Here is the video for the Council meeting on December 17th, 2018. My apologies for it being late. It has been a crazy, crazy few weeks for me with the Holidays.
https://youtu.be/3BQqdR_ftq4
https://youtu.be/3BQqdR_ftq4

Good news though! I have been told that the City will be contracting with a local company to do these videos so that they will no longer be in a legal grey zone. I will still send these videos out to all the same places and I will still write up this report. But now, these videos will be out in a more timely fashion as you will not have to wait for me to get around to it. And, once the City takes it over, the video should be available on the City’s website the next morning after the meeting.

In the Work Session we discussed:

  • Discussing changing the way the Criminal Activity Nuisances citations and fines work. Currently, when an address triggers a Criminal Activity Nuisance complaint, the matter goes to the Building Standards & Appeals board for review. (Ord 511.12)

    We discussed if that should be changed. More research will be needed to better determine how other cities handle it. Some proposals that were proposed are to establish a new board that would review each Criminal Nuisance complaint to determine if it is warranted or have a new Board review it only if it is up for appeal.

    Council will also be discussing the possibility of changing the law to take into account domestic violence cases as well. Currently there is no such provision in the ordinance. While these cases are taken into account when reviewed by the Police Chief and the City Manager, some thought that a better tact may be to better define what does end up as a Criminal Activity Nuisances, which is the route that other cities have done.

  • Discussing the Collection and Drop Off Boxes ordinance (Ord 1341.24). While we have an ordinance that covers where and how these boxes can be placed, it was proposed that a permit also be required before placement of the boxes so that the Building Commissioner can make sure that the boxes are properly placed.

In the reports:

  • The City Manager would like everyone to know that there are alot of exciting businesses that will be moving into Bedford in the next year.
  • On January 16th, 2019, the new online tax system will go live. There will be an in-person meeting to go over how to use the new system on January 9th, 2019. There will also be online tutorial videos that you can watch as well.
  • A new City website will be launched in the new year.
  • Trash will be off 1 day for both Holiday weeks.

In the Regular Session, we voted on:

  • Renewing the contract with GPD Group for Engineering services. (passed)
  • Authorizing a mandatory pay increase for Clerk of Courts. (passed)