CITY OF WINDY HILLS

 

Minutes of Regular Council Meeting

November 9, 2020

 

The Council and Officers of the City of Windy Hills met virtually by Zoom, at 7:00 P.M.  Mayor Davis called the meeting to order.

 

ROLL CALL:  The following were present:

 

MAYOR	COUNCIL MEMBERS	OTHER CITY OFFICIALS
Helen M. Davis	Bruce Blue	Lisa Kraft
	Kate Greer	Steve Teaford
	Marcia Myers
	Marianne Rademaker
	Suzanne Spencer
	Laura Trachtenberg

 

MINUTES:

 

Councilwoman Greer moved to approve the minutes of the October 12, 2020, Council meeting; seconded by Councilman Blue. The motion passed unanimously.

 

FINANCIAL REPORTS, APPROVAL OF BILLS:

 

The financial reports for October 2020 were moved for approval by Councilwoman Rademaker, seconded by Councilwoman Trachtenberg. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Councilman Blue moved to approve the October bills, totaling $41,992.54, and was seconded by Councilwoman Trachtenberg.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS/CONCERNS:  Cheri Baird asked if there was any resolution on the paving issue. The Mayor answered that she was getting a proposal from the City Engineer and had left several messages. to the City Engineer and needed to contact him again.

 

MAYOR’S REPORT:

 

Still working on Indian Ridge. Over the weekend there was a break-in resulting in the theft of over $500 on Indian Ridge. The car was moved from 726 Indian Ridge, so we did get the action needed. The Graymoor-Devondale Police report was 108 hours. They have been giving parking tickets for overnight parking, problem areas are Ambridge and Copperfield.

Attorney Jim Hodge resigned and we will be looking for another attorney. We have collected more back taxes, one that dates back to 2015.

EcoTech had their biggest day on Monday, picking up yard waste, in Windy Hills.

The Auditors will be in the office Thursday and Friday.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

Finance/Ordinances:  Councilwoman Rademaker reported all property taxes received before 10/31 have been recorded.

 

Code Enforcement – Steve Teaford:  Mr. Teaford reported he had seven cases and now there are only two pending:  4205 Hill Top Road and 4301 Kirkhill Road. He has established contact with the resident at 9 Pin Oak.

 

Windy Hills Green/City Maintenance/Newsletter/Tree Board – Councilwoman Greer:

Councilwoman Greer reported on the following items:

 

• Dead tree removed from Clerkenwell island.

TREE BOARD

• People who were getting a free tree received letters from Cheri to go order a tree for their yard.
• Caroline Westfall examined four trees on Ambridge I suspected having a problem. They are full of bores. Cheri has asked Cornerstone to remove them. They, and the other 4 previously removed trees, will be replaced after we have paid for the free trees going to residents.

GREEN

• I signed the contract with Save a Tree to remove old lights off the Holiday tree and install their lights. They will install them the week prior to or the week of Thanksgiving. The lights will be turned on Sunday, November 29 and they will be turned off Wednesday, January 6.
• Mike Hayman has ordered two new Appalachian Redbud trees to replace the dead ones. They will cost $144 each. He will have the Whitehall gardener remove the dead ones and plant the new ones. If it does not rain a lot, I will install water bags.
• A resident called me to find out how he can memorialize his deceased wife with a tree on the Green. I explained our new program about donating $350 to the City, plus the cost of the plaque. He was pleased.
• Adam finally put mulch down in the areas I asked him to.

 

Newsletter – Councilwoman Myers:  Councilwoman Myers reported she sent out the October  Breeze and had a good open rate. Found a problem with Mail Chimp. Rudy the Bear disappeared from the headers of our old issues. She has fixed the problem for now. Working on the November Breeze. The print issue of the Windy Hills Breeze will be sent out in January instead of December.

Community Caring/Health & Fitness/Welcome to Windy Hills – Councilwoman Spencer:

Councilwoman Spencer reported the following items:

• There were four entries in our Virtual Halloween Costume Contest and they were all awarded ice cream certificates from Comfy Cow.
• Working on a plaque revision.
• There were 4 real estate transfers in September.

 Public Works – Councilman Blue:

Councilman Blue reported:

• Three street signs to be installed tomorrow.
• Ecotech has reported there is too much debris being left behind.
• There is damage to the newly paved area on Rudy. It appears to be sinking. May be a MSD issue.

 Ordinances/Community Standards – Councilwoman Trachtenberg:  Councilwoman Trachtenberg reported she submitted a cycling article for the Breeze and did a cleanup of Westport road.

 

City Clerk – Lisa Kraft:  Ms. Kraft reported the property tax bills are caught up for residents paying before the deadline.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:  None

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

• Councilwoman Spencer made a motion to Honor Foster Haunz with a plaque to be placed on the Black Gum tree at the Green. Councilman Blue seconded the motion. A councilmember continued the discussion.

Councilwoman Spencer requested a roll call vote, the vote was as follows:

 

Roll Call Vote:

Blue – Yes

Greer – No

Myers – Yes

Rademaker – No

Spencer – Yes

Trachtenberg – No

 

Tie Breaker:

Mayor – No – not without changes.

Councilwoman Myers made a slightly different motion to Honor Foster Haunz. Let the family decide if they would like a plaque to be placed on the Black Gum tree at the Green or a donation made to a charity in his name. Councilman Blue seconded the motion.

Comments/Questions to the Council as a Whole:   Cheri Baird asked if there was a timeline for the Engineer to have results.

 

Councilwoman Greer moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:43 P.M., seconded by Councilwoman Trachtenberg and the motion passed unanimously.

 

 

__­_____          __________________                                                ­­­­­_______________________

Helen M Davis, Mayor

Lisa Kraft, City Clerk