Wow--a massively big schedule for tonight.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION
First Reading of Ordinance 2011-18 Amending the Zoning Code to Allow Internet Cafes as
Conditionally Permitted Uses in the General Business District. I will vote yes.
First Reading of Ordinance 2011-20 Approving Transfer and Sale of Land to Peaches, Inc. I will vote yes. This is a tiny, narrow "bowtie" of land that is part of the Peach's lot (it's the part of their lot that basically abuts the bike path, running the whole length of their property), that is technically owned by the village, which makes it difficult for them to expand their business. Peach's have spent $1800 having this property surveyed and appraised, and its value is only $600. This ordinance sells it to them for $1. I support this Ordinance.
Resolution 2011-26 Awarding Solid Waste Contract to Waste Management. The manager suggests ending our 20-year relationship with Rumpke and awarding this contract to Waste Management. This will likely change your trash pick up date (so beware!) but it is a lower cost bid than Rumpke, so it would save you money. I support this resolution.
Resolution 2011-28 Approving the Selection of Home, Inc. as the Development Partner for the Cemetery St. Affordable Housing Project I co-sponsored this proposal, and support this resolution. Home Inc has a good, achievable small-scale plan that will create revenue, eventually, and cost very little in the short term, for a needed goal.
Resolution 2011-29 Approving a Farm Lease for Sutton Farm I support this lease agreement. It covers 43 acres of village-owned land.
Resolution 2011-31 OEPA Planning Loan Application for I &I Elimination Inflow and infiltration--I&I is a problem that unnecessarily taxes our waste water treatment plant (wwtp) and system, and can lead to overflows. Storm water goes through the sewer treatment that should not be treated. This was part of why we had to do major improvements to our sewer system. This loan, if successful, will help us do the testing that will help us eliminate this problem.
Resolution 2011-32 OEPA Planning Loan Application for Sanitary Sewer Lift Station
Improvements As part of our EPA required improvements to our WWTP, and resolution 31 above, we also need to evaluate our lift station. I support this.
Resolution 2011-33 2012 Tax Budget This is basically pro-forma. I will ask some questions, but I will vote yes.
Important: In addition, in our paper packet was initially included a resolution (2011-34) regarding a proferred loan to eHDS, a local business that provides many well-paying jobs but that may move from YS as a result of lack of space. (See this week's excellent YS News article on the challenges.) This offer was rejected, so the resolution and loan offer were removed from the online packets. From my very limited involvement in this negotation, I believe it is likely that we may consider a revised proposal or at least a report of some sort tonight, but negotiations are on-going.
Due to the confusion of the process, I asked our legal Counsel to weigh in on whether it was proper to remove that legislation, by Sunshine laws. He saw no violation of Sunshine, and provided helpful counsel for how to approach our negotiations with businesses in keeping with the law and the rights of business owners.
I suspect this issue, including the broader issue of the lack of "A-1 office space" in YS will be discussed under New Business.
SPECIAL REPORTS
Chamber Marketing Plan for 2011-2012. Report of activities and request for our support of $2400 for the Chamber's cooperative marketing of the village and local businesses.
OLD BUSINESS
AMP Tree Trimming Update We are under contract with AMP's forestry division to do some major line clearance work (this is on top of our regular, annual line clearance in another section of the village, which would be done by competitive bidding). The AMP foresters have looked at the area south of Allen Street, and estimate $179,000 to do so. This would come out of the electrical fund, which has money to cover it. I will vote yes, because prevention is the best cure: the electrical outage problems that overgrown trees are creating, cost a lot of money and time and sometimes are even dangerous for people's lives.
Solar Farm Update The solar partners visited the proposed site on Thursday with staff and Council people Hempfling and Walkey. We will have a report on what they saw.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: We will be doing our annual review of Village Manager Cundiff. Feel free to send in input, as well as discussing pending litigation.
POEM
An immigrant's decision to love this country, painfully. Happy day after Independence!
Learning to Love America
because it has no pure products
because the Pacific Ocean sweeps along the coastline
because the water of the ocean is cold
and because land is better than ocean
because I say we rather than they
because I live in California
I have eaten fresh artichokes
and jacaranda bloom in April and May
because my senses have caught up with my body
my breath with the air it swallows
my hunger with my mouth
because I walk barefoot in my house
because I have nursed my son at my breast
because he is a strong American boy
because I have seen his eyes redden when he is asked who he is
because he answers I don’t know
because to have a son is to have a country
because my son will bury me here
because countries are in our blood and we bleed them
because it is late and too late to change my mind
because it is time.
Shirley Geok-lin Lim, “Learning to love America” from What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say. Copyright © 1998 by Shirley Geok-lin Lim. Reprinted with the permission of West End Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Source: What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say (West End Press, 1998)
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