THE CITY OF KENT, OHIO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WED., DEC. 2, 2015

Transcription

1 THE CITY OF KENT, OHIO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WED., DEC. 2, 2015 This meeting of the Community Development Committee of Kent City Council was called to order at 7:04 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 2, 2015 by John Kuhar, Chair. PRESENT: ALSO PRESENT: MR. AMRHEIN, MR. DeLEONE, MR. FERRARA, MR. KUHAR, MS. LONG, MS. SHAFFER, MR. SIDOTI, MS. WALLACH, AND MR. WILSON J. FIALA, MAYOR & PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL; D. RULLER, CITY MANAGER; J. SILVER, LAW DIRECTOR; T. WILKE, ECON. DEV. DIR.; B. SUSEL, DIR. OF COM. DEV.; S. STEMNOCK, ASS=T TO CITY MGR.; AND L. JORDAN, CLERK OF COUNCIL Chair Kuhar said the first item was the EDA RLF Semi-Annual certification. Dave Ruller, City Manager, said it is that time of year again. He said the Loan Committee met, and certified the fund. Mr. Ruller said it now needs Council=s certification. Tom Wilke, Econ. Dev. Dir., explained they had two loans in He said they were Bent Tree Coffee and Mad Cap Brewery. Mr. Wilke said there is a healthy balance to be used for more projects in Ms. Wallach asked the loan rate, and Mr. Wilke said it is 75% of the prime rate as reported in the Wall Street Journal. He said for this year it was 2.75%. Ms. Shaffer asked how the loans are determined. She asked if staff says it is a good idea or if Council approves the loans, and Mr. Wilke said there is a loan committee that recommends their approval. Bridget Susel, Director of Community Development, explained they are requesting the semi annual certification. There were no further questions or audience comment at this time. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE EDA RLF SEMI-ANNUAL CERTIFICATION WITH THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE. Motion made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Ms. Shaffer, and carried by a voice vote of 8-0-1, with Mr. Kuhar abstaining. Chair Kuhar said the next item dealt with appointment of two RLF Committee members. Mr. Willke said two local commercial lenders who work at Huntington National Bank and Portage Community Bank are willing to serve. He said both have been recommended for appointment by the committee. Mr. Wilson asked if these should be publicized like their other appointments, and the Clerk responded that this committee is done by administrative recommendation. There were no further questions or audience comment at this time. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TWO RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE RLF LOAN COMMITTEE. Motion made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. DeLeone, and carried by a voice vote of 8-0-1, with Mr. Kuhar abstaining. Page 1 of 7

2 Chair Kuhar said the next issue dealt with an update by the Portage County Solid Waste District. Mr. Ruller said they were allowing the director, Bill Steiner, a little time to give an update on some exciting news for Portage County. Mr. Ruller explained that his first job twenty five years earlier was a recycling coordinator, so it is still near and dear to his heart. He said where they are with the program, going to a single stream, was a dream come true twenty-five years earlier. He said they had bins hung on the side of the truck, allowing for six compartments. He said the drivers had to manually sort it. Mr. Ruller said the single stream concept makes so much sense for collection and convenience. Mr. Steiner said he was present to let the Committee know they will be going to single stream recycling. He said they have ordered five new trucks. Mr. Steiner said there are two different styles, adding that one style has the Parker Hannifin system, which is basically no transmission, driven by hydraulic inertia. Mr. Steiner said this should double their fuel economy and reduce the brakes they have to replace. He said currently they need to replace them nearly every quarter. Mr. Steiner said they are the most advanced trucks available, and unlike the rusty red trucks, they will be white with wraps. He said they will know it is the Solid Waste District=s trucks. Mr. Steiner said they have a fluid time line, adding they were hoping to do it this week and have now moved it to February. He said there is an extensive amount of training because of the two styles of trucks. Mr. Steiner said they have to decide which community will have carts. Mr. Steiner said he wished to clarify they are not combining trash and recycling, and this is for recycling only. He said his staff spent an enormous amount of time answering phone calls after a local newspaper misreported what was occurring. He clarified that it was not the Record Courier. Mr. Steiner said Kent was the District=s beginning, adding they are the fruits of Kent=s labor. He said they are happy Kent chose to stay with them Mr. Steiner said some communities with drop off locations are starting to see the wisdom of curbside pickup. Mr. Steiner said they are doing a lot of different things. He said there is a new website with more information. He said with the new routes, residents can plug in their address and see their pickup dates, including holiday adjustments. Mr. Steiner said they have hired an Environmental Compliance Officer, who is a sworn deputy on contract with the Sheriff s office that can cite under different areas of the Ohio Revised Code. Mr. Steiner said he does not consider himself as having a staff, adding he has built a team. He introduced Dawn McIntyre and his newest hire, Kelsie Shackelford, their full-time education specialist. He said they are basically in charge of rolling out the new program, getting the routes ready, and informing the public. Mr. Steiner said it is a new direction for the District, adding it will be more convenient for the residents. He said they were excited to have Kent as a partner. Ms. Shaffer asked if they will distribute carts to each household, and Mr. Steiner said the company they are purchasing them from will distribute the carts. He said they can do 1400 carts per day, adding he does not have the staffing to accomplish it. He said when it is done, Ms. McIntyre and Ms. Shackelford will do a media blitz, and will be working with all communities. He suggested it may be in time to be included on Kent=s water bills. Ms. Shaffer asked if the carts are being made with recycled materials, and Mr. Steiner said he would have to ask. He said they currently have great prices at the gas pumps, but the recycling markets are horrible. Ms. Wallach asked him the name of the website, and Mr. Steiner said it is Ms. Wallach said with the old trucks, the driver could see if the recyclables were being done properly. Page 2 of 7

3 She asked with the new bins and the automatic lift how they will determine if there is trash, and Mr. Steiner said all trucks will have cameras. He said some of the trucks will have cameras in the hopper and the others will have a camera for the driver to watch. Mr. Steiner said they will be taking all of their material to the Waste Management facility in Akron, who will help them monitor also. He said part of the driver=s responsibility is to monitor the recycling. Mr. Steiner said a cleaner product results in a better rebate. Ms. Wallach asked if a household pollutes recyclables if they can be cited, and Mr. Steiner said that as much as he admires Cleveland=s program, he does not have the capabilities to cite them. He said if it is someone in Kent, they may ask the Service Department to send them a letter. Mr. Steiner said they could suspend service if it is a continual problem, as it could contaminate the entire load. Mr. Steiner said they also want to protect those collecting and sorting the recyclables. Mr. DeLeone asked about the old bins, and Mr. Steiner told him they were his parting gifts. He asked they not sell them on EBay. Mr. Steiner said he has talked to the major haulers, adding all have suggested they leave them with the residents. He said if someone does not want them, they can collect them at a central area, but noted it would take up a lot of space. Mr. Steiner said they had a resident calling frequently for two more bins, and found out he realized they made great storage bins for his power tools. Mr. Steiner said that resident received no more bins from the District. Ms. Long thanked Mr. Steiner, adding those interested in recycling have wanted to see this for twenty plus years. She said she attended an international conference in Philadelphia in 1995, during HB 592, and is so glad to see they have come this far. She said there was a question asked at a recent meeting of the Kent League of Women Voters. She said a few elderly women questioned how they would get the large container down the driveway that is gravel. Mr. Steiner said they will be offering a smaller cart for those who do not need the larger ones. H said residents can contact his office. Mr. Steiner said for those unable to get the cart to the street, they will pick them up at the garage. He said they try to be as user friendly as possible. Mr. Steiner said they do not go into houses, garages, or back yards, adding this is for the safety of the driver and the residents. Mr. Steiner said they will be offering smaller carts, but noted that when loaded, the carts will not be that difficult to roll as they have larger tires. Mayor Fiala asked when this will begin, and Mr. Steiner said they are planning on February, but the time line is fluid. He said they are trying to finish the contract with the company supplying the carts and trucks. He said once that is done, they can accept the trucks and do the driver training. He said that company will then make the carts. Mr. Steiner said the goal is the first week in February. He acknowledged it is not an ideal time of year, but wants to get the program moving. Mr. Steiner said the old rusty trucks are costing them money, as they are replacing engines and transmissions frequently. Ms. Shaffer asked what will happen to the facility on Mogadore Road, and Mr. Steiner said they will process cardboard and still provide free shredding for Portage County residents. He said since they are certified, residents can watch their papers be shredded, providing a comfort level and sense of security. Mr. Steiner said all trucks will be parked in the garage, adding that most of them sit outside currently. He said there will be some changes to the processing facility. Ms. Shaffer asked if there will be a drop off for sensitive things, like paint and tires, and Mr. Steiner said they collect tires when the annual clean-up is done. He said he has started a conversation with a company in Ohio that may want to collect their paint. He said their big issue is that they want to ensure it is being recycled and not sent to a landfill. Ms. Wallach asked if they will continue to have the outside drop off at the facility, and Mr. Steiner said that was correct. Ms. Wallach asked if they will still collect high grade paper from the businesses, and Mr. Steiner said that was correct. Ms. Shaffer asked Mr. Steiner if he has a relationship with the bars, and he said he has not had one since he was nineteen. Ms. Shaffer expressed concern about the lack of recycling, and Mr. Steiner said in the Page 3 of 7

4 last few years, they had to shrink their staff. He said that his team is going to do a lot of outreach and increase the recycling. Mr. Steiner said that downtown Kent is a showpiece. He said if they can be a part of it, they want to help keep it vibrating. He asked if there was a bar owners= association, and Ms. Shaffer said there was one. She said this is an issue she has been concerned with for a number of years. Barb Tittle, 909 Middlebury: Ms. Tittle said she has heard about capital for the trucks, bins, and a garage, and asked if that meant there would be an increase in fees, and Mr. Steiner said there will be no increase. He said the building already exists, adding they would just be repurposing the garage. Mr. Steiner said they will now be able to do a cost analysis, adding it is not worth the time with the existing trucks. He said with the new trucks, they will get a true read and can adjust the prices accordingly. He said with the case of Kent being ten minutes away, they would factor in that fact. Mr. Steiner said they are not a profit-driven entity. He said he just has to be sure he has enough monies to carry him through the quarter, as everyone appreciates getting a pay check every two weeks. He said that unlike private industry, there is no profit quota that has to be hit. Mr. Steiner said they just want to provide their service at the most cost effective price. Chair Kuhar thanked Mr. Steiner, and he received a round of applause at this time. No action was needed, as it was an update only. Chair Kuhar said the next issue dealt with the Transportation Network Providers code amendments. Mr. Ruller said this is a follow up to their UBER discussion a few months earlier. He said he mentioned then that the State may take the lead, as they had a few bills in Committee. Mr. Ruller said one has been sent to the Senate, and it would regulate UBER statewide. He said he has not studied it yet, and suggested moving forward with their legislation. Mr. Ruller said Jim Silver, Law Director, has been working on this issue, and if they needed to change something, so be it. Mr. Silver said the draft they received incorporated what they discussed last time they met. He said they want to license the corporate offices of the TNP and the licensed drivers. He said they want to be sure the drivers have a license, a safe car, insurance, and no criminal record. He said that reflects the nuts and bolts of the legislation. Mr. Silver said they have also added that the drivers will have a sticker in their rear window that the City can provide so they can identify the cars. Mr. Silver said this will allow the officers to know what is going on when a car is parked in the middle of the road. He said they are also recommending the drivers pay income tax. He said he is convinced they are paying nothing, but are taking money out of Kent daily. Mr. Silver said they are trying to draft it to allow for the collection of income tax dollars. Mr. Silver said Chief Lee and her Administrative Assistant, Patti Long, have reviewed it, adding he believed they are in agreement that the items are needed for the safety of the citizens. Ms. Shaffer asked if this levels the playing field with UBER and the taxi cab companies, and Mr. Silver said while it is not completely level, it will be more level than it is currently. Ms. Shaffer asked what it does not cover, and Mr. Silver said the drivers are not forced to put a Ataxi@ sign on top of their car. He said they do not have to display a license, as the user gets that on their phone when they order UBER. Mr. Sidoti said he thought the UBER representative said the drivers received a 1099, and Mr. Silver noted that does not put it in the City=s hands. Mr. Silver said they will have to keep track of all pickups in Kent, and the City will have access to those records. He said if they get no tax, they will have to supply them with all of the calls. Mr. Sidoti asked if they are required to file 1099, if that would not accomplish the same thing, and Mr. Silver said that is what they are supposed to do now and it is not happening. Mr. Sidoti said they do not know who their UBER drivers are, adding they can now cross reference to be sure they are filing a tax return. Page 4 of 7

5 Mr. Wilson asked why they have RITA, as that is what they said they would do. Mr. Silver said he has called RITA, and has not received a response. He suggested they may want to ask the Budget & Finance Director. Mr. Kuhar noted that a 1099 does not list zip codes where a person worked. Barb Tittle, 909 Middlebury: Ms. Tittle suggested that RITA may not be getting the 1099s, as UBER may not be reporting them. She said Mr. Silver mentioned insurance, adding that personal car insurance will not cover commercial usage. Mr. Silver said that UBER will have to show them a policy, adding it will be the same commercial policy they require of the taxis. He said they must provide copies of the policies. There were no further questions or audience comment at this time. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK PROVIDERS CODE AMENDMENTS WITH THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE. Motion made by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Ms. Shaffer, and carried by a voice vote of 8-0-1, with Mr. Kuhar abstaining. Chair Kuhar said their final item dealt with the inventory of historic homes in Kent. Mr. Ruller said this inventory was done, utilizing the County=s property tax records, for homes built on a certain date. He acknowledged that the information may not be 100% accurate. Mr. Ruller said they have had discussions on historic homes and how to incentivize people to invest in them, adding he felt the inventory would be helpful. Mr. Ruller said that Suzanne Stemnock, Assistant to the City Manager, was an intern in Tallmadge and doing such an inventory was her first job. He said it was an enormous effort, and while they have talked about making it available online, it would probably crash Ms. Stemnock=s system. Mr. Ruller said it was great work, and he wanted to give her the limelight at this time. Ms. Stemnock said the inventory is for those homes believed one hundred years or older. She said that the County Auditor=s site was used, and while it may not be completely accurate, it is a standard available for all properties. She said this method was used by other communities. Ms. Stemnock said dates can be adjusted or properties can be added. Ms. Stemnock displayed a binder with a summary report. She said it included photos and deeds for all of the homes, adding there are 865 houses in the book. Mr. Ferrara asked where the oldest house was, and Ms. Stemnock said there are two homes. She said that the oldest homes were built in 1810, and there is one on N. Mantua Street and one on West Main Street. Ms. Shaffer said she did not see her house, which was built in She asked if there would be an update in five years that would include it, and Ms. Stemnock said the plan is to update it every five years. She said she did not take all of the photos, adding it took a while for the ones she took. Ms. Stemnock said a major update is planned every five years. Mr. Amrhein said he would like an arrangement to allow the Historical Society to get a copy. He said people ask about their homes all of the time, including the year it was built and the original deed. He said the Society would be happy to pay for the printing. Mr. Ferrara asked if they were going to create a data base, and Ms. Stemnock said it would have to be someone who is more computer savvy. She said it is a huge file in her computer. Mr. Ferrara suggested a data base showing the year built, adding people can be notified in the Tree City Bulletin or Page 5 of 7

6 on the City=s website. He said they can correct it if they want to. Ms. Stemnock said they could put the list online, and Mr. Ferrara said they could start with that. He said people can submit documentation also. Ms. Wallach told Ms. Stemnock she did an excellent job. She said she would like discussion on where to go from here, and suggested a plaque system. Ms. Wallach said she would recommend committee discussion at their next Council meeting. Ms. Wallach said that Mr. DeLeone also suggested putting the list in the library. Mr. DeLeone joked he just wanted to see people check out the binder. Mr. Sidoti asked where Ms. Stemnock got her information, and she said it came from the County Auditor=s website. Mr. Sidoti said he knows that some are not as tech savvy as others, and suggested they could include a link so residents could retrieve it themselves. Mr. Sidoti said the inventory is great, but he did not feel they should enable anyone as they should be able to discover that information themselves Mr. Amrhein said the Kent Historical Society has a plaque program. He said if they contact the Society, the Society makes the plaque and the resident pays for it. Ms. Shaffer asked how this study will relate to the housing study, and Ms. Susel said they are not connected. Mr. Ruller said they felt it would be part of the discussion at some point. He said most of the focus has been on the housing supply. He said they know they have an older housing stock, adding that there is a higher percentage of older homes. Mr. Ruller said this can be a blessing or a curse. He said they would like to work through strategies and have discussions on the City=s roles. Mr. Ruller said they felt some data was needed to not neglect the older homes. He noted that was some of his thought process. Ms. Shaffer suggested it would be cool to have an aggregate report with the older neighborhoods, and suggested a graph or a map. Ms. Stemnock said she mapped the ten oldest homes, but did nothing beyond that. She said she was not sure how scattered it would be. Ms. Shaffer suggested particular neighborhoods. Ms. Stemnock said the lists are organized by date and by streets. Ms. Susel said with Ms. Stemnock=s address file, her department could do an overlay map. Ms. Shaffer said color coding by the age would be helpful, and as it allows them to see some neighborhood patterns. Ms. Susel said Heather Phile could work with Ms. Stemnock on a simplistic version. No action was needed at this time. Many members of the Committee commended Ms. Stemnock. Hearing no further business before this Committee, Chair Kuhar adjourned this meeting at 7:41 p.m. Linda M. Jordan, Clerk of Council ACTION RECOMMENDED: 1) TO AUTHORIZE THE EDA RLF SEMI-ANNUAL CERTIFICATION WITH THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE. 2) TO AUTHORIZE THE TWO RECOMMENDED COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE RLF LOAN COMMITTEE. 3) UPDATE RECEIVED FROM PORTAGE COUNTY SOLID WASTE DISTRICT; NO ACTION NEEDED 4) TO AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK PROVIDERS CODE WITH THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE Page 6 of 7

7 5) PRESENTATION ON HISTORIC HOMES INVENTORY RECEIVED; NO ACTION NEEDED. Page 7 of 7