Here is the video for last Monday’s (09/03/19) City Council Meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdkEUcnt1fc
I have been told that the videos from now on will be broadcast live at this URL so if you tune in at 8pm, you can watch the Council meeting live: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBBgBDh11jKNhKtA1NIOZZA
In the Work Session, we discussed:
- An amendment to the vacancy registration law. We actually have a vacancy registration law that is not currently being enforced due to a lack of personnel to enforce it and the ordinance needing some refinement to make it more enforceable. The hope is that we will be able to change the ordinance to correct these issues.
- Continuing the discussion from last spring on the Signs ordinances. If you remember, the Signs ordinances are out of date by modern standards (e.g. the typical LED “OPEN” signs you see in most stores are technically illegal under this ordinance.) Updating this ordinance will help keep the Signs ordinance working as it should.
In the reports:
- Pooka Arts Festival is this weekend. This year’s theme is international. Stop in this weekend and see wonderful art right here in Bedford.
- Shred Day is this coming Saturday (9/12) from 9am-12pm
- Chipper Service will continue through October. Please remember to call 440-735-6583 to get your branches on the pick-up schedule.
- The new camera system is up and running on the Automile. As you may remember, this was a joint project between the City and the Automile members to install a wi-fi enabled camera system so that if criminal activity occurs, the City will be able to review footage to help track down the offenders more efficiently. This is a test program to see if more camera enabled areas of the City would help with reducing crime.
In the Regular Session, we voted on:
- Before we voted on anything, we swore in 3 police officers and a new Clerk of Council.
As you may recall, Lorree Villers, the last Clerk of Council, resigned at the beginning of the summer. The Council has used both scheduled Council meetings and several extra meetings over the summer to locate a new Clerk of Council. Her name is Tracy Simons and she was previously a Clerk of Council at Eastlake. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies. Say hello to her if you see her. - We voted on additional appropriations. This time of year, it will be common for Council to vote on additional appropriations as we need to adjust budgets for both unexpected incomes and expenses.
There is 1 large appropriation on this particular vote that that is a nearly $800K expense for stabilizing a collapsed creek bank that is threatening a major sewer line within the City. The collapse of the creek bank could not have been predicted. The City has obtained a very low interest loan (2.1%) from an organization that was created to specifically help cities deal with emergency waterway based issues like this. (passed) - Purchasing a new vehicle for the police department. (passed)
- Approving the contract with Independence Excavating for the emergency creek bank repair mentioned above. (passed)
- ***Drumroll please*** We will be voting on resuming the Street Tree Program!!!!!! Everybody do a happy dance. I know that this much beloved program has been sorely missed over the past many years and the City is pleased to announce its official return. 100 trees will be planted within the City on tree lawns this fall. (passed)
- Accepting the recommendation from Cuyahoga County Budget Commission on millage tax rates. The millage will remain the same as last year. (passed)
- Allowing for a bridge inspection program from the State to operate within the City. (passed)
- If you had not heard, Mr. Gee’s owners are retiring. They are looking to sell the property and have a buyer who wants to not only buy Mr. Gee’s building but also the City-owned parking lot next to it (which the City acquired several years ago from a tax foreclosure). The City will be selling that lot to this buyer. (passed)
- To use money from a grant to help with the demolition of Chanel High School. (passed)
- To participate in a national event called “Welcoming Week”, which is meant to showcase various communities. In this case, the theme will be “Welcoming the World” and is meant to show that Cleveland and the surrounding cities understand the importance and contribution that immigrant communities have in the well-being of the larger community. As I am a 2nd generation American and as many Bedfordites are also immigrants or 1st and 2nd generation Americans, I am pleased to see this participation. (passed)
- Motion to accept the recommendations of the Tax Incentive Review Council (passed)