City Council - Regular Meeting

Board of Control.

I'm sorry, not Board of Control. Bridget's public hearing. Sorry. Thank you.

Thank you.

This is the second of two required public hearings for the Community Development Block Grant. The city is an entitlement community and receives an allocation every year from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year's annual action plan is spending 100% of its funding on activities that benefit low to moderate income households, including low to moderate income area benefits for infrastructure improvements, housing improvements, and public service. The city did receive word that its allocation is $257,501, which is about $20,000 less than previous year.

Any questions? Anybody from the audience?

Thank you, Patricia. Thank you.

Okay. I call to order the regular city council meeting.

Would the clerk read roll, please?

Ms. Elko?

Mr. Clapper?

Mr. Drager? Mr. Hook? Mr. Schaefer-Bish? Here. Mr. Tipton? Here. Mr. Turner? Ms. Wallach?

Here.

Ms. Wesley?

Here.

Mr. Turner and Ms. Tuchelko have asked to be excused.

So moved.

Second. All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Okay.

Opening remarks? Mr. Klapper?

Yeah, I just hope everybody has a great Memorial Day weekend. Be safe. Spend some money locally and remember why you have Monday off if you do.

Thanks.

The United States of America and to the republic on which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Any public comment? Okay, written communication.

On April 13th, 2026, the clerk's office received notice that the April 21st Planning Commission meeting had been canceled due to a lack of agenda items. On April 21st, 2026, the clerk's office received notice that the May 5th Planning Commission meeting had been canceled due to a lack of agenda items. Meeting is planned for May 19th, 2026. On April 30th, the April minutes and May agenda for the Standing Rock Cemetery Board of Trustees was received and posted online. On May 5th, 2026, an email from Joseph Crifield was received in the clerk's office. The email expressed displeasure with Kent State University installing flat cameras. The email was shared with council. On May 7th, a letter addressed to council and the city manager was received from Lee Brooker of Wilson Avenue, expressing displeasure with gas-powered lawn equipment and requesting a ban on their use in residential neighborhoods. Mr. Ruler responded to the letter, and the letter and his response was shared with council. On May 11th, 2026, the agenda for the May 18th meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals was received in the clerk's office. On May 12th, the agenda and staff report for the May 19th meeting of the Planning Commission was received in the clerk's office. And received after agenda publication, notice from the Department of Commerce Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control, advising of the transfer of ownership from Kent Overstuffed, Inc. to the Nuthouse located at 295 South Water Street, Kent. He sure has no objections.

Is there a motion to return the notice with no hearing? So moved. All those in favor? Opposed?

Thank you.

I'd like to move items 1 through 12 on the City Manager's Report. Second. Second by Tracy. All those in favor? Mr. Roller, do you have anything to add? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Okay. Thank you. And the consent agenda.

As well as requested the April regular council minutes be removed. So the consent agenda includes approval of May council committee minutes, approval of May special committee minutes, Draft 202642, an ordinance authorizing the finance director upon the issuance of a certificate of availability of funds to pay certain purchase orders made that exceed $3,000 and declaring an emergency. Draft 202643, an ordinance authorizing the city manager or his designee to dispose of surplus computer equipment on the basis that they are no longer needed or in service and declaring an emergency. Draft 202644, An ordinance authorizing the acceptance of the Tax Incentive Review Council 2026 recommendation to continue the Enterprise Zone Agreement with the Davy Tree Expert Company and the Community Reinvestment Area Agreements with KMPH Real Estate and Claiborne Property Management LLC for two different projects providing for real property tax exemption as specified in the separate agreements and declaring an emergency. Draft 202645, an ordinance authorizing the sale by online auction of surplus property located at 500 Middlebury Road that the Parks and Recreation Department no longer has any long-term plans to use and declaring an emergency. Draft 202646, an ordinance amending sections 915, 921, 1193, and 1199 and 1203 of the codified ordinances of the City of Kent and declaring an emergency. Draft 2026-47, an ordinance authorizing the City of Kent Health Department to accept grant funds in the amount of $10,000 from the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, and declaring an emergency. Draft 2026-48, an ordinance amending Section 353.02 parking regulation authorization of the codified ordinances of the City of Kent to change the language on Needham Avenue and declaring an emergency. Draft 2026-49, an ordinance amending the State Route 59 Alternative Transportation Improvement Agreement between the City of Kent, Florida, and Franklin Township, which was executed on October 5, 2023, to expand the role of the Ohio Department of Transportation, ODOT, as a project partner in declaring an emergency. Draft 2026-50, an ordinance approving a request for Community Development Block Grant CDBG assistance for fiscal year 2026 under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended, including the program year 2026 annual action plan and authorizing the execution and filing of the program year 2026 annual action plan, including related certifications and upon awarding of the grant, authorizing appropriation of funds and declaring an Draft 202651, an ordinance authorizing the city manager or his designee to enter into a loan agreement between the city of Kent and Ohio EPA for the construction of the water reclamation facility, Influent Headworks building project, and declaring an emergency.

Move suspension. Mr. Clapper?

Yes. Mr. Drager? Mr. Hook? Yes. Ms. Schaefer-Bish? Yes. Mr. Tipton?

Yes.

Ms. Wallach?

Yes.

Ms. Wesley?

Yes.

Move adoption.

Second. Mr. Clapper?

Yes. Mr. Draeger? Yes. Mr. Hook? Yes. Ms. Schaefer-Bish? Yes. Mr. Tipton? Yes. Ms. Wallach?

Yes.

Ms. Wesley?

Yes.

Consent agenda passes.

I'd like to move to approve the April regular council meeting minutes.

Mr. Drager? Yes. Mr. Hook?

Yes. Ms. Schaefer-Bish? Yes. Mr. Tipton?

Yes.

Ms. Wallach?

Same.

Ms. Wesley?

Yes.

And Mr. Clapper? Yes. Is there any unfinished business? Any new business? Heidi?

Yeah, this is going to take a little bit of a lead in. I was notified by one of my constituents about a situation where he has become completely and totally fed up with the behavior of housing, people living in the housing around him. And so he has decided to move out of Kent, out of the neighborhood and out of Kent. that makes me feel sad. But secondly, he is very concerned about the ability to sell his house. Now I'll say why in a minute, but I want to give a little bit of a history lesson that we went through great pains over several years to institute the property maintenance code. And to some extent it has been helpful. We're trying to lift up rental housing so that You can look at a neighborhood and not go, there's the rental housing, there's the rental housing, that's a homeowner document. So it's been somewhat successful, but I think there's a few loose ends and we've talked about some of them. One being sidewalk maintenance, another being like leaf raking and just general tidiness. I know that if there's trash in a yard, we can call the health department if people are noisy, we can call the police and all that kind of stuff. If there's a gutter hanging loose, we can call the code enforcement. So his issue, and I went and checked it out, and it's all over the city, so it's not limited to this neighborhood, but it does stand out in this neighborhood, is the beer pong table in the front yard. That has become a permanent fixture, a permanent fixture. And you can tell that because all of the grass has been completely worn away around the table to the point where it's just hard packed dirt. So it is a fixture. I don't know what to do about that. What, if any regulations do we have to cover this situation? And I drove around and looked at other houses in the same situation. We did an ordinance where we asked, where we told, people they couldn't store their trash cans in the front yard. So why can we have beer pong tables stored permanently in front yards? This is something I don't expect to resolve today, but I would certainly like to put it into committee to investigate what, if anything, we can do now, and do we need special legislation to rectify this situation? So that is my motion, basically.

Anybody, any comments?

Second, I need a second. OK, I'll second it. Thank you. Any comments? I already said my piece.

I will say in the middle of winter time it's sitting right there. No one's playing beer pong.

Right.

All those in favor putting in committee. Aye. Opposed? Aye. OK. So it will go to committee.

um thank you any uh any other unfinished business any council member comments mayor's report um

Over the past month, I have remained actively engaged in a number of community, educational, historical, and economic development events throughout the City of Kent and Portage County. These opportunities continue to highlight the strong partnership and civic pride that make our community such a special place to live and serve. I attended an educational lecture on The Nature of the Oaks by Doug Tallamy at Hobbs Hall, which offered thoughtful discussion on environmental stewardship and the importance of preserving our natural resources for future generations. In addition, I participated in a tree planting ceremony at the Portage County Historical Society sponsored by Portage County Commissioners because it's located at the county seat commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of our nation. It was a meaningful event that honored both our country's history and the commitment to the future. Economic development and community investment continued to remain strong throughout our area. I was pleased to attend ribbon cutting ceremonies for DRL Accounting and Berkshire Hathaway celebrating continued business growth and the expansion of services available to our residents. We also had the opportunity to attend two educational field trips with local third grade students through the Kent Historical Society. It was encouraging to see young people actively engaged in learning about the history and heritage of our community. Another Historical Society field trip will occur tomorrow, and I look forward to continuing to support these educational opportunities. One of the highlights of the month was helping cut the ribbon on a Lego city built by kindergarten students at the Kent State Child Development Center. Their creativity, their enthusiasm, and their teamwork were truly impressive and served as a wonderful example of the bright future of our community. And here is a little thank you card that they made for me. So very cute. The annual mayor's challenge between Kent and Ravenna took place in May for canned food and for food and money to be collected through Kent Social Services. I don't think we won again. I didn't hear anything. We've never won this competition. But the whole idea isn't about winning. It's the whole idea of contributing and making sure that people that don't have enough have an opportunity to get fed and services that they need provided for them. Past Sunday, I attended the rededication and blessing ceremony at the Thomas Anderson Memorial Gardens on the south side of Kent. The Reverend Amy Gopp led the ceremony. The ceremony was both moving and inspiring, bringing members of the community together in remembrance, reflection, and unity. Looking ahead, I'm honored to participate in the upcoming Kent Memorial Day Parade on Monday as we join our residents in paying tribute to the men and women who have faithfully served our country. And in the days ahead, I will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Portage Crisis Center and Access Point as I continue supporting organizations and businesses that provide important services and opportunities throughout our community. And it continues to be an honor to serve and represent this community. Thank you. And Jack.

Sorry, yes, I just make a quick announcement. So on the 30th, that's Saturday. Next Main Street can't ask my family to lead the cleanup Kent session 830 to 10 May 30th. So if anybody wants to participate, will be out there. It's a Main Street event, but. cleaning up the downtown, bring your gloves.

We appreciate it.

Yeah. Okay, now Berger.