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AGENDA 6-02-2015

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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    Posted: May 28 2015 at 7:38am

MIDDLETOWN CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

TUESDAY, June 2, 2015

BUSINESS MEETING – 5:30 pm – COUNCIL CHAMBERS – LOWER LEVEL

1. MOMENT OF MEDITATION/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

2. ROLL CALL

3. PUBLIC HEARING - Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) - Police

4. PRESENTATION- Miami Conservancy District’s 100th Anniversary Proclamation

5. CITIZEN COMMENTS, GUESTS, ORGANIZATIONS’ REPORTS

6. CITY MANAGER REPORTS

7. CONSENT AGENDA. . . Matters listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote of consent. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be removed and considered separately.

(a) Approve City Council Minutes: May 5 & May 19, 2015

(b) Receive and File Oaths of Office: Carley Berman, Ryan Holt, Ryan Montgomery, Ryan Roberts

(c) Confirm Personnel Appointments: Anna O’Hara- Part-time Bus Driver- Community Revitalization- Transit Nallelyt Gopar- Dispatcher- Public Safety- Police Michele McDowell- Secretary III- Public Works-Water Maintenance Michael Saltzmann- Computer Technician- Information Systems Mary Williams- Part-time Bus Driver- Community Revitalization- Transit

(d) Execute a lease/option to purchase City owned vacant lot located at 606 Crawford.

(e) Authorize a contract with A-1 Tree Service of Hillsboro, Oh, in the amount of $37,970.00 for the removal of tree and brush obstructions at the Middletown Regional Airport-Hook Field.

 

LEGISLATION

 

1. Ordinance No. O2015-36, an ordinance establishing a procedure for and authorizing purchases of asphalt by the City Purchasing Agent in 2015 and declaring an emergency.

 

2. Resolution No. R2015-23, a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application and enter into a grant agreement for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and declaring an emergency.

 

3. Ordinance No. O2015-37, an ordinance establishing a procedure for and authorizing a contract with Medicount Management, Inc. for ambulance billing service and declaring an emergency.

 

4. Resolution No. R2015-24, a resolution to make adjustments to appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Middletown, Counties of Butler and Warren, State of Ohio, for the period ending December 31, 2015. (Appropriations Transfer- General Fund) (1st Reading)

 

WORK SESSION – CONFERENCE ROOM 2C- 2nd FLOOR EXECUTIVE SESSION Under the authority of O.R.C. 121.22 (G) (4) Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 8:45am
S T A F F R E P O R T 
For the Business Meeting – June 2, 2015 May 18, 2015 TO: 
Douglas Adkins, City Manager 
FROM: Kyle Fuchs, Director – Community Revitalization Department 
PURPOSE To execute a lease/option to purchase for the vacant City owned lot located at 606 Crawford to Ms. Elizabeth Miller located at the neighboring property at 608 Crawford. 
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS City Council approved the sale of 606 Crawford to Ms. Miller via Motion Agenda on August 2, 2011. However, while getting the documents prepared, it was found that there were errors on the deed. The parcel numbers and legal description got reversed. Therefore, at that time we did not proceed with the sale. Ms. Miller recently approached the City to check into it again to see if the problem had been resolved. Unfortunately it had not, but I informed our attorney to go ahead and get it fixed so it is not an ongoing problem. He is in the process of fixing it, but said it may take some time to work out the issues. In the meantime, Ms. Miller wants to fence in the lot for her dog. She has had issues with stray dogs and is concerned for her dog’s safety. However, she does not want to invest money in a fence if there is a chance the City will instruct her to take it down at a later date. As a result, I have prepared a lease/option to purchase agreement. The original terms of the purchase agreement remain unchanged. This lease/option simply allows Ms. Miller to fence in and use the lot as her own until such time title can be conveyed. 
ALTERNATIVES Do not authorize the lease/option. The City will continue to mow and maintain the lot until such time the title issues are cleared. 
FINANCIAL IMPACTS It costs approximately $40 a week for the City to maintain a vacant lot. This would free up those funds for other uses. 
EMERGENCY/NON EMERGENCY Non emergency
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over the hill View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote over the hill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 9:33am
What is the sale price of the lot to Ms Miller?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 10:08am
$40 PER WEEK for lawn service to a small vacant lot?
How many of these vacant lots are we paying this rate to maintain?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 10:23am
Originally posted by spiderjohn spiderjohn wrote:

$40 PER WEEK for lawn service to a small vacant lot?
How many of these vacant lots are we paying this rate to maintain?


That's what the lawn services charge for a small lot. Why not hire some high school kids at a lesser rate to cut grass. Or, ask Ms. Miller to negotiate a grass cutter for less per cutting and subtract her total cost from the price of the lot on sale day. Would save the city some money. How about the city soliciting the neighbor on either side of the city owned vacant lot to cut it for less than 40 bucks?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 11:08am
The fence would be an eyesore, hence, a blight, and should not be permitted. It will cost $3,000 or more in legal fees to modify and 'fix' the title and subsequent closing. Finally, lease property requires the party acting as tenant, to mow the yard. As the tenant is a dog, is the city creating a dog pound? And can other owners make use of the leased property for their dogs to play and be kept. What liability will the city have in the event the leased property harboring a dog bites an individual.  Would the city have liability. Is there a market for Cincinnati State to create a degree program for dog grooming and canine exercise physiology associated with the leased land used for a dog.

The cost benefit of the land bank will provide significant payback, as a dog roaming behind a fence has generated such financial impact, direct and indirect.  
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 11:28am
LEGISLATION 3:

Ordinance No. O2015-37

Ambulance billing or ambulance outsourcing of making non fire runs to transport patients to Atrium and then billing?

First step in the process to smart-size, and an intelligent move. Drive FTE's down by 80%, and city expense. If just billing.....look to next step. 3rd party provider other than city. Inquiring minds want answers. 
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 1:50pm
What is the sale price of the lot to Ms Miller?

The price of the property is listed as $500.00
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 1:54pm
$40 PER WEEK for lawn service to a small vacant lot?
How many of these vacant lots are we paying this rate to maintain?

We have hundreds of these empty lots all over the 2nd Ward.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 2:39pm
Lol--who's relative is handling the mowing?
Drive by that lot
Very small-poorly maintained
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vivian Moon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 3:00pm
Before the end of summer Mr. Adkins will be requesting more money from the greneral fund to pay the mowing bills on all these lots....Yep ya just got to love this great demo plan of City Hall Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 3:57pm
So it would have been better for city to spend $100,000 on mowing equipment, 10 exmark z's, a few toro Groundmasters, maybe 15 Skag 44 inches. That's the answer. Hmmm. Outside mowing company makes sense. 40 going rate in Middletown for .25 acre and below. Hook Field spending nearly $40,000 to remove trees and clean-up. There has to be some kid around age 11, that would do it with a 21 inch Craftsman for $7.25 and an ice cold Coke.  Question 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 4:46pm
Does anyone follow up that the job has been done in a timely and professional manner?
$40 for .25 residential typically gets a very attractive manicure---not an un-trimmed un-edged knockdown
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 28 2015 at 5:03pm
No. City has contract, paid about every 30 days. Would agree pulling out Stihl trimmers and nice trim mower and blower with lawn striping is a 40 buck hair, LOL, lawn cut. Joe Hagen best in town, Sneider not bad either.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 6:10am
Originally posted by Factguy Factguy wrote:

No. City has contract, paid about every 30 days. Would agree pulling out Stihl trimmers and nice trim mower and blower with lawn striping is a 40 buck hair, LOL, lawn cut. Joe Hagen best in town, Sneider not bad either.


Speaking of lawn services.....next door neighbor, a young working girl with no lawn care experience hires Schneiders (sp?) Lawn Care to do her lawn. They use the 54 inch deck side discharge mowers and cut, trim and blow the lawn in about 15 minutes and then gone. Problem is, the side discharge mowers throw the long clippings on my lawn resulting in me getting my blower out and blowing the clippings back on her lawn where they belong. The boys at Schneiders have a block on a rope they can use to block the exit chute but apparently don't see a need to close the chute when they point the mower exit my way. Common courtesy would be the obvious here but I guess we can forget that, right.

Same situation on the other side of me with the elderly lady who hires a different "15 minutes and gone" lawn care service. Gotta get the blower out when they cut her lawn too. Dunno. Would most of you cutting grass blow the long clippings on your neighbor's lawn if you saw them out there routinely showing they like a nice lawn and put in a lot of time to maintain it?

Kinda inconsiderate, isn't it?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 9:24am
I know of a team of four young men about 25-28 years old, that own a land servicing and landscape company called Barrington Estates Lawn Care and Landscaping. They have an interesting business model, and will go into a neighborhood, and offer a terrific price based upon a fixed annual rate, at 125. monthly, for several neighbors or even one person, for one year. They treat the area and neighborhood as if its a condo unit. Meaning, they mow weekly, twice, if needed, and mow with striper, edge, trim, blow, rake, mulch, trim shrubs, cut down minor dead trees (small ash, etc), pick up dead wood in winter, fertilizer the yard 3-4 times annually, clean walks and put down calcium chloride. All four workers have degrees from Ohio State in landscape management.

The neighborhood or individual pays for mulch, salt, the supplies, but they do all labor in the flat monthly fee as a true full-service provider. Its the best deal in value and quality in southwestern Ohio. I will ask them to post their number and more details about the service offering. They also use the best professional equipment, sharpen blades, using mulching blades and bags, not side chutes, and never use a zero turn mower. My neighbor uses one referenced previously on .45 acre and the 0 turn has destroyed his grass, as they move at 6 mph, and then spin like a tank, destroying the sod (grass).      
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 9:45am
Factguy:

"My neighbor uses one referenced previously on .45 acre and the 0 turn has destroyed his grass, as they move at 6 mph, and then spin like a tank, destroying the sod (grass)."

I know what you mean Factguy. The older lady's lawn service uses the sit down 54 inch rider and the guy goes a hundred miles an hour across her lawn. At that speed, I don't care how sharp your blades are, you have got to be tearing out the grass rather than cutting it cleanly. Shows too as there are "white grass" rows among the greener grass rows when he is done. And the yard looks like a hay field that has just been bush hogged with all the clippings. They try to "lessen" the hayfield look by blowing the clippings around but all that crap on the lawn ain't good for it. Too much thatch buildup eventually. That ain't good either.

The Barrington thing looks like a good deal. The price of the four applications of Scotts for the year for the owner breaks out as such.....(for a 15,000 sq ft bag)

Early spring: Turf builder + Halts for crabgrass- about 62 bucks a bag

Late spring-early summer- Turf builder 2 for broadleaf weeds- about 45 bucks per bag

Mid-late summer: Summerizer (fertilizer + insect control_ about 60 bucks per bag

Late summer- fall: Winterizer (different mix of fertilizer to help the lawn survive the winter and help to a good start in early spring. About 50-60 bucks

A couple of hundred bucks just for the lawn treatment to start. This is our fifth house and I have followed this schedule in all five homes.

Do these guys treat for Emerald Ash Borer? If so, I have had one treatment so far and am looking to add another soon. Had another tree service do the first treatment to the tune of 150 bucks. The tree isn't dead but has lost a lot of foliage since it suddenly started dropping leaves 3 years ago. Has new growth though. A lot of ashes are dead around here. Seems to me that there are many trees of all kinds that don't have as much foliage on them this year. Harsh winters perhaps?
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 10:14am
They won't treat with the chemical for ash borer mainly, because I remember one of them telling me they read so many studies and the cost for the treatment, you have to do it annually, rapidly, exceeds bringing it down and replacing it.

One of the guys at Barrington played golf at Wake Forest on a scholarship, and they are fanatical-  pride and appearance. They do our neighborhood and all yards look like golf fairways. I know what you mean on the clippings. I used to use a honda 217 mower, which thatched great. But, on the ash trees, if they aren't 100 ft, but maybe 30 ft, all that cutting is done at the fixed cost, same with fertilization, trim, at a flat fee. I am with you. I buy all my Scott's products at Costco, and they spread it when needed at intervals, in the flat cost. It probably is 300./month of service in spring/ summer/ fall, that they do at the lower price, and it evens out in winter. But, then they will pick up sticks, downed trees, do the driveways for snow removal, and put down calcium chloride. So far our neighborhood has loved it, its like living in a condo area where everything is done. And, they are very good. The end result is the yards look like golf fairways, nice edging using gas edgers, not trimmers flipped back at a bad angle. Highly recommend. Drop me an email if interested and I will ask their manager to post something here. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 10:33am
cool
great concept--good to know
maybe a folder here where business post their services and contacts?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 10:45am
Factguy:

"Drop me an email if interested and I will ask their manager to post something here."

I do my own lawn, in all areas mentioned, simply because I've always been interested in maintaining a nice lawn and enjoy working outdoors as a stress reliever. However, I will tell the four or five people in the neighborhood with lawn services about this deal and ask them to read your description of the Barrington services on this site. Perhaps some interest can be generated.

Thank you for the info.

Got a gas edger and agree with you that the gas edger does a better job than a trimmer turned sideways. Not an even edging job at all using a trimmer.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 12:41pm
I spoke to the individual who mows our neighborhood and they will post a brief write-up on the site this weekend. They originally started this as a small side business, which it still is, when they were all living in Chicago, in Barrington. Excellent idea on folder for services, and reviews here. Combine yelp and Angie's List type reviews. I use Angie's List routinely for medical references. On Barrington, they do really nice work. One of them was a groundskeeper at one of the pro baseball teams and they really aim to make a neighborhood's value go up by uniformity while taking the hassle out of calling one company for lawn, another for fertilizer, another for mulch, another for lawn bagging, another for now removal, all that. And they do it quickly. They do small numbers with high quality. Not a transaction where they bring in a 60 inch mower for a small yard. They use a Simplicity pacer 34 on my yard with a striper and make the diamond look like the Red's ball field. It really makes a difference.    
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dean Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 29 2015 at 12:51pm
This is an excellent concept. I live over on McGee near the old hospital, and so many of our neighbors that used to sell their homes and move to Florida or South Carolina now remain in their homes here, but are getting much older. I think I call 3-4 services, including Arbor Care for fertilizer. Its impossible to find anyone doing winter work that mows grass in summer. And the guys that drive a snowblower around are 2-3 days after a snow fall. I broke my wrist on ice when we had all that snow two winters ago. Have the Barrington guy send me an email. 
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