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Return To Meeting Minutes Index Page The
regular meeting of the Franklin Township Board of Trustees was called to
order by Chairman Tim Guyton at 6:30P.M. October 13, 2011 at 2193 Frank
Road. The Pledge of Allegiance was given. Chairman Guyton gave the welcome. ROLL
CALL: Tim Guyton, yes, Don Cook, yes, Paul Johnson, yes. MINUTES Chairman
Guyton moved to dispense with the reading of the meeting minutes for
September 29, 2011. Trustee Johnson seconded the motion. Vote taken: Guyton, yes, Cook, no,
Johnson, yes. Chairman
Guyton moved to approve the regular meeting minutes for September 29, 2011,
as typed. Trustee Johnson seconded the motion. Vote taken: Guyton, yes, Cook, no,
Johnson, yes. Chairman
Guyton moved to table the Special Meeting Minutes for October 11, 2011
because they were not ready. Vote
taken: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. NEW BUSINESS RESOLUTION
#11-160 BILLS &
PAYROLL Vice-Chairman Cook moved for the adoption of the
following Resolution. BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of
Trustees of Franklin Township of Franklin County, Ohio, that the Board
approves payroll in the amount of $135,573.22 and bills in the amount of
$166,832.04 totaling $302,405.26 from check #26162 to check #26291. Trustee Johnson seconded the Resolution. The roll was called for its adoption and
the vote was as follows: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. Vice-Chairman Cook read the purchase requests: Fire Department: 11-212 Center City – Repairs to XM193
for brake light problem $593.19, 11-213 Heritage – September blanket P.O.
$4,174.62, 11-214 Finley Fire Equipment – Ladder, mask and nose cap $780.45,
11-215 PH&S Products – Exam gloves $297.00, 11-216 Vida care – Needles
$501.55. Police Department: 11-93-P
Roy Tailor Uniforms – Uniform for Officer Moore $814.60, 11-98-P OPOTA LEC
Registration payment for Chief, Sergeant, and one Officer $225.00, 11-99-P
Advance Auto Parts – Windshield wipers, oil, and tape $33.95, 11-100-P Tuffy
Auto Service Center – Oil change, lube, and flush brake fluid $71.14,
11-101-P Roy Tailor Uniforms – Coats and shirt $568.50. Road Department: 11-129-R Tractor Supply –
Work pants and work boots $140.20, 11-130-R Tractor Supply – Grease and
puncture seal for backhoe tires $66.90, 11-131-R Ferguson Pipe – Storm water
pipe for repair at Little Avenue and Westpark $120.96, 11-132-R Columbus Coal
Lime – Bags of Quickcrete for catch basin repair $42.90, 11-133-R Solid Waste
Authority – Dumping trash from 1716 Jackson Road $82.27. Administration / General Office Use:
11-037-G Staples – Multipurpose paper, clips, rubber bands, ink, envelopes,
and labels $245.57, 11-038-G Staples – Ink cartridges $63.96. RESOLUTION
#11-163 LOVELAND &
BROSIUS Chairman Guyton moved for the adoption of the following
Resolution. BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees
of Franklin Township of Franklin County, Ohio, that the Board approves to
contract with Loveland & Brosius for attorney service for an amount of
$2,399.50. Trustee Johnson seconded the Resolution. The roll was called for its adoption and
the vote was as follows: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. RESOLUTION
#11-162 TUFFY
MUFFLER Chairman Guyton moved for the adoption of the following
Resolution. BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of
Trustees of Franklin Township of Franklin County, Ohio, that the Board
approves to contract with Tuffy Muffler for P193 power steering cooler and
EMS 192 brakes, discs, drums, steering damper, tune-up, and fuel system
clean. The cost is not to exceed
$1,018.25. Trustee Johnson seconded the Resolution. The roll was called for its adoption and
the vote was as follows: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. RESOLUTION
#11-161 KEIM FORD Chairman Guyton moved for the adoption of the following
Resolution. BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of
Trustees of Franklin Township of Franklin County, Ohio, that the Board
approves to contract with Keim Ford for replacement of bad radiator and hose
on F-550. The cost is not to exceed
$1,537.25. Vice-Chairman Cook seconded the Resolution. The roll was called for its adoption and the
vote was as follows: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. FIRE DEPARTMENT / CHIEF HOWARD Chief
Howard said on Saturday, October 15, 2011, promotion exams will be given at
the 192 Training Room. He said ten
were taking the written test for the Lieutenant’s position and four were
taking the test for the Captain’s position. John
Spencer of 1616 Eastfield Drive North complimented the Fire Department on the
outstanding job that they do. POLICE DEPARTMENT / CHIEF TIMKO Chairman
Guyton announced that Chief Timko is at a conference. Chairman Guyton said Chief Timko did not
have anything for the agenda this evening.
Chairman Guyton read from Chief’s report that for the month of September we had eighty-six court cases where three
officers were called in. He said
there were twenty-eight impounds and twenty-nine released. There were seventeen certified letters and
zero vehicles junked. John
Spencer asked the Board if there would be “No Parking” signs for the snow season
this year. Chairman Guyton said there
were signs replaced because of rust, plus they were outdated. Chairman Guyton said the signs have been
updated to say “No Parking when accumulation of two inches of snow”. Chairman
Guyton said the signs would be enforced.
Vice-Chairman Cook said the Police Department would be called if a
resident parks when there is two inches of snow accumulation and if the
vehicles were not moved, the car would be towed. Mr. Spencer asked the Board about hiring a mechanic to repair
the vehicles for the Township.
Chairman Guyton said we do not have enough work to keep a part-time or
a full-time mechanic employee busy.
Chairman Guyton said we are required to use certified mechanics for
any major repairs to the vehicles and we always receive good pricing for any
work that we need to have done. Ricky
Mathews of 1917 Westfield Drive South complained to the Board about people
speeding in the area and Chairman Guyton would let Chief Timko know about the
speeding so he could install the speed detector device in the area. Chairman Guyton said the Police Department
would need to enforce what signs are already there because Mr. Mathews was
suggesting more speed limit signs to be installed on Westbrook Drive. Chairman Guyton stated that the law is all
residential areas are assumed to be 25 miles per hour, unless posted
differently so additional signs should not be warranted. There was a discussion between the Board
and Suzanna Julian of 1923 Marsdale Avenue about speed bumps. Chairman Guyton said speed bumps are not
recognized speed deterrents in the State of Ohio and if someone would hurt
themselves or damage their vehicle, the Township would be liable. George Wiles of 1748 Westbrook Drive told
the Board that someone is going to be killed if something isn’t done in his
area with the speeders while Gail Rowat of 1811 Longwood Avenue suggested a
stop sign for the corner of Longwood Avenue and Marsdale Avenue because she
thinks a school bus is going to have an accident on that corner. Chairman Guyton said we have a “sign book”
which reflects our inventory of all signs throughout the Township. He said Jim Stevens would check into
installing the stop sign, and if one was warranted, he would get it
installed, and update the book. ROAD DEPARTMENT / JIM STEVENS Jim
Stevens said he doesn’t have anything for the agenda, but he wanted to remind
the Board that he would be taking some vacation time. Suzanna Julian suggested that the Road
Department trim the grass around the curbs.
Jim Stevens said the Road Department periodically trims the Township
curbs. Chairman Guyton said after the
leaves have been picked up by the Road Department that street sweeping would
be done. Jim reminded the residents
in the audience when putting leaves to the curb to not put leaves over the
catch basins. Jim said the Road
Department would start picking up leaves a little early this year because he
said some of the residents have already been raking. Bobbie Kean of 2889 El Paso Drive asked
Jim Stevens if he knew the catch basin at the corner of El Paso Drive and
Furlong Drive has been blocked and she was concerned about water freezing in
that corner, but Jim said the construction in that area should be done by the
time the weather starts to get that cold. Ed Seeger
of 1870 Richmond Road said one of his neighbors suggested that a line be
drawn on Richmond Road because when the resident pulls up to get out onto
Brown Road the people cut him short.
Jim Stevens made a note about this because he said the Road Department
is getting ready to repaint the stop bars in the Township. The stop bar that had been there was paved
over with the re-paving of Richmond Road during this season. Chairman
Guyton said on Tuesday there had been a Special Meeting, with another meeting
directly afterwards where residents in the area of Jackson Road, Geneva
Avenue, and Searles Avenue said there has been an abundance of crime beyond
what would be considered normal.
Chairman Guyton said he suggested to the group that they establish a Block
Watch for the neighborhood. He said
the Board would open up the meeting room here at 2193 Frank Road for a
meeting. He said the Police Chief
would be happy to help. Chairman
Guyton pointed to a drawing hanging on the Township meeting wall of West
Broad Street. He said Georgesville
Road is currently under construction because it is going to be the main
entrance to the Casino. Chairman
Guyton said the Board just had a meeting with the Landscape Architect and
there is a 1.9 million dollar grant to install street trees, shrubbery, street lights, sidewalks, bike lanes and
bus pull-offs on West Broad Street. He said the Township has to provide a
$400,000 match towards the 1.9 million dollar grant. As part of the negotiations with the City
of Columbus relative to the Casino site annexing from our Township going to
the City, we are asking for assistance for the $400,000 since the City is
going to benefit from the plans just like the Township. Chairman Guyton said the plan has not been
finalized and the Board has not signed any agreements. He said bike lanes, street trees, and
raised islands would increase the property values and bring in some nice
businesses to the area. Higher
quality businesses would mean more commercial tax base to our Township. He said the same design is planned for
Georgesville Road. Bobbie
Kean told the Board that she thought any new businesses that would be coming
in around the Casino would not stay.
Chairman Guyton said there was a meeting recently for a discussion of
what businesses are located around other Casinos in the country. He said the presentation that was
presented to the group showed the southwest corner, where Westland Mall is,
should have around two hundred and fifty thousand square feet of retail space
with the remaining land possibly turned into grassland or park land shared by
Oakbrook Manor and the Mall. He said
the southeast corner is called restaurant row with quality restaurants. A gas station could also be built there
but the hope is for restaurants. He
said on the northeast corner, a Hotel is planned. In the Great Western Shopping Center area, the planners
envision removing all retail space and converting the area to houses or town
homes. Trustee Johnson said that these are some of the ideas for buildings
that could be built around the Casino because there have not been any
agreements finalized yet. He said it
would be a long process before businesses and town homes would be built. Chairman Guyton said the northeast corner
is where a hotel could be built.
Chairman Guyton said on the northwest corner, they might plan to build
a building where small businesses may locate. Trustee Johnson said in the area west of I-270 they are
planning the same street pattern that would extend out to Hilliard-Rome Road. Chairman Guyton said they hope to have the
landscape design done by the end of next week and the right-of-way
acquisition work completed by January 1, 2012 because they are hoping to have
it ready by the time the Casino opens. The Board,
Connie Price of 3719 Harding Drive, and the residents in the audience had a
discussion about the homeless people that live in her area. Connie did not think that the Casino would
solve the problem with the homeless.
Chairman Guyton said a Bike Hub and a Park is being planned for where
the homeless people live now. Trustee
Johnson said building around the Casino would take time, but he thought
eventually the problem of the homeless living around Harding Drive would be
solved. Chairman Guyton
said gave an update on the sanitary sewer project. He said a resident only has to pay for one sewer tap for one
property and there has to be a structure on the property before you will be
allowed to tap. He said there are ten
properties in the Mon-E-Bak project that have existing sanitary sewers that
run behind their properties and he said that Steve Renner said those
properties could tap into the sewer at any time. Chairman Guyton said he talked to a resident who tapped in and
he paid $3,100.00 instead of the estimated $9,000.00 to $12,000.00 that
everyone was told to expect. Chairman
Guyton said all of the other residents would have to wait until the sanitary
sewer is complete to tap in. Once all
testing has been completed, the residents can then tap in up to eighteen
months after the project has been cleared to tap. Chairman
Guyton said we used to have auctions for all of the things that we have
collected in the Township. He said it
was not worth the time and money to hire an Auctioneer because we had to pay
the auctioneer his 10% fee, we had to store everything for quite some time to
accumulate enough to have the auction, plus we had to have some big ticket
items to draw a crowd. Chairman Guyton thought the bikes that we have
collected could be donated to Bruce Black, who is a Neighborhood Pride
Coordinator for the City of Columbus.
Don Neymeyer of 1233 Brown Road thought the bikes could be donated to
Life Care Alliance and Mary Neymeyer said they would repair the bikes and
then donate them. Chairman Guyton
stated that our goal was that the bikes go to a good organization where the
truly needy will benefit. Chairman
Guyton said legally a Resolution would need to be made and he said the Board
would do that when we have the party to whom we would donate the bikes. Kathy Davenport of 1788 Belmead Avenue
told the Board that there is a Baptist Church on Eakin Road who also would
take the bikes. Chairman
Guyton said House Bill #50 takes care of nuisance abatement in
Townships. Chairman Guyton said
Public Health takes care of some of these issues, but the problem is it takes
time because decisions have to be made through the courts and the process
takes a few months to get the issues resolved. He said we take care of the high grass through House Bill #50,
but the Road Department cannot start the process until the grass is twelve
inches high. Chairman Guyton said it
takes twenty-one days to take care of the high grass because we send a
certified letter and if the resident does not comply within the time frame,
then we cut the grass. Chairman
Guyton said a few meetings ago the Board decided, on a case-by-case basis, to
take care of trash issues through House Bill #50 because a few residents were
not cooperating. Chairman Guyton asked for approval
from the other two Board members to move forward and send letters about trash
accumulation for a list of properties to include: 1936 Marsdale Ave., 1699
Eastfield Dr. N, 1710 Eastfield Dr. N., 1831 Longwood Ave., 1734 Eastbrook
Dr. South, 1956 N. Westfield Dr., 1601 Withers Ave., 3284 Dover Rd., 1154 N.
Wilson Rd., 3564 Dover Rd., 3611 and 3615 Harding Dr., 1926 Little Ave., 1742
Linnet Ave., 1710 and 1709 Hopkins Ave. Chairman
Guyton said a couple of Fridays ago he met with the SWACO Attorney, Joe Durham
who works for Eastman & Smith and who represented all of the Entities
that are in Consortium #2 as related to trash. Chairman Guyton said he has been communicating with the
Prosecuting Attorney about everyone’s contract. He said everyone in the Consortium have the same costs and the
same service. Chairman Guyton said we
have some people who have opted not to participate. He said these people have not cooperated with the initial bill
from Local Waste or the follow up bill from Local Waste, or letters from the
Board of Trustees, which Chairman Guyton hand delivered. He said that these residents would now be
receiving a letter from our Road Department stating that they would incur a
tax lien against their property based on the services that are entailed. Chairman Guyton said Eastman & Smith
is writing a couple of small pieces to the contract and the words will state
starting in 2012, tax liens would go against people’s properties who are not
paying their bill and the prosecuting attorney will support this. There was
a discussion between the Board and the residents in the audience about the
trash service. Connie Price said that
maybe some people cannot afford the trash service, but Chairman Guyton
suggested to some of the residents when he delivered the letters to call
Local Waste and try to work out payment arrangements and to not totally
ignore the bills. John Fleshman of
3471 Lowell Drive said a previous Newsletter stated that even if a resident
did not pay, Local Waste would continue to pick up the trash. Trustee Johnson told John Fleshman that
two attorneys have been misinterpreting what was originally stated and the
attorneys are working it out to update the contract. Chairman Guyton said the residents are
paying for the trash to be cleaned up for a short term and then when taxes
are paid, the Township would be reimbursed.
Chairman Guyton said the residents would end up paying about four
hundred dollars ($400.00) if the Road Department cleans up the accumulated
trash, instead of about forty-two dollars ($42.00) that Local Waste charges
to pick up the trash. Bobbie Kean
asked the Board if interest would be charged because it would take the
attorneys time to update the contract for these residents who have not paid
and she was concerned about the time it would take before the Township would
be reimbursed from the property taxes if the Road Department cleans up the
trash. Chairman Guyton said the
update to the Trash Contract would be January 2012. Chairman Guyton said this is no different than sending out the
certified letters and then cutting the grass for those not keeping their
grass under twelve inches in height.
This year the Road Department has cut forty-seven properties. There was further discussion between the
Board and the residents in the audience about the trash service and
recycling. Connie Price asked about
the hours for the hazardous waste collection in Grove City. Chairman Guyton said to visit the Franklin
Township website for residents to keep updated on news in the Township. Chairman Guyton also told the residents in
the audience to make sure if you are a Senior Citizen, over sixty-two years
of age, to notify Local Waste if you are not receiving your discount for
trash service and they would adjust the bills if the discount has not been
applied yet. Chairman Guyton said if
a resident has a medical condition, you should notify Local Waste and they
will work with you on picking up the trash where it is convenient for you. Chairman Guyton said in exchange for Local
Waste not picking up yard waste for four months, they agreed to print, fold,
and insert our Newsletter in with their trash bill. Chairman Guyton said they
have a new printer company now so the Newsletter is in color and on glossy
paper. Chairman Guyton said the owner
of record should receive the trash bill and not the renter of the property
unless the owner of that property chooses to give the renter’s name to
receive the bill. Chairman Guyton and
Trustee Johnson, along with the Road Department will stay on top of the piles
of trash at a residence. Chairman
Guyton asked the other two members of the Board if they would agree to send
House Bill #50 letters for trash to the properties he had previously
mentioned. Vice-Chairman Cook said he
would like the contract from Local Waste to be enforced. Vice-Chairman Cook said he asked Chairman
Guyton at a previous meeting if the trash was on the easement and Chairman
Guyton said it was not, that the trash was in the backyard. Vice-Chairman Cook said to Chairman Guyton
that now he is proposing that we expand picking up trash to easements. He said the Road Department is not trash
haulers and he feels this is the responsibility of Local Waste. Vice-Chairman Cook said the contract
states that Local Waste will provide weekly pick up and bill and collect from
the residents. He said that if Local
Waste bills and they can’t collect then they should turn the residents over
to the collection agency. Vice-Chairman Cook said it is not the Township’s
job to interfere with private enterprise.
Chairman Guyton again said we have two attorneys who have two
different opinions on what the contract says. Trustee Johnson said at this time we are responding the best
way we can to get the trash off of the road.
Vice-Chairman Cook asked the other two Board members if a letter has
been written to Local Waste that says you signed the contract, abide by it,
and pick up the trash at a property?
Trustee Johnson said the contract does not address it as simply as
Vice-Chairman Cook is stating it. Vice-Chairman
Cook said there is no one here willing to stand up to Local Waste. A few of the residents in the audience
agreed with Vice-Chairman Cook.
Trustee Johnson said in the mean time we have trash building up at
some of the residences. Chairman Guyton
said if we were to force the issue with Local Waste, and then go into
litigation with Local Waste, it would take time and cost the Township a
substantial amount of money for the purpose of arguing which attorney was
correct in their interpretation of the Contract. In the meantime, we have a good working relationship with Local
Waste that I think needs to be preserved and I don’t feel that the
approximate ten percent of our households that are not complying, should
dictate policy for those playing by the rules. He stated that the contract is being modified to the benefit of
both parties, which will need to be signed off prior to January 2012. Vice-Chairman Cook asked the audience if
anyone reads this different that if I signed a contract to provide weekly
pick up then I should pick it up?
There was a discussion between the Board and the residents in the
audience about contracts.
Vice-Chairman Cook said to Chairman Guyton that Ralph Horn of 1610
Eastfield Drive North told Chairman Guyton a few meetings ago about trash
sitting at a property and Chairman Guyton said he would call Local Waste and
have them pick it up. Vice-Chairman
Cook asked Chairman Guyton why not pick-up everybody’s trash and not just a
few properties? Chairman Guyton
stated that he could not, in good faith, require Local Waste to pick-up trash
for properties where he knew that the residents would not be paying their
bill. To do so would ensure that the
practice would continue. Chairman
Guyton said with any service; gas, water, or electric that it would not be
provided unless you pay the bill. He
said if people can’t afford the payment, Local Waste would work with a
resident on this to set up a payment plan.
Vice-Chairman Cook said Local Waste would put a late fee on the bill,
if a resident does not make the payment.
Chairman Guyton said we need to get the list of properties that he has
cleaned up and Trustee Johnson agreed.
The Board discussed structures
that need abated in the Township.
Chairman Guyton said the County has a program in which they will allow
a grant of up $15,000.00 awarded yearly to entities to tear down
structures. He said the Township has
one vacant property that has been through the process as being unsafe or
unhealthy. The Board, the Fiscal Officer,
and the residents in the audience discussed sending Spam emails regarding the
current election to residents in the Township. The residents did not have any documentation to provide to the
Board for any accusations that were made. Vice-Chairman Cook thought the
Board should check on the emails from the last thirty days and shut down
email until after the election. The Board announced that Trick
or Treat in the Township would be October 31, 2011. Chairman Guyton said he is
working with the Westside Messenger to have a south end drop. Chairman Guyton said he is trying to work
with Penn National to sponsor the Westside Messenger for Franklin Township. The Board and the residents in
the audience discussed a resident that throws water from his cleaning
business into the sewers. There was
also a discussion about a resident who owns pit bulls and Chairman Guyton
said he would check on this if an address would be provided. Chairman Guyton moved with no further
business to discuss to adjourn the meeting.
Trustee Johnson seconded the motion.
Vote taken: Guyton, yes, Cook, yes, Johnson, yes. Meeting adjourned at 8:44 P.M. ________________________ Timothy Guyton, Chairman ________________________ Don Cook, Vice-Chairman ________________________ Paul Johnson, Trustee ________________________ Lisa Morris, Fiscal Officer |