The
legislation: Ordinance No. 5-02. Ordinance
No. 5-02 authorizing the Mayor of the City of North Canton,
through the Board of Control, to enter into a professional
service agreement with the J Group to provide strategic
consulting services with respect to matters pertaining to
economic development, utilities, special events, community
programs, marketing and other areas such as state and federal
grant review assistance for a one year period beginning
January 1, 2002 and ending December 31, 2002 at the rate of
$4,200.00 per month and declaring the same to be an emergency.
The legislation originated in the Finance & Property
Committee, discussed in council and referred out of committee
for legislation on January 7, 2002.
The
outcome: The legislation was read at one
open council meeting on January 14, 2002. The administration
had requested that the legislation be passed on an emergency.
Passage of legislation on an emergency requires six votes of
council and allows legislation to take affect immediately upon
its approval by the mayor.
In the only reading of the legislation, all members present
voted as follows:
Yes: McLaughlin, Snyder, Foltz, Kiesling, Lindower
& Magel
No: Osborne
A second vote was taken by council to suspend the rules
requiring the legislation be read at three different, regular
Council meetings. In the vote to suspend the rules for this
legislation, all members present voted as follows:
Yes: Snyder, Foltz, Kiesling, Lindower, Magel &
McLaughlin
No: Osborne
A third vote to adopt the legislation under the suspension
of the rules was taken. In the vote to adopt the legislation
under the suspension of the rules, all members present voted
as follows:
Yes: Snyder, Foltz, Kiesling, Lindower, Magel &
McLaughlin
No: Osborne
The passage of the legislation to contract with the J Group
for economic development services was reported January 15,
2002 in the Repository article,
N. Canton development pact passes.
It was stated in this article that, “Rice told council that
because of Osborne’s memo and the negative scrutiny, the J
Group had become reluctant to work for the city.”
The J Group never signed the
twelve
month professional services contract that was passed in
council on an emergency. The only public funds paid to the J
Group were $10,000 that was paid under a previous
3-month
Professional Service Agreement contract that did not
require council approval. Under North Canton Charter, the
mayor may make purchases and enter into contracts on behalf of
the city involving expenditures up to $15,000 without prior
approval from council.
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