Someone told me that the Wellsville Council meetings are usually short & sweet. They weren't lying. Last night's meeting started at 6 o'clock and I was home by 6:35. I even had a few words with an old friend before I left Council Chambers. All six council members, the mayor and the Fiscal Officer were present. Village Administrator Jim Saracco was the only one present from the various departments.
At last night's meeting in the Public Speaking portion former Mayor Nunzio Lombardozzi once again addressed Council on the decision to with hold income taxes from the care taker for use of the house at the cemetery. After a brief lecture on Council's obligation to legislate he stated that he suspected that neither Council nor the Village Solicitor was consulted on this move or the setting of the monthly rental value set by the Fiscal Officer. He said over the years there have only been five cemetery superintendents and until now none of them were taxed for using the house. He also stated that he felt the care taker wasn't given any credit for any of the over 4000 man hours put in by the care taker, family and friends working on fixing and renovating the house. Remember the story about a year ago on them restoring the entry way back to it's original beauty?
The only response was from the mayor stating he knows for a fact this situation will be put into a grievance form. Councilwoman Rosie Goss later advised she is trying to set up a meeting with the care taker at a mutually agreeable date and time. Goss is Chairwoman for the Property, Equipment & Cemetery Committee. So we will have to wait to see how this is resolved. I feel bad this came about. The real culprit behind this is the IRS and, as I see it, the only real solution is in adjusting the amount being determined as fair rental value.
In the Mayor's Report Joe Surace advised that November income from the Magistrate's Court was $8,o64 and year-to-date the income has totaled $53,711.15. Tony Cataldo advised there will be a Finance Committee meeting next week. He didn't have a specific date yet. Hope he brushed up on the Sunshine Law. Wonder if the Sheltergate II bill will be on the adgenda?
For the Streets Committee Joe Soldano said he is trying to set up a meeting with Columbia Gas folks in regards to the exorbitant fees Wellsville charges for opening & closing holes in our streets. Gas company representatives were at the last meeting asking that some consideration be given to possibly make this fee more reasonable and more in-line with what other communities charge in this area. Columbia Gas is in the process of changing over old metal pipes to more durable plastic throughout the state.
Soldano also said he has looked into the parking situation at Curves and that the Village Solicitor has checked out village ordinances too. The physical fitness franchise had previously requested that Council do something to prevent people parking on their side of Mill Alley and blocking customer parking. What they found out is that they only needed Council approval to cut the curb and thus make it a "driveway". That would disallow any parking on the street on that side. A motion was made and approved. The owners of Curves said they and the property owner will bear any expense to make this change. Curves is in the old NAPA building next door to the American Legion. No one knows who painted the curb yellow on the Legion side of the alley. I do know that it's been that way for way over thirty years.
Rosie Goss reported she received a call from a Clark Street resident who was extremely happy about a street light that Joe Soldano arranged to have installed in her neighborhood. Apparently it made a world of difference in that area when night falls. Goss extended her personal thanks and that of a couple of Clark Street residents to Soldano for his efforts.
John McMahon told us he is tyring to schedule a meeting with the St. Francis Animal shelter folks, possibly sometime this week, to discuss the rules and such. So far it has been agreed that they will work with the new animal control officer and, also, will be covered under village liability insurance. The St. Francis folks are still a little apprehensive on the new arrangement after all that has happened with the village since they started their volunteer & humane mission. That mission is a huge plus for the ville and I'm just guessing everything is going to work out to everyone's satisfaction. The mayor chimed in to inform us the deadline for applying for the Animal Control job is January 8. There have already been three applicants interview.
A motion was made to suspend the rules and adopt an ordinance to give the Fiscal Officer a nice raise. It was passed by an unanimous vote. Dale thanked them all.
Under New Business Randy Allmon said he has been talking to some folks about the possibility of getting someone with the experience to be a consultant on the village's behalf to look after our interest with the proposed ORCF facility. This brought about several comments such as working with Tracy Drake at the Port Authority, about looking into something like a JEDD arrangement and other ideas. Andy Beech concurred saying there may be other issues that need looked at and other complex things that have not even been thought of yet. With the cooperation Baard has shown so far I don't think there will be any problems but it's not a bad idea to have all the bases covered. It just makes good business sense. Nothing was decided last night. Right now it's just the opening to get something set up.
Sometime ago it was decided to advertise for hiring a qualified grant writer for the village to apply for some of the funds that are out there. Joe Soldano told us they decided to hold up on that and I'm guessing that was for financial considerations. Soldano said he saw where Salineville got a nice grant for improvements on a youth athletic field and it dawned on him that the ville has nothing like that. By general consensus it was decided to go ahead and place ads for some one. Hopefully they will consider not only placing ads in our local papers but possibly reaching out to some statewide publications too. The grant writer wouldn't be a full time village employee and their fees would be part of any possible grant awarded to Wellsville. To me it seems like a win - win situation. I'm getting the impression that the hows & whys were studied and I'm glad to see they are going to move ahead with this notion.
Next meeting is scheduled for the 16th. Before closing I would like to compliment the ER's reporter Jen Matsick on her comprehensive report of last night's meeting that appeared in this morning's paper. I was impressed. Keep up the good work and you'll be giving Erin some competition.
Now I have to clean out my saved clippings folder once again. Will have to see what I can come up with.
ole nib
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30 comments:
"Gas company representatives were at the last meeting asking that some consideration be given to possibly make this fee more reasonable and more in-line with what other communities charge in this area."
When's the last time Columbia Gas CUSTOMERS got to meet with the company to negotiate their bills? Let them pay what's proposed, just like their customers have to when they get a bill for gas.
The only culprit in this situation is the fiscal officer. He needs to remember what his job description is. He was not hired to legislate, be council, village resident's, or Mayor. But he can sure take on the role of all of them.He had some nerve going behind the Mayor and council members backs, without their knowledge, and doing their jobs. The council and Mayor, I am sure, would have approached this situation in a professional manner. Definetely would have taken the proper steps provided. You waltz into this town, and act like you own it.Do what you were hired to do. Leave the decision making to our Mayor, Council, and resident's! Someting you are not!
Even if making the job mandatory to live there would make this situation be resolved, why not do it? If the caretaker doesn't want to live there, he loses his position as careaker. Who would gain or lose by that? MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Every time the state PUCO meets to consider what any utility charges in Ohio you have a chance to voice your opinion. If you can't make it to Columbus you can always contact your State Rep. or State Senator who was elected to look after our interests. Also, you can attend a Council meeting and express your wishes or you can contact any member of council or the Mayor. I don't relish the high cost we pay for natural gas but I do like to stay warm. If that metal pipe that my house feeds off of would spring a leak I wouldn't have any heat until the leak is found and repaired. My house is over 100 years old and it doesn't take long to get cold without the furnace running. Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars to make this old shack fuel efficient but it still takes a lot of cubic feet of gas to keep it reasonably warm.
The rate the village charges is not a "proposed" rate. It's already in place and compared to what other communities in our area charge it is pretty steep. I still feel it needs looked at and made more reasonable.
nib
Anon - From what I heard this matter could have been handled in a more dignified manner. We have only heard what happened. Not all the details were publicized on how it came about. I would be interested to hear all the details but I doubt if we'll ever learn all the specifics. Is there finger pointing going on with this unpopular situation? Is the Fiscal Officer being the fall guy?
He was hired to account for the village funds and to keep us legitimate in all things in this category. Taxing perks is not something new with the IRS. It's been around for some time now. On that aspect I feel the FO is doing what he was hired to do. The tax is based on the arbitrary rental rate that was set. Council has it within their power to lower that rental rate to $1 a year and I think it would still meet what is required by the IRS. Or as you suggest Council can pass an ordinance to make living there a stipulation as part of the job. If that is legal that would be the ideal way to honor a long time tradition in our village. I remember the late Harold Dickinson, one of the four previous care takers, telling me you can't ask for better tenants. In all the years he held that job he said he never got one complaint from them! I think Mike Lombardozzi does one heckuva job up there for what he is paid and for what he has to work with. I frequently stop in to visit with some old friends and relatives and never once have I witnessed Springhill to be in unpresentable condition since Mike has had the job. He doesn't have a lavish budget to work with nor does he have a lavish salary. He should be commended and should be given serious consideration in this matter. It's all up to Council.
nib
Heck with the gas companies wishes. If they don't want to pay dont open the streets. If a line breaks, so be it. I;ll find another way to keep warm until they fix it. It's their pipes, not ours, and if they want us to pay their high prices for their gas then they will fix the breaks. In 25 yrs of paying these greedy bums, they have never once given me a break. You can beg them for maybe a few days grace until they shut your gas off and what will they do, shut you off. I keep my thermostat on 62 and still pay the g- blessed 275-325 dollars they charge,. Yeah, I could go on the budget and pay 218.00 yr round. Screw these dictators. and Puco
Nib it's simple, fire the appointed FO, and hire a new one. He is noone's boss, nor does he legislate. It's our decision and if we don't like it we can voice our opinions to the mayor or council. He needs to hit the bricks.
All Mr. Davis is doing is his job. You might not like it, but it's a fact. He is in charge of payroll, not Mayor or Council. He has to answer to the I.R.S, State Auditors and the Attorney General, not Mayor, Council, or Nunzi or Mike Lombardozzi. This man has more brains in his little finger then anybody at Village Hall. Face the truth, pay taxes that are governed by law. Making Lombardozzi live there, means the Village must put money into the house. They already said that it needs big money, and that none of them will ever vote to put any money into it. I liked the comment Daddy Nunzi said about giving Council the bill of all Mike, Ex- Wife, and he put into the house. Grow up, and quit making an Ass out of yourself, face the truth, if you ever have in your life. Enough grasping at straws, you pay the tax Nunzi, Merry Christmas to that.
I was at the meeting when the Gas Co. was there, Nib. Joe Soldano called them out and said, it sounded like they were saying, if you don't lower the rates to open up the street, that Wellsville would see no more new lines, ect. He also asked them if they were, or were not, ordered to do repairs and updates by the P.U.C.O., they danced around his question, and never did answer him. He also said that Wellsville people pay their bills like everybody else. I agree, they were saying they were going to put 25 million in updating lines and such, and said Wellsville had the highest fees of all Villages or Cities in the area. I don't care if that is the case or not, Columbia Gas makes huge profits every year. They are much bigger, and better off, than Wellsville. Joe said the Street Committee would meet with them later this year. I also hope the Village sticks to their guns, make them pay what the fees are. Thanks for having are backs Joe.
Ole Nib, it make take some research, but I do believe that council cannot set the amount of rent for the house. The amount is based on rent for a home that size in this area. Shouldn't the mayor being paying something for the car/cruiser he is driving? Isn't this a perk? If council makes it mandatory that the caretaker live in the home, then the village will be responsible for keeping that home up to code. Maybe that is where council is a little apprehensive. Nunzio fails to mention that though Mike and friends put free hours into fixing up the place, I believe the village paid for the materials to do so. A new roof was put on the main part of the house as well.
Nib,
I agree with all you have just said. And I know that council and the mayor will do all that needs to be to make the situation right. Our town has it's up's and down's, but when it comes down to it, I am sure they will make this all right.Mike and his family has made that home a beautiful place, and I have never seen the cemetery look so wonderful. I can tell you that I have seen Mike on his lawn mower way after hours, and I bet you won't see the overtime on his check for it. And I must say the painting of all the buildings up there and the remodeling of the outdoor bathrooms was a project that Mike, his wife, and their three daughters accomplished on their own, to make it look good for Memorial Day.I hope everyone see's how much pride Mike has when it comes to his job as caretaker.
P.s. Nib, there has never been an arbitrary rental rate set, just what "The Grinch" decided. There is no documentation that states the rent was ever $550. The fiscial officer states that rent was set at $550 before the caretaker moved into the home, was a flat out lie. There is no documentation anywhere that will justify that. Common sense , Mike would have never accepted the position if that was the case. Nor would he have remodeled that home.All has went well with every caretaker. Why try to fix someting that is not broken, especially at other peoples livlehood and expense. Shame on you F.O., or better yet schrooge.
Nib, Have a wonderful Christmas, and keep up the good work!
If Soldano and council have any sense they will get rid of that high price and act with goodwill and common sense. You have to deal with these folks so quit showboating and do what is best for the village. This is business and even though you might not like dealing with a this big company you have to do what is best for the citizens. There are many elderly folks here who need to stay warm. The village needs to maintain a good relationship for any future endevors instead of acting like they just feel off the turnip truck.
I DON'T THINK COLUMBIA GAS WILL TURN OFF ELDERLY PEOPLE OR ANYBODY ELSE, BECAUSE WELLSVILLE WON'T LOWER THEIR RATES. GROW UP, YOU MUST WORK FOR THE GAS CO. THE ONLY WAY THEY TURN GAS OFF IS IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUIR BILL, AND EVEN THEN, YOU GET EXTENTIONS. ALSO, THEY HAVE TO FIX GAS LEAKS. I WAS TOLD THE ONLY REASON THEY DID THE WORK IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LEAK, THEY HAD TO DO THE WORK, NO FAVORS FOR US. I LIKE THAT COUNCIL IS LOOKING OUT FOR US, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS.
"they will get rid of that high price and act with goodwill and common sense. You have to deal with these folks so quit showboating and do what is best for the village"
Yeah, that's exactly what this big company does for us, and for you, they help us out in our time of need, Hail to Columbia Gas....
Come Hell or High Waters should the Historical home at Springhill Cemetery ever be tore down and a modular home(TRAILER), be put in it's place for the office. Whether Mike Lombardozzi lives in that HISTORICAL home or not, we as resident's should demand that home be taken care of.
Does the water company ever let us negotiate our water rates? The people here in the vill pay the highest water rayes I bet in the whole area. Merry Christmas to all!!!!!
all they ever seem to want to do is bump heads with people. it is in the best interest of this village to lower those rates. No, they will not have much goodwill for you if you don't pay your bill but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture. Trust me no one up there has your back, but if you need to think they do then have at it.
Speak for yourself, I have been helped out many times by Council, you must have a personal thing with them. Get the burr out your ass, they do have our backs when they can.
Check out Sun. Review, Columbia Gas to raise rates. Lets just keep letting them raise our too high bills as it is. I hope Wellsville makes them pay the amount they have on the books. We will need a bailout to pay our bills.
Hey there Charlie W.
what would your opinion be on the Springhill Cemetery situation? Don't know if you have seen the before and after renovation, but that home is beautiful. It is a shame to here that Council would decide to not finish the rest of the repairs, especially after so much has already been SUNK into it. With the way they are thinking, I think that is money that they have decided to just waste. Not good thinking on Councils part. If the caretaker leaves up there, and works only the scheduled hours a day, what will the people do when the Cemetery is closed to the public everyday at 3 p.m., weekends, and holiday's. I also don't understand, if tax law's need met now, and the caretakers for the last 39 years has had a home provided to them at no charge. Why don't our Council members lease the home for $1 a year? Or, make the job mandatory for him to live there, and then all this would be resolved. The present caretaker would live there till 2013, where will council and the rest be then? It seems as if there are more motives not being mentioned. What do you think?
Hey speak 4 your self, we're talking about Columbia Gas, not Council. Wake up.
My question is this: If making the cemetery superintendent pay taxes on such a "perk" is the law, then why has NO audit of the city's or village's books ever caught that it wasn't being paid...not in at least the 25 years I've been around, reading the papers.
Sure seems the STATE auditors would have caught such an oversight since they do an audit every year (and in the past even did SPECIAL audits due to the city's and village's fiscal emergency).
Something doesn't sound right here.
Has anyone asked Andy Beech about this?
Turtle Neck, I hate to say it but you are a moron. Gas Co. takes advantage of us every winter, where you at, Florida. I will back Council any day before the Gas Co. You must not have a gas furnace. Let us have a good cold spell, 250 to 300 dollar bill.
Ask the right questions:
Do ya think Andy Beech would answer the questions? Maybe an outside attorney would be the better approach. I can't see how the Superintendent's home has been furnished with the job for 39 years,rent free,and then someone who has no right making such a decision,especially without Mayor, Council,and the Administrator not even having knowledge of such actions he took.Makes me wonder what could be next. I heard years ago, a home was given to wellsville, moved from Aten Avenue when the new highway went in, for the purpose of providing a home for the caretaker? Do ya know anything about that? Would you happen to know how long this "New Tax" law has been in effect? Some are saying the home needs big money. It doesn't need anymore money than the Street sweeper that was purchased,that is not functional and has never been used.
Hey goofy, I said screw the gas co. pay attention to the discussion. I said how they ( gas co. ) keep raising our rates. I must reiterate, council should not lower the fee. Got it now? No, I don't live in FL. I live in Wellsville Ohio.
Ask Saracco and Surace about the street sweeper, they don't give a shit about it. Saracco is in charge of it, well that should tell you something right there.
I have to disagree about the sweeper. They have scrounged around for parts and even had a manufacturer's rep come to check it out. I think it was briefly used when we first got it. The problem is it's so old that it now probably needs a complete overhaul and that is probably cost prohibitive. It was a good idea that just didn't pan out.
nib
Nib, we are not talking about the street sweeper from years ago, this one was bought 4 years ago, at 25,000 dollars. They figure leave it parked behind Village Hall, that way Saracco does not have to worry about it. It can be fixed, it's only been used a few times. Par for this administration's course.
We're talking about the same sweeper. It was purchased four years ago as second hand. Those babies are expensive even if they are pre-owned. From what I was told the hydraulic lines are shot on this one.
nib
I use to work at a parts store that use to make hydraulic lines. It didn't cost an arm and a leg to replace them. The most expensive parts on the lines were the fittings!!
Wells ville council meetings are always where legislation becomes an emergency issue and rules are suspended to put them on first and final reading making them an emergency!! Its par for the cource!!
I remember the street sweeper running. They were posting the signs on the main streets in October. We were running the street swepper in November. Who does this in the winter months? Well it hasn't ran since. Only in Wellsville do they sweep streets in the fall and winter months. You gotta love the Ville!!!
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