[Call to Order: Pres. Houk / Roll Call]
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I CITY COUNCIL IS NOW IN SESSION . PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THIS TIME. MAY I HAVE THE CLERK CALL THE ROLL. S YOUR HENDERSON HERE, CYRUS. HA HERE, HOLT, YOUR BE YOUR YOUR. RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELCOME EVERYONE, AND AS YOU ARE AWARE, THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL. AND UM, WE HAVE JUST A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. I WELCOME YOU ALL AND I WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO MR D, WHO IS OUR SERVICE CHAIR TO KICK THINGS OFF THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL AS WELL.
[Ordinance C-08-24 Direct the City Administrator to cause the closing of Broadway for Arts-In-The-Alley and the Wine & Arts Festival.]
UH, THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR RANDY HOLT, WHO IS THE PERSON THAT BROUGHT THIS LEGISLATION FORWARD. THANK YOU, MR DEW. YOU MEAN EVERYBODY? THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING IF THE WEATHER DEVELOPS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. IT LOOKS LIKE BIG STUFF COMING. SO UM, PERHAPS WE'LL GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS. UH, THIS IS A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING. AND WITH THAT WE'LL HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION COUNSEL AND THE PUBLIC ATTENDING AND COMMENTING. THE MEETING WILL BE ORGANIZED AS FOLLOWS. I'M GOING TO READ THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE, SO EVERYBODY IS CLEAR ON THE ORDINANCE. AND I'LL REMIND YOU THAT THE SECOND READING AND VOTE ON THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE MARCH 4TH 2024 , SO NO VOTING TONIGHT BUT NEXT MONDAY IS WHEN IT ACTUALLY GETS VOTING ON. THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO PRESENT AND COMMENT ON THE ISSUE. COUNSEL PLEASE NOTE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AND INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR COMMENTS WHEN CALLED UPON FOR YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS. THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC. I HAVE ONE PRESENTATION SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE AND I'LL GIVE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FIVE MINUTES FOR THAT PRESENTATION. AND THEN WE'LL DO THE REST OF THE PUBLIC WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN EACH WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT. OR COMMENT. WE'LL READ SOME EMAILS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL OFFICE OVER THE PAST WEEK OR SO. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL FOR CLOSING COMMENTS. EACH COUNCIL PERSON GETS THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. AND ONCE COMPLETED, I'LL TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO CHRISTINE, AND SHE CAN CLOSE THE MEETING. SO WITH ANY LUCK. THAT'LL BE DONE BEFORE 730. AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE. OK WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE READING OF THE LEGISLATION. SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE, NOT A RESOLUTION ORDINANCE. C 824 AN ORDINANCE TO DIRECT THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO CAUSE THE CLOSING OF BROADWAY FOR ARTS IN THE ALLEY AND THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL. MANY TIMES DURING OUR COMMENTS. WE MAY MENTION JUST ARTS IN THE ALLEY. BUT JUST PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IT INCLUDES WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL. THEN WE HAVE A FEW WHERE WHICH ARE THE STATEMENTS DRAFTED IN THE LEGISLATION. WHEREAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3.073 OF THE CITY CHARTER, THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR SHALL PERFORM OTHER DUTIES AS REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE. AND WHEREAS THE GROVE CITY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED ARTS IN THE ALLEY SINCE 1980, WHEREAS DURING THAT TIME THIS EVENT HAS GROWN OUT OF THE ALLEY AND ONTO BROADWAY AND THE SURROUNDING STREETS OF THE TOWN CENTER UNTIL COVID OCCURRED IN 2020. AND WHEREAS THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL HAS ALSO GROWN IN SIZE TO COMMAND THE USE OF BROADWAY UNTIL COVID OCCURRED IN 2020.AND WHEREAS THESE EVENTS BRING CUSTOMERS AND TO LOCAL MERCHANTS IN THE TOWN CENTER, AND MANY OF THE MERCHANTS HAVE SHARED THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF REVENUE THAT USED TO CARRY THEM THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR SINCE MOVING THESE EVENTS OFF BROADWAY AND WHEREAS MANY
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MERCHANTS AND RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE TO SEE THESE EVENTS RETURN TO BROADWAY AND THE SURROUNDING STREETS, AND WHEREAS UTILIZING THE NEW TOWN CENTER PARK LOCATION HAS ITS SHARE OF CHALLENGES, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO GET EQUIPMENT DELIVERED DUE TO NARROW ROADS, NONO ROOM FOR EXPANSION OR A NATURAL FLOW AND CONNECTION TO ALL EXHIBITS, MOBILITY ISSUES AND WHEREAS UTILIZING THE STREETS RATHER THAN AGGRESSIVE, GRASSY AREA ALLOWS FOR BETTER PARTICIPATION FOR ALL. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GROVE CITY STATE OF OHIO, THAT SECTION ONE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR IS HEREBY DIRECTED TO CAUSE THE PROPER ACTION TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER FOR ARTS IN THE ALLEY AND THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL TO BE HELD ON BROADWAY AND OTHER NEEDED STREETS IN THE TOWN CENTER FOR THE 2024 EVENTS, AND THEREAFTER. SECTION. TWO THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL SUPPORT THE REQUESTED DATES FROM GROVE CITY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE HEART OF GROVE CITY FOR THE RESPECTIVE EVENTS TO CAUSE THE EVENT TO BE HELD ON THE HISTORIC BROADWAY LOCATION. THIS ORDINANCE SHALL TAKE EFFECT AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY ALLOWED BY LAW. AND AS I MENTIONED WE HAD FIRST READING A WEEK AGO, AND THE FINAL READING IS MARCH 4TH. WELL THAT WE'LL MOVE ON. THE ADMINISTRATION GETS TO PRESENT FIRST. UM THEY HAVE FIVE MINUTES WHO'S PRESENTING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION? I WILL. MR BOSO.THANK YOU, UH, YOU MAY BEGIN. WE DO HAVE THOSE EXHIBITS. THANK YOU, MR HOLT. THIS PARTICULAR EXHIBIT THAT, UH, IS ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW WAS PUT TOGETHER COOPER OPERATION WITH, UH, BILL VIED. THE DEPUTY CITY ADMINISTRATOR, KEVIN TIE FOR OUR SAFETY DIRECTOR AND OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, UH, ERIC SCOTT. SO UM, THIS LOOKS AT THE AREA FROM A GLOBAL STANDPOINT AND I MIGHT. I MIGHT JUST, UH, PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT I LOVED ARTS IN THE ALLEY AND THE EVENTS ON BROADWAY. I THINK WE ALL DID. BUT WITH THOSE WE THEY HAVE CERTAIN IMPACT. AND YOU THINK IT WOULD BE QUITE SIMPLE JUST TO CLOSE TWO BLOCKS AND IN A COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVE A, UH, A LARGE IMPACT, BUT WHAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO IN TERMS OF WHERE WE SEE THE DETOUR. UH, TAKING PLACE IS FROM. 270 HEADING SOUTH ON THE BROADWAY WE WOULD HAVE SIGNS TO DETOUR THE SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD. IF YOU'RE GOING SOUTH. AND HOPEFULLY GO SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD TO DENMAR ROAD BACK TO GROVE CITY ROAD AND THEN DOWN. UH, 62. WE DO HAVE A CHALLENGE HERE AT GROVE CITY ROAD. JUST THE, UM THE CONFIGURATION OF THAT INTERSECTION MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, ESPECIALLY FOR TRUCK TRAFFIC. AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIG CHALLENGE HERE IS TRUCK TRAFFIC. AND HOW DO WE? HOW DO WE, UH, KEEP THOSE UH, VEHICLES FROM ENTERING THIS AREA, AND THAT'S THAT'S A LARGE CHALLENGE. AND IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD SIGNS BEFORE. AND OF COURSE, UH, THEY'RE IGNORED AND THEY END UP IN IN, UH, RESIDENTIAL AREAS THAT, UH, CAN'T HANDLE THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC. SO BUT, UH THIS WOULD WOULD WE WOULD HOPEFULLY LIKE TO HAVE A DETOUR AND HAVE, LIKE, UH, DRIVERS TO ADHERE TO THESE AND THE, UH, SOUTH HEADING NORTH, WE WOULD HAVE SIGNS TO GO ORDERS ROAD UP TO HOOVER ROAD AND THEN BACK TO, UM TO BROADWAY . NOW AGAIN, WE REALIZE THAT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN. AND IF WE COULD GO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, TAMMY AND THIS IS JUST SOME THE AREA THAT'S AFFECTED BY THAT LARGE AREA WITH THAT DETOUR IS, UH, SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD TO THE NORTH HOOVER ROAD TO THE EAST ORDERS ROAD TO THE SOUTH IN DENVERS ROAD TO THE WEST, AND IT AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 7500 RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES IN 18,000 RESIDENTS. AND IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS, UH MORE REALISTIC IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD BELIEVE WOULD REALLY HAPPEN IN TERMS OF THE TRAFFIC MOVEMENT. ONCE TRAFFIC.
UH, PASS THE SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD HEADING SOUTH. THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO GET AROUND THE DETOUR WOULD BE COLUMBUS STREET TO THE EAST TO THE WEST. TO THE EAST. UH IF THEY WOULD TURN TURN EAST. THEY WOULD GO TO COLUMBUS STREET TO BACK TO, UH, UH, UH, BACK TO
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KINGSTON AND ON THE HOOVER. HOWEVER WE WOULDN'T LIKE THAT. THAT PARTICULAR TRAFFIC MOVEMENT, UM WHAT WE WOULD PREFER AGAIN IS HAVE THEM, UH, USE THE TRAFFIC, UH, DETOUR ON SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD. BUT ONCE THEY GO BY, THERE ARE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THAT TRAFFIC OUT IS AT COLUMBUS STREET, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO TURN RIGHT AND GO INTO THE BEULAH PARK SUBDIVISION. UM AND GO BACK, HOPEFULLY BACK OUT TO SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD WEST, UH, TO DEMERS ROAD SOUTH OF DENVER ROAD BACK OUT AGAIN, TO, UH, GROVE CITY GROVE CITY ROAD IN BROADWAY. UM GETTING, UH. THE REAL CHALLENGE IS FUNNELING THAT MUCH TRAFFIC AND YOU'D SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST GET IT DOWN TO ONE LANE THAT THAT MEANS WE'RE DELETING 50% OF THE CAPACITY OF THOSE LANES AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE BACKUP WE WOULD HAVE. IF WE WOULD TRY TO SAY OK, YOU MUST TURN RIGHT ON AT SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD WHERE YOU MUST TURN LEFT AT COLUMBUS STREET AND NOT GO THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION SO AGAIN WITH WITH ANY THERE'S INCONVENIENCE. CAN IT BE DONE IN TERMS OF ALLOWING THESE EVENTS ON BROADWAY? CERTAINLY THEY CAN, BUT THERE ARE INCONVENIENCES AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION WHERE WE'RE AT IN, MR HOLT STATED THERE WASN'T ANY ROOM FOR EXPANSION. WE BELIEVE THERE IS ROOM FOR EXPANSION IN TERMS OF PARK STREET TO THE EAST . UM REALLY, AS FAR AS YOU YOU WOULD WANT TO GO CLEAR TO PROBABLY HA ROAD SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST TRYING TO DEPICT THE EFFECTS IT HAS ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE, UH, THE AREA FOR THOSE FOR THESE EVENTS AND AGAIN, I THINK THE LAST I HEARD THAT THE ARTS IN THE ALLEY WOULD NEED PROBABLY FOUR DAYS SET UP THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. THIS WOULD BE A FOUR DAY EVENT. THIS THIS, UH REDISTRICTING AND REDIRECTING THIS TRAFFIC SO UH, MISTER TIEFER IS EXCUSE ME. MISTER BEAVER IS HERE AS WELL AS THE CHIEF. IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR REMARKS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR POZZO. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO SPEAK? IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S SOME, UH I WANT TO GET TO THE KEY POINTS. WELL, THIS IS THE LIBRARY. THIS IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE WITHIN THE CHALLENGE OF, UH, KEEPING THE LIBRARY. TRAFFIC SAFE AND SO THAT WOULD CREATE ONE ENTRANCE IN AND OUT TO THE LIBRARY OFF OF GROVE CITY OFF OF COLUMBUS STREET, AND THEN WE WOULD DO BARRICADES TO KEEP THAT IN IN ORDER TO KEEP COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC TO THE BUSINESSES ON GRANT. UM BUT YOU CAN SEE THE CHALLENGES THERE AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. UM WE DID HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH PEOPLE THAT NOT DOING THAT CREATES ALMOST A MINI STREET GOING PEOPLE CUTTING THROUGH THE PROMENADE CUTTING THROUGH THE REAR CITY HALL, WHICH WE HAD TO REACT TO DURING AN EVENT ON NEXT SLIDE. SO KEY POINTS ARE YOU HAVE THE PACKET FOR OUR PLANNING FOR A SPECIAL EVENT AND THESE ARE 3 TO 6 MONTHS OUT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE EFFORT INTO THESE PLANS. UH, SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, NO MATTER WHAT THE EVENT BUT AGAIN 17,000 VEHICLES A DAY OR CROSS THROUGH BROADWAY AND COLUMBUS. GRANT AVENUE CLOSURE IS REALLY WHAT IMPACTED OR STARTED US DOWN THIS, UH. DOWN THIS CHANGE. THE LOCAL TRAFFIC WILL ALWAYS FIND A WAY AND EVEN SHE'S GOT IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM OR TALK ABOUT DRIVER BEHAVIOR WHEN THERE IS A DETOUR, IT'S NOT DOESN'T IMPROVE . LET'S SAY THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IMPACTED FOR THE FOUR DAY CLOSURE. UM YOU CAN SEE THEM AND THERE'S A BIG IMPACT ON THE BUSES BECAUSE NOW THEY THEY UTILIZE, UH, COLUMBUS STREET GOING BACK TO THE, UH, THE BUS GARAGE. BUT DURING, UH, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, THERE'S A BIG IMPACT TO BUS ROUTING AND THEY HAVE CONCERNS. ABOUT A CLOSURE OF THE EXTENT THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? THANK YOU. HELLO UH, THE DIVISION OF POLICE DOES SUPPORT MOVING THIS OFF OF BROADWAY? UH, PROBABLY 10 OR 15. YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN INITIATIVE FROM POLICE AND FIRE TO TRY TO AVOID SHUTTING DOWN ROADWAYS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF, UH COLLISIONS AND DRIVER BEHAVIOR, AND I THINK IF ANYBODY DRIVES THE ROADS, YOU'LL SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY IMPATIENT AND THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION. THEY DON'T PAY[00:15:02]
ATTENTION TO SIGNS. THEY LOOK AT THEIR PHONES. AND THERE'S SOME, UH, INTOXICATED DRIVERS THAT HAVE DRIVEN THROUGH SOME OF OUR EVENTS THAT CAUSE US. CONCERNS SO WE SUPPORTED THE CITY ADMINISTRATION WITH A PLAN TO TRY TO MINIMIZE RISK BY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY DETOURS, SO THE DIVISION OF POLICE DOES SUPPORT. TRYING TO MOVE IT OFF FOR THE ROAD RAGE REASONS THE AND THE COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN FROM THE COMMUNITY IS SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE CALL IN AND COMPLAIN ABOUT TRUCKS, FINDING THEIR WAY ON THESE SMALL STREETS AND GETTING STUCK. UH AND WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND TRY TO NAVIGATE THOSE SITUATIONS IN IN, UH THERE'S OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE COME IN AND IN SOME SITUATIONS. WE'VE HAD ROAD CLOSURES OUT OF THE FATAL COLLISION AND PEOPLE CALL IN AND SAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT, UH, OPENING THE ROADWAY, AND THEY'RE CALLING OUR 911 CENTER AND DEMANDING THAT WE OPEN A ROADWAY WHEN THERE'S A FATALITY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SO IT IS NOT PREFERRED FOR POLICE AND FIRE TO SHUT DOWN ROADWAYS. IF WE CAN AVOID THAT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? OK, THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. OK NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC SECTION OF THIS MEETING. SO TAMMY, UM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WILL BE FIRST WITH THE FIVE MINUTE LIMIT AND WHO DO WE HAVE SPEAKING. SEAN CONRAD, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US PRESIDENT HOW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL MAYOR STAGE GROVES CITY SAFETY TEAM. THANK YOU, UH, FOR OPENING THIS CONVERSATION. WE ARE SINCERELY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR THOUGHTS. FIRST I'D LIKE TO BE CLEAR AS TO WHY WE THE CHAMBER ARE HERE. WE ARE NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR BRINGING ARTS IN THE ALLEY BACK TO BROADWAY. WE'RE NOT HERE AS ADVERSARIES OR OPPONENTS, UM, TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION CITY COUNCIL. SAFETY TEAM OR ANYONE ELSE.WE'RE HERE IN RESPONSE TO AN INVITATION TO SHARE AND DISCUSS OUR INSIGHTS, OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR CONCERNS. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, THE COUNCIL AND OF COURSE, OUR MEMBERS. AND WHILE WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SEE ARTS IN THE ALLEY BACK ON BROADWAY ONCE AGAIN AS IT WAS FOR 40 YEARS, 41 YEARS, UM WE RESPECT THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF OUR SAFETY TEAM HERE AT THE CITY. UH, THEY ARE CONCERNS AND WE HOPE TO MAINTAIN AN OPEN DIALOGUE THROUGH WHICH WE CAN ADDRESS AND RESOLVE. THOSE CONCERNS. UM, MAY I SEE THE NEXT ONE? TAMMY, PLEASE. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPHIC, UM, OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE BENEFIT AND VALUE TO OUR MEMBERS, WHICH GIVES THEM OPPORTUNITY TO SPONSOR AN ADVERTISE THROUGH THE EVENT WHEREVER IT'S LOCATED. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR EVENT, UH, TO A LARGER OPPORTUNITY FOR VENDORS AND CONCESSION PEOPLE AND VISITORS LAST YEAR, WE HAD TO DECLINE OVER 30 ART VENDORS BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ANY SPACE FOR THEM BACK THERE. UM THE WAY THE CONFIGURATION OF THE SLIGHTLY NARROWER ROADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT JUST CREATED A LITTLE BIT OF A SMALLER SPACE THAT THAT WAS QUITE A CHALLENGE. UH, WE WANNA GROW ALL THE COMPONENTS, UH, WITH EXCELLENCE, WHAT WE HEARD IN THE WAY OF COMPLAINTS LAST YEAR. UM AND TO BE FAIR, WE'VE HEARD OUR SHARE OF COMPLIMENTS AS WELL. THAT YOU DID A GOOD JOB WITH THAT SPACE AND THAT YOU KNOW, YOU MADE IT WORK AND WE APPRECIATE THAT, BUT WHAT WE HEARD FREQUENTLY WAS THAT IT FELT DISCONNECTED. WE HAVE, UM, HERE IN CITY HALL. WE HAVE SOME OF OUR SHOWS, AND THEN WE HAVE THE VOICE OVER THERE AND THE VENDORS OVER HERE AND THAT THE MOST FREQUENT THING WE HEARD WERE THAT THE FREQUENT COMPLAINTS WERE THAT IT FELT VERY DISJOINTED AND DISCONNECTED , AND THEY WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHERE EVERYTHING WAS. UH, SURELY WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SIGNAGE. PERHAPS BUT THE FACT IS, IT WAS A BIT DISJOINTED AND DISCONNECTED AND THE SECOND BEING IT WAS VERY, VERY CONGESTED. UM AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE CONFIGURATION THE SIZE OF THE TENTS THAT WE HAD TO INVEST IN, UH BECAUSE OF THE NARROWER ROADS. ALL THOSE THINGS LED TO A VERY CONGESTED, UH, EVENT, WHICH WAS THE THOSE WERE THE PRIMARY COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEARD, UH, WE WANT TO, UH, BE ABLE TO PRO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR TOURISM WE WANT WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THIS EVENT, JUST LIKE WE ALL DO FOR THEM TO WALK AWAY SAYING, WOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN TO GROSS CITY IN A WHILE. WOW, THAT'S AMAZING. WE WANT TO HEAR ALL THOSE POSITIVE.
UH, FEEDBACKS, UH, UNDER THE NEW EVENT DESIGN, UM WHICH WE KIND OF HAVE LISTED THERE IN THE CENTER. WE WANNA BRING BRING EXPOSURE AND FOOT TRAFFIC, UM, TO OUR TOWN CENTER MERCHANTS WHOM WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH AND HEARD FROM ALSO THAT THAT, UH, LACK OF FOOT TRAFFIC HAS BEEN A
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CHALLENGE FOR THEM, UH, AND THEIR REVENUE, UH, TO THEIR SHOP OR RESTAURANT. UH, WE WANT TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE ADEQUATE SPACE FOR VENDORS AND VISITORS CURRENTLY, UH, THE TENTS ARE AGAIN IN A VERY NARROW SPACE. WE HAD LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT, UH, MOBILITY CHALLENGE FOLKS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING AROUND ON THE SIDEWALKS AND THE WALKWAYS BACK THERE. UH AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT IN A IN A COMFORTABLE WAY FOR EVERYONE AND, OF COURSE ROOM FOR EXPANSION AS WELL. UM UNDER SAFETY AND CHALLENGES WE LISTED. WE NEED A LAYOUT THAT PROVIDES, OF COURSE, A SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE, UH, INTEGRATION OF ALL THE COMPONENTS OF ART. IN THE ALLEY. THAT BEING THE SHOWS THE VOICE UM UH, KIDS, FUN STREET AND THE EVENT ITSELF, OF COURSE. UM WE WANT TO PROVIDE IMPROVED TANGIBLE VALUE FOR OUR INVESTORS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS. UH, AND ANOTHER THING THAT WE HEARD IT'S SORT OF HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT WE HEARD IT OFTEN ENOUGH THAT WE DO BELIEVE IT IS THAT PEOPLE SAID ARE WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS BACK THERE. WE JUST DROVE RIGHT BY IT. AND SO, UH, TO THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE OWE IT AT LEAST A NOD AND TO WELL, PERHAPS IT IS NOT AS VISIBLE HERE AS IT CERTAINLY IS, AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN AND SEEING ALL THE TENTS, FIRST HAND SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT, UH, OUR SPACE LIMITATIONS AND OUR VEHICLE MANEUVERABILITY DURING SETUP AND TEAR DOWN IS A MASSIVE CHALLENGE. OUR TRUCK DRIVERS TELLING US THAT AND CERTAINLY DEMONSTRATING IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT, AND WE HAD TO, UH, OUR OUR EVENTS TEAM HAD TO STAGGER THE DROP OFFS OF CERTAIN WHETHER IT TENSE PORT, A POTTIES OR WHATEVER IT WAS, UH SO THAT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO BE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE STREETS. SO WITH THAT, UM, I CAN ASK YOU TO QUICKLY JUST SHOW THE MAP. UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE RED THAT THAT IS OUR CURRENT, UM, TOWN CENTER PARK AREA. AND IF YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLUE, UH, THAT IS OUR EXCUSE ME OUR PROPOSED BLENDED EVENT WHERE WE'RE SHARING BOTH OF THOSE SPACES. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. UH, OVER THE PAST WEEK. I'VE RECEIVED MANY EMAILS IN MY OFFICE AND TAMMY AND THE COUNCIL OFFICE. UH, TAMMY WILL READ SOME OF THOSE FROM THE PUBLIC INTO THE RECORD RIGHT NOW. UH, THIS E MAILS FROM AMANDA DAVIS. CRIP CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS . WHY I WHILE I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S SPECIAL COUNSEL MEETING, I WANTED TO SEND FEEDBACK ON VISIT GROVE CITY OPINION RELATED TO THE HOSTING LARGE SCALE EVENTS ON BROADWAY.LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS ARTS IN THE ALLEY AND THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL ONCE CREATED A VIBRANCY AND BROUGHT ON BROADWAY , THE BROAD CUSTOMERS INTO BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR WHILE EVENTS GOERS EXPLORED TENTS FILLED WITH ART, WINE AND HANDCRAFTED GOODS, THEY TOOK NOTE OF WHERE THEY MIGHT EAT. IT WAS TYPICAL TO SEE PATRONS LINED UP OUTSIDE OF TOWN CENTER RESTAURANTS SUCH AS THE THEN LILIES. KITCHEN TABLE AS THEY WAITED PATIENTLY FOR A TABLE. WE HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO THIS LINE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR FRONT DOOR.
CURIOSITY AND PROXIMITY LED ATTENDEES INTO THE DOORS OF MANY SHOPS, THE GROVE CITY MUSEUM AND OUR GROVE CITY VISITOR CENTER. IT WAS TYPICAL FOR VISIT GROVE CITY TO WELCOME 900 TO 1000 GUESTS INTO THE VISITORS CENTER ACROSS A BUSY EVENT FILLED WEEKEND WHEN ATTENDEES WERE RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR DOOR FAST FORWARD TO AN EVENTS REMOVED OFF BROADWAY AND OUR FOOT TRAFFIC DURING THESE TWO SIGNATURE EVENTS DECREASED BY A DRASTIC 89% WHILE SALES PLUMMETED BY AN AVERAGE OF 94. WHAT'S MORE, IS THAT OUR EVENTS BECOME LESS ACCESSIBLE IN A WORLD THAT IS GROWING EVEN MORE AWARE. OF OUR LACK OF INCLUSIVITY. WE HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF THE DISABLED STRUGGLING TO ACCESS AMENITIES OF EVENTS OR FOREGOING EVENTS ALTOGETHER. IN ONE INSTANCE, A MAN IN WHICH IN A WHEELCHAIR FELL OVER AS HE TRIED TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE GRASSY AREA OF TOWN CENTER PARK TO PATRONIZE ARTS IN THE ALLEY AS A COMMUNITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING WELCOMING TO ALL IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL EVENT PARTICIPANTS VISIT GROUP CITY SUPPORTS MOVING IMMENSE BACK ONTO BROADWAY TO
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INCREASE THE IMPACT OF THESE EVENTS ON OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THE SPECIAL MEETING. WARM REGARDS, AMANDA DAVIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THE NEXT ONE IS FROM, UH LORETTA JOHNSON. PLEASE DO. MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO BRING THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL AND OTHERS TO THE BROADWAY PARK STREET BACK THE LAST EVENT. OF ARTS IN THE ALLEY HELD ON THE GRASSY KNOLL AND ONLY ON PARK STREET UP TO BROADWAY WAS CROWDED, CONDENSED AND NOT ENJOYABLE IN ANY WAY. THE GRASSY AREA IS UNEVEN AND NOT USER FRIENDLY TO THOSE OF AGE STROLLERS, PEOPLE OF DIFFICULTIES OR DISABILITIES.I'M CONVINCED THE HEART OF OHIO BUSINESS PARTNERS LOST THE ABILITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR AMAZING STOREFRONTS AND RESTAURANTS AND BENEFIT FROM THE EVENTS AS CURRENTLY OUT THE SPIRIT OF THESE AMAZINGLY FUN AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE LOST UNLESS THEY COME BACK TO BROADWAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR COMMITMENT IN MOVING THIS FORWARD FOR THE GOOD OF GROVE CITY. THANK YOU, LAURIE JOHNSON. NEXT ONE IS FROM STACY KELLY. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN THE AREA FOR NEARLY NINE YEARS. WE ESPECIALLY ENJOYED ALL THE EVENTS DOWNTOWN WHEN THEY WOULD BLOCK OFF BROADWAY. WE WERE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WHEN THEY WERE MOVED TO PARK STREET. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM OR PLACE TO SIT. IT IS DEFINITELY NOT STROLLER OR WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY.
WE STOPPED GOING TO THEM ALL. I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THE CITY IS RECONSIDERING THE MOVE OFF BROADWAY. WE WILL DEFINITELY ATTEND THEM ALL ONCE AGAIN IF IT PASSES FINALLY IS MARIA KEPLER.
I NOTICED THERE IS A SPECIAL MEETING IN REGARDS TO THIS TOPIC , BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHY THE CITY STOPPED CLOSING BROADWAY FOR LARGE EVENTS. I'VE HEARD SAFETY REASONS FOR TRAFFIC , BUT IF THE PROPER SIGNAGE IS PUT OUT AHEAD OF TIME TO REROUTE TRAFFIC, WHY IS IT AN ISSUE? THE RUMOR THAT I HEAR FROM GROVE CITY RES TALK. IS BECAUSE THE STATE OF OHIO IS ENFORCING THIS WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE TO BE TRUE SINCE I WORK FOR A LARGE MUNICIPALITY IN CENTRAL OHIO, AND HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION OF OUR EVENTS. STAFF GROUP CITY IS GROWING SO FAST AND TO HAVE THE WINE FESTIVAL AND THE ARTS IN THE ALLEY IN A SMALL RESTRICTED AREA JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO ACCOMMODATE OR ATTRACT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. IT'S TIGHT AND BARELY ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AROUND AND ENJOY THE I'VE HEARD NUMEROUS PEOPLE COMMENT ON GROUP CITY EVENTS AND NOT WANTING TO ATTEND BECAUSE OF THE SPACE. IF THE CITY CAN CLOSE IT FOR THE ALUMNI HOMECOMING, THEN THEY SHOULD BE CLOSED FOR OTHER LARGE EVENTS TO ATTRACT MORE RESIDENTS TO ATTEND. AS WELL. THE CITY SHOULD RE EVALUATE THE GROVE CITY FARMERS MARKET. I HAVE ATTENDED FARMERS MARKETS IN DUBLIN, HILLIARD AND WORTHINGTON AND A FEW OTHER COMMUNITIES, THE AMOUNT OF VENDORS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE OTHER FARMERS' MARKETS IS WELL ABOVE WHAT GROVE CITY GETS IN PARTICIPATION. SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE WE STILL HAVE IT BECAUSE IT'S SO HIDDEN. PUT IT BACK ON BROADWAY AND STILL CLOSE SOME SIDE STREETS. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE BROADWAY TO HOST IT ON BROADWAY. WORTHINGTON HAS HAS A GOOD DISTANCE ON HIGH STREET AND THEIR STREETS REMAIN OPEN, BUT THEY STILL GET A GREAT FLOW OF WALKING TRAFFIC FOR THEIR FARMERS MARKET. GREAT THAT THE CITY IS RE EVALUATING EVENTS ON BROADWAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANK YOU, TAMMY. WE'LL MOVE TO IN PERSON. PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I HAVE, UH, THREE SHEETS HERE. I BELIEVE THEM TO BE, UH, IN ORDER OF HOW PEOPLE SIGNED UP, SO THAT'S THE ORDER THAT I'M GONNA CALL ON FOLKS FROM THESE THREE SHEETS. I LOOKED TO HAVE ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK SO UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE EVERYBODY SPEAK LIKE EVERYBODY AT THEIR FIST ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE.
UM THE FIRST ONE IS JOLENE ENGLEMAN. AND JOLENE, WHEN YOU COME UP, JUST PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THE LIGHT ON THE ON THE PODIUM. THERE WILL TURN RED WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO YANK YOU OK? OK UH, MY NAME IS JOLENE ENGLEMAN. UH, MY ADDRESS
[00:30:02]
IS 6043 PLATINUM DRIVE GROVE CITY. UM I GOT MY CHEAT SHEET. SO BEAR WITH ME. UM OK. MY NAME IS JOLENE. UM, MY HUSBAND AND I OWN COUNTRY HEARTH PRIMITIVES AT 3937. BROADWAY FIRST, I WANNA SAY THAT I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF GROVE CITY, AND I'M I AM PROUD OF THIS TOWN. UM WE OPENED OUR DOORS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 ON ARTS IN THE ALLEY WEEKEND, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF BUSIEST WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR, PEOPLE USED TO COME FROM OTHER TOWNS AND SUBURBS TO VISIT THIS EVENT, AND I FEEL BY MOVING IT OFF OF BROADWAY. WE'RE SEEING LESS FOOT TRAFFIC. WHEN IT WAS MOVED OFF OF BROADWAY. IT DRASTICALLY AFFECTED OUR SALES FOR THAT WEEKEND, AND MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED TO US ABOUT IT. WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE COME IN OUR SHOP AND ASK WHERE IS ARTS IN THE ALLEY? WE ALSO WOULD HAVE REGULAR CUSTOMERS COME IN FOR WEEKS AFTERWARDS AND SAY, WHY DID THEY MOVE IT? I LIKED IT BETTER ON THE STREET. WE COULDN'T GET AROUND THE GRASS AND IT WAS JUST TOO TOO CROWDED. SO WE LEFT. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE VENDORS IN ARTS IN THE ALLEY FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE STARTING OUR BUSINESS AND WE DID VERY WELL AND IT WAS ALWAYS ONE OF OUR BETTER SHOWS OF THE YEAR. THERE IS ANOTHER WELL KNOWN SHOW IN THORN THAT SAME WEEKEND AND DAVE AND I WOULD SPLIT UP HAVE A CONTEST TO SEE WHO WOULD MAKE MORE MONEY THAT WEEKEND ARTS IN THE ALLEY TEAM ALWAYS WON. I KNOW WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE SHOW IS NOW THE WAY IT'S SET UP NOW. AS A PREVIOUS VENDOR. I FEEL SORRY FOR THE CURRENT VENDORS BECAUSE SETTING UP A SHOW IS A LOT OF WORK AND WHEN THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE LACK OF CUSTOMERS, POSSIBLY MUDDY, GRASSY AREAS AND PROFITS NOT BEING MADE. IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING. COUNTRY HEAR PRIMITIVE IS NOT JUST A DOOR TO A RETAIL SHOP. IT CONSISTS OF ABOUT 30 VENDORS. MOST OF THEM ARE GROVE CITY RESIDENTS. I HAVE A FEW OF THEM BACK HERE IN THE LAST TWO ROWS WITH ME AND MY LANDLORD IS HERE, TOO. THESE FOLKS RANGE IN AGE FROM THEIR TWENTIES TO THEIR SEVENTIES, AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE RETIRED AND DEPEND ON THEIR MONTHLY SALES AS EXTRA INCOME. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT LITTLE EXTRA IN THEIR CHECKS FOR SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE ALL STRUGGLED OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS WITH THE PANDEMIC AND EVEN SEEING BUSINESS OWNERS COME AND GO. WE DON'T DEPEND SOLELY ON THAT WEEKEND TO MAKE OR BREAK US FOR THE YEAR, BUT IT SURE HELPS WHEN PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE HERE, AND THERE IS MORE TO GROVE CITY, BOTH RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL THAN JUST SOME TENTS SET UP ON THE GRASS BEHIND A BRICK BUILDING. IF YOU CAN BRING 1000 IF WE CAN BRING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DOWN HERE FOR THE ALUMNI WEEKEND AND CLOSE THE STREET, WE CAN PUT ARTS IN THE ALLEY AND THE WINE AND ARTS FESTIVAL BACK ON BROADWAY. WE CAN SHOW THESE VISITORS WHAT A GREAT TOWN CENTER WE HAVE. THANK YOU, JOLENE. MM. THANK YOU. OK, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IN ORDER IS JOE WEBER. JOE YOU NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. GOOD EVENING. I'M JOE WEBER. I LIVE AT 4648.CLAIBORNE DRIVE EAST. SO FIRST, UH GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE. UM I'M NOT MUCH OF A PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I FELT PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT. SO I WANTED TO COME OUT AND AT LEAST SAY SOMETHING, AND, UM I CAN LAY DOWN AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT I AT LEAST SAID SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF WHAT I BELIEVE, UM, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE AS ARE MY CHILDREN. UM, WE'VE ATTENDED THESE EVENTS. WE LOVE THESE EVENTS. THEY BRING PEOPLE AROUND. UM. IT REALLY JUST IT'S UH, FOR ME. IT'S MORE OF A SAFETY THING. I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO GO HOME AT THE END OF THE NIGHT AND FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT IT. UM ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WITH MY JOB IS THAT IS MY JOB. I WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE GO HOME SAFE AT THE END OF AN EVENT NO MATTER WHERE IT IS, WHETHER IT'S UM IN TOWN CENTER ON BROADWAY ON PARK STREET. SO UM, WITH THAT IN MIND , I JUST KINDA WANNA GO AND SAY THAT I'M NOT HERE TO TAKE AWAY ANYTHING FROM BUSINESS OWNERS OR VENDORS. UM, REALLY, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO GO HOME. AT THE END OF THE NIGHT. UM DIVERTING SEMIS AND MOTORISTS THAT AREN'T FROM HERE. THEY GET CONFUSED. THEY GET TURNED AROUND. THEY GET LOST . WE HAD ONE RUN OVER A TRANSFORMER BEHIND OUR BRAND NEW LIBRARY BUILDING AT ONE POINT JUST BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN AROUND.
AND UNDERSTAND THEIR THEIR WAY AROUND. SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE THERE. SOME OF THE OTHER WORRIES I HAVE. IT'S PRIMARILY MOTORISTS , BUT THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT TYPES. I'M WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE INTENT TO HARM AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT. YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE FROM GROVE CITY, THEY KNOW IF WE HAVE A WEAK SPOT IN OUR PERIMETER, AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME YOU PUT INTO A PERIMETER, YOU YOU CAN'T KEEP EVERYBODY OUT IF THEY REALLY WANT IT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY. JUST DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACCIDENTS. UM PEOPLE ON THEIR PHONE. THEY THEY DON'T PAY
[00:35:03]
ATTENTION. THEY'RE DRIVING. UM I'VE BEEN PERSONALLY A SERVICE TECH WHEN, UM, WE'VE HAD CONES KNOCKED OVER AND YOU HEAR THE CAR COMING THROUGH THERE AND YOU HAVE A PARTNER UP IN A BUCKET TRUCK AND YOU FEEL HELPLESS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, AND YOU'RE HOPING TO GOD THEY LOOK UP IN TIME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. UM WE'VE HAD ACCIDENTS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL HIT TREES AND PASSED AWAY. THIS IS ALL HERE IN GROVE CITY. THIS ISN'T THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN HILLIARD OR ANOTHER CITY OR ANOTHER STATE. THIS IS HERE. UM SOMETIMES EXTRACURRICULAR IMPAIRMENT. UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT, UH, DRIVE THROUGH. THEY CAME FROM THE PROMENADE THROUGH A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY AND OUT INTO BROADWAY BEFORE WE WERE SETTING UP FOR WINE AND ARTS. IF THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED THREE HOURS LATER, THERE COULD BE PEOPLE OUT THERE. UM SINCE THEN, WE'VE ADDED WATER BARRICADES TO EVEN MORE PLACES THAN WE EVER DID BEFORE. I LOOK BACK IN SOME OF OUR ARCHIVES WHERE WE USE, UM , CONES TO BLOCK ROADS OFF, AND NOW WE USUALLY GO PRETTY HEAVY, JUST TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. UM SO I GUESS IN CLOSING OUR DUTY IS TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AT NIGHT. WE WANT TO LIMIT EXPOSURE TO BODILY HARM AND WORSE. UM SO MY VOTE IS TO KEEP IT OFF OF GROVES CITY. UM IT'S ONE THING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR PEOPLE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO FEEL THAT I HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM TO TRY TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. SO MR CAN YOU FRAME IT UP YOUR RESPONSIBILITY? MAYBE SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. AND YOU CAME UP WITH LIKE A. I'M SORRY. WHY DO YOU HAVE THE SERVICE MANAGER IN OUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT HERE IN GROVE CITY, SO I WORK ALONGSIDE WITH THE POLICE AT OUR DIFFERENT PARADES.OUR EVENTS, UM, OUR CHRISTMAS PARADES, OUR WINE AND ARTS. ANY TYPE OF SHUTDOWN WE HAVE, UM I USUALLY TRY TO WORK PRETTY CLOSELY WITH THEM. AND HOW THEY LIKE TO SEE SHUTDOWNS AND YOU KNOW, BRING IDEAS TO THE TABLE WITH THEM, TOO. SO UM, WE HAVE PRETTY CLOSE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN HERE. THERE SO WELL, THAT'S ALL WE WANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR WEBER. MR SCOTT, YOU'RE ON HERE. DID YOU DISQUALIFY YOU FOR ALREADY DONE THAT RIGHT? OK? PAGE TWO. I HAVE. RAY. MINSKY. MAYBE. HE DID. WELL THAT'S GOOD. IT SUNSHINE I RACE MINSKY 6042 WIN A BL STREET GROVE CITY. I'M REPRESENTING PLUMB RUN WINERY, GROS CITY BREWING COMPANY, AND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS WE'VE BEEN HAVING EVENTS BOTH ON BROADWAY AND OFF BROADWAY. AND I'D HAVE TO SPEAK FOR THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE EVENTS OFF BROADWAY. THE CHALLENGES OF FOLKS WALKING THROUGH THE GRASSY AREAS. ACCESSIBILITY UH, IS A CHALLENGE FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO GET, UM TO THE DIFFERENT VENDORS AND THE OTHER IS PARKING I. I SEE THAT IT'S MORE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THE EVENT ON BROADWAY BECAUSE THEN IT OPENS UP PARKING AROUND THE WHOLE PERIMETER OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE JUST ALL STUCK ON ONE HEAD. YOU CAN PARK AT SHEDS YOU CAN PARK ON THE LIBRARY. UM JUST IT JUST OPENS UP THE PARKING. SO THAT'S MY THAT'S MY OPINION OF IT. OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE MICHELLE ROBINSON OR SOME. NA NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. MICHELLE AND MY NAME IS MICHELLE ROBISON ADDRESS IS 4009 BROADWAY. I OWN THE GARDEN BAR.
UM FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LET US HAVE A VOICE. UM I LOVE THE NEW AREA THAT'S BEEN CREATED DOWN HERE, UM, OVER ACROSS FROM THE POLICE STATION. AND MY OBJECTIVE IS TO HELP MERGE THE NEW AREA BACK ONTO BROADWAY AS WELL, UM, TO SOME WAY, DO IT AS A MERGE, UM, TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY A LARGER EVENT. AS WELL AS GIVE THE BUSINESSES AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. UM AS SOMEONE WAS STATING IN ONE OF THEIR EMAILS. THAT DEFINITELY, UM IS A GROWTH AND IT IS A WEEKEND ON THESE BIG EVENTS THAT HELP SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE OURSELVES. UM I CHOSE DOWNTOWN VERSUS STRING TOWN OVER SIX YEARS AGO, OR VERSUS 665 WITH SOME PLACES I WAS LOOKING BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE THE GARDEN BAR AND A COMMUNITY. I WANTED TO BE A PART OF EVENTS LIKE THIS. AND UH, I'M ORIGINALLY FROM OKLAHOMA. AND SO IT JUST IT GIVES ME A SMALL LIKE A HOMETOWN FEEL AND, UH, HAVING THE PEOPLE OUT ON THE SIDEWALKS AND DOING THAT IS, IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR IN OUR BUSINESSES, AND I'VE SEEN SINCE IT'S BEEN ON JUST ON OUTSIDE OR DOWN THAT DOWN PARK STREET. UM THEN THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ALSO MADE ON OUR BUSINESSES.
UM I UNDERSTAND INCONVENIENCE. I UNDERSTAND CHALLENGES, UM, WITH TRAFFIC. AND OF COURSE, SAFETY IS ALWAYS MY, UM, UTMOST PRIORITY AS WELL. UH, BUT I FEEL LIKE CERTAINLY. AND I WOULD
[00:40:07]
NEVER. I ALWAYS TELL MY KIDS DON'T BRING UP A COMPLAINT. IF YOU DON'T CAN'T BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, SO, BUT I FEEL LIKE ENOUGH OF US COULD COME TOGETHER AND WE COULD FORM A SOLUTION THAT COULD HELP BRING THE PARK STREET AND BROADWAY TO MERGE TOGETHER AND CREATE A LARGE EVENT. UM I KNOW THERE'S NN EXCUSE ME. NEARBY CITIES. UM THAT CLOSE SCHOOLS, THEY CLOSED ROADS. THEY CLOSE FOR VARIOUS THINGS TO HAVE, UM, LARGE EVENTS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER OHIO WILL DRIVE DOWN SOUTH EVERY OCTOBER TO GO TO THESE SHOWS AND THESE EVENTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE PULL TOGETHER AS BUSINESS OWNERS AS A COMMUNITY AS PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, UM WITH THE TOWN CENTER AND SO FORTH THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH A THING THAT PEOPLE WOULD EVEN DRIVE TO US TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THESE EVENTS LIKE THE ARTS IN THE ALLEY. UM IF WE HAVE IT LARGE ENOUGH, AND WE HAVE ENOUGH ON TO GIVE THEM AN ENOUGH SPACE AND SO FORTH. UM BUT IN CLOSING, I JUST WANNA SAY AS A BUSINESS OWNER, UM, WE ARE COMMITTING TO DOWNTOWN. I KNOW I COMMITTED TO DOWNTOWN. UM I JUST SIGNED A NEW LEASE TO COMMIT TO DOWNTOWN AGAIN FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS, AND I THINK AS US WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT THE CITY WILL COMMIT BACK TO US AND BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN MERGE, KEEPING SAFETY. DEFINITELY PRIORITY AND, UH, FINDING A WAY TO WORK AROUND SOME OF THE OTHER OBSTACLES. THANK YOU, MICHELLE. AND, UH, TOBIAS EWING. UH, MY NAME IS TOBIAS EWING. I LIVE AT 3524 SUNSHINE PARK PLACE JUST A FEW BLOCKS SOUTH OF HERE. UH, AS A RESIDENT OF THE TOWN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN COMING TO THE THESE EVENTS FOR A LITTLE OVER A DECADE. I'M UH, MARRIED TO A WOMAN WHO'S LIVED IN GROVE CITY, HER ENTIRE LIFE, SO SHE'S BEEN COMING HERE FOR 30 YEARS NOW, UM, THERE'S ONE THING THAT'S A CONSTANT IS THAT IF YOU'VE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES, OR IF YOU'RE THE FIRST TIME HERE IN TOWN CENTER PEOPLE LOVE TOWN CENTER. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO WALK AROUND AND VISIT. UH AND TOWN CENTER I, I BELIEVE IS BEST SERVED WHEN IT PRIORITIZES PEOPLE FIRST AND, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC AND CARS SECOND AND SO I WHEN THE EVENT IS OFF BROADWAY, IT'S NOT THAT THAT IS A BAD SPACE TO HOLD EVENTS. IT'S JUST NOT THE BEST SPACE FOR GROWTH CITY I BELIEVE TO HOLD EVENTS. YOU KNOW WHEN I BRING FRIENDS IN FROM OUT OF TOWN WHEN I BRING MY FAMILY MEMBERS IN FROM OUT OF TOWN TOWN CENTER IS THE PLACE TO BE TO SHOW IT OFF. I LOVE TOWN CENTER.I LOVE WALKING AROUND TOWN CENTER. I LOVE PATRONIZING THE BUSINESSES OF TOWN CENTER, AND I JUST TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD HERE IN GROVE CITY ARE BEST SERVED SHOWING OFF THIS GEM OF GROVE CITY HERE IN TOWN CENTER. SO, YEAH, THANK YOU. NEXT DEVICE.
THAT'S ALL THE FOLKS I HAVE THAT WERE REGISTERED TO SPEAK. UH NOT THAT I WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO VOLUNTEER. BUT DID I MISS ANYBODY THAT INTENDED TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK? OK? SIR DID YOU YOU MEANT TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK. I WELCOME TO SPEAK. UH OK. YES. GO AHEAD. WELL AND NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE IT MUST NOT JUST CHECK THE BOX. THAT'S ALL, UM, NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE ONE MINUTE. UH, MY NAME IS MATT DE LEON AND I OWN A BUSINESS AT 3990 BROADWAY. IT'S CALLED THE COLUMBUS RUNNING COMPANY. UH, THE BIG OLD FIFTH BUILDING 5TH 3RD BUILDING RIGHT OVER THERE. SO UM, I ALSO OWN BUSINESSES IN UPTOWN WESTERVILLE AND THEN ON HIGH STREET IN ON THE SHORT NORTH AREA. AND UH, I NEED TO. I APOLOGIZE, BUT I NEED TO ASK ONE QUESTION. UH, HOW MANY DAYS WILL THIS STREET BE? SHUT DOWN? FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW. FOR WHICH EVENT ARE YOU SPEAKING? THIS EVENT ARTS IN THE ALLEY. S MAYBE WILL TELL US WHAT HER REQUEST WILL BE. SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU. I WASN'T ABLE TO HEAR YOU FACE AND NOW I'M SORRY. HOW MANY DAYS WILL THE STREET BE SHUT DOWN FOR ARTS IN THE ALLEY. UH, PRIMARILY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, BUT SOME PARTIALLY ON FRIDAY FOR SET UP OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE DO PROCEED WITH MOVING THIS EVENT TO THE STREET THERE IN UPTOWN,
[00:45:04]
WESTERVILLE. WE BLOCKED DOWN. THE STATE ROUTE THREE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. BUT IT IS I WANNA SAY ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN HOURS, AND IT'S A FANTASTIC EVENT. UH, FOR OUR BUSINESS DOWNTOWN, AND IT ATTRACTS VERY MANY PEOPLE FROM NOT JUST WESTVILLE AND OTHER AREAS TOO, UH, SHORT, NORTH HIGH STREET. VERY BUSY STREET. THEY RECENTLY SHUT THAT DOWN FOR THE DURATION OF A SATURDAY AND IT WAS THE BEST SATURDAY. UH, THAT COMMUNITY HAS HAD IN A LONG, LONG TIME. AS YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD SOME VIOLENCE ISSUES. UM, TRAFFIC IS AN ISSUE. IN THAT AREA AS WELL. AND WHEN THEY SHUT DOWN THE STREET, IT MADE IT A MUCH MORE POSITIVE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT AREA COULD BE. UM AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT HOUSE IN THIS EVENT HERE WOULD BE GOOD ONLY FOR BUSINESSES, BUT THE GENERAL COMMUNITY AS WELL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. ITS COUNCILMAN PERSON AS A THREE MINUTES AND AT THAT TIME THEY CAN MAKE A FORWARD COMMENTS. UM POTENTIALLY ASK QUESTIONS IF THOSE FOLKS ARE STILL HERE OR AVAILABLE AND THAT WILL ALL COUNT TOWARDS THEIR THREE MINUTES AND THEN AS COUNCIL. OBVIOUSLY WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OR ANYTHING ELSE AFTER THE FACT IF WE NEED TO, SO UM, NOW I DON'T HAVE A PREFERRED ORDER. I'LL ASK. UM MADAM PRESIDENT. IS THERE AN ORDER? I SHOULD DO THIS BY OR I WILL LEAVE THAT ENTIRELY TO YOUR DISCRETION, OK, SCISSORS? NO JUST WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO, I'M GONNA DO FIRST, THEN IS ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO GO FIRST. AND I WILL REMIND YOU THAT A BRAVE MAN DIES BUT ONE DEATH, UM. ANYBODY WANT TO GO FIRST OR OTHERWISE? I'M JUST GONNA MAYBE START WITH JODY. AND THEN WE'LL GO JODY, THIS WAY, SKIP ME AND I'LL MAKE THE CLOSING COMMENTS. THANK YOU. I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A FEW COMMENTS. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THIS EVENING. UM MY FIRST COMMENT IS THE HARDEST THING THAT I HAVE ABOUT THIS, UM THESE ARE MAJOR EVENTS BEING MOVED OFF BROADWAY IS JUSTIFYING THE REASON WE DID IT AND STILL BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE HOMECOMING EVENT ON BROADWAY CLOSE. SO HOW DO YOU TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS AND JUSTIFY THAT? THAT'S ONE COMMENT. UM. WHAT I ALSO HEARD TONIGHT FROM MS CON MRS CONRAD.WAS THE TURNING AWAY OF VENDORS AND ARTIST. UM, THAT'S A SAD BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR THEIR BUSINESS. THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THEIR IN THIS IS A PRIME TIME FOR THEM TO HAVE EVENTS. ALONG WITH OUR COURSE ARE OF SMALL BUSINESSES ALSO HERE IN THE TOWN CENTER. THIRDLY THE VISIBILITY OR THE LACK OF VISIBILITY AND THEN THE ACCESSIBILITY. I THINK THAT'S ALSO A VERY STRONG. THING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND I KNOW THERE ARE TALKS TO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE, UM ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES IN THE THAT PARK, BUT I LOVE THE PRESENT THE GRAPHICS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UP THERE. AND HOW ABOUT WE CAN MAKE THAT A BIGGER EVENT, AND THAT IS MY FOURTH COMMENT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS EVENT EVEN BIGGER AND OTHER EVENTS AS WELL, UM, THAT ALREADY ATTRACTS, ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE IN FRONT OF ME OF 30 TO 40,000 PEOPLE, UM, OF VISITORS EVERY YEAR TO THE ARTS OF THE ALLEY. UM HOW MUCH BIGGER CAN WE MAKE THAT AND HOW MUCH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MONEY THAT BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, FINALLY, SAFETY IS ALWAYS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. I'M ALSO IN HAVE ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY ABOVE SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. BUT I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER, UM WE CAN WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JODY. MELISSA. HI. THANK YOU. UM FIRST I DO WANNA SAY I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS SPECIAL MEETING. SO I APPLAUD COUNSEL THAT WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO DO THIS AND I AM REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE IN ATTENDANCE AND PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR GOVERNMENT WORK TOGETHER. SO I REALLY APPLAUD EVERYONE. I IT TRULY SHOWS THE PASSION FROM BOTH SIDES IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. UM I THINK AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS, I AM THE CHAIR OF SAFETY, SO SAFETY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME AS WELL. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND THE PIECES THAT WERE SPOKEN ABOUT. UM IT'S NOT LOST ON ME. I THINK IT'S ALSO NOT LOST ON ME AND EVEN SITTING HERE AND I HAVE A DIRECT VIEW TO BROADWAY AND SEEING THE CARS FLY UP AND DOWN EVEN RIGHT NOW, WHEN THERE'S WHEN IT'S DARK, AND THERE'S NOT AN EVENT OUTSIDE. IF THIS
[00:50:03]
ESPECIALLY ARTS IN THE ALLEY IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST EVENTS THAT IS BRINGING IN PEOPLE AND I'M A PARENT OF FOUR CHILDREN, AND AS WE'RE WALKING AROUND THESE EVENTS IT IS IT DOES GIVE ME HEARTBURN THINKING ABOUT WANTING TO CROSS BROADWAY WHEN THE STREET IS NOT SHUT DOWN, AND YOU'RE YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE WHERE THE SAFETY COMPLEX IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND YOU'RE ENJOYING THE EVENT, BUT YOU WANT TO GO OVER TO CITY HALL. I BELIEVE, UH, SEAN CROWN RED MENTIONED THE IS THE ART DISPLAY OVER THERE. UM I SEE A NOTE UP BY THE LIBRARY THAT SAYS POTENTIAL SHOW QUESTION MARK SO EVEN IF THOSE ARE PART OF THE EVENT, I HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE LARGE POPULATION OF VISITORS AND RESIDENTS IN THE. AND STILL CROSSING THE STREET. SO I COMPLETELY GET THE SAFETY OF REROUTING TRUCKS AND OTHER DRIVERS THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, BUT AGAIN, I DO HAVE HIGH CONCERNS ABOUT THE LARGE POPULATION OF TRAFFIC DRIVING THROUGH, UM WHEN THERE'S DISTRACTED DRIVING WHEN THERE'S INTOXICATED DRIVING, AND WE HAVE 30 TO 40,000 RESIDENTS POTENTIALLY CROSSING THE STREET BECAUSE WE THEY WANT TO, UM, SEE THE BUSINESSES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. I THINK MY LAST COMMENTS ALSO ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY IS, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND WHEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWS, YOUR CITY GROWS THAT INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESS AS WELL. AND I THINK SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT THIS . I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY CHERISH OUR TOWN CENTER. UM PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE SMALL TOWN CHARM IN THE SMALL TOWN FEEL, AND THAT'S A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND, UM, SO AGAIN WHEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWS, OUR CITY GROWS, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR SEACREST. I ECHO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ANDERSON ST AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE SETTING UP THIS MEETING TONIGHT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF AS I LIKE TO SAY AIR SOME THINGS OUT. IT IS HARD FOR ME TO HEAR EXPERTS IN OUR CITY. UH, SO MUCH , YOU KNOW, IMPLORE, EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR SAFETY AND GO THE OPPOSITE WAY. IF YOU WILL AND GO AND RESIST THAT, SO I DO BELIEVE , MISS ROBINSON SAID. I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF JOINT TEAM TO TALK THROUGH HOW TO DO HOW TO DO IT IF YOU WILL, ON BROADWAY AND HOW TO POSSIBLY MITIGATE OR MINIMIZE SAFETY CONCERNS, CONGESTIONS UP. SALES ARE DOWN EXPANSION. YOU WANNA EXPAND FOOT TRAFFIC? IN MY OPINION IS INADEQUATE. THERE SHOULD BE IF WE'RE GONNA DO ANYTHING WE HAVE TO MAXIMIZE. THE WHEN I SAY FOOT TRACKER. I MEAN THE MOBILITY OF FOOT TRAFFIC ON THE GRASS IS INADEQUATE. WE PROBABLY SHOULD. UH, MR BOSO CONSIDER GOING EAST.EVEN IF WE DON'T MOVE IT ON TO BROADWAY, JUST HAVING MORE PAVEMENT AVAILABLE FOR OUR SENIORS AND PEOPLE. WE SHOULD BE MINIMIZING THE GRASSY KNOLL AREAS AND FOR THIS TASK AT HAND.
SO WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH EGRESS ON THE GRASSY WALKWAYS. WE WANT IT, UH, BELIEVE I BELIEVE MAXIMIZE ACCESS TO ALL ALL SENIORS, ESPECIALLY AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OTHERWISE MAXIMIZE VENDOR PARTICIPATION IN GROWTH, REDUCE CONGESTION. ALL THESE ISSUES. WE HAVE TO FIND A BALANCED WAY, AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THERE'S SOME WAY TO KIND OF FORGE THROUGH AND KEEP THIS IN THE RUNNING. I'M NOT SAYING I'M 100% SURE WE SHOULD BE DOING IT ON BROADWAY.
BUT KEEP IT IN THE RUNNING AND FIND OUT HOW WE OVERCOME SOME OF THESE CONCERNS AND STILL DO IT AND STILL TRY IT BECAUSE I THINK I THINK IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING. AND I DO THINK IT'S ALL THE POSITIVE BENEFITS FOR OUR BUSINESS THAT WE WANT, BUT WE CANNOT IGNORE SAFETY. SO ONE BY ONE, WE SHOULD BE TALKING THROUGH THE SAFETY ITEMS WITH SOME KIND OF JOINT TEAM AND WE SHOULD BE IDENTIFYING HOW TO MITIGATE THEM OR ELIMINATE THEM AND BASICALLY COMING UP WITH SOME KIND OF BALANCED SOLUTION, BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY AND LIABILITY. SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS, WHICH I AGREE WITH MS ANDERSON, EVEN IF YOU IF YOU DON'T CLOSE DOWN BROADWAY, THERE'S ALREADY A SAFETY INHERENT SAFETY RISK WITH JUST THE SHEER TRAFFIC AND A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO HOW DO WE TRY TO ENABLE IT TO HAPPEN ON BROADWAY. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE? THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I'D LIKE TO SEE US LEAN INTO. AND IF WE REALLY FEEL WE CAN'T IN TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, WHENEVER WE'RE GONNA VOTE, WE FEEL WE CAN'T WE THEN MAYBE WE CAN'T. BUT I REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYONE INVOLVED TO PUSH THAT ENVELOPE TO TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND LEAN INTO IT. AND IT RECOGNIZED THAT, UM, THESE ARE EXPERTS FROM THE CITY TELLING YOU WHAT KEEPS THEM UP AT NIGHT, AND I THINK CAN'T BE IGNORED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR SECRET, MISS HALE. UM OK, SO THIS THIS IS A COMPLEX SUBJECT FOR ME, AND, UM, I HAD I'VE HAD
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A FRONT ROW SEAT, REALLY? BY VIRTUE OF MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND BY HAVING A BUSINESS ON BROADWAY FOR MANY YEARS, AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I, UH, HAVE RUN THE GAMUT BETWEEN I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT NOT CLOSING BROADWAY FOR THESE EVENTS. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? THAT'S GONNA RUIN THEM. TO, UM. A PERSON WHO JUST HAS A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THIS CITY. BEHIND THE SCENES, THE THINGS THAT EACH OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED, WE FEEL SAFE. AND WE LOVE THIS COMMUNITY. UM I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE PERSON ON THE CITY TEAM THAT SPENT A MOMENT OF WHA I CAN'T WAIT TO STOP CLOSING BROADWAY. IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION. IT WAS YEARS. IN THE MAKING. IT WAS FLOATED. WE KNEW IT WAS COMING. WE TALKED ABOUT IT TALKED ABOUT IT TALKED ABOUT IT. AND THEN FINALLY, THEY SAID, WE REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE HAVE TO MITIGATE THE RISK THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TYPES OF CLOSURES. UM NOT ONLY IS THIS A VERY BUSY ROAD, BUT IT PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT SURROUNDS GROVE CITY . WE ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION AS A COMMUNITY. UM THAT SAID, UM, I REALLY DO BELIEVE AND I APPLAUD MR HOLD BECAUSE HE WAS REALLY BRINGING FORTH A SUBJECT THAT HE WAS HEARING FROM RESIDENTS AND I WILL SAY I HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING I SHARE. UM THOSE FOND MEMORIES OF THE CLOSURE OF BROADWAY FOR THESE EVENTS. UM I AGREE. IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT WE CLOSE FOR HOMECOMING. I KNOW THAT WILL BE AN UNPOPULAR THING FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR. WE SHOULD HOLD THE LINE. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. UM BUT WHAT IS REALLY PRODUCTIVE ABOUT THIS IS EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THIS EVENING. PART OF A BIGGER CONVERSATION, AND THAT CONVERSATION IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. WE'RE NOT HAPPY. WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE CANNOT WORK TOGETHER TO COME TO A SOLUTION. WHATEVER THAT SOLUTION. LOOKS LIKE, UM, I BELIEVE THE SOLUTION IS WORKING TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY TO COME TO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE ACCESSIBILITY THAT HAVE BEEN A CHALLENGE ON THE NEW SITE . I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN A MORE GLOBAL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THIS ROAD IS USED AND WHAT VOICE WE HAVE IN GETTING CONTROL OF THIS BECAUSE WHAT WE DESIRE MOST OF ALL IS FOR THIS TO BE A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY. IT IS THAT WHICH SETS US APART. IT IS WHAT MAKES THIS COMMUNITY SPECIAL. WE HAVE TO PROTECT IT. WE HAVE TO WORK TO MAKE IT BETTER, AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUT THAT WORK IN. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MISS HAUCK. UH, MR BARRY. I GOT TO WATCH HIM BECAUSE HE'S GONNA HIT THAT BUTTON ANY MINUTE. THERE HE GOES. SO I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN MOST THAN ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO I'VE I'VE SEEN ARTS IN THE ALLEY FLOURISH OVER THE YEARS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW MY WHOLE FAMILY CAME DOWN FOR. YOU KNOW WHAT? IT WOULD BE A DESTINATION. SO HERE ARE THE CHALLENGES. I'M JUST GONNA GET RIGHT TO WHAT IS MY CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, UM, LAID OUT SOME CONCERNS, WHICH ARE VERY VALID.UM, ARE PEOPLE GREAT JOB AND EVERYTHING. SO IN MY MIND IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE 60,000 PEOPLE DOWNTOWN GROVE CITY, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHALLENGE, AND THAT IS NOT ONLY TO PROTECT THIS AREA BUT TO PROTECT THE REST OF THE CITY DURING THE EVENT, SO AND YOU KNOW, WE THAT'S A HUGE STRAIN. I MEAN, A LOT OF CRIME HAPPENS WHEN ONE SHELLS OVER HERE AND NOBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. SO OR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY, SO I HAVE A CONCERN WITH DO WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH AND IF WE DON HAVE THE BANDWIDTH . THEN I CHALLENGE THE CITY TO TELL US WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHO WE NEED TO HIRE. UM, IS IT THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL TO PUT UP LIT SIGNS OFF THE FREEWAY? WHAT IS THE PLAN? UM HOW ARE WE? HOW ARE WE? HOW WOULD WE DO THIS IN? UM YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, AND, UH, ON OUR TEAM THAT HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL IN STATE PUBLIC SAFETY POLICIES AND PLANNING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WHAT IS THE COST? WHAT IS THE COST OF HIRING THE EXTRA PEOPLE? WHAT IS THE COST OF EMPLOYING OTHER SECURITY. UM AND THAT TYPE OF THING. AND WHAT IS THE OVERALL PLAN? WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET? WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT? YES, WE'D LIKE TO MOVE IT, BUT IT'S A IT. WE ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE WHERE THE COST IS GONNA BE, UM, WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM HERE BECAUSE I'M SEEING THAT YOU KNOW, I, I GO DOWN TO THE CIRCLEVILLE FESTIVAL. THEY SHUT DOWN. UH, THEY BASICALLY SHUT DOWN ALL THE RAMPS AND EVERYTHING, AND THERE'S BIG SIGNS THAT SAY NO THROUGH TRAFFIC, AND THAT COSTS MONEY. THEY ALSO EMPLOY THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. THEY THEY EMPLOY. UM, THE I BELIEVE OFFICER. AT THE ACADEMY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THERE'S A COST
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TO THAT AND EVERYTHING, SO I'M NOT AGAINST PAYING FOR THE COST OF IT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS. I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE. I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO KEEP 30,000 PEOPLE SAFE THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN GROVE CITY. UM AND WE NEED TO. WE NEED TO FIGURE THOSE THINGS OUT, AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE EVERYBODY PUT GETTING TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER AND COST ESTIMATES TOGETHER. UM AND IT NEEDS THAT THOSE COST ESTIMATES HAVE TO BE YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK IS GOING TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY THAT OVER THAT WEEKEND AND WHAT'S GOING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE IN, UM THIS EVENT OVER THAT WEEKEND, SO WE NEED COST ANALYSIS OF WHAT ALL THIS IS GONNA COST. UM BUT CIRCLEVILLE DOES IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T DO IT. I KNOW THERE'S A COST TO IT. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS. SO I'M DO I WANT TO BRING IT BACK DOWNTOWN? ABSOLUTELY BUT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE COST IS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, AND THEN I NEED TO SEE THE PLAN. THE SAFETY PLAN WAS TO HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS AREA AND THE REST OF THE CITY DURING THAT WEEKEND.SO THANK YOU, MR BARRY. MR. DE WELL, I'LL BE PROBABLY ECHOING SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS WE'VE HEARD FROM. FROM YOU FOLKS AND FROM COUNCIL ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH I'VE HEARD QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY, AND IF YOU'VE NEVER PUSHED A £200 PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR YOU'RE IN FOR A REAL TREAT, PUSHING THEM ON GRASS, AND I DON'T CARE IF IT'S LEVEL OR IT'S HILLY OR WHAT? IT'S A CHALLENGE. UM STROLLERS? NOT QUITE AS BAD. BUT STILL, YOU'VE GOT SQUIRMY LITTLE KIDS, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH THEM IN A STROLLER. UM PARKING. I THINK, UH, IF IT WERE ON BROADWAY, YOU'D HAVE ALL THE, UH , ANCILLARY ROADS THAT YOU COULD PARK AND WALK ON THE SIDEWALKS UP TO BROADWAY AND WALK DOWN BROADWAY, SOUTH OR NORTH AND THEN CROSS OVER AND WALK THE OTHER DIRECTION. UM SAFETY IS A BIG CONCERN. BUT LIKE, UH, MISTER, BARRY SAID, UH CIRCLEVILLE. DOES A GREAT JOB. I'VE GONE DOWN TO THE PUMPKIN SHOW FOR PROBABLY 3035 YEARS AND MANY TIMES. I'M DOWN THERE WITH 100,000 PEOPLE. SO IF THEY CAN DO IT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEMPT IT. I THINK THE MERCHANTS ON ON BROADWAY WOULD BENEFIT WHEN THEY HAVE THE TRAFFIC IF I GO TO THE PARK AND WALK AROUND THERE, AND THEN I'M SAYING, OK, I'M GOING HOME. I USUALLY WILL PARK NOT ON BROADWAY, SO I WON'T EVEN GO TO BROADWAY. I'LL WALK TO MY CAR AND BYPASS ALL THE MERCHANTS LOST DOLLARS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THE DIFFERENT THINGS AND MAKE A COME UP WITH A PLAN AND GET IT DONE FOR THIS YEAR. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MR DE. SO I RECEIVE, UH MANY COMMENTS IN THE CITY AS UM OUT AND ABOUT ABOUT MOVING ARTS IN THE ALLEY TO BROADWAY ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING THE SECOND MOST FREQUENT COMMENT THAT I HEAR THE MOST FREQUENT COMMENT IS MORE SIT DOWN FANCIER RESTAURANTS IN GROUP C. UH, SO IT'S NOT NUMBER ONE. MY JOB IS REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE OF GROVE CITY. THAT'S WHY I CREATED THIS ORDINANCE. THIS ORDINANCE PROVIDES CLEAR DIRECTION TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION BASED ON THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. WE CONDUCTED ARTS IN THE ALLEY ON BROADWAY FOR MANY YEARS, WE STILL HAVE EVENTS ON BROADWAY AND I KNOW IT CAN BE DONE. IS IT HARD? YES IT'S HARD. WELL IT COSTS MORE MONEY FOR POLICE AND CITY OVERTIME. YES IT WILL COST MORE MONEY. IS IT? WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE GROVE CITY WANT? ABSOLUTELY. I UNDERSTAND. IT MAY ALSO IMPACT CITIZENS WITH DETOURS AND COMMUTING, CONFUSION AND SAFETY. WE ARE USED TO EVENTS CLOSING ON BROADWAY. WE HAVE REALLY SMART PEOPLE IN OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION. THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT. IF OTHER PEOPLE CAN FIGURE IT OUT. WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT. OPTIONS ABOUND WITH DETOURS LONGER WIDER ALTERNATIVE ROUTES, NOTIFYING GOOGLE MAPS AHEAD OF TIME NOTIFYING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS WAY IN ADVANCE TO MINIMIZE SURPRISES. I THINK THE VALUE OF THE EVENT ON BROADWAY EXCEEDS THE TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE. I'VE SPOKEN TO ALMOST ALL THE BUSINESSES ON BROADWAY ALL WE'RE EXCITED TO
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HAVE THE EVENT AGAIN AND ITS HISTORICAL LOCATION. AND YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS. IT'S DUE TO THE INCREASE. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT COMPLICATED. IT'S DUE TO THE INCREASED EXPOSURE IN SALES. WE CAN SEE MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES CONDUCTING EVENTS ON MAIN STREET FROM WESTERVILLE TO THE CIRCLEVILLE PUMPKIN SHOW THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED. IS IT HARD? SURE IT IS. BUT IF WE WORK TOGETHER, PREVENT THE TRUCKS USED OUR EXPERIENCE SMART PEOPLE. I THINK WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I WOULD ASK ANY COUNCIL MEMBER TO ASK ANY GROUP OF RESIDENTS IF WE SHOULD BRING BACK ARTS IN THE ALLEY ON BROADWAY, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU'LL GET ALMOST ALL POSITIVE RESPONSES. I ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE IT OUT. IT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT. AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, THIS PART OF THE MR CHAIR. OH, WITH THAT, MR DE, I TURNED THE MEETING BACK OVER TO YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. AND I'M GONNA GUESS YOU'RE GONNA TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO ME. THANK YOU, MR. DO I APPRECIATE IT? THANK YOU, MR HOLT. UM, THIS WAS A GREAT DISCUSSION. AND UM AGAIN. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING OUT, UH, SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US THIS EVENING. UM COMMUNITY INPUT IS, UM WHAT DRIVES GOOD DECISIONS AND, UM SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO HEAR FROM YOU AND EXAMINE THIS FROM ALL SIDES. UH, I HOPE YOU HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING THIS EVENING AS WELL. AND, UM, BEFORE I CLOSE, I WILL REMIND THAT THIS WILL APPEAR FOR ITS SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION ON OUR MARCH 4TH AGENDA. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US THAT EVENING, YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. UM, FOR THE SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT WAS JUST A DISCUSSION ONLY. SO THANKS SO MUCH GET HOME SAFE AND, UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER WE BEAT THE RAIN. I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE AT LIKE, THREE O'CLOCK IN THIS M THIS MORNING.