City Council - Regular Meeting

Okay, you're on. It is Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, and we're going to officially call the meeting to order. Teresa, would you like to call role? Yes. Mayor Tiffany Hollis here. Ryan Green here. Donnie Barnard here. Matthew Huggin here. Kyle Cook here. Jeff Bar. Nicole Shut here. And tonight's invocation will be given by Councilman Huggin. Everyone would stand. [snorts]

If we could bow our head in prayer, please. Dear heavenly father, Lord, just want to come to you tonight and um try to keep this as short as possible. But as we came in this evening, Lord, we felt the rain falling down on us. And I just want to remember all the people in the Middle East and countries surrounding that that they wish that the rain was the only thing falling on them. need to think of all the people in the Middle East, the Iranian people, the Israeli people, the children, the fe the people that just want to live in freedom and peace. Lord, just lift them up tonight. Lord, we are so blessed here in America to live in a mostly peaceful nation, not without our problems, Lord, but it makes the things that we're going to do here in the council session tonight, seem very, very trivial to things that are going on in the world. And Lord, I just want to thank you for the guests that we have here at city council tonight. Um we're being represent there's a couple representatives here from lettuce works and the learning spectrum and both these are great assets to our community and celebrate in March as developmental disabilities awareness month. Allow us to recognize that these people work extremely hard and ask that your blessings are on all of them as well. Lord just watch over us tonight be with us and take us peacefully home tonight. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. And uh tonight's pledge is going to be led by a couple of students from the learning spectrum. If you'd like to come forward,

right there. Right there. Right up here in the middle. There you go. And the flag's right here behind you. Ready 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.

Photo picture taken. Thank you. All right. One, two, three. Thank you. [applause] Um, next on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. Anyone like to make a motion on that?

I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. I'll second. Are all in favor of approval? I opposed. And we have a proclamation for developmental disabilities awareness month. I'm just going to read the proclamation as uh Mr. Huggin had referred to earlier. Um whereas every resident of our county has skills and talents that allow.

Would you like to read this, Matt? I can. I I would love that. I can get it.

Yeah. Whereas every resident of our county has skills and talents that allow them to contribute to our community, we are all stronger when we support each other and use our abilities to complement the strengths of those around us. And whereas people with disabilities in our community are family members, friends, students, neighbors, and co-workers. Like all of us, they contribute to our community in many ways while also relying on the support of those around them. And whereas when people with disabilities have access to the support and resources that meet their needs, they are able to live and work in our community, build relationships, and share their stories to spark change and challenge perceptions of what is possible. And whereas the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities, also known as LCBD, encourages all residents, businesses, and organizations to learn more about the different resources in our community that support people with disabilities and their families. Madame Mayor, I'm going to hand it back to you because you have to read this bottom.

Okay. Thank you. You guys will understand when she starts. Therefore, I, Mayor Tiffany Hollis, on behalf of Johnstown City Council, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as developmental disabilities awareness month and present this proclamation to the Licking County Board of Development Developmental Disabilities on behalf of more than 2,700 people they support. During this month, we encourage all residents to reflect on the ways support impacted their lives and the ways we can support others to make connections and thrive in our community. Thank you. [snorts] Okay. Um, we have Lettuce Works here. Julie, um, do you guys want to come up and do your presentation?

Oh, okay. You You're going to do it. All right. You want to be here? Yes, please. Yeah, the microphone's fine.

Well, hi everybody. Thanks for inviting us out, mayor and city council. I appreciate it. I'm Doug Sharp and my wife Julie is right over there. And Julie and I are the co-founders of Let Us Work. And some of you may remember Julie as Julie Lee if you grew up here in Johntown. U but um basically just a quick question show of hands. How many of you know someone with autism? Family member, neighbor, friend, somebody. It's very very very common and uh one out of every 36 children born today will eventually be diagnosed with autism. It's a spectrum disorder. Uh it's typically a combination of issues with communication, social skills, and behaviors. And un unfortunately, we're living in communities here in central Ohio that have really strong school systems and support systems in place for these kids as they move through uh grade school and high school and so forth. But unfortunately, um after high school, some of those support systems fall away. Um no fault of the schools, it's just how that works. And u many of these [clears throat] kids aren't prepared to move on to college or even into employment. Um, so you can imagine if you're a a young man or woman with autism and you struggle with communication and behaviors and social skills, how difficult it is just to get through an interview, uh, let al let alone land a job and hang on to it. Uh, so as as a result, uh, adults with autism have a 70% unemployment rate nationally. Uh, it's one of the worst disabilities in terms of the unemployment rate that there is. Uh so the other way to look at that is 30% employment but uh it's obviously a problem and uh having our own son on the on the spectrum uh who's now 25 years old this we started thinking about this a while ago and uh we started to see how much of a struggle it is for kids uh and young men and women after they get out of high school to to work and live

independently. Um, so we started Let Us Work and about we've been in business now just over 10 years. Uh, Let Us Work is a social enterprise. We're a nonprofit. Uh, we volunteer all of our time. Uh, we don't take a thing out of this. We just do it to help these young men and women. And, uh, basically as a social enterprise, we run a business and then that business is used to support and provide the, uh, programming that we provide to these young men and women. And we run a commercial greenhouse and retail nursery which is out on Fanser Road. Uh yes, Fans Road is now open in case you're wondering. Uh but it closes and opens at rand seems like randomly. But uh we we operate a commercial uh greenhouse where they basically help us run the business. Uh we try to fit them in where they where their skills and interests allow. Um the retail nursery allows us to also give them opportunities to build customer service skills and learn how to run a cash register. So there's a lot of opportunities for them to work on building a skill set that will be transferable to other types of occupations. Um I am happy to say that uh 68% of the young men and women that we work with do eventually move on to other types of employment uh which is better than double the national average and we would just want to continue to work hard on that and improving that number. Um so what we were here to do tonight is first of all make you aware of us and where we are and what we do. Uh we would love to see you out out let us work this spring. uh the greenhouse and and the retail uh store. Basically, we work we provide bedding plants, uh tons of planters. We're well known for our ferns. We're world famous for our ferns, uh hanging, shrubs, that type of thing. Uh but more importantly, you're supporting the work that we do because like I said, that's really how we how the the business basically provides the

opportunity for them to learn these skills. It also funds everything. uh about 80% of our revenue comes from the retail nursery. Uh the other the balance of the the uh operating income comes from donations and grants and so on. Um so that's how it works. I don't know Julie if there was anything that you wanted me to add. Oh, we opened a Oh, yeah. [laughter] The last seven years. We started out with hydroponic lettuce and that's where the name came from. Let us work. Uh we did that for about five or six years and we sold a salad blend through Kroger and Giant Eagle. uh six or so years ago, we kind of just uh tried the the nursery stock and that's what took off actually. So, we've converted entirely over to nursery stock. We just never changed our name and so we still have people coming in looking for lettuce. [laughter] Sorry, don't we don't grow it anymore. Uh but uh we for the fall instead of just growing mums, we opened a UPIC pumpkin patch this year. uh built a new picnic pavilion out back and uh just got a new hay wagon for hay rides this fall. So we're we're trying to make it more of a kind of a family uh environment where you bring your kids out and just enjoy the day and buy a mom while you're there or something. But uh you know so and again you're supporting a good cause while you do it. So that's basically what we do and how we do it. And I don't know if I have any qu time left for a question if anybody has one.

How many people did you say you employ? Well, um, we [clears throat] work mostly with students and young men and women coming in from programs like okay, um, Oakstone Academy, uh, Big Walnut, ITC, CEK, uh, has a a program, uh, where they bring in young men and women that are on the spectrum. Uh, so that's the majority. So we'll have anywhere from 12 to 20 young men and women on site every day. A portion of those are our employees. Uh a lot of them though are in these other programs where we're providing them with that work uh work space and uh that experience and coaching.

Uh we're I like to tell people where the land of second chances. These kids are doing something at least once a day that we get them fired anywhere else they want. And we use them as coaching [laughter] opportunities and try to model the right behavior and let them practice the right way to either behave or respond or communicate whatever the issue was. Um, and so other schools are interested in kind of tapping into that environment as well. So we try not to we try to that model works pretty well for us because if we only worked with our own employees, it would be a fairly small group of people. But by doing it this way, we might have six employees there and another 12 students or young men and women that are in some other type of program. So, we're very happy to cooperate with other types of programs to try to get um get, you know, basically get these kids all moving on into independence as adults.

Doug, do you want to share where they can find out about lettuce work? I know you guys are on Facebook, but any other social? Our website's lettucework.org. Julie has some brochures she can pass around or we can leave them on the table if you like. Uh but if you look at lettucework.org, uh there are volunteer opportunities. that also described employment opportunities. Um you there forms you can complete online to send those to me and we can get you either in inside the building or at least on a list of people who want to be in there. Uh but that's the best place to go really. So let us work.org.

And we do have a lot of opportunities. We have a lot of high school kids who come out to get their which has been great. The soccer team came to defense last summer.

The Johntown men's soccer team comes out every year. It's just a part of their uh their day, you know, once a year. We get uh stu students coming in from Marburn, New Albany, Westerville. I mean, uh so we're a good place to do that, right? We'd love to have more kids from Johntown. Uh and then we also get a lot of corporate teams that come out for team building days and that kind of thing. And so we it's a farm. I mean, you there's always something that needs to be done. So, uh, and then this time of year in particular is really busy for us because everything has to be planted to be ready for Mother's Day. So, we have just thousands of planters and hang baskets and so on that are being prepared right now. So, busy busy time, but yeah, we'd love to have more volunteers. That's for sure.

Does anyone else have any questions? Thanks for Thank you. Thank you. [applause]

Um, next we have the learning spectrum school give a presentation. [clears throat] Hello. Uh, my name is Natalie Lindsay. I'm the education director at the learning spectrum. Been there for 10 years. Uh this is Miss Nell, our high school teacher, and she's been there for six years going on seven. Uh just really wanted to start off thanking Mayor Hollis uh for allowing us to come out this evening. She's been a huge supporter in the past of TLS and so thank you so much. Um this is really and Mr. Matt Huggin, we should thank him too. Uh this is really uh a huge opportunity for us. uh the the learning spectrum has created quite their own little community uh where we are out there with the farm. Um but to be invited into the community of Johnstown is huge. Um the first program that we'll talk about is our education program. We currently have 62 children enrolled. Uh we have been tasked with growing quite a bit uh next year. So, uh, we'll be bringing in a new modular and growing, uh, possibly by, uh, three classrooms, which maybe looking to go towards more like around 100 kids. So, uh, that'll be huge for us. And I think what I want to say about our education program is that what we do is we meet our kiddos where they're at. Um, and it helps build their confidence and we make sure they're happy and we make sure they're confident and that they're ready to go to the next step. And sometimes that's really hard to do in a public school setting. And so we're able to do that with uh our small groups and our education, our curriculum, our teachers who pour their heart and soul into every student, every classroom. Um our students and our teachers are the

heart of TLS. I've worked in many, many schools, had many wonderful experiences, but I am honored to say that I work at the learning spectrum. And I think Mayor Hollis can attest to the staff that we have pours their heart and soul seriously into every single student. They are our kids and at the end of the day we go home, we think about them. Um, our staff pretty much breathes and lives TLS every day. Uh, it, you know, our husbands, our wives, we all they all our families are incorporated in the learning spectrum. So, um, that is our education program. We are looking to grow our transition program next year and I'm going to let Miss Mel talk about that. Um, so like you said, I'm Mel Bojarzen. I'm a high school teacher at HL as well as I'll be in charge of the transition program as it forms and it grows and I'm also the summer camp coordinator for all three of our TLS sites we have in Columbus area. Um, so talking about our transition program, um, like it was mentioned earlier, we have, um, high unemployment rates for adults with autism. Um, so our transition program kind of preps our students for life after high school. Um, our students are capable, they want to work, they want to be involved in their communities. So this transition program, we really focus on three areas where we talk about like we work on employability, social skills, and activities of daily living. So that would be like independent living situations. Um we really um our classroom is set up much like our K through 12 setup. We have small group setting. Um students will do real world scenarios in a simulated setting repeatedly to work on building their confidence and that competence in those skills that we're practicing. And then um while they are doing those repeated scenarios, we're using vocational assessments um kind of like APS where we assess the students strengths and we help guide them on a

path where they will be the most successful. Um the biggest and probably most exciting part of this transition program is the um intern cohort. So currently we're working with Learning for Life Farm. Um, one of my students, Huggin, works there two hours a week and she gets job skills where they uh they have 60 garden beds that the students plant, tend harvest. Um, we have alpacas that they work with. Um, we have bunnies, dogs, [clears throat] chickens. There's all sorts of stuff that the students work with taking care of as well as getting job training there as well. Um, hopefully as we grow, we partner with local businesses. um to really I want to emphasize that not only are you helping these kids um gain those employability skills that they need um you're allowing them to be contributing members to the workforce and to the community. Um connection and belonging are huge. Um and in the special education population that's hard to come by sometimes. You don't always get invited to that sleepover. You don't always get that job opportunity. [clears throat] you don't always get that interview. And so that connection piece and that belonging piece, it starts to feel lonely. And so that's one of the things we pride ourselves on. We're trauma-informed school. Uh we work closely with many districts around many different counties and we're really hoping to bring that connection piece into [clears throat] this trauma um there the trauma in into the transition program so that they do feel a sense of connection and our students do feel a sense of belonging and know that they're honored and that they are a part of the community. which is why we will be looking to partner with so many of you in the Johnstown community. Uh seeing as that this is our home community. So yeah, that's a little bit about us.

Yep. [laughter] One more program we have.

Um I'd like just to say like a little bit about our summer camp program. So like um all [clears throat] students kind of like have a summer slide where we kind of like progress a little bit. We got to play a little bit of catchup. So like with our students, consistency is really important. Um so like we offer a summer camp that's monthl long. So, um they're still with familiar routines, familiar staff in a familiar place. Um we do focus on academics, but we do also take them on field trips. We have like inflatables. We have like events with Hagen to really build those um social skills that we talked about um in a kind of engaging natural way. Um I am the coordinator. So like I work with uh county boards of DD. I work with other funding sources to connect parents that want to attend but maybe the cost is a barrier. So like I work with them to kind of find a way to have these children attend. Um as well as um do this if you have um we also work with school districts. So, like if you have a [snorts] student that has um TSY um they can come to attend our summer camp and it's not just open to TLS students, it's open to students throughout the community. So, even if you don't attend school, you come to our summer camp as well.

What's the best way for someone to enroll in that? Uh I have a flyer. Okay. It's also on our website under the summer camp. Okay. Anyone else have questions? Thank you. Thank you guys so much. [applause] Next on the agenda, we have citizen comments on matters not on the agenda. You said you had two speaker slips. I do. [cough]

The first one is Ann Evans. Well, I have to check these things out every once in a while, give them some advice that they may or may not want. But anyway, I just I [snorts] have followed this for years [clears throat] and I for one thing, do we have a lawyer here for this for the town? He is not present tonight. No,

he's not here. Okay. Well, I'm here about that. Perry Miles estate, that thing that just won't go away because it just doesn't get solved and it's really important because it's the land value around here is so expensive now. And I was just thinking it today, you know, it could be that this building could be out there on 62 when things grow. You just never know which way it's going to go, what's going to happen here. But there's 170ome acres out there that belong to the people of Johnstown. And I went down to get a copy of the of the will. I don't know if you can see it, but this is what you get if you get out to the courthouse cuz they don't want you to see it. I mean, [laughter] you can't really read it or anything. I'll be glad to let us see have you see it. You can just get an idea of it. So anyway, when I have spare time and nothing else to do, I try to get in trouble. So I I wrote I wrote a thing myself to the court and I said with all due respect to the court perhaps I should have filed a bene beneficiary of Perry Miles estate as a resident of Liberty Township with the address of the village of Johntown with both conditions for the request and also on behalf of hundreds of unknown beneficiaries in the village of Johnstown at Liberty that don't even know they have a a generous gift of money that was given to him. I mean, I think people would just really raise a rocket if they knew what was going on here. And the thing, I'll be honest with you, he was a brigadier general. He spirited Arlington Cemetery with his wife. But his heart, when you read his will, his heart is in Johntown. He wanted them to have everything he had.

Every material thing and all of his land, his money, everything. And they don't give it. They're not giving it to us. They're just not doing it. And it just irritates me because because this has gone on for years. He died in 1960 and did a very stupid thing and left his everything for his his lawyer talked him into leaving everything for him for his lifetime and he'd make it grow and everything. It just fell down. He wanted the house. The house fell down the Oh, thank you. [laughter] But I would just get so annoyed when I think about it because I mean, if you read everything this man did as a brigade, he's a brigadier general. I mean, he was in the first world war, the second world war, [snorts] he fought with MacArthur, everything. I mean, there's just everything. And then so anyway, as I was saying,

three minutes, I just I just want I've seen some of his things. I was at this man's house and he has a huge desk of all these awards. I mean, there's there's just hundreds of awards. And he had his uniforms cleaned because they had been out, you know, in a house that just fell down around it and everything was in there. And also, the furniture was supposed to go with it. Well, it went to auction and and if you had one latent auction cuz I didn't hear a damn thing about it. I would have I would have been there and bought some stuff

and but anyway, so just you know, but Ann, if you had one last uh statement to make about it, the three minutes is up. If you had one last statement to make about Perry Miles for everyone to hear, what would that be? I can't hear you. Oh, it's okay. You want to get We got three minutes is up. If you have one last statement to make, no, no, no. You have one last statement to make. What would it be?

I just Well, I just want you to know I'm fighting this and I don't know who else we can get to do. Whether there you have a lawyer that can check into it and see if you can get that gets what belongs to the town back. I don't know. But I just hate injustices like that. Thank you. Thank you. I have a speaker slip from Sam Stewart.

Give me a warning. A timer. Yeah, thank you. [snorts] The timer's right in front of you.

I think what I want. Yeah. Okay. My name is Sam Stewart. I live on 309 Bont Trager Street right down the road. Um I've been here since 2021 in the house. I was purchasing the house through Swayb building prior to that. Now I'll start my clock. Um I'm here to talk about my concern with the decision process for leaving um JAG/Calition. When I moved here, I realized very soon after getting here that development was coming. I just moved from Orlando, Florida. You have no idea what development is. You need to live in suburban Orlando, Florida, and then you'll understand development. [clears throat]

So, when I got when I started hearing about this and then intel coming after I'd already purchased a house, I'm not complaining about what the house values done, but it came afterwards. And I was starting to, you know, look into what we were doing and trying to organize the county. Um, I was out of town on January 6th. I came back and found out we had made a decision to pull out of JAG on the first council meeting after the election. I pay attention to politics. I did not hear this topic come up at all during the election. I went and listened to candidates. I read the newspaper. And [clears throat] now all of a sudden, we've gone like 180 degrees. I'll talk about the February 17th meeting in a minute minute, but when a guy calls it scorched earth, and I'm a history teacher. I mean, I'm having illusions of Napoleon and Hitler invading Russia. And when somebody calls something scorched earth, I go, "Wow, something's going on here." Um, I did watch the video and I it looked rushed. I was like, why was this at the end of the agenda on the very first meeting back after an election and we're doing something that goes 180 degrees from what we were moving towards in the first place? I mean, that just seriously concerns concern me. This influences this part of the county, not just us, but the surrounding smaller communities and the townships. [clears throat] And we're one of the hubs for that. And one of the three hubs, well, I'll even give Alexandria credit for being a hub, was going to pull out of that. And I'm like, why are we doing this? And then I came on the 17th and listened to a whole string of people come up and say, why are we doing this? I mean, that started with me from the get-go. Um, I started researching. One of the frustrating things with the research was I tried to get a hold of Kent Mallet because when I was here in 2022 during the recall, his columns in the New York advocate were excellent. It helped me understand what was going on. It helped me decide how I was going to vote when that came down.

And I got a hold of Kent and Kent I'm retired. I said, "Well, you got to know some people at the advocate." He goes, "We're down to one reporter." Yeah, I know. I'm I'm a history teacher. I've read about the decline of the local press. So, they're down to one reporter. I contacted the guy. The guy says, "I got a lot on my plate. I can't get everything covered." And I'm like, "Well, people need some coverage. They got to understand how and why things are happening." Um, I I'm done. So, I cut right to it. Is that three or That's three.

Oh, that was three. I just want to know. We were told and on this February 17th meeting that within 30 days, we would get an explanation for why this happened. Nobody answered the guy's questions on that night. And it's day 14. I don't want to miss it. Did I miss it? I've been having people get in touch with me. I told them I was going to come here. I said, "Don't make me look like an idiot and stand up in here and say we haven't heard anything when we actually have." I even got back on Facebook. I got off of Facebook cuz it was so toxic. But I got back on Facebook because I wanted to keep track of what was going on. When are we going to hear something? How are we going to hear something? Is it only going to come from I I refer to you guys who voted to pull out as the leave faction? I the ones who wanted to stay or the stay faction? This is like the Johntown version of Brexit. If you're familiar with what I'm talking about with Brexit, the guys who voted for Brexit are the we faction. The guys who voted to stay in the European Union are the stay faction. I got friends in England, so we talk about this kind of stuff all the time. But I mean, I'd like to hear both sides of it. What are the arguments for staying? What are the arguments for leaving? We did this on the tax system that we proposed. I voted for the tax system. I get it. I lost. That's democracy. But I sat there and watched it get spelled out so everybody could look at the two options and then decide which direction do we need to go. To me, that's representative democracy. To me, this wasn't. I mean, I just came at us like a freight train. So there's my my voice for the night and I just wanted you to hear it and I honestly after la after the last meeting I don't think I'm alone on this one. Thank you very much for the time to speak. Thank you.

That is all the speaker that I have. Okay, we're going to move on to action on the minutes. Can we uh do this as a block? Everyone was here. Yes. Okay. So, we have minutes from February 3rd, 2026, February 11th, 2026 special council meeting, and February 17th, 2026. Does anyone like to make a motion? I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. All in favor? I. No one opposed. No changes.

And next, we have council committee reports. Design Review Board met on February 24th, 2026. Their next meeting is March 10th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers. Uh Teresa, do you have any update on from that previous meeting? It was a fairly short meeting. They approved uh two demolitions. They were single family homes. They're in the PDA district. They're vacant. So, okay. [snorts] Uh next is planning and zoning met on February 24th. Their next meeting is also March 10th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers. Uh Kyle, we just did a first pass on the design review and uh on the guidelines on the guidelines. Yeah. [snorts]

Facilities committee um met tonight at 5:00 p.m. Ryan, are you the chair? Jeff.

Jeff. Uh we had continued dialogue with uh Jeff Sasmo and the uh representing the Legion. We had um to get that first amendment to the lease. Uh we made good progress with it. We will work with Yaz on the legal ease review, but I think we've found some common ground on uh financial piece of it, if you will, which is important to them. and it's also protecting us meaning the city's responsibility. So more to come on that. We hope to have it probably by next meeting to make a recommendation to um sign that amendment to the lease. Um, we also talked about um the city uh working with our acting city manager and our consulting manager um to enter into professional services agreement with a local commercial realtor to have that queued up. As you all know, we have a definitive time in this building that we need to find another location for city hall. So having that realtor on boarded that if an opportunity came available tomorrow and it was uh something that council wanted to move on. We have somebody that would represent us and and ready to go. Um Mr. Dand also talked about reinvigorating the CIC. it could be how we could purchase that would be the purchaser of of a potential suitable site or building. So he is going to follow up with Yas. We feel it may take a couple weeks or so to get that in place rather than months. And um both the managers felt that that would be the best course of action to do. Um

sorry for the lengthy report on that but it was important to know the full details of it. and the two managers will meet with and um enter into [clears throat] that agreement um in the professional services agreement make the selection council doesn't need council it would not be appropriate for council to be involved in that selection because it is a professional service agreement that the staff would enter into that agreement and because there's no appropriation of funds we don't need to authorize it anything at that point in time as well. That's all. [clears throat] Safety and service also met tonight at 5:00 p.m. Uh, that one is

that is you. Okay.

All right. So, we had our review on the honorary street sign applications that came before us tonight. Uh, so we took a look at those and made a recommendation to move forward. We're also going to continue to review um our requirements for those um so that we're making sure to honor the best of Johntown. Um, we also had our J2 well update on the well that is having some issues here in the city. Uh, we got our updates there and uh, we'll continue to monitor and move forward appropriately. We had a review of parking on Maple Street uh, near the Legion and Hannah's Park. Um, so we'll continue to monitor that area as well as Oregon um for parking during sporting events and other events in that area um to decide whether or not we'll continue to park there. Uh we briefly talked about tap fee and capacity study that we will be doing. Um we'll continue with that. That is every 5 years. We're a year behind on that. So we'll continue to make sure that we have the most up-to-date tap fees there. Uh and we talked about our TAM which will be a study that we'll do and further conversation that we will do on a road quality throughout the city to put together a plan to realistically try to combat the issues that you're driving over every day. And uh that was all of our that was the balance of our agenda.

Um rules committee has not met and will meet next as needed as well as the city management oversight committee. um parks and recck leaison updates. Nicole, do you have anything for that?

Uh yeah, they meet on the last Thursday of the month and um they did get a update on the miles estate. Thank you, Terry, for bringing that information. Some of them were not familiar with what was going on with the miles estate. So, she did bring um packets for everyone. So, thank you again. They talked about a little bit about the fireworks. um named a liaison for that community or actually that that initiative um which is Nick Hubble. They talked about web page communication tools that um were discussed. They discussed a community survey um on how to get that out and circulated and then Frank did a little bit of the JYAA and how Greater Johntown Parks and Rec board can give their support. So, um it was a great meeting. They're moving forward. if you ever get a chance to come, it's the last Thursday of the month at 6:30 um here at council chambers.

Okay, thank you. Uh next is director reports, service department, Jack. Okay. Uh I'll open up with is there any questions on the water, sewer, or street reports?

Okay, then I'll move uh straight into the service director's report. Uh item one, just keeping you up to date. Uh the new water plant construction is moving along. We've had some cold weather delays and now we're getting into some rain, but we're still working. It's slowing things down. Um we had our construction plant meetings on the 4th or excuse me on the 12th, 19th, 26th, and the 4th. Um, majority of those conversations were about getting J4 well moved up in the schedules and we talked a little bit about that in safety service. U have one of our permanent wells uh up and running at the beginning of the project versus the end. Item number two is an update on our wastewater plant. Uh the designs as I told you at the last meeting were at 90%. We are currently preparing those plans. uh to be sent into the EPA for their PTI review. What will happen there is we're sending our plans in. We call them 90% because we will get questions uh back from the EPA. We'll have to uh answer those questions and resolve things with the EPA and then they will be at 100% design once we agree on that. At that point, um which I'm going to guess it'll take about 6 months back and forth to get the questions and answers taken care of. Then council will have to decide whether we're ready to go out to bid or we want to put them on hold for a little bit. Um item number four, we only had one leak in this last month. That was a service line on it was a homeowner's uh side of the curb stop. That leak has been repaired. Um, as we've discussed in safety service, J2 is back in uh operation, but just as a backup well until we decide how we're

going to do the final fix for J2. And uh just an update on council, we have two vacant positions at the water plant. Uh we just put a posting back up. I believe it's on the city website and we have it out on Indeed as well. Uh hunting for anywhere between uh someone just wanting to get into the field for training up to a class 2 operator. Are there any questions? All right. Thank you, council. Thank you, Jack.

Oh, let me see. Rusty, did you have anything for tonight? You don't have anything. Um, okay. And then there's uh tabled legislation. There's none for tonight. Uh, next on the agenda is an executive session to prepare for, conduct, or review a collective bargaining strategy to include all of council. Um, Mr. Dandy, Rusty, and Mr. Reapenhoff. Anyone want to make a motion for that?

I'll make a motion to enter into executive session to prepare for and conduct a review of collective bargaining strategy. With all of council, Chief Smart, David Dandy, and David Ripenhoff. I'll second. Do we want? All right. Never mind. I think we'll go next door. Yeah, probably. Uh, all right. Let's do a roll call. Do we think this will take long? No. That's why after we vote, I'll say. Okay. Yep. Matthew Huggin, yes. John Barard, yes. Brian Green, yes. Mayor Hollis, yes. Cook, yes. Jeff Bar, yes.

Nicole Shook, yes.

Say that again. We are returning from executive session. Next on the agenda is uh public hearings of legislation resolution 2026-15, a resolution to approve collective bargaining agreement between the city of Johnstown and the Ohio Patrolman's benevolent association full-time police officers talking. Okay. Serb. [cough] Serb number. Serb number 2025 Med-9-0990. I'd like to make a motion to pass resolution 2026-15 as written. I'll second. Jeff Bar. Affirm. Kchuk.

Yes. Matthew Huggin. Yes. Donnie Barnard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Hollis. Yes. Kyle Cook. Yes. Um, next is resolution 2026-16, a resolution to approve collective bargaining agreement between the city of Johnstown and the Ohio Patrolman's Benevolent Association full-time sergeants serve number 2025 med09-0991. I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026-16. I'll second

Cook. Yes. Duff Bar. Affirm. Nicole Shook, yes. [snorts] Matthew Huggin, yes. Donnie Barard, yes. Ryan Green, yes. Mayor Hollis, yes.

Mayor Hollis, if I may, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the chief and thank him for his leadership in these negotiations with our laboratory attorney, Mr. Dave Ripenhoff. Uh, one special note in this contract is that the entry level fa pay pay for our police officers um rose up. that would allow the chief to uh better recruit the talent and skill set needed to protect and serve in the community. So, um chief, thank you for all the hard work on this and we certainly hope it pays off in the recruitment of officers that we have. So, just wanted to acknowledge his good work. Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Appreciate you.

We also did it very quickly. I I think it was three meetings um which is is a lot quicker than I think we've done it in the past. So, yeah. Well done.

Kudos. Next is uh resolution 2026-17 resolution as required by OC 709.023C setting forth municipal services that will be provided to 99.4 plus acres of land in Monroe Township, Licking County, Ohio, if annexed to the city of Johnstown, Ohio. Jamie Mcnal is here from Johntown Land Company to to speak on this. council has the maps, right?

I can share the screen if you need me to, but uh yeah, if we could bring this up on the screen just we have we have a lot of people here tonight. I think it would help just to clue everybody in. Um, well, I appreciate council listening to this resolution. While Teresa's helping me set this up, I can probably start providing some background. Um, oh. Oh. Oh, weird, right?

Oh, it went [laughter] missing. Cool. Thanks. [clears throat] I need cars. Start asking for an 11 by 17 on all. Yeah, maybe even we have large for 18 by 24. or just magnifying glasses. A whole sheet magnifying glass right here.

God, Jamie. Okay, so sorry. What's that? They want large print from now on. 18 by 24. None of this 8 and 12 by 11, please. I print too much in 11 by 17 just cuz I Your young eyes. You can pull it up on your computer. I'm reading it just You can pull it up on your computer, Joe. You can behind. I can pull it up on your computer. I don't have it in front of me, but thank you.

So, just as a reminder, there there's two separate issues that relate to each other as well. Uh the first issue to talk about water and sanitary services to serve this proposed annexation. The next topic we're going to talk about is road maintenance, but we're talking about the same uh proposed annexation. So, let's start with the water and sanitary and service agreement. Um Oh. Oh. Oh, no. We got it. Where I got it? Just go slow. That TV is not cooperating. That works.

So, the area we're talking about is I started in yellow right here. Um, it is currently in Monroe Township and there's 99 acres that would be annexed into the city of Johntown. That annexation request has has been filed. We're currently in the waiting period. Um, as part of the annexation, one of the requirements by the county engineer is for the city of Johnstown to say if the annexation is approved, if the applicant decides to go forward with the annexation and if the city approves the annexation, the city would provide sanitary and water services. So, we're not tonight is not about guaranteeing water service. It's just saying if we continue, it's down the path. This is just one step in a series of conversations we're going to have over the next few months. Um, so right now the city's corporate boundaries. So the blue is what uh Johntown Land Company 2 owns right now. And if you remember, all of this is included in the plan development. This area in red is what we're talking about today. that could um be added [clears throat] as an additional sub area as part of the PD uh in Jtown to annex ground and get it reszoned. I believe the threshold is 250 acres for a new plan development. So, this 100 acres would become a new sub area. This would be could be sub area 7 or sub area 1B or D. It depends on what the the proposed use ends up being. Um, but the service agreement would just say if this annexation does go through, we would bring water and sanitary [snorts] here. Now, the water and sanitary service that would be brought would likely be brought through the the the proposed infrastructure development

agreement that we're going to continue more conversations about to where uh the Johntown Land Company would be paying for 100% of the costs. And just to clarify, so if it were to be added in a new sub area, it would fall under the NCA, all the current NCA. Yes, absolutely. Yes. Is six part of this?

No. No. Uh there's actually some AP I think owns some of this owns this parcel. Now, uh there's currently no conversation to annex this into the city of Johntown. So, this is actually kind of an outdated map. Uh, and we're currently not planning to annex 10 as of right now. It's, if you notice, 10's not even really eligible right now because it doesn't touch the corporate boundary, but um, but in the future if this was annexed, it would be correct. But it would be eligible. Yeah. It's also inside of that, what is it, the mile and a half radius,

correct? Yes. Yeah. Um so so this is um again one step in the process in the county engineers requirement part of as there as I continue along the annexation approval process by the county. They need to know that the city is willing to service it. Now, these water and sanitary lines will likely be constructed by the Johntown Land Company, but then owned by the city of Johntown and maintained by the city of Johntown. The exact routing of the water and sanitary is yet to be determined. We've engineered the water and sanitary really everything uh east of Clover Valley. This west of Clover Valley section is kind of phase two. And you said this is a two-part process. This goes with our next resolution on here, 2618.

That's correct. So with 2618, that obligates us to take care of the road inside of that area. Yes. Similar uh similar conversation with as as a county requirement. They didn't know if the city would be able and willing to maintain the road. Would that be upon annexation if yes, if the annexation does end up going through? Now, we we could we could pull the annexation for some reason, or the city could also say we don't want to proceed with the annexation, but right now we're just saying if we continue down the path that the roads and the water and sanitary will be in place and this was similar to what we did with the Kyber Run property. Correct. Yeah. Where Yeah.

Right. which is no longer happening from what I've understood, but um potentially. So, my concern is with the next part of this with taking care of the roads and obviously the current condition of that road, it's it's closed. Um, it's pretty bad shape. So, in order for us to take over a road, typically from a developer, most housing developments, if we took over a road, we want a final condition where it's, you know, serviceable and and we can start working with it. And obviously, we talked about a road budget earlier tonight. We are very tight on that. Should we be pushing back on the trustees the township? Because we all look at the map. It's a county road. So it's a county road.

Clover Valley. That's not Township. It's county road. Okay. County road. It's a county road. So my question is before we inherit that road, can we get that? And I'm just talking out loud here, but I'm talking about whoever is involved. There's a lot of people involved with that road. Can we get it back to a condition where it's serviceable? Y because right now some of the holes in and the traffic that are going to continue to pound that road, it's going to be awfully tough for us to do something feasible. Yes. Now, for the section of Clover Valley to maintain by the city of Johntown is that small

like we we or the city we don't want anybody making decisions in isolation. Right now, ODOT's studying how to improve the six-point intersection, and I we feel like there's a there's light a light at the end of the tunnel where they're going to be able to make it a six design. um and how that dictates uh the future of Culver Valley and the construction. That'll that'll I think will [clears throat] be a trigger point too cuz we've been working with the Licking County T as well about potential Clover Valley upgrades as well because this is part of their scope. Jamie, that was held last week at Monroe Township where they were there. And correct me if I'm wrong, were they not off of 62, meaning Clover Valley, those homes across from the site, wasn't the preferred option is to kind of make it a culde-sac to to the site?

Um, there were I think there were a couple different schemes. I was on at that meeting, right? But I think one scheme had at least a roundabout or there were a couple like one had a series of roundabouts and one had I'm I'm talking about as you come here. Yeah. Oh, if Clover Valley came up here with a culde-sac I think it was the one where it goes it diverts. Do you know what I'm talking about that? Have you seen that? [clears throat] Like it's a it's just a culde-sac here where the road they were going to shut the road because they were they were going to make it a dead end. A dead end. There's different areas that are that are being projected right now and I think is making this its own

project and I think in the next coming months they're going to have um discussion um the point is Clover Valley to be determined of what's going to happen of it in the near future. Wait to see what that section has been closed for 2 weeks. Right. And that's what I'm that's what I'm saying because of the condition council knew that or not. I know you brought that. I I took a drive down there just to take a look at it. I saw some comments from the the public. So I wanted to take a look for myself. Went down there. It's it's in rough shape. And I mean based on the condition of our roads up here, I don't know what I can realistically promise down there. So I'm hoping

Yeah. Not being polite. before gravel gravel before the annexation and zoning is finalized, we have a little more clarity on the routing, the timing, and the scope of what Clover Valley is going to look like long term. So, um, that one, the water and sanitary, [cough] in my opinion, is a little more low hanging fruit because we can control that a little bit more. the Clover Valley working with the P and ODOT. Um I don't say it's out of our control, but we um

well, we're only we're only getting half of that road according to this diagram. So county has the other half. So we have to work with we have to work with the county, the developers, all the above to try to get something done. And in realistically, I know this business park is going to be great in the next 20 years, but we can't promise that business will be there earning us an income. Yeah. For the next 5 to 10 in order to take care of,

you know, in order to have money coming in to offset those roads. So, that's that's my concern is who takes care of the roads until the businesses round out that business district because that road's going to get pounded on by dump trucks and things like that for years to come. So that's my only concern is where does that come from? That's a good point. We can potentially address it in in a development agreement with an enduser when we have one lined up. Okay. That's true. Yeah. you mean for that parcel that you're so basically would just be a pre-development and I

and I know it's it's a lot it's a lot to talk about like there's a lot of there's a lot of irons in that fire and things to mitigate and but we would more than likely have responsibility up until that end user was in place right so we still the same problem you know that's true and let's say we make that road immaculate but the county does not make the other side immaculate still a rough road and then their their process runs down to ours. So, not to put you on the spot because you're answering for entities that you may not have worked with yet, but that's where we're at realistically. So, really, you're saying you can't really do anything until ODOT decides what they're going to do.

Kind of. I mean, yeah, I think but I I feel like we're getting to a tipping point. Uh I don't want to speak for sure. Sure. ODOT or the T, but I feel like there I I know that there's been series of meetings Um, and I think they're they're getting close to it does seem like Clover Valley is on their pri like list of top priorities to to figure out. So we should but if the annexation gets pulled this Clover Valley Road things will get pulled too. That's correct. Correct. So we're not we're not binding oursel to anything today if the annexation doesn't go through. So we've got more time to figure this out.

That's correct. This I I'm not an attorney. I think these two steps tonight are basically satisfying the county's requirements for their um to move forward approval to move forward to the next step in the annexation process. So I think the stakeholder meeting was supposed to occur sometime this spring to where Mr. Mayor if you remember going to the one in New Albany specifically about New Alb Johnstown doing one specifically for this intersection. It's going to be coming here soon. Um, [clears throat] and we would be invited to that as well. Yeah. And it's very informative.

Traffic lights, multiple traffic lights or multiple roundabouts. Um, so yeah, I I agree. And just to clarify, the resolutions we're voting on tonight do not annex this property and it does not this is not actually making an action. That is correct. Well, I shouldn't say it's it is. Yes, there technically [laughter] legally it might be an action, but it's uh in no way is the city or the property owner committing to the annexation. I just wanted to clarify that for everybody. Does anyone else have questions for Jamie? Thank you, J.

Any uh comments from the public on this matter? Sure. Yeah. My name's Phil Baker. I live at 12428 Johntown Road. I live directly across from this right here. We've been to multiple meetings with the state in New Albany. Their presentations. They have a bunch of really awesome drawings. The engineers said they have zero funding, period. None. And they don't even know what's going to come through. They told us when he had this little picture up that they were going to re relocate Clover Valley along the edge of his property, cross the road and run beside parallel to my property and that was in February lately. They said that they're going to and that was get that had the most votes at that time. Now they're going to move it east of Clover Valley and run it through uh the property beside Kroger. That's what they're looking at. Uh that's what they that's what the engineer told us. But uh he said that their goal was to have all the roads done by 2032. So and that was straight from the engineer that was working on the project.

Okay. So, uh my only question for you, you have a blockout of that property residential that's in your area. Has there been negotiation to buy that from him? He doesn't want to sell. I'm not [clears throat] make sure the owned by park it's 2.98 acres. Yeah. Yeah. Right on 62. That's the question. Have they made an offer to them? Oh, okay. No, we are not in contract to acquire that.

That's why we need two podiums. Yeah, they're interested in a lot. I don't think [cough] I I can check with our acquisition team, but I I know I think that one there was correspondence, but [clears throat] yeah. Anyone else have comment on this matter? Hearing none. What is the council? I'd like to make a Well, I got to find my

Is there any further discussion council on logistics? Sir, uh my concern on roads was answered. I'll make a motion to pass resolution 2026-17. Second. Donnie Barnard, yes. Ryan Green, yes. Mayor Hollis, yes. Kyle Cook, yes. Jeff Bar, yes. Shook, yes. Matthew Huggin,

yes. Uh, next is resolution 2026-18, a resolution providing maintenance of a certain portion of Clover Valley Road, which is what we just discussed. Um, anyone have public comment on this? I know that's what you just talked about. Hearing none, council have any comment? So, with this um I know we just in theory accepted that annexation, but with this, can we have if we pass this tonight or don't pass it tonight? I I want to have more discussion on this at a at a certain point to see what we're actually inheriting and what a feasible plan for the future is. I think we can do that when it comes up for the final annexation that we can decide if we want to accept it then or not. If there if there's not a plan for the road, then we can take that consideration if we want to do the annexation or not.

So, in reality, when would the when would that final annexation conversation happen? This will go to the county. Yeah. And then the county commissioners will vote to approve it and then it will come back to you. How long does that take, Teresa? It's a process. Yeah, it is a process. I don't think it takes that long. Maybe 30 days. Uh 60 days with the waiting period plus the city readings, but we would probably also want to align whatever the end of proposed like zoning would be areas would be.

Okay. Um so I'm thinking probably closer to end of summer. Okay. That'll give us time to take a look and see what we can do realistically on those roads. Yeah. Yeah. And with Clover Valley, there's one scenario to like I'm sorry, Bill mentioned that Mr. mentioned it's uh the T was studying relocating 2 through 100% of the parcel that we annexed. So that entire new road will be built not by the city of Johntown our property which would then be [clears throat] heated to the city to automate.

Okay. But that's that's we have a lot of steps before we get to that conversation. [clears throat] I was told that new road will be 240. Huh? It's five. It's five lane. Five lanes. Uhhuh. Well, that was only It was That's pretty typical of everything else that's happened in that that area. So, it makes sense to find out if they would build all five lane. Hamilton will go behind.

What is the will of council for resolution 2026-18? Make a motion that we pass resolution 2026. I'll second -18. Donnie Barard, yes. Ryan Green, yes. Mayor Hollis, yes. Yes. Jeff Far, yes. Nicole Shook, yes. Matthew Huggin, yes. and resolution 2026-19, a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a lease amendment with the American Legion Post 254. I know we talked about this earlier. Do we need to make a motion to table this? Yes. Yes. This was tabled in committee earlier.

So, I'll make a [music] Do we need to table it here then, too? I'll make a motion to table. I'll second that. All right. All right. Kyle Cook. Yes. Jeff Bar. Yes. Nicole Shut. Yes. Matthew Huggin. Yes. Donnie Barard. Yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Holler. Yes.

Next we have resolution 2026-20, a resolution to approve a contract with management advisory group LLC for interim city manager services. Uh this resolution is amended from the published agenda packet as legal still revising the contract language. So, just to note that that is that is um will be updated as soon as we have that updated from legal. Is there any comment from the public on this resolution? Hearing none, does council have any comment or questions?

I do. Um Mr. Dandy, um this service is going to cost for 16 weeks about 96,000. Do we are we going to need to initially we [clears throat] won't be appropriating but we'll be monitoring it based on the uh the fund general fund which has the administration salary. So this is going to come out the administration salary. So what

depending on the timing of when we actually hire the position full time and then be or or probably appropriation or ordinance to appropriate additional funds for uh fulltime and also making sure that we have enough in the uh professional services. So this will come out professional services. This part is going to come out professional services. This the severance came out of the salary bucket and then the search is coming out of the professional services. Okay. So, we're going to have to we'll have to reappropriate funds.

Does anyone else have any questions or comments?

I do. Um, so by approving this tonight without a a set contract or without the actual contract because it's still being looked over by still being looked at by legal. Are we going to have to come back and vote again on the contract portion of it? Because I'm I'm confused. I've just never heard of voting. Teresa, I'm sorry. I was speaking with our law director before uh the meeting and he said to add the section the section one that you have in front of you um that you authorize the city manager to sign an agreement with a management advisory group for interim city manager services and he said make it contingent subject to legal council review approval and consent from council. So,

so make this resolution if the resolution he's he said he, you know, detach the agreement because that's what he's still looking through. But I have a copy of his red lines. Um, and he thought that if you didn't reference the attachment, the agreement, but that you authorized signing an agreement for the services subject to legal counsel review and approval and consent from council. So, we're conditionally approving this essentially based on legal review. That's why he struck section two out.

So, we're not actually approving the actual contract in itself. We're just approving allowing Mr. Dandy to go ahead and enter into um this agreement with MAG LLC to start the services and then it's all going to have to come back to us once the contract is finalized for us to say yay or nay on the contract. Correct. I you can do it that way, but I don't requirement. This is giving um Dave Deli the opportunity to consider to go forward with this contract. So we're approving in theory with legal counsel. With legal counsel. Yes.

As acting city manager. He could also enter into this contract without a resolution. This is professional services. Yes. It's professional services. So he's well within his uh duties to go ahead and enter into this contract without us doing any resolution. Yeah. It's it's kind of a formality. Let it out. Does anyone else have any comments or questions? And what is the desire of council? I'd like to make a motion to pass 2026-20 um with section 2 struck as we were provided with this evening. I'll second.

Do we need to state that anything with legal counsel in the motion? It's written into the resolution now. Yeah, I provided an updated Yeah. amended instruct to subject. Okay, I see it now. Thank you. [clears throat]

I heard a first by Mr. Huggin. Who was we have? Ryan, thank you. [clears throat] Matthew Huggin, yes. Johnny Barard. Um, yes. Ryan Green. Yes. Mayor Hollis. Yes. Kyle Cook. Yes. Jeff Bar. Affirmed. Nicole Shook. Yes. Passes.

Next we have resolution 2026-21, the following final resolution enacted by the city of Johnstown, Ohio here and after referred to as the Legislative Authority Local Public Agency or LPA in the matter of the stated described project. Um I need to Does anyone have anything on this one?

Who's bringing this forward? Uh Dave, do you do you have anything on this one? Do you want to explain a little bit? asked. And also we we've been putting the funds away uh like 67 and a half 67,000 into a fund to pay for this and we do have the funds available to take care of this. And this is the um 37 um Main Street intersection project Persing Driveell Leafell I'm sorry. Yes, you're right. Leafidel 37 Leafidel Persing Drive resurfacing. We've been saving for this and we have it. Okay.

And appropriate in our 26 fiscal year budget. So the total cost of that project, our portion. Well, so we're bearing we're bearing 100% of the cost and then they're going to take out whatever funds they can get and we're on the hook for the difference. Correct. And there was there was an application for an OPWC grant for this one too. And so we should be hearing about that very soon. So there is a chance that it could decrease. Right. Right. So we're just we're just saying we're going to try to find as much money as we can for this, but whatever the difference is, we're the city is on the hook for it. And we are we have that appropriate.

Okay. Is there any public comment on this matter? What's that? Um, do either of you? Yeah, Jack, you want to go?

Um, that section right there, we are putting a light in to be able to get in and out of Leafy, which will actually aid when the school is kids are going to school and trying to get out of school. We have quite a traffic jam right there. We're also, as you're heading, we call it northbound out of town, we're going to add a right turn lane to get in to allow uh straight through traffic to continue. Um then with the Ohio public works portion, if I have this correctly, I wasn't deeply involved in that section, but we're going to do some additional paving on Persing, which is right across from Leafyale, and then try to do some sidewalk uh work in that area as well.

Oh, yeah. Uh does council have any comment or questions? Hearing none. What's the will of council? I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026-21. Second. [clears throat] Kyle Cook, yes. Jeff Bar, yes. Nicole Shook, yes. Matthew Huggin, yes. Donnie Barark, yes. Ryan Green, yes. Hollis, yes. Next we have resolution 2026-22, resolution to an approve an agreement for an on call planning and zoning services. Um Dave, do you want to talk any about this or

Yeah, this this obviously our planning and zoning uh with MKS and then uh Trevor who handled the uh reporting and stuff left and went to American Structure. And so for the time being, we went into agreement with American structure at Trevor and their whole team to assist with those issues and continue to work with other things. And we still have the RFQ open for planning services. So this is just kind of at that filling in that gap and it creates that continuity to until we find the next group, which is great.

This can be terminated when we decide to terminate. Yep. We have a limit of which essentially it's the same contract we had with MKSK correct for services. [clears throat] It's just transferring it to American structure point where Trevor went. Uh does is there any public comment on this mayor? Yes. Um I think we also have an open purchase order with OM advisers to kind of serve as redundancy for planning purposes if I'm not mistaken. I believe so. I I think that was that was due to Yes, I think we do have the PO, but it was I think we ended up hiring them because there was conflict of interest between MK

CSK and New Albony. I'm I just wanted to make sure council remind that we do have that that if cuz this was on call and for some reason not available, we have a backup. We do have a cleaning services that that's all. Um just wanted to point that out. So, one question that I do have, we have MKSK that was currently working on a few projects. Have we clarified yet how long they will hang around for those specific projects? I emailed the principal, Christopher Herman, today. So, I'm hoping I put OM and him in the same email. They're supposed to have a catchup meeting.

Okay. And we have EMH&T until the end of March. Yes. And there's same with that there's a few projects they have as far as some reviews and stuff and you sent an email to them too for them to meet together which is nice because we're going to have some overlap there and then we have redundancy as Jeff mentioned. So we're we're well covered on the planning and zoning aspects there.

And my understanding is and I'll step in here. I've been talking with one of the engineers over there. They're going to complete the projects they're in the middle of, even if it runs past the end of March. Also, um I've set up a meeting with EMH&T and Ferris for tomorrow so we can go through each one of these projects. I think you're probably on on that meeting as well, Dave. uh so I can get a grasp of each one of the meetings or each one of the projects that's going on, where we're at, who we're handing it off to, which ones EMH&T will follow clear through, which ones will be handed off to Ferris, and where the end point for each one of those projects is.

Okay, perfect. Um what is the will of council for resolution 2026 for um the hourly rates that they have here? Do we know where um Trevor falls in those hourly rates? I do not. Okay. Like group leader, uh project manager, senior manager or planner stuff? That' be one of the top ones. And you said basically they were just going to honor the same pricing that MKSA had. No, I'm not aware of that. No. No. Okay. This was their pricing. I don't know. But it's just going to be a very similar contract to what FASA had. So that should be the trust. Excuse me. Similar. Did you say planner?

No, I'm I'm asking for Trevor Falls on his hourly wage. Okay. But it will be similar then to what he was doing before. So he's going to be coming in. He's going to be from a planning service side. He's going to be reviewing what we're working on, giving his recommendation planner from his knowledge and expertise of how things should go. That's basically what he's going to be doing. A group leader.

Yes. Previously, he provided staff reports when we needed to send applications to the design review board or to planning and zoning. So, he would do those. He would do the um currently we don't have code enforcement officer. So, he's going to he or another staff member is going to be reviewing the permits that are coming in until we can get that position hired. Um, additionally, we aren't required to pass this by resolution. Dave again as acting city manager is able to enter into this contract without council's approval.

I just want to make sure that we that if he's providing these services, we're spending this much money that when he does staff reports and stuff that we we give it a high credence or is that the right word? Credits. Credence of what he's doing because he is the expert. So yeah. Well, that's one of the reasons why I think that it would be beneficial to have Oh, no. I 100% agreeing. I just don't want to ignore what he says. Staff and all that money staff design review and zoning all felt more comfortable when he was here. And so I think this will help to bridge that gap. Perfect. Try this again. Resolution 2026-22. What is the uh desire of council? I'll make a motion to approve as written.

I'll second. Brian Green. Yes. Mayor Holland. Yes. Cook. Yes. Jeff Bar. Yes. Nicole. Yes. Yes. Bar. Yes. Next we have introduction of legislation. We have none. So we will move on to other business. And uh I'm actually going to go first tonight um with one piece. Jeff, would you like to step up to the mic? I would like to introduce our new interim city manager, Jeff Sheridan, from West Milton. Um, you want to give a little little tidbit on yourself?

Sure. I've been a city manager for more than 35 years. I've worked in three different states, the last five in the state of Ohio. It's a much better environment than some of the other states where I've I've worked in, and I'm very excited about the opportunity here in Johnstown. We are happy to have you and look forward to uh getting getting started. So do I. I'll be back uh Monday morning. Okay. All right. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for coming all the way from West Milton. [laughter] Um Okay. So, other business, Nicole. Um I don't have any. Thank you. Okay. Matt, nothing this evening. And Jeff, I had a thought. Can you come back, Mayor? Sure. Sorry, Donnie. Nope.

We do have a public comment back there. Oh, sure. Waving at us. more than one. Okay. Glad.

Thank you. Um Jesse Capital 184 South Main. You guys are in contract with JYA for a property transaction um where you guys are buying 8 acres and giving them a half an acre, $150,000. And I need I wanted to have official approval on who has signing authority to sign on the transaction. We're getting close to closing. working with the township and the county on the property split, but I want to make sure you guys have we have that um sorted out tonight. So, um if you guys could approve somebody to um have signing authority for property transactions, that would be the way to make things nice and clean for me. Yeah. So, I think it would be Dave currently. Um

is that if it's already taken care of, that's I just wanted to double check while I was here. It would be the legal even even with the interim in I don't think the inter

uh did you have something else? I was going to ask how big of a city did this is over 5,000 that hasn't been one or two smaller but there Kyle, did you have anything?

Ryan, thank you.

Okay, back to me. Um, earlier this week, I did receive an email from Mr. Bernard, and I wanted to address some of the the topics that were uh included in that email. One was um all correspondence from Shawn Stannard on work he did before he left and what was left on his task list. Um and I did send an email to all of council earlier this evening with the original task list and also um correspondence from Mr. Stannard at the end of the week that uh he worked with uh Dave Dandy and I um and he did outline all the work he completed and what was left to still be done. Uh the next item that was requested was correspondence with licking regional um about partnering opportunities. We did receive an email earlier this actually it might have been in January um from licking regional. That email was forwarded to our legal team and sent back to us uh to go to committee. It was forwarded to safety and service put on the agenda. Um and I can't exactly tell you the date of that agenda. However, the meeting ran over and we never got to that topic on that agenda. So, it will be revisited on a future.

Can we all get a copy of that? Um, I can ask to send that to everyone. Um, the proposed agreement and correspondence from township noted on January legal invoice. And I'll just go into the next one, too. The proposed annexation agreement with Township noted on January legal invoice that also was forwarded to legal and is still being reviewed. Um I have not received anything back. I think once Yas due to the nature of the topic and the ongoing uh lawsuit there is nothing to discuss until we get a recommendation back from our legal team. Can we get copies of those please? I can ask you as that also. Okay.

That is all I had. Does anyone have any questions?

Can I have my time back on comments? I would like to recommend to council that we have some cadence of a workshop. Many of the items that were on agenda tonight, it's a public meeting. We're all still there, but it's a little more free flowing of conversations, getting updates from Jamie, etc. where we can ask questions, uh, get a little more detail because our our city council meetings are supposed to be to legislate and appropriate. and we spend a a lot of time in discussion etc. Um these meetings would still be on YouTube, they're public, anybody can attend. Um but that that's what the workshop is for. So that when we come here, we're not asking questions of what's on legislation, some of the items we talked about tonight and uh other com other business from the council members. We can talk about those things. So, um I I think it it'd be a good use of our time. Um maybe not and and it also allows us to prioritize what we want to cover in that workshop so we have an agenda because we may not be able to get to everything. But um so I'd like to suggest that we start it would be in addition to it's not a council meeting. It's just a workshop. Do you want to try to schedule something?

I would love to. Yeah. Okay. Do you want to do that right now? I would love to. Okay, let's do it. [snorts and clears throat] Um our our Tuesday don't work. They don't work because of zoning. Yeah, that's right. every other um th a Thursday

Thursday Thursday like on the off week same week off week and and I'm I think I'm just proposing you know initially to get one set see how it goes maybe only one a month is needed maybe one two months or as needed depending on what's coming up. Um that way when we get in here, it will shorten this meeting. Mhm. Yeah, very much so. And can we have an agenda before we Yeah, there would still be an an agenda um that it's still an open It's still a open meeting. No, that that we know what we're going to be discussing, right? And it could just be

about the road we just talked about with Clover Valley and we're we're only talking about that because we know it's going to be a lengthy discussion and we'd invite people like Mr. McNally to come out and have I think it would be beneficial as we're going through, you know, with [clears throat] Mr. Sheridan as the interim and Dave as acting sitting, you know, to keep everybody on the same page. It would be beneficial. Yeah. Nicole had a question about what what salary or what what what we're paying

Trevor with MKSK. All that stuff kind of gets flushed out and it also gives So, so we had the resolution with MKSK. If we had this workshop say a month ago that whomever from administration could pick up the phone. Yeah. What do we get in charge at? Senior planner, planner, project manager. What? We have that all information. So that again it just things are already answered that are on our legislation to pass. So next Thursday is the 12th. Is that work for everyone?

The 12th. There is a meeting um in this room, an NCA meeting at 4 pm on that's for the NCA board. Mhm. Okay. Do we want to look at March 26th though? It gives enough time to parks parks and recck meet that night. Yeah, parks and recck time. I mean, we could do 12th if it's after the other meeting. How long do those last two? I don't have any idea. What about the 19th? Dave, if you have a Yeah, I just have a suggestion. I'm listening. Committee the whole

you could run it on one of the same Tuesdays as council and then combine all the other committees and they're going to be shortened on the other uh Tuesday. So you'll have committee the whole once a month and then all the finance, safety and stuff will be on the other Tuesday and shorten it. That would save the city $7,200 a year because we'd have one less meeting. I want to handle facilities and safety and services today. If we did that, that's tight to get all the committ. You'd [clears throat] have to start them at four. You'd have to. Some may not be able to make it. You'd have to start your committees for your like you'd have to start them at four to get through all of them.

It would also save our staff from having to come a whole another night a week. And if the savings is that is genius [clears throat] cuz listen today was a heavy agenda. We're not always going to have that. I like that idea. We got through it, too. We got through it. I say if we do a five for facilities and safety and service at 5:30, we are people available earlier than 5. Well, that's what I brought up. I mean, there are going to be times I know Nicole, you work outside the city. I work outside the city. Not all of us can get here 4:30 on a weekend. My schedule's going to be messed up. I'm I'm just asking just I'm just if we know in ad if we could have this discussion live up. All right. So, do we want to try to

as do finance? Do we want to try to do it on the 17th? Yeah. Committee the whole on the 17th. Well, we'll do finance because we got we just have finance on the 17th because the other two just happened. So, if we do finance and a workshop committee of the whole Oh, yeah. Just see how it goes. Yeah. Yeah. I won't be able to make it. So, well, finance is at We do finance at 4 and then the committee. Yeah.

5:00 p.m. on the 17th. We could do it on the 31st, too. Are you saying move fin? Hey, this month, let's do it on the 31st since it's do it on 31st, too, and just do it on our day. The 31st. That defeats the purpose of the savings. So, it is, but the next month we can get it right. We can discuss this more planet. Okay. I won't be here. Never mind. So I I And listen, you can do it on the 31st. That's okay. We're trying. You can do it on the 31st. We all here. How about tonight? Yeah. [laughter] You can do it on the 31st.

Um I can I can, you know, whatever ends up on agenda. I can um put a narrative together of my thoughts, whatever the case may be. I I'm going to be out of town. Let's do it on the 17th. Do finance at at 5 for half an hour on the 17th and then do 5:30 committee the whole [clears throat] we're good with that. I mean you can't do it go on the 17th that scene in the replacements where they have a huddle. It's a regular council meeting.

Regular council meeting. Well, if we do it, I I don't think there's anything out there that's uh controversial, whether it's a day I'm not there or a day that Nicole's not there, but just to get it going and if we have the agenda, you know, yeah, the agenda if a council member is not able to meet the committee, they can quite yeah, weigh in through uh the city the Mr. the land of you know please share my thoughts on this ABC XYZ whatever it is so the 17th

yep 5:00 finance committee and what time 5:30 committee of the whole work 5:30 all of the Yep. Do you want to go earlier on the finance committee meeting that night? I don't think we'll have much for finance comm. Although I do have one thing. Our audit for 22 and 23 is finalized Friday. Nice. Nice. Okay. So, we can just go over it, scan it. So, it'll be light. We don't need to go at like 4:45. As long as I know in advance, I can adjust schedule. Okay. Thank you. I think it'll be productive and helpful.

That's a good good idea. We need a motion to adjurnn. Did you just motion it? I think I did. I'll second. All in favor? The guy needs his beauty rest.