City Council - Regular Meeting

Angela Woodward here and Lawson here. Please join me in the pledge of 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.

Well, good evening everyone and welcome to the January 20th meeting of the Ashlin City Council. Before we begin this evening, uh like to pay tribute to a true friend of the city. Uh publicly, uh city council would like to honor Mr. Lloyd Wand, who passed away last Wednesday. We uh want to extend our sincere condolences to Norma, his wife, and the family. Please bow with me for a moment of silence. Thank you. Mr. Wand was a contributor and uh I certainly won't uh go into details. I'm sure I could not do it justice, but suffice to say that uh he was uh truly cared about Ashlin City and and uh we thank him for his contributions and uh and being part of our great city. It's people like Lloyd Wigant that make Ashlin someplace so very special. With that, uh, we'd like to move into executive session for the possible to discuss the possible purchase of real estate. We'll need a motion to, uh, move into executive session briefly.

So move second. Thank you. I I I I. All right. We will return and should be brief again.

Okay, we are back. We'll need [clears throat] a motion to move back into regular session. So move second. Second. Thank you. I I I I I All right, we're back in regular session. First item on the agenda will be the approval of the minutes from the January 6th meeting. If there are no additions, deletions, or corrections to those minutes, I'll ask for a motion to approve as submitted. So moved. Second. Thank you. Lawson. I. Workman. I. Kyo. I. Miller. I. Woodward. I.

Minutes will stand approved. [snorts] We uh are going to be removing the ordinance A uh for the time being uh to gain additional information. That was no part of our executive session. But uh we will move right to ordinance B which is authorizing and directing the mayor to advertise for bids and enter into contracts for the purchase of supplies and materials for the city of Ashlin, Ohio and declaring an emergency. Move for non-reading in full. Second. Thank you. Workman. Hi, Kyle. Hi, Miller. Hi, Woodward. Hi, Lawson. Hi.

Each year at the beginning of the year, we advertise for bids for all of the supplies that we anticipate using throughout the year. As you see before you, this list includes everything from lime that we use out at the water and wastewater treatment center to a variety of different chemicals that are used at those facilities as well as asphalt concrete, cold mix, crushed limestone, gravel, manholes, pre-cast concrete catch basins, all sorts of different supplies that we use throughout the year in conducting and maintaining our city's infrastructure. So, we're asking it once again to authorize the mayor to go forth and advertise for bids for these items. Incidentally, this year the city engineer has estimated that they will cost up to 10% more than they have in the past. So, that has been included in his estimate.

All right. Any discussion? Hearing none. Is there a motion to approve on the first reading? So moved. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Kyle. Hi, Miller. I Woodward. I Lawson. Hi, Workman. Hi. I'll move to suspend the rules for three separate readings, three separate days. Second. Thank you, Miller. I, Woodward, I Workman. I I. Motion to approve the ordinance. So moved. Second. Thank you. Woodward. I Workman. I Miller. I. Ordinance 3-26. Typical January ordinance. Yes.

We see every year. All right. Moving then to ordinance B, which was the reason for our

executive session. This did I say B? I'm sorry. Ordinance C. This will need to be read in full. And with that, I'll begin. This will be an ordinance authorizing the purchase of certain real property located within the city of Ashland and declaring an emergency. Whereas the city of Ashlin desires to purchase and accept the transfer of the real property located on the northeast corner of US 250 and state route 511 Ashlin, Ohio 44805 and having Ashlin County permanent parcel number P43-136- 0-00001- Z00 and whereas this council desires to approve said purchase and acquisition of the subject real property. Now therefore, be it ordained by the council of the city of Ashlin, Ohio, its members thereto concurring section one, that the city of Ashland does approve and the of the purchase and acquisition of the real property located on the northeast corner of US 250 and state route 511, Ashlin, Ohio 4485 and having Ashlin County permanent parcel number P43-136- 0-00001- Z00 pursuant to the purchase agreement attached here to and incorporated by reference. Section two, that the mayor is authorized to execute all documentation and furtherance of closing on the subject property. Section three, that in order to enable the implementation of the authorization set forth in section one above, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, property, health, safety, and welfare. And section four, that this ordinance shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage by council in approval pursuant to section 12 of the charter of the city of Ashlin, Ohio.

That ends the reading. Mayor, I'll pass it over to you.

Okay. On Friday afternoon, we became aware of the fact that this particular lot that is just under one acre located on the northeast corner of 511 and US 250. So, this would be Troy Road as it crosses the bypass. There off on the right side there is a small piece of land that actually, I believe, currently has a sign for Wat's Edge Event Center on it. That's the particular parcel we're talking about. We became aware that that was going to be put up for sale. In fact, I believe it was put up for sale on Friday afternoon. And through a conversation with the realtor regarding whether or not the city utilities were available at that site, uh we came to find out that this is a site that could be important to future development here in the city. It's already annexed and it is adjacent to several other parcels that have already been annexed into the city. And the truth is over the last several years I've actually shown that whole area uh to multiple developers that were interested in finding locations for additional housing in our community. And because this lot is available but only has water, it does not have city sewer. After talking with the engineering staff and looking at some of the potential plans for that area, we think that it's important that the city acquire this land at this point. If it were a much larger parcel, we may not feel that way. But because it is such a small parcel, it could play a big role though in the future development of that entire area because it's at a key location. So with that in mind, we made an offer. The asking price was actually just under 30,000 299. We offered 20,000 and the owner said that because it was the city, he would take that. And so we are asking you tonight to move forward with the purchase of this property. Incidentally, we thought that price was competitive because if you recall, we actually sold

the acreage to the Amazon company for $20,000 an acre. And in essence, that's this is right out there in that very corridor.

And you know, let's [cough] be honest, I don't think anyone ever imagined that [clears throat] Comptex would build their new plant where they built it. That was a small piece of city-owned land that didn't look like it was prime because it sat low and I think everyone would have probably questioned whether you could even develop it and yet it ended up being a site for a significant employer here in Ashland. This corner, we're not talking about putting a business in there, but this small piece of land could play a big role in future housing development in that area. So with that in mind, I don't think we can afford to not have control of it as we move into the future.

Sure. Any discussion? Hearing none. Is there a motion to approve on the [clears throat] first reading? So moved. Second. Thank you. Lawson, I Workman. I Kyle. Hi. Miller. [clears throat] I. Woodward. I. I'll move to suspend the rules for three separate readings, three separate days. Second. Thank you. Workman. I. Kyle. I. Miller. I. Woodward. I awesome. I Is there a motion to approve the ordinance? So moved. Second. Second. Thank you. Kyle, I Miller. I Woodward. I Lawson. I Workman. I Ordinance 4-26. All right. Very strategic uh purchase.

Absolutely. When is the closing set for that? I don't think they've said it yet. Have we?

Because we were waiting for your authorization before we could do that. All right, with that we'll move right to resolutions. We have a resolution declaring council's intention to vacate certain alleys and a rideway located in the city of Ashen, Ohio. This will be on East 7th, East 8th Birch Street. There's an alley right and rightway. All right. So, of course, tonight is the first night we're introducing this potential resolution. I guess it's not a potential resolution. and we're asking you to set a hearing to discuss the possible vacation of this alleyway. Now, let me get my bearings here. Let me step over here. All right, this is Union Street. And I believe this would be AKA, the Ashen County Community Academy.

And right here is Lane Allen, a local business. And this, of course, still shows Kristar. Now, am I telling you right? Yes, it does show. There's Kristar. It's all been torn down up front here, but this is Kristar. So, hopefully that gives people an idea where we're talking. The particular land that we're talking about vacating, is serving no public purpose. It starts here on Seventh Street, which basically you can see it's a parking lot for those two businesses. Of course, again, Kerar is no longer there, but it's a parking lot for Lane Allen. Then it goes north out to 8th Street and then it goes east behind all of these properties where it services all of the business building on this side. So, does that make sense? We've got so many hash marks and lines on this chart, it could be hard to follow. But right here is the area that we are suggesting be vacated. And the reason is it serves no public purpose. I don't know if anyone has had the chance to drive out there, but I have. And you can clearly see that this is simply a driveway to service this building along the south side. Does that make sense? And so for that reason, uh, the engineering staff is asking that the council entertain the possibility of vacating that alley.

All right. Is there any discussion? So those buildings along the what that would be the north side of that those homes that are on 8th Street, those buildings are accessible through their driveway. They don't have those are shared driveways. Okay? So each place where you see the vacation going up to 8th Street, there's only two, I guess, right? Two. Three. Is there three? Oh, yes. Three. Those are shared driveways. And but those buildings that border the back of that that goes all the way through there. They're not using that as the access point.

No. Or I guess we'll find out if they are at the hearing. But they can access most of them. I would be accessing it from the front as they do now. Yes. Off of 8 Street. Yes. Yes. Are those properties owned by the same people or my question is because there's I believe so. There's three only three signatures. Looks like there's a lot of properties there on the south side. Yeah. On the on the top side, north side. Those are all individual homes.

Yes. Different owners, but there's not all of them would be affected because only only the property owners probably that have the alley that goes between the houses. Yes. The other ones that's across the back, it's technically Yes. Okay. I was actually told only one person Now, let me think. Am I No, that's on the next one. Next one. Okay. All right. That's on the All right. Okay. I So that Okay, got it. If you go out there and take a look at it, it you it's very easy. I know you're just getting the map tonight, but if you guys go out and drive, you'll see that it's it's probably not a road you're going to travel too much as part of.

Certainly. Yeah. Half a half of it will go to the business of the long stretch, right? Yes. What is that? Agro some the white roof building. I don't believe so. I think it is I think it's been done, but don't hold me to it. Okay. Yeah. My only comment. Yes. And I'm sure the city engineer knows way better than I do, but um commercially uh it may affect that business's um insurance not having a road all the way around their building.

The they fire department they did talk with the fire department. The fire chief had no problem with it. Good. Good. Cuz they did check. That would have been my only thing was Yes. But that's a good point because the engineer did check with the fire chief and they said it was fine. Okay. Cool. Yep. Cool. I know sometimes it matters. Yes, it is. This is one where I'll admit when you see it on paper, it's like, "Oh, brother, there's all sorts of things impacted by it." But then when you go out, you begin to see, "Oh, wow. There is no public reason to have that on the city books." So, and it looks like their primary access is off of Birch [clears throat] to those white roof. Yeah. Buildings. Yeah. There.

Yeah. It's probably one building. I don't know. on separate parcels. Yeah, it is. Okay. I I believe I've driven by there a few times. Yes. All right. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Is there a motion to approve on the first reading? I'm sorry. We need to set a hearing date. Correct. We need to do non- reading in full. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, Terry. Move for non-reading in full. Second. Thank you, Lawson. I Workman I Kyle I Miller I Woodward I Now is there a motion to approve the resolution set a meeting? Oh set a hearing date

setting the hearing date for March 3rd is our proposed date uh I move that we set a hearing date March 3rd. Thank you. I'll second that. Thank you. 2026. We need to take a vote on that. We need to just pass on the first reading. Okay. Is there a motion to approve on the first reading? So moved. Second. Thank you. Miller. I. Woodward. I. Lawson. I. Workman. Hi. Kyle. I. I'll move to suspend the rules for three separate readings, three separate days. Second. Second. Thank you. Woodward. I. Lawson. Hi. Workman. I Kyle. I. Miller. I. Motion to approve the resolution. Move

to approve. Second. Thank you, Lawson. Hi, Workman. Hi, Kyle. Hi, Miller. Hi, Woodward. I resolution 1-26. You made the comment earlier. You know, I've only done this a hundred times. This will be the 101st, I think. So, with that, then we'll move to Would you mind if I say one thing?

Absolutely. So, I think most people probably understand this, but if you are watching from home, the first step is for the city engineer and the staff in the city engineers office to recommend these situations that they find throughout the city where a alley or a once planned alley is no longer serving a public purpose. Then they come to this body where we ask that you set a hearing and at that hearing anyone who lives in that neighborhood can come in and speak for or against it or tell why it's needed or why it's not needed. And so even though as I'm describing it I am saying that there's no identified public purpose. It does not mean if someone's living in that neighborhood maybe they think there is. And that's what the hearing is for. for them to come and tell us why they think that it needs to exist for a public purpose. I think most people know that by now, but I don't want anyone to think that because I said that it's not needed for a public purpose that that's the final word because that's not the case.

And I'll add that this being a resolution is simply the council's intention to move forward with the possible ordinance to vacate these alleys. Correct, mayor? Yes. All right. Thank you. And with that, we'll move to resolution B, which is again a resolution declaring council's intention to vacate certain alleys located in the city of Ashlin, Ohio. This will be for electric and Buckeye streets. Move for non-reading in full. Second. Thank you. Miller, I Woodward. I Workman. I Kyle.

I. Now, these ones are a lot more easy to follow. The reason, and that is because in this case, the alley that we're proposing be vacated doesn't even exist. So, that is why the engineering staff is suggesting that the council vacate it. All right. So, there is no street or driveway in that area. I think we have a second page. Do you happen to have that, Amanda? All right. And here's the second part of this. And once again in this section you can see there is no alley. In this section you can see there is no alley. Now down here there might be a drive or something there but the building's built over top of what is supposed to be a public alley I believe in each instance. So again clearly there is no thoroughare currently in operation in those areas. So the city engineer staff is recommending that we entertain the possibility of vacating those spots. All right, with that is there any discussion? Hearing none, is there a motion to approve the resolution on the first reading?

So moved. Thank you. Sorry. I I I I move to suspend the rules for three separate readings, three separate dates. Second. Thank you, Mr. I. I I I motion to approve the resolution. So move second. Thank you. I I And again that hearing will be March 3rd. All right. Moving that I'm sorry.

Thank you, Terry. We have no public hearing items. No old business or new business unless council has something to bring forward. Hearing none, our finance director is not here this evening. Council comments. Mr. Kyle, would you like to go first?

Um, I just I want to, you know, thank the city for um keeping after the snow. It's been a lot. Um, I hear him rumbling by the house all hours, which is awesome. Um, I I know it's there's been some issues getting some of the smaller streets, but we got to take care of the big streets right away. Um, and I feel like it's it's been decent for the amount of snow and the amount of cold. It's just been really cold. So, it makes it tricky. Mr. Melon,

uh, the only thing is no big deal, but uh, people might have questions like for this week, Martin Luther King Day, will there be trash pickup on Monday or not? Um and you can easily look at the website in the city's website and uh it clearly states with whether there will be on certain holidays and in this case there was pickup on Monday. So as I saw a lot of trash out today and they were out picking up again. So kudos again to the street department for doing that. But just a reminder that you can look online and get that information. All right,

that was me as well. Well, I just wanted to say thank you to all the city services that was out there today. It was extremely cold and they still did their job and I would assume as a city of excellence, they did it well. So, thank you to everybody that worked today outside. Mr. Lawson, they said it well. I'll not add anything else to it. Thank you,

Mayor. I'll turn it over to you. You know, the only thing that I want to mention tonight, I think I've mentioned it before at this meeting, but believe it or not, especially when I hear you say that that 30 days from now is in March, will already be in March. That's incredible. This is the year we'll celebrate America's 250th birthday. And here in the city of Ashlin, in the county of Ashlin, we are planning a dayong celebration for America's 250th. I think I've mentioned it before, but the day is expected to start with an Independence Day parade that will be modeled much like the Christmas parade, the same parade route. And of course, only difference will be everything will be decked out in red, white, and blue. Immediately after the parade, we're hoping to install and dedicate a brand new monument to freedom. And that has been graciously provided by a very generous donor. And that should be quite a spectacle to behold. We don't have any other monument in our community like it. And it will be installed ultimately in the pump house district. Now, we're hoping and praying that construction is far enough along that we can actually do it there. But even if we can't install it that day, we can always set it up somewhere else in the meantime. But to give you an idea, that new monument to freedom, the centerpiece of that display weighs over 35,000 pounds. It's a piece of granite that is coming to us from South Dakota,

and it should be quite spectacular when we see it in place. And then finally, the birthday party celebration will continue out at Ferfield. And I believe it's around 4:00 or 5 in the evening, we will start having live bands, food trailers, and lots of other activities. And then it will culminate in the Rotary's community fireworks show. And this year, the fireworks display is expected to be the largest in Ashen's history. So, it will be more than double the size of our normal July 4th fireworks celebration. So, just want to get that on people's radars that uh if you're making plans for that holiday weekend, you might want to stick around because we'll have a lot going on right here in our own backyards. [clears throat] So, that's all I have for you tonight on one of the coldest nights of 2026 so far.

Yes. Sounds sounds wonderful. Yes. Looking forward moving then to comments and questions from our audience. If anyone is here who would like to address council, please step up to the podium. And doesn't look like we have any takers. So with that, is there a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Second. Thank you. I I Miller I I All right. Thank you all. We are ajourned. Thank you.