University Heights City Council meeting highlights 2-21-12 & 2-28-12

FEBRUARY 21, 2012

• Urban forestry management plan
• Saybrook Park
• Shaker Heights court reimbursement
• 2012 street line painting
• Catch basins
• Purvis Park concession
• Emergency sewer repairs
• Refuse scooter

All council members were present.

Urban forestry management plan

Council approved, on emergency, an agreement with Thomas M. Morgan for the development of the 2012 Urban Forestry Management Plan for University Heights. The service director was looking for a contractor with a flexible schedule, reasonable rates, and a wealth of experience. The State Department of Forestry referred him to Morgan, who has worked with Cleveland Heights and is a certified arborist. His task will be to review the city’s trees and determine which need to be trimmed, treated for disease or removed. Council authorized a six-month $5,000 contract, with an option to extend it for another six months. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Sheila Hubman, of Saybrook Road, asked why the contract for the Urban Forestry Management Plan was presented “on emergency,” and what the process had been for selecting this contractor. Council responded that they want to begin assessing the trees now because they can hire tree services more cheaply during the winter, and to get a jump on trimming and treating trees.

Saybrook Park

Michael Brennan, of Washington Boulevard, supported the creation of Saybrook Park on the grounds of the former Fuchs Mizrachi elementary school.

Shaker Heights court reimbursement

Council approved a motion to pay $47,501 to Shaker Heights for the second half of 2011 Shaker Heights Court cost reimbursement. Five cities share the services of this court.

2012 street line painting

Council approved a motion to advertise for bids with Shaker Heights for 2012 street line painting. The bids would be for a three-year contract. Bidding out this work would enable the current city employee doing this job to do other work, including updating street signs to meet new reflectivity standards.

Catch basins

Council approved a motion to advertise for bids to clean the catch basins for 2012. This annual program is needed to meet EPA requirements. The process includes vacuuming out and jet-cleaning the basins, storm sewers, and sanitary sewers. Approximately one-third of the basins and sewers are cleaned each year. The county might begin offering sewer cleaning, so this bid is for one year with an option to renew.

Purvis Park concession

Council approved a motion to advertise for bids for the Purvis Park concession operation. Mayor Infeld announced that since no bids were received last year, she will change the contract proposal this year, reducing the “contributory amount,” which is the percentage of sales that the concessionaire must pay back to the city.

Emergency sewer repairs

Council authorized a contract with Land Networking for 2012-13 emergency sewer repairs. Land Networking is related to the Thomas Hall Company, which has done satisfactory work in the past. This contract is for times when emergency repair is needed and the service department is unable to do the job.

Refuse scooter

Rob Jamieson, service director, announced that the new refuse scooter was ready to use. He had saved money by having some of his staff fabricate their own hopper on the back of the scooter. The total cost, including labor, was $17,200.

LWV observer: Wendy Deuring.

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

• New rooftop heater/air conditioner
• Executive session

The observer was not present for the meeting. This information was obtained from Nancy English, clerk of council.

New rooftop heater/air conditioner

A motion to approve the purchase of a new rooftop heater/air conditioner for the Sign Shop building was removed from the agenda because the quote of $4,800 was below the mayor’s $5,000 spending limit.

Executive session

The major portion of this meeting was held in executive session for the purpose of discussing the acquisition of real estate. Council likewise had adjourned into executive session for both the February 21 and February 6 meetings. 

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse, and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.