The Council of the Village of Riverlea met on the above date at the Old Worthington Library. The following Council members were present: Mayor Eric A. MacGilvray, Nicholas B. Bartels, Janet Heidkamp, Leah M. Pyter, and Emily J. Saving. Also present were Joshua C. Mehling, Clerk-Treasurer, Leah Reibel, Solicitor, William Charles, Acting Street Commissioner, and Greg Bonk, Web Manager. Guests of Council were Acting Worthington City Manager Robyn Stewart and Worthington Services Director/City Engineer John Moorehead. At 6:40 p.m., the Mayor called the meeting to order.
Selby Bridge Construction
Robyn Stewart, Acting City Manager, and John Moorehead, Services Director/City Engineer of the City of Worthington, were in attendance to discuss the upcoming replacement of the bridge on West Selby Blvd over Rush Run. The current bridge was built in 1983 and needs to be replaced due to deterioration of the concrete and rebar. West Selby is the only access point to the Worthington neighborhood located to the east of Riverlea. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2024, and though current plans call for a lane of the bridge to remain open during construction, it would likely not be rated to support heavy vehicles. Worthington’s current proposal is to build a temporary extension at the east end of Melbourne Place to connect the road to Northbrook Dr and allow heavy vehicles such as garbage trucks, school buses, and emergency vehicles to access the neighborhood. This extension could also provide secondary access for residents in the event that the Selby Blvd bridge becomes completely unusable.
In order to complete the extension, Riverlea would need to grant an easement across the strip of land that it controls at the east end of Melbourne Place. Planners have not yet decided on the materials to be used to construct the extension, but it will be temporary.
Bartels asked what the plans were to return the area at the end of Melbourne back to its original condition at the end of the project. Moorehead stated that the crews would attempt to salvage the current barricade at the end of the road and replace it upon completion.
The Web Manager asked what the plans were to limit traffic using the extension so as to minimize the additional traffic though Riverlea. Possibilities include movable cones or other lightweight obstructions, emergency vehicle access only signs, or targeted police enforcement in the area.
The Web Manager inquired as to whether there would be cost and/or time savings from using the extension as the primary entrance point to the neighborhood and removing all traffic from the bridge during construction. Moorehead stated that there would likely be some savings from this, though the current plans do not reflect this option and would require some redesign. The total additional traffic through the Village if this approach were taken is estimated to be about 300-400 cars per day.
The Mayor inquired as to what the options would be if the Village denied the request to extend Melbourne Place. Moorehead stated that it would require further discussions. The Mayor suggested that a traffic study be conducted to help inform Riverlea residents of the likely impact. Stewart and Moorehead stated that the Worthington Law Director would work with the Riverlea Solicitor to produce a formal proposal for Council to consider. Worthington is hoping for official signoff from the Village by the end of 2023 to keep plans on schedule.
Minutes
The minutes of the Council meeting of June 26, 2023 were not read since each member had received a copy. Saving moved and Heidkamp seconded the motion that the minutes be approved as submitted by the Clerk-Treasurer. The motion carried (4-0).
Report of the Clerk-Treasurer
Saving moved and Heidkamp seconded the motion to approve the payment of bills and to accept the financial reports for June 2023 as submitted by the Clerk-Treasurer. The motion carried (4-0).
Saving moved and Bartels seconded the motion to approve the payment of bills and to accept the financial reports for July 2023 as submitted by the Clerk-Treasurer. The motion carried (4-0).
Report of the Mayor
- The Mayor reported that work on the sewer relining project had begun on August 10 and would continue throughout the Village. The Village will need to decide whether to reline the 15-inch sewer main that runs under Falmouth Court and through Circle Park before connecting to Worthington’s lines near Pinney. This main is currently owned by the City of Worthington and its condition is similar to the lines throughout Riverlea. The estimated cost to reline it is $80K, though there are questions about how the addition of this line to the project would affect the funding for the project, including the mix of grants and loans. The Mayor will collect more information about this line and the possibility of adding it to the project for Council to consider at the September meeting.
- The Mayor thanked Emily Saving and her husband for their work in staining the new fence around the generator at the lift station.
- The Mayor announced that Council member Dan Schlichting has filed with the Franklin Board of Elections for the Mayor position on the November ballot, and that Josh Mehling filed for the Clerk-Treasurer position. As there have not been any applicants for the Council member positions, Council will likely need to fill these two seats by appointment in January.
Report of the Solicitor
The Solicitor stated that there were two pieces of legislation that would be having their second readings at the meeting.
Report of the Street Commissioner
- The Street Commissioner stated that the work had been completed to connect the new home at 131 W Southington Ave to the sewer main. There were difficulties in locating and connecting to the wye, but it was ultimately successful.
Report of the Planning Commissioner
The Clerk-Treasurer reported that the Commission had approved the addition of a fence at 65 W Southington Ave at the July meeting and the addition of a fence at 201 W Riverglen Dr at the August meeting.
Comments from Residents on Agenda Items
There were no comments from residents on agenda items.
Old Business
- Committee on Infrastructure
The Chair of the Committee was not in attendance. Pyter had a question about what needs to be done regarding the potential Melbourne connector. The Solicitor stated that she would prepare a resolution to be introduced at the September meeting, and that Council could amend it as needed through the three readings.
- Web Manager
The Web Manager reported that he had received a phishing email that purported to be from the Mayor. He is working to implement a fix that will block these types of emails in the future.
- Communications Committee
The Chair of the Committee was not in attendance.
- Ordinance 05-2023
Ordinance 05-2023 An Ordinance to Provide for the Compensation of Village Councilmembers, Certain Elected Officers, and Appointed Officials of the Village had its second reading.
New Business
- Resolution 2023-09
Resolution 2023 – 09 – Amended Resolution to Reauthorize the Communications Committee to Support the Work of Village Council, to Appoint Members Thereto was introduced by Pyter. Pyter moved to amend section 3 (a) of this resolution to read “The Committee on Communications shall be comprised of the following members: Two Riverlea Councilmembers, up to two Riverlea residents, and ex officio member the Web Manager.” Saving seconded the motion. The motion passed (4-0).
Expenses
Bartels moved and Heidkamp seconded the motion to authorize the following expenditures:
- $ 00 – Sharon Township Board of Trustees – 2022 Leaf cleanup
- $4,310.33 – Sharon Township Board of Trustees – 2022-23 Snow removal
- $ 26 – Sharon Township Board of Trustees – Tree removal
- $ 73 – Annette Haines – 4th of July reimbursement
- $ 09 – Emily Saving – Lift station fence stain reimbursement
The motion was approved unanimously (4-0).
Comments from Residents on Non-Agenda Items
There were no comments from residents on non-agenda items.
Next Meeting Announcement
The next regular meeting will be Monday, September 18, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Worthington Library.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Bartels moved and Pyter seconded the motion to adjourn. The motion was approved unanimously (4-0). The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
Joshua C. Mehling, Clerk-Treasurer
Eric A. MacGilvray, Mayor