University Heights City Council meeting highlights 6-3-2013

JUNE 3, 2013

• Custom-built ambulance
• School facilities meeting
• Accounting change
• CodeRED (reverse 911)
• Expenditure amendment
• Police training
• Service report on trees, sewers and tennis courts
• Fuchs Mizrachi demolition
• Waterline replacement
• Council use of iPads
• Council salaries
  
  

Councilman Steven Sims was absent.

Custom built ambulance

Mayor Infeld noted that at a special council meeting on Memorial Day, council approved the purchase of a custom-built ambulance. It will take five to six months to build.

School facilities meeting

On June 12 council will meet with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education to discuss the facilities plan. This is a public meeting.

Accounting change

Following the advice of the auditor, council authorized accounting changes regarding funds 220, county Municipal Energy Program energy audit, and 221, NOPEC (Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council grant) funds, changing advances to transfers. No new expenses are incurred.

CodeRED (reverse 911)

Council authorized the purchase of a one-year agreement for a new emergency notification system, CodeRED (a reverse 911 system) from CitiWatch. [CitiWatch, used by University Heights last year, has been acquired by Emergency Communications Network, LLC, located in Ormond Beach, Florida]. Many surrounding cities use CodeRED and are satisfied. Councilwoman Sue Pardee questioned purchasing from CitiWatch again when there were so many issues with the old system. The mayor stated that CodeRED is an Internet-based system versus the old phone-line system. The system is constantly updated when residents enter their information on the website. They can receive notifications by a call, text, or e-mail. No personal information can be sold. CodeRED will be up and running by July 8.

Expenditure amendment

Council discussed a first reading of a proposed ordinance to adjust current expenditures for the 2013 calendar year relevant to the waterline project and fees collected by the building department. John Carroll University renovations increased the assessments dramatically, but there are no additional revenues to the city.

Police training

The police department trained with the John Carroll University police and focused on campus shootings. On May 25, which was National Missing Children’s Day, the department participated with other police departments in Take 25, spending 25 minutes with a child at the Boys and Girls Club on West 23rd Street in Cleveland in recognition that this was the neighborhood where three abducted girls were recently found. The department took advantage of free trainings recently offered, including some for management, communications and amber alerts.

Service report on trees, sewers and tennis courts

Planting of 90 percent of the trees has been completed, and the rest will be planted by June 15. In addition, 350 catch basins are cleaned out, and sanitary and storm sewer televising is 10 percent complete. The tennis court renovations are almost complete with new nets, power washing, sealed cracks and a new surface on four courts. The courts will open on June 10.

Fuchs Mizrachi demolition

The city engineer is finalizing the Fuchs building demolition. Asbestos will be removed first, the building razed after July 4, and grass planted in September.

Waterline replacement

The waterline replacement on Fenwood and Channing roads will begin in two to three weeks. The company has notified residents by letter. The city will also send letters and place notices in the newsletter.

Council use of iPads

Councilwoman Sue Pardee discussed the investigation of possibly using iPads in council meetings.

Council salaries

The mayor reminded council members to hold committee meetings to set salaries for council seats because this is an election year.

LWV Observer: Michele Weiss.

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.