[Call to Order / Roll Call]
[00:00:07]
GROVE CITY COUNCIL IS NOW IN SESSION. MAY I HAVE YOU CALL THE ROLL, MISS KELLY HERE, MISS ANDERSON HERE. WILSON HERE. HERE. HERE, HERE, HERE. AND I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO EXCUSE THE MAYOR FOR RIGHT NOW. SECOND. YES. FOR US? YES, ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES. ELK. YES. YES.
BARRY. YES. YES. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. TRYING TO GET MY HEAD ON STRAIGHT HERE. WE'RE.
[Review Charter]
WE'RE BACK TOGETHER FOR OUR DISCUSSION RELATED TO A REVIEW OF THE CHARTER. AND AS WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST GATHERING, THE PREMISE THAT WE ARE WORKING UNDER IS TO GET THROUGH A DRAFT AND. AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PLAN OF GOVERNMENT. I HAD A LITTLE CONVERSATION WITH MR. SMITH THIS AFTERNOON, SORT OF REFLECTING ON I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE POSTPONE LATER ON APPROVING OUR MINUTES. KIND OF. MISS KELLY'S BEEN ON VACATION. DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH AND READ THEM? BECAUSE WE HAD SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSIONS AT OUR LAST SESSION, AND ARE WE REALLY READY TO APPROVE THEM? BUT ONE OF THE MY KIND OF STICKING POINT QUESTIONS WAS RELATED TO THE TERMINOLOGY. AND I THINK WE LANDED WITH CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. AND STEVEN DID CONFIRM THAT THEY CAN BE USED. YEAH I THINK IT IS UNIQUE. AND I'VE REVIEWED HUNDREDS OF CHARTERS. AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU SAY CITY MANAGER FORM GOVERNMENT, IT'S NOT WRONG. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD DESCRIPTOR AS TO WHAT IT IS. USUALLY WHAT I SEE IS THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PLAN OR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. JUST BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY JUST CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE KIND OF I DON'T WANT TO SAY MISLEADING BECAUSE IT'S NOT WRONG, BUT THE PUBLIC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS GOING TO BE LIKE, I DON'T. DOES THAT MEAN THE CITY MANAGER IS IN CHARGE? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL IS THE IMPORTANT PART THERE SINCE OBVIOUSLY UNDER THAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT THEY'RE MAKING EVEN MORE DECISIONS. SO I THINK IT SHOULD BE CLARIFIED. OKAY. AND SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS, SINCE WE DID HAVE THAT SORT OF BACK AND FORTH AND I THINK LANDED IN OUR MINUTES USING THE TERMINOLOGY CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, CAN WE BASICALLY, FOR THE RECORD, IN THIS MEETING, CONFIRM THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD USING THE COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN? I THINK THAT THEY MEAN THE SAME THING WHEN I THINK WHAT'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO HAPPEN, BASED ON OUR DISCUSSION, IS AFTER YOU ALL FLUSH OUT A FEW MORE INTEREST, I WILL BE PREPARING. TAMMY AND I WILL BE PREPARING A DRAFT FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, AND WE WILL OPERATE UNDER THAT PREMISE. IT'S GOING TO BE THE COUNCIL MANAGER PLAN. OKAY. SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, SHOULD WE GO AHEAD? YEAH. SHOULD WE? THIS SHOULD BE INFORMAL. YEAH. I KEEP THINKING TO MYSELF BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CITY MANAGER AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN SAYING IT IN THAT TEXT. DO WE NEED TO DO WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR MINUTES GOING BACKWARDS? NO, BECAUSE I LIKE I SAID, I, I THINK, YEAH, YOU CAN'T REWRITE THE HISTORY. WELL BUT WE ASSERTED BUT COUNCIL CITY MANAGER BUT WE WERE YEAH. WE WERE TRUMPED BY THIS END OF THE DAY WHEN YOU TO THE RECORD.YEAH. FRANKLY WHEN YOU SAY CITY MANAGER FORM IN MY MIND THAT'S THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PLAN AS I AS I KNOW IT. SO WE DON'T NEED TO FIX ANYTHING. I, I KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT IN THE DRAFT. WE WILL. OH THE DRAFT THAT YOU WILL GET WILL HAVE IT CORRECTLY. BUT FRANKLY, IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE IN ARTICLE ONE. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT AGAIN. IT'S JUST. AND THAT'S WHY ALL I'M GOING FOR IS I WANT TO USE THE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED TERMINOLOGY, WHICH FOR WHATEVER REASON IN OTHER CHARTERS, IS LABELED THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PLAN. SO LONG AS THE CITY MANAGER, I MEAN, I JUST I'VE SEEN IT ALSO LABELED AS THE CITY MANAGER PLAN, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY HOW IT'S STRUCTURED IN REAL LIFE. RIGHT. OKAY. THAT WAS NOT IN JUDITH MONROE'S POWERPOINT. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY, THAT THERE WERE TWO OPTIONS. AND ONE OF THEM IS THE
[00:05:03]
COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PLAN. BUT SO SEMANTICS ON THE ON AS IT RELATES TO THE TERMINOLOGY IS WHERE STEVEN SAYS WE LAND AND WE WILL BE GETTING TO THAT DRAFT. AND I THINK AFTER MY CONVERSATION WITH STEVEN TODAY, IF IT'S OKAY WITH COUNCIL, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE THINGS THAT POPPED OUT WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE SOME SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE COUNCIL SITS. AS I THREW OUT AS AN EXAMPLE THE LAST TIME, WHAT WOULD THE ROLE OF MAYOR LOOK LIKE? HOW WOULD WE GET TO A MAYOR? KIND OF JUST TO HEAR EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK OF WHAT THEIR PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS AND, AND OTHER TOPICS. SO KIND OF IF YOU HAVE YOUR NOTES FROM THE MINUTES, THE BIG, BIG CHUNKS OF OUR DRAFT DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, LET'S JUST TRY TO GET THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THIS EVENING. AND THEN WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST IS THAT WE TAKE OFF THE AUGUST 18TH MEETING, AND THEN HOPE THAT MR. SMITH AND MISS KELLY HAVE A DRAFT THAT WE CAN WORK FROM AS WE MOVE INTO THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. SO WE'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK FROM THIS CONVERSATION AFTER THIS EVENING. BUT AGAIN, I OPENING THE FLOOR TO AND DOES EVERYONE HAVE THEIR, THEIR THEIR DRAFT DOCUMENT THAT THEY HAVE PROBABLY BEEN MAKING NOTES ON AS WELL AS OUR SETS OF MINUTES WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT? I'M JUST AGAIN HOPING THIS CAN BE INFORMAL AND THAT NO ONE WILL BE SHY ABOUT GIVING SOME OF THESE SUBJECT MATTER AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE AN OPINION. MR. BERRY IS READY TO GO. DO YOU WANT TO START WITH THE POSITION OF MAYOR? BECAUSE I'VE HEARD I'VE HEARD A LOT OF US TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS HERE. I'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT, OKAY, SOMEBODY JUST APPOINTED BY COUNCIL AS THE MAYOR. I'VE HEARD SOME PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE AN ELECTED MAYOR THAT'S ACTUALLY JUST A MEMBER OF COUNCIL. BUT THEY'RE THEY OPERATE, THEY GET TO VOTE ON AN ELECTED MAYOR. I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF THINGS.SO I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS. ONE THING IN MY, IN MY SURVEY THAT I SENT OUT IS, IS THERE'S SUPPORT, BUT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PERSON THAT IS TECHNICALLY THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT COMES FROM. IT MIGHT BE JUST HOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THINKING ALL THE GOOD, GOOD THINGS ABOUT IKE. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I MEAN, SO THERE'S ONE OPTION COULD BE IS WE ELECT A MAYOR OF COUNCIL. I DON'T THEY SERVE AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT. TECHNICALLY, THAT'S ONE OPTION. I'M THROWING THINGS OUT, BRAINSTORMING. I'M NOT MARRIED TO ANY OF THESE. SO ANYBODY ELSE GOT ANY IDEAS? NO. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS. AND WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S ALLOWED, WHAT'S PERMISSIBLE, WHAT HOW THAT WOULD FIT INTO THE OVERALL CHARTER. RIGHT. AND HOW DO YOU WRITE THAT. WELL THAT'S UP TO THEM TO INSERT IT. THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING UP THE TOPIC TO SEE HOW EVERYBODY WANTS TO THINK, HOW THEY VIEW THE MAYOR. ARE THERE ANY EXAMPLES THAT YOU FOUND WHERE THERE IS AN ELECTED MAYOR THAT'S PART OF COUNCIL OR EVEN SEPARATE OF COUNCIL THAT STILL ACTS AS A CEREMONIAL? HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD. THERE ARE. YEAH. THERE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT TO GO BACK TO THE POINT YOU MADE, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. I'M TRYING TO THINK. AND MR. BOWSER AND THE MAYOR MAY CORRECT ME. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A MAYOR.
PERIOD. NOW, THEY ALL MAY HAVE REDUCED DUTIES OR SMALL DUTIES, BUT AT LEAST NONE OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE REPRESENT OUT OF OUR, YOU KNOW, EIGHT IN CENTRAL OHIO, THEY ALL HAVE A MAYOR IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYONE THAT'S COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THAT POSITION. RIGHT. AND I HAVE IN MY NOTES THAT NEW ALBANY, AS AN EXAMPLE, THEY ELECT THEIR MAYOR AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. YEAH. CORRECT. THEY ELECT THEIR MAYOR. AND THEN THERE ARE SIX AT LARGE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. YEAH. AND LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, DUBLIN, THE COUNCIL DECIDES AND VOTES ON WHO THE MAYOR IS. IT THERE IS NO LIMIT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS. IT'S REALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. SO IF WE ELECTED THE MAYOR AND THEY SERVED AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THAT'S WE AS COUNCIL OR WE AS A COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY VOTES THE COMMUNITY VOTES FOR A MAYOR, FOR THE MAYOR. BUT THE MAYOR IS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL AND JUST SERVES AS THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
SAME RULES WE HAVE TODAY, BUT THEY'RE ELECTED AS THE MAYOR. I DON'T I'M AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST THROWING THINGS OUT. I'M TRYING TO AND THAT'S THAT IS THE CASE IN NEW ALBANY THAT THE ELECTED MAYOR SERVES AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT AUTOMATICALLY. GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A
[00:10:02]
POINT THAT I THINK WE STEPHEN SAYS THEY ALL HAVE A MAYOR OF SOME SORT. I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT TITLE. SO THAT OFFICIAL STATE COMMUNICATION MAYORS ALLIANCE, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO CONTACT, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY, WHOEVER THAT IS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A POSITION THAT QUALIFIES FOR THOSE COMMUNICATIONS. AND IF THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE MAYOR OF GROVE CITY AND THEN WE SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A MAYOR, YOU KNOW, JUST SO I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THE POSITION. I'M NOT NECESSARILY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON HOW WE GET THERE, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TITLE IS MY OPINION JUST FOR CONTINUITY AND CONSISTENCY WITH THE REST OF THE COMMUNITIES. SO IN THIS CASE, THE MAYOR OF NEW ALBANY, CHRISTINE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY VETO POWER. THEY'RE JUST A MEMBER OF THE BODY.RIGHT? CORRECT. MEMBER OF THE BODY. OKAY. SO I'M I'M I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THAT. YOU DON'T SLIDE INTO THE OTHER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. SO THE MAYOR IS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL AND MAY PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL, DOES NOT HAVE VETO POWER, HAS THE SAME POWERS AS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER.
DOES THE MAYOR APPOINT THE COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT, SIR, I DON'T KNOW. BE UP TO YOU. THAT'D BE UP TO YOU. YOU COULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT. OR YOU HAVE THEM VOTED ON BY COUNCIL. BUT BACK TO THIS FORM OF GOVERNANCE OR THAT OPTION, LIKE CHRISTINE SAID. BUT THEN THE MEMBERS OF OTHER ALL THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE PRETTY MUCH AT LARGE. YOU WANT IT BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE, YOU COULD. NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT IN THE NO. IN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT IN NEW ALBANY. NEW ALBANY. YEAH. IN NEW ALBANY. YEAH. WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE OTHERWISE IF YOU HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING FOR THE MAYOR POSITION ELECTED. I MEAN, THEN YOU COULD HAVE THEY WOULD HAVE IT HAVE TO BE AN AT LARGE. RIGHT. YEAH. IT'D HAVE TO BE AN AT LARGE. WELL THE, THE POSITION OF MAYOR IS BUT, BUT THE REST OF THE BALANCE OF COUNCIL. SO FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE TWO AT LARGE POSITIONS. WE COULD SAY THAT ONE OF THOSE AT LARGE POSITIONS BECOMES THE MAYORAL RACE. OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE WARDS AND ONE AT LARGE SEAT IN ADDITION TO THE PERSON WHO IS POPULARLY ELECTED AS MAYOR. OKAY. YEAH. AND THE PRESIDING THEN THEY BECOME THE PRESIDING PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL. AND WOULD THERE BE A VICE MAYOR LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE? WELL, BUT WOULD WE BE SELECTED FROM THE BODY OF COUNCIL? IT'D BE ALL RIGHT. YOU COULD SAY THAT. BUT THE ADMINISTRATION REPORTS TO COUNCIL, NOT THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. RIGHT, RIGHT. SO, I MEAN, WE'D HAVE TO. THE DISTINCTION IN THE ROLE IS REALLY THAT YOU ARE THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING AND YOU GO TO RIBBON CUTTINGS AND SIGN OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY. SO COUNCIL STILL DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER.
THEY STILL ONLY HAVE ONE VOTE IN THE. YEAH DIRECTION. YEAH. SO WHAT'S YOUR OKAY IF WE GO DOWN THAT ROAD THEN WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE COMMITTEES. NOT THAT OUR I MEAN SOMEDAY WE'RE GETTING SLOWLY TO THE POINT WHERE COMMITTEES WILL BE MAYBE SEPARATE AND MEET SEPARATE AT SOME POINT IN TIME. BUT DOES THE COUNCIL DOES THAT MAYOR COUNCIL PERSON APPOINT HIM OR HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I MEAN, I'M THROWING IT OUT TO ME. IT'S COUNCIL. AGAIN, WE'RE SAYING THAT THE ROLE OF MAYOR IS SIMPLY A MEMBER OF COUNCIL THAT RUNS THE MEETING AND HAS CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL APPOINTS THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS. SO WHO IN THIS SCENARIO IS APPOINTING THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS? ANY THOUGHTS BY COUNCIL VOTE OR BY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT? I YES, I HEAR YOU THAT WHEN WE STARTED OUT IN 2024, THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL CERTAINLY WALKED THROUGH AND APPOINTED KIND OF ALL OF THOSE COMMITTEE CHAIRS. I THINK IF THIS IS THE SWITCH OF THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD WANT I MEAN, JUST I THINK THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT THERE SHOULD BE CAUTION IN GOING BACK TO ANYTHING WHERE WE ARE STILL GIVING A CERTAIN POWER TO THAT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WE'D HAVE TO THINK THROUGH. BUT I COULDN'T SEE WHY IT COULDN'T BE DONE THROUGH COUNCIL. YOU CAN NOMINATE YOURSELF AND GO FOR VOTES OR SOMETHING. SO IT'S INTERESTING, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE USE OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. THERE'S YOU KNOW, GAHANNA HAS ONLY A FINANCE COMMITTEE AND
[00:15:03]
COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE. SO MEANING THEY'RE MEETING TOPICALLY AND THEY'RE ALL MEETING, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL THERE. AND SO IN THE WORLD OF TRANSITIONING TO TRUE COMMITTEES, SOME OF THE AND AGAIN, THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES. DUBLIN HAS ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, PUBLIC SERVICES VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE HERE.WELL, I GOT A QUESTION FOR STEVEN FIRST, STEVEN, WITH THOSE WITH THE CITY MANAGER WITH THE NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT DOES HOW DO HOW DO THEY HANDLE APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES AND OTHER CITIES. IS THAT IN THE CHARTER. IT'S PROBABLY IS. IS THAT NOT IN THE RULES OF COUNCIL AND YOUR RULES OF I THINK YEAH. AND I DON'T THINK THE COMMITTEES YOU JUST RAISED IN DUBLIN THAT YOU JUST READ, I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE JUST COUNCIL COMMITTEES. I THINK THERE'S A COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE ON EACH ONE OF THOSE. I THINK THOSE ARE PUBLIC. THEY'RE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S ONE THAT'S ONE SHIFT THAT HAPPENS IN A MANAGER FORM. WELL, I MEAN IT DOESN'T HAVE TO. IT COULD. RIGHT? YEAH. I MEAN IT COULD OR IT COULDN'T. IT'S UP TO YOU. THE COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE ARE INTERESTING AND IS THAT. IN GAHANNA. BUT THEIR FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS A MAYOR. RIGHT, MAYOR. SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE ARE FORMS OF GOVERNMENT USING CENTRAL OHIO AS AN EXAMPLE WITH A COUNCIL MANAGER PLAN THAT HAVE COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE, I'M SURE THERE ARE. I FAILURE IS, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE SAYS THEY THEIR MEETINGS ARE COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE AND SPECIAL MEETINGS. SO AGAIN DRIVEN TOPICALLY. YEAH. AND WHEN IT COMES TO COMMITTEES HOW YOU STRUCTURE THEM, THERE'S FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, ALL I CARE ABOUT IS HOW WE DON'T SCREW IT UP IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO HAVE TO BE PRESENT FOR IT TO BE A PUBLIC MEETING. I MEAN, COMMITTEES OF A WHOLE ARE GET A LITTLE BIT WEIRD BECAUSE I HAVE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT DO, IN ESSENCE, A I WANT TO SAY LIKE WHAT WE DO IN CAUCUS, THEY DO THAT AS A MEETING, AND THEN THEY HAVE ANOTHER MEETING LATER ON THAT MONTH. SO IT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO END UP HERE WITH USEVEN. THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE IS JUST KIND OF DO DUPLICATIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS. SO IT'S IT GETS WEIRD, BUT ONCE YOU SCALE THEM DOWN THEN YOU HAVE THREE MEMBERS ON A COMMITTEE. THREE IS A TERRIBLE NUMBER, BECAUSE ANYTIME TWO PEOPLE TALK, YOU HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING. SO I WOULD SAY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 4 AND 7 IF YOU GO DOWN THIS ROAD, BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF, WAIT, HOW MANY MEETINGS ARE WE ADDING TO THE SCHEDULE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO COMMITTEE MEETINGS, ARE THEY GOING TO BE JUST AS NEEDED? FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, ALL I CARE ABOUT IS WE DON'T BREAK THE SUNSHINE LAW AND THAT I DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY OF HOWEVER MANY. THESE PEOPLE ARE CONDUCTING BUSINESS, SO I WANT TO THROW SOMETHING OUT. AND SINCE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, OR OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO FEEL OUT, YOU KNOW, SUBCOMMITTEES VERSUS THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND EVERYTHING. ONE THING THAT I THINK I'VE COME TO A CONCLUSION OF IS, EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS GOOD TO HAVE SMALL COMMITTEES, THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ENDS UP HAVING WHEN WE'RE ALL HERE, IT ENDS. WE END UP HAVING BETTER DIALOG. AND WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE RUN INTO SOME STUMBLING BLOCKS ALONG THE WAY WHEN WE'VE HAD SMALL GROUPS MAKING DECISIONS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK AND NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERYBODY'S BEEN THROUGH THE SAME INFORMATION PROCESS. SO, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK, BUT HAVING IT AS A COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE HAS ITS PLUSES BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SITTING HERE TALKING LIKE WE ARE NOW. WE ALL HEAR THE SAME INFORMATION, WE VOICE OUR THOUGHTS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. SO MAYBE THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IS THE WAY TO GO AND JUST HAVE OUR DESIGNATED CHAIRS MANAGING THOSE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT MEETINGS. I'M THROWING IT OUT, JUST BRAINSTORMING. BUT WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I JUST THINK WE DO WELL WHEN WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME ROOM. I AGREE, I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT WE COULD MEET IN SMALL GROUPS, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY BEAR OUT TO. AND AGAIN, IT'S EVEN THOUGH THAT'S FRUSTRATING FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE OTHER MEETINGS, IT ALSO MAKES SENSE, PEOPLE, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN AND MAKE A DECISION ON A SUBJECT, WANT TO HAVE THE WHOLE STORY, AND YOU DON'T GET THE WHOLE STORY UNLESS YOU'RE ALL AROUND THE SAME TABLE. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD EXPERIMENT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO FEEL THIS OUT. AND WE'VE DEFINITELY HAD SOME SUCCESSES. WE'VE BUT YET WE'VE HAD SOME LITTLE BUMPS TOO. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE THINKS ABOUT SO BUT THEN STILL ROLLING BACK COMMITTEES FROM THIS, THIS DISCUSSION, IF I MAY, THIS IS
[00:20:02]
NOT REALLY A CHARTER DISCUSSION. WELL, IT IS BECAUSE COMMITTEES. OKAY. WELL, LET'S I GUESS LET'S GO BACK TO THE MAYOR. BUT I WAS KIND OF MOVING FORWARD TO HOW WE OPERATE. I'M SORRY, I NO, NO THAT'S OKAY. I JUST WAS LIKE, WELL, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO HEARING OTHER. YEAH. BACK TO MAYOR, BUT HEARING OTHER OPINIONS ON THE MAYOR ROLE AND HOW WE BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. AND AGAIN, HOW YOU BELIEVE I THINK WE NEED WE JUST NEED TO GET A TEMPERATURE CHECK. SO STEVEN KNOWS THE DIRECTION TO GO WITH HIS DRAFT DOCUMENT. SO DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A MOTION ABOUT A MAYOR THAT'S ELECTED AS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL? WELL, DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO JUST GET AGREEMENT OR. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO DO IT. I THINK WE'RE JUST FLESHING THINGS OUT. OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE AFTER, CHRIS. YEAH, WELL, NO, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW. AGAIN, IN THE WORLD OF GIVE YOUR OPINION, THIS IS THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION. YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE, MR. BERRY, AN ELECTED MAYOR. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHAT PEOPLE WANT NOW. THEY WANT AN ELECTED MAYOR, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY WANT I THINK THEY MY SURVEYS HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY WANT THE MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY STILL WANT TO HAVE AN ELECTED MAYOR THAT REPRESENTS THE CITY. CAN I ASK THIS THEN, SO THAT PERSON WOULD SERVE FOR FOUR YEARS VERSUS IF COUNCIL ELECTED THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR WOULD SERVE FOR TWO YEARS, CORRECT? THE MAYOR COUNCIL COULD ELECT THE MAYOR TO SERVE FOR WHATEVER TERM YOU COULD DO ONE YEAR. I MEAN, IT COULDN'T BE MORE THAN FOUR. THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE RUNNING AT LARGE EVERY YEAR, I THINK. RIGHT. NO, NO, NO, RUNNING FOR MAYOR IS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT. NO. YOU COULD SET THE MAYOR TERM AT ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR AMONGST COUNCIL IF THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT VOTING FOR THE MAYOR, COMMUNITY WAS STILL VOTING FOR TWO AT LARGE THAT CYCLE OUT AND THE DIFFERENT WARDS, JUST LIKE WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS IN 2024, WE ELECTED OUR PRESIDENT AND THEN FLESHED OUT ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES, AND THAT SERVES FOR TWO YEARS UNTIL THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD IS THAT IF WE I THINK WE HAVE TO WEIGH THAT OUT AND DECIDE IF WE ARE DOING THE MAYOR, THEN WE ARE PULLING BACK ON ONE OF THOSE AT-LARGE SPOTS. AND IN ESSENCE, GIVING THAT THE PRESIDENT ROLE FOR FOUR YEARS VERSUS THAT, WE COULD STILL HAVE A MAYOR. WE COULD DO IT TWO YEARS. WELL, IT'D BE HORRIBLE. IT DOESN'T HAVE YOU COULD ALSO HAVE A MAYOR POSITION THAT'S NOT THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. SO I'M JUST KEEPING TRACK OF THE OPTIONS HERE. SO THANK YOU. LIKE VOTED ON BY THE COMMUNITY. SO NOTHING CHANGES WITH THE STRUCTURE OF SEVEN MEMBERS. YOU'RE SAYING VOTED ON BY THE COMMUNITY OKAY. JUST VOTE. AND JUST LIKE YOU THE HEAD OF FINANCE OR WHATEVER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS ME, I COULD BE THE MAYOR NEXT YEAR FOR A YEAR, AND THEN COUNCIL COULD THEN CHANGE IT UP WHENEVER THEY WANTED TO, EVERY YEAR OR TWO YEARS IF YOU WANTED TO MAINTAIN IT. SO HERE'S MY THREE OPTIONS. YOU CAN HAVE AN ELECTED MAYOR. SO THAT'S PUBLICLY ELECTED MAYOR. YOU COULD HAVE AN ACTIVE YOU COULD MAKE THE MAYOR THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. SO IT WOULD FOLLOW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. OR YOU COULD APPOINT A MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THOSE ARE THE THREE OPTIONS I'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT SO FAR. IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY HAVING A MAYOR, STEPHEN? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY A MILLION WAYS, BUT I ACTUALLY THINK I THINK YOUR THREE OPTIONS, I WOULD PROBABLY CONDENSE IT TO TWO. IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE POPULARLY ELECTED OR IT'S GOING TO BE CHOSEN BY COUNCIL. OKAY. SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN AVENUES. AND THEN IF IT'S CHOSEN BY COUNCIL, YOU CAN SET THE TERM AS, LIKE I SAID, ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 4 YEARS. I THINK MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES I'VE LOOKED AT HAVE A TWO YEAR TERM FOR MAYOR THAT I MEAN, WE HAVE TO WE COULD DO WHATEVER WE WANT AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. IT CAN JUST BE ANY COUNCIL. IT DOES NOT. BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT AT LEAST THE COMMUNITIES I DO WORK IN BESIDES HERE, THAT WHO IS CHOSEN AS MAYOR ALSO PLAYS THE ROLE. OR IS THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL AND RUNS THE MEETINGS. I'M GOING TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE ON THIS. SO IF WE ELECT A MAYOR AND THEY'RE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL, AND THEY HAVE TO RUN EVERY TWO YEARS AT LARGE, OUR OUR, OUR OURS IS ALL FOUR YEARS NOW, WE GOT RID OF THE TWO YEAR TERM. BUT WE'RE SAYING IF WE ELECT A POPULARLY ELECTED MAYOR AND YOU SAID IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 4 YEARS, THE MAYOR. NO. IF YOU RAN A ELECTION, IF YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE VOTING ON THE MAYOR, THAT WOULD BE A FOUR YEAR TERM. OKAY.IF COUNCIL WAS CHOOSING THE MAYOR, YOU COULD MAKE IT WHATEVER YOUR HEART DESIRES,
[00:25:01]
RIGHT? UP TO FOUR YEARS, NOT EXCEEDING. BUT IF YOU'RE CHANGING THE CHARTER COMPLETELY, YOU COULD GO BACK TO HAVING A MAYOR, A SEAT ON COUNCIL WITH A DIFFERENT TERM OF OFFICE. YOU COULD, YOU COULD, YOU COULD. WE COULD CREATE A TWO YEAR MAYOR, COULD CREATE A TWO YEAR SEAT OR WHATEVER YOU WANT IT. THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT SEVEN MEMBERS, BUT ALSO WOULDN'T HAVE COUNCIL VOTING. CAN I CHIME IN REAL QUICK FOR A SECOND? HAVING HAVING WORKED IN IN WESTERVILLE UNDER CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THE COUNCIL APPOINTED THE PERSON TO BE MAYOR AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS ONE YEAR OR TWO YEAR TERM. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ELECTING SOMEBODY TO BE MAYOR, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE QUESTION THEN IS WHAT'S REALLY CHANGING? RIGHT? AND WHY DON'T WE JUST LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS? YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. BUT I'M USED TO THE PERSON BEING APPOINTED BY COUNCIL OR ELECTED BY COUNCIL AND SERVING, WHETHER IT'S A ONE YEAR OR TWO YEAR TERM. AND TO ME, IT WAS JUST A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS. SO.THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YEAH. AND I WILL SAY, AND I THINK I ALLUDED TO THIS WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER LAST TIME, I, I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF IT SERVING IN, IN AS A WHEN COUNCIL IS ORGANIZING EVERY TWO YEARS, THE PERSON IS CHOSEN TO BE THE MAYOR SLASH COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I ALSO LOVE THE IDEA OF A VICE MAYOR SLASH VICE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL. THERE'S PLENTY TO BE DONE AND GOOD TO HAVE TWO TWO FACES. BACKUP PLAN IN CASE SOMEBODY IS ON VACATION TO CHAIR THE MEETING. THE PART OF THE REASON I LOVE THAT IS THAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT. NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN PEOPLE BE ELECTED TO COUNCIL AND BE SELECTED TO BE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT CHRISTINE HOUCK, ON HER FIRST NIGHT AT A COUNCIL MEETING, WAS NOT READY TO BE ANYBODY'S COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO KIND OF GET A SENSE OF THINGS. I'M NOT REALLY BEEN ANYBODY BUT A PERSON ATTENDING MEETINGS. AND SO TO ME, I THINK THAT'S THE REASON THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE YOUR PEERS SAY THAT THEY THINK YOU'RE READY FOR THE JOB OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND SLASH THE ROLE OF MAYOR. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN IN IT BECAUSE PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL BUT NOT BE IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON COUNCIL.
BUT BUT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD RAISE THEIR HAND OR THEY COULD SAY, OH NO, PICK SOMEONE ELSE. I'M NOT YOUR PERSON, MR. SMITH. YEAH, I DID LOOK UP WESTERVILLE. THERE'S IS INTERESTING THEY WILL THEY ELECT A MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR FROM AMONGST THEMSELVES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE TERMS OF OFFICE. IT SAYS THEY AT THAT TIME, THEY WILL FIX THE TERMS THAT THEY WILL BE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR. AND IT IS EITHER NO LONGER THAN THE TERM FOR WHICH THEY'RE ELECTED, DUH. OR THE NEXT SUCCEEDING ORGANIZATION BEING COUNCIL, WHICH HAPPENS EVERY TWO YEARS FOLLOWING AN ELECTION. SO WHAT WESTERVILLE HAS DONE IS THEY'VE GIVEN THEMSELVES THE ABILITY TO BASICALLY PICK 1 OR 2 YEARS, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T DO FOUR BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING EVERY TWO YEARS. SO THEY COULD DO A SHORTER THAN TWO YEAR BUT NOT LONGER THAN TWO YEARS. SO INTERESTING. WE DO ALL HAVE WESTERVILLE AS AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. WELL THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS, CHRISTINE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF LISTENING TO THE TWO OPTIONS AND I CAN SEE PROS AND CONS AND COULD BE CONVINCED EITHER WAY JUST BASED ON, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING THIS OUT. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU. SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST READY TO STEP INTO THE ROLE AS PRESIDENT OR MAYOR OR WHATEVER. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT. YEAH, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND IT COULD BE VERY NEW. WHAT IS VERY NEW TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. YEAH. SO TWO CHOICES. I WOULD I WOULD PROBABLY BE OF THE COUNCIL ELECT THE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR POSITIONS COLLECTIVELY VERSUS IT BEING ELECTED ON BY THE COMMUNITY. I THINK CREATING A ROLE JUST TO RUN, TO BE ELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY WITH NO POWERS AND NO VOTING POWERS ON COUNCIL.
BUT YET THERE YOU'RE STILL DOING POTENTIALLY THE SAME KIND OF ELECTION RACE AS OTHERS. I'M
[00:30:07]
JUST NOT SURE THAT HOW THAT WOULD WORK OUT. SO I THINK AND EVEN READING WITH WESTERVILLE AS AS AN EXAMPLE AND KNOWING THERE ARE OTHERS, THAT ONCE YOU DO MAKE THAT CHANGE TO THAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT, THERE WILL STILL BE A MAYOR, THERE WILL STILL BE THAT CEREMONIAL OPPORTUNITY AND THAT CONTACT FOR EVERYBODY TO KNOW WHO THEY NEED TO CONTACT. AND THAT PERSON WOULDN'T BE CHAIRING A COMMITTEE JUST AS OUR PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, ROLE IS DOING. SO I WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE OF THE OPTION OF THE TWO THAT YOU THAT WE'VE ALL LAID OUT OF IT BEING ELECTED WITHIN THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CHANGING ORGANIZATIONALLY EVERY 1 TO 2 YEARS. ANYONE ELSE? MR. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I AGREE WITH MRS. ANDERSON. YOU ELECT A MAYOR FROM THE BY THE POPULATION. THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONFUSED BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO GO. IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO GO TO HIM. BUT HE HAS NO POWER WHERE THEY'LL KNOW THAT IF WE ELECT ONE FROM OUR BODY, THEY CAN GO TO HIM AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, OR HER OR HER. YEAH. THEM.YES. BUT I HEAR YOU. YEAH, I'M FINE WITH THAT. YEAH. YEAH, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, NEXT MEATY TOPIC. SO I HEARD THAT WE HAVE AGREEMENT THAT THE MAYORAL TITLE WOULD BE ELECTED AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS AND VICE MAYOR, WITH A TERM TO BE DETERMINED BY COUNCIL. IS THAT CORRECT? I LIKE HOW WESTERN. IS THAT WHERE YOU ALL SORT OF. I HEARD I'M OKAY WITH THAT AND HEARD NOT. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF I'M PUTTING A MR. SMITH. YEAH. THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION THAT THAT I WOULD ASK AND JUST TO HELP ME KIND OF GET MY ARMS AROUND HOW YOU WANT THIS DRAFTED IS ONE OF THE MAYOR'S DUTIES THAT WE DO HAVE RIGHT NOW IS MAYOR'S COURT.
NOW, REALISTICALLY, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO HAVE A ELECTED MAYOR OR CHOSEN MAYOR SERVED AS MAGISTRATE IN MAYOR'S COURT. THAT'S A BAD PLAN. AND WE'VE GOT A VERY GOOD MAGISTRATE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A PROFESSIONAL MAGISTRATE. THE QUESTION BECOMES IS. AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS IN A LOT OF CHARTERS BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS FORGET THIS PART IS WHO PICKS THE MAGISTRATE IN THIS NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. DO YOU WANT THE MAYOR TO STILL HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY? DO YOU WANT TO BE A COUNCIL CHOICE? I I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY ARMS AROUND WHAT YOU WANT. I WOULD SAY COUNCIL. COUNCIL CHOICE. OKAY. YEAH.
ULTIMATELY. AND I THINK MAYOR STAGE DOES A REALLY NICE JOB OF THIS BECAUSE HE LOOKS AT THE AGENDA ALL THE TIME TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. AND HE ALWAYS SAYS, MY NAME IS ON THE FRONT OF IT. MAYOR'S COURT. SO THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANTED TO GET MY ARMS AROUND WHERE YOU WERE WITH THAT. SO WHAT'S WHAT'S THE NEXT BIG ONE? NEXT BIG ONE? I MEAN, STEVEN AND TAMMY CAN DO THE BECAUSE THEY CAN TAKE FROM OTHER CITIES ON THE POWERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT OF THE COUNCIL AT THAT POINT. WELL, AND I THINK WE KNOW BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WOULD AGAIN FALL UNDER THE COUNCIL APPOINTMENT. SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS CITY MANAGER. THAT'S THE YEAH, THAT'S THE CITY MANAGER. YEAH. BUT I MEAN AFTER BUT AREN'T THERE CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT THE COUNCIL SELECTS IN SOME INSTANCES? THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES, I, I'VE DEALT WITH CITIES WHERE COUNCIL APPROVES EVERY DIRECTOR. I'VE DEALT WITH CITIES PROBABLY MORE COMMONLY WHERE THE CITY MANAGER CHOOSES THE SELECT, THE DIRECTORS, THE ONLY POSITION THAT IS ALWAYS THE WEIRD ONE IS THE LAW DIRECTOR POSITION. BECAUSE AS I TELL ALL OF YOU, I'VE TOLD MISS HOUK THIS, THE MAYOR, THIS EVERYONE IS MY CLIENT IS THE CITY OF GROVE CITY. I DON'T REPRESENT THE MAYOR. I DON'T REPRESENT YOU. I'M THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO IN THAT INSTANCES, THERE'S TIMES WHERE IT'S LIKE, YEAH, COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN THAT. BUT WE HAVE A CONFIRMATION PROCESS IN SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE THE CITY MANAGER HIRES AND CONFIRMED BY COUNCIL. BUT ONCE AGAIN, YOU
[00:35:06]
CAN DO IT HOWEVER YOU WANT. BUT I THINK THAT WHEN HILLIARD BEST CARRIER COUNCILMAN CARRIER CAME TO TALK, I THINK HE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED THE LEGAL POSITION, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SAYING THAT THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THAT PROVISION IN THEIR CHANGEOVER, THAT COUNCIL DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CONFIRM WEIGH IN ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE LEGAL DIRECTOR AND THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WISHED THAT THEY HAD DONE. AND I AND THERE I THINK THERE ARE ALSO EXAMPLES OF ISOLATING THE FINANCIAL PERSON AGAIN, KIND OF THE PROBABLY THE TWO MEATIEST SUBJECT MATTER ITEMS THAT REQUIRE. COUNCIL APPROVAL. SO, SO WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT? THEY THAT THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDS AND IN THE, IN THE COUNCIL APPROVES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY OPINION IS. I JUST I'M THROWING OUT THERE THAT THOSE ARE THOSE I THINK ARE SUBJECTS WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION. I MEAN, I GUESS I LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, WHAT HAPPENS, STEVEN, IN THE EVENT THAT THE CITY MANAGER DOES SOMETHING UNLAWFUL, BUT THE CITY MANAGER IS APPOINTED, IF WE GO THAT ROUTE, IS APPOINTED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, IS APPOINTED BY THE CITY MANAGER. BUT YET THE CITY ATTORNEY DOES SOMETHING OR THE CITY MANAGER DOES SOMETHING UNLAWFUL IF THAT IF THAT CONTINUUM IS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND NOT TO COUNCIL, IT DOESN'T THAT CREATE A PROBLEM? I MEAN, POTENTIALLY, I MEAN ANY CITY ATTORNEY WORTH THEIR SALT. IF THE CITY MANAGER DOES SOMETHING ILLEGAL, THEY WILL CALL HIM ON IT AND DEAL WITH IT. NOW, DO CITY ATTORNEYS, YOU KNOW, NOT LIKE ME, BUT DO THEY PLAY FAVORITES IN TERMS OF THEY APPOINTED ME? I ONLY REPORT TO THEM. YEAH, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE. I DON'T DO THAT. NOR DO THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH BECAUSE WE'RE I THINK WE'RE PROFESSIONALS IN WHAT WE DO. THAT'S WHY I'M THINKING THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY FINANCE DIRECTOR PROBABLY SHOULD BE A DIRECT CONFIRMED BY COUNCIL. YEAH. I JUST AS A SAFEGUARD, BUT THE CITY MANAGER IS ACTUALLY AN EMPLOYEE WOULD STILL GO THROUGH HR DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS. RIGHT. INTERVIEWS AND THEY'RE JUST CONFIRMED BY COUNCIL BUT THEY STILL ARE AN EMPLOYEE, JUST LIKE ANY DIRECTOR OF ANY DEPARTMENT AS WELL. RIGHT. NOT JUST APPOINTED. I'M CURRENTLY THEY'RE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR. THE OUR SAFETY DIRECTOR. WE WOULD WE WOULD APPOINT THE CITY MANAGER. RIGHT. BUT THE CITY MANAGER THEN HIRES OR APPOINTS THE DEPARTMENT HEADS. EVERYONE ELSE OTHER THAN IN THIS CASE, FINANCE. AND THEORETICALLY TALKING ABOUT THOSE TWO POSITIONS. BUT EVERYONE ELSE WOULD BE I GUESS I GET I GET CONFUSED OR NOT CONFUSED, BUT HUNG UP ON APPOINTED VERSUS HIRED BECAUSE TO ME THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. BEING APPOINTED IS APPOINTED OR BEING HIRED IS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE HR PROCESS JUST LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW. AND SO I JUST WE SHOULD USE THE WORD CONFIRMED. THAT WAY. THEY GO THROUGH ALL THAT PROCESS AHEAD OF TIME. AND CITY MANAGER WOULD COME BACK AND SAY, I'D LIKE TO HERE'S MY CONFIRM THIS PERSON FOR FINANCE DIRECTOR. AND IN THE PROCESS, WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THEIR CREDENTIALS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, ALL THAT STUFF, BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALL THAT. AND THEN SO UNLESS WE HAVE SOME ISSUE WITH THAT PERSON, IT'S PROBABLY JUST A RUBBER STAMP. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE SOMEBODY HIRING A VICE PRESIDENT, THE PRESIDENT OR THE VICE PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THEY'RE PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THEY CAN HIRE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR JOB TO HIRE SOMEBODY.GOOD. RIGHT? SO YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD BRING SOMEBODY GOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE A THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY BAGGAGE THAT WE WOULD BE AWARE OF. AND WE COULD JUST CONFIRM THEM. I THINK IT WOULD BE A INTERESTING SITUATION IF WE DIDN'T, BUT WE WOULD. WE MUST HAVE REASON AT THAT POINT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU WOULDN'T CONFIRM HIM JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE HIM. YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE HIM BASED ON THEIR CREDENTIALS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR EDUCATION. AND, WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE, I WOULD HOPE WOULD HAPPEN. YEAH, YEAH. AND JUST TO PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, IF YOU DON'T CONFIRM THEM, YOU ARE THEN TELLING THE CITY MANAGER THAT YOU DON'T LIKE THEIR CHOICES AND MAYBE THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS ISN'T ALL THAT GOOD. SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, BUT I
[00:40:02]
KEEP GOING BACK TO BECAUSE THE LEGAL ASPECT IS, IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER ASPECTS OF RUNNING THE CITY. I MEAN, I KEEP GOING BACK TO MAYBE WE SHOULD BE COUNCIL SHOULD APPOINT THE CITY ATTORNEY. JUST BECAUSE I WANT THAT LINE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FROM FROM COUNCIL, NOT GOING THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER. I MEAN, THERE'LL BE TWO LINES. THE LINE. THE LINE WILL BE THERE REGARDLESS. BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU, AS COUNCIL SAY WE'RE GOING TO APPOINT THE CITY ATTORNEY, I'M STILL NOT YOUR ATTORNEY. I'M THE CITY'S ATTORNEY. SO WHEN THE CITY MANAGER CALLS AND ASKS ME TO DO SOMETHING, I'M GOING TO DO IT. SO IT I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS IN THAT RESPECT. ASSUMING YOU GET SOMEONE IN THIS POSITION WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW. WELL, I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT THIS AS NONE OF US ARE HERE AS OKAY, HERE'S THE LINES OF GOVERNMENT AND CHECKS AND BALANCES. THIS IS NOT PERSONALITY ORIENTED AT ALL. I'M JUST LOOKING AT, OKAY, IF THERE WAS A LEGAL ISSUE AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE DIRECT REPORTING LINE AT ALL? THAT'S THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT. IN GENERALLY, EVEN IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE COUNCIL APPROVES THE APPOINTMENT, THE DIRECT REPORTING LINE IS STILL GOING TO BE TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHO RUNS THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. BUT ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS OUR CHARTER AND WE CAN SAY WHATEVER YOUR HEART DESIRES, YOU COULD COME UP WITH ALL KINDS OF SQUIGGLY LINES HERE IF YOU WANT. WELL, GOING GOING BACK TO THE HOLISTIC THING. SO WHEN IT COMES TO PARKS HR, DO WE ALL AGREE THAT THOSE SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE CITY MANAGER? SO THE ONLY TWO POSITIONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND LEGAL. TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO HOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK. YEAH. BUT I AGAIN, I WOULD THINK THAT THE END GOAL IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT SOME STRUCTURE IN PLACE, THAT THAT MEANS THAT COUNCIL PUTS A CITY MANAGER IN PLACE, AND THE CITY MANAGER IS THE HEAD OF THE ENTITY. YEAH. AND THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO ANSWER TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ALL AGREE TO. YEAH. WHAT IS YOUR TERMINATION CLAUSE, STEVEN? LIKE HOW DO WE FIRE THE CITY ATTORNEY? WELL, I HAVE A FIRST OF ALL, I AM. JUST TO BE CLEAR, I AM NOT A CITY EMPLOYEE. I'M A YOU. THE FIRM CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES.I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE. WE HAVE A 30 DAY OUT CLAUSE IN OUR CONTRACT WHERE WE CAN BE FIRED AT ANY TIME, FOR ANY REASON. AND WHO FIRES YOU RIGHT NOW? MR. BOZO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
SO. AND FRANKLY, EVERY CITY WE REPRESENT, WE HAVE A 30 DAY YOU CAN FIRE US CLAUSE. YEAH. SO I'M GOING TO BE ON THE SIDE OF APPOINTED BY COUNCIL JUST ON THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ASKED LEGAL TO FIND A WAY AROUND SOMETHING THAT I WAS A PROPONENT OF. AND I ASKED FOR THAT SAME SITUATION SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT DIDN'T PRODUCE ANY FRUIT WHERE THE OTHER SIDE IT DID. NOW THAT COULD JUST BE THE SITUATION. BUT WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THAT IS LIKE, HEY STEVEN, FIND ME A FIND SOMETHING IN THE LANGUAGE THERE THAT I THAT GETS ME OUT OF THIS. AND THAT WAS DRIVEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION. AND WHEN THE NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT COULD BE DRIVEN BY THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR VERSUS THE COUNCIL, I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, WHO DO YOU SEE AS YOUR BOSS KIND OF THING? NOT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE WAY I SEE THAT. SO BEING APPOINTED BY COUNCIL TO ME MAKES YOU MAKES COUNCIL MORE YOUR BOSS THAN THE CITY MANAGER. IN MY MIND, IT'S ANOTHER CHECK. SO AND I'LL JUST GO HISTORICAL ON THIS SUBJECT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHY IT GETS SOME AIR TIME IN THIS DISCUSSION. I KNOW THAT I WANT TO GO BACK TO 2019, MAYBE, WHERE WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND BIDDING PERIODICALLY. BIDDING, I THINK IT'S EVERY FOUR YEARS WAS WHERE THE ORDINANCE LANDED. BUT BUT I THINK THAT THE QUESTION BEING RAISED THEN WAS COUNCIL'S VOICE IN THAT DISCUSSION. AGAIN
[00:45:03]
THIS IS THIS THIS CONVERSATION I THINK IS VERY MUCH INHERENT TO THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION, SAYS OUR VOICE IN THAT DISCUSSION IS SAYING THERE'S NO MONEY. THAT IS THAT IS OUR VOICE IN THE IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM, WE ARE PUTTING OUT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FROM ENTITIES. SO FOR NOT JUST FOR LEGAL SERVICES, BUT FOR ENGINEERING. I FORGETTING ANYBODY ELSE. ANY OTHER SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT WE'RE THAT WE PUT OUT.100,000 A YEAR OKAY. AND BUT BUT THAT IS SIMPLY A KIND OF A COURTESY. AND HERE'S HERE, HERE'S WHAT WE RECEIVED. WE RECEIVED THE SUBMISSIONS AND THEN WHO HAS BEEN SELECTED.
COUNCIL HAS NO VOICE IN THAT UNLESS WE WOULD CHOOSE TO DEFUND THAT FUNCTION, WHICH AGAIN, IS A TRICKY BUSINESS. IT'S EASY TO SAY THAT YOU COULD JUST TAKE THE MONEY AWAY, BUT HOW? HOW NONE OF US WANTS TO HAVE A CITY WITHOUT LEGAL SERVICES OR ENGINEERING SERVICES. SO IT IS AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION, AND I THINK THAT IS KIND OF WHAT MR. HOLT WAS SPEAKING TO, TO BE A MEMBER OF COUNCIL AND NOT REALLY HAVE A VOICE IN THE DECISION. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANTED THE FINANCE, ESPECIALLY THE FINANCE AND THE LEGAL, TO BE APPOINTED DIRECTLY. YEAH, ALL THE REST OF THE BUSINESS, I THINK, I THINK WE DEFINITELY ARE HEARING THAT. WE WANT TO SEE SOME COMPONENTS OF THAT. AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THE CLERK AND THE CLERK, MR. SMITH, SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS. OTHER OTHER TOPICS, BEGINNING OF TERMS. I KNOW AT THE VERY BEGINNING WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE SECOND DAY OF JANUARY IS OUR CURRENT BEGINNING OF TERM. IN THIS DOCUMENT. I WAS CERTAINLY SOMEBODY WHO HAS QUESTIONED THAT AND ASKED ABOUT WHY IS IT NOT ACTUALLY JANUARY 1ST? I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A HOLIDAY DAY. DUBLIN, I BELIEVE, WAS AN EXAMPLE THAT WAS BROUGHT FORTH. THAT IS JANUARY 1ST. SO I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF VET THAT CONVERSATION OUT IN THESE TERMS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE IS THERE A REASON WHY WE COULDN'T CHANGE IT TO JANUARY 1ST THROUGH THE 31ST OF DECEMBER FOR THAT TERM? WELL, I'LL EVEN I'LL EVEN MUDDY THE WATERS MORE. I MEAN, WHAT YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME POSITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE COUNTY, TAKE OFFICE LITERALLY 30 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION. SO YOU CHANGE THE ELECTION CYCLE A LITTLE BIT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE ELECTED, YOU BECOME CERTIFIED TO THE BALLOT. AND ON DECEMBER 1ST, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO. YEAH. THE ONLY THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS I, I THINK THAT'S POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC JUST FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, BECAUSE WE'RE USUALLY SPENDING THE LAST MONTH DOING BUDGETS. AND DO YOU WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST GOT ELECTED GET THROWN INTO THE DEEP END? THE ONE THING I WOULD RECOMMEND, BECAUSE WE RAN INTO THIS, TAMMY AND I JUST RECENTLY, IS IF YOU MAKE IT JANUARY 1ST, IT WILL ACTUALLY SAVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THE HASSLE OF HAVING TO FILE A FINANCE REPORT OR WHATEVER IT IS FOR THE ONE DAY IN JANUARY FOR THAT FOR THAT YEAR. WE RUN INTO THIS WITH THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BECAUSE THEY START ON JANUARY 2ND. YOU TECHNICALLY ARE HOLDING OFFICE ON JANUARY 1ST, WHICH IS A NEW YEAR, WHICH THEN REQUIRES YOU TO FILE A REPORT FOR THAT YEAR, WHICH IS, IN ESSENCE, ONE DAY. SO IF YOU MADE IT JANUARY 1ST, THE OTHER TERMS WOULD END ON DECEMBER 31ST, AND THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE IN OFFICE FOR THE NEXT YEAR FOR THE END, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AT THE END, AT THE. YEAH, AT THE END OF THE TERM, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU WALK AWAY AND ARE DONE WITH IT, THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, BY THE WAY, YOU NEED TO FILE ANOTHER REPORT BECAUSE YOU WERE IN OFFICE ON ONE DAY. YEAH. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD CLARIFICATION. I'M FINE WITH CHANGING IT TO JANUARY 1ST. YEAH. WHAT WHAT WAS YOUR REASONING FOR JANUARY 1ST? THE JANUARY THE JANUARY 1ST IS A HOLIDAY. AND SO THEY JUST SKIPPED IT AND MADE IT JANUARY 2ND. BUT IT I THINK IT'S YOUR TERM ENDS ON DECEMBER 31ST AND THE NEW PERSON BEGINS ON JANUARY 1ST. EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, MAKING THEIR PORK AND SAUERKRAUT AND WATCHING BOWL GAMES, THEY MIGHT HAVE A RESIDENT CALL THEM ON THAT DAY.
YEAH. BUT AGAIN, WE SHOULDN'T CONFUSE THAT. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING ON JANUARY 1ST. IT JUST MEANS YOUR TERM BEGINS ON JANUARY 1ST. YEAH, I THINK IT'S OKAY. OTHER ITEMS
[00:50:01]
FOLKS. GEEZ, WE'RE PLUGGING RIGHT ALONG HERE. MR. SMITH, CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD PREVENT YOU FROM. YOU NEED A VIBE ON. LET ME SCROLL THROUGH MY NOTES REAL QUICK, OKAY? I MEAN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL THE HIS AND HERS. THEY'RE GOING TO CATCH ALL THAT STUFF.THE COMPUTER WILL CATCH THAT. YEAH. I DON'T THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY SOUNDS BAD. BUT NO, I'M TALKING SUBSTANTIVE RIGHT NOW. MAYBE WHEN YOU GUYS DO THIS YOU JUST CREATE SECTIONS AND PUT QUESTION MARK, AND THEN WE CAN GO TO THE QUESTION MARKS AND DISCUSS THEM. YES, YES. OKAY. THAT WAS A BIG THING RIGHT. YEP. AND I THINK ANOTHER THING OKAY. THE OTHER THING TERM LIMITS ANYONE. YEAH. TERM LIMITS. TERM LIMITS. THE SUBJECT THAT CAME UP. YEAH WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONE. YEAH WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONE. THE OTHER ONE WAS THE NOMINATIONS THE. NOMINATING COMMITTEE THAT IS NEEDED ON A. PETITIONS AND PETITIONS. THANK YOU PAGE ARTICLE SEVEN. 87. ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 504. NOMINATIONS AND THE MAYOR MENTIONED ADDRESSING TRANSITION IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION AND THAT I THINK REQUIRES THOUGHT PROCESS ON BOTH SIDES, WHETHER IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OR A CITY MANAGER. PROBABLY UNDERSTANDING BY CHARTER HOW THAT HOW YOU GET IN AND HOW YOU GET OUT. TRUE. YEAH, TRUE. MADAM CHAIR. YES, MA'AM. YEAH. THOSE TWO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE. I KNOW THAT WAS A STATEMENT BY MR. HOLT ABOUT US TELLING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FIND WAYS NOT TO DO SOMETHING. THAT'S A PRETTY SERIOUS ACCUSATION. AND I THINK IT'S GOT TO BE SPOKEN TO BECAUSE. PLAYING DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, IF YOU THE COUNCIL HIRED THE CITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY. AND THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS CALLED THE CITY ATTORNEY AND SAID, FIND A WAY OUT OF THIS. DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY IGNORE THAT CALL? BUT THE POINT THAT SOMEBODY IS MAKING AN ACCUSATION THAT WE HAVE ASKED THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FIND WAYS OUT OF SOMETHING IS A PRETTY STRONG STATEMENT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT OR NOT, STEVEN, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT MR. HOLT'S REFERRING TO. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I PLAY THOSE GAMES. I THINK MOST PEOPLE WHO KNOW ME, THE MAYOR WILL TELL YOU, I PROBABLY ANGER HIM MORE THAN I ANGER YOU ALL IN TERMS OF WHAT I TELL HIM HE CAN AND CAN'T DO. SO I'M NOT CERTAIN WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS. I'LL DISCUSS IT LATER. OKAY. MR. PUBLIC MEETING.
YEAH, IT. I DON'T KNOW. I THINK IT COULD BE INTERPRETED. THERE'S I MEAN, IT'S IT WAS ABOUT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED AND THE ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T LIKE IT. IT ALREADY PASSED. ANDE WORDING IN HERE THAT WE CAN CHANGE, AND OR WE CAN FIND A PROBLEM WITH. AND IT WASN'T MARIJUANA. IT WAS LIKE TWO YEARS AGO. AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WASN'T LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO BEND THE RULES OR ANYTHING. HE'S JUST LIKE SAYING, I DON'T LIKE THIS. THERE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE FIND IN HERE? THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS. WHAT CAN WE DEFEND THIS WITH? SO IT WASN'T NEFARIOUS AS FAR AS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL. IT WAS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S MY WIGGLE ROOM HERE? WHAT? HOW CAN I FIND A WAY OUT OF THIS? AND WHEN, MR. HOLT, WHEN YOU SAID THAT AND TO MAYOR'S POINT, I DIDN'T THINK THAT HE WAS ACCUSING ANYTHING, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN A LOT OF TIMES, LEGALLY. AND I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO SIDES OF THE LAW. AND A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S WAYS TO JUST MANEUVER. RIGHT. LEGAL EASE. AND I GUESS THAT'S THE WAY I INTERPRETED IT, TO BE HONEST, I I'M GOING TO I'LL THROW IT OUT, I DON'T CARE. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE PET LAND CRISIS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, I MEAN, I WAS ASKING STEVEN, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO US? HOW CAN THE STATE DO THIS TO US? AND, YOU KNOW, I SAID, IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM? AND HE GOES, NOPE, THERE WAS NO I MEAN,
[00:55:03]
BECAUSE THEY TRUMPED US. IT'S NOT THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM. THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT IT UP IS BECAUSE IT WASN'T WHAT COUNCIL WANTED AT THAT POINT. WE HAD JUST VOTED IT APPROVED OR SOMETHING OR WE WERE GOING TO VOTE. IT APPROVED AND IT WAS COUNCIL AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATION. HE WAS JUST USING HIS SIDE TO FIND A SOLUTION. AND I THINK AGAIN, THAT THIS IS HIGHLIGHTING, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, THE VOICE OF ONE VERSUS THE VOICE OF A MAJORITY OF A LEGISLATIVE BODY. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THE MAYOR WILL MAKE HIS CASE FOR HOW THE BALANCE OF POWER WORKS EFFECTIVELY. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH AND WHY WE'RE HERE, RAISING THE ISSUE OF LOOKING AT FORM OF GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN THESE SEVEN SEATS, IT IS A STRUGGLE SOMETIMES TO GET THINGS WHERE YOU BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE. SO IS THERE A BACK TO THE WHOLE LAW DIRECTOR AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION? IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE TWO CONTRACTS WHERE YOU HAVE ONE THAT REPRESENTS THE CITY AND ONE THAT REPRESENTS THE COUNCIL? NO. OKAY. IT'D BE A CONFLICT. IT'S YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE ATTORNEY. YOU HAVE TO BE THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY. YOU ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO HIRE YOUR OWN COUNSEL. IF YOU INDIVIDUALLY. I THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA, BUT YOU CAN IN THE CITY ISN'T GOING TO PAY FOR IT. BUT NO, YOU CAN'T. A LAW DIRECTOR COULD NOT. WHERE THOSE TWO DIFFERENT HATS. IT WOULD BE A CONFLICT. WELL, NOR WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WHAT WAS CLEAR IN STEVEN'S COMMENTS IS IT'S SORT OF THAT WORLD OF NO MATTER WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT YOU'RE USING OR HOW PERSON GETS CHOSEN TO BE IN THE POSITION OF LEGAL COUNSEL, THAT THEY REALLY ARE LEFT IN A POSITION WHERE THEY REPRESENT THE CITY ITSELF, NOT ANY ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN ELECTED SEATS OR IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS ABOUT SERVING THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MUNICIPALITY. SO, YEAH. AND WE'RE DOWN TO OUR LAST TWO MINUTES. AND SO I KIND OF WANT TO UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL THAT WE HAVE OVERLOOKED, AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE THINGS AND WE'LL COME UP, COME UP WITH THOSE AS WE GO THROUGH THE DRAFT. BUT I WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE WILL TAKE WE WILL NOT HAVE A 5:30 P.M. SESSION ON OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS AUGUST THE 18TH, BUT WE WILL RESUME OUR 530 MEETING ON THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY, WHICH I THINK IS A TUESDAY MEETING. THE SECOND, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT TOGETHER BY THAT TIME. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WILL THE DRAFT STEVEN, IN YOUR MIND? TAMMY, JUST LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE A DRAFT AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO PUT LIKE A DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE HERE LIKE A QUESTION MARK. SO WHEN WE WHEN WE MEET NEXT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THOSE QUESTION MARKS. I THINK IT WOULD IN WHAT I'M ENVISIONING BASED ON MY NOTES IN MY HIGHLIGHTING, I WILL GIVE YOU AN ESSENCE, A RED LINE VERSION WITH SOME KIND OF EXPLANATIONS AS TO THE CHANGES, AND THEN YOU ALL CAN DISCUSS IT, YOUR WILL, OR FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO SO IN A RED LINE VERSION, MEANING THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'LL SEE BIG SECTIONS ARE REMOVED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT. YEAH. AND I'LL AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CLEAN VERSION TOO, JUST BECAUSE SOMETIMES IF WE RED LINE IT TOO MUCH IT BECOMES UNREADABLE. BUT YEAH, WE'LL MAKE IT EASY ON YOU AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE. THAT WORKS. SO EVERYBODY AGAIN I'LL ENCOURAGE YOU BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO, TO STILL SPEND SOME TIME WITH OTHER CHARTERS, BECAUSE I THINK IT REALLY DOES HELP A LOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND, AND AGAIN, NOT NOT ABOUT IT'S ABOUT IMITATION. IT'S ABOUT TAKING THE THINGS THAT WORK AND, AND USING[Recess; Reconvene]
THEM TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. SO WE WILL, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, TAKE A RECESS FOR CAUCUS.AND WE WILL BE BACK IN FOR THE BUSINESS MEETING AT 7 P.M. AND WITH GOOD EVENING. IF I CAN HAVE YOUR ATTENTION FOR A MOMENT, WELCOME TO THE GROVE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IF YOU ARE HERE TO ADDRESS AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SIGN THE SPEAKERS LIST. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNCIL AT ANY TIME DURING THE MEETING, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SIGN THE SPEAKERS LIST. WE DO KEEP DECORUM IN. THE RULES OF DECORUM ARE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE AGENDA. ALSO, EVERYBODY GETS THREE MINUTES. WE HAVE THIS CUTE
[01:00:01]
LITTLE TIMER UP HERE TO HELP YOU WITH THAT. AND PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEAK AND ADDRESS. COUNCIL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO.FIRST. WE'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE OKAY. ANY. GROVE CITY COUNCIL IS BACK IN SESSION. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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. RIGHT. ALRIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE. I THINK WE NEED OUR OVERHEAD TO CATCH UP WITH EVENTS FOR THE EVENING. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME. GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY THIS EVENING. AND I
[Approval of Minutes/ Welcome & Reading of Agenda]
WANT TO KIND OF POSE THE QUESTION TO COUNCIL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T QUITE GET TO THIS IN CAUCUS. I'D MENTIONED IT IN OUR EARLIER SESSION. ARE WE FEELING READY TO LOOK AT THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE JULY 21ST MEETING? I KNOW WE'VE ALL HAD BUSY SCHEDULES AND MISS KELLY WAS ON VACATION. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT. WE'RE GOOD. OKAY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO, IN THAT CASE, MAKE A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 21ST, 2025 MEETING AND APPROVE THEM AS WRITTEN. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANDERSON. YES. SORRY. WILSON. YES, YES. YES. BARRY. YES. DO. YES. BARROS. YES. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS AT THE TOP OF THIS EVENING'S AGENDA. SO I AM GOING TO READ THROUGH TONIGHT'S AGENDA TONIGHT UNDER LANCE, WE HAVE ORDINANCE C 2825 C 2925, C 3025 AND C 3125. RESOLUTION CR 3125. UNDER SAFETY WE HAVE ORDINANCE C 3225 UNDER SERVICE. WE HAVE ORDINANCE C 3325. AND UNDER PARKS WE HAVE RESOLUTION C 3225. AT THE REQUEST OF THE PETITIONER, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF RESOLUTION CR 3125 FROM THIS EVENING'S AGENDA. BUT THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER. IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS BEYOND THE REMOVAL OF RESOLUTION. CR 3125, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS AGENDA IS APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT. WOULD YOU LIKE US TO VOTE TO REMOVE IT? YES, YES. I COULD SEE YOU TWITCHING OVER THERE. ALL RIGHT. I A RESOLUTION CR 3125 WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE IT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, AND IF I MAY, ON DISCUSSION, JUST SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC KNOWS, THIS IS JUST DUE TO TIMING OF THE APPLICATION. THIS IS STILL GOING TO HAPPEN.HOWEVER, THE COUNTY IS TAKING A RECESS AND WE HAVE TO TIME THIS RIGHT IN TERMS OF HOW MANY DAYS WE CAN DO THIS BEFORE THEY CAN VOTE ON IT. SO IT'S A TIMING ISSUE. IT'S STILL GOING TO HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK WE'RE IT'S GOING AWAY COMPLETELY, BUT IT IS FROM THIS AGENDA. IF THE VOTE WILL SEND YES, YES, YES VERY YES YES, YES. ANDERSON. YES. AND NO, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THE BALANCE OF THE AGENDA IS APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT. OKAY. SEEING NONE, I WILL TURN
[Ordinance C-28-25 Accept the Annexation of 0.831+ acres located at 2139 Sonora Drive. Second reading and public hearing.]
THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU, MISS BURROWS WITH LANDS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HAWK. THE FIRST ITEM WE HAVE UNDER THE LANDS THIS EVENING IS ORDINANCE C 2825. THIS IS TO ACCEPT AN ANNEXATION OF 0.831 PLUS OR MINUS ACRES LOCATED AT 2139 SONORA DRIVE. AND I SEE, MR. HAMMOND, YOU'RE ALREADY UP HERE. I'M HERE. ALL RIGHT. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. YEP, YEP. SCOTT[01:05:04]
HAMMOND, 1458 EBBERLY VISTA, GROVE CITY. IF YOU JUST WANT TO GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW FOR OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT. YEAH, SURE. SO I OWN THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY NEXT TO IT. IT'S ALREADY IN GROVE CITY, ALREADY ZONED C-2. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO COMBINE THAT PROPERTY TOGETHER. AND I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND MY GOAL IS TO BUILD A SWIM SCHOOL HERE FOR KIDS. SO.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM DEVELOPMENT ON THIS? NOPE.
COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. I MOVE IT BE APPROVED SECOND. HOUCK. YES. YES. YES YES YES. ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ON TO THE NEXT PART OF THE PLAN. RIGHT. YEAH, YEAH. THANK
[Ordinance C-29-25 Accept the Plat of Autumn Grove, Section 6, Phase 2. Second reading and public hearing. ]
YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. NEXT UNDER LANDS THIS EVENING IS ORDINANCE C 2925 TO ACCEPT THE PLAT OF AUTUMN GROVE. SECTION SIX, PHASE TWO. AGAIN, THIS IS THE SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS MORE OF A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM. WE'RE JUST GOING TO ACCEPT THIS SO WE CAN START DEVELOPING IT. IS THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM MISS SHIELD? NO. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT. THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD A SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. I MOVE IT BE APPROVED. SECOND. HOLT. YES YES YES YES. ANDERSON. YES. WILSON.[Ordinance C-30-25 Approve a Special Use Permit for an Antenna Tower for Parkway Centre Arcadia Tower located at 1620 Buckeye Place. Second reading and public hearing. ]
YES, YES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IS ORDINANCE C 3025 TO APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR AN ANTENNA TOWER FOR PARKWAY CENTER. ARCADIA TOWER, LOCATED AT 1620 BUCKEYE PLACE. ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, WE DO HAVE A MARY ANN CRAWFORD. HERE TO SPEAK FOR THIS. BUT BEFORE WE DO THIS, DO WE WANT TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THE. DO YOU HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE? I DON'T THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP. OH, HERE WE GO. OKAY. I'M SO SORRY. I DID NOT SEE YOU SIGNED UP. THANK YOU. YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, SIR. YES, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS STEVE CARR. I ADDRESS IS 2894 ALDERSGATE DRIVE, GREENWOOD, INDIANA. 46143. I JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE US AN OVERVIEW. BASICALLY I REPRESENT ARCADIA INFRASTRUCTURE ONE, ALONG WITH AT&T MOBILITY. WE ARE PROPOSING TO PLACE A 170 FOOT TALL STRUCTURE WITH A FOUR FOOT LIGHTNING ROD TO HELP IMPROVE CELLULAR PHONE COVERAGE AROUND THE STRINGTOWN ROAD AND I-70 INTERCHANGE AREA, SPECIFICALLY AROUND WHERE A LOT OF THE HOTELS AND EVERYTHING ARE. THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC WITH THE RESTAURANTS. WE'RE HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT LACK OF SERVICE. WE VIEW THIS AS A BIG TIME, MAJOR LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AS FAR AS PEOPLE'S CONNECTIVITY TO THE NETWORK AND ALSO IMPROVE SERVICE FOR YOUR AVERAGE CONSUMERS OF THE AREA. SO IT WILL HELP, IN OUR OPINION, BOOST BUSINESS BECAUSE OF CONNECTIVITY. AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE. OKAY, I KNOW THAT THIS WENT THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION ON JULY 8TH AND THERE WERE SOME STIPULATIONS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS WITH THOSE. JUST SO YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE NOW OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE I'VE GOT I'VE GOT A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE PLEASE. OKAY. SURE. GO AHEAD. MR. HOLT. WHAT'S THE I'VE SEEN OUT OF STATE. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF ANTENNA TOWERS THAT ARE, LIKE, DECORATED, LIKE PINE TREES OR WHATEVER. YEAH. WHAT'S THE CURRENT THINKING ON THAT? SO THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS BUSINESS FOR 32 YEARS. AND YOU FIND THAT WHEN YOU MAKE SOMETHING LOOK LIKE IT'S SOMETHING IT'S NOT, IT STANDS OUT EVEN MORE SO. AND SPECIFICALLY, THE ONE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS BROUGHT UP THE SIDE AROUND FOR 75 AROUND TOLEDO, OHIO. IT WAS A SITE THAT I DID. I GET MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT WHERE THAT TOWER IS THAN YOU'LL EVER CAN IMAGINE. AND FOR THOSE REASONS, WE DETER COMMUNITIES FROM GOING DOWN THAT PATH BECAUSE 170FT TALL TREE DOESN'T EXIST IN THIS REGION. NOW, THAT SITE, THE SITE AT TOLEDO, THAT STRUCTURE IS ONLY 110FT TALL. WE HAD A SPECIFIC COVERAGE OBJECTIVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR SITE. IT DID NOT NEED TO BE AS TALL. AND WE FOUND IN THERE THE ZONING CODE FOR THAT COMMUNITY REALLY DROVE HOME THE NEED, SAYING, HEY, YOU MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A TREE. WE FEEL IT'LL FIT IN BETTER. NOW THOSE TREES, THERE ARE ABOUT 100 TO 105FT TALL. WHERE THAT TOWER, I THINK AT TOP IS 120. SO IN THAT SITUATION, IT KIND OF FITS. IN THIS SITUATION. I WOULD STRONGLY DETER YOU FROM GOING DOWN THAT PATH. THANK YOU. GOOD ANSWER. RIGHT. OKAY. WAS THERE ANY OTHER[01:10:02]
QUESTIONS FOR MR. CARR RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. SO BEFORE WE GO INTO SOME OF THESE, THE DEVIATIONS, I DO WANT TO LET ONE PERSON FROM THE PUBLIC WHO DID SIGN UP ON THIS. IF YOU WANT TO COME UP FOR YOUR NAME, TO SPEAK YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. HI, MY NAME IS MARY ANN CRAWFORD, 1680 SUPREME WAY, GROVE CITY. THANK YOU. I AM NOT HERE TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT AGAINST HOW FAR OR HOW CLOSE A CELL TOWER SHOULD BE TO A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR THAT. SPECIFICALLY, SECTION 1137 15 D FOR THE CURRENT PLAN DOES NOT ADHERE TO THAT MINIMUM DISTANCE. I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL USE THE EXISTING ORDINANCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. A POTENTIAL SOLUTION MAKE THE TOWER FIT TO THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MISS SHIELDS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND TALK TO THAT? JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THOSE STIPULATIONS, PARTICULARLY THE VARIANCES TO THE HEIGHT STANDARDS. THOSE STANDARDS WERE ADOPTED IN 1989 AND 1990. SINCE THAT TIME, TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION TOWERS. THAT WAS FACTORING IN GUY WIRES, A LOT OF OTHER SUPPORT STRUCTURES ASSOCIATED WITH TOWERS BACK AT THE TIME. AND FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY, THERE ARE A LOT MORE SAFETY MEASURES IN CURRENT TOWERS NOW THAT DON'T NECESSARILY NECESSITATE THOSE SAME SETBACK STANDARDS AS WHAT OUR CURRENT CODE REQUIRES IN TERMS OF THE LANDSCAPING, THE VARIANCE NOTED FOR THAT, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SITE PLAN THAT'S SHOWN UP ON THE SCREEN, IT IS A TIGHT SITE, AND THE APPLICANT HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO FIT IN AS MUCH LANDSCAPING AS THEY CAN, WHERE WE FELT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE, AND ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING TREES WHERE THEY CAN. OKAY, SO ON THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, WE THERE WERE THREE STIPULATIONS FOR EXCUSE ME, FOR THE FIRST ONE WAS A VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR A DRIVEWAY AND TURNAROUND AREA TO BE GRAVEL INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED ASPHALT AND CONCRETE SURFACES, CONCRETE SURFACES. SO I THINK ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE, WE WOULD LIKE TO AMEND TO DO, NO DEVIATION SHALL BE GRANTED. IS THAT CORRECT, MISS KELLY? FOR THE LANDSCAPING? NO, FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE FOR THE FOR THE ASPHALT CONCRETE. YES, MA'AM.NUMBER TWO AND THREE, WE WERE IN CAUCUS. WE TALKED ABOUT WE WERE OKAY WITH THOSE. AND THEN NUMBER FOUR, WE WERE ALSO OKAY WITH THAT, AS SHOWN AS AS ON THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. AS FAR AS THE LANDSCAPING, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, MA'AM, IS I THINK MISS KELLY MAY HAVE A MOTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THAT WILL ENCOMPASS ALL OF THAT. OKAY. SO WOULD ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL THOUGH ON THESE JUST ON NUMBER FOUR, WE'RE JUST GOING TO REVERT BACK TO THE PLAN BECAUSE THIS VARIANCE DEVIATES FROM THE PLAN. SO WE'RE GOING TO ADD THAT. SO WE'RE HAPPY WITH JUST THE PLAN AS YOU CAN SEE THERE. CORRECT OKAY OKAY MISS KELLY IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS AMENDMENT. YES MA'AM. SO COUNCIL MEMBER BURROWS, IS YOUR MOTION TO AMEND SECTION ONE TO SAY CONTINGENT UPON THE FOLLOWING NUMBER ONE, NO VARIANCE SHALL BE PERMITTED FROM SECTION 1130 7.11 TO ALLOW THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNAROUND AREA TO BE GRAVEL INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED ASPHALT OR CONCRETE SURFACE. NUMBER TWO A DEVIATION SHALL BE GRANTED FROM SECTION 1130 7.15 D ONE TO ALLOW THE CELL TOWER TO BE LOCATED LESS THAN THE REQUIRED DISTANCE OF 100% FROM THE TOWER'S HEIGHT FROM ALL ABUTTING PROPERTY LINES. NUMBER THREE, A DEVIATION SHALL BE GRANTED FROM SECTION 1130 7.4 TO ALLOW THE CELL TOWER TO BE LOCATED CLOSER TO THE REQUIRED DISTANCE OF TWO TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE PROPOSED ANTENNA OR ANTENNA TOWER FROM ANY EXISTING PLATTED RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION OR ANY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE WITHIN THE CITY. AND NUMBER FOUR, A DEVIATION SHALL
[01:15:04]
BE GRANTED FROM SECTION 1130 7.15, AS SHOWN ON THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. OR DO YOU WANT IT TO SAY ALL THAT IT SAID BEFORE? OKAY, SO A DEVIATION SHALL BE GRANTED FROM SECTION 1130 7.15 TO ALLOW THE ALTERNATIVE TREE SPECIES AROUND THE CELL TOWER FENCE AREA AND NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF TWO ROWS OF EVERGREEN TREES IN ALL AREAS, OR THE 25 FOOT REQUIRED SETBACK FOR THE SECOND ROW, AS SHOWN ON THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. I BELIEVE THAT WAS OUR DISCUSSION.OKAY. SECOND, SO DO I HAVE THAT MOTION? YES. OKAY. AND A SECOND. SECOND. BARRY. YES. DO. YES.
YES. ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES. YES YES. OKAY. THEN I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED.
SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE ANTENNA TOWER FOR PARKWAY CENTER. ARCADIA TOWER, LOCATED AT 1620 BUCKEYE PLACE, SECOND DISCUSSION FOR JUST A SECOND. SURE. COMMENT I SO I APPRECIATE MARY ANN YOU YOU COMING FORTH AND I KNOW WE TALKED AS WELL ONW THE PHONE AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR WARD FOUR. THIS IS CERTAINLY BEEN AN INCREDIBLE TOPIC OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. I KNOW THIS IMPACTS A LOT OF GROVE CITY, AND IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR AND REALLY DESIRING. I KNOW IT IS HARD AS IT GETS CLOSE TO PEOPLE'S RESIDENTS, AND I THINK THAT'S A SENTIMENT WE'VE HEARD SAID A LOT, RIGHT, IS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED CERTAIN THINGS, BUT COULD IT BE OTHER PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY? AND THIS ISN'T THIS ISN'T THE LAST. THIS IS THE FIRST IMPROVEMENT. AND I THINK TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS A STUDY DONE. WE KNOW WE FELL SHORT OF A ROUNDISH NINE TOWERS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT TODD HURLEY HAS SPOKE TO ON MANY OCCASIONS, AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT. SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS SO WELL NEEDED. I THINK EVERYTHING YOU SAID, I COULDN'T SECOND IT. I COULDN'T ECHO IT EVEN MORE IN TERMS OF THE SAFETY AND THE CRITICAL NEED, ESPECIALLY IN THAT HIGH TRAFFIC AREA. SO I JUST WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE COMMENTS AT THIS POINT. THANKS, MADAM. MADAM CHAIR, YES, I'D ALSO BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHETHER MULTIPLE TELECOM VENDORS WILL BE ALLOWED ON THAT, THAT PARTICULAR STRUCTURE. YES, THAT'S ARCADIA TOWERS BUSINESS MODEL TO MAKE IT SUPPORT FIRST ON BASES AT&T MOBILITY. AND THEN WE WILL PROMOTE IT AND MARKET IT TO THE OTHER CARRIERS AS WELL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ORDINANCE? YES, MISS. I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE COMMENTARY RELATED TO WHAT A CHALLENGE THAT THIS HAS BEEN. AND IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO GROVE CITY. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING EXPERIENCED IN MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE DEMAND. FOR ME, IT'S ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, I'M INCONVENIENCED PERIODICALLY AND, YOU KNOW, FIND MYSELF HOLDING UP MY ARM TO SEE IF I CAN GET MORE BARS. BUT BUT I'M USUALLY LIKE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE RESTAURANT I WANT TO GO TO IS STILL OPEN. BUT WHEN YOU REALLY STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE TRUE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO LANDLINES IN MANY OF OUR HOMES, SENIORS ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE LOBBIED OUR SENIORS THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR THEIR CONSUMER CELLULAR PHONE. THEY NEED TO THEY NEED TO HAVE A MOBILE PHONE, ONLY TO FIND OUT NOW THAT THEY ARE CHALLENGED TO HAVE THE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED. THOSE CALLS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ARE, FOR ALL REASONS, TO REACH OUT TO FAMILY MEMBERS. IF THERE'S A MOMENT OF NEED. WE'VE HEARD FROM EXPECTANT MOTHERS WHO ARE CLOSE TO THEIR DELIVERY DATE, WHO DON'T HAVE A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, OR CONCERNED THAT THEIR COMMUNICATION WILL FAIL.
AND THEN, IN THE WORLD OF WORKING FROM HOME AND THE COMMERCE THAT OCCURS USING MOBILE DEVICES TODAY, THERE THERE JUST IS SO MUCH OF THIS PROBLEM THAT BLEEDS INTO EVERY PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY THAT ALTHOUGH THESE ARE SOME CHALLENGES TO FIND LOCATIONS, THIS IS CERTAINLY AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE FITTING IN ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE FOR OUR CONNECTIVITY NETWORK. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. QUICK COMMENT.
[01:20:02]
AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT KEVIN AS I'M SPEAKING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IS FIRST RESPONDERS CAN GET PRIORITY ACCESS TO CELL SERVICE WHEN THEIR CELL TOWERS ARE AVAILABLE, AND THAT SERVICE IS AVAILABLE.AND AS A FORMER FIRST RESPONDER IN RESPONDING AND BEING RECALLED FOR EMERGENCIES, IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT CALL, THAT YOU NEED TO GO BACK INTO THE OFFICE TO PROTECT AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. SO FOR ME, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY MATTER AS WELL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAD A SECOND. WE DO. READY. DO. YES. ROSE. YES. ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES. YES. YES. HARRY.
[Ordinance C-31-25 Amend Section 1135.09(b)(12)F9(c) of the Codified Ordinances titled Retail Dispensing of Medical and Recreational Marijuana. Second reading and public hearing. ]
YES. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ITEM UNDER LANDS THIS EVENING IS ORDINANCE C 3125. AMEND SECTION 1135. 09B 12 F9C OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES TITLED RETAIL DISPENSING OF MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA. THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. UNDER THIS ORDINANCE. I WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS UPDATE SECTION ONE. SECTION NUMBER NINE TO RETAIL DISPENSING OF MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA. IN ADDITION TO THE PROVISIONS FOUND IN SECTION B OF THIS AND FOUND IN B OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING REGULATIONS SHALL APPLY. NO MEDICAL AND OR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA RETAILERS SHALL BE LOCATED WITHIN 500FT, MEASURED FROM THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARCEL LINE OF THE PROHIBITED FACILITY AND THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MARIJUANA FACILITY OF AN OPIATE TREATMENT CENTER. RESIDENTIAL USE CHURCH. PUBLIC LIBRARY, PUBLIC PLAYGROUND, PUBLIC PARK, SCHOOL OR CHILDCARE FACILITY. MR. SMITH? YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.AS YOU READ THERE, THIS WHAT THIS CHANGES IS WHEN WE CREATED THE RULES FOR OUR SPACING. I MEAN, EVERYONE, US, THE STATE, WE ALL AGREE 500FT IS THE RIGHT NUMBER. ALL THIS DOES IS IT CHANGES HOW WE CALCULATE THE 500FT. AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, MIRRORING THE STATE LAW IS NEVER REALLY THAT BAD OF A THING HERE. AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT CUT DOWN, CUTS DOWN ON INCONSISTENCIES, INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS THE STREET WHERE STATE WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND BE LIKE, WAIT, YOU MEASURE IT? HOW VERSUS HOW? WE KNOW IT'S MEASURED EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE. FRANKLY, ALL WE'RE DOING IS CHANGING THIS SO THAT WE MIRROR THE MEASUREMENT THAT'S DONE EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE, AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. MR. SMITH, I HAVE A QUESTION. SO WHEN WE FIRST WENT THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE BACK IN 24, DID WE JUST MISREAD WHAT THE OHIO REVISED CODE WAS? NO, I THINK THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE RUSHED AND DIDN'T PUT THOUGHT INTO IT, BUT I THINK THAT IT WAS JUST LIKE, OH YEAH, PERSONAL I'M PERSONAL LINE. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE'VE LOOKED AT IT AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE WE'VE KIND OF HAD SOME APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD WHERE IT'S LIKE, WELL, IF YOU DO IT THIS WAY, YOU GET ONE RESULT, YOU DO IT THIS WAY, YOU GET ANOTHER RESULT. AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU HAVE INCONSISTENCY LIKE THAT, I THINK MIRRORING THE STATE LAW IS NOT A BAD THING. I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN WE AS A CITY DECIDE TO BRANCH OUT ON OUR OWN AND CHANGE THINGS, THAT'S WHEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE TENDS TO STEP IN AND SAY, STOP DOING THIS. SO I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE, IT MAKES SENSE TO JUST MIRROR HOW STATE LAW HAS DEFINED HOW THE MEASUREMENT WILL OCCUR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. SMITH ON THIS? WE DO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS. PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS. THE FIRST ONE IS MICHELLE PADUCAH. I'M SORRY. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT FOR THIS SPEAKING ON THIS IS JUST REGARDING THE CHANGE OF THE ORDINANCE, NOT ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE ALLOWING THEM OR SPECIAL USE TO STAY ON TOPIC. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, MICHELLE PADUCHIK, 1910 SOUTH CHASE COURT, GROVE CITY, OHIO, 43123. SO I UNDERSTAND AFTER YOU HAD THE FIRST READING, I WASN'T HERE FOR FAMILY REASONS. HOWEVER, I CAME IN AND I WANTED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION. AND AFTER STUDYING IT, TO ME, THE WAY IT READS IS, SAY YOU HAVE A LONG PLOT OF LAND, AND IF YOU PUT THE FACILITY CLOSER TO ONE PART, IT'S MEASURING FROM THE BACK, INSTEAD OF IT BEING FROM PROPERTY LINE TO PROPERTY LINE. NOW IT'S GOING TO BE FROM THE BACK OF THE FACILITY TO THE PROHIBITED PROPERTY LINE, WHICH OPENS UP A LOT MORE PROPERTIES
[01:25:02]
IN GROVE CITY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO OPEN UP MORE PROPERTIES. UNLESS I'M UNDERSTANDING IT INCORRECTLY. IT ISN'T JUST THE BACK, IT'S THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PROHIBITED PROPERTY.SO THAT WOULD BE THE SCHOOL, THE PLAYGROUND FROM THEIR PROPERTY LINE TO THE BUILDING IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. SO IT COULD BE THE FRONT, THE BACK, THE SIDE, ETC. WHEN IT COMES TO SPACING ON THE PROPERTY, WE DO HAVE EVERY PROPERTY IN GROVE CITY HAS SPECIFIC SETBACKS. SO SOMEONE COULDN'T COME IN AND BUILD IT WAY UP IN THE CORNER, LIKE RIGHT ON THE PROPERTY LINE SO THAT THEY COULD GET TO 500FT. WE WOULD HAVE RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THEM FROM DOING THAT. EVERY PARCEL HAS A SETBACK IN GROVE CITY, SO IT SO HARD TO SAY IT OPENS IT UP TO SO MANY MORE PROPERTIES, BECAUSE EVERY SITE AND EVERY BUILDING IS SO SPECIFIC AND WE CAN'T EVEN PREDICT LIKE, WELL, WHAT IF THEY TEAR THAT BUILDING DOWN AND BUILD IT HERE ON THE PROPERTY? YOU KNOW, THEY MAY I DON'T KNOW. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT TRULY OPENS THE DOOR THAT WIDE. I JUST FIND IT. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN GOING DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN AND HAVING A MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY LOCATED, BECAUSE I KNOW TWO PERMITS WERE APPROVED LAST SUMMER AROUND THIS TIME, AND I JUST FELT THE NEED TO SPEAK SO THAT WE CAN STOP IT NOW BEFORE IT EVEN GETS TO THE POINT OF SOMEONE, A VENDOR COMING IN, A POTENTIAL PERSON FOR A STOREFRONT. I JUST WANTED TO STOP IT NOW, AS MR. BERRY HAD ON APRIL 7TH. HE SAID 60% OF HIS CONSTITUENTS DO NOT WANT THIS IN GROVE CITY. AND I WAS TRYING TO STAY ON TOPIC, BUT IT IS ALL ABOUT LIKE WHERE IT'S LOCATED. AND SO THAT IS WHY I JUST WANTED TO COME AND SPEAK NOW. SO IT'S ON RECORD JUST TO STOP IT NOW. AND I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IF I MAY JUST JUST TO CLARIFY SOMETHING YOU SAID, BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU'RE MAKING THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT, WHICH I GET, I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. HOWEVER, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE REVERTING BACK TO WHAT STATE LAW SAYS. IF WE WANTED TO GO SOMEWHERE LESS THAN WHAT STATE LAW SAYS, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE AN ISSUE. SO I DON'T THIS REALLY CAN'T GO FURTHER IN TERMS OF ONCE YOU DO THIS MEASUREMENT. IF THIS COUNCIL CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, STEVEN, DRAFT AN ORDINANCE WHERE THEY SAY THEY CAN'T BE TEN FEET FROM THESE USES, I WOULD SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE UNDER STATE LAW.
SO I DON'T SEE THIS AS THE SLIPPERY SLOPE. I SEE THIS AS KIND OF THE BOTTOM FLOOR IN TERMS OF THIS IS WHAT ALL WE CAN REALLY DO HERE. WELL, I HOPE THAT'S THE CASE. YES. MR. BERRY, THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS REGARDLESS OF THIS, THIS, THEY THEY STILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO IN THE CITY. SO THIS IS AGAIN, I'M OFF TOPIC BECAUSE WE'RE BUT WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE DISTANCE. BUT FOR APPROVAL FOR ANY FACILITY LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE TO COME BACK HERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I JUST WANTED IT TO BE ON RECORD, THAT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP THAT I SEE OF US GOING DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN, AND I DON'T WANT US TO BE JUST PART OF IT'S, WELL, I'LL TALK TO YOU OFF. THANK YOU. MR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE THERE'S ONE OTHER PERSON, JIM HARRINGTON. HARRINGTON.
HARRINGTON AGAIN, I'M SO SORRY. AGAIN, JUST TO REMIND US, STICK UP TO THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JIM HENNINGER, 2755 WOODS CRESCENT. I'D LIKE TO ECHO THIS YOUNG LADY'S FEELINGS, WHICH SHE JUST GAVE TO YOU. WE HAD TWO, TWO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, APRIL 9TH AND APRIL 24TH. FIRST, WHERE WE HAD STANDING ROOM ONLY PEOPLE, WHERE MOST OF THE PEOPLE WERE AGAINST HAVING A MARIJUANA. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND THE CHANGE FOR THE DISTANCE AND THE CHANGE IN THE ORDINANCE APPEARS TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO MAKING IT EASIER FOR COMPANIES TO COME AND PUT IN A DISPENSARY. NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME TILL NOW, TILL THE LAST THING FAILED IN THAT COMPANY. BAILED OUT. THIS LOOKS LIKE A DIRECT. TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR COMPANIES TO COME IN TO BUILD A DISPENSARY HERE.
WHAT? WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOME, SOME SOME TYPE OF A VOTE REFERENDUM SURVEY WITH GROVE CITY? THE WARDS VOTE ON WHETHER THEY WANT A DISPENSARY HERE OR NOT. MR. BERRY HAS DONE IT WITH HIS PEOPLE. WHY DON'T WE HAVE A VOTE WITH ALL FIVE WARDS? YEAH. NO, NO A DISPENSARY. OKAY, OKAY.
[01:30:06]
LET'S SEE. EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME. EVERYBODY, WE GOT TO KEEP DECORUM HERE. I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I APPRECIATE IT, BUT WE NEED TO STAY ON TOPIC HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEFER, OKAY. FROM THIS. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS LOOKS LIKE A DIRECT ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT SIMPLER FOR COMPANIES TO BUILD A DISPENSARY HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YES. MR. SMITH, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ANY MORE ON THAT? I THINK I, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. YEAH. ANY MORE. YES. MR. BERRY? MR. MR. SMITH, AM I CORRECT THAT THEY THAT ANYTHING THAT'S PROPOSED HAS TO COME BEFORE US? YEAH. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS COUNCIL HAS SINGLED OUT MARIJUANA. MARIJUANA? SORRY. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. THIS COUNCIL HAS SINGLED OUT MARIJUANA AND HAS REQUIRED THE EXTRA ZONING STEP. MOST BUSINESSES IF YOU MEET THE ZONING CAN GO IN. THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME VISIT COUNCIL. HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO MARIJUANA AND SOME OTHER UNIQUE USES IN OUR CODE, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK AND GET WHAT'S CALLED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, WHICH MEANS WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE USES MAY HAVE A SLIGHTLY GREATER IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. THEREFORE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM JUMP THROUGH ANOTHER HOOP, WHICH IS OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO NO. NO APP OR NO MARIJUANA DISPENSARY CAN BE OPENED WITHOUT IT COMING BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL WHERE YOU AS RESIDENTS AND EVERYONE WOULD GET TWO BITES AT THE APPLE. WELL, REALLY, YOUR SECOND READING TO COME AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS LIKE YOU HAVE THE LAST TWO THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS TURNED DOWN OR APPROVED. AND THEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW HOW IT ALL WORKS. BUT SO THIS DOESN'T CHANGE THAT PROCESS. THERE'S STILL THAT EXTRA STEP THAT IT HAS TO COME BACK. ANY APPLICATION BEFORE COUNCIL. AS FAR AS WE KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A PENDING APPLICATION RIGHT NOW. I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T THINK THE STATE'S GIVEN ANY MORE. YEAH. I MEAN WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS A TOPIC THAT A LOT OF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE AN APPLICATION PENDING RIGHT NOW. NO, NO, THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. MY COMMENTS WOULD BE I KNOW WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS LAST YEAR AS FAR AS THIS ORDINANCE, I WAS WE WERE I FEEL THAT I WAS INFORMED I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT WE WERE IN LINE WITH THE STATE LAWS OF THE 500FT, AND WE JUST HAD, WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE RESIDENTIAL. SO WHEN THIS WAS DETERMINED, WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING THE STATE REVISED CODE. RIGHT. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? WE WERE YEAH, WE OURS WAS SLIGHTLY MORE RESTRICTIVE. OBVIOUSLY WE ADDED THE RESIDENTIAL, BUT THEN LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE RESIDENTIAL PART OF ADDING IT. I'M NOT SURE THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING THROUGH THE LOGISTICS IN TERMS OF HOW TO MEASURE THE 500FT, BUT NOW WE ARE MIRRORING THE STATE. YEAH, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS JUST MIRRORING THE SAME STANDARDS THAT EXIST IN THE STATE OF OHIO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, I, I THOUGHT WE WERE BUT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY WE WEREN'T. SO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ORDINANCE. I DO YEAH. SO I GUESS I WILL SAY THAT ON MY FIRST READ THROUGH AND IN MY INITIAL CONVERSATION WITH MR. SMITH ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ADJUSTMENT OF OUR MEASURING TECHNIQUE TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OHIO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE ON ON THE SAME MATTER, I ON THE SURFACE WAS LIKE, OH, YEAH, SURE. WE'RE GOING TO BRING OURSELVES IN ALIGNMENT WITH STATE LAW. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONVERSATION WENT FURTHER AND THERE WAS REFERENCE MADE TO A SPECIFIC LOCATION. AND THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED BY SUCH A CHANGE IN OUR MEASUREMENT STRATEGY. AND SO THAT LOCATION IS ON JACKPOT ROAD. AND THAT LOCATION ON JACKPOT ROAD IS VERY CLOSE TO THE OHIO ADDICTION RECOVERY CENTER. AND SO I FEEL THAT IT'S MY JOB TO SPEAK TO. AND, YOU KNOW, I WON'T GO THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THIS DISCUSSION FOR ME BECAUSE I FEEL THIS THIS TONIGHT IS KIND OF ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE COULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM PUTTING A PIN IN THIS AND LEARNING ABOUT MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES IN THE STATE OF OHIO, KIND OF GETTING OUR PROVERBIAL ACT TOGETHER BEFORE WE OPEN THE DOOR FOR GROVE CITY TO CONSIDER DISPENSARIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. BUT MOREOVER, I WILL GO BACK TO[01:35:07]
MY WORK ON CREATING AN ACTION PLAN FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND PREVENT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. AND WHEN WE WERE UNDERTAKING THAT PROCESS, WE HAD TWO MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF THE OHIO ADDICTION RECOVERY CENTER GIVING A NOD TO MR. TITFORD IN THE BACK, WHO WAS IN THE ROOM FOR ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS. THEY WERE VERY COMMITTED. THEY PARTICIPATED IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, AND THEY STUCK WITH IT FROM BEGINNING TO END UNTIL WE HAD A PLAN DOCUMENT. SO FROM MY PURPOSES, AS I THINK ALL THINGS LEGISLATIVE, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. SO UNDERSTANDING THE DETAILS OF THE UNDERLYING FACTS THAT LEAD TO THIS TYPE OF A CHANGE IN IN OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROVISIONS. FOR ME, IT JUST DOESN'T SIT WELL. I AGAIN, THERE ARE ALSO NO ILLUSIONS. I HAVE BEEN IN FAVOR OF OUR PUTTING A HOLD ON THIS. I DO THINK THAT THERE IS THE NEED TO TALK WITH OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, OR THE POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE AT THIS DAIS, BETWEEN A YES VOTE FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA AND THE DESIRE FOR A DISPENSARY IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE INCONVENIENT TO US IN GROVE CITY, THINGS WE DON'T HAVE, AMENITIES THAT WE DRIVE A LONG WAY TO GET TO. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SAY AS A REPRESENTATIVE VOICE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE WORRIED THAT IT'S A SHORTER DRIVE TO A MARIJUANA DISPENSARY. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MR. BERRY, I WOULD JUST I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, I ECHO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CHRISTINE MENTIONED AND EVERYTHING, BUT FOR ME, BEING IN LINE WITH STATE LAW IS IMPORTANT. I MEAN, BECAUSE IT CREATES A LOT OF OTHER LEGAL ISSUES THAT CAN COME DOWN THE PIKE. BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IF SOMETHING IS PROPOSED. WE'VE HEARD IT 3 OR 4 TIMES THAT IT HAS TO COME BACK BEFORE US, AND WE HAVE TO APPROVE THAT LOCATION, AND WE HAVE TO APPROVE WHATEVER IS PUT IN THERE. SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT. THANK YOU. MR. BERRY. SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS.THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS SECOND READING AND I MOVE THAT IT BE APPROVED. SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING I MOVE IT BE APPROVED SECOND. MOROSE. YES. ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES.
HOUK. NO. HOLT. YES. YEAH. EXCUSE ME. YES. BARRY. YES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN OUR HANDS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MISS BURROWS. THAT BRINGS US TO SAFETY, MISS ANDERSON. YES.
[Ordinance C-32-25 Amend Section 331.44 of the Codified Ordinances titled Texting While Driving Prohibited. Second reading and public hearing. ]
THANK YOU. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE ORDINANCE C 3225. IT IS TO AMEND SECTION 33 1.44 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES TITLED TEXTING WHILE DRIVING PROHIBITED. THIS IS THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THIS SECTION TITLED TEXTING WHILE DRIVING PROHIBITED TO BE AMENDED TO STATE ELECTRONIC WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE REGULATIONS. ALSO, WIRELESS TELEPHONE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A TELEPHONE THAT IS PHYSICALLY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE VIA A CHARGING CABLE OR OTHERWISE. AND YEAH, LAW DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AND I HAD FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS OR WHY I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU DO THIS. WE WERE I WAS COVERING MAYOR'S COURT LAST WEEK. I HAD THREE CASES IN A ROW WHERE PEOPLE WERE CITED WITH TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM CAME IN AND SAID, BUT I WASN'T TEXTING, I WAS TALKING, OR I WAS DIALING A NUMBER. I WAS LOOKING UP A CONTACT. I WAS PUTTING IN DIRECTIONS. AND THE ANSWER UNDER OHIO LAW IS YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WHILE TOUCHING YOUR PHONE OR HAVING YOUR PHONE BE SUPPORTED BY ANY PART OF YOUR BODY. SO THEY WERE VIOLATING THE LAW, BUT IT WAS CONFUSING AS TO WHAT THE LAW WAS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL LIKE, BUT I WASN'T TEXTING. AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY WHAT'S PROHIBITED. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PROHIBITED. SO ALL THIS DOES IS IT CHANGES THE TITLE TO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE REGULATIONS THAT WHEN YOU'RE USING A WIRELESS PHONE, THE OTHER THING AND MR. BOSO BROUGHT THIS UP, HE GOES, WELL, IF THE PHONE IS PLUGGED IN, IT'S NO LONGER WIRELESS. CAN I STILL BE ON IT THEN? BECAUSE HOW MANY PEOPLE CHARGE THEIR PHONE IN THEIR CAR AND WE'RE LIKE, NO, THAT'S STILL A WIRELESS DEVICE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PLUGGED INTO YOUR CAR. THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE TO THE LAW. THIS DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVELY IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO, WHICH IS BASICALLY BE HOLDING, TOUCHING, OR SUPPORTING YOUR[01:40:03]
MOBILE PHONE WITH ANY PART OF YOUR BODY WHILE DRIVING. THAT'S IT. THAT IS BASED ON OHIO STATE LAW. YEAH. THIS. YEAH. I MEAN, THE ONLY THING WE DID IS WE CLARIFIED WIRELESS PHONE INCLUDES IF IT'S PLUGGED IN CHARGING BECAUSE THEN IT'S LIKE IS IT WIRELESS? WELL IT'S PLUGGED IN. NO THAT WAS CHUCK ANDERSON. YES. SO JUST TO CLARIFY AGAIN THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH STATE LAW. OH YEAH. WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING FROM STATE LAW. LIKE I SAID, THE LAW IS THE LAW. IT STAYS THE SAME. YOU CAN'T TOUCH SUPPORT, USE YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING UNLESS IT'S IN HANDS FREE MODE, AND YOU CAN'T BE HOLDING IT OR SUPPORTING IT WITH ANY PART OF YOUR BODY. MR. ANDERSON. YES. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. I CAN TELL MY PHONE TEXT. STEPHEN.THAT'S FINE. AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT HOLDING YOUR PHONE OR YOU CAN DO ALL THAT. AND I CAN SAY, I CAN EVEN SAY, LOOK UP THIS. RESTAURANT 100%. AND AS LONG AS I DON'T TOUCH IT, THAT IS CORRECT. AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT TOUCHING IT OR SUPPORTING YOUR PHONE IN ANY WAY, IF YOU HAVE IT IN ITS LITTLE HOLDER THING, OR IF IT'S IN YOUR CONSOLE AND YOU DO ALL THAT, YOU'RE NOT VIOLATING THE LAW, SIR. BECAUSE TECHNICALLY I'M TALKING TO MY CAR AT THAT POINT. YES YOU ARE.
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF IT EVER TALKS BACK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING AND I MOVE IT BE APPROVED SECOND.
ANDERSON. YES. WILSON. YES, YES YES YES YES YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE OTHER THING IS THE POLICE CAME TO ME AND SAID, PLEASE CHANGE THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE YELLING AT US SAYING, BUT I WASN'T TEXTING, I WAS DOING X. AND IT'S LIKE, YEAH, YOU STILL CAN'T DO THAT. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR SAFETY. THANK YOU,
[Ordinance C-33-25 Declare the realignment of North Meadows Drive as a benefit to the Pinnacle Tax Increment Financing Development Area. First reading. ]
MISS ANDERSON. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOVES ON TO SERVICE. MR. DO THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.ORDINANCE C 3325 DECLARING THE REALIGNMENT OF NORTH MEADOWS DRIVE AS A BENEFIT TO THE PINNACLE TAX INCENTIVE FINANCING DEVELOPMENT AREA. THIS IS THE FIRST READING. SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON AUGUST THE 18TH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU MR. AND FINALLY
[Resolution CR-32-25 Approval by Council to invest Staff time and to expend Financial Resources at Brookpark Middle School. ]
PARKS WITH MR. BERRY. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. RESOLUTION CR 3225 APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL TO INVEST STAFF TIME TO EXPEND FINANCIAL RESOURCES AT BROOK PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS, JACK OR JACK COMMENT, MR. CASTLE? GOOD EVENING. SO WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU POSTPONE THIS RESOLUTION UNTIL THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. WE'VE HAD SOME SOME PARK BOARD MEMBERS VISIT BROOK PARK SINCE IT'S BEEN CLEANED UP. SOUTHWESTERN HAS DONE A THEY MOVED IN, AS YOU RECENTLY KNOW, AND THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF CLEANING UP THE FACILITY AND A LOT OF THE ROOMS. AND SO WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PARK BOARD MEMBERS VISIT AND HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART ABOUT WHAT THAT FACILITY COULD DO FOR US. SO AT OUR NEXT UPCOMING PARK BOARD MEETING, WE'D LIKE THE ENTIRE PARK BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME OUT AND VISIT THE FACILITY, SEE THE ROOMS, HEAR THE CONCEPT OF HOW WE COULD UTILIZE THOSE ROOMS AND WHEN WE COULD UTILIZE THEM, AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST. CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. WE HAVE A REQUEST TO POSTPONE, SO I'LL MAKE A REQUEST TO POSTPONE. SOMEBODY WANTS TO SECOND IT.SECOND, WAIT TILL AUGUST. AUGUST 18TH. AUGUST 18TH. I'M SORRY. I DID HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN. I JUST DIDN'T SAY IT. SECOND. WILSON. YES, YES. YES YES YES YES. ANDERSON. YES. AND I THERE'S WELL, I'M SURE THE MAYOR'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ALUMNI, SO WE'LL, I WON'T MENTION IT NOW.
[Call for New Business]
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THIS BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF OUR BUSINESS AGENDA. IF THERE IS ANY NEW BUSINESS TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL'S ATTENTION, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO. I HAVE THIS EVENING SIGNED UP JEFF BUSKIRK BACK. JEFF, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, JEFF BUSKIRK FOUR FIVE, FIVE SEVEN CLAIBORNE DRIVE, GROVE CITY, OHIO. AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE DISCUSSIONS YOU HAVE HAD ON THE CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. AND I'M GOING TO REALLY DO A QUICK SUMMARY WITHOUT THE DETAILS, IS THAT COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING CHANGING[01:45:08]
THE GOVERNMENT, ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATING THE MAYOR POSITION AND GIVING THAT POWER TO COUNCIL. AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCES THERE, BUT WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME ON SOME LEVEL, I FEEL THAT IT DISENFRANCHIZES THE VOTERS OF GROVE CITY RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR CURRENT GOVERNMENT. IF I GET MAD AT, I CAN CHUCK, HEY, I VOTE V M OUT, I CAMPAIGN, I VOTE AGAINST THEM. BUT IF YOU HAVE A FORM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU TAKE THOSE POWERS OVER AND I GET FRUSTRATED WITH THE CITY AND ANGRY AT THE GOVERNMENT, I ONLY GET TO VOTE FOR THREE OF YOU. I STRUGGLE WITH THAT. I GUESS I CAN GO CAMPAIGN FOR OTHER CANDIDATES AND OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT IT BECOMES A LOT MORE DIFFICULT TO CHANGE UP THE ADMINISTRATION. IF YOU CHANGE UP THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT. SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT BECAUSE I AM REALLY STRUGGLING WITH IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF NEW BUSINESS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS OUT THERE? MAYOR? STATE. THANK YOU, MADAM[Call for Dept. Reports & Closing Comments]
CHAIR. I DO HAVE A MEDICAL REPORT AND THE TOTAL ASSESSED FINES AND FEES FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, OR 57,959 70. AND I ASK THE COUNCIL APPROVE THE REPORT AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY. YES. YES. BARRY. YES. YOU. YES. BURROWS. YES. ANDERSON. YES.WILSON. YES. SO MY SECOND COMMENT IS THIS PICTURE. PIECE OF INCREDIBLE WORK. IT'S AGAINST ROAD BRIDGE OVER 270. AND THAT IS QUITE A BIKE TRAIL. WHAT'S THE PROPER WORD? SHARED USE PATH. SHARED USE PATH. BUT HATS OFF TO CINDY AND HER CREW AND MH AND T IN GETTING THIS THROWN INTO THAT PROJECT. BECAUSE IT ISN'T IN GROVE CITY, AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT BEING A SOMEWHAT OF A BIG DOG IN THE IN THE AREA, WE WERE ABLE TO EXERT SOME ENCOURAGEMENT AND THAT IS QUITE A QUITE A PATH. AND AGAIN, HATS OFF TO HIM. H AND T AND CINDY, I'LL DEFER SOME OF MY TIME TO MR. FITZPATRICK. I JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY THANK ODOT AND THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS WERE TRUE PARTNERS IN THIS. THEY BROUGHT BOTH FUNDING AND THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO MAKING THIS. ORIGINALLY, THE PROJECT WAS PLANNED WITH JUST A SIDEWALK ACROSS IT, AND BOTH THE CITY OF COLUMBUS ON ONE SIDE AND GROVE CITY ON THE OTHER SIDE WERE CLAMORING THAT WE WOULD LIKE OUR INTERNAL NETWORKS TO CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER. AND SO WE APPROACHED TOGETHER ODOT, AND THEY WERE OPEN AND WILLING TO ADJUST THEIR DESIGN AND INCORPORATE IT INTO THE CONSTRUCTION. WE CAME TO AGREEMENTS ON HOW WE COULD HELP SUPPORT IT FINANCIALLY. SO THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS FOR THAT PIECE AS WELL. BUT AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT REALLY DID TURN OUT GREAT. AND NOW WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO CONNECTING TO COLUMBUS. IF I COULD, MADAM CHAIR, I'D ALSO LIKE TO HAVE MISS FITZPATRICK BRING UP SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE ALUMNI WEEKEND. WE HAVE A WAY OF MONITORING CERTAIN THINGS WE DO. WE HAVE SOME EXCELLENT TECHNOLOGY CALLED PLACER.AI THAT GIVES US SOME DATA AROUND OUR EVENTS. AND I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOVE OUT OF THE MAYOR'S PLAYBOOK AND ASK JACK CASTLE TO COME ON UP AND SHARE THAT DATA WITH YOU GUYS, I LOVE IT. OKAY, SO FIRST WE'LL START WITH THE ALUMNI SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. VERY DIFFICULT WEEKEND FOR SOFTBALL. THERE WAS LOTS OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING WHICH CAUSED DELAYS. AND THEN OF COURSE THERE WAS RAIN OFF AND O. AND IN FACT HEAVY RAIN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN INTO SUNDAY AS WELL. SO WE ENDED UP ONLY PLAYING ON SUNDAY ON THE FOURTH SYNTHETIC TURF FIELDS, BUT SOME INTERESTING NUMBERS. THE ALUMNI TOURNAMENT WAS ALL HELD AT FRIAR PARK THIS YEAR, NOWHERE ELSE 13,500 VISITS TOTAL. COMPARE THAT TO 2024,
[01:50:01]
WHERE IT WAS HELD OVER TWO DAYS AT MURFIN AND FRIAR PARK, AND THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 11,400 VISITS. SO BRINGING IT ALL TO ONE SITE DID GENERATE A LOT MORE INTEREST AND BRING BRING OUT A LOT MORE PEOPLE FOR THE EVENT. EVEN THOUGH THE TEAM NUMBERS WERE RIGHT AROUND THE SAME.LOOKING AT THE ALUMNI CELEBRATION, WHICH WAS IN TOWN CENTER PARK ON FRIDAY NIGHT, THIS WAS A DIFFICULT SITUATION. IN 2024, THERE WAS NO FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES, SO THERE WAS NO COMPETITION FOR THAT. FOR THAT EVENT DOWNTOWN, THERE WAS GREAT WEATHER AND SO WE HAD 6300 VISITORS ON THAT FRIDAY NIGHT IN 2024. THIS YEAR, WITH THE LIGHTNING DELAYS AND THUNDER DELAYS, THE BAND ACTUALLY DIDN'T GO ON TILL ABOUT 9:00 AND THEY PLAYED JUST A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR. SO THEY DIDN'T. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO COME ON AT SEVEN. DIDN'T GO ON UNTIL NINE, BUT WE STILL IN THE DORA AREA SAW 3400 VISITORS THAT NIGHT. WOW. WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE AND BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. DO YOU HAVE ANY? THANK YOU FOR OUTSTANDING STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PLUG IT IN FOR THE MAYOR. THIS TOMORROW NIGHT IS A NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IN THE TOWN CENTER PARK. WE DO DID HAVE A RETIREMENT LAST WEEK. MICHELLE DENNY, WHO HAD BEEN HERE I THINK A LITTLE OVER 30 YEARS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BUT A REAL TROUPER IN INITIATING THE PARK PROGRAM AND THE ACTIVITIES AT THE GANS BARN. JUST INCREDIBLE YOUNG LADY, AND WE SURE APPRECIATE HER SERVICE. WE WERE NOTIFIED THROUGH AND THEIR GRANT WRITING PERSON THAT THE LITTLE THEATER OFF BROADWAY WAS AWARDED A $7,000 GRANT. THANKS TO OUR WORK AND THEIR WORK, AND BE A NICE THING TO SHARE WITH THEM AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DO ON THURSDAY. IT'S PURPLE HEART DAY, AND THAT'S WE'LL BE AT CENTRAL PARK AT 10:00. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE SACRIFICES OF THE THOSE WHO ARE PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS. WE'VE BEEN A PURPLE HEART CITY, I THINK, SINCE 2017, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A BUSINESS FORUM LAST WEDNESDAY AT THE CONVENTION CENTER BY WAS PUT ON BY BUSINESS FIRST, AND THE FEATURE SUBJECT WAS ANDREA, THAT'S A COMPANY THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILDING THE DRONES OUT BY RICKENBACKER. INCREDIBLE. I MEAN, THE PLACE WAS PACKED, I THINK NEAR TO 500 PEOPLE. AND THAT THE REASON WHY THEY PICKED COLUMBUS, PICKED PICKAWAY COUNTY WERE VERY INTERESTING. THEY FELT SAFE. THEY FELT WELCOME. THEY FELT THAT THE OHIO DID NOT HAVE THE NOT IN MY BACKYARD ATTITUDE, THAT OHIO WAS VERY OPEN. AND THAT'S GOING TO GENERATE 4000 EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS, 1 MILLION OR 5,000,000FTā !S UNDER ROOF. AND I NOTICED TODAY THAT GROVEPORT HAS A ITEM ON THEIR AGENDA ABOUT HOUSING, EXCUSE ME, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THAT AS WELL. BUT AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING PRESENTATION BY THE WAY THEY GO UNDERWATER. ALSO, THEY DON'T JUST DO DRONES, PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT IS ON SEPTEMBER THE 6TH AND SEVENTH. I WILL ASK COUNCIL NEXT MEETING TO DO AN APPROPRIATION TO SOUTH-WESTERN CITY SCHOOLS. THEY GOT TURNED DOWN FOR THE GRANT THAT THEY'D HAD OVER TWO YEARS FROM THE STATE OF OHIO. AND THEY DO NEED SOME FUNDING. IT'D BE FOR THE ADULT EDUCATION SIDE. SO I'LL COME TO COUNCIL WITH AN APPROPRIATION, PROBABLY IN THE 50 TO $75,000 RANGE. THAT'S. OH, BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE THINGS REGARDING THE COMMUNITY CENTER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY TALKED ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, BUT MR. FITZPATRICK AND MR. CASSELL WENT OVER TO HERE AND HAD A GREAT DAY OF GETTING THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND IT WAS MOSTLY PUT ON BY THE CONTRACTORS AND THE SITE PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE KEEPING THAT THAT THING ROLLING AND GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR, FOR THEM AS WELL. ANY QUESTION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. NOTHING MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BOZO. MISS KELLY, WE HAVE A NEW ART SHOW THAT JUST LOADED TODAY. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT. I BELIEVE IT IS FROM ART TEACHERS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT MANY OF THEM MAY BE FOR SALE. AND WE'LL HAVE
[01:55:01]
THE REST OF IT UP LATER THIS WEEK. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH. I'VE SAID WAY TOO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE ROOM. MR. TURNER. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. YOU DID RECEIVE THIS SUMMARY FINANCIAL REPORT AND CAUCUS. I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS THESE NUMBERS ALL COME FROM OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS A 200 PAGE PLUS REPORT. IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE. THERE'S TONS OF GOOD INFORMATION IN THERE. ALL THE INVESTMENTS OF THE CITY ARE DETAILED. THE DEBT OF THE CITY, OUR PENSION PLANS, VARIOUS FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. I RECOMMEND YOU LOOK AT IT AND THE FOOTNOTES ARE CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT THE FINANCIAL INDICATIONS OF THE CITY. BUT WHAT I GAVE YOU TONIGHT WILL BE ONLINE TOMORROW. AND ALL THESE NUMBERS COME FROM THE LARGER REPORT, BUT IT'S JUST MORE OF A READER FRIENDLY SUMMARY THAT YOU CAN, IN A QUICK READ, GET AN INDICATION OF HOW THE CITY PERFORMED LAST YEAR. FINANCIALLY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. BARRY. I GOT A QUESTION, MIKE. I MEAN, IN ALL, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS THIS GOES BACK, BUT IS THIS THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR IN 2024. WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN A LONG TIME THAT WE DID NOT SEE REAL INCOME. WELL, REAL INCOME TAX GROWTH. I THINK THAT'S CORRECT. $2.5 MILLION. IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER NOT ON A ON A CASH BASIS. WE WERE, I BELIEVE, ABOUT $1 MILLION SHORT.AND THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ALL THE TIME. I BELIEVE THE NUMBER YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS ON AN ACCRUAL BASIS. IT'S ON THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. I COULD GIVE YOU A DETAIL THERE. BUT THE ACCRUAL BASIS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THE TAXES WERE ACTUALLY EARNED NOT WHEN IT WAS COLLECTED. SO I THINK FOR EASE SAKE. AND YOU'RE RIGHT WE DID NOT WE DID NOT HAVE AN INCREASE LAST YEAR. WE HAD A DECREASE. IT WAS $1 MILLION. AND THAT'S ONCE AGAIN ON A CASH BASIS. SO AND JUST JUST IN GENERAL, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENED? I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU WHY THE, THE WITHHOLDING. WE GET THREE SOURCES OF INCOME TAXES. THE MAJOR SOURCE IS WITHHOLDING.
SO ANY BUSINESS OPERATING IN GROVE CITY HAS TO WITHHOLD 2% ON THE WAGES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY LIVE UPON. THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL PORTION. SO ANYBODY THAT'S IN BUSINESS FOR THEMSELF WOULD WOULD PAY TAXES. PARTNERS, PEOPLE OF THAT NATURE PAY TAXES.
AND THAT'S OUR SMALLEST PORTION OF TAX INCOME TAX REVENUE. BUT THE PORTION THAT IS VERY UNSTABLE OR NET PROFIT. SO THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE TO REPORT WITHHOLDING ALSO HAVE TO PAY 2% OF THEIR NET PROFITS. AND IT GETS REALLY COMPLICATED BECAUSE IT IT'S NOT ONLY LIKE LET'S JUST TAKE A NATIONAL CHAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NET PROFITS MIGHT BE IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THERE'S AN ALLOCATION PERCENTAGE. SO WE MIGHT GET A LARGE PAYMENT FROM A COMPANY LIKE THAT THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE IT EXISTS IN GROVE CITY. AND WE HAD A DECREASE IN NET PROFITS IN 2024 COMPARED TO 2023. AND I'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT THIS. THE REASON THIS HAPPENED WAS COMPANIES PAY THEIR NET PROFITS BASED ON EXPECTATIONS. SO WE RECORD IT AS INCOME TAX RECEIVED. AND THEN WHEN THEY ACTUALLY FILE THE RETURN, THEY COULD EVEN BE A CASE WHERE THEY DON'T PAY MORE, BUT WE HAVE TO RETURN MONEY TO THEM. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER OF 2024. WE HAD TO RETURN $1 MILLION TO A SPECIFIC COMPANY, AND THE REASONS THIS IS HAPPENING IS REALLY JUST A HANDFUL OF VERY LARGE CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN, AND THEY'RE FAIRLY NEW TO THE CITY, AND THEY'RE MAKING VERY LARGE DEPOSITS ONCE AGAIN BASED ON EXPECTATIONS. SO WE MAY SEE SOME MORE OF THAT THIS YEAR THROUGH THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS WERE NEARLY IDENTICAL TO LAST YEAR. SO I, I THINK IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE, BUT NOBODY CAN PREDICT WHAT NET PROFITS ARE GOING TO BE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. IT'S VERY. WISHY WASHY, I GUESS. I DON'T KNOW THE WORD FOR IT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. TEDFORD. YES. MADAM PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF OUR STREET WRITING, TEXTING TICKETS AND LISTENING TO COMPLAINTS FROM VIOLATORS AS TO WHY THEY WEREN'T DOING THAT. AND ON BEHALF OF THE CLERKS WHO LISTENERS, THANK YOU FOR VOTING TO CHANGE THE HEAD
[02:00:07]
FOR THAT TEXTING. AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON DIRECTOR JACK'S COMMENTS ON THE TOURNAMENT AND THE ALUMNI, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE AT TOURNAMENTS AND NO SIGNIFICANT EVENTS. SO SHOUT OUT TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SHOUT OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE CARRYING BASEBALL BATS AND DRINKING ALCOHOL. AND WE HAD NO ISSUES. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. MR. CASTLE. HE'S BACK. I JUST WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE OF MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM WHAT THE MAYOR ADDED THAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK, SATURDAY AT 530 TO 730 AT THE BIG SPLASH. WE'RE HAVING A FAMILY GAME NIGHT SO THAT THAT'LL BE A FUN THING. THEY'RE BRINGING OUT GAMES ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DECK AND EVERYTHING, SO YOU CAN PLAY AND ROTATE THROUGH THOSE GAMES WHILE YOU SWIM AND ENJOY THE EVENING. AND SUNDAY. WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY DAY AT THE BIG SPLASH THAT STARTS AT 430. WE'LL GO TILL SEVEN, AND NOT ONLY CAN YOU COME IN AND SWIM AND ONLY PAY $2 PER PERSON, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MEMBER. BUT ALSO THAT NIGHT IS A MOVIE NIGHT AT THE BIG SPLASH. SO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. AND THEN ALSO, I THINK YOU YOU'VE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR REGARDING AN INTRODUCING THE BREAK ROOM. THE BREAK ROOM IS SOMETHING THAT SOME INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS CAME TOGETHER AND WORKED ON TO PRODUCE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN DURING EVENTS IN TOWN CENTER, AND IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED AT THE MAYOR'S COURT. AND IT'S REALLY JUST A CALM, LOW STIMULATION AREA. AND IT OFFERS A QUIET BREAK FROM THE EXUBERANT ACTIVITY. WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE AND WE THINK THIS IS ONE BRILLIANT WAY TO START START THAT OFF. SO REALLY APPRECIATE DEPARTMENTS TALKING AND COMING UP AND BRAINSTORMING AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. OKAY.THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE. OH YES. I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE IN TERMS OF OUR EFFORTS WITH THE UPDATE OF THE GROVE CITY 2050 COMMUNITY PLAN, WE ARE CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP THE INITIAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PORTION OF THE PLAN UPDATE. HOPEFULLY YOU'VE SEEN US OUT AT SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS RECENTLY. WE'VE TRIED TO BE AS OPEN AND AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO HAVE THE ONLINE SURVEY, WHICH WE'VE RECEIVED MORE THAN 300 RESPONSES SO FAR ON THAT, JUST TO COMPARE IT TO OUR ORIGINAL PLAN ADOPTED IN 2018, WE GOT 120 ONLINE SURVEYS FOR THAT. WE HAD 100 PEOPLE COME TO A PUBLIC WORKSHOP FOR THE ORIGINAL PLAN. RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 50 PEOPLE IN TERMS OF AN IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, WE ARE STILL WORKING ON GETTING OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR THOSE IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS. FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE FILLING OUT AN ONLINE SURVEY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SESSION COMING UP WEDNESDAY EVENING AT 630 AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP. SO ALL ARE WELCOME AND INVITED TO THIS EVENT. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE ANALYZING WHO WE HAVE HEARD FROM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING MORE TARGETED OUTREACH EFFORTS SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM A BROAD RANGE OF RESIDENTS REPRESENTING OUR DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS AND GEOGRAPHY OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE. AND AS YOU ARE LOOKING TO, LIKE YOU SAID, KIND OF FIGURE OUT THAT MAYBE BROADER REACH, ARE YOU LOOKING SPECIFICALLY IN DIFFERENT WORDS TO BE ABLE TO TRY AND CAPTURE RESIDENTS A LITTLE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY ARE? YES. SO AT THE END OF THE ONLINE SURVEY AND THE IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENTS, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE IN TERMS OF WARDS OR IF THEY LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE A LITTLE HEAVY IN A COUPLE OF THE WARDS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE A LITTLE LIGHT IN OTHERS, SO WE'RE TRYING TO REACH OUT TO OUR STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS RIGHT NOW TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN HELP US ENGAGE CERTAIN RESIDENT GROUPS WITHIN THOSE WARDS.
GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. FANTASTIC. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO COUNCIL'S CLOSING COMMENTS, MR. DUKE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE EARLY, BUT SCHOOL WILL BE STARTING AND KIDS WILL BE BACK AND BUSSES WILL BE RUNNING. I RAN INTO I SAW I DIDN'T RUN INTO HIM THREE SCHOOL BUSSES WHILE I WAS OUT TRAVELING AROUND GROVE CITY AND THE TOWNSHIP. SO WE GOT TO START WATCHING AND GETTING USED TO BIGGER VEHICLES IN FRONT OF US. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, MR. DU. MR. BERRY, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ALUMNI WEEKEND WITH ALL THE HURDLES WAS IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY.
ALSO WANT TO REACH OUT TO MR. HAMMONDS OVER THERE. I WAS GETTING I WAS OVER GETTING A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I'M TEXTING HIM ADDRESSES AND
[02:05:01]
EVERYTHING. AND MISS KELLY IS ON VACATION AND I'M TEXTING HER AND TO FIND OUT, SHE ANSWERED ALL THE CALLS EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS ON THE BEACH AND ACTUALLY CALLS FROM RESIDENTS, TOO. BUT MR. HAMS, THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM. YOU ARE OUT THERE. YOU ANSWERED EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS. YOU YOU HELPED THEM OUT. AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEY APPRECIATE IT TOO. I JUST AS WE WERE SITTING HERE, I'VE GOTTEN FOUR PEOPLE THAT THAT INQUIRED THAT ARE VERY HAPPY THAT YOU CAME OUT AND LOOKED AT THEIR SIDEWALKS. SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. HOLT.JUST A REMINDER, OUR THE COMMUNITY CENTER STUDY HAS TWO COMMITTEES, A FINANCE COMMITTEE AND A SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE. AND IN AN UPCOMING MEETING, WE'LL HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM THOSE SITE SELECTION AND HOW TO FINANCE THE COMMUNITY CENTER. SO STAY TUNED TO YOUR PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS SO YOU CAN HEAR THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THOSE COMMITTEES. THANK YOU, MR. HOLT.
GOOD REMINDER, MISS BURROWS. DON'T HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY THIS EVENING, EXCEPT THERE IS ANOTHER BIG EVENT GOING ON DOWNTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT, AND THAT IS THE BOURBON AND SPIRITS FESTIVAL. SO AGAIN, LIKE MR. DU SAID, MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE. PEDESTRIANS WALKING AROUND, GOLF CARTS DRIVING. SO IT SHOULD I DON'T KNOW HOW THE WEATHER'S GOING TO BE, BUT IT SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND FOR THE TOWN CENTER. AND WE'LL I'M SURE WE'RE TRACKING THOSE NUMBERS AND VISITATIONS TO OUR TOWN CENTER WITH THAT AS WELL. MR. MAYOR, WE'LL BE FINDING OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT DRAWS. YEAH, YOU'LL BE WATCHING. OKAY. VERY FINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ANDERSON. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. YES. I, TOO, WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR. HAMMONDS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. CHUCK, I TRY TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT. I TRY TO WALK AND RUN IN THE MORNING AND NOTICED THE ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE STORM DRAINS IN MY COMMUNIT, AND SENT A PICTURE AND A EMAIL REAL QUICK TO CHUCK. AND WITHIN 24 HOURS IT WAS A RESPONSE. AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEEN SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. SO I JUST LOVE THE WAY OUR DEPARTMENTS RESPOND TO THE COMMUNITY IN SUCH A RAPID MANNER. YOU DON'T GET THAT EVERYWHERE, SO SHOUT OUT TO YOU ALL FOR THAT. AND THEN NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, IF YOU'VE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ANY NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT, I HIGHLY SUGGEST IT. RECOMMENDED.
IT IS A GOOD WAY TO CONNECT WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, IN PARTICULAR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND IT'S ALSO A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TAKE YOUNG ONES, GRANDKIDS, KIDS OUT TO REALLY MEET POLICE OFFICERS AND REALLY GET AN IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT ALSO THAT PART OF THAT COMMUNITY CONNECTION THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE IN THE MEDIA. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LOVE THAT I USE THE WORDS THAT IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. IT IS A VERY SPECIAL NIGHT. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, GO AND EXTEND THE INVITATION TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS SO THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF IT. OUR DIVISION OF POLICE BUILDS COMMUNITY LIKE NONE OTHER. I WILL SAY THAT THERE.
IT'S ONE OF MANY PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AND BUT THEY ARE VERY PROUD OF IT. AND IT'S A FUN NIGHT TO GET OUT AND TALK WITH THEM AND, AND BE PART OF THAT EXERCISE OF BUILDING COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT. I HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL THINGS. I DO WANT TO ECHO THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENT TO ABOUT MICHELLE DEMI, WHO RECENTLY RETIRED. MY CHILDREN, WHO ARE NOW 33 AND 31, ARE WRECK SCHOOL GRADUATES. AND I TALKED TO MICHELLE ABOUT. I PICTURE THEIR LITTLE FACES IN THEIR TODDLER YEARS TELLING ME TEACHER MICHELLE SAID THIS AND TEACHER MICHELLE SAID THAT. AND SO THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME AND I THE LOVE OF EDUCATION THAT SHE GAVE TO MY CHILDREN THAT I BELIEVE WAS A FOUNDATION FOR THEIR ENTIRE EDUCATIONAL CAREER. I COMPLETELY ACCREDITED HER TO AND TO MICHELLE THAT THAT THAT WAS HER WORK. AND I TOLD HER, PLEASE SOAK UP EVERY BIT OF ADORATION AS WE CELEBRATE YOUR RETIREMENT BECAUSE IT IS MOST DESERVED. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW PROBABLY HOW MANY LIVES THAT YOU TOUCHED THROUGH THAT PROGRAM. I ALSO WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO ADDRESS IT. MR. BUSKIRK, YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY HERE. THE, THE, THE WORLD OF I THINK SOME RESIDENTS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE MAYOR AND HEAR FIRSTHAND THE MAYOR'S PASSION FOR OUR CURRENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT. AND SO MY CHALLENGE TO EACH OF YOU THAT IS SITTING IN THE ROOM THAT BELIEVES THAT THAT'S THE BEST WAY IS TO PERHAPS REACH OUT TO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND HAVE
[02:10:02]
A PERSONAL CONVERSATION. MY PHONE IS ONLINE. THAT WAS A ROOKIE MISTAKE, BUT IT IS OUT THERE. IT IS ALWAYS TURNED ON. I WILL RETURN EVERY PHONE CALL, SO I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REASON THAT WE'RE EXPLORING THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT CONVERSATION. AND ULTIMATELY, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, JUST LIKE I REMIND THE MAYOR IN THIS CONVERSATION, THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL CAN DO. COUNCIL CAN'T CHANGE OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. ONLY THE RESIDENTS CAN CHANGE OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. SO THE POWER LIES WITH YOU AND BUT BUT AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE YOU, THE UNDERPINNINGS OF ANY GOOD OPINION OR DECISION SHOULD BE EXPLORING THE CONVERSATION FROM ALL SIDES. SO I'M RAISING MY HAND. PLEASE DON'T BE AFRAID TO CALL. AND I BELIEVE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE THE SAME OPEN DOOR POLICY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. SO WITH THAT, WE ARE NOT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT CHARTER DISCUSSION, WE ARE NOT GOING TO MEET AT 530 OR NEXT TIME. SO OUR COUNCIL MEETING WILL BE AT 7 P.M. ON AUGUST THE 18TH. CAUCUS BEGINS AT 630, SO NO. 530 START. YOU'RE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TAKE A WEEK OFF.BUT AFTER LABOR, LABOR DAY, WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN TO DISCUSS OUR CHARTER. WE'LL SEE YOU ON AUGUST 18TH. ENJOY YOUR EVENING. AND IF THERE ARE NO OBJEC
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.