Weekly Update to City Council
from the City Manager
June 27,
2008
Regarding Public Policy and making
Sausage…
There is a
saying in this business that watching public policy being made is a lot like
watching sausage being made…you want to avert your eyes. I offer this because of the current
discussion on both the Street Improvement Plan and Section 8 Housing. Neither are easy issues, sometimes there is
no one perfect answer to complex policy issues.
Discussion is not easy or tidy.
The
important part is that I do my job in facilitating the process by bringing
forward to council the issues, options and a recommendation. From there, the information received from
public input and council discussion paves the way to a decision. There will be some times when a decision is
not unanimous; this reflects the complex issues of government.
Section 8
Council
continues to receive feedback from the public on this topic, just as I do. Since we need to reserve as much time for the
Street Improvement Discussion, we will only be discussing the extension of the
CONSOC contract during Tuesday’s work session and will schedule the bigger
Section 8 discussion the following Council meeting. We need to extend the contract with CONSOC
for an additional term while we make decisions.
As you recall, we extended the contract for six months while we examined
the situation. August will be the end of
the six month period.
With regard
to the overall administration of the Section 8 program, even though I have
reviewed the options several times, they may be worth noting again so that this
information is fresh in Councils’ minds as you discuss with your
constituents:
1) continue
on same course, get same results, 2) transfer vouchers to a housing agency 3)
actively administer the program – many combinations could come into play here –
involving a separate city board, council and staff, different consultants,
etc. While my recommendation is option 2 - taking multiple years to transfer the vouchers
to a housing agency so that they can absorb the extra work over time, there is
merit in option 3 or a combination of options 2 and 3. We need to keep in mind that option 3 will
require more time on staff and council’s part, even if we appoint a housing
committee. If we are going to continue
to administer the program, we need to ensure that proper time is spent on this
complex program and its policy decisions.
Street Improvement Plan
As Council
knows, if we are going to include an issue on the ballot, we will need to have
the first reading on Tuesday. Hopefully
Council will have received an ample amount of feedback from the public by
Tuesday. The citizen committee recommended
a ½% for 5 years, dropping back to a ¼% permanent income tax levy dedicated to
streets. Obviously, there are
significant implications with any decision made on the streets, and this is why
feedback from the public is so important.
We will have information on how our income tax compares with and without
a levy.
House Hunting
I wanted to
update council on the status of my housing. My house has not sold in
Pickerington yet. Unfortunately the
market in Columbus is as tough as the rest of the State. I’m about to lower the price again and I
have also offered it on the rental market.
While hotel living has its advantages, it is not my desired long term
plan for housing in Middletown.
CDBG programs
At least one
council member has some questions with regard to the revolving loan fund,
dollar home program, and other rehab programs that the city has been
administering for many years through CDBG.
We can discuss these questions a few different ways: through the Council
Housing Committee, in a work session or in executive session if needed. If you have a preference, please let the
Mayor know.
City Hall Reorganization
On Tuesday,
we will be presenting legislation to address the reorg that we’ve been working
on for months. As you know,
reorganizations are stressful to an organization, even if the changes are
positive. It will be good to implement
the changes and put this issue to bed once the legislation is effective. There is one new position proposed: Economic
Development Program Manager. We have
placed emphasis on development and we need an additional staff person to assist
our ED efforts, specifically in our business retention efforts. There are a couple of other changes:
consolidating Public Works and Utilities and creating a new emphasis in
Community Revitalization. We will also
be bringing the administrative code up-to-date to reflect the changes. The anticipated new ED position will result
in additional cost to the city of about $11,000 (pay and benefits for a portion
of the year) in 2008 and about $54,000 in 2009 (pay and benefits).
4
Day Work Week
Though I am not considering
implementing for any additional areas of the city, it is interesting to note
that due to increasing fuel prices, many organizations are examining the 4 day
work week.
Governments across Nation Looking at 4 day work week Macomb
County, Michigan approves four-day workweek. The Detroit Free Press (6/25, Neavling)
reported that Macomb County, Mich., is one of a "growing list of
governments offering four-day workweeks to help employees cope with rising gas
prices." Also offering the four-day week is Oakland County, where County
Executive L. Brooks Patterson "urged companies to join the pack," and
two businesses, "Troy-based WorkLife Financial and IBM offices throughout
the county," have done so. The state could be next, as "Gov. Jennifer
Granholm (D) has proposed the same for state employees."
Departmental
Reports
Fire Division
City FFs responded
to a hazmat incident at United Waste Water Services. Two firefighters were
treated and released from the Atrium after performing a rescue of an eventual
fatality at this business. A third FF was injured in a separate incident and is
expected to have a full recovery.
Health
Department
We received a Team Excellence Award this week for our Health
Fair for City Employees. We continue to
meet to attempt to rejuvenate the Community Garden. The Farmer’s market is in operation downtown
again.
Planning Department
With the appointment of our new Neighborhood Improvement
Advisor, we will be moving forward on the demolition of five vacant and
deteriorated houses; many more on the way.
Finance
Department
Information Systems
has installed software on the new police cruisers and has been training fire
personnel on the new fire software.
Meetings/Events/Functions attended this week:
Dinner with
City Council and Butler County Commissioners
Landfill Gas
Recovery Meeting
Section 8
Housing
Ribbon Cutting
56 Degrees
Media Day at
Middletown Airport
Upcoming Events
July 1st City
Council meeting, 5:30 p.m.
July 2nd
Broad Street Bash (The Menus) 5:30 p.m., Broad & Central
July 4th Fourth of July parade, 10:00 a.m.,
Woodside Cemetery to Smith Park
City
Building Closed
by Judith Gilleland, Middletown City Manager
