PC tonight: ZONING IN, ZONING OUT!

Hi, People! Thanks again for your confidence in me on election day. Tonight we're going to be mostly focused on hearing Tim Tobey's report on the Parks Master Plan that he's been discussing--we may even just get a slight update to the old, unapproved plan that would at least be good information to have available to us. Second, we'll (very likely) be recommending approval of the annexation of the right-of-way on Dayton-YS St. that will allow entrance to the CBE (the Antioch-Midwest complex and any additional buildings).

Finally, we'll be discussing the request by the contractor for our new zoning ordinance, LSL, to:

1) identify up to 8 individual people (concerned with zoning?) to be interviewed--I need to get a better sense of what this means.
2) identify "user groups and selected person to particpate in each group" they suggest groups like "downtown business owners, neighborhood association reps, major employers and land developers."

We're also going to try to schedule a start up meeting with LSL and the technical review committee for the zoning code update as well as a village tour.

Let me know if you would like to be more engaged in this zoning project--I should be able to facilitate your involvement.

Thanks.

Dear People: Thanks to all of you for your warm words and support throughout my quiet campaign. I am proud to say that, other than the nominal, required registration fee ($30?), I spent $0. So this was a very efficient little campaign, and that's probably the most beautiful thing about it. Frank was supposed to be my treasurer, but we gave him NOTHING to do!

So, I especially want to especially thank Ona Harshaw who served as an unofficial campaign manager, and for recruiting Jen Reich to help with finding all the old signs and to both of them for getting them strategically placed around town. AND Ona had to fix a bunch of them, too, as they were old and falling apart. So, Ona: I know I owe you AT LEAST one six pack. Actually, I think the whole town owes Ona at least a six pack each. When you see her, buy her one! She also worked all day as a poll worker, and her human relations skills are second to none. Basically, I LOVE Ona, heart and soul. She's a rock in a hard place.

Thanks also to all those who wrote letters to the editor supporting me.

And, finally, I want to thank Jen and Barry for hosting a smashing little campaign party last night for me and Rick.

So, of course, a poem about thanks. And worms:

Worms by Carl Dennis

Aren't you glad at least that the earthworms

Under the grass are ignorant, as they eat the earth,

Of the good they confer on us, that their silence

Isn't a silent reproof for our bad manners,

Our never casting earthward a crumb of thanks

For their keeping the soil from packing so tight

That no root, however determined, could pierce it?

Imagine if they suspected how much we owe them,

How the weight of our debt would crush us

Even if they enjoyed keeping the grass alive,

The garden flowers and vegetables, the clover,

And wanted nothing that we could give them,

Not even the merest nod of acknowledgment.

A debt to angels would be easy in comparison,

Bright, weightless creatures of cloud, who serve

An even brighter and lighter master.

Lucky for us they don't know what they're doing,

These puny anonymous creatures of dark and damp

Who eat simply to live, with no more sense of mission

Than nature feels in providing for our survival.

Better save our gratitude for a friend

Who gives us more than we can give in return

And never hints she's waiting for reciprocity.

"If I had nickel, I'd give it to you,"

The lover says, who, having nothing available

In the solid, indicative world, scrapes up

A coin or two in the world of the subjunctive.

"A nickel with a hole drilled in the top

So you can fasten it to your bracelet, a charm

To protect you against your enemies."

For his sake, she'd wear it, not for her own,

So he might believe she's safe as she saunters

Home across the field at night, the moon above her,

Below her the loam, compressed by the soles of her loafers,

And the tunneling earthworms, tireless, silent,

As they persist, oblivious, in their service.

Source: Poetry (May 2003).

Lori

VC tomorrow night! Note the highlights...

Dear People: Tomorrow night the main issues will be: Mark's position as a finalist for the manager job in Sidney, new solid waste rates, a tap-in request from Home, Inc., our endorsement of the MVRPC's regional strategic plan, the library building audit, the issue of the state's interest in collecting taxes, what to do about our water supply, and LJB making a request for a considerably greater funds for work associated with the WWTP. The packet can be viewed here.

COMMUNICATIONS:
In Paper Packet and On Line:
RITA re: State Control of Municipal Income Tax Collection Update (see item under "New Business")
Tom Clevenger re: Rescheduling of Energy Charrette for the BARR PROPERTY SENIOR HOUSING: on WED. NOV. 9th at 5:30 in the Bryan Ctr. Rooms A&B there will be a meeting with the developer lead, the project architect and the project consultant to the green enterprise community standards. If you are interested in the design of this building, particularly as it relates to energy efficiency, please attend this meeting.
Vickie Hennessey re: Fluoride Rinse Program
Mayor’s Monthly Report
Emily Seibel, YSHI re: Fee Waiver Request: (see resolution 2011-54 below)
Len Kramer re: Support for YSHI Fee Waiver
Fred Bartenstein re: YSHI Fee Waiver

E-Packet Only:
GCCOA re: Newsletter and Invitation
Greene County Environmental Services re: Free Nitrate Screening for Well-users: If you have a well, you might want this!
MVRCP re: PDAC Meeting
GCCOA re: Free Paper Shredding (in Beavercreek, NOV 15--RSVP required; also this is a "how to organize your papers" event, targeted at seniors. Look in the packet for more details--it's near the very end of the packet.)

ANNOUNCEMENTS: We just received news that Mark is a finalist for a City Manager position in Sidney. He will be reading a statement about his decision to apply for this job (and this job only) due to long term connections to the city.

PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION
Ordinance 2011-27 Amending Chapter 1060 Solid Waste Rates: Since we signed the new contract with Rumpke, the following rates will now apply:

Tier 1 (Not more than 35 Gallons): $10.40 Per Unit/Month
Tier 2 (Not more than 65 Gallons): $11.40 Per Unit/Month
Tier 3 (Not more than 120 Gallons): $12.40 Per Unit/Month

[Commercial Services – Four Cubic-Yard Container: $55.00 Per Container/Month]

I will vote yes.

Resolution 2011-54 Home Inc. Tap-In Request: The amount requested is minimal--less than $20,000--which is less than the first year of taxes that will be brought in (about $25,000 per year), and the successful project will bring in $4.25 million dollars of tax credit equity. While they are continuing to look for other local support, they recently have become convinced that this support is vital for a successful proposal. It would have been better had this been a part of the original packet, and I am a little disappointed that it wasn't, but I will vote yes because I would have voted for this had it been a part of the original proposal, and I believe it is reasonable.

Resolution 2011-55 Supporting MVRCP’s Going Places Initiative: I will vote yes. The plan was strongly influenced by Yellow Springs and our Visioning process; the goal is to encourage smart growth and reduce suburban sprawl.

III. CITIZEN CONCERNS

IV. SPECIAL REPORTS
Library Evaluation Presentation: Ted Donnell was awarded a contract to do a building and energy audit. He's recommending a variety of upgrades that are either "high" "medium" and "low" priority. The most expensive high priority item is replacing the 1963 windows with energy-efficient ones (estimated at $150K.)

V. OLD BUSINESS
Water Supply Feasibility Study: Mark writes that likely will not have the information about likely rates from Xenia/Spfld by this meeting, in which case, we will discuss at 11/21 meeting.

VI. NEW BUSINESS
State Collection of Income Tax Discussion: RITA, our current tax collector, is concerned about the State's interest in taking over the function of all municipal tax collection. I could not understand this, and asked that we discuss the issue. We have a long email on the topic that was written by the manager of Albany Ohio: the good reasons to oppose this move include a loss of local control and an extensive list of historical problems with state collections. I will likely vote that we bring a resolution to Council opposig this State move.

Discussion of Resolution 2011-50 Authorizing Payment to LJB for Additional Services Rendered: This is a request of, I believe an additional $45,500 from the original contract, for work completed during the first 10 months of this year. While we recently authorized paying for a manual that was not included in the initial bid, that's only $5,840 (so far as I can tell, but I find the memo unclear on this point. If I am reading the bill correctly, the estimated additional costs are $33,373.54 so far, plus $5,840, which added together are substantially less than $45,500. So I don't completely understand this billing statement and I am surprised to be getting such a big additional bill at such a late date when the additional fees had apparently been adding up since January or even late 2010. So I will look forward to clarification at the meeting.