Garrettsville – Village officials present at the village council meeting on March 13, were Village Solicitor Michele Stuck, Nancy Baldwin, Mayor Rick Patrick; and council persons Tom Hardesty, John Chambers, Deb Wordell, Chris Knop, and Tom Collins. Councilman Jeff Kaiser was absent from the meeting.
After reviewing the minutes of the previous meeting, bills, and financial reports council heard from Bill Steiner of the Portage County Solid Waste District. Steiner was present to present the district’s solid waste management plan. Resolution 2019-10, a resolution adopting the solid waste management plan for the waste management district, was approved by all council people present at the meeting.
Council then revisited proposed ordinance 2018-49, an ordinance that adds section 1163.08 to the Village of Garrettsville’s codified ordinances. This would allow the village to adopt regulations regarding the parking and storage of recreational vehicles in all districts other than industrial. The latest iteration of this ordinance that has been bounced between planning and council a few times, now reads:
1163.08 USE, PARKING AND STORAGE OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES.
(a) In any zoning district, a recreational vehicle may not be used as a residential dwelling for more than 14 consecutive days, and no more than 28 days total per calendar year.
(b) in any residential district, any recreational vehicle parked or stored in the open must bear a current and valid registration. Unregistered recreational vehicles must be stored in an enclosed garage or:
1. parked or stored further back from the street right-of-way than the front face of the principal building on the lot, and
2. adequately screened from view from the street and neighboring properties.
This proposed ordinance, now on its third reading, has been passed back-and-forth between planning and village council a few times. A public hearing on the ordinance will be held before the council meeting on April 10th.
Up next on the agenda was ordinance 2019-01, an ordinance amending the Village of Garrettsville’s employee handbook as it relates to discriminatory harassment. The changes made via 2019-01 are being made to avoid potential conflict between the LEXIPOL service subscribed to the the Garrettsville Police Department, and the policies found in the village handbook. The ordinance was passed with amendment that altered section D.1.E (which relates to the chain of authority, beyond immediate supervisors, for complaints) to read “Notify the Chief of Police, Mayor, or Village Solicitor in writing of the circumstances surrounding any reported allegations or observed acts of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation no later than the next business day.”
Ordinance 2019-08 was also enacted at the evening’s meeting.
Ordinance 2019-08 modifies the drug and alcohol-free workplace section of the Village of Garrettsville’s employee handbook to avoid conflict with the Garrettsville Police Department’s LEXIPOL subscription. This ordinance adds the following to section 7.8.B:
Employees who have consumed an amount of an alcoholic beverage or taken a medication, or combination thereof, that would tend to adversely affect their mental or physical abilities shall not report for duty. Affected employees shall notify the appropriate supervisor as soon as the employee is aware that he/she will not be able to report to work. If the employee is unable to make the notification, every effort should be made to have a representative contact the supervisor in a timely manner. If the employee is adversely affected while on-duty, he/she shall be immediately removed and released from work.
The beginning of a section 7.9.D.5 is modified to read:
Prior to testing, the supervisor shall prepare a written record documenting the specific facts that led to the decision to request the test, and shall inform the employee in writing of the following:
A. The test will be given to either alcohol or drugs, or both.
B. The result of the test is not admissible in any criminal proceedings against the employee.
C. The employee may refuse the test, but refusal may result in dismissal or other disciplinary action.
Section 7.9.D.6 was modified to read:
The employee will no longer lose straight time pay during the drug testing process. And employee may be subject to disciplinary action if he/she:
A. Fails or refuses to submit to a screening test as requested.
B. After taking a screening test that indicates the presence of a controlled substance, fails to provide proof, within 72 hours after being requested, that he/she took the controlled substance as directed, pursuant to a current and lawful prescription issued in his/her name.
C. Violates any provisions of this policy.
Adds the following to section: 7.9.J:
There may be available a voluntary employee assistance program to assist those who wish to seek help for alcohol and drug problems (41 USC § 8103). Insurance coverage that provides treatment for drug and alcohol abuse may also be available. Employees should contact the Village Clerk’s office, their insurance providers or the employee assistance program for additional information. It is the responsibility of each employee to seek assistance before alcohol or drug problems lead to performance problems.
Finally, ordinance 2019-08 adds sections 7.9.J and 7.9.K which collectively read:
No later than 30 days following the notice of any drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace involving an employee, the Village will take appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, and/or requiring the employee to satisfactorily participate in the drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program (41 USC § 8104).
Confidentiality: The Village recognizes the confidentiality and privacy due its employees. Disclosure of any information relating to substance abuse treatment, except on a need-to-know basis, shall only be with the express written consent of the employee involved or pursuant to lawful process. The written results of any screening tests and all documents generated by the employee assistance program are considered confidential medical records and shall be maintained separately from the employee’s other personnel files.
Ordinance 2019-09, comprised of a number of minor changes to the Village employee handbook, moves on towards a second reading in April. These changes include:
Section 2.3.E:
Criminal convictions and court orders. All employees shall be required to promptly notify their department head of any past and current criminal convictions and/or the imposition of any court order which may restrict or prohibit the employees ability to properly perform official duties.
Section 7.6.D:
Employee and citizen complaints relating to the police department will be governed by LEXIPOL policy number 1009.
Section 8.2.G:
Employee and citizen complaints relating to the police department will be governed by LEXIPOL policy number 1009.
Section 9.1.I.3 is amended to read:
Creating a hostile work environment, including but not limited to, discriminatory harassment and retaliation.
Also passed was Ordinance 2019-11, an ordinance to make appropriations for current expenses and expenditures for the Village of Garrettsville during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. During discussion of this ordinance, Hardesty shared details of $270,000 in planned capital improvement projects around the Village. Among these projects are:
* An extensive rework of Zupancic which includes grinding down to the underlying cement, placement of a fiber mesh to prevent sympathy cracks, and paving.
* Repairs to the intersection of Liberty and Water Streets.
* Repairs from the intersection of Silica and Liberty Streets to the car wash.
* Chip and seal work on French Street, and Industrial Drive.
* Replacement of the Police Station roof at a cost not to exceed $25,000.
* Purchase of a pickup for the street department
* Purchase of a used street sweeper
A motion was made to accept the premium for Public Entities Insurance, the village’s liability insurance.
With the agenda items addressed, Patrick opened the floor to those in attendance. Barb Bejger, resident, and former owner of 8088 Main Street, addressed council and urged them to take a walk down Main Street and along the boardwalk. Bejger would like them to pay attention to the buildings, both curb and creek-side, and begin enforcing the codified ordinances relating to building maintenance. There was a huge push in the 90’s to clean up the historic district as part of the boardwalk project, and now Bejger feels the properties are looking run down, or poorly maintained as they were in the 1980s. She would like to see the village step up in terms of maintenance enforcement, and the building owners step up and show pride in their properties.
Following Bejger’s statement, Council proceeded to round table discussion.
Knop shared that tree removal will begin soon at the site of the new Dollar General store. The store will be located on the currently heavily wooded lot on Windham Street, across from Garrettsville Animal Hospital. When complete, the entrance for the new store will be located on Liberty Street.
Hardesty requested approval for up to $25,000 for the Police Station reroofing project. His request was approved by all council members present. He also requested $12,500 for Planning Commission’s 2019 update to the Village Plan. This project will be completed by Northstar Planning and Design, the firm responsible for the original 2001 plan. Hardesty will also attempt to secure state pricing for the new street department truck via Kepich Ford.
Knop sought clarification to the village’s new credit card policy, which Stuck provided.
Wordell provided the rest of council with a status update on the website project. She is confident that there will be something to look at during the next council meeting. Wordell also provided projections of estimated revenue from the proposed Ohio gas tax hike. Her projections included the original 18¢ proposed tax (which would generate $63,000 annually for the Village), and 12¢ (would generate $42,600 annually). The tax rate that made it through the Ohio Senate came in around 10¢. Wordell asked council if Garrettsville should join other communities that have expressed support for the gas tax. There was some discussion, and math, among the other council members. It was decided that a letter of support could be sent, as long as disapproval of the high Electric Vehicle Tax was also expressed.
Chambers provided numbers for flooring options at the police station. He compared a variety of flooring products before landing on two vinyl planking options. Council approved the more durable, but less expensive $6,600 flooring option for the basement, and upstairs areas.
Patrick shared that Adam Vanek has joined the Garrettsville Street Department. Conversation then turned toward the subject of the skateboard park that was relocated to the Park Ave park from the Bill Phelps Park (Library Park). The organization behind fundraising efforts has collected $3,000 towards the cost of a new skateboarding area, and has stipulated that the money must be donated the the Garfield PTO if the Village backs out of plans to rebuild the skate park. Wordell said that she would reach out to someone she knows that can provide figures on what would need to be built, so council can make an informed decision. Council would also like to look into a “mentorship” program to connect skateboarders with kids who want to learn the sport. Pickleball may also be coming to the Bill Phelps Park as part of the tennis court refurbishment.
Collins shared that the Garrettsville-Hiram Rotary club has interest in doing some landscaping around the gazebo at the back of the Freedom Street municipal lot. They also have plans to plant a pollinator garden along Headwaters Trail.
Following round table, council entered executive session.
