10-23-00 Public Works & Property Vacation & Utilities & Residential Neighborhoods

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Commits a ort: ,lotnt *sing of tjir 1ubZie Works Sc Jropertt Vacation tommittet, 1tttlitits t ommittizt onb Usatutial 3fItirkborbootis Committee The October 23, 2000 joint meeting of the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee, the Utilities Committee and the Residential Neighborhoods Committee was called to order by Public Works and Property Vacation Chairperson, Council Member David Varner at 3:34 p.m. in the Council Informal Meeting room. Persons in attendance included Council Members Aranowski, Pfeifer,Vamer, Kelly, Ujdak, Kirsits, Coleman and White; Citizen Member Jean Troutman-Poole, Mayoral Administrative Assistant Jack Reed, Community&Economic Development Executive Director Jon Hunt, John Oxian, Public Works Director Gary Gilot, Carl Littrell, Dave Sweitzer, John Coffee, Tom Grate and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council Attorney. Council Member Varner noted that this joint meeting of the three (3) Standing Committees of the Common Council was called in light of the continuing concerns with regard to services being provided by the American Electric &Power. Dr. Varner noted that growing frustration with regard to the failure of AEP to promptly address street light outages prompted the meeting. Mr. Dave Sweitzer, Community Services Manager for AEP then introduced himself, John Coffee, AEP Manager of Distribution and Tom Grate, AEP Communications Coordinator. Mr. Sweitzer noted that he has been in the area two (2) years;Mr. Coffee has been here approximately three(3) months,and Mr. Grate has been here less than three(3) months. Council Member King noted that as Chairperson of the Residential Neighborhood Committee,he is concerned about: 1. The low level of service response to service outages;and 2. The quality of service with regard to a"Mission Critical Resource". Council Member King stated that the public is very frustrated after having called the AEP number and getting no results and then calls their District and At Large Council Member for assistance. He stressed that safety and security are affected resulting in disrupting the quality of life in our neighborhoods. He suggested a % of uptime as the measuring stick which should be applied, noting that the current % of uptime now as being totally unacceptable. He noted that the service response time is miserable. Council Member King concluded that if the City had a choice in this area is would not be doing business with AEP. Council Member Kirsits voiced the following concerns: 1. Entire grid systems going out citing Portage Avenue as an example; 2. The AEP phone number having a person in West Virginia responding; 3. The run-around given by AEP when advised of an outage; 4. Two(2) Fire Department incidents: * September 16th FD Dispatch Center reported to AEP of live wires down on Olive Street with poor AEP response;and