City Council - Regular Meeting

It is Tuesday, September 1st, 2026. We're going to call the meeting to order. Could you call roll? Mayor Tiffany Hollis. Here.

Brian Green.

Here.

Johnny Barnard.

Here.

Matthew Huggins.

Here.

Kyle Cook.

Here.

Jeff Barr.

Present.

Nicole Shook.

Here. Tonight's invocation will be given by Councilman Barnard.

Please stand. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, even this humid weather. We thank you for all you've given us. We thank you for our first responders, our office staff, everyone who gives so much to the city. We ask you that you give us guidance tonight. Help us have a good discussion and a good forethought into the future. Lord, we just thank you for everything. Amen.

First item on the agenda is approval of the agenda. Anyone like to make a motion? I'll make a motion to approve the agenda.

I'll second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Next, we have action on minutes. Was everyone present at all these? Can we do it as a block?

Everyone. Mr. Barr, you were absent August 18th. If you want to vote separately, I can call separately, or if you're fine with all in favor, we can do them in a block, however you like.

Anyone like to make a motion to approve in a block?

I'll motion to approve in a block.

Times two.

We're all in favor of approval of all four sets of minutes. Aye. Opposed?

Thank you.

Next on the agenda, we have a proclamation for Licking County Soil and Water, the River Roundup. There's no one here to present this to, but I'm just going to read through the proclamation. Recognizing the 31st annual Licking County River Roundup, whereas the Licking County River Roundup is celebrating its 31st year of service, community action, and environmental stewardship, and whereas since its inception, the River Roundup has united volunteers, students, families, organizations, local government, and shared mission of cleaning and protecting Licking River, and its tributaries, and whereas over the past three decades, this event has removed countless tons of trash and debris from our waterways, enhanced the health of our local ecosystems, and strengthened a culture of conservation in Licking County, and whereas River Roundup exemplifies the power of collaboration, education, and grassroots engagement with support from schools, municipalities, nonprofits, and corporate sponsors, and whereas the 31st Annual Roundup marks a major milestone in the legacy of environmental progress and community pride, And now, therefore, it be proclaimed the city of Johnstown and Lincoln County does hereby proclaim Saturday, September 12th, 2026, as Lincoln County River Roundup Day and urges all citizens to participate in this effort to clean up our local waterways in order to maintain and protect our water for the well-being of present and future generations. Christy Hawthorne from Licking County Water and Soil does a great job with this, and I was going to ask both of you if you wanted to.

So it will be September 12th. You'll show up at Witts, the parking lot at Witts. They'll start right behind Witts and go all the way to Mink. There'll be a dumpster at Mink. It'll be a good group. They will supply everything you possibly need to do this, just wear boots and prepare to get dirty. I think last year we found a washer in the river. Mm-hmm.

Washer, Barbie Jeep, all kinds of things wash up in there.

So it's a mess.

And anyone can participate. Anyone can participate. You don't have to pre-sign up. You just show up that day.

And bring a bag because there's a whole bunch of Buckeye trees. Oh, yeah. And the Buckeyes are like crazy. You can get hundreds and hundreds of Buckeyes. I think it's 9. I'll double check.

9 a.m. Okay, next we have a presentation from the American Legion on their improvements.

Teresa, I got it down to 37 minutes, so if you want to start. Chief said I only have two, so. So per our lease, any improvements that we do at the Legion to the facility or the property have to be approved by council. So that's why I'm here to show you guys what we're planning and what we're asking for approval on. So the first thing, if you look at the pictures, those are our, behind the Wall of Honor is an old horseshoe pit. three horseshoe pits. We want to get rid of those. We also want to tear down the chain link fence around the basketball court. And when we tear the horseshoe pits, we're going to take those out and we want to put a memorial back there for every war from Revolutionary to Afghanistan. Each war will have its own dedicated garden. Each one of them, the terrain changes, the plants change to represent that area and era. So as you walk through, there's a crushed stone path, smooth path, but you'll start seeing the terrain change a little bit when you get to Korea and especially Afghanistan, the mountainous arid. So everything will look like that region. So the Desert Shield Storm OIF will have sand-colored stones. We're not using sand because we don't want a litter box out there. And then each one along that path you'll see different plaques which will give you facts about Johnstown veterans or Johnstown communities involvement in the war and Ohio. And the basketball courts, that's that second picture on there. So we want to tear down the chain link fence, get rid of that. It's basically just a weed terrace now. to resurface that area so it's a nice usable outdoor space we're gonna put a pergola in one corner six black light poles with and hang outdoor cafe style lighting between those poles make it more appealing right now I call it the weed bed or the weed garden it's where the volleyball courts used to be we want to take that make it a grassy area put a path in it with a couple benches clear out the woods the low brush and lower branches open it up so make it visually more appealing to the community and the veterans that go up there and then I building I think we've shown you guys this before or at least we did the renderings so what we want to do on the building phase one and two is are the priority ones. Phase one is gonna be the interior. We're gonna take out the existing office, the bathrooms if you haven't been there. There's hallways on each side of the office that go back to the men's and women's bathroom. So we're gonna take all that out, expand those bathrooms. So going from two stalls to three stalls and two sinks and making them handicap accessible. Right now they're not. You can't get a wheelchair back there and we have quite a few people that come in on occasion that need that access. We want to refresh the interior, put in LED lightings with smart technology. Eventually that will be worked into our HVAC system as well. It will be more of a pre-niche building with the smart technology. Phase three and four would be the addition on the back so that we can get our certification for the emergency shelter. Right now that is on the way back burner just because we can't spend that money with the Repayment. Schedule that we have in the lease, it's a little too aggressive. After 10 years, it's 50% payback. So we put in $300,000 worth of work, we get $150,000 in 10 years. It's really not feasible for us. But that is something that we'd want to do in the future. And hopefully all of you are in council for many years. And you guys will hear me asking you to revise that. I think I covered pretty much anything. Oh, the other fence that we do want to take down is back by Bigelow Cemetery. ORC doesn't require a fence. They recommend it. So what we want to do is take that down and put in, like, an aluminum black fence, so, you know, four-foot-tall fence, something that looks a little bit nicer and I think would be more respectful for the people who are going to rest.

Will you be doing that around this garden right here, too? Or are you going to keep the chain length around the garden?

No, we want to tear down all the chain link. And we have a group of veterans from one of the construction companies that wants to come out and help us clean it up. So that one's the big ass that we want permission on right away.

Looks good.

The basketball courts, that's an important thing, I think. We're going to take down the hoops from there. We're going to move into the old tennis courts, the lower parking lot is what we typically use.

So the basketball court is, I don't like. So the tennis court's the one on the bottom, basketball court's on the right. Up to the right, okay.

Yeah and right next to it is. No, it's behind the Wall of Honor or to the side of the Wall of Honor.

Okay, yeah.

Then there's the – I think it used to be a volleyball court, but we just call it the Weed Garden. We have the best weeds in Johnstown.

Exactly. That's where I was going to say it. Yes. The cutthroat. Yeah.

If I may, why are you moving the basketball court to the tennis courts? Like is there demand for that basketball court? Like is it used? No.

It was last year. It hasn't been this year because the rain has been so crazy. We haven't been able to keep up on the weeds.

I actually like the idea of keeping some things that's there. I was just going to suggest pickleball courts.

Well, we need the parking lot space. So, yeah. That was originally one of our plans, but I think the expense is a little too much, and I think this is... better use of space and it makes it a lot nicer and we do we think the basketball court is important because there's only one other in Johnstown you know jya took theirs down so we have the only other one we just want to move it over to the parking lot so when we're not having an event it's available for the youth or adults too what's the proposed timeline um so the The outdoor space we want to start on right away. We have that group of veterans that's coming over to help us with that, so we want to take down that fencing and at least get it cleaned up and prepped for the other stuff. For the interior, the bathrooms, we're working on that right now. We just had Cantrell come out, so he's getting his bid together. And then we have volunteer labor for that as well.

I think the only thing that I would say is with the walking path splash pad project. We just want to make sure it all complements each other so it looks cohesive. Which I think you said the black aluminum, which complements exactly what the aesthetic, I guess, that we're going for.

How hard would it be on the bathrooms to add an exterior door? Lock those doors? lock those up at a reasonable hour and provide access from the outside if someone were to use the park but not actually want to get into the into the legion hall While we're doing this would be the ideal time to do it and we can we can always put a lean-to off the back for those

For a men's and women's?

Yeah, if we can add an exterior door, you know, so that they can get in there. I don't know how we go about locking that to make sure nobody comes in for the night. But if they're a public restroom.

We could have a time lock. Since we're doing this project, we're getting a loan, so we can always do a timed lock.

Because I know a bathroom was an issue that we had with that project and the cost of it and potentially doing it. So this would be, it's a distance to travel, but it's an easy stopgap just in case we're unable to do it.

So I would prefer to have a separate bathroom attached to the outside of the building versus them getting in inside the building.

Could you lock from the, I mean, to where they can't get into the building?

We'd have to lock, but then the other problem is if we have an event there, a rental, at the same time, people getting in there, and we are doing exterior work, so we're gonna dig up outside and change that piping outside while we're doing the interior remodel. So that would be the perfect time to do it, and we can, if it's something for future use, we can always, I can have them put outside clean outs there so we can convert it easily.

Yeah, it'd be nice because if they're going to come and potentially walk around, if you have QR codes on these monuments here, they're going to spend some time walking around, you know, looking at different things. If they're using the, you know, if they're using these other facilities, the basketball court, something like that, they will need a bathroom. And the path will be ADA. Yes.

Yes, that's what we... What we want to do, because there are a lot of disabled veterans out there. It would be good for them.

On the bathroom idea too, we'd have to look at liability for that. If something happens in one of these public bathrooms, the city owns that building. But if they cause destruction and vandalism in those bathrooms, who's on the hook for that according to the lease?

That would fall under our policy, I believe.

I think we have that either way. Yeah, but we want to establish that before we ever do anything like that, make sure that's in writing for everybody involved.

Just to be safe. You're saying since we're adding an additional public component, anybody can walk in at any time during the day?

Because with their lease, with anybody's lease, they control that building, and technically nobody can enter that building without notice, without their permission.

We might already have something in the contract.

That's what I'm saying. We'd have to go back through that and look at liability issue for an open public bathroom like that inside the building.

Yeah, I think this would probably have a separate agreement as far as maintenance and repairs, stuff like that. And we wouldn't mind paying, I mean, it's not something that we need. Yeah, it would help with our garden here.

Yeah, I think it would be mutually beneficial because if you're not open but somebody's hanging out in this garden for an extended amount of time or using this other space, I think they'll need it or using the basketball courts. Yeah.

And I think it will go back to your point, Mayor, with the splash pad and the amphitheater. I think this would be a great complement for it.

I was just telling Kyle, I mean, it really – I'm very excited.

Yeah, it'll be a very cool area.

Yeah, it'll kind of bring it all together, I think.

And I think you get best use out of the entire space all together collectively for the American Legion and, I mean, the community as a whole. It will draw people to see your things as well as vice versa. So I think it is a great, great idea. Thank you.

So as far as do we need an official vote on this to approve, or are we adding that to the agenda, or does that go through design review? How do we carry this forward?

The police just specifies that they need to get city council approval for any improvements or plans, changes to the premises.

Can we make a motion on that tonight? Yeah, I think so.

We can do it right now, can't we?

Yeah. All right.

I'll make a motion to approve. Do you want to conditionally add the bathrooms, the public bathrooms? Okay. Okay.

Sorry. I just want to make sure. He's stealing his thunder, Ryan. Go ahead. I'll make a motion to approve with the condition of adding the outside bathrooms. I know you mentioned the lean-to. Let's make sure we have walls, too. Yeah.

Not just the trough cut.

Right, yeah. Not a military one.

We're both countries.

How many cups do we need to get on this restaurant? Yeah. Wash, not a bucket. I'll second.

I have a quick question, if I may, messing up parliamentary procedure. But for the bathrooms, I think we need more discussion on that. I think it's an option, but I think we need to discuss that further and figure out cost-wise.

What if we just say plans as is with the conditions to discuss further about the option for bathroom? Perfect. Okay.

I second. You made the motion then. I'll second.

Okay.

Okay. Nicole Shook. Yes. Matthew Huggins. Yes. Donnie Barnard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Hollis. Yes. Kyle Cook. Yes. Enough bar.

Sorry, Kyle, didn't mean to stir your thunder. No, it was good.

Next, we have citizen comments. Matters not on the agenda. Did we have any speaker slips? I did not receive any. Council Committee reports. Design Review Board met on August 25th. Teresa, do you have any updates from that?

It was a short meeting. They had one application for a sunroom addition to a home.

Okay. Planning and Zoning also met on August 25th. Kyle, anything? Okay. Do you remember?

Lifeline Teresa.

Oh. You reviewed a preliminary plat and approved it.

That's right, the subdivision.

For the subdivision.

Yeah. All right, so we had a subdivision come in that we approved for the initial plat. I do think there needs to be further discussion. Okay.

Is it coming to council?

No, not yet. We'll have a second meeting on a final.

Yes, they will submit a final plat, and actually there were some questions on the – lot with yes yeah so I've asked those to the engineer and Trevor and so there's some I think that'll all be adjusted before the final plot comes to plant back to planning okay and then will we have a report from Trevor yes and then it'll come to Council for final approval anyone have any questions on that safety and service met tonight

Yeah, we had quite a bit for the meeting tonight. We discussed our DORA. We went ahead and made a motion to recommend that to council. So we will see that. We're going to do a survey that we will try to take to the public to get some better perspective on that and try to work with our local businesses downtown. We want to definitely do that the right way and make sure that we're taking a comprehensive look in that.

Did you guys put a deadline on that?

uh... so it should come to council not next meeting the meeting after for the survey uh... well the survey will come out as soon as we can we want to get good feedback on that but we want to see this in front of council within the next two meetings is what we talked about. We also talked about our traffic signal at Bigelow Drive. We're going to check with legal on that to see what we're obligated to do, and we'll circle back to that here at our next meeting. We talked about a unique idea with the IRT, that Kyle had with bringing the military in to take a look at our roads and infrastructure and possibly do some repairs there. We talked about our honorary street sign status, dumpsters in the roadway, and we also talked about potential repairs to Williams. So North and South Williams, we'd like to get that up to par with the other projects coming.

And that's it.

finance committee doesn't meet again until September 15th greater Johnstown parks and rec district they did not have a meeting on Thursday due to lack of attendance prior obligations but they're basically she just sent me a they're still working on the 501c3 status they're also looking at I'm sorry let me pull up my notes so working on the 501c3 communication with the Legion regarding the fireworks for next year and updating their social media and exposure to the community and there's still no updates on the money from willpower I think it's Wilco power

Okay, Director Reports, Mr. Liggett.

Okay. If there's no questions on the water sewer reports, I'm going to jump straight into the service director's report. We've got a lot going on. The water plant update, we have many critical items going on at the water plant right now. With all the open ditches, all the open building areas, we have to really pay attention to our chemical deliveries. Fudge hauling. Also, I'm trying to get in contact with the JYAA because I need to know when they're going to be done using the field here in the fall because I have to have new electric run to each one of the wells for the upgraded well pumps. So my goal with scheduling with Bowen would be that when they're done using the field, we immediately want to get in there, get the trenches to the well field so we can get them refilled and seeded before use starts in the spring.

What field specifically, Jack?

We have a well head just as you come into the field. There's one clear to the back of the four fields. And then we have J2, which is to the right as you pull in down by the bottom.

Field 6 by the cell tower.

We need to run new electric. with greater voltage and power to each one of those. And I've got commitment from Bowen. They'd be glad to do it if we just knew when the Youth League would be done. And they would do it over the winter and try to make sure all ditches are filled in and leveled out before work starts in the spring.

I don't have a definitive date, but being out there and know it, that generally it's that mid to late October time frame. The soccer wraps up. Baseball and softball, the fall program is done.

Yeah.

So that's a general rule.

Baseball starts so early anymore. We want to jump in when it is. I've been trying to contact Corey Spadaro because he's been the contact in the past for – Different items happen.

I'll work with you afterwards. But, I mean, obviously you can dig and fill. I don't have much, but that's generally when they're going to wrap up in October. Okay, mid to late October.

My last practice on field six by the cell tower is October 21st that I have scheduled. So, late.

Yeah, because we are going to have to cross that. Well, like I said, I told you where each well site is, and we've got to get new power to each well site. And if we're not back out there on the field until March, that gives me plenty of time, I believe, to get those new conduit laid in the ground. Jumping down to the wastewater, exciting movement on that. Actually had a pre-bid meeting today. It was very well attended by different contractors. We'll be opening bids on the wastewater facility September 24th. So we should know the price on that project and what we're going to look into and possibly have a low bidder to announce. We're gonna skip down to item number four, leak detection. We had to replace two services in Parkdale, 115 and 117 Parkdale. We did not open cut the road. I brought a company in and chopped bores underneath the road because the road's in too good a condition to go ahead and open cut that and then try to fill it. Never settles right, so we bored those two in. Currently investigating another leak at West Pratt and South Williams. I'm going to jump down to item number six. Microceiling and crack sealing was completed on Concord and Buena Vista, and striping has now been completed over on Concord. So that project is done. We talked about it a little bit earlier. I'm working with Mike Murray from StructurePoint to try to get together a high public works plan. folks to approve by September 15th so we can get the applications in for a 2027 project. And you probably also have already seen Leafy Deal in Pershing. The mill and fill work has been done there and came in under cost. So that was a plus on that project.

Jack, real quick. They don't do striping on that, do they? No, there was never striping. I didn't think it was. I just couldn't remember after seeing that nice new pavement on there.

There was no striping there to begin with and no striping now. Striping can be added if needed.

I think people can figure it out.

They have for years.

Exactly.

So item number 11, the Benedict Drive project, the three houses, they're going to be built there at the back section of Benedict Drive. I see that starting this month. With that, there will be a new sanitary sewer put in. We will have to cross the road in one area. And my understanding is there's three houses to be built along that back section. Any questions? Thank you.

Do you want to just for a second explain this paving on Main Street and how that came to be?

Paving on Main Street is an ODOT project that was planned prior I think clear back prior to before Johnstown became a city. So it was in their hue to do, and when it became a city, they did not pull it out of the project since it was already planned. So that's why we don't have a tremendous amount of funds in the paving. We do have funds that had to be put in for the light project that's going to go on up at Leafy Dale. So Johnstown has been putting money back for that, and I believe it's 100% collected. We're ready to pay that after that goes in.

I have a follow-up question to that, 62, if you're done.

Yeah, I was just trying to clarify that that was not an actual city, but that was an ODOT project that we do not have control of.

That was an ODOT project, and the reason we got that is when it went in to the lineup for work, we were still a village. And at that time, well, still today, if you're a village, the state covers it. Once you become a city, we cover it, but it was already in the planning. So I feel very fortunate that we got that.

That we still got it. And it also, how long it takes, you know. It was over five years. Yeah. I mean, it was approved that long ago, and we're just now seeing it happen.

But, of course, ODOT, they do miles and miles and miles of road, and they're planning as well in advance of getting it done.

I think there's so many projects going on right now. People think that we're planning these things in real time, and it's like, why are all these things happening at one time? But it's been five years in the making. Oh, yeah.

This has been in the planning. We've been collecting money for quite a while towards this. Again, the light is a portion that we have to be part of up there at Leafy Dale. Now, Pershing and Leafy Dale, as you know, we got that out and we took bids, and I felt very fortunate that we got that in before school started. A day before school. We did get it done before school started. All that matters. Very fortunate.

Jeff, what was your question?

So as they go along that paving on the intersections, they'll cut back 10, 20 feet. I don't know. Yes, on some roads. On some. Is the stamped... Pavement at 62 is that in Odot's project?

No, that is that That is in the high public works project that will happen next spring, okay, and Jeff and I are having further conversations with them because their plan was to make repairs to the stamp concrete that's there not total tear out and replacement and So what I and Jeff have asked them to do is look at taking all the stamped concrete out and just paving it and painting it as one option. Because I think repairs, dying concrete is a tough thing. You never see, it won't match. It could be close, but the fading of one and new on the other, it won't match. So we've asked them to look at other options, which, when's that next meeting?

I think it's in two weeks.

Yeah, I think in two. I think you're pretty close. I don't have the date, but we were going to come together on that, and StructurePoint was going to present a couple different options on what we could do so it would be aesthetically pleasing instead of just a repair.

I could honestly care less about aesthetically pleasing. I think we would have a more valid reason of tear out and replace is that concrete and asphalt settle at different levels because of their hardness. And that's why you have the water intrusion going down in there and it creates an issue on the freeze thrall fault. That is why that concrete did not last. Because pavers, asphalt, they all have different settling when it's all said and done, and it's just going to continue to happen. I understand your issue with matching and a repair.

Well, because that's the first call I'll get, is these don't match. Who did this type of repair? I know. But I will say this. There's 11 of those crosswalks, if you count them all up. Even the ones that cross at the new I, they're level. I mean, just the one that went from the park yard to Bell is the one that really took a beating. And I think a lot of that beating is semi-truck traffic grinding and turning on that. Because if you look at the rest of them, they faded. There may be a linear crack, but they haven't sunk and broke down like the one did. There's truth to that. So in the... Ohio Public Works, they were really only going to work on that one. But I think what I want to do is what I've asked them to do is come up with options. And we need to come back to council because anything on and above the cost at this point will have to be more by the council. So is there going to be enough money to tear them out and just put blacktop in? That's only if you decide that's what you want. But the only thing that was scheduled there was for minor repairs on the brick-stamped crosswalk.

And that was a part of the ODOT project, or that's a part of the 62-37?

I don't know, of course.

Okay, gotcha.

Yes. Which is the next spring project.

Unrelated to that. Do we have any additional signs for crosswalks, like the little pedestrian crossing signs?

You don't have any additional. I can always purchase. Of course, we have them sitting in the middle. I did get a – Teresa sent me a – you know, I mean, what more do you want? We have the – and I'll put out whatever you want. But, you know, we have the yellow pedestrian crosswalk sign sitting there. Yeah. I mean –

And I think those have helped some. Today, I mean just today alone, three people almost got hit. And when I say almost got hit, I mean Almost got it. It was very close. So I don't know, and I'm not saying it's your fault. I'm not. It's just a conversation, so I don't know what more we could do. I don't know if that's the answer either.

See, that's where I'm at. We've got them up there, and everybody knows that's a pedestrian crossing. If I put three signs out there, will it make a difference?

Yeah, I don't know.

They get killed, too. They get killed as fast as they go up, too. I've seen a lot of them get hit.

Well, the trucks just obliterate them as they cross, and they're roughly $400 apiece. Jeez.

But the spring DID project, are they going to be introducing lights?

We're going to lose one crosswalk down there. They'll be more narrow.

I thought they were going to put lights. I thought we discussed lights of some sort, blinking lights.

So we did, and I know the Legion was involved with that somehow. So we were going to bump the one crosswalk that we have out similar to what Granville does, right?

Well, one crosswalk will disappear. Right. So we will only have one crosswalk in there, but I do not think there's any flashing lights or anything included in this. Could it be added at this point? Yes, but at the city's expense. And this is great feedback if you could tell me what you want, because in two weeks I'm going to meet with those people, and they're going to make suggestions on the crosswalks, and I can say, we want this, but they're going to go, you're willing to pay for that.

Can you look into that? I mean, can you look into different options that we can do for the crosswalks for lights?

What? Give me a suggestion.

Do you guys want that?

Rapid flashing beacon on RFB. That's what kind of was proposed from... Like what the school has.

The flashing, yeah.

I'm sure we can get it added. We will just have to... That's not a pretty look for an area we're trying to close down.

I was going to say, could you... Not that aesthetics is always... But if you could look into something that would be a little more aesthetically pleasing to the downtown area instead of like... I mean, I understand the schools is fine here, but I think downtown would require a little bit more... I don't know. Finesse? I don't know. I know there's not. Maybe they can be in case. We're trying to promote foot traffic. I don't know. You've got two women up here talking about aesthetics.

Have you found anything?

I just pulled up the plan, the overhead with all the plans, and removing the one crosswalk, and then the other one says curb bump out with RFB installed. Okay. So, yeah, you're going to have a narrowing. Mm-hmm. And it says RFP installed, so.

Did they give a timeline on that? They just said the spring, but do we know a finalization on that? 90 days or all summer?

Jeff, do you know, do you remember what the? I think it will be finalized in that time frame for construction next spring.

Like sometime this next year?

Within a year we'll have that then. Yes, it should be done by next year this time.

Another thing I would say about it, and I know we talked about this with the school ones, that people don't pay attention to them. If the flasher can be red instead of yellow. Because in the communities that I drive in, I drive all over the state all the time. For example, I've put 5,000 miles on my car in a month and a half. And I haven't left Ohio except for once.

So you stop for a pedestrian?

And it actually just flashes red because when it's yellow, they don't stop. People don't stop. We're trained that way when we drive. So you see a yellow light, it's immediately keep going. But if it's a red flasher, that means stop, and people are more apt to stop for the red flashing beacon instead of the yellow. I don't know if we can do it on the state route like that.

I find that very interesting because when this came up before, I called the manufacturer. He said they would not sell me that with red lights. He said, you go in, change the bulbs. We have nothing to do with that. but what he was indicating to me is they're supposed to be yellow. They are not supposed to be red. That was the manufacturer. I could call a different manufacturer, but he said you obviously can go in and change lights from yellow to red if you desire, but... know that we did not sell you that apparatus with red lights. That's interesting. Basically, you're telling me that you legally can't sell me that with red lights. The fact that you have seen them With red lights. See, now, I've seen red lights on stop signs. Yes, at an actual four-way stop.

I've seen them at crosswalks in the middle of town. I'll take some pictures for you.

I will do more investigation on that because I was strongly led to believe that if we did change those lights, You had to say, no, that did not come from the manufacturer.

I like it. If the city went rogue, that's kind of funny to me. Going rogue, yeah. There you go.

But I don't investigate that further because I kind of took that as a gospel.

Yeah, it's kind of interesting to me, to say the least. Can we have those with a button so that they're not flashing all the time? Absolutely.

That's the way the schools are set up.

yeah yeah motion something just so we don't have a constant stroke if I live if I live down there and it's two in the morning in the fog you're gonna have sure you know

Okay, sorry, that was total side note.

No, that's great, and that's good information from you because I'll look deeper. I stopped because I felt I kind of ran into resistance.

I'm curious. I might just stop in and ask what you're going to do when I'm in those areas. I don't have Shane to stop in.

Does anyone else have anything for Jack? Good. I'll move on to tabled legislation. Ordinance 11-2026, an ordinance amending section 921.06 of the codified ordinances of Johnstown, Ohio, in order to set water tap and capacity fees charged by the city of Johnstown. If we want to take action on this, it needs to be removed from the table first.

I'd like to make a motion to bring this from the table. Second.

Brian Green.

Yes.

Mayor Hollis. Yes. Kyle Cook. Yes. Jeff Barr. Yes. Nicole Shook. Yes. Matthew Huggins. Yes. Tony Barnard.

Yes.

Is there background that we need that anybody on council needs for this or just a little bit we can provide to the public?

We discussed it pretty heavily in the work session, but we can open for public comment if anyone has anything. If not, we will move to council comments. Questions?

I don't have any questions.

Everyone's good? Anyone like to make a motion to take action?

I'll make a motion to approve ordinance 11-2026 as written. I'll second.

Next, we have Ordinance 12-2026, an ordinance amending Section 925.035 of the Codified Ordinances of Johnstown, Ohio, in order to set sewer tap and capacity fees charged by the City of Johnstown

Same thing, we need a motion to remove this from the table if we wish to take action.

I'll make a motion to remove. I'll second.

All in favor? Aye. And opposed? And then we'll open for public comment, questions, anyone? Any council comment or questions? Would anyone like to make a motion to approve?

Go ahead.

Go ahead. No, you.

I'll make a motion to approve. Ordinance 12-2026, as written.

I'll second. All right. Kyle Cook. Yes. Jeff Barr. Affirm. Nicole Shook. Yes. Matthew Huggins. Yes. Tony Barnard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes.

Mara Hollis. Yes. Next, we have public hearings of legislation. Ordinance 15-2026, an ordinance to amend the Johnstown Community Reinvestment Area, number 4, to add approximately 169.84 acres to that area. We originally talked about this on August 18th, and we'll open for public comment if anyone has anything. Council? Any questions? Would anyone like to make a motion on Ordinance 15-2026?

Mr. McNally?

If no one has any comments or questions, we can...

Understood.

All right, I'll make the motion to approve as written.

I'll second.

Brian Green? Yes. Mayor Hollis? Yes. Kyle Cook? Yes. Jeff Barr?

Affirm.

Nicole Shook? Yes. Matthew Huggins?

Yes. Tony Barnard? Yes.

Next, we have Ordinance 16-2026, an ordinance setting the costs for the certificate registration fee and the construction permit fees for the right-of-way program and declaring an emergency. First, we would need a motion to waive the second reading.

I'll make a motion to waive the second reading on this ordinance. I'll second.

Jeff Barr.

Yes.

Nicole Shuck. Yes. Matthew Huggins. Yes. Donnie Barnard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Hollis. Yes.

Kyle Cook.

Yes.

And we'll open for public comment or questions. Hearing none, we'll move to council for comments or questions.

I'd like to make a motion to pass ordinance 16-26 as written.

I'll second. Jeff Barr.

Yes.

Nicole Shook. Yes. Matthew Huggins. Yes. Donnie Barnard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Hollis.

Yes. Kyle Cook.

Yes.

Next, we have Ordinance 17-2026, an ordinance to amend Chapter 1147 of the city's codified ordinances. This is introduction only, and we'll open for public comment after the introduction. Who is presenting this?

We have our staff update, and then they have a presentation. Okay.

I can provide one if you like. Yes, please. There's been an application to amend Chapter 1147, which is the UR1 zoning district text. The applicant is asking for two conditional uses, assisted living facilities and accessory uses, and memory care facilities and accessory uses. So these would... be added to the UR1 zoning district text as a conditional use. So it would still need to come before Planning and Zoning Council have approved. We would just add those.

OK.

Applicant is here if you want to hear.

Yeah, sure. Thank you.

Yeah, I'll add that the Planning and Zoning Commission did recommend approval, Council. Oh, I was just getting ready to ask that. They did see this application submitted.

We see value in having this in that location if council sees fit.

I did speak to the owners who live right next to it who have kids. They were very concerned with it being torn down and something else being there. They do like the idea, if something's going to be that, that this is there.

Very low impact. Yes. And anything else in UR1, like, you know, they even have to come back for approval once this passes on whether they can go in. So even though it's a conditional use in all of UR1, it still has to go before board to be approved.

So just to clarify, it would be being added as a conditional use that they would have to apply for, not an approved use in UR1? Okay.

So anybody else who would want to come in in that section would have to still apply?

Yeah, even them.

As a conditional? Okay, gotcha. Correct.

You can use the silver one. It's laying up there on the shelf. Oh. It might be easier. Or the, yeah, right there.

I don't know if this was on, but my name is Rebecca Mott with the Plank Law Firm with an office address of 411 East Town Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43-221. And we represent Northwest Wind LLC, the buyer under a contract for this property. The property is at 267 North Main Street in Johnstown. As staff did mention, the property is currently zoned UR1, and all of the properties immediately adjacent to the property are also zoned UR1. We are requesting two conditional uses be added to the UR1 district. One would be called Assisted Living Facilities and Accessory Uses, and the second one, Memory Care Facilities and Accessory Uses. We are also filing a concurrent conditional use application and variance application. The variance application is just to clean up existing nonconformities with the site, things like there's a building setback issue and no like peninsulas and landscaped islands within the parking lot. So we do have a variance application as well. This property received a conditional use already for an assisted living facility back in 2014. And as you know, it's already improved and built as an assisted living facility. Again, there's other conditional uses in the UR1 district that are very similar to this type of institutional use. For example, other conditional uses are public libraries, municipal buildings, community buildings, in addition to private schools and child care centers. All of these are low intensity, low impact uses, so is an assisted living facility. Very low impact, low intensity, doesn't generate a lot of traffic, etc., Okay, so I did want to mention how this will be harmonious with the general character of the neighborhood and won't obstruct any kind of land use that is surrounding the property. The surrounding area, as I already mentioned, is zoned UR1, but uses are mixed in that area. So to the northwest, we have residential. There's a library and institutional use to the northeast. There's residential to the west, which is the rear of the site. There's a daycare to the northeast and residential to the south. So again, a mix of uses. And the existing building on the property is very residential in character. It is only one story. It has a pitched roof, looks residential. So that fits good with the low intensity residential character of the neighborhood. This building was built in 1970. So there's going to be no change to the property in terms of the building footprint and where the parking lot is. We are going to add landscape improvements and rehab the front facade of the building and remodel the inside. I will show you some elevations of that and I can also show you the landscape plan. But this site is already served by public utilities, has the right of ways, has the access to the site. So none of that will change. And also it will reinstitute the use of the building and add more skilled jobs to the area as well as some income tax generated to the city. So now I'll just show you the landscape plan.

Did you say the facility was built in 1970?

Yes.

I think there might be an error there.

Maybe it was a prior building. It says the building was constructed in 1970. Maybe the auditor's site reflected that.

Yeah, probably an error. OK. It means nothing.

OK. So the landscaping plan, we're going to add all of this 75% opacity landscaping on the rear of the property by the residential. These trees are already existing. I think we're adding a few more trees. As you can see, the existing parking doesn't have any peninsulas or islands with landscaping and trees, so the variance application will ask for a variance for that. We're adding screening around the dumpster, so adding some improvements there.

Is it possible to add trees on the south side between your building and the house?

So the south is down on this side?

Yeah, because the house, it looks like it's pretty close to it.

Let's see. I don't have a dimension of how wide that area is.

It looks like you have a sidewalk that goes up. I just didn't know if landscaping could go on that side to block it off from the house, because the other side you've got a driveway.

You're right. There's a sidewalk and probably a door, an access door there, and it looks like we only have 8.4 feet in that grassy area.

I didn't know if we could do those, like, real tall skinny trees or... Yeah.

Yeah, let me check with our landscape architect. I'm sure we can add that. Okay. If we can fit it in.

Okay, thank you.

And then the building facade, we have some renderings. This would be a whitewashed brick look to the outside, or just the regular red brick from the outside. So either one of those options. But we're happy to answer any questions you have.

Am I understanding correctly you're going to demolish existing and build new?

No, this is using the existing building, just remodeling and rehab.

No new additions or anything?

No new additions.

So I have a few questions here. Number one, and this could be for our staff too, so why add this to the UR1, have a UR1 amendment versus going village commercial where we do have a nursing home already in that type?

We don't want to spot zone.

No spot zoning? Yeah. Okay. Adding to a UR1, so we don't currently in a UR1 have a business. I'd have to check and see, but I believe the daycare is probably a non-conforming use. Is it listed in there? It's listed. It's listed. So I know that it says something in there about schools and things, but for non-sleeping arrangements and type things. So that was one question is why go with that versus another. I'm just worried about you are one is a good chunk of the housing in the city. Okay. Adding further businesses to it as a concern that I had because it is so much of the housing that is in this city. And it's, it's one of our more dense housing options in the city. Um, not always the highest value housing that's in the city. So, um, I worry about turnover in the future of other businesses in that district.

Is it going to be conditional use where they're just asking for permission to do this? Are we adding that?

We are adding that use to the UR1.

But someone would still have to come get permission. Even they will still have to come back and get permission.

Yes, the conditional use would go under Section 1131 for that criteria to be met.

When I thought you said conditional use, I thought it meant just they come and apply. I didn't realize it gets added. Yes.

Can you expand on the accessory uses?

Oh, so let's say you have assisted living facility. You might have some dispensing of medication. So that might be an accessory use, not a primary use of the building, but a lesser use in the building. So that's one example. The most likely example. That is the most likely example.

Is there a second most likely example?

Well, there are related uses to assisted living and memory care like senior housing, but I don't think this building is retrofitted for that because in independent senior housing, you would have a kitchen, a living area, a bedroom, bathroom. These just have the bedroom and the bathroom, so I don't think they're configured for that, but that would be possibly another option, senior living kind of use.

And is that typical language for conditional use? To me, that's my concern is there's a wide range of things that could happen with an accessory use. And so would that be defined with the application or is that?

It should be already defined in your zoning code, and typically from a zoning perspective, it's any use that's related to the primary use, but it has to be lesser. I'm sure you have a definition in your code. If not, Teresa and I can look at that. Maybe we could add a definition as to what we think it means in terms of these uses. I'd be fine with adding an accessory use definition.

I think that would be good to add that accessory use because I see where you might be going with this.

Or is there a need for the verbiage at all?

Accessory use? I mean, if it's standard, I'm okay with it. I just would like it defined a little.

It is standard. In every zoning text I draft, we would say like multifamily residential uses and accessory uses, and the accessory would be like clubhouse, pool, pickleball courts, recreational amenities. So, yes, it is very typical to say accessory uses when you list out permitted uses or conditional uses.

It is defined. Okay. In our code, it says accessory building use or structure. Okay. means a building use or structure on the same lot with, associated with the principal use structure or building. I'll check with the law director and just see if use.

Yeah, that's fine. I just think we probably need to define that a little.

Can I ask a question about, this is not to you, I'm sorry. Okay. This would be to the staff. Teresa, when that was a nursing home before, how long was it? Was it like three, four years that it was a nursing home?

No, it was a long time. It was a long time. It was a long time?

Yeah. Were there any issues with having it a nursing home? Were there any? I don't remember any issues. I don't remember any issues.

I believe a long time ago. Rusty might know better. Issues. Long before I was here, I don't know when the nursing. Overall, that kind of usage was.

I'd heard some things about the types of usage that they had, the types of patients that they had in there. So I had meant to ask here about the types of patients that would be in there, especially in relation to security and things like that.

I just wondered if it was any, I mean, being it's going to be basically used the same, somewhat the same way, if there was issues before. to bring them to the forefront to see if we would need to add any stipulations on. Yeah, that was...

It doesn't sound like we need to. With the memory care piece, do you have... Is that something you guys do standard, is having a fence enclosure, things like that, that

I don't think we are proposing a fence. The memory care just requires extra medical skill on staff and people that have more licensing and certifications because the needs of the patients are greater. Of course, our client will hire an operator that's sophisticated in the industry and expert in the industry to manage this and run this. So, again, we'll have all the staff needed for assisted living care or just memory care in the facility.

Does that require an extra level of security within the building for the memory?

I don't know about security. I doubt it. What do you think?

Okay. I think most of them have, there's alarms and systems because... Locks on the door. Yeah, because of people, they get confused and they have to walk up.

What I'm referring to in my limited time of memory care facilities is once you're in there, you're in there, if you will, I'm assuming it's a... Will the memory care part be overnight like the assisted living, or is this a day respite care memory care facility?

It's my understanding it's overnight.

So then one would assume that there is additional security since it's overnight on the memory care side.

We can check into that and follow up.

usually and I mean you guys can ask your client about this usually in memory care anything like that they have additional bracelets that if they're a wanderer they have ankle bracelets where they can't get out of the building the doors actually think about this they lock as soon as they get close to the door any of the patients and stuff but I would leave it up to your client to firm that but that's usually how they work in memory care

Security on the memory care side would definitely be an important piece. The facilities that I've seen, they had codes, they had locks, but there's always somebody who's able to get out, you know. So that would be a key piece. I mean, grandparents that I've had myself, they were able to get out of the facility that they're in, top-notch facility, local here. I mean, one of the most high-end in the area, they were able to find a way out. I know part of the issues and medical issues that they have, sometimes you have a great day and you come right back and it's very easy for you to get out. And while you're having that great day and you're on the outside, maybe it turns. And so security in that area is going to be key because we have daycare, we have library, we have a school, and a very busy road that is along the frontage of that. So security, having a fence, I would definitely want a fence to be part of this. Anything that the state requires is obvious, but I didn't... Fence on the front? Well, a fence on the sides, at least up to the frontage of the neighbor's house. Um, I know that there's a fence along one side there currently. There's a fence along the back. Um, I believe they're four feet. I'd like to see a six foot shadow box style fence, um, would be my preference on there because that's going to be the most harmonious with the neighbors and things. And it's also going to, what's that?

Are you then just funneling them to the road?

I'm trying to do what we can. I'm trying to do what we can to make sure that they don't end up. There's a road behind, too. There's a road on the backside, too, once you get through a yard.

I don't disagree with all the concerns. I think we need to also look at what stipulations we put on our current facility that does. I know it does not do memory care. but there are elderly people there with memory issues. And we have had people escape from there. We need consistency. We need some consistency here. It can't just be on one area and one location because it's new and we're discussing it now. But I get all of the concerns.

Right. I think this one's a little different too because that one is set back off the road. They do have a fence. They do have some mounding. They have some things that you – They have some perimeter that is a barrier. They have a pond they can walk right into. Yeah, I think there's a number of things. We're trying to retrofit a space that probably shouldn't have been that in the beginning. We've kind of inherited a spot zoning situation, and we're trying to retrofit now as something that probably should have just been housing in the beginning.

The mound that's there, the partition that's right there in the front?

Yep.

Would you want that to be higher without putting a fence on there?

I'm not sure what we could do. Maybe having a small fence on there. I mean, obstacles would be something. I was going to push for a sidewalk in the front, too.

So if we put this in as a conditional use, it still has to go through a design review. I mean, even when they do finally apply, it will go to design review board first, and then it will go to zoning.

It will go back to planning and zoning.

Planning and zoning, then to design review. Design review for the exterior, yeah. Yes. At that point is when we should be making these determinations.

And that's if we want this as a conditional.

If we want this as a conditional.

I mean, it's there. It's an eyesore right now. I'd like to see it. Used. Used.

I'm kind of with you on that. That's not what I was leaning to. And you said they're in contract. Right. Closed. Not closed. I think it's pending on this. A lot of that decides on the city. So that's another thing that we've got to look at is if we decide no. on this. Then we got a building sitting empty for...

It's been empty for how long?

Tonight is just the introduction. We'll be voting on this on September 15th. So if anyone has any questions for...

I have quite a list. I will send that to our staff.

Give an opportunity to get the information back and... we'll have time to review it before we actually vote on this. And if anyone in the community has a comment or concern, pro or con, gives us time to do that too. Do you have anything else that you wanted to present?

I don't think so. Do we just send email follow-ups to Teresa and she'll get it to you?

I had one question. I'm not dealing with the patients or the zoning, but I do know the facility. I've been here when it was in operation. Talking about the utilities, we were constantly battling back there, which then affected the residential because things were getting down in through there that shouldn't have got. Is there going to be any construction or upgrade to prevent that from happening? Because anything from adult diapers to towels, and I mean, it will plug a sanitary off very quickly. So in your construction and upgrades, is there any, you asked the question, is there anything in there to prevent that type of problem with happening because also that sanitary sewer runs behind the building which makes it very difficult to get trucks and things and we don't want trucks in that area right back there to try to try to clean and break things free but it it was an ongoing problem when it was a nursing home before so if you could ask your construction team what they're going to do to help prevent that problem sure will thank you thanks does anyone else have anything for that plan

You're welcome. Thank you.

Moving on, we have introduction of legislation, and we have none. Then we have NCA board membership terms and discussion. We have two seats on the NCA board that are coming up, expiring on September 17th. We are able to, per our law director, we are able to appoint the city manager to one of those seats, and the other three seats have to be citizen-based.

I'd like to add our city manager.

Yes. Okay. That was Mr. Sheridan's recommendation, and I believe I agree with that recommendation, adding our city manager to fill one of those seats.

Did I misread that it also allowed a council member?

Council is our citizens. So, yes.

So the two, it could be the city manager and a council member as a citizen, and that's what you were recommending?

My recommendation was, yes, a council member and a city manager would be filled the two slots.

So we filled with the city manager, and then the other piece is if we want to. We have Dave.

What's his name?

John Kessler. John Kessler. John Kessler and Jesse Koppel are the two seats that are coming up for experience. Are you, you're 100% sure on that? Because Yaz just sent me, but I'm not sure if it's a little bit.

I am based on our experience. That's what we had in our. Jamie, do you know?

Just a citizen member.

I thought we couldn't. I thought a city council member couldn't when we first went to it.

He said either city manager or council can be the city rep. The rest are to be citizens. So I'm assuming one can be the city manager and then all have to be citizens.

Yeah, there's one seat that is. I'm speaking as the vice president of the NCA board. One of the seats, which Jesse actually has right now, is the official seat. Yeah, in the township. To answer your question, I don't know definitively. I think there are cases where the city manager has been in play. Most NCA's we have are part of the city manager's nod. I don't know if it makes much of a difference either way. Because as long as it could streamline things.

That's why I said it too.

Part of the idea is you have another person Is there an expertise, somebody in the city, that you want to lean on, that the city wants to use their expertise, for example, but they're not going to make a commitment to, you know,

Yes, that's that's why I like him on there We haven't reached out so we could

I would like to reach him back out to Johnny and have the city manager be there.

I can tell you definitively in the CRA and the previous community here in Ohio, the mayor and the city manager were two of the seats.

When are some of the other seats up? I think we have two solid members here. Maybe some of the other seats would be better to replace.

We just appointed those last year, so they're good for another year. But I think with Jesse being the city appointee, should we put the city manager in his spot then?

I think Jesse's solid on there, and he's the chairman.

Well, I would prefer to have the city manager.

Yeah, I'd prefer to have the city manager as chairman. I'm with Ryan that I'd like Jesse on there. If that's his spot, you can't have all three.

You can't have Kessler and Jesse. I'd go with Kessler with his financing.

Even though we've appointed the other seats, though, I believe it's still council's decision that you can move people around. So, I mean, if we're going to holistically look at the makeup of the whole board, I think it was just those two seats that we're looking at tonight.

I would confirm that with Yaz beyond those two.

The seats expire September 17th. We have another council meeting on September 15th, so we can make a decision then, but

How many meetings have you guys had? Not many. I think they're going to pick up a little bit more, because I believe the NCAA currently have, I want to say, around $140.

It's pretty good for our side groups.

I know. But if something's under fruition, then I think we'll have some money to advance projects. But essentially, the board's... Okay.

We don't have to take action on it tonight. We can clarify with Yaz and the next week or so, and everybody just kind of be thinking about that, I want to put on the seat, and we can double check with Mr. Kessler and Jesse to make sure that that's something they're still interested in pursuing if that is what we decide to do. Any other questions or comments about that? Anybody? Good. Okay. Moving on to other business. Mr. Huggins?

I have none to note.

What?

I know.

Shocking. Barmer's Market tomorrow night. It's going to be a hot one, but got some new vendors. So everybody come check it out. And boys high school soccer plays their rival Thursday night at Northridge. Should be a really good game. Exciting.

Mr. Barnard.

September 12th, there's the Pelotonia Kids event that will be on the bike trail starting at Trailhead. It's for all ages of kids. Tricycles all the way up. I believe they get a shirt. Is that true, Nikki? Yeah, I think so. They get a shirt.

There's face painting. There's pancakes from the Legion. Pancakes from the Legion and...

They'll start at 9 a.m. on September 12th. That's for kids.

All proceeds go to the cancer research at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

The tricycles, if they ride tricycles, bring the tricycles.

What about a horse? Yes. Yes. Absolutely. Bring it. All right.

And we're going to be using the side, the walkway road into Concord Crossing for the little kids so that they're not on the trail and have a bigger area to ride and be safe. All right.

And that's the same day as the River Roundup?

Yes. And then we need to set a date for trick-or-treat. I've been asked a couple times about if we've set that date yet, and that's Council's obligation every year.

It's like the only fun thing we get to do.

I think Morpsey recommended October 29th. Is that right, Teresa?

Thursday, October 29th.

October 31st is a Saturday. We just do the Saturday.

What's the recommendation of the police officer? Never going to pick a Saturday. I know.

Okay. I think we make it on Halloween, and it's an added bonus. It's on Saturday. Everybody's already off work. That's the number one issue for young parents is you have to fly home from work to be out there.

And with the construction traffic, they're going to get caught in traffic. Get home in time for a treat.

Let's check one thing. Saturday's better. I was just going to say.

We'll be doing it during Ohio State game. It's probably 1230 game.

He just said it's Ohio State game.

I'm looking.

There's a good chance it hasn't even been determined.

It's against Illinois.

It's more important though. Your kids. Are they playing? It's at 1 p.m. It's at 1 p.m. There you go.

That's a solid day.

That's a solid day. They'll sacrifice their kids. I was going to say, I'll put a TV out.

Wait, hold on, hold on. They're saying it's USC and there's not an official game time yet. So if it's USC, it won't be the big noon. That'll be 9 o'clock in the morning there. USC's not great. That's going to be a 3 o'clock game.

So they're done at 5, right, when trick-or-treat starts? That's going to be a good day.

I'm not voting on the 31st because it's Buckeye games that day. We're going to have death. People are going to be mad.

Okay, we can do like a screen in the park yard with the game on.

If you do it on the 29th and you have bad weather, it gives you options to cancel the 29th.

Or if it's the 31st.

Oh, if we did it the 31st, we could, well.

Halloween's over after the 31st. Yeah, I got it. I like the 29th with the 31st being a backup.

After I started talking, I corrected myself.

I think we should have it on the 29th to give us options because the past two years we have had inclement weather. several years in a row.

We were able to move it two years ago and it was perfect weather for us. Last year we couldn't.

People lost their mind because we moved it.

Half did, half didn't. I understand what you're saying about the 31st and everything else, but And you also look at it from the perspective, you do it on the 29th, you've got to weather out. And if you want to do other things on the 31st because people are having Halloween parties, whatever the case may be, you can attend those. Just a thought.

So we want to do it on the 29th and already predetermine a rain date of the 31st? Sounds good.

Yeah, let's do that.

So that way people already know that that's the case?

Yes, the rain date would be, that inclement weather would be the 31st.

Inclement weather date.

Yes. Snow, wind, whenever we've had all of it.

And say we'll announce it 24 hours before.

Yes.

Snow's a good chance. Last two years. Yeah. Okay. So 29th.

29th it is. 31st has the. 6 to 730.

Yep. 6 to 730.

Did we do 6 to 8 last year?

6 to 730.

I'm trying to remember.

In years past, we've done an hour and a half.

6 to 7.30? Can we preemptively make sure that everybody on 62 doesn't mess up our traffic?

Looking at certain people.

Do we want to do 6.30 to 8?

That gives them a little extra 30 minutes to get here from, like Matt had said, construction and all this.

It's better when it's dark, too. Yeah, it's dark.

No recommendation for time. Let's do 6.30 to 8.

638. That gives parents? I think that gives parents a little more of a buffer. I think that extra 30 minutes would be very helpful to some of them.

Yeah, 638 to 8 or 6 to 8. Just make it to two hours. It's dark. It's dark. Some of these kids got little legs. They need time to get around all the houses.

At that time, it's already dark at like 6 to 5.

It's already dark at 6. I understand about giving people extra time, but it is for little kids. It's not for... As the council member with a three-year-old... They don't want to be out at 8 o'clock. They want to be done and home at 7.30 if you've got little kids.

Speaking of being out and about, I lied to you. Other business. This weekend is the world infamous Swappers Day weekend. Yeah, that's what I was going to say.

Matt, you just stole my thunder. I am so sorry, Mayor. I'll shut up.

That's all right. I was going to say it too. I'm just kidding. No, it's Swappers weekend. And, you know, go improve the looks of your home with buying your neighbor's stuff.

Absolutely. And socks.

Did we set a time?

Did we set a time? Has it been decided that it's October 29th from 6 to 7.30 with the rain date of October 31st? No, that's fine.

Yes. We changed it back to 6.

Change it back to 6 because of the younger kids.

6 to 7.30. Okay.

We'll go with your recommendation.

It's already dark. Yep. When it gets to be that dark, it becomes a concern for safety with our small children on our roads.

Good idea, Chief.

And the traffic ferry is going to work that day and everybody's going to get home on time from work, right?

When does CCL have their event?

We do live in Johnson. It's bad.

I know. Lord have mercy. I'll leave it at that. Are you talking about the costume parade?

Yeah.

That's a good point.

Do we know when that is?

I don't. I believe it is. It's usually a Tuesday, isn't it? Yeah.

It's usually a Tuesday before, yeah.

Yeah, it's usually a Tuesday, isn't it? It's usually during our meeting.

Yeah, right.

Isn't your wife on the CCL board?

She is newly on there, yeah.

Okay, but there's not a chance they would have it scheduled. I know it's on the...

It's always on that Tuesday because I always...

It's on the chamber calendar events if you want to look at it.

I'm not on zoning this year, though, so that's Kyle's problem. I always miss the CCL parade because I have zoning.

But I'm not on there this year.

Mr. Barr, do you have anything for other business?

I want to thank staff and council for getting together our most recent workshop meeting. I thought it was very productive. I would like to see more of them with some – cadence of regularity tonight we had a presentation from an Applicant and that that's exactly what the workshops are for in my humble opinion so that we can have the informality of Blurring out questions and things of that nature versus at our council meeting where it's more formal action of ordinances and resolutions and And all of that stuff should be baked through during our workshops, but that would be a perfect example of what I would imagine a workshop would be was tonight's presentation. So that's all I have. Thank you.

Ryan?

Nope. Labor Day weekend, a lot of garage sales going on. That's it. Watch for traffic. People will be running across the road to buy a $20 lawnmower.

Yeah, they will too.

On the note of Halloween, I wouldn't mind seeing what we can do about closing off Pratt. We got a lot of kids coming. No, we weren't able to do it last year. I know for some reason it wasn't able to be done last year. But with the way people fly down that road and the line that we sometimes have coming out of the jail, Is the jail scary for little kids? No. Well, I mean, there's a couple people that come out crying. Okay. But, you know.

Who's the witch?

We can make it. We might need a witch this year. Yeah, a chainsaw. We can talk later.

My recommendation would be that something like that probably should go through the permitting process. Obviously, it won't be a concern, but I think that for something like that.

Can we bring it up in safety and service?

I think that the Historical Society would be able to just... Is it considered an event?

Really an event? The document. Find out what's needed.

We won't have safety and service at a convenient enough time to...

Personally, I think it comes down to the fact that it's unsafe. But, yeah, I can look into putting in the permit. I was asking from this perspective, not necessarily coming from a historical society perspective. But, yeah, I can bring it up to the historical society if we want to put in a permit for that. It's also the township that's putting it on as well. So I'll see what they want to do. We also discussed, speaking of permits, and now that my brain's back, in planning and zoning, we discussed... brought up the fee structure that we currently have for a lot of the permits you know putting on a deck things of that nature I think that we have some individuals that feel strapped by it like if they want to make an improvement and the improvements only a $400 improvement to their home but the fee is $300 they won't do it because of that you know so there's been no action made on that but we as a committee are going to do some research then come to I guess some conclusion pass it through probably design review to get their opinions on it before we approach council and we might keep it the same but it is something I think we need to look at it's something we've been talking about for a long time yeah

Yeah, I think it's wild, too, when you're going to do one project at one house, and it's a deck, a fence, tear down the shed, and something else, and you're $800 in permits for one trip out there. So I think we need to look at that a bit.

Anything else? Anyone else? One, once, twice. Motion to adjourn?

I'll second.

All in favor? Aye. Thank you.