Burger called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at the Jackson Township Hall with all Trustees, Clerk, Lyon and Fitzgerald present.

Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded a motion to go into Executive Session for Police Department Personnel (Appointment/Employment/Compensation) – Interview Sergeant candidates.

Upon return from Executive Session, Burger called the General Session to order with all department heads present except Chief Heck, who was represented by Battalion Chief Antonnaci.  Burger requested that all cell phones and pagers be turned off at this time.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Public Speaks – None.

Administration Department
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 A
Lyon:  The first item I have is the Park budget mid-year review.  In your packet, first of all, is a printout that shows the capital fund for the Park Department.  A couple of issues to be discussed tonight from the capital projects that were tabled earlier in the budget cycle are the walking path at Fisher Park and paving the parking lot at Fisher Park and also an area in North Park where the skate park was designated and possibly some basketball facilities as well near the library.  Did you want to discuss that, Mr. Meeks?

Meeks:  Absolutely.  Thank you very much for getting this together.  I did meet briefly today with Dave Ruwadi, our Operations Director from the Parks.  We have a little bit of money that we put back into the Parks for a lot of programming or not really programming but capital projects that we tabled until we were seeing closer to the end of the year where we were at with our funding.  And I think it’s very appropriate at this time that we look at, number one, one of those projects that we did table was a walking path at Fisher Park.  I know that in the bids we had a price, Dave, on asphalt walking path but I know that’s not, we have to back up from that because the gas company who really does own the land is opposing an asphalt walking path.  Correct?

Ruwadi:  They are opposing any asphalt over top of their lines.  We own the land where we’re talking about having the track.

Meeks:  Can we get a new figure, though, for the same or you may be ready for that walking path with the crushed limestone.

Ruwadi:  I could ask for a new figure.  It’s the alternative GC5A is calling for a asphalt walking track and we amended that to a 6 inch aggregate base with the inch and a half of limestone screening on it, which we could that cost and come back to the Board with that.

Meeks:  Could you do that?

Ruwadi:  Surely will.

Meeks:  Okay.  The other thing is looking at North Park and I also asked Dave, you were busy this afternoon and I do appreciate that, but to go over there because that is presently known as Groundhog Hill, which is west of the library, east of Community Parkway.  That is the future site, somewhere in that area, for a skate park and we had committed to our Skate Park Committee, the Park Board and that to look at that and I think it’s very important.  What I’d also like to do and I asked Dave to go out there and see if we can do some things with making it a better fit.  Number one we have a retention basin that is identified on our layout, however, I think we can avoid that by piping that, covering it up and running it into a catch basin that’s just east of Community Parkway.  This spilling out of the drain water and that.  If we can do that then we can also do some other creative things there and I asked Dave to take the measurements and I think it was 14,000 square foot if I recall for the skate park layout if we can get a price on the first phase which means excavation and surface hopefully, that part can come in and we can maybe do that this year.

Second thing is coming off of, same area, but coming off of the parking lot there that is used by soccer as well as the tennis courts on the east side, expanding that to allow a few more cars to the east, to the west rather.  And then see if we’re able to excavate that area and create an outdoor basketball type form there.  Meaning, and I talked with the new High School Coach, Coach Fuline, getting a dimension of an outside court what he would like to see and we’re looking at about 84 feet long by 50 feet wide and I asked Dave if we could plug those numbers in we may have enough room for four separate courts in this area with room in between these courts for bleacher settings.  I asked Dave, number one, to go out there and see if we could fit this there for an ongoing future project.  I think one thing that we are missing in our parks which I’m so proud of and that is, I know when I grew up we were always outside playing football, baseball, basketball and we don’t have that.  We don’t have that even at the schools, at the high school.  If we could get those figures, and I know that’s something that you’ll work on, of what it would cost, number one to excavate it, number two, surfacing which is a blacktop, same type of mix that we have at the tennis courts and then if we break this all down then I will take it, if the Board gives me approval, to the school and see if we can do a joint venture here with the outdoor basketball court.

Ruwadi:  I did draw this for your visual if you want to see it.

Meeks:  Sure.  Is it to scale?

Ruwadi:  Yes.

Meeks:  Is it really?

Ruwadi:  As close as I can get it.

Meeks:  Very good, Dave.

Ruwadi:  I’m not an engineer but.

Meeks:  You’re better than that Dave.  We’re looking at the library - right there.  And the north

Ruwadi:  The library complex sets right here.  Our existing parking lot is here.  I drew in an additional parking lot here if you can see my. . .

Meeks:  What is that size there, Dave, I can’t. . .

Ruwadi:  One hundred seventy-five feet by forty.

Meeks:  Okay.

Ruwadi:  Which would add additional parking; I didn’t get a chance to see the actual numbers on that.  Pretty close.  I did the basketball courts east and west and lightly north and south.  So they will fit in either direction with the 100 X 75 for the skate park here.  There’s plenty of room for that to be maneuvered even after the widening of the street here.

Meeks:  Let me ask you.  The positioning of the basketball courts, would it not be best that they lay out going north and south than east and west?  Because of the sun setting.

Ruwadi:  Correct.  And if we would use or utilize a phase type of a project, it’s better to keep everything pushed this way, up away from this hillside and the existing land falls this way.  But with grading and piping this storm drain here which is 400 feet, there’s a 24 inch pipe here that runs under the road and already goes into the pond.  There’s an existing sanitary sewer here which means that restrooms and or shelters can be added in a phase project with a standard footprint that we use for our shelters.

Meeks:  Correct.  Very good.

Ruwadi:  And the water is also on this side of the street that we can tap to.  The only thing would be electric that we would have to.

Meeks:  Right.  I mean there are so many options there for future projects and you know we’d even talked in the past and that’s something that we’d like to try and do here in the near future and that’s even lighting the tennis courts.

Ruwadi:  Well, if you keep your configuration like you said with the four, lighting is much easier.  Like I said with the skate park the same situation.  I’m not an engineer but it appears to me that there would be enough fill that would have to come off of this knob of this hill here to fill that retention.

Meeks:  Very good, Dave.  I guess it would be my, I’d like to make a motion that we instruct Dave to go out and get some estimates on excavation and creation of the surface area for the skate park as well as the parking lot extension and the four basketball courts.

Pizzino:  I’ll second that motion for discussion.

Meeks:  Go ahead.

Burger:  How much do you have in your budget at the present time?

Gonzalez:  Almost $100,000.

Burger:  One hundred thousand.

Ruwadi:  Does anyone have any questions on this map before I take it?

Pizzino:  No, its fine, Dave.  My only question is looking at that the total project, Mr. Meeks; I know it sounds great the way you laid it out.  I think we could, and very inexpensively, put those four basketball courts up and get them ready right away.  I would like to see that maybe pushed ahead of the skate park, because the skate park is going to be big dollars.

Meeks:  Well, I’m saying the first phase is excavation and surface.  It’s the same type of surface at the skate park that we’d be using on the courts.  So if we could prepare that and then next year’s budget cycle we can budget, hopefully, for the apparatuses that would be in that skate park.  If we do it in phases, it’s a lot more palatable and I think it would become reality a lot sooner than trying to do it all at one time.

Pizzino:  But I agree with you, I think those basketball courts would be used right away.

Meeks:  Oh, I don’t disagree.

Pizzino:  I think it’s very inexpensive and I know down at my place, that’s what we did and the kids, they use them a lot.

Ruwadi:  The size was in question and I have an answer for you on the size of those fields.

Meeks:  Sure.  Fields?

Ruwadi:  Athletic field, the basketball court itself, the field.  The 94 x 50 is NBA and NCAA where the high school level is 84 and 50 and the junior high school is 74 and 42.

Meeks:  Well, that’s why I said 84 and 50.  And Dave is ahead of the game, he got prices for goals and that, which again, once we have this package, we break it out, I will be more than happy to meet with the school officials and see if we can do this in a partnership and any other organization that would like to help offset some funds, but I think it’s a great asset to our park system and our community to have not only the basketball courts but the skate park because there are youth with different interests and we need to try to accommodate the good things.

Pizzino:  I know the parents of Sauder are trying to put a basketball court over there somehow, raise the funds to do that.

Meeks:  Good.  The only request I’ve heard from the high school coach is that the surface be purple.  I said, as long as you’re paying for it, whatever color you want.

Pizzino:  Thank you, Dave.

Meeks:  Very good.

Burger:  I have a question.  Why are we going to build these courts to NBA/high school regulations unless the school is interested in chipping in?  I think it was back in Nov. of 04 when the skate park first came up right in that approximate area, when we tabled a lot of the other projects.  I think that the skate board ought to have some consideration, obviously they approached us a year sooner than what they did concerning the basketball courts.  I would be in favor of it if the school was interested in helping share the costs of the basketball courts.

Meeks:  Well, I said, Trustee Burger, that if given the opportunity from this Board to go speak once I have the facts and figures, I’d be more than happy to and by my preliminary talks with the school officials they would be eager to do so but without knowing those figures I can’t speak and they can’t commit.  I think this is something that we can do and I’m very much committed to the skate park as well, but I think it’s an opportunity that we can get two birds with one stone, so to speak.  Make things happen on that hill other than raising groundhogs.  There is still a lot of grass area for them, too.

Burger:  I understand where you’re coming from in that and I totally agree with you, but I was just voicing my opinion about my feeling since I set in on many of the meetings with the skate board and hate to see that get pushed completely out because of possibly two basketball courts or depending on how the figures come out in the future.

Pizzino:  Well, it’s my understanding that it’s not going to get pushed out at all with this layout.  You could still put the four courts there and it’s not going to affect your skate board, Dave, isn’t that correct?

Ruwadi:  That’s correct and we could probably phase in everything like Bill’s talking about if we wanted to.  If we wanted to have two courts and the surface for the skate park, do all that at one time, the problem is, the main thing is the excavation and the layout of the land to get it right first, make sure your drainage and everything’s proper and then get your asphalt on.  Like I say, the asphalt all could be done at one time.
Meeks:  Right.  And that’s the only reason why I’m bringing it all up together.  I think we can get a better price and I think a lot of the excavation may even be once we take some shots and that, you know, we’ve got some pretty professional operators there within the Highway and Park Departments.  I think it could be a joint venture even if they let me come over and help them.  I’d be willing to do so.

Ruwadi:  Thank you.

Meeks:  Thank you.

Gonzalez:  The motion was seconded, is there any further discussion?

Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to get estimates on excavation, creation of the surface area for the skate park, the parking lot extension, and four basketball courts.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 B
Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 214.510.5387, Discretionary, to account code 214.515.5114, Temporary Service, in the amount of $1,000.00 for Park programming.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 C
Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 214.510.5520, Turf Maintenance, to account code 214.520.5488, Water – North Park in the amount of $1,244.00 for water in North Park.

RESOLUTION 05-074, ATTACHED
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion that whereas, the Stark County Commissioners recommended that all political subdivisions within Stark County uniformly observe Halloween (door-to-door trick or treat activities) each year between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. on the afternoon of October 31 if it falls on Saturday or Sunday or on the afternoon of the preceding Sunday if October 31 falls on weekday (Monday through Friday).

Now therefore be it resolved that, in accordance with the recommendation of the Stark County Commissioners, the Jackson Township Board of Trustees hereby designates Halloween (Trick or Treat) on Sunday, October 30, 2005 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., in Jackson Township.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 D
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion to re-schedule the next two regular Board of Trustees’ meetings from September 26 and October 10 to September 27 and October 11.

Fire Department
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 E
Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 210.210.5387, Discretionary, to account code 210.210.5432, Computer Related Services, in the amount of $5,000.00.

Highway Department
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 F
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion to approve Budget Module No. 20-05-A, Frank-Applegrove-Strausser Improvement for funds required for engineering design modification #2 approved by the Jackson Township Trustees and the Stark County Commissioners August 16, 2005.  The Commissioners will reimburse the Township one half of this ($31,825) in January 2006.  Total amount of Budget Module No. 20-05-A is $63,650.00.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 G
Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 324.310.5387, Discretionary, to account code 324.317.5710, Frank-Applegrove-Strausser, in the amount of $63,650.00 for Budget Module No. 20-05-A.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 H
Burger moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 204.310.5387, Discretionary, to account code 204.310.5558, Drainage Supplies, in the amount of $2,400.00.

RESOLUTION 05-075, ATTACHED
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion that whereas, a request has been made to this Board that the statutory vehicular speed limit established by ORC Section 4511.21 is greater than that considered reasonable and safe on Lutz Avenue NW from Portage Street NW to Mudbrook Street NW.

Whereas, this Board has caused to be made an engineering and traffic investigation upon the above section of road and it is the belief of this Board that such investigation confirms the allegation that the statutory speed limit of 50 mph is unrealistic.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board of Trustees of Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio, that:

Section 1.  By virtue of the provisions of ORC Section 4511.21, the Director of Transportation is hereby requested to review the engineering and traffic investigation and to determine and declare a reasonable and safe prima facie speed limit on Lutz Avenue NW. from Portage Street NW to Mudbrook Street NW.

Section 2.  That when this Board is advised that the Director of Transportation has determined and declared a reasonable and safe speed limit on the above section of road, standard signs, properly posted and giving notice thereof will be erected.

RESOLUTION 05-076, ATTACHED
Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded that the Board hereby adopt and authorize the Board President to sign the attached OPWC Grant Applications for $709,500.00 for the Lafayette/Highmill Intersection Improvement and $887,225.00 for the west leg of the Fulton/Wales Intersection Improvement.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 I
Mr. Boger opened the only bid received for the two dump trucks.  That bid was from the Augusta Township Trustees in Carroll County.  No action needs to be taken on this submission at this time.  Mr. Boger will apprise the Board of the situation as they study it.

Legal Department
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 J
Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to approve an unpaid leave of absence for Mary Raleigh for the purpose of Family & Medical Leave, not to exceed her remaining FMLA balance.

Police Department
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 K
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to accept the retirement of Thomas N. Taylor effective September 30, 2005.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 L
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 209.250.5387, Discretionary, to account code 209.255.5112, Part-time wages, in the amount of $20,000.00, from account code 209.250.5652, Police Equipment, to account code 209.250.5392, Equipment Repair, in the amount of $3,000.00, and from account code 209.250.5387, Discretionary, to account code 209.250.5522, Building Maintenance, in the amount of $3,000.00 for a total of $26,000.00.

Clerk’s Office
ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 M
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to pay the bills in the amount of $151,560.02.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 N
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the August 22 and September 6, 2005 Board of Trustees meetings.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 O
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion to approve the financial reports.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 P
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to approve the appropriation transfer request from account code 101.150.5220, Hospitalization, to account codes 101.150.5802, Health District, for $3,525.00, 101.150.5806, Election Expense, for $616.21, and 101.150.5816, Municipal Court Exp. Share, for $134.67, for a total of $4,275.88.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 Q
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion to approve the Then & Now Certificate (Purchase Order) for the amount of $3,500.00 for Vehicle Maintenance and Repair.

RESOLUTION 05-077, ATTACHED
Burger moved and Pizzino seconded a motion that, pursuant to ORC Section 515.11, we hereby authorize the Clerk to certify the street light assessments as per the attached listing for 2006 collections.

RESOLUTION 05-078, ATTACHED
Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion that, pursuant to ORC Section 505.511, we hereby authorize the Clerk to certify the false alarm assessments as per the attached listing for 2006 collections.

Routine Business
Announcements

• Next regular Board of Trustees meeting, September 27, 2005, 4:00 p.m.  Executive Session and/or Work Session, 6:00 p.m., General Session, Township Hall.
• CIC, October 3, 2005, 5:30 p.m., Township Hall.
• LOGIC, October 6, 2005, 9:00 a.m., Safety Center, Chiefs’ Conference Room.
• Board of Zoning Appeals:
• September 8, 2005, 7:00 p.m., Township Hall.
• September 22, 2005, 7:00 p.m., Township Hall.
• Citizens Advisory Committees:
• Community Celebration, September 14, 2005, 6:00 p.m., Township Hall.
• Park, September 20, 2005, 6:30 p.m., Township Hall.
• Highway/Traffic, November 16, 2005, 6:30 p.m., Township Hall.

Pizzino announced that LOGIC would be having a special meeting with the Chiefs and possibly the Administrators on September 22, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Safety Center.

Old Business
Gonzalez informed the Board that the SCOG meeting was being held at the same time as the Trustees meeting and therefore the representative to SCOG was not able to attend the SCOG meeting.  However, Mr. Bill Concato, the SCOG President, was going to make a recommendation to the Executive Committee for SCOG to pay for a study to look into regionalized dispatch; that is County-wide dispatch.  Mr. Pizzino, Chief Heck and Mr. Gonzalez met with the County and City earlier, so this is the next step.  Another topic that was to be discussed at the SCOG meeting was the gas aggregation costs.

New Business
Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to table action on the liquor permit for Bravo Development Inc. dba Bravo Cucina Italiana until further clarification is received as to why they applied for a D5B instead of a D5I.

Pizzino moved and Meeks seconded a motion not to request a hearing on the transfer of a liquor permit to Cheeseburger Buckeye Limited Partnership dba Cheeseburger in Paradise, 5075 Dressler Road NW.

Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to accept a donation of a stone bench to the Park Department from Nancy Xeller Gartner in memory of her daughter, Lauren Ellen Gartner.

Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to accept a $115.00 donation to the Park Tree Fund from John & Donna Roneker and friends on Vantage Hill NW in memory of Stella Stricherz.

Public Speaks – Open Forum
No one came forward.

Pizzino moved and Burger seconded a motion to go into Executive Session for Land Acquisition – to consider the purchase of property for public purposes.

Meeks moved and Pizzino seconded a motion to go back into Executive Session for Personnel Matters (Appointment/Employment/Compensation).

Upon return from Executive Session at 9:04 p.m., Burger requested Chief Neftzer’s recommendation for the position of Sergeant.  Chief Neftzer said all the candidates presented themselves well during the interviewing process and that is was a pleasure to discuss their qualifications.  He recommended the Board promote Joel Hammer at the next Trustees Meeting.

ATTACHMENT 9/13/05 R
Burger moved and Meeks seconded a motion to promote Joel Hammer to the rank of Sergeant, subject to a final appointment being made at the next regular Board of Trustees meeting.

Meeks concurred with the quality of all the applicants and said that he was very impressed with all of them in the interview process.  “It is very nice to see that we have such a quality core to choose from for future supervision.”

Meeks moved and Burger seconded a motion to adjourn.