Mayor Duncan closed the public hearing and advised that the ordinance will be addressed at the next Council meeting on Monday, March 6. He asked Mr. Jacques how a moratorium would work.

Mr. Jacques explained that a moratorium would require that the City revisit this issue in a very specific timeframe. If Council adopts the proposed prohibition, Council still has the option to revisit this matter at any time. If further regulations come out in a way that Council feels this use would be compatible in Oakwood, Council can adopt another zoning code text amendment to allow it. The concern in waiting to act is the establishment of prior non-conforming uses, or being “grandfathered” in. If it is not prohibited at this point, a situation could be created where someone has established this use and then can be “grandfathered” in in the future.

Vice Mayor Byington added that as with any issue, citizens can contact City Council with any comments or questions regarding this, or anything else. City Council’s contact information is available on the city’s website at www.oakwoodohio.gov.

A copy of the resolution, having been placed on the desks of each member of Council prior to introduction, was read by title.

Vice Mayor Byington explained that the current collective bargaining agreement covering Oakwood Public Safety Officers expired on October 26, 2016, and the current agreement with the Public Safety Lieutenants expired on November 3, 2016. Late last year, the City entered into negotiations for a new agreement with FOP Lodge No. 107, which is the union representative for the Public Safety Officers. The Lieutenants were not part of those original negotiations because they were in the process of changing their union representation from the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association to the FOP.

The City and the FOP were unable to come to terms for a new agreement, and pursuant to state law, the matter was submitted to a fact finder on January 25, 2017. After six hours of settlement discussions, the FOP agreed on terms for a new 3-year agreement for the Public Safety Officers. Shortly after the fact finding, the Lieutenants also agreed to the same terms.

Vice Mayor Byington and Mayor Duncan have reviewed the new agreements as members of Council’s Finance Committee, and this resolution will authorize the City Manager to sign them. These agreements provide the Oakwood Public Safety Officers and Lieutenants with responsible wage increases over the next three years that are consistent with wage increases provided to all other city employee groups. They will receive increases of 2.75% in 2017; 2.85% in 2018; and 2.95% in 2019. City Council would like to commend Assistant City Manager Jay Weiskircher for his efforts on the city’s behalf, and also Oakwood Public Safety employees for their help in coming to these agreements.

Thereupon, it was moved by Vice Mayor Byington and seconded by Mrs. Hilton that the resolution be passed.

Mayor Duncan added that in dealing with financial difficulties over the past five years, the four bargaining units, as well as non-union employees, had two years of frozen salaries. Mr. Weiskircher worked with all four union contracts this past fall. Mayor Duncan congratulated Mr. Weiskircher for his unbelievable efforts in getting all union and non-union employees on the same wage scale increases. Mayor Duncan also congratulated the Public Safety Department for working on a fair agreement with the City.

Upon call of the roll on the question of the motion, the following vote was recorded:

There being five (5) yea votes and no (0) nay votes thereon, said resolution was declared duly passed and it was so ordered.