March 28, 2016 - City Council meeting followed by Special Committee of the Whole meeting

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• published: 29 Mar 2016
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Description of Video: March 28, 2016 – City Council Meeting followed by Special Committee of the Whole Meeting: The video covers a Council meeting followed by a Special Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of North Canton. The Council meeting concludes at 1:12:30 minutes. The video of the two meetings combined lasts nearly one hour and fifty-five minutes. The video begins with the Council meeting being called to order and last this portion of the video lasts nearly fifty minutes. 2:50 minutes into the video, a Hoover High School’s Engineering Instructor and two students spoke to Council about their recent win at the Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition recently held in Cleveland. 15:10 minutes into the video, Council President Jeff Peters announces that a proposed Ordinance No. 32 – 2016 would be tableled. This is proposal to expand the City’s Community Reinvestment Area (CRA). The idea has generated a great deal of discussion on Council and has caused concern among City residents. During the “Public Speaks” portion of the meeting four City residents raised concerns about the proposed expansion. 16:30 minutes into the video, City resident Chuck Osborne spoke out in opposition to the proposed expansion of the CRA in the City. At Council’s meeting of March 14, 2016, Director of Permits and Inspection brought to the attention of Council that the average age of homes in North Canton was 72 years old. The concern with the CRA is that rather than targeting the older homes for tax assistance, that the legislation will allow reductions of property taxes for construction of new homes as well. Consequently, someone could build a new home in North Canton and NOT be required to pay ANY property taxes on their new North Canton home for as long as fifteen years. North Canton has had some pockets in the City designated as CRAs for several years but I did not know they also included new construction. I learned last night that a home built on Harmon Street approximately five years ago qualified for the abatement of property taxes under previous legislation for a CRA. It should be quite obvious to anyone that future abatement of property taxes for construction of all new homes in North Canton will have a devastating financial impact on the North Canton City School District. The discussions of this proposal over the last two Council meetings shows how little City Council understands this topic and further, that there is a great deal of misunderstanding and miscommunication on all of this. 21:40 minutes into the video, City resident Glenn Saylor speaks to City Council regarding his concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 26:50 minutes into the video, City resident Melanie Roll speaks to City Council regarding her concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 30:10 minutes into the video, City resident Miriam Baughman speaks to City Council regarding her concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 34:05 minutes into the video, the current President of the North Canton Jaycees, Colin Riley, addresses City Council and urges continued support from the City for the Jaycees. 38:30 minutes into the video, three individuals speak in support of assistance for designated areas in the City for Community Gardens. This same group spoke to City Council two weeks earlier on March 14, 2016, on the topic. 41:30 minutes into the video, Council votes on three pieces of legislation. Ordinance No 23-2016 – 2nd reading to seek bids for contracting out Dispatch Services for Police and Fire Departments. Ordinance No 26-2016 – Passed on an “Emergency” a two-year management agreement to have the North Canton YMCA manage the City’s Dogwood Pool. Ordinance No. 27-2016 – Passed on an “Emergency” an increase in rates for season memberships and daily admissions to the City’s Dogwood Pool. 47:48 minutes into the video, Council reports are made by members of Council and Department heads. 58:15 minutes into the video, Director of Finance Karen Alger begins her report. Mrs. Alger reports that tomorrow is the last day for one of the employees in her department who is retiring. Totally unexpected, Mrs. Alger announces her retirement as the City’s Director of Finance. I apologize that my video did not capture her on camera at the moment she announced her retirement. 1:12:30 minutes into the video, the Council meeting is concluded and the Special Committee of the Whole meeting begins. 1:40:55 minutes into the video, there is informative discussion of planned improvement on East Maple Street for what is called Westgate at Walsh University. 1:51:40 minutes into the video, the meeting is concluded. The video runs for approximately four minutes and ends at 1:54:56 minutes. Thank you, Chuck Osborne