County Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Morning. Good morning. It's Friday, April 10th, 9:30 in the morning. Welcome to the Lorain County Board of Commissioners meeting. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat]

Mr. Moore. Here. Mr. Gallagher. Here. Mr. Riddell. Here. We have a quorum. Under resolutions number one, investments. So moved. Second. Discussion. [snorts]

Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Number two, appropriations. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Number three, transfers, there were none. Number four, advances repayments, there were none. Number five, requisitions. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Number six, travel. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. [snorts] Number seven, bills. I show three pages today. Page two, please. And page three. Move to approve pages one, two, and three. Second. Discussion. Mr. Moore. Aye.

Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. We don't have any We're not going to exact, so. Public Excuse me. Public comment on agenda items. Okay. We got a few today on the agenda items. Um, keep Try to keep it at two minutes, please. If you haven't been here before, and we will uh start with Sharon Mickelson on number 11. Good morning. Morning. My name is Sharon Mickelson. I live on 927 Bectol in Elyria. Uh, I'm here to talk about the land that's behind my house, the 65 plus acres. Uh, they want to annex it to Elyria, so that they can put in more housing. Or put in housing. And I'm concerned that with all that housing, somebody has to be concerned with the water runoff, street lights, all the roads that are going to go in there. Right now, the the yards on that side of the field already flood. I mean, that's it's a concern. I don't want 160 houses behind me. I don't want all those lights behind me. I prefer to keep it a farm. I would prefer to keep it in Amherst Township. Um I'm sure that most of the people around me that are living in that area are concerned about all of these things because we've lived with a farm behind us and we got to see the deer and the coyotes and the the eagles and the egrets. I mean, it's beautiful land and it they having it to go to development is just crazy. There's no place else for anybody to go and uh if you think about all the other counties like in Lake County, people they build and build and build and then all of a sudden they're flooding. It's crazy because there's nowhere for the water to go.

I mean, I'm really very concerned about this. My yard already floods, so it'll only get worse. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

Jared Phillips. Item number 12. Good morning. Morning. Morning. Uh the airport uh I had a chance to go back and go through some more uh certified annual financial statements to see uh you know, why the airport has been a losing venture and we put in a lot of money. And Mr. Moore indicated that we've got grants of 20 million. Well, we have more than 20 million invested because he indicated that uh those were matching grants and we had a match it, so we got 40 million, I believe, invested in it. So, uh hasn't made money. If it's cost 40 million since it's been put up. Uh so, a statement that I think somebody from the administration says, "Well, we're getting lease rentals and we're getting uh uh uh airport rentals and we're farming it." Well, that may be, but those revenues still doesn't cover the deficit. Doesn't cover the fact that we got to put get grant money and uh to make it uh cash flow positive or break even and matching grants, so you know, we got people here who want money from the Jobs and Family Services and you know, we we just put in $40 million into a hole. So, uh and this has been more than just recently. I've been in Lorain County uh 42 years and you know, Mr. Moore says, "Well,

since 1921, we had an offer and this and that." Well, before 1921, you know, I recollect that, you know, there was talk that it was losing money and that there was nobody interested in it. So, uh you know, uh the question is we got a losing venture and it keeps losing money. So, uh you know, it's going to be part of the mega site. I heard that it was supposed to rezone part of the land from the airport for the mega site. And if that's the case, then we're going to decommission or lose some of the land and is that triggering the $20 that we got to pay back? Thank you. Thanks, sir. Thanks. Uh William Zimmerman.

[clears throat and cough] after her and She's She's just under item number public, so. Mhm. Morning. Good morning.

William Zimmerman, beautiful Avon Lake. So, I'm glad to see that you have the airport on the agenda again. Those stories that you told last time were nowhere near the truth. I have a letter from Mr. Riddell that was sent to Ms. Maholic part of the She's a director at ODOD. This is uh dated 424 of 24 asking for the closure of the airport so that they can access the land to add it to the Lorain County mega site to make them more competitive on a national scale. This is totally false from all the things you've been saying in regards to that. This letter makes him a liar. Plain and simple. I don't understand how you people get away with doing these kinds of things and call it constructive business. This is in is responsible stewardship. There's nothing responsible about you. You should resign. Thanks. Thank you.

[applause] Lorain County citizens deserve better. Tammy [applause] Tammy McGinnis. Good morning. Good morning. I item number 10, I believe. Yes.

Okay. Um [clears throat] item number 10 is about you guys entering into an employee benefit consulting and brokerage service agreement with James B. Oswald Company. Um there's no expenditure listed or anything. So, my concern is Oswald executives serve on regional boards like Team NEO. Um and they work directly with Lorain County on projects like the mall and the mega site. So, on the Oswald company's website, they list their core values as a passion for excellence, integrity, resourcefulness, and commitment to the community. Given your recent lack of integrity and commitment to the community, I'm curious as to how much this partnership is costing the community or who is scratching whose back since your core values clearly don't align with theirs. Thank you. Thank you.

[applause] Okay, that's it. That's it? Yep. Is there any old business? No, but I have any. Board business number nine, approving way the reading of the county commissioners meeting minutes of April 7th. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Gallagher.

Aye. 10, enter into employee benefit [clears throat] consulting and brokerage services agreement with the James B. Oswald Company, Cleveland, effective retroactive to March 1st of '26 through February 28th of '27. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Go. Yeah, go ahead. You want to say anything? Yes. The purposes of this agreement is the Oswald Company has purchased from Minuteman, who is our current provider, has purchased the services for managing the health care. So, this is strictly a name change. And it was not prompted by any activity from the commissioners whatsoever. It was prompted by the fact that Oswald bought from Minuteman their hospitalization services. And they are current provider under contract, so the auditor requires that when a name change [clears throat] occurs for whatever reason, that we have to pass a resolution to endorse the new name so that they can be paid. Thank you. That's it. Uh Commissioner Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. 11, receive and journalize proposed expedited to annexation of approximately 65.2559 acres from Amherst Township to the city of Elyria. Attorney John D. Clark is agent for petitioner Lulu LLC by Sharon McCarty, member. Decision on the proposed annexation at Volken conditions are met is to be placed on the agenda for Friday, May 8th, which is the 32nd day. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Yeah, well, this is just uh a formal step, so there'll be hearings in regards to this, I believe, on May 8th. And um uh I already handed over her comments. Um if you you know, uh who was it? What's her name? Sharon Nicholson.

Yeah, Sharon, if you would like to come back, it's a public hearing and that's when you can really voice what's going on and probably tell your neighbors to show up, too. Thank you. I will be here. Thank you. Yep. Yep. So. That's Friday, May 8th. Just to clarify, there is no public hearing, though. Oh, is that a public hearing? No, it's a decision. Decision. talk, but it's not public hearing that we're Oh, that's expedited. Yes.

Okay, so this is something that recent kind of recent, so okay. Anything further? Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Airport 12, approve the agreement with Mannik and Smith Group Inc. in the amount of $39,113 to perform construction observation and testing for the Lorain County Regional Airport main apron rehabilitation, partial phase three. This will be paid from the airport professional service account. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. 13, approve approve change order five to Erie Blacktop Inc. for unforeseen conditions that modify the scope of work and extended the project completion date to December 31st of '25 for Lorain County Airport runway rehabilitation landing project. Move to approve.

Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Under transit 14, schedule public hearings to be held regarding the discontinuation of the services of downtown Elyria Loop provided by Lorain County Transit. Move to approve. Second. Discussion. Um yes, I'm going to have Karen speak on behalf. [clears throat]

So uh the downtown loop is actually the fixed route bus that currently runs throughout downtown Elyria. Its main purpose is to transport jurors from the parking lot on Washington Avenue to the Justice Center. Um we also provide rides for folks from the county jail that needs that need to get back to into downtown area. And the loop has consistently had very very low ridership. And we have made an assessment that in order to improve our services on our dial-a-ride service that we could actually take this asset, the bus and driver, and put it in within the dial-a-ride service and then be able to provide additional rides to those who call in for dial-a-ride. Right now we're turning away about 20 folks on dial-a-ride that need a ride to get to their final destination. So this is a way that we can resolve the issue. Um I have reached out to both the courts and the jail. Um let them know that we're going through this process to take away the downtown loop, but they still have the opportunity to schedule any rides that they need for jurors or for folks that need transportation from the jail through the dial-a-ride service. So um I've had lengthy conversations with with Sherry Clawson on how we can make that work for them. I know that when they call when they do an all call for jury, they get a lot of folks that come downtown. We can dedicate a a a bus for that reason for those days instead of 5 days a week, you know, all month long and runs around town with no riders on it. So again, this is something that transit has to do. We have to have the public hearings. We get

comments from the public. Um we'll share those comments with the board and then we'll make a final decision. Um I think we're hoping to come back to this board um probably the end of May. So our public hearings we've got tentatively scheduled for May 20th at 1:00 and May 26th at 6:00 p.m. Uh those will be held at the Lorain County Transportation Center. We'll publish a notice in our local newspaper and also on the website. I hope that helps. I'd like to comment on it. You know uh I I was a juror in the court here and I parked in one of those lots. I found it easier to walk in in than did to wait for the bus cuz the bus was going to take longer to get there than that and it wasn't that far of a walk. So I I wholeheartedly understand why that is happening. Plus, you know, the being there seven or five [clears throat] days a week and jurors only meet at certain times and at very brief times actually. Right. I know it's a little unpredictable because we're not entirely sure of what's going to happen after the the the jurors get to the Justice Center, whether they're going to stay, whether they get dismissed, but we're we're going to be as flexible as we possibly can in order to help the courts out. And there will be no charge for that ride since they're doing a public service. You beat me to it.

Huh. I would hope that whatever we do will make life better, not worse for the jurors. They're they're doing their public service, [clears throat] losing losing a day's pay in most cases in exchange for the twenty-some dollars a day that we pay for jury duty. Yes, I agree. I think somehow we should try to find a way to allocate some some of the parking in the in the in the lot [clears throat] there in front of the Justice Center so that the jurors can be rewarded for their service. It'd be nice to get on that. [laughter]

That's a huge a huge task to undertake. Parking is an issue. Yeah. So the majority of the folks that park in front of the Justice Center um either have business at the Justice Center and are not county employees. Anything further? Commissioner Moore. Aye. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Under Clerk Courts 15, enter into a lease agreement with Lorain Civic Center Committee for 2,155 sq. ft space at 621 Broadway Avenue, Lorain in the amount of $1,850 per month beginning on June 1st of '26 through May 31st of '28. The monthly base rent shall increase by additional $50 per month on the anniversary date of the duration of the lease and this will be paid out of the building rent account. So moved. Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Commissioner Moore.

Aye. Engineer 16, authorize participation in the ODOT winter contract '26-'27 road salt. So moved. Second. Discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Commissioner Moore. Aye. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Administrator. for today. Uh the only thing is to say that April 30th at 3:00 p.m. will be our joint public hearing for the Commissioners and County Planning and Subdivision Regulations, Lorain County. Same day at 3:45 we'll have a special special Commissioners meeting regards to subdivision regulations, Lorain County. And then at 3:50 Planning Commission will have a special meeting on subdivision regulations, Lorain County. Or correspondence? Move to waive the reading of the board correspondence. Second. Discussion. Mr. Riddell. Aye. Mr. Gallagher. Aye. Commissioner Moore. Aye. New business? Yes. Public comment? Yep. Yeah. Casey and Karen, you guys all right? You guys got a lot of work to do, so you might as well go. So. Okay. All right. Um is it Leon Robinson? Oh, okay, Leon. Sorry. It's

[clears throat]

Since you're kind of new to it, it's um you get 2 minutes. And he came up and introduced himself, so. Okay. Uh-oh. I'm sorry. I don't know why I just did that. Okay. Um Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Leon Palmer Robinson the Third. 404 Furnace Street. I'm here as a representative of our community and as a advocate for the regional development of the Elyria Nexus Hub. We are closely monitoring the current negotiations between the board and the Job and Family Services staff and we are [clears throat] deeply concerned by the lack of progress. We are working to position the Lorain-Elyria Opportunity Triangle as a leader in sovereign intelligence and modern infrastructure. However, a smart city, a smart region requires more than just digital twin technology or grid modernization. It requires human intelligence that is stable and secure. JFS is a critical piece of our county's social infrastructure. When we fail to provide these workers with a livable wage and affordable health insurance, we are effectively creating a fault line in the very foundation of the Elyria Nexus. We cannot build a high-tech resilient future on the backs of a workforce that is being left behind by today's cost of living.

[snorts]

Current data shows that the cost of living has outpaced the wage increases being offered. We are asking the Commissioners to recognize that the that precision valuing the No, no, no. We are asking the Commissioners to recognize that present precision is the highest form of compassion. Precise Precisely valuing the labor of JFS staff is how we ensure that our safety net doesn't collapse. Our seniors and families depend on timely processes of benefits. Any delay caused by failure to negotiate fairly is a failure of leadership. The community [snorts] stands with these workers. We expect a resolution that ensures both a livable wage and long-term health of our county.

[snorts] In the In the efforts to move the county forward, the Lorain County Commissioners have removed the human element out of this equation. This is wrong. We urge you to put it back. We urge you to put the people back at the center of your decision-making. Thank you. Thanks, Leon. [applause] Sandra Jensen. Sandra?

Morning. Good morning. Sandra Jensen, 617 Lafayette Boulevard, Sheffield Lake. Um on April 1st, I became aware that the phones at the adult protective services were down. Um a lot of us are Facebook friends with staff in the building, whether they're supervisors or not, and my supervisor had posted, you know, she had copied it from the Lorraine County Government page that the phones were down and that they were trying to get them fixed. And today is April 10th and the phones still appear to be down, all of the 284 numbers. Now, I don't know if there's a transition going on, um if you're trying maybe getting maybe you're getting rid of the 284 numbers, but um every now every few days on the line will say, "Hey, why don't someone one of you call adult protective?" And it just does nothing. And so, my concern is that people in the community, you know, the our neighbors and the professional people who have used that number forever are not able to get through. Now, I'm I'm sure that something's been patched through, but I you know, today we're we're bringing four people home from the moon and it just bothers me personally that the phones are down at adult protective. I mean, you could call it and you for a few days it would say, "The number you're dialing is not able to connect. Please try again." And it would Now, it's nothing. It's silence. So, please take a look at the phones and then, you know, you can change the post you have on the Lorraine County Government page that, you know, we're looking at it, we can't fix it, or the number definitely has changed, but you can't even call Director Caban. He has a 284 number. It goes to nothing. So, that's all.

Okay, thanks. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applause] Michelle Ramos [clears throat]

Morning. Good morning.

Morning. My name is Michelle Ramos and I live in Lorraine, Ohio. I have been an employee for Job and Family Services for almost 28 years and a proud member of UAW Local 2192. That number should tell you that I am in it for the long haul and it should also show you that a lot of us that are employed at JFS have been there for a very long time. I have seen a lot of people come and go out of the agency and the county, including agency directors and county commissioners. This will also let you know that I really love my job along with my coworkers, coworkers that I consider family. Many people are surprised at how much I make as an employee after 28 years. I am grateful and thankful for all the benefits that I do receive as an employee, but you also get you also get those same exact benefits that every county employee does. We are also taxpayers, which some people seem to forget. Every meeting my coworkers, my family, come up here and ask you to come back to the bargaining table, but it really isn't you physically that comes to the table. It's people that you send at your directive and from what I have seen and heard, it seems to me that all three of you tell those representatives, "Don't give in to them." How many hundreds of thousands of dollars or possibly millions of thousands of millions of dollars are you paying them to not give in to us? Your last, best, and final offer is the exact same offer as your original offer. You ask us to take it because other county employees or county workers have taken it, but a lot of those workers

[clears throat] do not make the wages, the low wages that we make. Some of those county workers cannot even strike. So, they therefore they pretty much take whatever is offered to them. Do what is right for your workers. Do what is right for your county. Come back to the bargaining table. Thank you. Okay, thank you. [applause]

ALEXANDRIA WARSHAM MY NAME IS Alexandria Warsham. I live at 41122 Burnett Ridge Road in Elyria. Our bargaining committed committee negotiated in good faith even though I'm not so sure you did or your representatives. You brought nothing to the table to add to our circumstances, only takeaway. At the end of negotiations, we came to you with our final of a dollar. How embarrassing. A dollar. And you said no. And not only did you say no, but you said we're going to take your sick time and your personal time and we're going to hanky with that, too. Right after a pandemic. I guess you guys forgot. We were willing to willing to take your scraps to avoid this mess. Management had a lot of gains after COVID. Got raises. Things were good. There's nothing left for us. We haven't forgotten. We worked through it. We were essential. You begged us. You figured out ways to get us to do it from home and then you blamed us for doing it from home. Shame on you. SHAME ON YOU.

[applause] I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THERE ARE ELECTIONS COMING. I heard yesterday, Mr. Riddell, that you won your last election by just about as many people as are on strike right now. [applause]

I would think with margins like that, sir, you would be a little more mindful. You have members of the public today asking for your resignations. I encourage you. I encourage you to do a little personal evaluation and come back to the table with not scraps, but a real offer. An offer that will put us at a fighting chance to survive this society. Oh my gosh, inflation. Okay, thank you. Thank you. MAY I FINISH? [applause] SHANA

[applause]

SHANA HATFIELD SHANA HATFIELD OF THE GREENS. Uh This week marked 7 weeks that JFS has been on strike. This week marks 7 weeks that we, the union, the members of JFS, the very people who ensure this county is being supported have been unsupported by their county officials. We are a strong, passionate union and we are determined to stand our ground to fight for our brothers and sisters. We are determined to ensure that our members do not need to work two to three jobs to pay their bills. We are determined to make it possible for our members to afford the county's medical plan. The main medical plan we have for the county, you know, the one that you just raised 13%. That's the one our members, your workers, cannot afford. We're not asking crazy demands. We aren't asking to be rich or to make six figures like you and your friends do. We're asking to make sure our heads are afloat. We are asking you to help us make sure we can afford gas to get to work and groceries to feed our families. You can make this happen by going back to the bargaining table, negotiating a fair contract. This does not mean giving us the same offer the first and last time. This means sitting down, listening to our side while we listen to yours, negotiating a fair contract that will benefit your workers. We are still out here on the line, one day longer, one day stronger, and we will continue as long as that takes. Additionally, regarding the Mega Site Sewers Mall project and possible data centers, you state that the residents of this county want it, but I've yet to hear one resident get up here and say that that's true. I've only heard arguments against it, both here and social media. No argument has been made for it. Thank you. Thanks, Shana.

[applause] Uh Dan Dan Klesta Is Dan Klesta? I'm saying it right. Uh Dan Klesta, 9141 Becker Road. Morning.

I don't have nothing prepared, so if I just ramble on here, but this annexation of for the 60-some acres, that was my grandma's farm. My mom was born at the farmhouse on Becker Road, which is still there. She went to the one-room schoolhouse on 113 in Becker there. A lot of people think it was a church, but it was actually a one-room schoolhouse. I've lived there for 63 years. It's been been a rural way of life. The roads, you know, you can people walk down the road and stuff and not have to worry about much traffic. The one neighbor, Mr. Hessler, he's 97 years old. And if they go along with the housing development there, the one entrance will come out right pretty much in his front yard there. And they've been a lot of houses put on the road since then, but they've been like five acre lots and stuff. So, it's still stayed pretty much rural area there. And there's been some of the new houses that just put on Albrecht there, their septic systems will go right back against that field there where they wanted to develop that. And I don't know how that affect them. I know a lot of them aren't happy. And I when we got this letter for annexation, I went and started talking to neighbors cuz we were all like up in arms and I actually even the people across the street on Becker Road. So, it doesn't just affect us that it will those houses will be in our backyard. It affects the people that have uh lived there for years across the street. It'll put traffic there. And just yesterday I was mowing the front yard over there and I see a family riding bicycles. It was a mom and a dad and their son and they all waved at me when they went by the house and stuff and that's how it always had been. You know, we grew up out there. The moms and dads was out in the yard. They had a garden. The kids were out in the yard. You could hear your neighbors yelling at their kids and screaming at them they're going to beat their But, you know, back then you didn't have to keep it quiet. You just you reprimanded your kids. And when he's at the neighbor's house, their parents could yell at you just as much as your own parents could, you know. So, it was just that kind of a atmosphere. And I talked to a lot of the people that had been there for years and then the ones that just built out there. And they all had the same philosophy that they had the same thought. They moved out there cuz they loved looking out the backyard, seeing nothing but corn fields, seeing the deer out there, listening to the frogs and all the stuff and the birds landing in the field and

stuff. And they want to raise their their kids, have grandkids and they come over to play and they want them to be able to enjoy the same feeling that they've had, the rural life of Becker Road and Albrecht Road. And this is going to be a huge uh effect I guess on not just people that the house they're going right up behind their backyard, but the people across the street there and bringing so much more traffic there and a more of the city into the rural atmosphere we've always had. So, I just wanted to say that this affects a lot of people. I know you can just look at a map and okay, we'll put a road in here, but it personalizes it really affects a lot of people and their way of life and the the way they've lived for 50, 60 years out there and they've always enjoyed it and wanted to stay the same rural atmosphere. And they don't want a housing development with 100 some some houses right in their backyard, you know, with the traffic and the noise and all that stuff and the probably the street lights and stuff. So, I just wanted to put that out there. There's more than just a a map that there's this affects a lot of people. So, Okay. hope you take that into the thought with it. Okay.

Okay. And you saw that we're going to have the meeting on May 8th. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you, Dan. [applause]

Uh Gerald Phillips. Gerald Phillips, Avon Lake, Clearwater. First I was shocked when the proposal uh went to Avon Lake that we were only going to get a third uh voting on the board and that we were uh going to lease our assets for $2 a year, which is $100 million. And then we were going to sell the assets at a extreme discounted price. And then we were supposed to fund the working capital and short-term operating thing till it gets started. I didn't think anything else could be worse. Then I found out we were going to forgive $19 million receivable from Lorain I figured, well, nothing could get worse. You know what I found out? The letter of intent that was filed by the county to get the $67 million uh indicated as additional collateral for that loan, the assets of Avon Lake Regional Water and the revenues. Who gave any authority for this county to put in that application that Avon Lake Regional Water was going to pledge their assets and revenues? Who did that? Nobody from the city of Avon Lake, city council did. I want that looked into. I think that's fraud. I think it's deceit that you submitted an application to All Ohio Fund indicated that my Avon Lake Regional Water system in Avon Lake was

pledging their assets and revenues. I want it looked into. If she can't do it cuz she's got a conflict of interest, I want a special prosecutor. Thank you. Thanks, Gerald. Thanks. Uh William Zimmerman. William William Morning again, William Zimmerman, Avon Lake. So, along the lines of Clearwater, I have documents that tells me that you all have given Mr. McManahan, who was the gentleman who did the presentations for Clearwater, $467,000. Sounds like a lot of money going to an attorney for nothing when all he's doing is flapping his lips, telling what a great necessity this is to have Clearwater passed. As Mr. Phillips has indicated, we don't understand how you can use collateral from something you didn't have as collateral. Avon Lake Regional Water Plant is worth over $100 million. And you guys want to use it as collateral? Are you out of your minds? By the way, I didn't get to finish my part because at the other presentation, so I want to include this real quick so I don't miss it again. 440-329-5200 is Mr. Riddell's line. All the citizens of the county, call him and tell him

what you think about the fact that he's a liar, that he sends out letters to documents documents to directors of the ODO and then says, "Oh, we never wanted to close the facility." Although it says in the letter that that was the goal of the letter. [snorts] [clears throat]

It's very frustrating being a citizen here in Lorain County and watch you morons take over. There you go, Dan. I'm tired of that. I'm really tired of that. People that have no idea what you're doing. And you really shouldn't even bother running for re-election cuz you have no chance in hell of winning again. [snorts] Thanks, Gerald. [applause] Tammy. Tammy McGinnis. [applause]

Tammy McGinnis. So, seven weeks we've been on strike. There's been no movement on your side. People walk by us every day. "You guys getting anywhere? You guys getting anywhere?" And we have to tell them no. Now, there was a Mark Goodman and a Dan Smith on Facebook posting things that only people closely related to this would have known. So, it's been speculated it was one of you guys or someone that you put up to it to be Dan Smith. When we started negotiations, yes, we asked for 8% each year over 3 years. That's what negotiating is. We also asked for $2.50. We deserve more than that if you ask me. None of you could sit in our seat and do what we do. We're standing strong and we can't afford to go any lower than the dollar. You've given us one offer. The first and the final. The other contracts were accepted because like I told you on Tuesday, their base pay is a living wage. The only reason the people downstairs haven't went on strike is because they make a livable wage. You're still jerking them around with their contract after a year. But they couldn't afford strike pay. JFS, a lot of us are making more on strike or losing maybe $40 a pay. How's that make you feel? Do you guys

not have hearts? Do you not care that we have families, too? You refuse to talk to us. But you have no problem talking about us. [applause]

From the Moore and Orville video to the fraudulent claims of JFS Director Chris Cabott that things are running smooth, guess what? Not one of us has went back in the building. But three people have quit since we walked out. Okay. Supervisors are begging for a meeting. Supervisors are going to Cabot, "Please do something. Please get them back in here because your supervisors are drowning." Some are threatening to quit. And with this kind of treatment, those three that walked out from from your building that have left since February 18th, I don't know if you guys are putting Cabot up to this, but I'm I do my job because I love my job, guys. The way you guys and Cabot and Pedicord are treating us, I don't think I could work for slime like that even once the strike is over. Okay, thank you.

care. Thank you. You're at 3 I'll give you an extra minute and a half. [applause]

Otis. Otis Lovejoy. Yep. Good morning, Otis. Good morning, gentlemen. Otis Lovejoy, Elyria. So, I'm going to piggyback off of some of the things I heard in here today. First off, Tammy said that you guys couldn't do our jobs. I want to say that I don't think that you guys couldn't do our jobs because of uh intelligence. I don't think that's it at all. You guys seem like intelligent guys. I think you couldn't do our jobs because you wouldn't. I don't think you would lower yourself to go into a position where you're paid so little and underappreciated. I don't think that you would want to work there where, you know, the the community that you work for doesn't have your back like they should. I don't think that you would want to work a job where you can't afford to feed your family properly. I know you gentlemen drive nice vehicles. I see you guys driving in. I see think I saw a couple of trucks. Think I saw a a high-end car, maybe like a Mercedes or something. I was talking to someone at at the Ford Union Hall yesterday. Um They were telling me they put a it took them $100 to fill their gas tank. We can't afford that. We can't afford the truck, period. Let alone $100 just to fill our gas tank. And then, you know what? I listened to them talk about annexing of land and housing and all that. The cost of housing in this county, we can't afford this. Everything has gone up except for our pay. I'm I'm recently looking for a new place and um two bedroom in Elyria or in the surrounding areas is what I've been looking for.

Average, you're looking at 1,200 to about 1,800. That's that's the pricing that you're looking for just for something that's decent. We can't afford that on our salaries. And then, you look at the the median salary for Ohio. While I was sitting here and I was listening to this, I was you know, I was I I got kind of curious. The median salary for single household single individual household in Ohio is $37,658. Most of us don't make that. Then you take it a step further. I Googled, you know, for a single person, same thing. What is considered a good salary? All right? $50,000 to $70,000 is considered a good salary. That's money we'll never touch. And when I say we'll never touch, there are people who've been in that agency for 20 years and have never touched that kind of money. Like I said, I don't think that you guys couldn't do the job. I just think that you wouldn't. Not when that's what the compensation is. And it's not fair to us. Okay.

You know, we want to do our jobs and we want to help our community. Okay, thanks, Otis. Thanks, Otis. Anything else? Okay. We are adjourned. Here you go. That's notes on there.