City Council Meeting

Tonight's Portsmouth City Council Meeting is likely to be standing-room only, just like it was at Mayor Murray's first Council Meeting. Get there early if you want to get a seat. If you missed the last meeting you can watch on-line at: http://www.watchthezone.com/citycouncilside.html Click on the link above and scroll down to "11 January 2010." It was a very long meeting (almost 4 hours), so we've written a down a few of the high (and low) points of the meeting. After the video of the meeting has down-loaded to your computer, you can use your mouse to move the slider at the bottom of the picture to select any time you want. (All times are approximate.) 9:20 Councilman John Haas requests an executive session to discuss personnel and litigation issues. Murray objects. No executive session takes place. 11:20 Mayor Murray threatens to file misdemeanor charges against Council members. 16:20 Murray states that she has asked of a ruling by the Ohio Ethics Commission regarding her lawsuit against the City. [Remarks by citizens-I] 32:50 Former Mayor Kalb speaks. 36:00 Harold Daub idiotically claims that the multi-million medical center planned for the McKinley school site will just be a pain clinic or "pill mill." 42:00 Chris Neff speaks. 48:00 Jerry OBannion 50:00 Excellent description of the proposed medical center by Maggie Miller. [End remarks by citizens] 61:07 Lengthy discussion about mayor's office improvements. Mayor is told at least three times, not to spend further funds on office without council approval. (117:00, 118:50, and 129:00) 120:00 Mayor invites "everyone to see progress in mayor's office." 131:55 Discussion of Salary Ordinance. Three new positions with higher pay than previous positions. 134:00 Murray claims her re-structuring will save the City $325-350,000 per year. 139:00 Murray claims EPA has full knowledge of City plans and she has "covered all requirements of the EPA." 141:00 When specifically asked if EPA has approved City's plan Murray says the City is "Totally in compliance." "There is no problem." [This was a lie. On Jan. 13 and 14, the Portsmouth Times reported on a letter from EPA telling the city it was in violation, and telling City Council that the Mayor was being uncooperative. Murray had already received that letter.] 148:00 Murray threatens City Council with legal action, if they have "communication" with EPA. (Now we know why.) 150:00 Council explains to Mayor that hiring a Commissioner at a higher salary without Council approval is getting "the cart before the horse." 167:00 Murray promises to have job descriptions for all new positions to council by end of the week. 170:00 Auditor suggests Murray pay newly hired personnel according to existing salary ordinance. 174:00 President of Council suggests that Mr. Peck be paid no more than the Mayor's approved salary, $59,000. 176:00 Peck shakes head, "no." 179:00 Mayor claims she has a mandate. Blames her problems on "disgruntled former employees." 180:00 Murray says that this is the first time in years that the City "has people qualified for the jobs" they do. [Statements by citizens-II] 187:00 Statement by former Wastewater Director Rick Duncan. (Mayor leaves Council chambers as Duncan is speaking and does not return until after he is done.) 198:00 Former Councilman Maty Mohr speaks. 200:00 Chris Neff speaks again. 203:00 Former County Commissioner Dee Penix speaks. 207:00 Harold Daub makes an ass of himself as usual. [Meeting adjourns.]