Meeks called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. at the Jackson Township Hall with all Trustees, Fiscal Officer, Lyon, Fitzgerald and Neftzer present.
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion
to go into Executive Session for Police Department Personnel (Appointment/Employment/Compensation)
1. Interview two Police Aide applicants
2. Interview Secretary 3 applicant
3. Interview full-time patrol officer
applicants.
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to go into Executive Session for Zoning Department Personnel (Appointment/Employment/Compensation) – Interview Board of Zoning Appeals and Zoning Commission applicants.
Meeks called the General Session at 6:09 p.m. with department heads, Herb Shreiner for Chief Heck, Rick Boak for Ralph Boger, present. He requested that all cell phones and pagers be turned off at this time.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Public Speaks – None
Administration Department
RESOLUTION 07-140, ATTACHED
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to adopt and authorize the placement of the Board President’s signature
upon the attached Medical Mutual Administrative Service Agreements.
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 A
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to approve Certificates of Appreciation for the 2007 Highway/Traffic and
Park Citizens Advisory Committee members, and to authorize the Trustees
and Fiscal Officer to sign the certificates.
Police Department
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 B
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to hire Angelic Menarcheck as a part-time Police Aide, through the temporary
service, at the rate of $8.25 per hour, effective December 4, 2007.
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 C
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to hire Tracy Surratt as a part-time Police Aide, through the temporary
service, at the rate of $8.25 per hour, effective December 4, 2007.
RESOLUTION 07-141, ATTACHED
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to authorize the hiring of Bonnie L. Gutshall for the full-time position
of Secretary 3 in the Police Department, effective December 17, 2007, who
will be compensated at the rate established in the Negotiated Agreement
between the Jackson Township Board of Trustees and the Fraternal Order
of Police, Ohio Labor Council Inc., Office and Clerical Employees.
Be it further resolved that Bonnie L. Gutshall will serve a six month probationary period during which time she may be terminated without cause by the Board of Trustees.
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 D
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion
to authorize advertising for the full-time position of Property Room/Evidence
Technician. This position will be Class C level in the Benefit Package
for Management Personnel, and the salary will be equivalent to the starting
rate of a first year patrol officer.
Fiscal Officer
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 E
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion
to pay the bills in the amount of $468,962.80.
ATTACHMENT 12/04/07 F
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion
to approve the November 2007 financial reports.
Routine Business
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion
to re-schedule the next regular Board of Trustees meeting from December
17 to December 18, 2007, 4:00 p.m., Executive Session and/or Work Session,
6:00 p.m., General Session, Township Hall.
Announcements
Old Business - None
New Business
Burger mentioned that on Friday, December
7, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., free flu shots will be available at the
Canton City Health Department. The address is 420 North Market.
Public Speaks - Open Forum
Zoning & Planning Department
At 6:30 p.m., Meeks opened the Public
Hearing on Zoning Amendment #565-07, Aultman Health Foundation request
to re-zone 2.797 acres of an 18.44 acre tract at 2871 Woodlawn NW from
R-4 (Multi-Family Residential) to B-3 (Commercial Business).
Poindexter: Thank you. This matter went before the Regional Planning Commission on November 6th in which they recommended approval. The facts they considered in their approval are the following:
1. The 2.797 acres proposed fro rezoning is part of a larger 18.44 acre tract. The remaining 15.643 acres are currently zoned B-3 Commercial Business and is the site of an existing health care facility owned and operated by the Aultman Health Foundation.
2. While there is a single-family dwelling and a multi-family complex located adjacent to the acreage under consideration, additional setback and landscape buffer requirements will provide protection for these existing uses. The expansion of the existing B-3 district should not have a detrimental effect on the surrounding area.
This went to the Zoning Commission also on November 15, and the Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the re-zone to B-3. And just for the record, a sign was posted on the property and there is a picture of it in the file.
Meeks: Thank you, we do learn. Is there anything else, Joni?
Poindexter: Did you read in who the applicant was when you were reading? I don’t think you did, did you? Okay, sorry about that.
The applicant is Hammontree and Associates, Ltd., 5233 Stoneham Rd., North Canton, OH 44720. The property owner is Aultman Health Foundation, 2600 6th St. S.W., Canton, OH 44710. The application was signed by Barb Bennett.
Meeks: Who is with us this evening to represent the applicant?
Good evening, my name is Ed Friedl, Vice President of Aultman Hospital. Aultman Health Foundation is planning to construct a 12 bed in-patient hospice center. Upon it’s completion it will be the only in-patient center in Stark County. In order to do that, we need to re-zone a portion of our existing tract and you can see our existing building is right here. It’s everything to the north of it, this is Hills & Dales, Woodlawn right here. Everything to the north of it and across the street is zoned B-3. This parcel right here, or part of this tract, is part of this parcel and we have split zoning on that. This gives you an aerial view of our existing building and our proposed building location right here. These two acres, which is about 145 feet by 850 feet, would be the area we’re requesting for the zone change. And you see there is a 50 foot wide sanitary easement on there, which we couldn’t construct on anyway. So in order to provide the 75 foot set back we pushed the line back behind that easement. So our building will abut that easement with a walking track behind it. Nothing else would be constructed on that easement. All the parking would be in this area for general public, deliveries on this back side.
In addition to the Board of Zoning and Stark County Regional Planning we had an informational meeting with over 40 neighbors invited, businesses and residential people, everybody that abutted the property and some additional residents in Hills & Dales Village. On November 7th we had that meeting with everybody in attendance being favorable, we had no negative comments. We’ve asked to see of anybody has called to express concerns and nobody has. The most important people that abut our property right along this area were in attendance at that meeting and they also reviewed our plans and didn’t have any objections. With that the Foundation respectfully requests your approval for this zone change. I’d be happy to entertain any questions if you have any.
Meeks: First of all, Mr. Friedl, I want to say thank you very much for doing your homework. It is important, at least to this Board member, that when an applicant comes in for a zone change that, number one they have offered the residents that would live, breathe, touch, your project on a daily basis that you’ve afforded them the opportunity to come and listen to what you want to do. And that’s important to us.
Friedl: Thank you.
Meeks: It makes it a lot easier for the applicant when they do their due diligence ahead of time so that you have the support because if you don’t and you fill this room with the against, it isn’t a pleasant experience for the applicant. But I do appreciate you doing what you needed to do when you believe in your project as you do. It makes it a lot easier process.
Friedl: I had a lot of help from Ms. Bennett, too.
Meeks: I’m sure you have. She is a great professional. Well, is there anyone that would like to address the Board in favor? Excuse me. In favor of the applicant. Anyone? I’ll close that portion of it. Is there anyone that would like to address the Board against the applicant? I’ll close that. Gentlemen?
Pizzino: Should we make phone calls? This is way too easy. I’m sure it’s going to be a fine facility. Aultman always does it right. They’re a big part of our community and we appreciate the support they give Jackson Township. And this facility I think would be just another plus for Jackson Township so saying that I have nothing else to say.
Burger: I have a question. Sometimes the terminology is different. Hospitals and day care centers and so forth it mentions in here concerning a hospice. Is that the same terminology as a nursing home? Or
Friedl: It really isn’t. Currently we offer home hospice services where a nurse comes to Aultman Woodlawn, then they go to your home and give you medicine. But they’re only there for an hour or so every day. There is really no place for somebody in Stark County to go to in their last week to two weeks of care before they pass away. And it really isn’t a treatment facility, it’s to provide service to the patient, treatment for pain and that’s about it.
Burger: Okay. I just wanted to clarify.
Friedl: It’s really not a nursing unit, in-patient nursing unit, and it’s really not a nursing home. Medical gasses we’d provide, that’s oxygen, that’s it. Most of the patients are on do not resuscitate.
Burger: Very good. Thank you.
Meeks: Are there any other comments?
Gonzalez: I’d just like to say, my sister just went through Aultman, lost a family member and they used Aultman Hospice and I don’t know how she would have gotten through it without them. They did a fabulous job. They really did.
Friedl: Thank you. I know the ladies are very passionate about what they do and they’re very passionate about this building so it will be very nice.
Meeks: Very good. If there aren’t any other comments, I’ll go ahead and make a motion.
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to adopt the recommendation of the Zoning Commission to approve Zoning Amendment #565-07.
Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded a motion to adjourn.
| _____________________________ | _____________________________ |
| Steven Meeks, President | Randy Gonzalez, Fiscal Officer |