[Call to Order ]
[00:00:06]
IS NOW IN SESSION. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. CLERK, PLEASE READ THE ROLL. MR. OMAR, PRESIDENT ANDERSON HERE. TO BARRY. HERE. HERE. SHERM BURROWS HERE. A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE
[Approval of Minutes]
LAST MEETING. SO MOVED. THERE A SECOND. SECOND. MR. OMAR? YES. ANDERSON. YES. YES. BARRY. YES.HOLT. YES. YES. YES. ALL RIGHT. ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA UNDER LANCE, WE HAVE RESOLUTION CR 18, CR 19
[Welcome & Reading of Agenda]
UNDER SAFETY ORDINANCE C 24 UNDER SERVICE ORDINANCE C 25 UNDER. ALSO UNDER SERVICE RESOLUTION CR 20. UNDER FINANCE ORDINANCE C 26, 27 AND 28. THE CHAIR IS OKAY WITH THE ITEMS.[Resolution CR-18-26 Approve the Development Plan for the Church of the Nazarene — Field House located at 4910 Hoover Road]
WE WILL MOVE INTO LANDS WITH CHAIRMAN OLINGA. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS RESOLUTION CR 1826. TO APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE FIELDHOUSE, LOCATED AT 4910 HOOVER ROAD. I'M SORRY, DO I NEED TO READ THAT AGAIN? COULD YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. CR 1826 APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE FIELDHOUSE LOCATED AT 4910 HOOVER ROAD. OKAY. AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THAT ONE. THE FIRST ONE IS DAVID MORRISON. INTRODUCE YOURSELF BY YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE. GREAT. YEAH. DAVID MORRISON, EXECUTIVE PASTOR AT THE NATS, AND I LIVE HERE IN GROVE CITY, 6400 RISING SUN DRIVE. THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. WE HAVE OUR ARCHITECT, DESIGNER AND OUR ENGINEERS HERE AS WELL TODAY. BUT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT. OKAY. THERE'S ONE ITEM ON THERE, I BELIEVE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE, THE DRAWINGS THAT THE AT THE PEAK OF THE ROOF, IT WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE CODE ALOUD. HAVE YOU FILED FOR A VARIANCE WITH THE BCA? NO, NO. OKAY. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A STIPULATION ON THAT, THAT WE FILE FOR VARIANCE. YEAH. I BELIEVE FROM THE DRAWING. AM I CORRECT THAT IT'S MR. BOZO? HERE HE IS. I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF, TWO FEET HIGHER THAN THE THE THE ALLOWABLE ROOF PEAK. SO. ALL RIGHT. IF THAT'S OKAY, IF YOU HAVE A YEAH. MAY I INVITE OUR ARCHITECT UP HERE TO. OH, GREAT. OKAY. AGAIN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. CINDY DE MESA 5792. DONOVAN BLUFF GROVE CITY. OKAY. TYPICALLY WHEN WE CALCULATE IT FOR BUILDING CODE, WHEN IT'S ON A PITCH, YOU AVERAGE THAT HEIGHT. AND SO BASED ON THAT AVERAGE WE ARE ACTUALLY BELOW THE 35 FOOT. THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD TO SUBMIT FOR A VARIANCE FOR THAT HEIGHT. BUT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT WE CAN DO THAT. OKAY. AGAIN, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WITH MR. BOZO. SO OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I HAVE A QUESTION. IF WE'RE GOOD TO ASK QUESTIONS, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. CAN YOU JUST SHARE FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD OPPORTUNITIES THIS WILL BRING FOR THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE? AND IF THERE ARE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL, OR IF THIS WILL BE MOSTLY FOR PRIVATE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS AND CHURCH GOERS. ABSOLUTELY. AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE THERE.BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THE SCHOOL IS GROWING. GROVE CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IS GROWING ALONG WITH THE ATHLETIC NEEDS. I WOULD SAY THE PUBLIC NEEDS. LET ME TELL YOU, WITH OUR BASKETBALL LEAGUE, WE HAVE THE UPWARD BASKETBALL LEAGUE THAT WE DO. WE HAD 100 KIDS ON A WAITING LIST LAST YEAR. WE'VE HAD WAITING LISTS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND SO THIS HAS BEEN PART OF THE DREAM BECAUSE WE HATE TURNING KIDS AND FAMILIES AWAY. SO THIS WILL BE FOR PUBLIC USE AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE LEAGUES. AND WE'VE SUBMITTED FOR THE PLANS HERE A MAIN GYMNASIUM, A BIG ONE, BUT ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING A SECOND.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE PLANNING ON BUILDING THE FIRST PART. AND AS WE CONTINUE TO FUNDRAISE AND LOOK FOR OTHER ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF FUNDING, WE'RE HOPING THAT SECOND PHASE
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BECOMES AVAILABLE AS WELL, BECAUSE THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT INDOOR PICKLEBALL COURTS, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING OUR COMMUNITY INTO.WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THIS EVENING. SEEMS VERY EXCITING. THIS SEEMS VERY EXCITING. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY SEEING THIS PROJECT COME TOGETHER. CAN YOU? I JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN SURROUNDING TRAFFIC. WHAT WILL TRAFFIC LOOK LIKE, ESPECIALLY DURING TOURNAMENTS OR LARGER EVENTS IN THAT AREA? ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND WE KNOW HOW HOOVER ROAD CAN GET THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS TRY TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE EVENTS, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS THERE TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC FLOW ON AND OFF OF THE PROPERTY. THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE IS JUST HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIZES OF THE CROWDS THAT ARE SHOWING UP WHEN WE SCHEDULE THEM, AND KIND OF WHEN THEY GET OUT AND THOSE SORTS OF SITUATIONS. SO WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE FIELD HOUSE. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF MR. MORRISON? YES, I ACTUALLY I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT I WAS HOPING MAYBE OUR SOMEBODY FROM OUR DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, KIM SHIELDS, IF YOU MIGHT COME OVER AND JUST GET A. SYNOPSIS. SURE.
I CAN CERTAINLY SAY A COUPLE OF POINTS. I MEAN, I GUESS TO START WITH, REGARDING THE HEIGHT VARIANCE IN OUR REVIEW OF THIS APPLICATION, WE FELT THAT THE HEIGHT PROPOSED WAS IN CHARACTER WITH OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE AREA. THE CHURCH HAS APPROXIMATELY A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF ABOUT 45FT. THE HOMESTEAD PROJECT TO THE SOUTH IS ABOUT 42FT. SO TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT BY A FOOT AND A HALF SEEMED FAIRLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE AREA. IN GENERAL, THIS WILL BE SOUTH OF THE CHURCH. THEY'RE RELOCATING THE ACCESS DRIVE THAT CURRENTLY STARTS AT THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION TO THE SOUTH BY THE HOMESTEAD PROJECT CONNECTS UP TO THE LARGER CHURCH AND SCHOOL PROPERTY. THEY WILL BE SHIFTING THAT DRIVE AISLE TO THE EAST IN ORDER TO LOCATE THIS BUILDING. THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO DO WITH JACKSON TOWNSHIP FIRE IN TERMS OF ENSURING THAT THERE IS ADEQUATE ACCESS AROUND THAT BUILDING, BUT BOTH PARTIES HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AS IT IS PROCEEDING TO THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN PHASE. THANK YOU. I GUESS THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS AS WELL. WAS THE FIRE ACCESS? YES.
PLANNING COMMISSION DID SPECIFICALLY ASK JACKSON TOWNSHIP FIRE IF THEY HAD ANY CONCERNS AT THE MEETING WITH IT MOVING FORWARD, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH IT PROCEEDING. FANTASTIC. AND PLANNING COMMISSION, BACK TO MR. HELLINGA ABOUT THE VARIANCE.
THEY DID STIPULATE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION. RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL. CORRECT? RIGHT. OKAY. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THIS IS IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. OKAY. ANY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE FIELD HOUSE, LOCATED AT 4910 HOOVER ROAD, WITH A STIPULATION THAT THERE BE APPROVAL FROM THE BZA FOR THE HEIGHT OF THE OF THE BUILDING. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ANDERSON? YES, YES YES YES YES YES YES. OKAY. IT'S BEEN APPROVED. GREAT. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[Resolution CR-19-26 Appeal the decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals granting a variance for a gravel lot for Manheim Ohio located at 3757 Jackson Pike]
OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS RESOLUTION CR1926. TO APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, GRANTING A VARIANCE FOR A GRAVEL LOT FOR MANNHEIM, OHIO, LOCATED AT 3757 JACKSON PIKE. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THAT, JOHN DECK. CORRECT.GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. YOU GAVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. JOHN DECK 6228 INVERARY DRIVE, DUBLIN. OKAY. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO EXPLAIN OUR NEED FOR THIS. WE'RE OBVIOUSLY AN AUTO AUCTION LOCATED ON JACKSON PIKE.
THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO OURS IS NEEDED FOR GROWTH. OUR BUSINESS EBBS AND FLOWS WITH VOLUME. RIGHT NOW IT'S DRIVEN BY A LEASE ECONOMY AND THE RETAIL SPACE FROM THREE YEARS AGO. SO THERE'S A BUBBLE IN ESSENCE THAT'S COMING. WE TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE BECAUSE WE'RE
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AUTOMOBILES. THEY THE FOOTPRINT OF THOSE CARS ON OUR PROPERTY IS IS ENORMOUS. SO WE'RE REALLY OUT OF SPACE. THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE. THIS IS AN ADJACENT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WILL BE USED IN A TEMPORARY BASIS. WE'LL HAVE ACCESS ONLY FROM THE AUCTION ITSELF. SO YOU'LL STILL HAVE TO GO IN THROUGH OUR MAIN GATE. GO OUT THROUGH THE MAIN GATE. THERE'S NO ACCESSIBILITY ON 104. IT'LL BE LANDSCAPED, FENCED. IDEALLY, YOU WON'T EVEN SEE IT FROM THE ROADWAY, BUT WE'RE IN NEED OF THE PROPERTY. FOR THAT REASON. WE IN THE PAST HAVE LEASED PROPERTY JUST DOWN THE STREET AT THE GOLF COURSE, THE OLD GOLF COURSE ACROSS THE STREET ON THE SOUTH END OF BABCOCK. AS THESE BUBBLES HAVE COME AND GONE, AND THEY USUALLY LAST A COUPLE OF YEARS. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION. SO YOU'RE THE THE LEASEE HAS THERE BEEN A DISCUSSION ON THE TERM OF THE LEASE WITH THE LEASE OR CORRECT. FIVE YEARS. FIVE YEARS. OKAY. OKAY. YES, YES. SO THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE QUESTIONS MORE OR IF I JUST HAVE KIND OF SOME STATEMENTS AND THOUGHTS AROUND THIS. I THINK MY QUESTION PROBABLY ISN'T MY FIRST QUESTION ISN'T GOING TO BE DIRECTED AT YOU. MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY AROUND BZA AND PAST PRECEDENTS OF ALLOWING THIS LONG OF A TERM OF SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF CODE. DO WE HAVE ANY HISTORICAL CRITERIA OR PRECEDENTS WHERE WE'VE ALLOWED A FIVE YEAR VARIANCE THAT'S OUT OF CODE? AS THE PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE BZA FOR 11 YEARS, I CAN'T RECALL EVER HAVING A TIME LIMIT ON THOSE. THEY WERE ALWAYS IMMEDIATE DECISIONS FOR PERPETUAL PERPETUAL VARIANCES. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING A BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME THAT YOU'VE HAD THAT BUSINESS HERE, AND I GET THE BOOMS THAT HAPPEN AND PROBABLY SOME DECREASES WITH THIS INDUSTRY. I THINK JUST AS A REPRESENTATIVE THOUGH, OF OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK SEEING A BUSINESS EXPAND, WE NEED TO EXPECT THAT IT'S GOING TO EXPAND TO MEET OUR CODE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING AN APPEAL OF THIS DECISION COME AMONGST COUNCIL.SO THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. AND SECOND QUESTION FOR ME, THIS YOU HAVE VISIBILITY HERE FROM THE ROAD FROM JACKSON PIKE.
WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO A HOW THEY WERE GOING TO BE SECURED? AND B, IS THERE ANY LANDSCAPING THAT WOULD HELP TO DISGUISE? THERE'LL BE A SIX FOOT BERM, LANDSCAPED BERM ALONG THE ROADWAY ON 104 ON THE FRONTAGE. IT WILL BE FENCED INSIDE OF THAT TO JOIN THE OTHER PROPERTY TO BE CONTIGUOUS. BUT YES, THERE WILL BE LANDSCAPING. THERE'LL BE LIGHTING. YEAH. I COULD ASK WHAT KIND OF LANDSCAPING? OH YEAH. SO THE BERM WILL BE WILL BE GRASS WITH PINE TREES. PINE TREES. CORRECT. WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET. THE, THE OLD JONES PROPERTY. OKAY.
SAME, THE SAME THING THEY DID ACROSS THE STREET THOUGH. CAN WE JUST CLARIFY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ACROSS THE STREET IS TOWNSHIP OR ACROSS THE STREET IS CITY. SOME OF SOME OF THE CITY AND SOME OF THIS TOWNSHIP. IT'S. SO JUST AGAIN, THIS IS A TRICKY PROPERTY, KNOWING THAT IT IS TOWNSHIP AND CITY. AND AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING AGAINST OUR CITY CODE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CLARIFYING THINGS AS WE ARE STATING THAT SOMETHING IS SIMILAR TO ACROSS THE STREET, BUT ACROSS THE STREET MIGHT BE TOWNSHIP. SO. IF I COULD, MR. CHAIR. YES, SIR. MR. DECK, WOULD YOU MIND GIVING US A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF THE AUTO AUCTION AND HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN HERE? YEAH, MANHEIM AUTO AUCTION STARTED AS A PRIVATE AUTO AUCTION NOT OWNED BY MANHEIM 55 YEARS AGO.
MANHEIM PURCHASED IT IN THE 90S FROM GENERAL ELECTRIC, WHO GOT INTO THE AUCTION BUSINESS FOR A BRIEF SPELL. WE'VE OWNED IT SINCE. WE HAVE 275 EMPLOYEES, 150 VENDORS. WE HOUSE ABOUT 11,000 VEHICLES. WE MANAGE ABOUT 2 TO $3000 A WEEK OUT OF THE PROPERTY. SO IT'S IT'S SUBSTANTIAL, ALMOST 150 ACRES AND FULL SERVICE. WE WE EMPLOY EVERYTHING FROM MECHANICS TO DRIVERS. A LOT OF LOCAL DRIVERS COME DRIVE FOR US RETIREES TO ADMINISTRATIVE CLERKS, TO COMMERCIAL ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATORS. YES. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. WE'VE I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR 15 YEARS, BUT IN MY TIME HERE, IT'S BEEN
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A FANTASTIC PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK. AND WE LOVE THE COMMUNITY. YEAH. YES. MR. BARROWS, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE BUSINESS AS A BUSINESS OWNER IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. I GUESS MY CHALLENGE IS AS YOU'RE GROWING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU JUST COULDN'T PAVE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE FUTURE DEMAND AS WELL. USUALLY WHEN THERE'S LIKE A CHANGE. I MEAN, THERE WAS ANNEXED BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF 2024 INTO THE CITY AS AND IT CAME IN AS INDUSTRIAL, HEAVY, HEAVY, INDUSTRIAL AND ALSO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, KNOWING THAT IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED ON IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE, JUST LIKE WE HOLD STANDARDS FOR ANY PROPERTY OR BUSINESS THAT MIGHT BE GRANDFATHERED. AS SOON AS THEY DO A REMODEL, THEY HAVE TO BRING IT UP TO CODE. YES. SO OUR INVESTMENT TO MAKE THE PROPERTY USABLE IS ALMOST $400,000 TO PAVE THE PROPERTY IS 1.2 MILLION. ROUGH ESTIMATE FROM THE PAVING COMPANY. OUR GOAL WOULD BE. WE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT TO BE A THIS TO BE A FIVE YEAR LEASE. IF IT TURNS OUT OUR BUSINESS CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION FOR FURTHER USE OF THE PROPERTY, WE WILL BE PAVING THE PROPERTY. OUR CORPORATE OFFICE IS AWARE OF THAT. BUT AT THIS POINT, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO BRING IT UP TO A USABLE STATE FOR US IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR FOR WHAT IS RELATIVELY SHORT TERM LEASE JUST TO PARK CARS ON. SO AT THIS POINT, THE FUNDS AREN'T THERE TO PAVE IT TODAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I THINK I'LL JUST MAKE ONE MORE STATEMENT AS WELL, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE NOT HERE TO DEBATE WHETHER A COST SHOULD BE UTILIZED OR NOT OF A BUSINESS EXPENSE. WE ARE NOT HERE TO TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS. I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M HERE TO UPHOLD THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN OUR CODE OR NOT, AND IT IS IN OUR CODE, THAT THING THAT LOTS SHOULD BE PAVED. AND AS WE LOOK AT THINGS, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AS WE APPROVE VARIANCES FOR SOME, THEN WE NEED TO DO IT FOR OTHERS. I THINK THERE ARE LOTS WHO WOULD PREFER IN GROVE CITY TO HAVE GRAVEL INSTEAD OF PAVING, BECAUSE THE COST IS CERTAINLY CHEAPER. BUT THAT IS THE CODE THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR BUSINESSES HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO STATE THAT SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING WITH MY VOTE. THANK YOU. I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THE THE TERM ALSO FIVE YEARS.YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A SPECIFIC BUBBLE NOW FROM LEASED VEHICLES, AND I BELIEVE YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S LIKE A TWO YEAR BUBBLE OR IT'S A THREE YEAR BUBBLE. WHAT HAPPENED DURING AFTER COVID LEASING STOPPED DURING COVID, IT TOOK OFF AGAIN AFTER COVID. MOST OF THOSE LEASES THAT WERE WRITTEN WERE THREE AND FOUR YEAR LEASES. THEY'RE NOW STARTING TO MATURE.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THOSE LEASES COME TO FRUITION OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, THOSE LEASES FALL BACK INTO THE AUCTION REMARKETING SPACE TO WHOLESALE OUT TO DEALERS SO THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A 3 OR 4 YEAR LEASE, THERE'S ALWAYS AN USUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EXTENSION FROM THE RETAIL BUYER. SO THEY DON'T ALWAYS END ON YEAR THREE OR YEAR FOUR. HISTORY SHOWS ITSELF IN OUR BUSINESS THAT A THREE YEAR LEASE RUN OR A FOUR YEAR TERM USUALLY CAN RUN THREE, 4 OR 5 YEARS. SO IN IN MY OPINION, I ASSUME THAT YOU YOU SIGNED A FIVE YEAR LEASE BECAUSE THAT'S THE MINIMUM THE LEASE OR WOULD ALLOW YOU TO SIGN. IS THAT CORRECT OR. WELL, WE SIGNED THE FIVE YEAR LEASE BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE THAT'S HOW LONG WE'LL NEED THE PROPERTY FOR. OKAY. YEAH. BUT THE BUBBLE IS ONLY GOING TO BE THREE YEARS. YOU THINK THE BUBBLE IS DRIVEN BY THREE YEAR LEASES AND FOUR YEAR LEASES, BUT THEY DON'T END ON YEAR THREE, MEANING THEY'LL FLOW THROUGH ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FIFTH YEAR. OKAY. YEAH. IT'S A CYCLICAL IT'S A CYCLICAL ENVIRONMENT. IT COMES ABOUT EVERY 10 OR 12 YEARS WHERE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS PRESENT THAT. RIGHT. AND THERE'S, THERE'S EBB AND FLOW WITH VOLUME IN, IN OUR BUSINESS. YEAH, YEAH. MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS, OR MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS AND THEN I'LL LET. MR. ASK IF IT'S THROUGH YOUR BUBBLE AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR A FIVE YEAR, IT WOULD INDICATE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUING NEED.
WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE TO A THREE YEAR RELAXATION OF OUR OF OUR CODE INSTEAD OF A FIVE YEAR? SO IN OTHER WORDS, AFTER THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS IS GREAT, WHICH WE HOPE HAPPENS AT THAT POINT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PAVED. YEAH. MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT THE REASON WE WE FEEL OUR DATA SHOWS FIVE YEARS IS WHEN THE WHEN THE RETRACTION WILL START TO HAPPEN IS THAT IF I DO IN THREE YEARS AND SOMETHING ELSE, LET'S SAY THERE COULD BE A WORLD CONDITION THAT CHANGES
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AN ECONOMIC INDICATOR THAT DRAWS THINGS OUT OR PULLS CARS AHEAD. A THREE YEAR LEASE MAY NOT. A THREE YEAR LEASE ON THE PROPERTY MAY NOT SOLVE OUR NEED. WE MAY NEED TWO MORE YEARS, THREE MORE YEARS, FIVE MORE YEARS. BUT THE AGREEMENT I HAVE IS THAT IF IT'S BEYOND FIVE YEARS, I CAN GET THE CAPITAL TO PAVE IT. MR. BEER, YOU HAD A COMMENT OR QUESTION? WE DID NOT.ANY OTHER. I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M JUST TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS. SO I DO WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I DO RESPECT THE RIGHT TO APPEAL A DECISION. BUT WHAT I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT SPECIFIC ERROR THE BZA MADE. LOOKING AT IT FROM THE POINT OF THE BOARD HEARD THE CASE, THEY ASKED THE QUESTIONS, THEY CONSIDERED THE FACTS, AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THIS REQUEST. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING, BASED OFF OF THE EMAILS THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY, TAMMY, THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THIS. CORRECT. WE RECEIVED EMAILS FROM TWO PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA. ONE IS DIRECTLY, ONE IS ACROSS THE STREET AND ONE IS ADJACENT ON THE SAME SIDE. WE DIDN'T HEAR. THAT'S ALL WE HEARD FROM TODAY. THAT'S ALL I CAN SPEAK TO. SIR. NEITHER OF THOSE PROPERTIES WERE IN THE CITY. CORRECT? THEY WERE THE. THAT'S CORRECT. NEITHER ARE IN THE CITY. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BECAUSE I LOOKED AT THE APPEAL AND I KNOW WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IN CAUCUS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WERE THE PUBLIC INTEREST CONCERNS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE APPEAL. SO FOR A PUBLIC STANDPOINT, I JUST WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE CONCERNS WERE, BECAUSE ALL I'VE RECEIVED ARE BUSINESSES OR PROPERTY OWNERS IN SUPPORT OF THIS. IF I COULD, MR. CHAIR, A LITTLE HISTORY ON BZA UP UNTIL PROBABLY 1215 YEARS AGO, BZA COULD NOT BE APPEALED. WHAT WAS DETERMINED BY THE BZA WAS IN FACT GRANTED, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN LONGER THAN THAT, BUT IT'S. THEN THE COUNCIL DECIDED THAT, YES, WE WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO REVIEW IT AND ALSO MAKE AN APPEAL IF WE WANT TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. NOW, AS A RESULT OF THAT, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY, THE BZA COMMITTEE RESIGNED. WE WENT SEVERAL MONTHS WITH NO BZA BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS AN OVERSTEP ON THE PART OF COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY ON THE METHODOLOGY OF HOW THIS HAPPENS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO I JUST I GUESS THE QUESTION, BECAUSE I WAS JUST LIKE ONE LONG COMMENT, MY APOLOGIES IF THIS APPEAL PASSES TODAY, WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT WOULD THAT HAVE ON YOUR BUSINESS? ON MY BUSINESS, IT WOULD HAVE A, IT WOULD HAVE A GREAT IMPACT BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T PASS, THOSE VEHICLES BYPASS OHIO AND THEY GO TO CHICAGO, DETROIT, NASHVILLE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THEM. YOU KNOW, THEY EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW BIG A CAR IS. YOU CAN'T STACK THEM ON TOP OF EACH OTHER OR PUT THEM ON A SHELF OR, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO PUT THEM. YEAH. WOULD IT BE RIGHT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE RELYING ON THE INCOME THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THAT EXTENSION TO ULTIMATELY GET RID OF THAT GRAVEL? WELL, PAY FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND THE LEASE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE IN OUR BUSINESS SAYING SAYING WE CAN'T ACCOMMODATE YOU IS A REALLY DETRIMENTAL ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE EVERYBODY'S A CLIENT. SO IN OUR WORLD, WHEN THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEY DON'T COME BACK. SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF MISSION CRITICAL THAT WE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, WE EMPLOY A LOT OF PEOPLE ALLOW US TO HIRE SOME MORE PEOPLE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE MORE CARS TO MOVE, MORE CARS TO PROCESS THROUGH OUR SYSTEM. SO IT HELPS THE BUSINESS GROW OVERALL. THANK YOU. ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, HAVING BEEN ON BZA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVE SPENT A LOT MORE TIME THAN WE HAVE. ON YOUR PARTICULAR APPEAL FOR A VARIANCE, THE USUAL PROCESS YOU FILE FOR THE VARIANCE 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE PRIOR TO THE MEETING OF BZA. AND THEN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT GOES THROUGH ALL THE ASPECTS OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. WE GET A REPORT BACK FROM THE DEPARTMENT WHICH SAYS THEY
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SUPPORT IT OR THEY DO NOT SUPPORT IT. AND SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A VERY, I WOULD SAY, EASY PROCEDURE BECAUSE MANY TIMES WE GET I RECEIVED APPEALS THAT WERE NOT IN CONCERT WITH THE CODE OR IN THE OPINION OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO USE. SO I THOUGHT, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO, TO, TO BRING TO COUNCIL THAT THEY PROBABLY DID A LOT MORE RESEARCH THAN WE HAVE ON THIS PARTICULAR THING. SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM. I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DID A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH ON YOUR BUSINESS PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, BUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE AT YOUR BUSINESS? 275, AND WE HAVE 140 VENDORS ON SITE DAILY. TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES AS WELL. ON TOP OF THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS GRANTING A VARIANCE FOR A GRANT FOR GRAVEL LOT AT MANNHEIM, OHIO, LOCATED AT 3757 JACKSON PIKE. AND JUST AS INDICATION, IF YOU VOTE YES ON THIS PARTICULAR APPEAL, THAT MEANS THERE'S NO GRAVEL. SO IT'S SORT OF BACKWARDS. THAT'S CORRECT. AND IF YOU VOTE NO ON THIS, IT MEANS THAT WE ABIDE BY WHAT THE BUILDING AND ZONING APPEALS GROUP SAID TO DO. OKAY. SO THAT SORT OF BACKWARDS, JUST SO EVERYONE THAT'S FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION? OKAY. YEAH, I JUST THAT WAS A POINT OF INFORMATION. SECOND.OKAY. OKAY. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, MR. LINGO IS CORRECT. HOW THIS ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN IS A YES VOTE WOULD BE THAT THEY DO NOT GET THE VARIANCE AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO GRAVEL PARKING ON THE LAND. A NO VOTE WOULD UPHELD THE DECISION OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS TO ALLOW THEM TO PARK VEHICLES ON GRAVEL. OKAY, SO WE HAVE I MADE THE MOTION AND A SECOND. MR. NO.
MR. BERRY YES. HOLT. YES. STURM. NO. BURROWS. YES. OMAR. NO. ANDERSON. YES. MOTION PASSES.
[Ordinance C-24-26 Amend Various Sections of Chapter 1145 titled Signs to implement Electronic Message Center regulations. First reading]
ALL RIGHT. IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? YEP. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. GO TO THE SAFETY COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN BURROWS. YES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BARRY. ORDINANCE C 242. HOLD ON HERE. C 2426.THIS IS TO AMEND VARIOUS SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 1145 ENTITLED SIGNS TO SIGNS TO IMPLEMENT ELECTRONIC MESSAGING CENTER REGULATIONS. THIS IS THE FIRST READING THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS FIRST READING. THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON JULY 6TH OF 2026. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. UNDER THE SERVICE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OMAR.
[Ordinance C-25-26 Amend Ordinance C-32-20 for the Wet Basement Program. First reading]
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE ITEMS UNDER SERVICE THIS EVENING ARE ORDINANCE C 2526, AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE C 3220 FOR THE WET BASEMENT PROGRAM. THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS FIRST READING, SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON JULY 6TH, 2026. WE ALSO[Resolution CR-20-26 Authorize the City's Consulting Engineer to prepare plans, specifications and cost estimates for the construction and repair of sidewalks on Demorest Rd., Magnolia St., Pin Oak Ct., Red Oak Ct., Southwest Blvd., Thompson Ave., and White Oak Ct.]
HAVE RESOLUTION CR 2026, A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY'S CONSULTING ENGINEER TO PREPARE PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND COST ESTIMATES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF SIDEWALKS ON DEMAREST ROAD, MAGNOLIA STREET, PIN OAK COURT, RED OAK COURT, SOUTHWEST BOULEVARD, THOMPSON AVE AND WHITE OAK COURT. ANY DISCUSSION? MR. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY, COULD WE HAVE JUST THE EXPLANATION OF WHY THIS IS IN THE PROGRAM NOW? THANK YOU.GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM THAT WAS VOTED ON A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO BASICALLY IS GETTING UNDERWAY SOON. THE BIDS CAME BACK IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE ABOUT $150,000 MORE TO SPEND. SO WE'RE GOING TO FINISH UP THE 65 LOTS OR SO THAT ARE IN THE WEST GROVE AREA. SO THAT WOULD THIS WOULD BE A PHASE TWO OF THE STREET OR THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MR. BURROWS. SHANNON, QUICK QUESTION. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU JUST FOR PUBLIC RECORD, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE AGE OF THESE SIDEWALKS AND HOW THEY. YES, I THINK THAT THEY ARE IN EXCESS OF 35 YEARS. SO THEY'RE NOT AS TERRIBLE AS SOME. WE THE ONES
[00:30:04]
THAT ARE GOING TO BE DONE HERE SHORTLY ARE MUCH WORSE. BUT THEY THEY ARE IN GREAT NEED OF REPAIR THERE AS WELL. SO I GUESS IF WE SAY THAT THE ONES WE'RE GOING TO DO FIRST ARE TEN, THESE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT A 7 OR 8. OKAY. AND SO THEY'RE EQUALLY AS IN NEED, NOT QUITE AS DRASTIC AS THE ONES WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING ON FIRST AND THEN STILL FINISH OFF THAT SUBDIVISION AS WELL. FINISH OFF WEST GROVE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HERMES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. THIS RESOLUTION HAS HAD ITS READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, AND I MOVE TO BE APPROVED. SECOND. MR. PERRY. YES, HOLT. YES. MR. YES.BURROWS. YES. MAMA. YES. ANDERSON. YES. YES. IS THAT ALL? THAT IS ALL FOR SERVICE. ALL
[Ordinance C-26-26 Authorize the Director of Service to enter into a Franchise Agreement with Local Waste Services, LLC for solid waste, recycling material and yard waste collection, transportation and disposal. First reading.]
RIGHT. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, MR. STURM. YES. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE THREE TO GO THROUGH TONIGHT. ALL FIRST READING ORDINANCE C 2626 IS AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF SERVICE TO ENTER INTO A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH LOCAL WASTE SERVICES, LLC FOR SOLID WASTE RECYCLING MATERIAL AND YARD WASTE COLLECTION, TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL. THIS ORDINANCE HAS HAD ITS FIRST READING. SECOND READING[Ordinance C-27-26 Authorize the City Administrator to enter into a Contract with Henschen and Associates, Inc. First reading]
WILL BE SEVEN SIX. NEXT IS ORDINANCE C 2726. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH HINSON AND ASSOCIATES INCORPORATED. THIS IS RELATED TO SOFTWARE FOR MAYOR'S COURT. RIGHT. OKAY. SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST READING.AND SECOND READING AGAIN WILL BE SEVEN SIX. AND THEN ORDINANCE C 2826 IS AN
[Ordinance C-28-26 Authorize the City Administrator to enter into a Contract with Pitney Bowes. First reading.]
ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH PITNEY BOWES.THIS IS ALSO RELATED TO MAYOR COURT, AND THIS IS FOR A POSTAGE MACHINE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. CORRECT. OKAY. SO THIS THIS IS THE FIRST READING, AND THE SECOND READING WILL AGAIN BE ON SEVEN SIX, WHICH WILL BE A VERY BUSY NIGHT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.
[Call for New Business ]
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE NOW UNDER NEW BUSINESS. WE'VE GOT A FEW PEOPLE SIGNED UP. PATRICIA SPILLMAN. PATRICIA SPILLMAN, 4965 BEATTY ROAD. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR STAGE.TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE EFFECTS OF WASTEWATER RUNOFF FROM DATA CENTERS AND THE POLLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENT. OHIO CURRENTLY IS FIFTH IN THE NATION, WITH NEARLY 200 DATA CENTERS CONSTRUCTED AND MORE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER FACILITIES PLANNED.
YET THE EPA HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION SHOWING THAT WASTEWATER FROM EXISTING DATA CENTERS AND THOSE PLANNED AND CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE ONLY MINIMAL ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT. DATA CENTERS VARY WIDELY IN SIZE, DESIGN AND SITE CHARACTERISTICS, AND USE A VARIETY OF COOLING METHODS. ALL DATA CENTERS ARE NOT ALIKE IN THE QUANTITY AND NATURE OF THEIR WATER, WATER POLLUTION HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS ARE LARGE SCALE FACILITIES BUILT TO SERVICE LARGE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS SUCH AS GOOGLE OR AMAZON, AND IMPROVED FOR SCALABILITY AND EFFICIENCY. THEY MAY BE MORE THAN 325,000FT■!S IN SIZE AND REQUIRE 46MW OR MORE OF INSTALLED CAPACITY. THEY ALSO MAY USE A WIDE VARIETY OF COOLING METHODS, MEANING THEY LIKELY LIKEWISE VARY WIDELY IN TERMS OF WHAT AND HOW MUCH THEY DISCHARGE. IN WASTEWATER, EVAPORATIVE COOLING WATER IS PUSHED THROUGH A MEMBRANE TO BRING DOWN THE SERVER ROOM. AIR TEMPERATURE THIS METHOD METHOD REQUIRES VERY HIGH CONSUMPTION BECAUSE MORE THAN HALF OF WITHDRAWN WATER IS EVAPORATED, THE REMAINING WATER MAY BE RECIRCULATED ONCE COOLED OR DISCHARGED AS WASTEWATER. THE PROCESS OF EVAPORATION COOLING EVAPORATES MORE THAN HALF OF ITS WATER. IT CAN CONCENTRATE CONTAMINANTS CONTAMINANTS IN THE WATER THAT IS DISCHARGED. THIS INCLUDES CONTAMINANTS, WHICH MUNICIPAL PLANTS DO NOT TYPICALLY TREAT, SUCH AS TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND CHLORIDE, AND ALSO AMPLIFY EXISTING CONTAMINANT CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS NITRATE. OTHER COOLING METHODS, SUCH AS IMMERSION OR DIRECT CHIP COOLING, DIRECTLY EXPOSE EQUIPMENT TO WATER AND MAY INTRODUCE CONTAMINANTS INTO THE WASTEWATER PRODUCED BY THAT PROCESS. FINALLY, CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS USE A MIXTURE OF WATER AND COOLANT, SUCH AS GLYCOL, TO DIRECTLY COOL, COOL SERVICE RACKS RATHER THAN ALTER AIR TEMPERATURE. CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS MAY NEED TO OCCASIONALLY DISCHARGE AND REFRESH THIS WATER. A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM DISCHARGE WILL LOOK VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM AN EVAPORATING COOLING SYSTEM OR IMMERSIVE SYSTEM. DATA CENTERS
[00:35:04]
ARE NOT THE SAME, NOT THE SAME OR SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TYPE OF OPERATIONS. ALTHOUGH DATA CENTERS HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE 1940S. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY FOR YOU, MR. STURM, WITH THE U.S. MILITARY'S ELECTRICAL NUMERICAL INTEGRATOR AND COMPUTER KNOWN AS ENIAC, BUILT IN 1945, THE DATA CENTER TECHNOLOGY IS STILL SO NEW THAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW THEMSELVES THE TOTAL IMPACT OR SCALE OF POLLUTION THAT IS LIKELY TO BE CREATED, AMPLIFIED AND DISCHARGED BY THEIR FACILITIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. FREE. YOU WILL GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU GET TO THE PODIUM. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. I'M DAVID FREE, 6095 IROQUOIS COURT. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK COUNCIL TO REENGAGE WITH THE CHARTER AMENDMENT INITIATIVE AND PASS AN ORDINANCE TO PLACE IT ON THIS NOVEMBER'S BALLOT. FOR THE RECORD, THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT MODERNIZES GROVE CITY'S GOVERNMENT BY TRANSITIONING US FROM A STRONG MAYOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FRAMEWORK TO A PROFESSIONAL COUNCIL MANAGER FRAMEWORK UNDER THIS CITIZEN, NONPARTISAN CITY MANAGER IS APPOINTED AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE MAYOR WOULD BE SELECTED BY COUNCIL FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS FOR A TWO YEAR TERM, SERVING AS OUR HEAD OF STATE, PRESIDING OVER CEREMONIAL AND JUDICIAL DUTIES WITHOUT EXECUTIVE OR VETO POWER. ADDITIONALLY, THE AMENDMENT BALANCES OVERSIGHT BY PLACING THE APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF THE LAW DIRECTOR, FINANCE DIRECTOR AND ALL CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS DIRECTLY UNDER COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY, AND IT CODIFIES A SUPERMAJORITY VOTING THRESHOLD FOR ALL DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES WHILE CLEANING UP THE CHARTER TEXT TO GENDERIZE PRONOUNS AND CORRECT TYPOS. THIS MODERNIZATION OF THE CHARTER WAS ACTUALLY FIRST PROPOSED A DECADE AGO. BY THE 2017 CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THOUGH IT WAS NOT PLACED BEFORE THE VOTERS DURING THAT CYCLE. MORE RECENTLY, IN AUGUST OF 20 FOR A NEW CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE WAS CHARGED SPECIFICALLY WITH MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ON OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. THE COMMITTEE BEGAN ITS WORK IN SEPTEMBER OF 24, AND BY JANUARY OF 25, A MAJORITY OF ITS MEMBERS RECOMMENDED TRANSITIONING TO THE COUNCIL MANAGER MODE. THAT REPORT WAS OFFICIALLY PRESENTED RIGHT HERE ON MARCH 3RD, 2025. FOLLOWING THAT, COUNCIL TOOK UP THE WORK OF IMPLEMENTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN OUR CURRENT CHARTER WITH THE DILIGENT GUIDANCE OF OUR LAW DIRECTOR. THIS CULMINATED AT THE DECEMBER 20TH. DECEMBER 15TH, 2025 MEETING WHEN COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION STATING. CONTINUE THE WORK OF PREPARING AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER NECESSARY TO TRANSITION TO A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. UPON APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORATE. I BELIEVE THAT MEETING SIX MONTHS AGO WAS THE LAST TIME THE WORD CHARTER WAS USED IN THIS CHAMBER. THE COMMITTEE DID ITS JOB, THE LAW DIRECTOR DID HIS JOB, AND COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY COMMITTED TO FINISHING THIS WORK. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING. FINISH YOUR WORK, PASS THE FINAL ORDINANCE, AND GIVE THE VOTERS OF GROVE CITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE THIS NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. I'VE BROUGHT SOME MATERIALS FOR YOU THAT INCLUDE A SAMPLE BALLOT QUESTION, A CONDENSED CONDENSED BALLOT SUMMARY, AND SOME START ON EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR VOTERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DAVID. CHRISTINE MURPHY. CHRISTINE, IF YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE MURPHY AND I LIVE AT 2028 MAYFLOWER CIRCLE, GROVE CITY, OHIO. I'VE BEEN A GROVE CITY RESIDENT AND GROVE CITY YMCA MEMBER FOR 14 YEARS. I'M 79 YEARS OLD. I HAVE THREE GROWN CHILDREN AND EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN. I HAVE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, OSTEOPOROSIS, BACK PROBLEMS, AND ARTHRITIS. MY DOCTORS ALL AGREE THAT SWIMMING AND WORKING OUT WITH THE TRAINER AT THE Y HAS ENABLED ME TO TRAVEL AND SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN, ENJOY A VERY ACTIVE LIFE. VERY BLESSED. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL JOINT VENTURES BETWEEN THE CENTRAL YMCA AND THE CITY RECREATION CENTERS, AND I THINK SOME OF YOU HAVE VISITED SOME OF THE PLACES DELAWARE, 14 YEARS, REYNOLDSBURG SIX YEARS, WHITEHALL EIGHT YEARS, LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, POWELL 20 PLUS YEARS. SO I'LL PRESENT THE FOUR[00:40:07]
REASONS WHY I SUPPORT A JOINT VENTURE LIKE THESE IN GROVE CITY OVER A STANDALONE REC CENTER. NUMBER ONE, THE EXPANSION OF THE YMCA COULD BEGIN SOONER THAN A NEW BUILD.NUMBER TWO, THE COST FOR A STANDALONE RECREATION CENTER ARE HIGHER THAN THE COST FOR AN EXPANDED Y. THE YMCA PROJECTS THAT AN EXPANDED GROVE CITY YMCA WILL SAVE GROVE CITY TAXPAYERS AN ESTIMATED 30.5 TO $39.6 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COSTS OVER TEN YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE APRIL 2026 FOR GROVE CITY TO GIVE EXACT NUMBERS ON THE APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON TO THE TWO MODELS DEVELOPED AT A JOINT MEETING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CENTRAL OHIO YMCA AND GROVE CITY. SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET THOSE NUMBERS SOON. NUMBER THREE, THERE WILL BE A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES BASED ON THE PROPOSED MODELS POOL, MEETING ROOMS, FIELDS, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COURTS, FITNESS SPACES, SPACES, ETC. BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS, A STANDALONE CENTER WILL TAKE MEMBERSHIP AWAY FROM THE YMCA. THE GROVE CITY YMCA HAS SERVED GROVE CITY FOR 23 YEARS WITHOUT THE USE OF $0.01 OF GROVE CITY TAX MONEY THE YMCA BUILT. THE FACILITY HAS COVERED ALL MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT COSTS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE EXPANDED YMCA WILL CONTINUE TO SAVE GROVE CITY TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR SIGN UP SHEET, JEN BELT. IF YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM, PLEASE. JEN BELT 5266 KINGLET COURT ORIENT 43146. I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO EXTEND MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTED TO APPROVE THE 12 MONTH MORATORIUM ON THE RETRO DATA CENTER PROJECT. THANK YOU FOR HEARING US. AS THIS ISSUE CONTINUES TO UNFOLD NATIONWIDE, NEW INFORMATION CONTINUES TO EMERGE. JUST RECENTLY, AN ANALYSIS BY CARNEGIE MELLON ECONOMIST NICHOLAS MOELLER ESTIMATED THAT DATA CENTERS GENERALLY GENERATED APPROXIMATELY $25 BILLION IN POLLUTION AND HEALTH RELATED COSTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. IN 2025, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION'S 2026 STATE OF THE AIR REPORT ALSO IDENTIFIED DATA CENTERS AS A GROWING SOURCE OF AIR QUALITY CONCERNS. DUE TO THEIR ENORMOUS ELECTRICITY DEMANDS AND THEIR RELIANCE ON DIESEL BACKUP GENERATORS, WHICH EMIT POLLUTANTS LINKED TO ASTHMA, HEART DISEASE AND PREMATURE DEATH. GROVE CITY IS FAR FROM BEING ALONE IN ASKING DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE PUSHING BACK, DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY, STRONGER PROTECTIONS AND MORE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT BEFORE LARGE SCALE DATA CENTER PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD. RESEARCHERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE OURS OPPOSING OR CHALLENGING DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT, HAS GROWN TO MORE THAN 800 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 49 STATES. THIS GROWING RESISTANCE REFLECTS A BROADER LACK OF TRUST THAT MANY AMERICANS ARE FEELING AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. THE OHIO FARM BUREAU IS SOUNDING THE ALARM THAT THE OHIO BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE PROPOSED A POLICY UPDATE THAT WOULD LET UTILITY COMPANIES AND STATE ENTITIES SEIZE PRIVATE PROPERTY BEFORE COMPENSATING THE LANDOWNER. QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST INVOLVING STATE SENATOR CHAVEZ, WHO CHAIRS THE OHIO SELECT COMMITTEE ON ON DATA CENTERS. ALONGSIDE HIS PRIVATE OWNERSHIP IN SEVERAL FOSSIL FUEL AND FRACKING WASTEWATER DISPOSAL BUSINESSES. LOCALLY, MANY GROVE CITY RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED MISTRUST IN THE ADMINISTRATION AFTER REPORTS OF UNANSWERED FOIA REQUESTS. PRIVATE MEETINGS THAT OCCURRED BEFORE PROJECT PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED, AND DINNERS WITH THE MAYOR, CITY ADMIN AND HEADWATERS AFTER THE MORATORIUM WAS PASSED. WHILE THE MORATORIUM IS COMPREHENSIVE, WE REALIZE IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY AND THE CITIZENS WISH TO HAVE A PERMANENT VOICE. THEY ARE NOT SEEKING TO INTERFERE WITH DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. THEY ARE SEEKING TO HAVE A VOTE WHEN THAT DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH WILL USE TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT OF WATER AS MOUNT CARMEL HOSPITAL AND POSSIBLY NEED ITS OWN POWER PLANT. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PROPOSED COMMUNITY CONSENT AMENDMENT SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH. VOLUNTEERS HAVE COLLECTED NEARLY 1000 SIGNATURES SINCE FRIDAY EVENING, AND THAT LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION DEMONSTRATES JUST HOW STRONGLY RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT HAVING A SAY IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE CONFIDENT WE WILL REACH OUR GOAL, AND WE HOPE THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE PRINCIPLES AND THE PROTECTIONS OUTLINED IN THE AMENDMENT AS YOU WORK ALONGSIDE THE TASK FORCE DURING THIS MORATORIUM PERIOD, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND STAYING ORGANIZED. THEY ARE EDUCATING THEMSELVES AND THEY ARE TELLING YOU CLEARLY AND CONSISTENTLY WHAT THEY WANT TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN DECISIONS OF THIS MAGNITUDE ARE BEING MADE, THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT GOING AWAY AND IT WILL NOT END WHEN THE MORATORIUM EXPIRES, THE COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED AND RESIDENTS INTEND TO REMAIN ENGAGED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO SIGN THE PETITION OF THE COMMUNITY CONSENT AMENDMENT, PLEASE FIND A SIGNING EVENT AT GROVE CITY.ORG. NEXT ON THE LIST WE HAVE RON MCCLURE. RON,
[00:45:05]
YOUR ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM, SIR? 5446 ON ROAD GROVE CITY, OHIO. MAYOR STATES, MR. BOWSER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S GOOD TO GREET YOU. DATA ■CENTERS. THIS IS ONE HOT TOPIC. FIRST, I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS IN TAKING A PAUSE AND PUTTING TOGETHER A COMMITTEE TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT'S IN IT FOR US, HOW IT WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, THE EFFECTS THAT IT WILL HAVE ON OUR ECOSYSTEMS, AND THE HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF OUR CITIZENS WHO MAY LIVE NEAR A DATA CENTER. THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION AND COST, WATER CONSUMPTION AND CONTAMINANTS, AND OVERALL LASTING APPEARANCE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE NEAR A DATA CENTER? BY CREATING OR SUPPORTING A COMMUNITY CONSENT AMENDMENT BALLOT, YOU'VE GIVE VOICE TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE ABILITY AND AUTHORITY, AND HOPEFULLY A STRONG DESIRE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED YOU INTO YOUR CURRENT POSITIONS.I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. OKAY, BOB, RUTH, YOUR ADDRESS AND NAME AT THE PODIUM, SIR. BOB. RUTH 4744 COUNCIL DRIVE. THE VOTERS DO DESERVE ANSWERS FROM MAYOR STAGE ON WHY HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS KEPT A SCANDAL INVOLVING TAXPAYER FINANCED GROVE CITY TOWN CENTER UNDER WRAPS FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS. THE SCANDAL, INVOLVING AT LEAST $67,000 IN MISSING TAXPAYER MONEY, WAS MADE PUBLIC NOT BY MAYOR STAGE, BUT BY A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE TODAY IN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, MAYOR STAGE LEARNED OF THE MISSING MONEY LATE LAST YEAR, THE DISPATCH REPORTED. TODAY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVID YOST OFFICE ARE INVESTIGATING, THE DISPATCH SAID. IN ADDITION TO THE MISSING 70 $67,000, TOWN CENTER'S FORMER DIRECTOR ANDREW FIRM, ANDREW FIR TOOK OUT A 7100 $0 COVID LOAN FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TO APPARENTLY KEEP TOWN CENTER'S FINANCES AFLOAT, THE DISPATCH REPORTED. ALL THIS FINANCIAL MANIPULATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY DISCLOSED BY MAYOR STAGE MANY MONTHS AGO. AND WHAT IS EVEN MORE TROUBLING, MAYOR STAGES STONEWALLING ABOUT THE TOWN CENTER SCANDAL IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE, IN MY OPINION.
HIS ADMINISTRATION APPEARS TO BE DOING THE SAME THING, SAME KIND OF STONEWALLING WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS, DEALING WITH THE WITH THE DATA CENTER. IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THOSE REQUESTS WAS FILED SEVEN WEEKS AGO, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM THE STATE STAGE ADMINISTRATION. THE REQUESTER, JEN BELT, HAS BEEN FORCED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE OHIO COURT OF CLAIMS ABOUT THE DELAY IN RESPONDING TO HER REQUEST, I FILED A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR A COPY OF AN UNBID CONTRACT FIVE WEEKS AGO, AND STILL NO RESPONSE FROM THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION. MAYOR, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? AND DON'T GIVE US THE SAME EXCUSE USED BY POLITICIANS FOR DECADES. OH, WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY PUBLIC REQUESTS. WE CAN'T HANDLE ALL OF THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR NEW BUSINESS
[Call for Dept. Reports & Closing Comments]
FOR THE EVENING, MAYOR. YOUR REPORT, SIR. THANK YOU. INTERESTING COMMENTS, MISTER RUTH. THERE'S NO MAYOR'S COURT REPORT THIS EVENING. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON. WE HAVE A $2 MILLION CHECK BACK HERE. $2,200,000 THAT WE WERE AWARDED TODAY FROM THE MID-OHIO ORIGINAL PLANS COMMISSION AND THE LINK GROUP FOR THE FUNDING OF THE HOOVER ROAD. I71SUP PATH, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. AND JODY WAS THERE, MISS BURROWS.UNBELIEVABLE. AND AND WHEN WE DID THE ORIGINAL ANALYSIS ON WHAT DO WE DO TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST, SEVERAL OPTIONS WERE GIVEN. ONE OF THEM WAS TO BUILD A BRIDGE APPROXIMATELY WHERE THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE IS OVER TO OUR PINNACLE PARK. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A JUST A SUP BRIDGE, AND IT'S LIKE $7 MILLION. AND MISS FITZPATRICK, AFTER SOME
[00:50:06]
ANALYSIS, DETERMINED THAT WE COULD USE THE HOOVER ROAD BRIDGE, MAKE IT SAFER, MAKE IT SO THAT IT COULD BE TRAFFIC FRIENDLY. AT THE SAME TIME, MAKE SURE IT'S PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. THE COST OF THAT ENDED UP 2,000,008, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, AROUND $600,000 WAS WAS USED BY THE FROM THE PINNACLE TIFF. SO TO ME, KUDOS TO MISS FITZPATRICK AND TO CODA AND TO THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING US TO PROCEED WITH THAT SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE. THE LAST WEEK WE WERE NOTIFIED AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED IT. TODAY, THE CAPITAL BUDGET FROM THE STATE, $500,000 HAS BEEN AWARDED TO THE CITY OF GROVE CITY FOR THE TOWN CENTER PARK. THAT'S IN ADDITION TO, WHAT, 400,000 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY SIGNED. ANOTHER FIVE, ANOTHER FOUR, ANOTHER FOUR. SO WE HAVE ALMOST $1 MILLION THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET GRANTS FROM THE STATE. THE.THE NEXT ONE, OF COURSE, IS THE LITTLE THEATER OFF BROADWAY. THEY WERE RECOGNIZED IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET THANKS TO SENATOR REYNOLDS AND REPRESENTATIVE SECREST. AND THAT'S $500,000 TO START AT LEAST GETTING ONE STEP AHEAD OF THEIR MAJOR RENOVATION. AND MAJOR COMPLIMENT TO OUR DOWNTOWN. THE SENSORY GARDENS WERE DEDICATED AT GANS PARK THIS LAST WEEKEND. IT'S VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE, GANTZ. THE GANTZ GARDEN STARTED DURING THE.
MEYER FLOOR OF 1992, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, AND IT IS QUITE AN ATTRACTION AND SOMETHING WE GOT TO SAY MORE ABOUT BECAUSE IT IS A A. CENTRAL OHIO AS WELL AS A STATEWIDE ATTRACTION AND THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY TREE PLANTING WAS ALSO SATURDAY. AND THAT IS AN OAK TREE. THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OAK TREE PLANTED IN ALL 88 COUNTIES. SO WE'RE ONE OF THE FIRST TO TO GET THAT DONE. AND THE LAST THING WE HAD THE PRIDE EVENT ON SUNDAY AND LET MELISSA, MISS ANDERSON TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE STARTING TO PREP FOR THE 4TH OF JULY AND BE A MAJOR, MAJOR EVENT. IT WILL BE STILL AT MURFIN FIELD AND WE WILL, I THINK, BE ABLE TO OFFER SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REALLY, REALLY REMEMBER ABOUT GROVE CITY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHUCK. I JUST ONE ITEM. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS GOING ON, A LOT OF ORANGE CONES. I'M JUST HERE TO ADD ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE BID ON FRIDAY. IT WAS THE MCDOWELL ROAD PROJECT, WHICH WILL IMPROVE MCDOWELL ROAD FROM STRINGTOWN ROAD TO WHITE ROAD. THAT PROJECT CAME IN AT $3.9 MILLION, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $400,000. UNDER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE, AND WE DID RECEIVE $4,071,000 IN LOANS AND GRANTS FROM THE OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION. SO THAT PROJECT SHOULD BE GETTING UNDERWAY. SO THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. JUST FOR REFERENCE, EVERYONE, THAT PATH. AND WHEN THE JACKSON TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT. HINT HINT COMPLETES THE BIKE PATH IN FRONT OF THEIR FACILITY, IT'LL GET US CLEAR TO THE EAST TO WEST IN THE CITY. ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE ANY REPORTS? UPDATES? GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AN INITIATIVE IN PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THAT IS OUR MASTER PLAN. WE'RE CALLING THIS A MASTER PLAN FOR COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON ONE QUESTION. AND THAT QUESTION IS, HOW CAN WE MAKE GROVE CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, PLAY, AND CONNECT. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THIS. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY. WE. THIS INCLUDES SENIORS, KIDS, ATHLETES, ADULTS, THOSE WHO LOVE TO USE OUR TRAILS, THOSE WHO LOVE OUR GREEN SPACES, AND EVEN THOSE WHO MAY NOT CURRENTLY USE OUR PARKS AND PROGRAMS. RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE AS WELL. WE'RE DOING A COLLECT INFORMATION IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. ONE IS WE'RE DOING SOME PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS COMING UP IS MONDAY, JUNE 22ND. IT'S GOING TO BE AT EVANS CENTER AT 6:00, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE FORUM WITH PARK DISPLAYS AND GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM EVERYBODY THAT JOINS US ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THEIR PARK OR A PARTICULAR PARK THAT THEY USE. ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE COLLECTING INFORMATION IS WE HAVE A WEB PAGE DEDICATED TO THIS WITH A SURVEY ON IT. AND WE THE FIRST DAY IT WAS PUT UP
[00:55:06]
AND THAT THERE WAS A SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH OUT ON THERE. WE HAVE OVER 100 RESPONSES ALREADY.AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A FRAMES WITH QR CODES WITH THE SAME SURVEY ON IT AND ALL OF OUR PARKS, A LOT OF OUR TRAILS, WE'RE GOING TO ROTATE THOSE AROUND TO DIFFERENT TRAILS. SO WE BE SURE TO HIT EVERYBODY. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A BIG PUSH ON THIS OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, I, I'M OLDER. I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME IN MY CAREER. I'VE BEEN A PART, I FIGURED THIS UP THE OTHER DAY, AN ACTUAL PART OF SIX MASTER PLANS. AND I CAN TELL YOU MOST OF THEM SIT ON A SHELF. THAT'S NOT OUR INTENT HERE. OURS IS FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BUILD SOMETHING BETTER WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, GIVING US FEEDBACK RATHER THAN JUST BUILD IT FOR THEM. SO THAT'S OUR GOAL HERE TO BUILD TOGETHER AND PLAY TOGETHER. CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF YOU WERE GOING TO WALK UP HERE. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD TONIGHT THAT THE 2027 TAX BUDGET WAS SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OHIO REVISED CODE AND THE CITY CHARTER. IT WAS DUE JUNE 20TH AND TODAY IS THE 15TH. IT'S SUBMITTED. IT NEEDS TO BE PASSED BY COUNCIL BY JULY 15TH AND SENT TO THE FRANKLIN COUNTY AUDITOR BY JULY 20TH. THIS BUDGET IS AVAILABLE FOR. PUBLIC INSPECTION WILL BE IN. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO HAVE IT ONLINE AND. WHAT IT DOES IS IT NOTIFIES THE COUNTY OF OUR INTENTION OF. OF. BY OUR CHARTER, WE CAN LEVY UP TO SEVEN MILLS OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TAXES. WE'VE BEEN AT 3.5 MILLS FOR 38 CONSECUTIVE YEARS NOW. 13 OF THOSE YEARS THERE WERE REDUCTIONS, AND THIS IS THE 20TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT WE'VE PROPOSED TO LEVY 3.5 MILLS. SO THEN IN SEPTEMBER, THE COUNTY WILL GIVE US HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WILL GENERATE, AND YOU AS A COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THAT. THIS TAX BUDGET JUST GIVES AN OVERALL VERY HIGH LEVEL PICTURE OF WHAT WE THINK OUR FINANCES FOR EVERY FUND WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THE REST OF 2026 AND 2027, AND IT WILL BE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA ON JULY 6TH FOR FOR PASSAGE OR COUNCIL CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS IF THEY WISH. IT REALLY DOESN'T DO ANYTHING EXCEPT SET THE STAGE FOR OUR BUDGET PROCESS IN IN NOVEMBER. ANY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIR? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE MR. TURNER ELABORATES THE OTHER PART OF PARAGRAPH FOUR. WHAT WAS IT, 13 YEAR, 13 TIMES.
WE'VE ACTUALLY REDUCED TAXES. YEAH, I THOUGHT I SAID THAT, BUT IT WAS REDUCED 13 TIMES AND IT'S BEEN 38 YEARS NOW. NO INCREASES 20 YEARS IN A ROW. THAT'S BEEN 3.5 MILLS IN THE COUNTY. WE HAVE YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO LEVY UP TO SEVEN MILLS WITHOUT A VOTE. IT'S IN OUR CITY CHARTER, BUT WE'VE BEEN AT 3.5. WE PLAN TO STAY THERE. WE'RE OPERATING UNDER THAT LEVEL. OKAY. THANK YOU. MIKE. ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, MR. SMITH? YEAH, I IT SOUNDS LIKE TONIGHT'S CHARTER CHANGE NIGHT. I DO HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS AND MR. FREE, I THINK I AGREE WITH MOST OF WHAT YOU SAID. HOWEVER, I DON'T RECALL THE. AND I JUST PULLED UP YOUR EMAIL FROM THE FINAL REPORT OF THE SEVENTH SEVEN SEVEN OF 2025, THE SUPERMAJORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT. I DON'T SEE THAT IN THE ORIGINAL REPORT. NO, I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I'M LOOKING AT THE EMAIL YOU SENT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE OTHER ONE, I THINK YOU HAVE YOUR CHARTER AMENDMENT. I, I READ IT, I, I WILL TELL YOU THE ONE CONCERN I HAVE. AND FIRST OF ALL, THE CHARTER CAN BE CHANGED IN ONE OF TWO WAYS. EITHER COUNCIL CAN SEND SOMETHING TO THE BALLOT OR THE RESIDENTS CAN SEND SOMETHING TO BALLOT. YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. THE PROBLEM IS, IT LOOKS LIKE A FORM THAT WAS ADOPTED AND NOT ADOPTED.
WELL, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THIS. OKAY, WELL, IT REQUIRES OUR CITY AUDITOR TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS. WE DON'T HAVE A CITY AUDITOR. WE HAVE A FISCAL EXECUTIVE. IT'S NOT A CITY AUDITOR. ALL RIGHT, MR. SMITH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY, NOT A CONVERSATION. AND I'LL MAKE SURE I. I'M JUST. I'M JUST A CONVERSATION. I JUST RAISING CONCERNS BECAUSE I IF THIS WERE LET'S YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO GET THE SIGNATURES. IT GOES ON THE BALLOT. IT REQUIRES A POSITION THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN THE CITY TO DO SOMETHING. ANSWERS ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I GOT. SORRY. I'M DONE. OKAY. MISS KELLY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? THANK YOU,
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MR. PRESIDENT. I HAVE NOTHING THIS EVENING. OKAY. FINAL COMMENTS, MISS BURROWS, ONE MEETING. I'M GOING TO GET YOU TO START ON THE OTHER END OR ROTATE. THAT'S ALRIGHT. JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR CONTINUING TO SHOW UP AND HAVING THE CONVERSATION AS WE NAVIGATE LOTS OF IMPORTANT SUBJECTS IN FRONT OF US HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WITH THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US FROM, AGAIN, GETTING OUR DATA CENTER TASK FORCE IN PLACE. THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE GOT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ON THIS BECAUSE WE GOT 12 MONTHS TO FIGURE THIS OUT.RESTART. MR. FREEZE, RESTART THE CONVERSATION ON OUR CITY FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND A POTENTIAL UPDATE TO THE CITY CHARTER FOR THE THE BALLOT THAT OUR RESIDENTS WILL GET TO VOTE ON IF WE GET IT ON THE BALLOT, THE ONGOING CONVERSATION AND EVALUATION OF A MULTI GENERATIONAL COMMUNITY CENTER HERE THAT WILL. IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HEARD EARLIER THIS NIGHT DURING OUR CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD SEE THAT DRAFT AND FINAL REPORT BY JUNE 29TH, WHICH IS THE NEXT SPECIAL MEETING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, THE COMPARISON AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS FORWARD ARE. AND I HAD ALL MY NOTES HERE. IT WAS NOT TO START NOT TOO EARLY TO START WORKING ON THE 20 2027 CITY BUDGET, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY HERE IN JUNE, BUT WE DID GET THAT TODAY. SO THANK YOU, MR. TURNER. AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION. MR. BERRY AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET THE REQUIRED MEETINGS ON THE CALENDAR TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, BUT THAT'S OUR JOB, AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO GETTING THAT DONE. AND THEN THANK YOU TO OUR ENTIRE CITY TEAM FOR WHO HELPED MAKE THE HOOVER ROAD PEDESTRIAN PROJECT HAPPEN. THIS HAS BEEN A WORK OF SO MANY PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MISS FITZPATRICK. THIS WILL MAKE THIS AREA MUCH SAFER FOR ALL THOSE TRAVEL, ALL THOSE THAT TRAVEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE, ONCE IN EAST SIDE TO WEST SIDE, WEST SIDE TO EAST SIDE. WHETHER YOU BOUGHT, YOU WALK OR BIKE IT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROJECT COMPLETE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SAVE ME A LOT OF TIME ON MY COMMUTE AS I TRAVEL AND TRAVERSE THROUGH GROVE CITY.
SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. DURHAM. YES. THANK YOU. SO YEAH, A LOT OF TOPICS WE'VE TOUCHED ON TONIGHT AND I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, COMING UP TO JULY 4TH, I'M THINKING ABOUT AMERICA'S TWO 50TH. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I HAVE JUST BEEN KIND OF OBSESSED WITH, WHICH I'M SURE ALL OF US HAVE, BUT ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT, AGAIN, THE TOPICS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, AND IT GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CONSTITUTION, WE THE PEOPLE, RIGHT? THOSE WORDS, THEY REMIND US THAT OUR AMERICA WAS NOT BUILT AROUND GOVERNMENT. IT WAS NOT BUILT FOR GOVERNMENT. IT WAS BUILT FOR THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS AND FAMILIES AND WORKERS, COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBORHOODS, FREE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND SHARED A SHARED STAKE IN THE FUTURE. THE NEXT THING IT SAYS IS IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION. I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THAT WAS ALMOST THE STRONGER STATEMENT PHRASE AT THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE FOUNDERS KNEW THEY WERE NOT PERFECT, AND THEY KNEW THAT WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS NOT PERFECT IN THAT MOMENT.
BUT WHAT THEY DID DO IS GIVE US A FRAMEWORK IN WHICH WE CAN CONSTANTLY IMPROVE, JUST ON A CONTINUAL BASIS, YOU KNOW, NOT THROUGH TEARING DOWN THE AMERICAN IDEA, BUT BY CONTINUALLY LIVING UP TO IT MORE FULLY EVERY DAY THAT WE CAN. SO SOME SOME DATES I'VE THROWN OUT SOME DATES IN THE PAST. SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE DATES HERE AS WELL THAT I THOUGHT WERE INTERESTING FOR THIS WEEK. JUNE 14TH, 1777, THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS ADOPTED THE STARS AND STRIPES AS OUR NATIONAL FLAG. IT'S A SYMBOL THAT'S ENDURED THROUGH WAR, DIVISION, SACRIFICE. IT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. JUNE 15TH, 1775. GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPOINTED COMMANDER OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY AND EVENTUALLY BECAME OUR FIRST PRESIDENT. OF COURSE, HE DID NOT INHERIT A FINISHED NATION, BUT HE ACCEPTED THAT RESPONSIBILITY IN A VERY, VERY UNCERTAIN MOMENT AND HELPED LEAD ORDINARY CITIZENS TOWARDS THEIR INDEPENDENCE. AND THIS FRIDAY IS JUNETEENTH IS JUNETEENTH, WHEN WE ARE CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH, WHERE ON JUNE 19TH, 1865, UNION TROOPS ARRIVED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS, AND ANNOUNCED FREEDOM FOR THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE THERE. AND WHILE JUNETEENTH IS A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM, IT ALSO REMINDS US THAT THE PROMISE OF LIBERTY WAS NOT FULLY REALIZED FOR ALL AMERICANS AT OUR FOUNDING. BUT IT ALSO REMINDS US THAT AMERICA HAS THE CAPACITY TO CORRECT, TO GROW, AND TO CONTINUALLY MOVE TOWARDS AND MOVE CLOSER TOWARDS THAT
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PERFECT UNION THAT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ABOUT. WE'RE SEEING AMERICA ON DISPLAY RIGHT NOW AS WE ONE OF THE HOST COUNTRIES FOR THE FOR THE WORLD CUP, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE WON LAST FRIDAY. HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE ON AS AS A GREAT TEAM. THEY'RE LOOKING GOOD. BUT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE HERE AND THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AMERICA SOMETIMES FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT DEFINITELY FIRSTHAND. THERE'S SOME PEOPLE ON, ON INSTAGRAM THAT HAVE KIND OF GOTTEN SOME TRACTION WITH GOING TO BUCKIES AT 3 A.M. IN THE MORNING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS, IS JUST FUNNY. YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A LOT OF THINGS FOR GRANTED OR, OR JUST ACCEPT IT THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD DON'T. BUT SEEING IT THROUGH THEIR EYES WHERE, YOU KNOW, AMERICA IS STILL A PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMPETE, PEOPLE STRIVE AND PEOPLE BELIEVE SOMETHING BETTER IS ALWAYS IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE. THERE'S A NEW TEA, A FAIRLY NEW TV SHOW THAT I'VE BEEN WATCHING CALLED AMERICAN ON PURPOSE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S SEEN THIS. IT'S ON CNN. IT'S HOSTED BY CRAIG FERGUSON. HE USED TO HAVE A LATE SHOW A LITTLE WHILE BACK. IN ALL FAIRNESS, SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE. SO JUST BE AWARE. JUST BE AWARE. BUT ONE OF THE WHAT HE'S DOING IS HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN COMING TO AMERICA. HE'S FROM SCOTLAND AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE COMING TO AMERICA. AND EVENTUALLY, AND EVENTUALLY HE DID BECOME A CITIZEN. AND HE INTERVIEWS OTHERS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT SAME PROCESS.AND I'VE JUST, I, I'VE JUST FOUND IT FASCINATING. THERE'S ONLY THREE EPISODES OUT SO FAR, BUT IT'S WHAT'S BEEN INTERESTING IS TO HEAR ALL OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HE TALKS TO, OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, ECHOING THE SAME BASIC IDEAS THAT THEY CAME HERE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. YOU KNOW, THEY CAME HERE FOR THE CHANCE TO WORK HARD AND BUILD SOMETHING, TO RAISE A FAMILY AND SUCCEED THE SAME THINGS THAT WE ALL WANT TO DO. THEY DIDN'T COME HERE EXPECTING THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, BUT BECAUSE AMERICA GIVES THEM THE FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE A BETTER LIFE. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG DISTINCTION. SO, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE, OF COURSE, BUT ITS FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROTECT TO PROTECT LIFE, LIBERTY, TO DEFEND THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT THAT ALL PEOPLE HAVE. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE CAN THRIVE IN, NOT REPLACE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES OR INITIATIVES OR THE DIGNITY OF THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES. AND AS WE APPROACHED JULY 4TH IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE, I HOPE WE ALL CAN USE THIS MOMENT. I'M GOING TO USE THE MOMENT NOT JUST TO CELEBRATE OUR HISTORY, BUT TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE PRINCIPLES THAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY WORTH CELEBRATING. FREEDOM, RESPONSIBILITY, OPPORTUNITY, EQUAL JUSTICE, AND GOVERNMENT THAT SERVES THE PEOPLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. SO THOSE ARE SOME THOUGHTS I'VE HAD RECENTLY, AND I HOPE WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GREAT CELEBRATION AS WE GET TO THE FOURTH. THANK YOU, MR. OMAR. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. IT'S ALWAYS SO REFRESHING TO SEE NEW FACES IN THE ROOM, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CAME AND SPOKE TO US DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS. I DID WANT TO ALSO SAY, IN REGARDS TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, THANK YOU. MR. IS IT FREE? FREE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR FOR KEEPING US UP TO DATE AS A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HEARING ABOUT THIS WHILE BEING ON THIS SIDE OF THE DAIS. AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE WORK THAT WAS STARTED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL HASN'T REALLY BEEN TALKED MUCH ABOUT. SO I DO HOPE TO LEARN MORE AND REALLY CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION, WHATEVER THE OUTCOME MIGHT BE, WILL BE THE OUTCOME. BUT I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS, ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION, AND ALLOW MYSELF TIME TO EDUCATE MYSELF ON THIS TOPIC, BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN ELECTED TO COUNCIL. IN ADDITION, I ALSO HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS GETTING CALLS AND EMAILS IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BREAK INS AND PROPERTY CRIME, PARTICULARLY IN WARD FIVE. AS WE HEAD INTO THE SUMMER MONTHS, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO OUR DIVISION OF POLICE CHIEF, MR. ERIC SCOTT. I'VE ACTUALLY INCLUDED OUR SAFETY DIRECTOR OR SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIR, MISS BROSE, IN THAT CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE TO REALLY ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT SUMMER. I ALSO WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT I AM HOSTING MY SECOND COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, THIS TIME WITH A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, MISS BURROWS, OUR AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVE. IT'LL BE ON JUNE 27TH FROM 1 P.M. TO 3 P.M.
AT THE PARK REC SCHOOL. THE PURPOSES OF THIS EVENT IS TO REALLY ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO COME AND MEET US WHERE WE ARE AND ENGAGE IN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. OUR GOAL IS TO LISTEN, RIGHT? PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS, CONCERNS, OPINIONS, INPUT. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND. ON JUNE 27TH, SATURDAY, 1 P.M. TO 3 P.M. AT THE PARK REC SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PRESIDENT OF THE GARDEN VOLUNTEERS, MISS LISA ROSS. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO GARDENS PARK AND GET A VERY
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WELL PUT TOGETHER TOUR SOME PACKETS WITH HISTORY LESSONS. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH ME AND AND GIVE ME THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE GARDENS PARK IS UNDERRATED AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I WAS THERE WITH THE MAYOR AT THE FIVE SENSES GARDEN, AND IT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE TO SEE ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED. SO THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT WORK AND GO TO THERE SOME SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. AND THAT IS ALL FOR ME.THANK YOU, MISS ANDERSON. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES, IT IS PRIDE MONTH, JUNE. AND ON SUNDAY THERE WAS A PRIDE EVENT AT OUR TOWN CENTER. SO I WANT TO THANK THE PRIDE GROUP THAT ORGANIZED THAT AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME OUT AND PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE IN COMMUNITY, SHOWING KINDNESS AND INCLUSION FOR THE RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CAPITAL GRANTS THAT THE MAYOR SPOKE ABOUT THE I'M EXCITED FOR THE LITTLE THEATER AND WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH THE GRANT FOR OUR TOWN CENTER PARK. SO THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON WORKING ON THAT. THANK YOU, JACK, FOR. THANK YOU, MR. CASTLE, FOR COMING FORTH DURING YOUR DEPARTMENT UPDATES AND AND TALKING THROUGH IT THE LAST COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, I'VE TRIED TO PUT IT THROUGH WITH MY CLOSING COMMENTS, BUT AGAIN, YOU DEFINITELY DO IT MORE JUSTICE. SO I'M SUPER EXCITED. OBVIOUSLY, I'VE SAT ALONGSIDE THE PARK BOARD AND ALONGSIDE WITH MR. CASTLE FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
I'M NOW THE THE CHAIR OF THE PARKS COMMITTEE, SO ANY LEGISLATION FOR PARKS WOULD COME THROUGH ME. SO THE CONTINUED CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THE EXCITEMENT FOR THE MASTER PLAN THAT MR. CASTLE AND THE PARKS AND REC TEAM IS WORKING ON AND WANTING COMMUNITY INPUT, I THINK IS HUGE. WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT OUR PARKS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND PROGRAMING AND THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS IS LOOKING FOR, SO THIS IS VERY EXCITING. THE WEBSITE OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER HAS SHARED OUT THE WEBSITE WITH WITH ME. SO IF ANYONE IS LOOKING FOR THAT, GO TO OUR GROVE CITY HOME PAGE AND YOU'LL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND ANY OF THOSE FORUMS FOR OPEN COMMUNITY CONVERSATION THAT IS LEADING INTO THAT OVERALL MASTER PLAN. THE COMMUNITY CENTER WORK SESSION IS OBVIOUSLY 629. IT DOES SAY 530 HERE. I DO WANT TO CALL OUT THAT WE DECIDED IN CAUCUS, IT IS 6 P.M. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THAT AWARENESS. AND THEN I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. FREE FOR COMING FORWARD. SO THE I'VE BEEN HERE, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS. AND IN JANUARY OF 2024, WHEN OR MAYBE IT WAS FEBRUARY, BUT WHEN THE THEN NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE EXPANDED COUNCIL FROM 5 TO 7 MEMBERS, BEGAN OUR OUR SESSIONS, WE HAD A A RETREAT, A, AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING, RETREAT TO TALK ABOUT GOALS. AND TWO THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION EARLY 2024 WAS THE IDEA OF THIS LARGE, CITY OPERATED, CITY OWNED COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE IDEA TO REVIEW OUR CHARTER AND LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A CITY MANAGER. WE AS, AS MR. FREE SAID, PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE.
THEY STUDIED. THEY CAME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION. AND AGAIN, I'LL REITERATE WHAT MR. FREE SAID IN DECEMBER OF 2025, THERE WAS A FINAL RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL APPROVED, SAYING, LET'S CONTINUE THE WORK TOWARDS POTENTIAL CHARTER CHANGES. YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT THAT, WE'RE ALREADY AT JUNE, AND THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT DOES GO TO A BALLOT. THIS IS APPROPRIATELY SOMETHING FOR OUR CITIZENS TO VOTE ON. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TO BACK UP WHAT YOU WHAT YOU SAID, ALAN. RIGHT. FOR THE PEOPLE, THEY GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON IT. SO IT WOULDN'T BE COUNCIL MAKING THE DECISION, BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE COUNCIL BRINGING IT TO THE PEOPLE AND GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE. AND I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND NOT CONTINUE TO PUNT IT OR CONTINUE TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. THE TASK FORCE DID IMPORTANT WORK. I THINK WE'VE SEEN SOME TASK FORCE THAT DO THE WORK. AND EVEN AS MR. CASTLE SAID, SOMETIMES MASTER PLANS END UP BEING BINDERS ON A SHELF. AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS. GOOD GOVERNANCE. WHEN WE APPOINT PEOPLE TO A TASK FORCE AND ASK THEM TO SPEND THEIR VOLUNTEER HOURS COMING TOGETHER AND RESEARCHING. AND AS MISS BURROWS SPOKE ABOUT, WE'RE ABOUT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR A DATA CENTER TASK FORCE.
I'M SURE THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT TO SEE THAT TO BE A BINDER ALSO SITTING ON THE SHELF IN THE FUTURE. SO TO PIVOT BACK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT WE HAVE A WORK SESSION. WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER WORK SESSION COMING UP.
WHY NOT ADD IT TO THAT? WE CAN DISCUSS THE THE CHARTER. THERE IS A DRAFT. THIS IS SOMETHING
[01:15:05]
WE'D HAVE TO REVIEW. THAT MR. FREE DID PASS OUT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE HAVE. AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION FROM DECEMBER OF 25, AND IF ANYONE NEEDS IT, I'M SURE MISS KELLY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS QUICKLY. IT IS WHAT THE. THE LATEST DRAFT WAS THAT COUNCIL WORKED ON. WE HAD NUMEROUS WORK SESSIONS IN 2025 WHERE EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER READ THROUGH WORD FOR WORD, THE CHARTER. AND WE ALL HAD DISCUSSION HERE AND WE LITERALLY WENT THROUGH WORD BY WORD. SO THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT 2025. IF YOU'RE KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THE PROCESS AND HOW LONG AND HOW MANY WORK SESSIONS WE HAD, SO THAT WOULD BE MY ASK. CAN WE ADD IT TO THE WORK SESSION ON 629? IF WE FEEL THAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER WILL HAVE A LONG TIME FRAME AND WE NEED THAT, HOW ABOUT WE ADD IT TO THE JULY 6TH MEETING AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT THAT DISCUSSION SO THAT OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN CERTAINLY GET UP TO SPEED ON THIS. OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. IT'S TOUGH TO BE LAST OR CLOSE TO LAST BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S COVERED BEFORE I GET TO SPEAK. AND ESPECIALLY JODY AND ELLEN AND I, WE ALWAYS JOKE AROUND. MY WIFE SAID, YEAH, ILLINOIS SAYS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. SO FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS ABLE TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. IT REALLY IS THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT IS IS SUPPOSED TO RUN. ONE OF THE EVENTS I WENT TO WAS THE MAYOR'S BREAKFAST. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S CALLED THE MAYOR'S BREAKFAST. SHOULD BE THE SCOUTS BREAKFAST, BUT IT WAS INTRODUCING NEW EAGLE SCOUTS AND WAS PUT ON BY THE BY THE BOY SCOUTS. AS A FORMER SCOUT, IT WAS A IT WAS A GREAT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. THE SPEAKER. WE HAD A WOMAN GENERAL, AND SHE WENT THROUGH THE. PATRIOTISM AND HOW. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR COUNTRY, AND IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ME AS A FIRST GENERATION PERSON HERE. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE FROM MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND CITIZENSHIP CLASSES. THE PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE IT HERE. IT WAS INTERESTING AND THAT REALLY STRUCK HOME. TODAY I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE. THERE'S A GUY THERE. I HOPE HE DOESN'T MIND ME USING HIS NAME. STEPHEN, WHO'S A U.S. CITIZEN AND AN IMMIGRANT FROM FROM UKRAINE. AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE CITY'S REALLY GOING WITH A SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. AND HE SAID, WELL, THAT'S REAL EASY. THEY'VE NEVER LIVED IN A COUNTRY UNDER THAT. AND THAT'S REALLY A A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE THAT COMES FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND LIVES HERE WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AND STILL HAVE. AND AS MR. STURM SAID, IT'S, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL DRIVE, INDIVIDUAL INTELLIGENCE AND INDIVIDUAL, NOT LUCK, HARD WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, VINCE LOMBARDI SAID, YEAH, YEAH. SOMEONE SAID, HEY, YOU'RE LUCKY YOU WON THE YOU WON THE SUPER BOWL AGAIN. HE SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT LUCK IS? AND THE GUY SAID, NO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT LUCK IS. AND HE SAID, IT'S PRIOR PREPARATION. TAKE CARE OF A FUTURE SITUATION. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. I MEAN, I STARTED WITH NOTHING AND DID DID OKAY, TOOK CARE OF A GOOD TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY AND NOW TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY AND RELATIVES. SO IT'S WHEN WE GET TO JULY THE 4TH, AND THIS IS THE LAST MEETING BEFORE THE JULY THE 4TH. THIS IS THE PERFECT COUNTRY. BUT IT'S SO, SO, SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AND WE NEED TO STEP BACK AND REALIZE THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T. WE NITPICK THIS, WE NITPICK THAT, BUT IT GOES SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE FOR 5 OR 6 HOURS FOR A LOAF OF BREAD, AND THEN END UP PAYING A DAY'S WAGES FOR THAT LOAF OF BREAD. AND YOU'LL THINK A LOT, A LOT HIGHER IN THIS COUNTRY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. OH, YOU. MR. THE LAST GUY. EVEN WORSE. SO LIKE, I KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY. IF YOU START OFF CROSS IT OFF WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE SAYS IT. SO YOU START OFF FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION WAS, WE ARE NOW IN RECEIPT OF THE DATA CENTER INFORMATION. AND I THINK WE SAID LAST WEEK THAT THEY WERE GOING TO WE WERE GOING TO PUBLISH THAT ON SOME WEBSITE OR SOMETHING. AND SOMEBODY TOLD ME A LITTLE ISN'T THERE YET. SO FOR WHOEVER IN THE ADMINISTRATION THAT APPLIES TO, PLEASE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE. AND ONCE AGAIN, THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. AND THAT'S ALL I GOT. ALL RIGHT. JUST SOME QUICK NOTES. WHEN THE DATA CENTER COMMITTEE IS FORMED, THEN THAT[01:20:03]
BECAUSE IT'S NOT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL TO SET THOSE MEETINGS.SO WHEN THAT'S FORMED, WE'LL HAVE TO SET THE MEETINGS AS A GROUP WHEN THAT HAPPENS. JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, AS FAR AS THE CHARTER, AS FAR AS THE CHARTER IDEAS GO, I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO EVERYBODY AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK. ON DATES. THE. I DO KNOW THAT ORIGINALLY WHEN WE STARTED OFF, WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE THE REC CENTER DONE BEFORE WE DID THAT. SO. BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP MEETINGS FOR THAT AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, I DON'T THINK I THINK WE'VE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA AND JULY 4TH AND WE'LL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.