City Council - Regular Meeting

got a couple things to do before we do that. Okay, great. We're on air. I'm going to let everybody know, welcome. This is December 11th. I'd like to welcome everybody to the city of Zenaia regular meeting. Um we are um here tonight and we are going to ask for an invocation by pastor Al Refett from Victory Life Christian Church followed by the pledge of allegiance by Council Mormon Faith Sice. And we ask everyone to please stand.

Good evening. Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. Our gracious heavenly father, we come before you tonight. Lord, we thank you for our leaders, for the city council, our mayor, city administration, Madame Law. Father, we are so grateful tonight in our hearts for these individuals and the leadership that they bring to the table for our city, for our government. We thank you, God, for their commitment to ethical living, biblical values, family values, and Father, we thank you tonight, and we pray, God, that you continue to give them wisdom. We know Lord there are decisions they make and judgment calls they make but God they need wisdom beyond their years. And so we thank you God you give them the right resources they can draw that wisdom and make those decisions. We pray for courage Lord. It's not easy what they do day in and day out. And we just ask that you give them an infusion of courage to make these decisions and to lead in a path of prosperity. And we pray for continued safety in our community. And Lord, at the end of the day, we realize that they too are human. And Lord, they need your strength each and every day. And we bless them and beyond them, we think of their families. And we bless their families tonight in Jesus' name. And amen.

Amen. I pledge algiance 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.

All right. Thank you, Pastor Ruff. Thank you, Councilwoman Sice. I'm going to open our meeting for tonight and call the meeting to order. At this time, I'm going to ask for a roll call. Mayor Ursel here. Councilman Reynolds here. Councilman Crawford here. Councilman Probes here. Councilman Walker here. Councilwoman Sice here. President Smith here. Next on the agenda is approval of minutes. This is the minutes from our November 25th regular meeting. The minutes are before us. I'll ask if anyone would like to make a motion to accept the minutes as written. So moved. Moved by Councilwoman Sice. Do we have a second?

Seconded by Councilman Reynolds. Is there any additions, corrections, or changes noted to the minutes? All right. Seeing none, we'll get a roll call to approve. Mayor Ursel, hi. Councilman Reynolds, hi. Councilman Crawford, hi. Councilman Propes, abstain. Councilman Walker, I. Councilwoman Sice, I. President Smith, I. Motion carries.

Thank you very much. Before we get started tonight, I would like to make a procedural motion on behalf of council. Um, I would like to move that the city of Zenaia send a formal letter to Green County Commission affirming affirming our commitment to work together towards a solution that keeps jobs and county services downtown and at the courthouse. Do I have a second to that motion? Seconded. Any discussion? All right. Thank you. We'll get a roll call to accept that procedural motion. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds. Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi. President Smith. Hi. Motion carries.

Thank you very much. We have no special presentation scheduled for tonight. So, we're going to go right into audience comments. And and keep in mind folks, we do have the public hearing which will follow after audience comments. So, if you're here tonight just to speak on a general topic, you're more than welcome to come up, address city council. Keep in mind, this is not a question and answer session. It's not a bartering session. We are just here to listen to your concerns and you can speak to council. All right, we're going to go ahead close the public comments. Under audience comments, we're going to move into old business. And I know that's what you guys are here for. Our first item tonight is public hearing. This is for ordinance 2025-33, which is approving a major change to the concept plan for a 52.36 acre Timber Ridge plan unit development. So, at this time, we're going to go ahead and turn the floor over to Mr. Mayorman. Thank you, sir. Arbor Homes uh has submitted an application for approval of a major change to uh Timber Ridge PUB concept plan. Uh this would uh modify the total number of units, the density for the site. Uh as laid out in the agenda report and presented previously at your last meeting, uh there are a number of concessions that were made as part of that overall plan. Um the uh proposed changes were um reviewed by the planning and zoning commission uh at their uh meeting on November 12th with the public hearing. Um lots of conversation obviously with that as I suspect there may be tonight. Uh but planning and zoning voted to recommend the council approve the application for the major change. So that's presented this evening for your consideration.

Thank you very much. All right. And I see we have Mr. Forser here. He's our city planner as well. So at this time I am going to ask any of my colleagues if they have any questions for Mr. Marman before we open the public hearing. Question. Yes. Uh a question for Madame Long. Could you just um reiterate um the basis for our determination tonight from a legal standing on approval or disapproval?

Absolutely. Under our uh land use code, you are subject to the same limitations as planning and zoning commission. um their criteria and you have to make a decision based on um what's been presented in the packet and the testimony that's given this evening during the public hearing as to whether this application meets that criteria or not. Um the way the case law has read, if you find it meets all the conditions, you don't need to go through and specifically state each one and why. If you find it does not meet one of the conditions, then you should make that as a finding of fact. I find it does not meet this condition and this is the reason why I find that. All right. Any other questions? All right. No other questions for Mr. Mayor. Um, can you explain before this came to council the procedure that this went through through planning and planning and zoning? Can we explain that to the audience?

Yeah, actually asked Mr. Forcher to come up. he can give you a pretty good overview. Thanks, Brian. I'm sorry I didn't hear it. You were asking about the process that led us to this point. Yeah. So, the applicant applied for uh the PUB concept plan update um and worked with staff, presented their initial plan to staff. Uh staff identified a number of changes based on uh anticipated uh neighbor concerns as well as just uh what makes for better design um and minimizes the impact on on the surrounding neighborhood, enhances the surrounding neighborhood. Uh the applicant agreed to make those changes and incorporated those into uh the plan that was presented to uh planning zoning commission. things like buffering from the existing neighborhood, uh requiring a traffic study and requiring a speed reduction study on on US Route 68, making sure all that happens before construction happens and also uh exploring ways to connect the neighborhood to Little Miami Sync Trail. All of that was was incorporated as well as some arch elevated architectural standards and um and square footage standards that was presented to planning and zoning commission. Plan zoning commission held a public hearing. Uh they voted uh to endorse it after that.

All right. Any any anything you want me to drill down or any um that was pretty concise. Okay. No, I think we're good with that. Thanks, Mr. Fner. Okay. So, we're going to go ahead at this time. I'm going to open the public hearing on the major change concept plan for Timber Ridge plane unit development. You can either speak in favor or against at this time. Uh we do ask you come to the podium. Give us your name and address for the record and I will limit comments to less than 3 minutes. So go ahead and get started. Who would like to come first?

Hello council. My name is Matthew Bennett. I I own Anderson Williamson Insurance Agency here in Zeni, Ohio. I also reside at 2536 Ridge Road in the Timber Ridge development. Um, as a owner that's lived up there for 10 plus years, this is not the first time that's come to you guys to be re have the PUD changed. It's always been turned down because the PUD that is in place matches the PUD that we live in. Unfortunately, times do change. I need Zena to develop because I have a business here. As Zena grows, I grow. But we has to grow in a smart and practical way. Ultimately, when it gets down to the the brass tax, we need new housing because it attracts new people, attracts new tax dollars. But at what cost? We putting them in such a small space and and in lot size impacts the other homes that are already there. They're on bigger lots. The more lighting, the more, you know, the different things that will bring to it. If you've been to our our neighborhood, we do not have sidewalks. We do not have street lights because it was never never intended to be what it is going to be turned into. And all the traffic that will come through our neighborhood, it's not built for that. There's no safe way for people to get off the streets. There's no safe way for people to be able to uh still walk up and down the roads. If you come there on every night, you'll see four or five couples that walk our culde-sac every night because it's quiet. It's nice. But with all we have maybe four or five cars in our in our total neighborhood, we're not against development. There's three lots that has not been developed in in in Timber Ridge currently. Behind us is the Cub to Cups of Land Trust that will never be developed. So, we don't have to worry about homes on one side because, you know, it's all farmland. It will never be developed. This is a great area for home homes. We're all about the PUD that's in place. If they want to follow that PUD, absolutely. There's nothing that you can say to do or we can do that. They followed it. It's already been approved. They can build all the houses they want

as the PUB states. We think changing the PUD to to lock down the sizes of the lots to build, you know, big square foot houses. All our houses in our in our neighborhood are at least 22 to 2500 square ft and above. We are trying to maintain our value. We're trying to make sure that we keep our neighborhood as nice and neat as it is. Not to say that the new developer won't. We love that they want to invest in our community, but at what cost? We think that it's too crunched up. We think that if they came back with a air, you know, a revised plan to maybe spread it out a little bit, we would be all in favor. But as the way it sits, it currently does not jive with our plan. I appreciate your time tonight and thank you for uh Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Who else would like to come forward?

All right, Jacob Brevity. Good evening. Uh my name is Mark Kaskkowski. I'm at 2511 Ridge Road. So, the southern portion, there's only nine homes that are truly impacted if you were to kind of punch through uh into the new development. Um, this was supposed to be our retirement home, um, active duty Air Force after 22 years, but that deal is now off. It's kind of a dealbreaker for us. Somebody will come in, not a big deal for one family. I get it. However, going forward, as Mr. Bennett alluded to, um, there's some legacy there that's going to, you know, no longer be maintained. I think a good solution potentially is there doesn't need to be a connection. We're solving a a very very minor problem for the city. Um we we're out of code because of the length of our street. We've been that way for probably close to 30 40 years at this point. The city has other issues to deal with and needing to connect to us. I feel the vacant lot that is on the south side near the dollar store if you will on the north end of 68 is viable for this developer. uh given their magnitude in scale in scope uh multi-billion dollar conglomerate it's more than reasonable to to buy a small uh 1 and a halfacre lot to accommodate a connection point and leave Timber Ridge as it is there are other means out there I don't think it's a very large ask uh additionally uh the fire risk is is increasing um regardless of we connect or not we're still increasing the city's plan is currently to push it to the south and southwest of the city and here we are developing more and more on the the north edge there's small uh handshake agreements that seem to be discussions only to get to Zenia Township, but when you actually solicit them, that doesn't look very viable either for the city. So regardless that the planning is still going to potentially happen and development will potentially happen, but it needs to be considered. Uh finally, I would hope that given all the historical precedences uh of North Zena, how we just got our uh new state park up there, we should probably hopefully um collaborate with historic society and see what we're actually getting into. um we find errorheads in our yard sometimes. So it happens a lot. I hope somebody has at least considered that

for out of respect and the legacy um and the history in this region. So hopefully the developer has taken a good look at that. So once again, in conclusion, I think it's very reasonable for the developer to go ahead and the city and leave Ridge Road as it is and punch out or connect, if you will, to the southern edge of a vacant lot that is currently available and for sale and has been for a long time, leaving the Ridge Timberidge community intact. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. Opportunity for someone else. Who else would like to come forward?

Hello. I'm Melody Anderson. I live at 1548 Deian Drive in Zena North End. I'm on the planning and zoning commission for the city of Zena. I voted no. Uh because I feel like the the community, the ridge um ridge, what is it called? Timber Ridge community um wasn't really informed well on this process and that's why um they're here today. Also, uh I believe it can easy they can easily have a compromise uh if you if they'll do a little bit more work with this plan. I believe um they don't want the road through. I believe uh you can easily change the plan that you're looking at to take out houses that's close to them, probably about 10 houses um and leave some of the woods. The the other thing is this is all wooded acreage where there are deer. So I'm in favor of, you know, keeping some of that that wood and and and this place is called Timber Ridge for a reason. So we're taking out all the trees. Uh not all of them, but quite a bit of the trees. And I would like to see um you know more space between the houses and the um the physical uh Timber Ridge area. Um there's only 33 ft between the lot, the new lot and the the existing houses. So there's not a whole lot of space there. Um and I guess that's it. I think it's it would easy be easy for you to say no. Let's let's revisit this. And so I'd like you to vote no.

That's it. Thank you, Miss Anderson. Who else would care to come forward at this time?

My name is Alyssa Val. I live at 2495 Ridge Road. Um I apologize if I talk really fast being that we have two and a half, three minutes. Um the original PUB approved for 63 units with lot sizes between a/4 acre and 1.33 acres. Section one was approved for 24 lots. Only 19 were built. What was not mentioned in the uh planning and zoning meeting or the previous uh city council meeting was they are not simply undeveloped. Three were purchased and com and wanted to be combined into one larger parcel um to build a large home and have a large piece of property. It was denied by the city. So they have remained undeveloped by the owner who just passed away. The other belonged to the late Dick and June of 2537 Ridge Road who it is now for sale um by their children. And the last is owned by myself and my husband. We purchased it intentionally for land and green space. These lots were not vacant or abandoned or undeveloped on purpose or they were on purpose. They're not, you know, just hanging out to just be hanging out. The proposal to increase from 39 to 88 is excessive. To claim there is no demand for homes in our price range or property type is simply false. In the past year, 59 homes in Zenaia met this met the criteria of our neighborhood. At least 2,000 square ft or more, three home, three bedroom or more, two or more bathrooms, a garage, and at least a quarter acre. They sold in under three months, many within days and often at above or at asking price, especially with the larger lots. With the Honda plant, which is constantly brought up being built in Jeffersonville,

um the salaries that are projected um at this plant are 70,000 to over 200,000 with a median being 125,000. A single income that supports a home purchase is with 125,000 is between 450,000 and 510,000 providing their debt to income ratio ratio. Now if that person has a spouse, you can only imagine what they can afford. Yet Zenia has a slim market for the buyers in this range. Approving a dense, lowerpriced housing only widens that gap in this area. So you're going to push them to Belbrook, Centerville, Beaver Creek, and beyond. We already have Grandstone Trace setling struggling to sell Edenbridge opening new phases in Summerbrook expanding. Adding highdensity homes half the price of existing timber edge properties on one of the most expensive streets in Zenaia will kill our property values and diminish our neighborhood's character. Traffic is still another concern. Since Grandstone Trace connected to Fairground Road, Hollywood Boulevard has seen a dramatic increase in cars, deliveries, and congestion. Expanding Timber Ridge is another

I'm going to go ahead and let you know you're over three minutes. I'll let you go ahead and finish up. Okay. Um, we are not against more housing. We know that eventually it will be developed and that's fine, but we would like it to stay within its existing PUD. Um, finally, safeguards must be considered against investor purchases, additional headousing or landlords who maximize rent. Without protections, speculative ownership will destabilize neighborhoods and erode long-term value and the tax income that would benefit the city. Thank you. Right.

Hi, uh, Cody McCormack, 2405 Ridge Road. Um, so the homeowners who bought property at Timber Ridge, like myself, relied on existing zoning laws, which ensured their neighborhood's character and density would stay the same. Now, the reasoning out disrupts these reasonable expectations and deviates from our investments. Improving the resonings would betray the trust of the residents who invest in Timber Ridge based on initial zoning regulations. In the understanding that the neighborhood will remain a low density upscale community, the city has a responsibility to uphold the expectation of its residents to protect their investments. The reasoning appears to favor Clayton Properties and Arbor Homes, a single developer at expense of a wider community and current residents. The main goal seems to be boosting the developers profits rather than serving the public interest. The new zoning laws unjust force timber ridge residents to accept to their agreements that we did not voluntarily agree to. You're threatening our property rights, causing many to lose their investment in the face of financial hardship, fostering a perception and unfair treatment to um claim properties and arbor homes, not the residents of Zena. As I try to keep an open mind on the property that is being built, my daughter and I took a walk right next to Highway 68 where these houses are going to be built. As she she as she was trying to talk to me, I could not hear a word that she was saying. This is on a Monday evening as cars were passing by. As a community health nurse, I went to go get my decimal reader and come back to that location. I was reading decimal readers at 65 to 80 decimals. That is the same as almost a rock concert. You're causing you're asking families to build homes right next to Highway 68 as cars are passing by.

I want to revisit the zoning uh meeting that we've had. We had zoning members say, "Oh, this is the first I heard of this. Had questions have not uh being prepared for the meeting." This lack of readiness suggests that decisions have been made with incomplete information in rush circumstances. This they're making a decision on our financial future. I want to finish with this as one of the zoning commissioners and Steven Sorice and I hope I said his last name f right. He said change is unavoidable. There's nothing that we can do. Our jobs is to regulate demonstrate the failure of zoning and commissions to take meaningful actions and establish safeguards against reszoning. You guys have the opportunity to make that change. You have the opportunity to regulate and keep the PUB as it is so we can keep our investments where we bought our house and so our family can have a Right. Thank you, sir. Okay. Anyone else care to come forward at this time?

Hello. Thank you for listening to me. My name is Penny Stewart, 2589 Ridge Road, and I'm just here to support a lot of what's been said here. I am not against development because taxes need to be paid, cities need to run, but I don't think making a big blank dense condensed area of 88 houses in the area you want to put it is the answer. I believe and this is just the way I believe that Zenaia deserves deserves a community of space that they feel comfortable in. They I don't think just building houses to be building houses is what Zena deserves. We deserve people who want to come here, be part of the community, not just shoved into little spaces. And I love where I live. I love Zenia, but I'm rather disappointed that we were not brought into any of this conversation. It was between one person, they call a staff, and the builder. And I was very disappointed also with the the meeting where one of the residents who was on the council said, "Well, you're going to have a walking path to go to the bridge to cross over to the the bike path. The bridge is down at the new council house. We can't walk down there. Even if they built something to walk down there, that is dangerous. And my other big concern is it said that a safety um safety would

be uh looked at but that study will be looked at before construction. Will that study be done before it's agreed to do that construction? If that study is provided to be very dangerous, will this stop? Will it already be changed and then somebody else can come in and try to do it again? It's I've been in a situation before where they have decided to change the PUD and then find out it wasn't working for them and then it was completely dropped. So the study I believe should be done before the PUD has changed. But I really believe that keeping the PUD the way it is would benefit Zena and it would benefit us because we love where we live. And I I'm seriously saddened that it it wants to be turned into a stripped out, jammed up neighborhood. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Anyone else care to come forward at this time? Okay. Anyone else in the audience? Yes, sir. Hi, I'm Mickey D. I live at 2674 Rich Road.

My neighbors have been very elegant in presenting information to you guys. I'm not that kind of guy. I just have one thing to point out and that is is that when we when we make decisions uh we're we're faced with you know what's the best thing for our community and sometimes we don't stop and consider unintended consequences. I would ask to draw a a picture for you. You know the difference between a pickle and a cucumber. The difference between a pickle and a cucumber is that a cucumber can always turn into a pickle. A pickle can never turn back into a cucumber. I would submit that if a decision is made to change the way that this development is being uh made, it can't go back. I would submit to you for your consideration that the state park is going to draw people into our neighborhood and go, "Wow, look at these houses up here. We have more houses like this up here, not smaller houses." So, I'd ask that you pause, consider the actions that you take because the actions that you take may not be able to be reversed just like a pickle can't become a cucumber again. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Okay. Anyone else care to come forward? This is the plan unit development Timber Ridge project. This public hearing, so do you mind if I open? Yeah, please. It doesn't matter. You can both speak, but one at a time. Mhm. I'll try to talk as fast as I can. Um, I want to thank you all for being here tonight and for serving the city of Zenaia. Every one of you. So, ma'am, can you go ahead and state your name and address?

I'm sorry. Marine Taylor, 2461 Ridge Road. Um, as you know, the south end of this property is currently zoned for the remainder of the 34 1/2 acres. When this is followed through, it would coincide with the lots that are there. As you know, I'll try to knock some of this out. Um, if we can bring it, see, it would represent the entrance into Zenia on the north end. Well, if we followed that something can be something we can be proud of for many years to come. I know there is a builder who would be able to work with this land in such a way that the people would not have to suffer living in depleted development or poorly built homes. If we put well-made homes on the rightsiz lots, it would encourage people to build here. People want a place to live, but they also want to live in homes they can depend on, that they can rely on to give them what they have imagined. This builder is in the proposal can do none of that. poorly built homes, poorly developed, no regard for God-given land or the people who want to live there. Just put these houses up as close as they can, destroy the land, all the trees, and then leave town and go on to the next one. We have no choice. It was said, "Then why are we here tonight?" Of course, we have a choice. That's why we are here tonight. They want land that surrounds the the the people that would buy up there want land that surrounds them with protection from noise and light pollution as it as in

the hill on 68. Trees that clean the air we breathe and cool us in the summer and provides for the wildlife all year round. Yards big enough to plant a garden. This would not be possible on these small lots. The proposed builder won't tell you that their homes start falling apart after a short time, which we have heard testament to that right here in this room. People want to be able to live in homes for a very long time. Think about how bad this would be if we filled Zena with all of these homes just to have them fall apart. I know there are parties who in their excitement they just want to get people in homes without thinking about the consequences or the outcome as was stated. They will permanently remove they the builders will permanently remove that which can never be replaced.

Okay. Did you know it takes

Thank you, ma'am. Um just let you know you're at 3 minutes so go ahead and wrap it up if you could. Okay. Did you know it takes almost 30 to 40 years for an oak tree to reach maturity? Trees absorb a lot of sound. There is nothing more important to our peace of mind than quiet. We would not get this from this builder. If we lose the barrier that we have now, it would be a disaster for all the families that live there now and all that are to come. I am referring to the hill on 68. It's the only protection we have. Imagine how you would feel if this came in around your home and your family if we had a caring builder. He would take care of those things. Take those things into consideration. It would be so much more desirable to want to live and invest in Zenia. People want to buy larger homes just as happened on Timber Ridge recently. White Patterson Air Force and his families looking for over four minutes. Okay.

Thank you so much. Okay. Okay. I just want I just want to say this

in referring to the documents the legal documents that we have on our covenant code one of regulations in Timber Ridge Property Owners Association. Two, declaration of covenants and restrictions of Timber Ridge Development Incorporated. and number three, Timber Ridge section one plan unit development which contains the covenants for Timber Ridge. Those documents re reference all 50 plus acres including undeveloped land. The documents state that they apply to any further plat. Thank you.

All right, sir. Do you mind if I hand out the presentation? You can hand that out. Sure. Thank you.

I already have everything. Yeah. Um, all righty. I will keep this brief. Hopefully, uh, get you home before the snow comes. Um, so jumping in, uh, just on the second page,

get your name and address. Sorry. Brian Henning, a land entitlement manager with Arbor Homes, uh, 9050 Center Point Drive. Um so obviously we have 88 homes build being built here potentially. Um that's 2.58 homes per acre which is the recommended density in the comp plan is 2 to four. So we're kind of in that lower band. Um, obviously we've we anticipated a lot of these concerns from existing residents and we've kind of changed the design quite a bit to address those, including kind of a big buffer area that's 25 to 70 ft deep depending on the location. The hope is to kind of keep the mature vegetation there so you don't have to plant uh new plants. Um we're adding walking trails and playgrounds and um obviously we're making some pretty major infrastructure investments. Um adding a sidewalk up to the existing um Ridgewood Drive, adding a connection to the bike trail across Detroit Street. Um we've also heard a lot about the cut through traffic. uh we knew that was going to be an issue potentially. So we designed um the community to address that. So on the second or the third page um that red line that's shown on the plan is equidistant to each entrance which is approximately 1,24 ft to each. Um essentially any any trip going south it would make sense to go through the new entrance. Um, and then there's a handful of lots where if if the party is traveling north, they would potentially cut through, but I I think you can see by the plan that it makes a lot more sense just to use the new entrance. Um, we will be kind of putting a model home and sign at that new entrance. Uh, basically kind of habituating people

using uh that that new entry. Um, we'll be doing a traffic study and speed study. um that those will be completed before we submit for final development plans. So all that information will be uh compiled into the final plans. Um uh yeah, I guess next page uh we got our Arbor Homes product line. Uh we got four or 12 floor plans uh with five elevations or more for each one uh with ranches and twotory homes. It's great for uh empty nesters or kind of growing families. Um we have uh square feet between 12 and 3200 not including uh the garage. Obviously, you've heard that we've agreed to some uh square footage minimums uh to kind of bring kind of larger homes closer to the existing homes as well as um architectural standards, kind of enhanced architectural standards that are above the the base zoning. Um our average sale price is 360 to 370. Um can get up as high as the low 500s. So, we really don't see, you know, the price difference between the existing homes and these homes. Unfortunately, I'm sure you guys have heard, road infrastructure has gotten very expensive. So, kind of the the way we design these communities now is kind of smaller lots, so we don't have to put as much road infrastructure in, but we have, you know, 30% open space and we have those amenities and that's where the green space comes in. Um, so yeah, I will leave it there. I don't know if you guys have any questions. or anything.

Um, madam law director, is it appropriate if it might not be? Okay. Is it appropriate if anyone on council has a question that they can ask? Yes, if the public can absolutely. All right. Great. I'll open the floor. Uh, thank you. We You kept that down to three and a half minutes. So, we'll give you a chance to speak in the back there in just a second. Okay. So, we have some We're going to open up uh council if you have questions. Yeah. Not for the developer, but for Det. Sure. Okay. Any questions for the gentleman here? There was an interest of preserving as many of the mature trees as possible in this development. Yeah.

Was that is that something that you that you've now stepped into an ad in consideration? So, yeah, we we don't have a final count on what trees we can preserve. We just added that 25 to 70 foot buffer so that we can preserve those trees. it makes it more likely. Whereas if we put lots right up to the existing lots, you know, those lots will have to be graded and and those sorts of things. Um, so we try to design the community such that it's a lot easier to keep those existing kind of vegetation and trees there in the open space. Yeah. Any other questions? All right. Thank you, sir.

Awesome. Yep. We still have the public hearing open. You're welcome to speak for or against. Sir, you can come to the podium. My name is Ron Taylor. I live at 2461 Ridge Road. I built my home in 1990 and have lived there since 1991. I have lived in Zena and worked in Zena for 48 years. You know, I have been dealing with reszoning here for 30 plus years and to ask me to limit to two and a half to three minutes is asking a heck of a lot. You may not get it. I may go over. Okay. I also had another letter that was given to me by Bob Guyer

who was the for former Yes. Not to cut you off. We got a cop. We got a copy of that. Thank you, sir. Okay. I hope you guys will all look at that and consider what he had said. just hand it to the right.

For the past 34 years, I have tried to protect the integrity of Timber Ridge. All of our homes were customuilt using brick and stone and wood. We signed a covenant with the developer to protect the beauty of our wooded bridge. We pledge to take as few trees as possible to maintain its beauty. There have been a number of attempts to change the initial plan of this development. Our lots were to be at least a half acre. Even the undeveloped land was plotted for 44 lots of comparable size. I have spoken to the Zena zoning commission as well as the city commissioners over the years to protect this undeveloped land. The last time was in the holiday season just as now to prevent the con construction of a 90,000 square foot assisted living facility. And now we are here again. This time a developer wants to build 89 homes on three and a4 three4 and a half acres with lots averaging about 2/10 of an acre. We met with the zoning commission last month. The planner presented what the developer wanted. Seven of the residents spoke out against this. Two other residents have written letters to your commission. Letters were sent to the planner as well for modifications. These suggestions for the most part were denied. One planning commissioner Melody wanted to delay a vote pending further evaluation.

This was denied as the remaining commissioners wanted to vote right now. The commissioners had no interest in further discussion. The vote was 4 to one. This gave the appearance of rubber stamping. Now the commission must look at this land. There is a continuing ridge running from US68 westward that protects Timber Ridge from noise and lights. If you plan to proceed, that land will be leveled. Hundreds of trees will be decimated. Open cars will be allowed to go into Ridge Road. The planner said there would be little impact on the environment, air quality, wildlife or property values. I do not believe that. In summary, I ask the commission to deny this request. There must be other areas in Zena for development that won't destroy this beautiful land. We have an opportunity to save this land for Zena's future growth. To deny this would be a sacrilege for this land. Thank you, sir.

Thank you. And we did let you go over a minute longer, so thank you. Appreciate that. Yep. Sir, go ahead. Mhm.

Um, my name is Curt Sanders. My wife and I live at 2485 Ridge Road, lot number 24. Um, my wife was raised in Zenaia and we have lived in Timber Ridge neighborhood for over 13 years. We fully support responsible planned development in Zeni, Ohio to support the growth. This is why I along with the Timber Ridge neighbors are here tonight for your better understanding of our opposition to this design for the south parcel of Timber Ridge neighborhood. There are significant project issues, both legal and budgetary, that some zoning committee members did not thoroughly investigate or ask questions given that they were presented with the design that evening. Only one zoning member who is here tonight requested that it be tabled. The zoning members approving the new zoning design have delegated the ultimate decision to you for financial and legal review. I have sent each of you a me email last week addressing the financial issues with the various studies along with the handout tonight highlighting the Timber Ridge plan development and the legal covenant that grow that that governs it. for the audience and city council members. A restricted covenant such as the one on page two of the handout that I gave to you and understand page one shows you the entire plan as it was designed in 1989 and and addresses that covenant is a legally binding clause in a property deed that limits how a property can be used or what it can be built on. These covenants are typically created by developers or homeowners association like ours to maintain property values and neighborhood character. They run with the land, meaning that they apply to all future owners of the property. Examples include restrictions on architectural styles, home sizes, and property maintenance. For example, tonight you heard there's 89 uh lots they want to have. You probably did not understand that between each house is 5 ft lot

lines. So that's 10 ft between each house. So, I don't understand how a 3200 ft house can be built and somebody would want to purchase that. The state of Ohio revised code section 5301.85 recognizes a restricted covenant as a legally binding document that runs with the land. The Timber Ridge development purchased as a single parcel in 1989 includes a restricted covenant. You will see highlighted the differences in that covenant to the design that's being presented to you tonight. It's including minimum home size of 2,000 square ft, a garage of at least 400 square ft, time to build, lot maintenance, etc. It's very detailed. It's the reason why we have such good home values in that area. And we'll accept a building that meets that PUB for the parcel that's in question tonight. These covenants and restrictions run with the land and shall be legally binding. The covenant was executed and recorded in Green County in May of 1989 by the land owner and has been renewed in accordance with its terms.

Sir, no disrespect. You're over 3 minutes. Can you just That's okay. Go ahead. Come to a conclusion for us. Okay.

Sure. Um, so you know, the Timber Ridge residents are prepared to employ a real estate attorney to review our legal rights uh for the land restrictions of Timber Ridge should the council choose to accept this design as presented tonight. So in in summary, the project presented tonight lacks the required contractual details for various traffic studies. For example, you may ask yourself, how are these traffic studies independently assigned? Which Ohio certifications are assigned? How will the recommendations be reviewed? And most importantly, where does the financial burden for the implementation of the studies fall? It's not clear and it can't be in a PowerPoint presentation. Some of this stuff really needs to be contractually done. So, in summary, there's a plan to build on the premium parcel as it's currently zoned. And this is why the legal covenant exists. It's just not the design presented here. Please push back on this design tonight. I implore you. Thank you.

Thank you, Sergeant, for the extra time. You're welcome. All right. Anyone else? Is there anyone else in the audience that would like to speak on this item tonight? Okay. Um Katie McCormack, 2405 Ridge Road. Um I just kind of want to back what everyone else has said. There's not too much more I can add to it, but I want to push back on what the developer said a little bit because if you pull up the map and you're talking about incoming traffic, my house is on the corner right where all these new homes will be built. So, when I purchased this home, the reason I did it is because of the way it was already zoned because I wanted big lots. So, in the um it shows that there's 20 ft of a distance. So, all of these homes are going to have a sidewalk and street lights, but it's going to be right next to our home with all this new traffic and our kids and all the kids in the neighborhood would not have sidewalks. And if you look on the map also, the entrance like going south, if you're traveling south, maybe you would use the south the new entrance. But if you're traveling north or if you're traveling north, you might use the new entrance. But if you're traveling south, you would just cut through. So that's not they're not going to only use the new entrance. That still opens up a lot of traffic to a neighborhood that was not developed for that much traffic. And then also the reason we bought our house, we both work in Columbus at Ohio State and we searched an hour radius of all of Columbus and we landed on Zena because of the neighborhood, because of the way it was zoned. We purchased it knowing it would be developed, but that we would still have big lots. So, Arbor Homes put in like their proposal that young families want like the smaller

lots and they want like these new developments and they don't. They want their kids to go outside. They want to be able to open the door and let their kids go outside. They want their kids to be able to play soccer in their front yard, but doing all of this will take all of that away. Um, same with the vegetation next to my house. There is not a bunch of trees. So, trying to preserve all of that and then there's all the houses. So, there really is no preserving of any of the trees or any of the vegetation that they're talking about because it's the houses are going there. So, I'm looking at the map now. All the all the what would be preserved would not be what we bought into. it would be on the opposite side where we don't get to see that or that won't affect what's there. It'll only benefit the new development and everything. I just really push back against this and hope that you can at least agree to revisit this and end like our community where our road is and start a new development while leaving ours alone or sticking to the original PE that we all bought into because otherwise we're kind of being forced into a financial agreement that we never agreed on.

Thank you. Thank you. another opportunity. You already spoke, ma'am. You already spoke. Sorry. Someone else can speak on your behalf that hasn't spoke already. Mhm.

Hi, I'm uh Bob Stewart, 2589 Ridge Road. Um I wanted to go last. I had this big briefing I was going to give you guys after listening everybody. I agree 100% what starting with Mr. Bennett and and ending with the the last lady that's the Miss McCormack that just spoke um I agree with everything they said. Um so a lot of what I wanted to say has already been said. I just want to bring a couple of uh different kind of points of views in here. Talk as fast as I can kind of like doing a military briefing. Um I retired from out at Right Pat U between my military time and civilian time. I worked out there for 46 years. Um met my wife here in Zena. What she failed to tell you was she was born and raised here, grew up on Franklin Avenue. The house is still in our family on Franklin Avenue. Uh we're both 66 years old, so you can kind of do the math. Um we left here in ' 82 and when we came back in ' 87, we moved to Zena because we wanted to be closer to her family. My family lives in Georgia. Shoot down 75. 9 hours we're there. Um we've enjoyed it. We lived on Drummond Drive. I lived on Country Club for 21 years. and we saw this house that came available and we jumped on it because we had a little bit more trees and everything. I live next door to Jack Duncan that used to own Heritage Bike Shop. Great place to live. It took this house to get me to move from there to where I am now. Um, I just want to say that the neighborhood that we have is unique and special and we have uh a great community. We all stick together. Uh, we have a great time. Um, what I'm worried about is when you put in these, uh, 88 houses, and last time I spoke, you know, I just did simple math. You figure there four four people in a family, so let's round it up to 400 people. Um, you're going to have to have fire and EMT, all that kind of stuff. Um, I think it's going to be difficult for them to to cover that. The reason I say that is because across the street from me in the house that's for sale, we

had uh Dick Gorman who was very, very sick last year or two. The 10 and a half years that I've been there, I've been helping to take care of him. um did it with Bob Dong, football coach here. They moved away to New Carile to be closer to family. And then when Mark moved in, Mark started helping me take care of Dick. Fallen down, bust his head open. We call EMP. We wait on them, wait. Finally, they show up. Um you add 400 uh or what, 88 more houses, 400 more people. It's even going to be worse. And you don't have the infrastructure to support that. That's what worries me. I saw it firsthand almost monthly. We were calling him. he had. So he was on a feeding tube at the end until he finally passed away. So um that kind of scares me about what's going on. Also the road that we have if it does go if this new development does happen again we have no sidewalks. A lot of us walk I walk um at night and we have a stop sign right there when you go in our development. Like everybody we have UPS, Amazon, we have people coming up trying to sell us stuff all the time. Um nobody stops at that stop sign. The people that come up there, they just zoom right through there. It's very dangerous. Now you add this other road coming in with even more traffic and a lot of us like to walk. It's going to make a very, very dangerous environment. Susan Delong, when her grandk children would come, it was so bad that she would put these yellow placards out that said warning, stop, stop sign, children at play to try to get people to slow down.

So that's what we're up against and that's what you're going to bring. You're good. You're at three about three and a half minutes. go ahead and finish up. So, I'm done. I don't want to take any more time. I'm just trying to stress to you um how um this is not a good idea. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mhm. Okay. Anyone else care to come forward? All right. This time I'm going to close the public hearing. invite any of my colleagues if you have any questions again for either the law director, Mr. Marman or Mr. Forsner. Yes, I have a question.

Uh Dette, uh do you think in your legal opinion we'd have any reason to deny uh Arbor Holmes?

Well, again, it comes down to the criteria that's in uh 12204. That's your review criteria. um and whether or not you believe that the proposed development meets those. Um the the one thing I can say legally is based on just what I've seen um even if the covenants in section one were applicable to this new the city has no authority to enforce private covenants. Um, if those are enforceable on the existing lot, then the the when you protective covenants like that in a subdivision, they're enforceable between the individual property owners. Um, so if if any of the property owners believe they have that and that that is applicable, they can always seek to enforce those themselves. We do not have legal authority to enforce any private covenants in a subdivision,

unfortunately. Do you have the criteria in front of you or do you need me? Is it We have it. This one here. Okay. Um and I I'm sorry. That's the That's the one. No, that's not

you you also based on any of the testimony that you've heard this evening, if there's anything you feel you need more information on, um you're not required to take action tonight, you can table it and direct staff to bring any further information back to you that you feel you need. So, Dette, I um I'm I'm really struggling with with this new piece of information we got this today, and I don't This is the plan unit development. This was the the protective covenants and restrictions.

Yeah, that's what she had just said. We can't enforce this because it's under their covenant, not the cities. So, even though it says it here, that's a we can't enforce it. But if a owner if a if a private owner has this and this was their understanding of the purchase of their property doesn't that convey

that's between them and the other property owners and in this case the developer would be a property owner. The city has no legal standing to enforce those private covenant. We had a gentleman at one of the former cities I worked at who built what we called the Robinson Cruso House. Um, every time we turned around, he was building more things on it and they were in violation of the covenants of that subdivision. Um, the city made an attempt to enforce that and we got smacked down pretty hard. Um, the courts all the way up to the Ohio Supreme Court have said that's it's enforceable between neighbors, between the property owners that are affected by those covenants. We we cannot enforce private covenants in a subdivision.

So, let me can I ask you um so I just want to make sure um with the overview of the proposed concept plan those like there's some additional items that have been added like the new second entrance for Timber Ridge neighborhood. Are those part of the items that we're talking about that um the builder stated that he's looking at adding? Yeah, those are some of the might say the concessions. Um Okay. That came out of the planning and zoning meeting. I take it those andor the process of of review uh the staff review to ensure that compiance with the code. Okay. Very good. Okay.

Sure.

Yeah. Go ahead. So, um, all the information you provided I was very good, but part of what we're constrained by is policy and and the laws that we put in place that constrain us as the council as well. And and part of that has to do with the fact that we we have a new uh uh plan for zoning, the next plan, and there's there are criteria that that obviously are new criteria since the 1990s, early even the 1980s. We have about 15 specific criteria that we held the planning and zoning commission accountable to those citizens and and our staff to do an evaluation on. And my sense is that we need also as a council some time specifically to look at those criteria and make sure that we concur

with that. So what I would recommend is that we table it for this evening and have a work session on that so that so that we all feel comfortable

with the recommendation and the understanding of that. Now, all I would offer to the folks in the community is um many of the things that you brought forward are not in those criteria. Not that they're not valuable to you or heartfelt, but they're not specifically in those criteria. It doesn't mean in the future that we couldn't amend our ordinances to include other criteria, but they don't exist there now. So we'll my recommendation would be that we would take the specific criteria that we've laid out in the laws of the city and the information that's been provided by our staff and by the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission realizing that that commission that works on these things for us. Uh so when we say we have one staff member, we also have a a commission that has a responsibility reviewing those items and making recommendation to the council. So we have to take that into consideration as well. But I believe it would be it would be behoove us to go through those and make sure that we specifically understand those and that we can concur with those because at the end of the day that is our criteria. Is that a fair statement?

That's the best statement. Right. So I would I would like to I think if you don't mind I would like to go ahead and uh make a motion to table this until the next meeting so that um we can have a chance to go over these items and talk with our law director. Point of order. Just to just to be clear cuz I uh the mayor used the term uh a work session. Do you are you thinking you want to skip because our next meeting is the 22nd so it's a little truncated. As an alternative I could offer up if you wanted to meet in pairs or threes with our development staff. Yes. We could be much more flexible as right and then we could accommodate your schedules and just

because we're so smooshed in the holidays I know people have plans. Well, and then you could discuss it as a group then on the 22nd. On the 22nd, we could meet individually up to three council members and have open discussion. Yes. Second. Yep. I'll second motion. Okay. Okay. Before we uh vote on this motion, does Mayor Ursel need to resend his introduction? No, we're just Okay. Just making sure procedurally.

Great. All right. So, we have a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Sice to table this item until our next meeting and that was seconded by Councilman Crawford. Reynolds Reynolds. Sorry. I didn't know which one but the other. All right. So, folks, there will be no vote on this tonight. Um, this will go to vote at our next meeting. Um, so and because of the holidays, that meeting is actually scheduled on um 22nd.

Yeah, it's going to be on Monday, December 22nd. Um, so we can get that meeting in before the holiday. Our next regular meeting would actually fall on Christmas Day. Um, so in light of that, we moved that meeting uh months ago to Monday and that is at 10:00. Tuesday the 22. No, it's the Monday the No, it is Monday the 2. Monday. It's Monday the 22nd. At 10 a.m., right? At 10:00 a.m. Okay. At 10:00 a.m. So, um, we're not going to take any action on this tonight. Um, we are going to go ahead and allow you guys You have a properly seconded motion, but you do need to take a roll call to table. That is correct. Okay. So, we're going to get a roll call to table the item

and then we'll go from there. Okay. Roll call. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds. Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. No. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice, I President Smith, I Motion carries.

Great. Thank you, folks. We're going to go ahead and um I'm making a motion. Council needs to go into executive session regarding labor negotiations, security and response protocol, and some general legal advice from our law director. Um we do that executive session uh right next door. Um so there won't be any action on your item, so you're welcome to stay if you'd like. Um, we have quite a few items that we have to go over in there. Um, we could possibly be in there, I'm told, uh, 90 minutes. So, you're welcome to stay. Um, but at this time, you're also dismissed to go. Thank you very much.

I need to make a motion to go in executive session. Do I have a second? We need to make that motion. We need to take the motion to go. Mayor Ursel, Councilman Reynolds, Councilman Crawford, Councilman Crops, Councilman Walker, Councilwoman Sice, President Smith. Motion carries.

ending ordinance 202527 to provide appropriations for current expenses for the city of Zena for fiscal year ending December 31st of this year declaring emergency. We'll turn the floor over to Mr. Duke. Thank you, President Smith. Uh we're requesting an additional appropriation for one purpose uh this evening. Uh that is uh related to building inspection and fees that we would pay to NIC for uh those permitting services and building inspection services. Uh there's been a um a substantially high uh volume of building inspection. There's a lot of development happening. So this is actually a really good thing. Uh there's requests for for lots of building permits and and the services related to those. Uh this is a record year as far as uh permits that have been issued uh from a monetary standpoint uh at least. And so uh in order for us to pay an IC for services that are rendered in December uh that will be built for in January, we need to get some dollars appropriated and encumbered to pay that last month worth of services that are being provided. Uh we're requesting tonight that $50,000 be um appropriated in the U 198 cost center uh to fund that last month worth of uh services for building inspection. Uh we have bumped up the 2026 uh budget for uh building inspection services, anticipating uh perhaps an even larger year uh next year from a development standpoint. Uh I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have uh about this request. All right. Thank you. Questions for Mr. Duke? All right. If not, we'll entertain a motion to approve this ordinance as an emergency.

Mr. President, I move to adopt ordinance uh 202535. I 34. All right. Thank you. Moved as an emergency. Any questions or concerns? Okay. Roll call, please. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds. Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice I. President Smith I. Motion carries. Thank you. Our next item is an introduction. This is amending chapter 8.84 title motor vehic tax of the city code and repealing table P8.6 of the city fee schedule. Back to Mr. Duke.

Uh thank you, Council President. Uh there are a variety of of license taxes that can be enacted by both the city and the county. Uh those can add up to a maximum of $30 between uh the two. The city currently has a $20 license tax fee. Uh that is a combination of three uh of the county um the county uh uh fees. Uh and then one city fee that um has been approved. Uh that city fee was approved uh in accordance with uh section uh 45504.172 of the Ohio Revised Code. And that was actually adopted clear back in 1987. And so, uh, we've been collecting, uh, that $5 license fee, uh, for the last, uh, 30, uh, or or almost 40 years now. Uh, there is one more fee that the city has, uh, an ability to enact. It's under RSC 454.173. This is a $5 fee. Uh council, as they have um as you're all well aware, uh exploring uh all options for generating additional funding for street improvements, uh has um tasked staff with um with bringing back legislation to enact this $5 fee that is available uh uh to us under the Ohio Revised Code. Uh if enacted, this would bring the city's license fees to $25. uh that is on par with both Beaver Creek and Fairborn who have already enacted uh these fees. So, we would be um uh in good company here in the county as far as uh as far as the license taxes. Uh there is another $5 fee that the county has uh the ability to enact. Um I'm not aware at this point of of any intent on their part to enact that uh last $5 fee that would be available. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about this. It would generate approximately $120,000 in additional revenue annually

uh for the street program. Thank you. Questions for Mr. Duke or comments? All right. Thank you for that input and I'll ask if anyone would care to introduce this. I'll introduce it.

Thank you. Introduced by Councilman Crawford. Our next item is also an introduction. Ordinance 2025-036 amending 88106 of the city's municipal income tax code title non-refundable credit for tax paid to another municipality. So we'll turn this over to I'll take this one as well. Uh thank you President Smith. Um again in in an effort to find uh any additional funding uh for street rehab uh council task staff with taking a look at uh reciprocity the credits that are currently granted uh under city code. The city currently has a 2.25% income tax rate. Uh we have uh maximum credit that's allowed up to 1.5%. And um so we brought back three different iterations for council to uh consider. Uh one is a reduction in the credit of of 0.25% that would set that credit at 1.25%. That would generate approximately $374,000 annually. Uh the second option is a uh.5% reduction which would set the city's uh credit at 1% and that would generate approximately $760,000 annually for street paving. And the third option is a 75% reduction in the credit which would set our credit at 75%. Uh and that would raise uh in the neighborhood of 1.139 million annually for street uh for street paving. Uh the staff is not uh making a recommendation on these credits. Uh but s uh simply wanted to present the various options to council. I believe uh the legislation for each of these three options is drafted and available uh if council would would like to pursue one of these uh these three options.

Right. Thank you. Questions for Mr. Duke or comments? Yes, sir. Yeah. Um in the packet we were given uh it it just mentioned the the the quarter% uh um increase and we were just given the uh the um other options here this evening. Uh and if it if it was my brothers, I would I would move to introduce the uh quarter% reduction and the other two. All right. Thank you very much. And what does that quarter give us total? I can

The quarter% reduction is estimated to generate about 374,000 in additional revenue annually. Oh, okay. He's on that. Yeah. Ryan, my understanding too is that we're anticipating we're going to get 100% of that next year.

Correct. In fact, we we wouldn't um a lot of times, especially when you're reducing something like the credit. Uh some of the folks who work in other communities aren't aware of those tax changes. we'll do our best to, you know, get that information out there on social media, but um it's not something that is that people are typically engaged with or to uh and so typically what happens is there's a year where uh they don't make the estimated tax payments that are required uh or they haven't they don't increase them to the level that they should be increased. We'll typically work with people and reduce any uh penalty that they have in that first year, explain to them that there were some changes that they need to consider moving forward. Uh I think it's more likely that we would receive probably about half of that amount in um in the first in the first year that this is enacted and then in those out years we would start to um receive uh amounts that are more in line with these estimates that we provided to council. And if we rescended this in the November temp December time frame, folks either as they file their taxes in 2027, they they could either would not have a penalty because we'd rescended it or they would get a refund of any payments that they had made.

Right? So, if council were to enact this and then later rescend it in 2026, so long as it happens before the end of 2026, um then several of these people, many of these people probably would not have made the estimated tax payments anyway. So, as they uh as they go ahead and and create their filing based on uh the 1.5% credit, um it would all balance itself out and there really wouldn't be any difference in um in what they're, you know, what they're doing today. Um if they were to make those estimated tax payments and then it were repealed at the end of the cycle when they provide uh their tax return, they would get a refund of any of those taxes.

And that would be true at any rate that you had at any of these rates, right? if if council were to then rescend uh that change in the credit or restore the 1.5% credit. Um so long as it happens in that tax year before the tax year's completed and you make that effective January 1 of 26, which is what I would recommend if you're going to rescend it, then yeah, they they would receive a refund for any of those things moving forward. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Other comments, questions? Okay, so looks like we have a motion on the floor for a quarter%. Can we make multiple motions

on these? You if this if that motion is not seconded, it fails and someone else can can do a a introduction. Yeah, it's just Oh, that's right. Yeah, it's ordinance. Can we introduce I mean, we have three options here. Can we introduce multiple options and vote on those on the 22nd? I don't think I've ever seen that done before. I don't think I have either. Maybe giving him three options wasn't a good idea. When does when does that decision have to land, guys? When does this have to land?

Um, if there are multiple um if if council can't agree on on introducing one, then this is what I would recommend. Um, what was published in your agenda was the quarter percent. If someone doesn't agree with that, somebody can make a motion to amend that, increasing the percentage. Um, you can then vote on that motion to amend. See if there's a second. Okay. Um, vote on that motion to amend and and we'll work it backwards that way. I'll make a motion to amend that to the 75% reduction. We need a second to see if that would go to vote.

All right, we have a motion to go to 75. Do we have a second? Would anyone like to make that second? I'll second. All right, we have a second. Any other discussion on that? So, do you feel if if that was rolled down to half, would that still help or not enough? Yeah. Well, that, you know, if we want to press with eight miles, right, we need that to to do it. Okay. And and the reality is if we're also going to push for the income tax, right?

Then in reality, we also um we we we told the public today we'd be considering a 0.25%. So that's why Well, we're in a public session and we have an option to take something that's been introduced. We have an option to modify it and the public's here to hear everything that's being said. Right. Correct. Okay. So, we're not doing anything unourred towards the public and this is just an introduction tonight and we'll have it published and before we take a vote on this. If there if there's been a motion to amend and that's been seconded, then we do need a roll call vote on that motion. Move the question. Let's vote on this thing.

All right. We'll move to the question. We'll ask for roll call. We're voting on a motion to amend motion to amend% the quarter% 2.75% 2.75 an additional 50%. All right. Roll call. So I'm sorry. This is income tax. Mhm. Yes. Not property tax, right? Well, I know the motion is to amend it from a quarter% to 3/4%. Right. Okay. Are you clear? I am clear. Okay. Just want to make sure. Okay. All right. Very good. All right. We'll get a roll call, please. Mayor Ursel, I. Councilman Reynolds,

no. Councilman Crawford, I. Councilman Propes, no. Councilman Walker, I. Councilwoman Sice, I. President Smith, hi. Motion carries. All right. Thank you. I would like to rescend my introduction. Okay. Okay. I'll introduce. Okay, great. All right, we have a resention of the original motion by council pros. So, we have to go through this again. No, just introduction. All right, great. Thank you for clarity. All right, our next item. All right, this is

page two of three. All right. This is also an introduction ordinance 202537 amending uh various sections of the city's income tax code to provide for the increase of the city's municipal income tax rate by 2400. So 1%. Um I'll read that in its entirety. I'm sorry. Um, amending sections 88101, 88103A, 88104A and 1, 8866, I'm sorry, 88106A and 3, and 881.26B2 26B2 of the city's income tax code to provide for the increase of the city's municipal income tax rate by 24 hundreds of 1% for a period of 5 years commencing January 1st of 2027 for the purpose of providing funds for street repairs and maintenance. All right, Mr. Duke, right? Or Mr. Mayorman, you're both on there.

I think the plan was for for me to to provide a brief introduction. Um obviously after robust uh study and evaluation of funding options uh council's determined that a24% uh income tax increase is necessary to provide for the resources for a long-term solution to our street rehabilitation challenge. Uh such a request was presented to voters last month. The issue failed by the margin. As a need for street rehab has not changed. Um and uh the solution has been determined to be a 24% income tax increase. uh council directed staff to prepare necessary legislation to pursue another ballot measure uh under similar terms. Um thus the the uh uh resolution 2025 uh-066 is presented. Um and if approved replace a24% income tax increase on the ballot for voter consideration for May 2026 primary election. Uh if approved by the voters, the 24% income tax increase would generate approximately $1.9 million annually uh with potential for growth as the tax base would increase with rising wising rising wages um locally. Uh these funds would be earmarked for street improvements um at the direction of council. Uh at the end of this uh the period, the income tax rate would automatically revert back to its current 2.25 25 or if needed, council could seek a renewal um of that amount at a future levy uh if the need to continue to rehabilitate streets was still present. Um I know there's been um some discussion about um the duration of this levy. Uh as written this evening, the duration uh or as originally directed the the duration was for a 5-year period, which is in in uh in kind with what was presented to voters. Um in terms of any desire to increase to a um 10-year duration um that could be introduced um if you so desire and we can accommodate that. It

it could be introduced tonight and then amended or not introduced and you direct staff to bring it back on the on the 22nd with that amendment. Um part of the reason I wrote this uh one of the ways I wrote this legislation if you read the actual sections and it is important that council be clear on the time period they want I have written it in a way that whatever time period we tell the voters 5 years 6 years 2 years it will automatically expire at the end of that period um there's no further action it will automatically revert um so that to asssure that our code meets what we tell the voters it's going to do.

Ryan, you and I discussed earlier today some of the pros and cons. Could you bring some of those things up to the rest of the council about the 5year versus the 10year duration? Well, I I mean, I don't know that there's necessarily a obviously from the city's uh standpoint, um just from a certainty standpoint, knowing what revenue you have moving forward, um you're locking it in for another, you know, another 5year period and you don't have to go back for a renewal. Um, I think it could be difficult to to get a renewal passed if you have a number of people whose streets are done in that first 5-year period and then decide that, you know, it's not necessary to,

you know, to pass that moving forward. But,

um, I don't know that there's necessarily a huge, you know, advantage one way or another. It's a very similar levy. It's just a matter of, um, whether or not you want to you want to make it a 5year or 10 year. I don't know that there, you know, the ballot language did not include the term. So I don't know that, well, it didn't previously and so I don't know that there was a benefit to having that 5-year expiration versus a 10 previously because it wasn't clearly on the ballot um as far as determining what or communicating what the length of that commitment would be. So um yeah I I from a uh strictly fiscal perspective it's beneficial to have it obviously for a longer term you you have more certainty in what dollars are going to be available to to pave streets moving forward but um that's the the core benefit

I think uh if I can add uh you know prior discussions and and you all have discussed these options and needs agnasium um but as part of those discussions um you know we've identified two competing priorities. One is um you know there there's the need for a sustained funding of this level 10 to 15 years to be able to comprehensively address this problem to really say yeah there's funding here that can address this issue. On the other hand, I think part of the interest in in establishing it for a shorter term was allow voters an opportunity to see progress and have, you know, an opportunity in five years to come back and and reaffirm that the, you know, that the the city's doing what it said it would do. Um, so, you know, there's a pro and con to this. Um, I concur with Ryan. um if you know in in complete transparency 5 years at this rate is not sufficient revenue to get us to where we need to be which you've identified that 70 to 80 range on our PCI.

Um the investment that's needed is probably over at least a 10 more like 15 year period based on the numbers that we can best generate today to project today. Well said I just thought we need to have a discussion about that. Yeah. And I I I I'm listening and I'm I'm I would have rather the voters just say, "Hey, this is working. We want to support it. We saw what it did in the first five years." But I don't get a feeling that for those that had had their roads done, we won't get their vote again. Um that's that's that's the tough part of this whole thing.

We may be somewhere on the order of 2500 to 3,000 homes paved. in the next five years and we got 10 10,000 households. So good a good point is we can do the eight miles a year we may get a large number of homes. The other side of that is we're have a large number of homes that are paved right and they may not have an incentive to to come back because it's going to be a significant number of homes over the next five years. and uh and our population is going to be higher, but but they're going to have new roads anyway, right? Yeah. The eight miles are not guaranteed though.

The eight miles won't be guaranteed though depending on the road. It's a projection. It's an average, right?

Yeah. What we've estimated is you, you know, based on again our best estimates in today's dollars projected forward, you need to be spending in the in the neighborhood of $3 million a year. And if you take that amount and you look at the the number of lane miles we have, it averages out. Um, so, you know, there based on the amount that you have, you know, some years you might be able to do eight or nine miles. Other years for a roadway that or roadways that require far more comprehensive restoration, you might only do three or four. So, it averages out to those numbers. But, you know, basically uh based on our best projections, it's about $3 million a year and that would that would begin to increase that PCI score people actually start practical improvement at the neighborhood level. Yeah.

But it's just it's going to be in the thousands of homes, right? We don't know exactly the number, but but over the next 5 years, it's not going to be in the hundreds of homes that'll get their streets, but it'll be in the thousands.

McConnell, sir. Um, and and this is just um I I don't want anybody to take this the wrong way, but two tax issues back to back. We want to adjust from what was published to the public. I know nobody here is trying to do anything in court or trying to be sneaky in any way. Uh but you look at that from an outside perspective, it does the the it starts to get foggy. And then you you throw on that tableabling the vote today to change it to a meeting that we were going to have at 10:30 or 10:00 in the morning on a Monday. It it it looks like we're trying to do things hurriedly and maybe not entirely above board. And I know that's not the case because we've all had these discussions. I think the tenure would I I agree with the 10-year time frame, but I'm just saying it doesn't look good backtoback. We're doing things back to back to back changing stuff that was published. uh especially when it comes to dealing with taxes and and increasing taxes on people. So that's my two cents.

Dennis, what do you think if we if we just ask the staff to rework it and reintroduce it the next one? Yeah, I I'm I'm fine with like I said, I'm I'm okay with changing it to the 10 years, but I'm just, you know, voicing my opinion as a citizen. If I was looking in from the outside, it would look a little little odd to me. And let's just have staff please to us at the next meeting and move at the end of the meeting. I'll motion for our time to 6:00 so that we all can attend. Thank you. Agree with that, Dennis? Yeah, I will I will make sure I'm in attendance even though

at that 10 o'clock this was going to be my last meeting, but I I will I will be here. Thank you. All right. Thank you. I will just make a motion for to have this for you guys to rework it for the next meeting. You could just direct this. I don't think they need a motion to because it hasn't been introduced. Hasn't been introduced. All we'll do the next meeting is introduce and then table right the same the same rate at a 10 for a 10ear term. We'll pass the resolution that will table the ordinance or just introduce if you haven't introduced it you don't need to table it and I have not heard it be introduced. Okay.

Um so we will simply rework that and bring it back to you. And I'm also assuming since we're doing that, you would like us to bring 2566 back as well. And that's off for is consideration. I guess before we do that though, let's get a sense of council about who who's in favor of the five versus the 10. I'm in I'm in favor of the 10 year because there's no doubt that the roads need done and that uh financial stability would allow us to plan better than I don't think that was the issue was 5 10 years. I think it was the issue. Are you in favor? Are you okay with that? I would vote for this. And I and I think the 10 years is it it demonstrates wisdom of this council, right? Because we you know you know what we you know the project we got,

right? The need is still there, right? then right and you talked to I mean I remember you brought up that you know some of us drive you know pretty decent cars and we don't have to worry as much being out on the roads but I just invested $1,000 in a new suspension system on a truck I have as a result of the roads you know and in my own platwood. So, I'm I feel like yeah, that would help offset and mitigate what I've just done in repairs would be way worse to me personally. That's just me. Just my

Do you know what I mean? What I'm spending to repair, you know, a busted tire, a bent rim, you know, a new suspension system on a truck I'm trying to make last for a while. So, it's worth it to me. Yeah. Thank you. All right, Carlos, how you how you feeling about that? Yeah, I'm fine with the I'm fine with the stretches out. Yeah, I'm okay.

All right, moving on. Resolution 2025-64 determining that the establishment of the city market district new community authority will be conducive to the public safety a convenience and welfare and is intended to result in the development of a new community to finding the boundaries of the Zena market district new community district to declaring the new community authority to be organized in a body politic and corporate and appointing the board members Mr. Mayorman. Thank you sir. Um,

sorry. If you give it one second,

I don't know. Yes. Okay. Yes. Just so I think we're okay.

Okay. apology. Just wanted to make sure the point of order to make sure that that procedures followed um pursuant to the statutory requirements. Um so um the next major milestone in the Xen Market District uh development process is the creation of a new community authority district um at the site. Uh pursuant to OC chapter 349, uh local jurisdictions may establish and administer a special economic development entity known as a new community authority or an NCA. and NCA is responsible for overseeing the formation and operation of the special district aimed at facilitating distinctive economic development initiatives for various objectives. Uh for the Xeno market district project, the implementation of an NCA has been really identified as an a vital element particularly regarding uh strategies for capital funding uh ongoing maintenance programming for that site. Uh as required by OC 349, a petition requesting the establishment of an NCA has been formally submitted by all property owners within the proposed district. The petition includes a map of the district with legal descriptions for all uh included parcels, applicable zoning ordinances and proposed zoning regulations, the proposed district development plan, preliminary economic development uh feasibility analysis, and other supporting documentation as well. As detailed in the petition documentation, the applicants expect to file with the county a declaration of covenants, restrictions, and agreements for the Zena Market District NCA to establish obligations for current and future property owners to pay certain community development charges. the proceeds from which will serve as the funding instruments for uh public debt cancellation and to cover operating costs associated with the district property maintenance as well as uh activity programming. The NCA NCA charges will essentially be consistent with what property taxes would otherwise have been at the site. Additionally, uh the expected covenants would include the authority to institute uh sales charges for operations at the site, including up to 5% room charge for hospitality services and up to 1% uh of retail sales. In addition to the approval of the petition, which establishes the NCA

district and its various provisions, uh the resolution presented, if approved, appoints several NCA uh board of trustees me board of trustee members uh for the initial board term. The petition establishes an initial board of seven members, the minimum required under state statute. Um, pursuant to OC requirements, the distribution of the board appointments are as follows. Three developer representatives on behalf of the two established project developers. This includes two appointed by Zena REH LLC and one by the Zena CIC. Four representatives appointed by city council as legis uh as the legislative authority. This includes one local government representative and three citizen member representatives on behalf of of businesses and residents in the district. Uh for these initial board appointments, we are recommending uh Councilman Ethan Reynolds as a local government representative after consulting with the council president. And then for um the lo the um citizen representatives, we're recommending Jason Lake, Eric Henry, and Chris Burgerer. uh purpose of this is because the city will have a um financial stake uh in the NCA and the financial mechanics of this because of its debt instrument the bond for the site improvements um until there is additional establishment of increment value um to offset that um we felt it appropriate and is statutoily appropriate to have some controlling interest from the city but we wanted staff members who don't otherwise have representation on the CIC such as myself and the finance director Um so with all that being said um approval of resolution 2025-64 both approves the petition and authorizes the district creation as well as establishes the board appointments to the uh initial NCA district. Um we are recommending approval of the resol resolution this evening. It's the next sort of large essential step legislatively um to put in place the uh the capital plan for the Zenaia market uh district redevelopment effort. I'll be happy to answer any questions. We've covered a lot of this detail in prior um

work sessions. Uh but be happy to answer any questions on this. All right, we'll open the floor for And we we do it's not listed here, but you do need to conduct a public hearing um in conjunction with um even though this is a resolution, the statute requires you to conduct a public hearing. So that public hearing notice was published, but as we were juggling some things around on the agenda, I think it just got missed. So we need to have a public hearing tonight on this. Yes. All right. Thank you. All right. Uh, not sure anyone's going to speak, but yes. All right. Questions for Mr. Mayorman on this. Jason may want to say that he doesn't want to be on it.

All right. At this time, I'm going to open the public hearing on resolution 2025-64. Invite anyone in the audience who's eager to come up and speak either for or against. I think they're asleep. All right. Thank you. I'm going to close the public hearing and uh invite any of my colleagues to introduce. Mr. President, I move to introduce resolution 202564. Okay. Move for passage is what I meant to say. Do we have Okay. Move for passage. Thank you. Move for passage by Councilman Reynolds. Do we have a second? Seconded by Councilman Crawford. Yeah, that's right. Resolution we don't have to introduce, right? Yes. Okay. You're correct.

You're fine. You're good. All right. And a roll call, please. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds, hi. Councilman Crawford, hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi. President Smith. Hi. Motion carries. Thank you. Our next item is resolution 202565. Authorizing the execution of a am I right? Limited partnership agreement. Yes. Is that what that stands for? Okay. with ODOT for the E Market District, E Market Street from North Columbus Street to North Patent Street and South Columbus Street adjacent to Ohio Eerie Trails sidewalk project. So, we're going to turn this over to Mr. Mayorman.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Uh, among the important objectives identified in our next plan are efforts to repair existing sidewalks and create connections and sidewalk gaps in older neighborhoods, specifically um in the old east end. Uh with this in mind, the section of East Market Street between North Columbus Street and North Patent Street has uh severely deteriorated sidewalks that are unsafe and lack handicapped accessibility. Um added to this, a sidewalk gap exists on South Columbus Street at the Ohio to Erie Trail. As many homeowners in these affected areas do not have the means to pay for such repairs themselves and because some adjacent properties are abandoned, our staff uh has sought out alternative means to fund restoration projects to these ends. uh a project combining these objectives will restore walkability within this uh historic neighborhood connected to the city's trail system and complement additional sidewalk restoration projects underway on East Second Street, East Church Street, and East Market Street. Uh in addition to basic safety and accessibility benefits, these improvements should support renewed interest in home construction and reinvestment in the East End neighborhood. Uh earlier this year, uh the city applied uh to ODOT's one-time transportation alternative special solicitation program, and we are being uh awarded a federal grant uh funding to rehabilitate sidewalks along East Market Street from Columbus Street to North Patton and to construct uh new new sidewalks on South Columbus Street adjacent to the Ohio Deer Trail. Uh the total grant award is $755,18729 uh with no local share required. uh as the case with uh ODOT ODOT funded projects, it's necessary to adopt a resolution authorizing a standard local partnership agreement uh with the department in order to move forward with the grant-f funed project. Uh resolution 202565 accomplishes this uh and with your approval uh that allow us to proceed with uh bidding for the project and u construction funds should be available in 2028 and so we'll we'll plan our implementation timeline accordingly. Uh the city will manage both the biding process and the oversight of the project construction.

So recommending approval this evening. All right. Fantastic. Open the floor for questions. I think we attached in the agenda report some images that Brian and staff took and this will be a dramatic improvement over the condition of where there even are sidewalks in. Congratulations. That's great. Y. So when's this happening? 28. Yeah. In 2028. The funding will be available. Okay. Very good. I noticed in on um page seven 8.7 the reimbursements made out to Brian portion. I'm just All right. Thank you. All right. I'm going to approve this.

All right. Second. All right. We have a motion to approve by Councilman Crawford, seconded by Councilman Reynolds. There's no further discussion. Roll call. Mayor Ursel. I. Councilman Reynolds. Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi, Councilman Propes. Hi, Councilman Walker. Hi, Councilwoman Sice. Hi, President Smith. Hi. Motion carries. Thank you. So, we can pass on 202566. We have to postpone to your next meeting.

All right. Very good. We're going to move to item 8, resolution 202567, adopting a cyber security program to safeguard the city's data, information technology, and information technology resources as required by the OC 9.6. 64 and we'll turn that over to Mr. Mayorman.

Thank you, sir. Uh, as noted, uh, OC 9.64, uh, was enacted with the, um, state's operating budget bill, which is, uh, uh, HP96. Um, and, um, this requires the legislative authority of each political subdivision within the state to adopt a cyber security program that safeguards the subdivision's data, information, technology, all of our resources associated with that. Uh in particular uh among the key things that are required are uh the ability to identify and address critical functions and cyber security risks of the city. Identify the potential impacts of a cyber security breach. Specify mechanisms to detect potential threats and cyber security events. Specify procedures for the city to establish communication channels. Analyze incidents and take actions to contain cyber security incidents. establish procedures for the repair of infrastructure impacted by an incident and to maintain um uh security after the incident and to establish cyber security training requirements for all employees of the city. I will add that most of these things we are already doing or in the process of establishing there's a formal requirement that we establish a plan uh addressing all of these our uh information technology division um and I want to give credit to to Keith Padin our our chief information officer has done a a fantastic job putting this together. Uh we've had discussions with council to review this and so we are presenting resolution uh 2025-67 this evening for your off for your approval with that. That'll um uh require us to begin the implementation process uh process with this which uh will allow us to be compliant uh by the end of the year deadline that's been established.

All right. Thank you very much. Open up the floor for any questions for Mr. Marin. All right. Thank you for that presentation earlier today. I'll take a uh I'll accept a motion to approve resolution 2025. I will make 68. I'll second. Thank you. Moved by Councilwoman, seconded by Councilman Walker. Well, I'll just try to get All right. And we'll get a roll call, please. Did you get that, Amy? Yes, ma'am. Make sure. Mayor Ursel. Hi, Councilman Reynolds. Hi, Councilman Crawford. Hi, Councilman Propes. Hi, Councilman Walker. Hi, Councilwoman Sice. Hi, President Schmidt. Hi. Motion carries.

Thank you. Second to last item council petition 2025-68 approving and ratifying the tenative collective bargaining agreement with the green central communications operators association known as our dispatchers. Um I will turn the floor over to Mr. Mayor.

Thank you sir. As directed by city council um our staff did meet with the green central communication communications operators association uh for an agreed upon reopener for a new collective bargaining agreement to supersede the current uh CVA. Uh the current CBA would have expired January 30th of 2027. Uh the new CBA CB CBA would begin December 21st of this year and expire December 16th of 2028. Our negotiation team uh myself, finance director uh believe that the terms and conditions of the proposed agreement are fair uh satisfy the interest of both the city and and the employees and uh fall within the parameters that you had established for us. Uh the city has been notified that the union has approved and ratified the tenative CBA. uh with your approval of this this evening uh we would go ahead and execute that agreement. Uh if you choose not to um that would uh set in motion an alternative process, but I think uh in general based on your feedback this evening, you're supportive. So we're recommending approval of the resolution to authorize us to to make these changes. Um and I will just add I think um they're welld deserved changes.

Thank you. Questions or comments for Mr. Mayorman? I know our uh communication operators work super hard, super long hours. Thanks to you and staff, we're willing to address this issue without breaking the bank, right? And hoping to keep retention as a focus there. So, after we go home tonight, they'll be working over there through the night. And that's that's a nice comfort to have. Mhm. Yep. All right. Other comments? No. You guys good? Everybody's just get ready. Get out of here. All right. Um I'll accept a motion to accept this second resolution 202568. Thank you. Moved by Councilman Reynolds. Seconded by Councilman Propes. All right. Roll call, please. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds.

Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi. President Smith. I. Motion carries. Thank you. Next is a procedural motion. I'm going to turn the floor over to Mayor Ersel due to a conflict of interest.

Sure. So, we have uh two items. First is uh first motion would be uh to reappoint Mr. Austin Fence to the Civil Service Commission. Uh Austin was appointed there to fill a vacancy this year, but that term expires at December 31st. And he's uh shown interest uh to want to go ahead and stay on the council for another 4-year term. And uh the chair said he's been active and and also endorses him on on that reappoint. So I'd like to entertain a motion to reappoint Mr. Austin Fence to the Civil Service Commission with a term expiration date of December 31st, 2030. Second. Got it. Motion first. Oh, I thought you were making the motion. I'll I'll make the motion. Yeah,

I'll second. Second. Great. Any other questions or comments? Right. Let's go ahead and call the vote. Mayor Ursel, I. Councilman Reynolds, I. Councilman Crawford, hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi. President Smith.

Obstain. And then uh second one is the reappointment of Melody Anderson to the planning and zoning commission with a term uh expiration date of December 31st, 2029. And um Mel is here tonight. She's I'll just say she's very active on the planning and zoning commission. Takes it takes her responsibilities very seriously and uh is always prepared uh in those venues and and uh is a is a really productive member of that. So, uh, I I I just heartily endorse her coming back and being part of that group and, uh, glad we have folks that have that kind of interest and passion. And I think we saw some of that passion tonight as well, too. Absolutely. So, uh, I'd like to make a motion. Do I have a second?

Second. Okay. Second on that. Any questions or comments? Okay. Let's go ahead and call the vote. Mayor Ursel. I. Councilman Reynolds. Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi. President Smith. I motion carries. Thank you. Next is appointed officials reports. Thanks mayor for filling in on that. Also wanted to mention both I both members were here at the beginning of the meeting but due to the lengthenity of it they just decided to skip town. I don't blame them. All right. So we're going to appointed officials reports. We'll start with Mr. Duke. I have nothing else this evening. Thanks. Nothing else. Thank you. Madam law director.

Uh just one question. Or did council want to keep their next meeting on the 22nd at 10:00 a.m. or did you desire to move that time? I move to change the meeting time uh for our next meeting to 6 p.m. on Monday, December 22nd. Regular. I'll make I'll second that motion comment. Who second? Is there a way? I'm sorry. Okay. First, second. Second. Is there a way to notify those that were in the audience tonight? We have their addresses of the time change in writing. Can we send them a letter? We probably do for the writing their names. Just tell them due to a lack of quorum

and we can get that out on social media. I would assume Okay. I just think to be fair with them if they show up at 10, they're going to be like, "What the heck?" There's a BCA meeting that night at 6. There's a BA meeting that night at Well, there is there is there an agenda for that? We have no applications for it. I just haven't told you about it. Thanks. Okay. We I have to put them in the little room. Yeah, there is. Okay. I have a second. Yeah. No business so far. All right. So, we have a motion and a second. We're voting to move the meeting time to 6:00. Roll call. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds.

Hi. Councilman Crawford. Hi. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Councilwoman Sice. Hi, President Smith. Hi. Motion carries. All right. Anything else? Just wanted to make sure you voted on that in case you wanted to do that. Thank you. Thanks for keeping us straight. All right, Mr. Fairman. Yeah, seven items is No, I'm kidding. I go home. Anything? I'm good. You're done. Unless you have anything for me. I'm good. I think we're all about done. Okay. Okay. Sure. U council comments and reports. If you want to speak, raise your hand. Okay. All right.

These are some good feedback things. All right. Um the community Thanksgiving meal. Um we had a record number participants. We 900 people dead that day.

So kudos to folks that put that on and to all of our our members of the city. to pride all the pies for the meal. We had uh there was there were 650 meals delivered by the volunteers which was a record number and the rest were actual dine in at the the Shimmer Banquet Center and it was full. It was it was the first time I ever seen the banquet center actually full during that time. Hometown Christmas was uh massive success and getting the um Santa's house back on the courthouse steps was great and I know it was cold but uh I just would say having compacted down there on that one block on downtown got a lot of folks involved in the businesses um one beastro was going to provide meals and they ran out at 6:30. Uh they they had in the past they don't want to serve 30 meals. They planned for 100 and they they literally ran out of food at at at 6:30 and they had they had to close things down. Uh we had we passed out I think 350 Christmas stockings from the church association at the Santa's house. That's that's 100 more kids than we've ever done in the past. So, and even though it was cold, people stayed both for the carriage ride as well as the Santa's house until 9:00. Literally, they were turning people away at 9:00. I've never seen that happen in the past year. So, and so anyway, so it was really successful. Um, and then uh um Commissioner Maize and I went to the exup pupil associations. They have a Christmas dinner each year and it was just good to see uh about a hundred people who had lived at the home

uh have gotten together from all over the country and they literally come back from all over the country. That's cool.

To have a reunion there. And they're getting older now, right? Because the home was closed down in '95. But uh just sitting at the table and hearing the stories of the people there that uh had grown up at the home and just went on to live successful lives was pretty amazing. Uh and then uh one other item uh the the uh African-American Minister Alliance and the uh uh Ministry Association of Zena got together and we're going to be doing the Martin Luther King Day worship celebration uh on MLK day at 2:00 and it's going to be at Wilberforce University and uh uh uh both uh both uh uh presidents of uh Central State and Wilberforce are going to be there in attend attendance and participating and we've gotten a good portion of the service is going to be uh hosted by the students as well too. So the Wilberforce choir will be singing the uh the alphas which is their fraternity organization will be there uh doing the ushering. Uh we have a couple of students participating in actual parts of the the process. We have some professors from Wilberforce doing that as well and we also have some students from Central State participating. And so I think that'll be a great time for us to come together as a as a as an entire community on on MLK Day. So

choir. Yes. And we're and we'll also have a community choir on the 13th over at the AMD church on on Church Street at uh at uh 6 6:00 is our our our rehearsal time for that. And anybody's welcome to come. You don't even know have to know how to sing. Just be vibrant and participate in that team. They let me do it. They'll even take you, James. Yeah. The 13th of January. Right. Right. So, former mayor Bis will be uh conducting that choir. She always does a great job. So, anyways, just want to get that information out for that. That's all I got. Thank you. Very good. Thanks, Mayor. All right. Long night.

If there's no other comments, we'll get a motion to adjourn by I was going to read the night before Christmas. I got it here. I I want to thank everybody. This is probably one of our longest meetings, public meetings without Yeah. So, thank you very much everybody. We have a motion in a second. We'll get a roll call to Who motions and second? Dennis Carlo. Thank you very much. Walker. Thank you. And roll call. Mayor Ursel. Hi. Councilman Reynolds. Councilman Crawford. Councilman Propes. Hi. Councilman Walker. Hi. Coun Council Mice. Hi. President Smith. Motion carries you guys in the audience. Thank you. I know. Yeah.