Rural Industrial Park Program that has up to $1,000,000 available for improving a business park. The Corporate Franchise Tax applications would go directly to the Department of Taxation. Any company in the state of Ohio is eligible for 7½% tax credit under the Corporate Franchise Tax, but because Ashland has the Situationally Distressed label, a company that makes an investment in Ashland would receive up to 13½% tax credit, which is eligible through the Department of Taxation.
Ashland doesn’t know if there have been applications, but at this time Irvine is promoting the fact that if companies are trying to make a decision to do so, they make the investment this year to get the additional 6½% tax credit.
Stewart asked if Irvine had an idea how much he would apply for, and Irvine responded he would apply for as much as possible. He asked City Engineer Jim Cooper for estimates for improving water and sewer or roadways out at the Garber-Ford Industrial Park, and Cooper estimated that for utilities and street in part of the area it would be $600,000 to $700,000.
Irvine explained he would apply for a $500,000 grant, and the second half would be a 0% interest loan for the first five years; then 3 to 4% for the remaining four or five years.
Gorrell asked if this could be applied to a different area than the industrial park if that was what a company wanted, and Irvine clarified that this particular money is eligible for developing a business park of at least 25 acres; it is trying to help the communities stimulate economic development. The money could be applied in another area if something comes up, but this particular resolution is for the Garber-Ford Industrial Park area. December 31st is the end of the designation time for this. After application, Irvine will have to go to get approval from the State Controlling Board.
Moved by Gorrell and seconded by Valentine that the Resolution be passed on the first reading.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Stewart that the rules requiring the reading on three separate days be suspended and that the Resolution be passed on the second and third readings.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Stewart and seconded by Detrow that the Resolution be passed.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Motion carried.
Item (e) A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR GRANTS THROUGH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA), AS AUTHORIZED UNDER FEDERAL TRANSIT LAWS, AS CODIFIED, 49 USC SECTION 5311, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR OTHER THAN URBANIZED AREAS AND FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THE OHIO ELDERLY AND DISABLED TRANSIT FARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND EXECUTING A CONTRACT WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION UPON GRANT APPLICATION APPROVAL.
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Detrow 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: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Comments:
Anna Tomasek explained that this grant is for the operation of the Ashland Public Transit and is for the fiscal year 2005. It is broken down into three categories: 1. Federal Operating, $142,715; 2. State Operating, $69, 515; 3. Elderly and Disabled (pays for reduced fares) $29,430. These figures represent a slight decrease for FY 2004, approximately $2,000 less than this year’s grant. This pays for trips that the general public and the elderly and disabled use with Ashland Public Transit. The deadline is September 1st.
Gorrell added that this grant is nothing new but is something the City applies for every year.
Moved by Stewart and seconded by Valentine that the Resolution be passed on the first reading.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Stewart that the rules requiring the reading on three separate days be suspended and that the Resolution be passed on the second and third readings.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Moved by Detrow and seconded by Valentine that the Resolution be passed.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Motion carried.
(a) Request for liquor permit hearing: (Transfer)
From: Lee Shen, Inc., dba Peking Restaurant, 129 West Main Street, 1st Floor
To: K. Sorellas Ltd., dba Sorellas II, 1505 Claremont Avenue
Moved by Wertz and seconded by Stewart to not request a hearing.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
(b) Work session scheduled:
Gorrell announced a work session requested by the Mayor and scheduled for September 14th at 7:00 p.m. regarding a proposal from an Ashland community baseball organization. The session will be held in the Mayor’s Conference Room.
A second item will be considered during the work session at approximately 8:00 p.m. and involves a historical presentation issue regarding a certified local government designation. Council will review the details associated with that.
(c) Introduction of Assistant City Engineer:
City Engineer Jim Cooper introduced the newly hired Assistant City Engineer Kurtis Brzyscz. Cooper noted he is happy to have Kurtis on board and that he is doing an excellent job.
(d) Executive session held:
Gorrell stated Council would hold an executive session immediately following the special session. They will consider the purchase and/or sale of land, and there will be no action taken at the conclusion of the executive session.
Moved by Stewart and seconded by Wertz to move to executive session.
Ayes: Gorrell, Detrow, Wertz, Stewart, Valentine
Council moved to executive session at 7:20 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Council adjourned later from the executive session with no further business, announcement or action taken.
Submitted by
Elaine C. Bucklew
Clerk of Council