Mayor Bryan Shock called the December 22, 2016 Village of Attica Council meeting to order at 7:33PM.  Roll Call:  Jeff Painter, Jeff Love, Nate Frisch, Gary Jordan, George Yakoubian and Kirk Stanfield.  Others present:  Village Administrator Martin, Police Chief Turner, Solicitor Palau and residents M/M Lance Drummond and Steve Holm.

Motion by Councilman Yakoubian, seconded  by Councilman Love to approve the warrants for payment.  Vote: 6-0.  Motion carried.

Motion by Councilman Painter, seconded by Councilman Frisch to approve the minutes as presented.  Vote: 6-0.  Motion carried.

Written & Oral Communication:  Council received notice of a County wide EMS meeting on 1-10-17 at 9AM at the Commissioner’s office.  Main topic – a County-wide EMS staffed unit (removed from Attica ? (AVR).

Public Safety:  Councilman Yakoubian presented Council with the Blue Line Solutions contract for photo enforcement and asked each to read over the contents, prior to submission to BLS.  Solicitor Palau said it is a good ordinance, but the Village cannot hold harmless BLS (as that is against OhioLaw), and will need to fill in our part-time to full-time pay amounts, (wages, retirements, medicare, hospitalization, etc).  If cases go to court, we will have expenses;  there is a 30 days (written statement ) opt out of the program, not the 5 year contract by BLS.  Further discussion will be held Jan 12th. The contract will go to BLS once Council is satisfied with the contents.

Streets & Properties:  ice is melting, intersections only salted as we do not have enough to salt the streets, and too costly to do so);  a water break has been fixed Liberty/Lemmon Streets.  Email from Prosecutor’s Office on N/S Woodwind, and exemption needed to proceed.  Solicitor Palau asked for photo of the streets to present along with the form to send to the State (lengthy process) for this property to be tax exempt.  V.A. Martin will do some research as well (legal description) and see to the photo(s).

Parks:  PEP (Insurance Company – building/content/liability coverage) said “removing lifeguards would be an undesirable exposure and the pool liability would need to be removed from coverage” in response to the statement from Councilman Stanfield, that the Village does not need lifeguards for an area less than 2,000sf, roping off from our 3,150sf pool.  The pool will be staffed with lifeguards when it opens.

Trees:  -

Fire:  Meeting held, bills paid.

EMS:  Meeting next week.

Cemetery:  Bills paid, year- end meeting on the 29th.

Personnel:  -

Zoning Commission:  a permit for a room addition was issued.

Finance & Rule:  Total all funds:  $836,719.79, with a few bills and a 12-30-16 payroll yet.  F.O. Krebs explained the balancing of the water operations fund for 2017:  Raises were removed, re-alignment of the premium cost to fund% (shifting some of the burden from Water to Sewer, due to the new lagoons project constructed, and remaining $3,090 needed appropriation for chemicals to be taken from the Dec 31st carry-over balance.  Councilman Love relayed the w/s committee discussion to Council, asking for a two dollar per month per user increase on the current $2.65 water improvement capital charge on Ordinance 49-2010, for a new amount of $4.65 per user, effective 1-1-2017, as costs of improvements, aging equipment, meter upgrades (current system outdated); water line replacements, and shortfalls on revenue to warrant this increase (expected to generate $13,000 per year additional $).  Motion by Councilman Love, seconded by Councilman Frisch to have Solicitor Palau draft an Ordinance to increase the water capital improvement cost per user and additional $2.00 (new  rate total $4.65) per month, effective 1-1-2017, and to present it for Council’s approval at the Jan. 12th meeting.  Vote: 5-1, with Councilman Stanfield voting No.  Motion carried.    Motion by Councilman Yakoubian, seconded by Councilman Love to re-align the building/content/l. insurance premium cost to: Water 47%, Sewer 45%, General 2%, Streets 2% and Police 4%, effective 1-1-2017.  Vote:  6-0.  Motion carried.  Councilman Love asked that re-alignment of work ratio to fund ratio for employees of St/w/s be considered to allow Jeret Halbeisen time in the water department to obtain his Class III operators license in the near future.  Motion by Councilman Yakoubian, seconded by Councilman Love to re-align the work ratio to fund % for the following, effective 1-1-2017:  Jeret H (w 65%; S 20%, St 10, P/R 5%) Greg M (W10%; S50%; St 30%, P/R 5%, G 5%) and Gary W (w48% S48% St 4%).  Vote:  6-0.  Motion carried.  Councilman Frisch thanked Greg & Gary for presenting their side, even though, at times did not always agree, Nate learned a lot thru the appropriation process.  Greg appreciates Council’s input.  Thanks Pat for your work on the numbers.

Water & Sewer:  Councilman Painter publically thanked Greg and Jeret (Gary-day off, came later) for their work on getting the water line break fixed in extreme winter conditions.  This break occurred 3’ from the break back in 2015 repaired.   The freeze-thaw does not bode well for water lines.  Resident Steve Halm asked Council for a reduction on his sewer fees for the water break he had fixed.  It occurred over three billing cycles.  Motion by Councilman Jordan, seconded by Councilman Yakoubian to reduce S. Halm’s sewer cost by $537.32.  (all three months adjusted total).  Vote:  6-0.  Motion carried.  It was noted that Tiger Treat’s must get his leak completely fixed before turning the water back on.  Village employees’ do everything they can when high readings are first detected, and users are made aware of ways to check for leaks.  Wastewater:  We have the okay to begin tear-down of the old ww plant, and will probably start later this winter with our backhoe, scrapping out what we can; the sludge will be pumped and land applied with best method to be determined.  The old building won’t be of use, but the dry beds building will make good winter storage, as it has a concrete floor.

Village Web-Site & IT:  -

Unfinished, Old Business, New Business:

Councilman Painter:  Thank you Michele Weaver for the Annual Kids Christmas party at the Fairgrounds, and to those who donated $ for supplies, those for their time, Custom Ag for 100 9-volt batteries for smoke alarms, and Mr. & Mrs. Claus.  A great time was had by all who attended.

3rd Reading of Resolution 2016-16, Year 2017 Annual Appropriations was read.  Motion by Councilman Yakoubian, seconded by Councilman Love to adopt Resolution 2016-16, Year 2017 Annual Appropriations in the amount of $1,188,028.00 plus 12-31-16 carry-over balances.  Vote: 5-1, with Councilman Stanfield voting no.  Motion carried.

2nd Reading of Ordinance 2016-17 Dog Ordinance (4 Dog limit) was read.

Councilman Frisch asked for a brief Executive Session for pending litigation, with Councilman Stanfield being excused.  Councilman Stanfield asked why he had to be excused, nothing new is happening that he knows of – what is this about?   Solicitor Palau stated that it is a conflict of interest for you (Councilman Stanfield) to be involved.  Motion by Councilman Frisch, seconded by Councilman Yakoubian to enter into Executive Session for pending litigation, and excluding Councilman Stanfield.  Time:  8:34PM.  Vote: 5-0.   Councilman Stanfield wouldn’t vote, then left Village Hall a short time later.

Motion by Councilman Yakoubian, seconded by Councilman Painter to enter out of Executive Session, into Regular Session.  Time: 8:50PM.  Vote: 5-0.  Motion carried.

Next meeting will be Thursday January 12, 2017 at 7:30PM, the Organizational Meeting for the Village.

Motion by Councilman Painter, seconded by Councilman Love to adjourn the meeting.  Time: 8:52PM.  Vote: 5-0.  Motion carried.

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Mayor Bryan Shock                                                                                     Fiscal Officer Pat Krebs