We started at 6pm again tonight for board & commission interviews. It is typical in December as so many finish their terms in January. There are 2 positions available on Planning Commission. And 1 on BZBA.
Erik Vaughan and Melissa Jones were unanimously appointed by council members to the planning commission.
Kerri Keller was unanimously appointed by council members for BZBA.
Additionally, later in the evening, Skylar Sutton and I were appointed to the Volunteer Fire Fighter’s Dependents Fund Board for 2021.
The oath of office for Nicole Kowalski was administered by Mayor Shubert at Town Hall earlier this evening and a recording of the oath of office was played during our meeting.
It has been the tradition of council to pass an Honorary Resolution thanking the members of the Charter Review Commission for their work.
Public Comments:
Diane Demuynck spoke about the north pole mailbox addition to our town green, located near the crosswalk across from Hudson’s Restaurant on the clocktower green (North Main and Church Street). Letters placed in the mailbox will go directly to the North Pole. Include a self-addressed postmarked envelope so Santa can contact you in return.
Karen Farkas spoke in favor of a code of conduct that would for all intents and purposes restrict the first amendment rights among city council members to call one another out on factual mistakes because of recent social media interaction. Recently, on my personal council page (not roundtable nor did I go onto anyone else’s page), I mentioned saying a statement such as (paraphrasing) ‘VBB will have paid back in full its debt because it was doing so well’ is misinformed. Which resulted in a social media kerfuffle on my council page. I have the right to point those facts out. They are not alternate facts. They are the only facts. Everyone on city staff will confirm VBB owes $3.95 million in municipal bond debt repayment. This should not be a gray area. My larger concern - a spokesperson on the steering committee for Hudson Forward Together suggesting in any way that we censor the facts.
Consent Agenda:
20-155 HCTV will be provided a grant of $1,200 from the Burton D. Morgan foundation to help fund ‘Good Day in Hudson’.
20-156 A resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into an agreement with the summit county public defenders commission for the defense of indigent defendants in the Stow municipal court. This is an annual resolution.
20-157 This resolution will allow Cellco Partnership (DBA Verizon wireless) to install communication equipment on the AT&T cell tower located at Hines Hill. The terms of the lease are located below.
20-158 This resolution is an amendment to a previous resolution (20-37 passed on August 18th 2020) and makes allowances for the fact that the cost of vehicles changed slightly over the amount permitted under the previous resolution.
The document is located at the below link
To summarize the changes Ford F550 has been approved for 38,913.69 and has been changed to 38,878.69 Two Freightliner Cab and Chassis Type 108SD and M2106 were approved for 166,114.00 have been changed to 167,022.00 The vendor for a dump body package for the Ford F550 was changed from Cenweld Corp in Stow OH to Buckeye Body in Columbus OH and the cost of 16,083.62 has been changed to 16,700.00.
The electric bucket lift package to be installed on the M2106 has been approved for 167,780.00 and has been changed to 173,653.00
Lastly the 108SD purchased snow and ice control equipment package has been changed from 126,201.00 to 129,748.00
20-159 The Hudson Fire Department has been awarded a Fire Prevention & Safety Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the continuation of the Fire Safe Senior Program. The city must match 5% ($2,317.14) of the grant amount ($46,342.86). Of this, $41,160 will be spent on key box systems for seniors in the community.
Legislation:
20-142 This is the 3rd reading of our Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) which includes a massive amount of connectivity, continuation of accelerated street repair and overlay programs for 2021, and keeps out general fund balance at 40% (plus / minus 1%) reaching out all 5 years. This passed 7-0
20-143 This ordinance allows for the 2021 budget portion of the five-year plan. Also it was a 3rd reading and passed 7-0.
20-145 This Ordinance establishes a 180-day temporary moratorium prohibiting the operation of short term (less than 30 days) residential real estate rentals (“STRs”) within the City of Hudson. This is on its 3rd reading and was actionable – but we are attempting to draft a licensing and zoning change that would better manage short term rentals. As we are still working on that change, we opted to table this motion to the next council meeting.
20-152 The never ending library levy – it was our 2nd reading of the third and last item needed to be passed to allow a renewal of the library levy to be placed on the May 2021 ballot. The renewal request will be for 2 years and is up to the voters to decide.
20-153 An ordinance amending existing posted speed limits, specifically changing the limit on Terex between Rt 91 and Barlow Rd East from 45 to 35mph. Staff recommended suspending the 3 reading rule and passing this immediately. We are looking at traffic solutions in that area after a recent fatality on Terex due to high speed and a difficult line of sight for drivers turning west onto Terex from Hudson Industrial Parkway.
20-160 This is an ordinance we are considering to better control short term rental property in Hudson, and it was a first reading. We will discuss this in more detail at the next workshop. In short, it adds a new chapter (876) in our business regulation code that defines what a short term rental is, and how it should be licensed and regulated. It is very specific to transient guest rental options, meaning 30 days or less specifically, and further states that it does not apply to other currently licensed Hotel or Motels permitted elsewhere in the code. It creates the need for these locations (short term rental properties) to be licensed by the city every 2 years. Along with details, such as only allowing 2 persons per sleeping room, and the licensing requirement – a violation could cause a short term rental operator to lose that license and no longer be able to operate a short term rental at that location. There is a lengthy section (876.06) pertaining to revocation and suspension of the short term rental permit as well. Basically… if you are allowing parties in a residential neighborhood, you can lose the right to rent the house.
Here is the proposed legislation
Questions or concerns, please contact me directly.