Medina council passes AED grant application, bridge easement authority and a string of budget and ordinance measures

Medina City Council adopted several ordinances and one resolution at its Feb. 10 meeting, unanimously approving measures that advance infrastructure projects, update intergovernmental agreements and move budget funds.

Key votes included a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply to the Cleveland Clinic Strategic Priorities Fund for $11,100 to purchase five external defibrillators (AEDs) as required by state law, and an ordinance accepting fair-market appraisals and authorizing offers for three easements needed for the Medina Street Bridge project. Council also approved amendments related to the Madonna Municipal Courthouse renovation that attach a previously omitted exhibit, updated a memorandum of understanding with the Medina County Board of Commissioners for Medina TV production services to raise the hourly rate from $52 to $67 (effective Jan. 1, 2025), adjusted municipal court salaries for grant-funded positions, authorized an advance from the general fund to the sanitation fund, and adopted several budget amendments and donations.

The council voted 5-0 on the items listed below. Where presenters addressed the council, staff remarks were recorded in the meeting minutes: Parks/rec staff explained the Cleveland Clinic grant application would fund AED purchases for parks; City Engineer Patton said the bridge project requires easements and urged an emergency clause to keep the project moving; and staff noted the Medina TV rate increase was needed to align the county agreement with 2025 hourly costs.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 33-25 (AED grant application): Passed 5-0. Motion to approve grant application to Cleveland Clinic Strategic Priorities Fund for $11,100 to purchase five AEDs for parks; presented by Mr. Worley. - Ordinance 34-25 (Medina Street Bridge easement appraisals): Passed 5-0, emergency clause adopted 5-0. Ordinance accepts fair market appraisals and authorizes representatives to make offers to acquire three easements needed for the Medina Street Bridge project; presented by City Engineer Patton. - Ordinance 35-25 (Madonna Municipal Courthouse agreement amendment): Passed 5-0, emergency clause adopted 5-0. Attaches Exhibit B to the previous construction manager agreement for the courthouse renovation; presented by City Engineer Patton. - Ordinance (MOU Medina TV, cited in transcript as '36-25' series): Passed 5-0, emergency clause adopted 5-0. Amends and restates the 2021 agreement with the Medina County Board of Commissioners for Medina TV production services to change the hourly rate from $52 to $67 and makes the payment effective Jan. 1, 2025; presented by Mr. Fry (staff representative noted in transcript). - Ordinance 37-25 (salary & benefits code amendment): Passed 5-0. Updates salary/benefit code related to municipal court grant positions and a part-time judicial assistant; presented by municipal staff. - Ordinance 38-25 (fund advances): Passed 5-0. Authorizes finance director to advance funds from general fund to sanitation fund to cover expenses pending sanitation rate increases. - Ordinance 39-25 (budget amendments and donations): Passed 5-0. Includes a $50,000 donation from the Park Foundation to the police department and a donation from the Ken Cleveland Foundation for playground upgrades; other adjustments cover courthouse renovations and a Progress Drive water tower project. - Liquor permit transfer (GetGo/Madonna GetGo): Council moved not to object to a transfer of liquor permits and approved the motion 5-0.

Council members moved to suspend the three-reading rule to consider several ordinances and resolutions at the meeting and then adopted emergency clauses where staff said expedited action would keep projects moving. Several items were presented in summary and will require later administrative follow-up: staff noted the guaranteed maximum price package for the courthouse renovation is expected back to finance for review, and the Brownfield assessment grant (a $300,000 award with a $100,000 city match) that the economic development director said had final paperwork completed and will proceed to procurement and hiring steps.

All recorded roll-call votes on the ordinances and resolution in the transcript were unanimous (5-0: Simpson, Coyne, DeSalvo, Rose, Shields). The council recorded no dissent on the items included in this session.