Council adopts multiple ordinances, approves vehicle sales and signage request

Mayfield Heights City Council adopted a series of ordinances and approved two motions during its regular meeting, voting unanimously on the items presented.

The package of ordinances approved on the consent/regular agenda included changes to municipal code sections covering the law director's office, mandatory drug testing for prospective employees and for current employees, the office of the mayor, the finance department, repeal of the officer-of-compliance chapter, revisions to waste-container rules, and a new fireworks prohibition. Council also placed an ordinance on first reading that would amend the city's rental-properties chapter (short-term rental language was left on first reading pending state action).

Why it matters: The ordinances change how several city offices are structured, clarify personnel language across departments, expand the situations requiring drug and alcohol testing, and set new local restrictions on fireworks and trash-container placement. The council also approved two administrative motions: to accept a preliminary site review for a building sign at 5910 Landerbrook Drive and to put three surplus police cruisers up for public auction.

Council approved each item by roll call. The council president called the public-comment period closed, and no public speakers addressed the listed ordinances during the meeting.

Key enacted ordinances and motions (summary): - Ordinance 20 25-04: Amends section 133.04 (Assistant Directors of Law); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The ordinance clarifies appoint/hire language and contemplates an assistant law director position and apportioned compensation.

- Ordinance 20 25-05: Amends section 149.06 (mandatory drug testing of prospective employees); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). Council recorded that the amendment aligns city practice with state and federal law per the human-resources memorandum.

- Ordinance 20 25-06: Amends section 149.07 (mandatory drug testing of all city employees); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The ordinance adds three situations in which mandatory drug and alcohol testing would be required.

- Ordinance 20 25-07: Amends section 131 (mayor); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The change removes the now-defunct animal warden position and adds language that the mayor's office may include other officers and personnel as council determines.

- Ordinance 20 25-08: Amends section 135 (Department of Finance); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The deputy director of finance position was removed and an assistant finance-director position established in the 2020 salary ordinance; language was added for consistency with other department ordinances.

- Ordinance 20 25-09: Repeals chapter 146 (officer of compliance); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). Duties have been redistributed to human resources and economic development.

- Ordinance 20 25-10: Amends section 559.14 (waste-container location and pickup); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The ordinance addresses containers left on sidewalks, tree lawns or aprons more than 24 hours after collection and adds an enforceable subsection.

- Ordinance 20 25-11: Repeals and replaces section 57.1 (fireworks); adopted (roll call: unanimous yes). The new language simplifies the prior ordinance and prohibits fireworks within city limits.

- Ordinance 20 25-12: Amends chapter 1341 (rental properties); placed on first reading. The law director requested first reading only so the city can monitor pending Ohio House and Senate bills (including House Bill 563 and Senate Bill 104) before moving forward with local regulatory language.

Motions approved: - Motion A: Approve preliminary site review for wall signage for Sequoia at 5910 Landerbrook Drive; approved (motion moved by Mr. Manno, second by Mrs. Sevetta; roll call: unanimous yes). Planning commission had recommended approval; council discussed limiting one building-facing sign per building and leaving tenant sign allocation to landlord/tenant agreement.

- Motion B: Authorize sale of three police department vehicles (2017, 2017 and 2018 Ford Explorers, odometer readings noted in the city memorandum); approved (moved by Mr. Manno, second by Mr. Minor; roll call: unanimous yes). The chief advised the vehicles will be sold via public auction service (govdeals.com) per state statute for surplus vehicle sales.

Votes and record: The meeting transcript shows roll-call votes on the adopted ordinances and motions with the following council members recorded as voting yes: Mr. Minor; Mr. Manno; Mrs. Sevetta; Mrs. Cebeda; Miss Talbot; Mr. Balestreya; Miss Snyder. Where individual votes or absences were discussed elsewhere on the agenda, the council followed the law director's guidance to re-pass minutes or re-address prior approvals as needed.

Next steps and implementation: Several adopted ordinances were declared emergency measures and will be codified; the administration indicated it will return a salary ordinance to formally add any new position(s) (for example, an assistant law director) and work with finance on compensation apportionment. The rental-properties ordinance remains on first reading pending state legislation.

Ending note: Public comment was closed with no speakers; the meeting then adjourned after the final approvals.