FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION, SERVICE,
ENGINEERING and GORMAN FARM
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
December 2, 2014
The Finance, Administration, Service, Engineering and Gorman Farm Committee met at 3:00 pm on December 2, 2014. Present were Councilmembers Hartman, Finan and Schaefer. Also in attendance during portions of the meeting were Mayor Apking, David Elmers, Cynthia Caracci, James Jeffers, Jim Bothe, Chris Patterson, Chris Schuermann, a representative for Carolyn Smiley-Robertson and Wayne Mosely.
Finance
Cynthia Caracci reported that there should be sufficient funds to cover all 2014 planned budget items. While the current 2014 cash balance shows a net surplus of $2,563,396.99, all but $700,000 will likely be encumbered in the governmental funds at the end of 2014. The current unencumbered balance is $18,771,849.93. Tax revenues for November were $1,196,450.76. The year to date total is $12,387,292.35. The projection for 2014 was $13,400,000. If the December 2014 revenue is in the range of December 2012 and 2013 which exceeded $1,000,000, Cynthia’s tax revenue projection for 2014 will be on target.
Gorman Farm
Chris Schuermann reported that there have been 16 Eagle Scout projects this year. These projects range from building retaining walls to rebuilding hay wagon floors. Chris Schuermann also indicated that the Farm is applying for a grant to become part of a consortium to provide food to the free store. This is a work in progress. Chris Patterson confirmed that the 2015 Budget for capital purchases will be used for some equipment purchases and a building to store equipment. The specifics of the building and equipment have not been finalized at this time.
Administration
David Elmer reported that the TLC nursery has vacated the TLC property, the locks have been changed, and the remaining items, except for a dumpster belonging to Rumpke have been abandoned. The main floor of the retail building and the garages are empty except for the items stored by the Gorman Farm and the Village. The basement of the retail building has water issues and there clean up on the grounds that the Service Department will manage. The service department winterized the plumbing.
Dave is working with the Service Department, the Historical Commission, and the Gorman Farm to manage temporary uses of the space. Mayor Apking stated that once the Historical Commission is ready, a contractor will move the collection of artifacts to the TLC retail building. Its will then take six or eight months to upgrade the Historical Commission room in the civic center. It is anticipated that the collection will be sorted and catalogued before it is moved back into the civic center building.
Dave also reported that upgrades to the Swifty gas stations sites on Glendale Milford Road and at the Cooper and Reading Road intersection are being considered by planning commission. Council member Hartman was concerned about ground water contamination from those sites adjoining Evendale owned property. Council member Finan suggested that Dave Elmer have a conversation with the owner as to whether the Swifty site at the Cooper and Reading Road intersection is available for purchase by the Village.
Mayor Apking and Cynthia Caracci indicated that the Clear Creek Township Administrator has inquired about the possibility of sharing services for an IT employee. The Committee was amenable to the proposal, but the exact details need to be worked out as to salary, benefits, reimbursement from Clear Creek Township, the time the employee will spend in each location, length of the shared services contract, and what would happen to the employee should the shared services contract be terminated by Clear Creek Township.
Finally, the Mayor brought up the amount of the employee raise for 2015. Since the 2014 inflation rate and Social Security cost of living increase was 1.7%, the committee unanimously agreed upon a raise of 2%.
Engineering and Service
James Jeffers presented his report in writing. The committee went over several items on the list.
Item 3. Wayne Mosely attended the Committee Meeting because the Cooper Creek wall construct by the Village adjacent to his property is failing. The Village hired a Geotechnical Engineer who made a recommendation concerning the type of wall that would be required to contain the Cooper Creek. The plans for the wall and bidding the project will not be completed this year. The Committee Recommended that the 2015 budget include the cost of the wall. The money appropriated in 2014 for this project will be included in the net 2014 surplus.
Item 4. The residential lighting project is going to cost $601,000, $39,000 less than the original estimate.
Item 7. The picnic tables for the new picnic shelter are going to be kept under cover until the work is completed.
Item 8. Duke has not completed the work in front of Carolyn Duffy’s home on Plateau Place. The committee recommended that the PUCO ombudsman’s office be contacted to see if they can make Duke Energy become more responsive to such requests.
Item 11. Since Evendale did not get the Issue 2 grant for Reading Road this year, the committee recommended that we reapply next year rather than take the 0% interest loan that was suggested. If we wait on Issue #2 money, $450,000 will be paid by the state. If we take the loan, Evendale will have to pay the entire amount of the project and will not have the $450,000 from the state.
Item 14. Marquee Sign. James indicated the cost for one sign is $60,000. Councilmember Schaefer suggested that the Blue Ash sign continually identifies events open to the public. Mayor Apking agreed that few recreation events are open to the public. Sports sign ups are now completed on-line. The recreation department sends an email to parents. The parents can open the email and sign up via computer. The primary things open to the public are at the cultural arts center and the Founders Pavillion. Temporary signage has helped bring members of the general public into the events at the Cultural Arts Center. Councilmember Finan commented that the Blue Ash sign is ugly and that $60,000 for one sign is too much. James suggested that the size of the sign could be reduced to get it
under the bid limit. But, that may the sign too small and not legible. The committee recommended that this be delayed or cancelled.
Item 15. Allen property on Stanwin. The Allens bought the Bushelman property out of an auction on a forfeiture. They are now trying to sell the property. Unfortunately, Mr. Bushelman enclosed a yard and built out-buildings that encroach on Evendale Property and a neighbor’s property. This creates a title problem. The committee recommended that, if the matter is resolved with the neighbor, the Village sell its property needed to resolve the issue to the Allens. The suggested pricing method is to take the land value set by the county auditor on the land actually owned by the Allens. Divide that by the square footage of their property. That will give a reasonable value for each square foot. Then that value would be multiplied by the amount of square footage needed to resolve the
matter. The Council will have to agree to any sale by Ordinance.
Woodleigh water line. At the town meeting an issue was raised concerning the Woodleigh lane water line that the Water Works has dug up and repaired several times. James spoke with the Water Works who indicated that they believe the line is repaired. It’s on their watch list, but no replacement is currently planned by the Water Works.
The meeting adjourned at 4:45 pm.
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Christian J. Schaefer
Committee Chairman
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