Jul 15, 2024 City Council

[Call to Order]

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ROOM. OH IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. THIS HAS THREE MINUTES ON THERE. MAYBE WE HAVE THREE MINUTES. I

[00:05:01]

YOU'RE WELCOME. I. I'M PRETTY SURE I WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE.

TO THERE WAS A THERE WAS A WELL, THERE WAS. GEOFFREY NOT SOMETHING. HERE WAS A MAN.

GEOFFREY'S FATHER. RICHARD.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT. IT WAS IT WAS.

I'M. SO THERE'S OTHER ONES, TOO. SPREAD AROUND. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE RECIPES AND ALL THAT OTHER.

GROVE CITY COUNCIL IS NOW IN SESSION, AND I'M GOING TO KICK OFF ON A BIT OF A SOMBER NOTE.

MISTER SIGRIST IS READY TO GET US. GET THE BALL ROLLING THIS MORNING TO THIS EVENING. BUT, I WANT TO, TAKE A MOMENT WHEN WE ALL STAND HERE TOGETHER, FOR A LITTLE BIT OF QUIET REFLECTION, A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PRAYER, IN RECOGNITION OF THE LOSS OF LIFE OF CORY. COMPARATOR. AND THEN THE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INJURED. DAVID DUTCH AND JAMES COPENHAVER. THIS SATURDAY IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA. SO IF YOU'LL PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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HERE. HOLT. HERE. GARY. HERE. YOU HERE. ALL RIGHT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXCUSE MISS ANDERSON FROM THIS EVENING'S MEETING. SECOND. BURROWS. YES. SIGRIST. YES. YES.

HOLT. YES. YES. YES. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I MAKE A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE

[Approval of Minutes]

[Oaths of Office / Proclamation for Parks & Rec. Month]

SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO TAKE THIS POSITION. I SPENT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WORKING WITH NEW YORK STATE, CITIZENS RECOVERING FROM HURRICANE SANDY, WORKING IN COMMUNITY RECONSTRUCTION, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING REPAIR, HOME ELEVATION, ETC. SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BRING THOSE

[00:15:01]

NICE. NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU. PUT YOUR LEFT HAND ON THAT. YOU RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, I.

AND REPEAT YOUR NAME. I, KIMBERLY HETTINGER, SOLEMNLY SWEAR. SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT. THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THE STATE OF OHIO, AND OF THE STATE OF OHIO. OBEY THE LAWS THEREOF, AND WILL OBEY THE LAWS THEREOF. AND THEN IT WILL IN ALL RESPECTS THAT I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS, OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY'S CHARTER OF THE CITIES.

CHARTER THE CITY'S ORDINANCES, AND THE CITY'S ORDINANCES, AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE DUTIES OF HUMAN RESOURCE. DIVISION. CHIEF, HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION CHIEF UPON WHICH I'M ABOUT TO ENTER, UPON WHICH I'M ABOUT TO ENTER.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THAT MADE US LASH OUT AT THE CHAIR, ACTUALLY STARTING, TWO WEEKS AGO WAS, PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH, BUT WE WANTED TO WAIT TILL THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH TO DECLARE IT. IT'S RETROACTIVE BACK TO JULY THE 1ST. AND IF THE PEOPLE FROM THE PARKS AND REC THAT WHO WANT TO, BE UP HERE WITH ME WHILE I READ THIS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME, JACK. MR. CASTLE. YEAH, WE HAD A LOT OF STAFF HERE. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. NO PROBLEM. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THAT? ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO, JACK, IS BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE SOME LAW. IF YOU WOULD, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? TRACY. HI, I'M CHRIS, HOW ARE YOU? AND MICHELLE AND THE PRESCHOOL RECREATION SUPERVISOR. I'M SHEILA WHITMAN. I'M SECRETARY IN THE OFFICE. AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? SHEILA WAY TOO LONG. 33 PLUS. PROBABLY YEARS. GOOD. I'M MEGAN CEASE, SUPERVISOR FOR THE PARK AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, DARCY, DO COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. BARB HOLBROOK, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. MIKE LITTLE. I WORK WITH THE SENIOR CENTER, TAMMY JEFFERSON. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE SENIOR CENTER. TRACY BAILEY, COORDINATOR, GAVIN CENTER. GOOD, GOOD. GOOD TURNOUT. JACK, YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP HERE? YEAH WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF IT, BUT I WANT TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS, WHEREAS THE PRIVILEGE OF THE MAYOR TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR SIGNIFICANT OCCASIONS, WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION ARE AN INTEGRAL PART TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE CITY OF GROVE CIT. WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROMOTE HEALTH, WELLNESS, IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR AND VISIT OUR PARKS. WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMING AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE REC SCHOOL, THE PARK, OUT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMING, YOUTH SPORTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ARE CRITICAL TO CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. HOW MANY ARE ENROLLED IN OUR PARKS, PARKS PROGRAM? DO YOU KNOW THE PARKS OUT OF SCHOOL TIME? YEAH, IT'S CLOSE TO 200. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. REALLY WHEREAS PARKS AND RECREATION INCREASE OUR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY THROUGH HIGHER PROPERTY VALUES, EXPANSION OF LOCAL TAX BASE, INCREASE TOURISM, THE ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF BUSINESS AND CRIME REDUCTION. WHEREAS THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS DESIGNATED JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH AND THE CITY GROCERY RECOGNIZES THE BENEFIT DERIVED FROM PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE. NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GROVE CITY DO WE DO HEREBY DECLARE JULY 2024 AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH IN THE CITY OF GROVE CITY? SO THEY HAVE A NICE LITTLE PROCLAMATION HERE. HAVE THEY SEEN IT ALREADY? NO THEY HAVEN'T. I SHARED IT WITH THEM.

I DID SHARE IT. OKAY, OKAY. YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, ANY OF YOU, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS STAFF. IT'S A IT'S A YOU KNOW, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE SIX WEEKS NOW, AND I CAN TELL RIGHT AWAY THAT WE HAVE A VERY PASSIONATE AND CARING STAFF, AND SO I WANTED THEM TO BE A PART OF

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ACTUALLY I HAVE THEM SIGNED UP HERE. SO DO YOU WANT ME TO INTRODUCE THEM? YEAH. NANCY BALTHAZAR. I WANTED TO TELL YOU YOU CAN COME. STORY. YEAH, THE.. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY STORY AT EVANS SENIOR CENTER. I HAD BOTH KNEES REPLACED AND AFTER PHYSICAL THERAPY, I WANTED TO KEEP THAT UP. AND THEY HAVE A WORKOUT ROOM. SO I WENT TO THE WORKOUT ROOM WHERE I COULD PEDAL AND KEEP ALL THAT GOING. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LOT. WHAT EVANS MEANS TO ME WHEN I WORKED, I HAD THIS WORLD OF MY WORK FRIENDS, AND THEN I RETIRED AND MY WORLD WENT. IT WAS JUST ME AND MY HUSBAND AND I STARTED GOING TO EVANS, AND I MET A FELLA IN THE WORKOUT ROOM AND HE SAID, HEY, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT PLAY CARDS. YOU WANT TO GO PLAY CARDS? I SAID, SURE, SO MY WORLD KIND OF GREW, AND THEN I THOUGHT I WOULD THINK I'D LIKE TO DO THE TAI CHI. THAT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE.

SO MY WORLD GREW AGAIN. AND THEN I DID CRAFTS, AND THAT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AND MY WORLD JUST KEPT GROWING. AND MOST SENIORS, UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEIR LIVES SEEM TO GET MORE ISOLATED AND MORE DEPRESSED, AND EVERTON'S SENIOR CENTER PROVIDES A PLACE TO COME HAVE COFFEE, PLAY CARDS, ENJOY EACH OTHER AND GROW YOUR WORLD INSTEAD OF HAVING IT SHRINK AND SHRINK AND SHRINK. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVANS FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. AND GOSH, I WISH THEY COULD DO A LOT MORE STUFF THERE TOO. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO MUCH. ALSO, A NOTE FOR MOTHER JESSIE. HE WAS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2010. 15 YEARS AGO. WOW NEXT I HAVE SANDY RADE. HELLO MY NAME IS SANDY RADER, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE EVANS SENIOR CENTER. I MOVED HERE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE. MY SON LIVED HERE, AND I WAS HAVING MEDICAL ISSUES. AND HE WANTED ME HERE WHERE I COULD BE CLOSE TO HIM AND HE COULD HELP TAKE CARE OF ME. I WAS HERE FOR PROBABLY FIVE MONTHS. I STAYED IN THE APARTMENT. DIDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I'D NEVER BEEN IN THIS AREA. EVERYTHING WAS ALL NEW. I MOVED FROM WEST VIRGINIA. SO YOU KNOW HOW THINGS ARE SO MUCH DIFFERENT HERE. SO I HAD DROVE AROUND, CHECKING OUT, SEE IF I COULD FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE AREA. AND, I PASSED THE LIBRARY. AND SO I THOUGHT, OKAY, I'M GOING TO VOLUNTEER AT THE LIBRARY. SO I WENT IN AND FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THEM.

SO AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. I'M I'M WILTING AND THIS IS NOT GOOD. I'M 79 YEARS OLD, ALMOST 80. AND IT'S LIKE, I'M HEALTHY AND I NEED TO YOU NEED TO KEEP MOVING AND DOING STUFF. SO I WAS COMING DOWN THE ROAD AND I SAW THE SIGN FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, THE EVANS SENIOR CENTER. AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, OH, I DON'T KNOW ANYONE. IT'S GOING TO BE SO INTIMIDATING TO WALK IN THERE AND ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT KNOW EACH OTHER BEEN TOGETHER FOREVER AND HERE I AM. I WENT IN, THEY WERE AT THE DESK. TAMMY AND HER, MIKE AND TRACY. AND WHEN I WENT IN, THEY WERE WELCOMING, SMILING. TOLD ME THAT THEY WANTED TO SHOW ME AROUND, TO SHOW ME WHAT THE SENIOR CENTER HAD TO OFFER, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL SENIOR CENTER. THERE'S SO MUCH THERE. YOU WE ARE SO LUCKY HERE. I'VE. I HAD ONE IN WEST VIRGINIA, AND IT WAS A FAR CRY FROM WHAT WE HAVE HERE. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT. SO THEY INTRODUCED ME TO A GROUP OF LADIES PLAYING CARDS THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AND THEY WELCOMED ME. THE LADIES DID AND SAID, WE ARE PLAYING CARDS TOMORROW. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO

[00:25:04]

I'VE BEEN HAVING A BLAST. THE SENIOR CENTER, IT SAVED MY LIFE. IT ABSOLUTELY SAVED MY LIFE. AND I'M SO FORTUNATE I WANT TO. IT'S JUST I CAN'T THANK EVERYBODY ENOUGH. AND YOUR STAFF IS WONDERFUL. SO THEY ARE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ARE. YES. YES THANK YOU. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU. AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE SHANE CLIFTON. HELLO HELLO, MY NAME IS SHANE CLIFTON. I HAVE BEEN A GROVE CITY RESIDENT FOR 20 YEARS. I HAVE A 20 YEAR OLD SON AND WE HAVE BEEN FREQUENT FLIERS WITH THE PARKS PROGRAM AND PARKS AND REC FOR 16 OF THOSE 20 YEARS, WE STARTED HE STARTED WHEN HE WAS FOUR PLAYING BASEBALL WITH THE START SMART PROGRAM, WE PLAYED ALL THE BASEBALL. WE DID SPRING BALL, SUMMER FALL BALL. WE USED THE AFTER SCHOOL IN THE BEFORE SCHOOL PARK PROGRAMS. WE WERE SUMMER PARK PEOPLE, IT'S JUST REALLY NICE HAVING THOSE SERVICES HERE IN TOWN, HE MADE LIFELONG FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, HE STILL TALKS TO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE WENT TO. YOU KNO, PARKS WITH AND THAT HE PLAYED BALL WITH. WE'VE DONE SOCCER.

WE'VE DONE KARATE, I'VE BEEN DOING YOGA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. PLUG FOR TONY WEEK. SHE'S AMAZING. SHE HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER, YOU KNOW, SHE REALLY KIND OF. ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO GET GOING AFTER COVID, THAT WAS THE THING I WANTED TO DO MORE THAN ANYTHING. AND I TOLD HER, I SAID, I'LL WEAR A BAG ON MY HEAD IF I HAVE TO, TO COME IN HERE AND DO YOGA WITH YOU, BUT JUST REALLY EVERYBODY THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH HAS ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL, SHEILA AND BARB HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL. I'M A VERY MUCH AN IN PERSON KIND OF GIRL, AND I STILL LOVE TO GO IN AND, YOU KNOW, TURN IN MY SUBMISSION FORMS EVERY MONTH. AND THEY WERE JUST ALWAYS SO NICE AND LOVELY TO TALK TO. SO IT'S REALLY A GIFT. I'M NOT FROM AROUND HERE. I I'M FROM EASTERN OHIO. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN EASTERN OHIO, SO COMING UP HERE AND HAVING THESE SERVICES AND FACILITIES IS JUST IT'S REALLY AMAZING. AND WE'RE REALLY LUCKY. SO. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU. AND WHILE I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY, ASK ANY OF US UP HERE OF HOW PARKS AND RECREATION HAS BEEN THREADED THROUGH OUR LIVES IN SO MANY WAYS, AND I NOW HAVE GRADUATED TO, DAILY SENDING MY MOTHER PICTURES OF HOMES FOR SALE IN GROVE CITY, BECAUSE SHE'S NOT HERE. AND SO, GOING FROM A TEACHER, MICHELLE, IN THE BARN TO NOW I'M SOLICITING MY PARENTS, TELLING HER THIS IS THE GROUP YOU NEED TO GO COME WITH TO FILL YOUR DAYS. SO, IT'S NICE ALWAYS TO RECOGNIZE PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE MONTH OF JULY, BUT WHAT A SPECIAL THING IT IS WHEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COME OUT AND TELL US WHAT IT MEANS IN THEIR LIVES, THAT IS AN AMAZING AMENITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE ONLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE IT BETTER. AND BETTER. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THIS EVENING. AND NOW WE WILL GO TO OUR BUSINESS AGENDA THIS EVENING. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE ONLY TWO ITEMS UNDER LANDS ORDINANCE C 2724 AND RESOLUTION C, R 2524, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THIS AGENDA IS APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT AND I SEE NONE. AND I WILL PASS THE FLOOR TO YOU, MISS BURROWS, WITH LANDS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HAWK. THE FIRST ORDINANCE UNDER

[Ordinance C-27-24 Amend the Zoning Text for a 15.831 acre parcel located north of Hibbs Road, as adopted by Ord. C-05-01. First reading. ]

[Resolution CR-25-24 Approve the Development Plan for the Harris Property located north of State Route 665 and west of Borror Road ]

SIGRIST YES. AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[00:30:08]

AND IT'S DARK OUTSIDE AND FREEZING COLD. BUT TONIGHT IS A GOOD NIGHT. IF THERE IS ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF COUNCIL BY ANYONE OUT HERE, YOU CAN DO SO

[Call for Dept. Reports & Closing Comments ]

630 CAUCUS, 7:00 MEETING. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HEADS UP AS WE TALKED WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER LAST TIME IN CAUCUS, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE 12TH FOR A FIRST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE YEAR, THE TOPICS WILL BE A LOOK AT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, PROJECTS, BOTH

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