Glass City Jungle

The first part of Agenda Review was a bit out of the ordinary, an agreement was signed between Toledo and Comibatore, India making them one of our sister cities. Some of the history of how the relationship between the two cities connects to the University of Toledo – (link).

First up is legislation presented by McNamara –

Re-establishing the fifteen member Electric Franchise Review Committee to create an energy plan for the City of Toledo and investigate ways of reducing electric rates; and declaring an emergency.

The original Electric Franchise Review Committee in 1989 did two studies to recommend strategies to lower electric rates in our area. They were also charged with if there was a franchise agreement with the City, there was some legal wrangling that ended up with two compact agreements. There is no franchise so that aspect of the former duties is not needed but we have created Toledo Public power and a variety of ways to generate power such as the solar field, the co-gen plant, etc. There are lots of ways to use these assets in the best interest of the citizens but there are policy initiatives and decisions that need to be made to come up with an energy policy. The committee would be create/renamed but could assist in coming up with short and long term plans related to things like selling energy credits, what to do with the power we are generating at Collins Park, the answer may not be to use it on site, because of the changes of law. It’s possible proper use of Toledo Public Power utility rates could be lowered for the whole area. The new Committee would consist of 15 members, none of which could have a connection to any utility companies. It’s not designed to be adversarial against First Energy, it’s designed to help create an independent voice to suggest policy. We don’t have a master plan for dealing with our energy assets.

Ludeman asked if McNamara was planning on having committee hearing, Waniewski also wanted a committee hearing to look at Toledo Public Power, the history the costs associated, the services that may be provided, by-laws of the committee. It was scheduled for May 24 in Public Utilities for a commitee hearing.

New Items from the Administration – no discussion on these items unless noted – all were given SEP

Sale of former Chase School property to United North for senior housing, $20,000 GF & $80,000 imps.
Brief discussion on this item, there is a zoning and planning meeting scheduled for May 19.

Lease parking lot at 217 E. Central Ave. to United North for offices & Ohio Theatre, 2 years + options
Fee to United North would be one dollar a month or $12.00 a year.

Submit to HUD Five-Year Con. Plan and One-Year Action Plan for CDBG, HOME and ESG grants
Accept 36th Year CDBG grant $8,761,779, appropriate $1,619,200 prior unspent & $21,600 revenues
Accept 19th Year HOME grant $2,697,406
Accept 24th Year ESG grant $353,061, plus appropriate $12,270 unspent 2008 funds

Agreement with Lucas County for traffic signal improvements at Corey, Sylvania & Whiteford – First Reading
Intersection is part in County and part in City the County received a grant for part of this, the City’s only obligation will be done in house.

Authorize First Amendment to Consent Decree on City’s sanitary sewer system – First reading
Ashford wanted to know how much money they had in the budget for marketing, it was not known. There is money budgeted for this, and this is the biggest project the City has undertaken and how it is mandated by the EPA. He thinks they should do some marketing the next ten days.
Steel wanted to know if the administration was looking at green energy solutions instead of just diverting storm water, looking at the amount that could be diverted from permeable pavement, rain gardens, etc. It’s ancillary but it’s also fundamental. The administration said the EPA has standards set and the flip side of the green infrastructure argument is it is double the cost. The bioswale project on Reynolds road was discussed, federal dollars were obtained through Congresswoman Kaptur’s office, they took the drainage system there out of play they installed a filtration system so the water coming off the road goes through that before entering the pipe system and have plants in the bioswale, a fairly simple application like this was cost effective. This was a demonstration project, they will be watching it over the next several years, it responded well so far under strong storm conditions. It looks like something they could look at for specific sites and applications. Waniewski said the Port Authority gave the City 15 million dollars designed for residential areas, he felt some of that money could be used.

Correct accounting code for 6 OPWC projects for Engineering Services First Reading
House keeping issue needed to correct coding issue

Accept ODOT grant for Reynolds Rd. corridor, I-280 bike paths, and Manhattan bike path, $1,460,397 SEP
Matching funds in $365,000 were approved previously.

We are in receipt of three Transportation Enhancement Grants from ODOT for improvements to the Reynolds Road Corridor, construction of bike path projects in North Toledo and East Toledo and construction of a bike path segment along Manhattan Boulevard. The Reynolds Road Bio-Swale and Urban Beautification project is specifically directed at mitigating storm water flow and pollutants through the application of a bio-swale system and improving the overall appearance of the corridor with urban beautification efforts. The I-280 Trench Path Connections Project proposes to construct bike path segments adjacent to Summit Street in North Toledo and a bike path segment with information plaza adjacent to Front Street in East Toledo. Both of these proposed path infrastructure projects are necessary to link neighborhood areas to the soon to be complete I-280 Multi-Purpose Path. The Manhattan Boulevard Bike Path Project is necessary to provide a safe and usable link from neighborhoods in Point Place to existing and proposed bike path segments along Summit Street.

The combined proceeds of all three grants is $1,460,397 which represents 80% of the cost of the above designated projects, with the remaining 20% being funded by the previously approved 2010 Division of Engineering Services’ Matches and Planning budget. Plans are currently in design in the Division of Engineering Services. This ordinance is required to enable the City of Toledo to accept, appropriate and expend the ODOT funding for these projects so that they can be timely constructed in 2010

Appropriation for large diameter sewers inspection and evaluation, $1,000,000 Sewer Replacement First reading
40 miles of sewer line that would be televised for repairs. This is supposed to be done every ten years. Steel wanted to know how many phases, it was stated this is the last round of televising that began in 1994. It’s been bid out to different contractors, this phase is expected to take about a year. By referral Steel wanted the contractors used in the past two phases. The bid specs are in draft form.

Appropriation for controls design for TWI Phase II at Bay View WWTP, $900,000 Sewer Replacement First reading
They need to design the controls at the plant and provide for telecommunication, telemetering back to the plant.

Appropriation for Cityworks, a GIS computerized maintenance system for DPU, $300,000 W&S Repl no questions

Expenditure to Fritz Byers for legal services, $125,000 General Fund & Sewer Operating Fund SEP
Ludeman asked if there was any legislation authorizing this, there was not. This is the first time the City has approached Council with legislation to pay. Collins said it began in December of 2008, there was a contract but it did not come before Council, the original set of documents dealt with out of court settlements. Collins went to federal court to hear the closing arguments, he felt the only justification for spending this much money is if the case was going to trial but he thinks they should have this SEP. Waniewski wanted the breakdown as far as the bill. Ashford asked why money was coming from the Sewer Fund, it was stated that one of those involved in the lawsuit worked in that department and the legal department said that was an appropriate use of funding. Collins said there are thousands of pages of depositions that he’d be happy to share with Waniewski.

Accept Byrne Grant for portion of assistant prosecutor salary for Violence Against Women, $40,000 SEP

Appropriation for lease-purchase of 6 fire engines & ladder truck for Fire,2 of 5 years,$649,265 ‘09 CIP
Going to be pulled for a re-write of the ordinance

Expenditure for lease of 6 EMS transport units/ambulances for Fire, 3 of 5 years, $199,500 CIP Fund SEP

Item likely to be relieved of Public Safety, Law & Criminal Justice Committee
Expenditure to Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office for intern for Cold Case Program, $12,500 LETF

Second reading items:
Amend TMC Ch. 2121 (Local 20),declaring exigent circumstances,pension p/up & healthcare premium
Collins said he had a discussion with Loukx on this, his recommendation that it go to Finance, IT, HR and see where it goes.
Ludeman said the chair is out campaigning somewhere but he’s sure that would be okay with him.

Purchase 4 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles for Police, $143,000 Police escrow unclaimed funds EP
Collins said the material asked for from the Police department was provided. He’d recommend this go SEP. Ludeman said it was second reading so it could to EP.

Expenditure to Toledo Mud Hens for pre-game clinic for drug education program, $9,500 LETF Safety
Collins recommends this go back into Safety given they were supposed to get a report as to the other contributing entities and that has not happened.

Zone change at 2260 Upton Ave.
Brown said they wanted to send this without recommendation, the chair wanted to have it be first reading. She said she had asked for an inspection, the guy had been using it for a rooming house for three years without a permit. She wanted it held until they found that out.

New from Council
Rename Metcalf Field “Toledo Executive Airport” SEP
Steel and Ludeman thought Metcalf sounded like crop dusters, they had meetings including Barnum from Crow Aviation, he suggested Toledo Executive Airport. The Port Authority passed a resolution keeping the Metcalf name for the road into the Airport but it’s City owned property, hence the ordinance to change the name. Waniewski wondered why we didn’t name it the Huntington Center and get a few millions from it. I wonder if this will just create name confusion.

Meeting adjourned…