City Council - Regular Meeting

It wasn't enough.

I call to order the city council meeting of 05/12/2026. Clerk, please call the roll.

Comipes? Here. Kramer? Here. Martinez?

Present.

McPherson? Here. Meldon? Morris? Here. Sorontu? Williams? Here. Driscoll? Here. Gaddis? Here. Hobbs? Here.

Jones? Here. Nine present? Please welcome Doctor. Dustin Pearson, Assistant Professor, Department of English and Language and Literature at the University of Toledo for a poetry reading. And

there you go.

What is this?

Well, thank you for the invitation to read a poem. I was asked to read a poem about community, and I figured since it was just Mother's Day, this poem would be a nice way to bridge those two. It's called Exchange Rate. What comes over me that day on the phone? Now, more than ever, my mother and I talk to each other as people in an unspoken agreement to shut the groomed heirs of parents and children.

You didn't get the life you deserved, I say. But in our thirties and sixties, neither life is over. She made a joke, thinking about prospects and regrets. She said, you know, at my age, no one sees the woman in the mirror I see. When I stand in front of mirrors noting, sooner than I imagined, the uneven exchange rate of decay between a body and a mind, and the doubt it brings to me and spectators alike.

I too hope to cast a life larger than itself in its elaborations, Knowing not every moment can be imbued with grace or contained and presented with symmetry. When that life whittles in oceans and wind down to nobody to walk past or render, I hope I won't see the stain the dye makes as waste. Thank you.

Thank you.

Please stand for the pledge of allegiance to our flag and the singing of the national anthem by Juice House, the University of Toledo staff and student choir. Council member Cole Mives.

Thank you so much. I just wanna take a moment to thank doctor Dustin Pearson for for gracing us with poetry today. I think it's always important to bring in folks with different perspectives than just having a religious body for us. So I'm really grateful that he was able to make it. Dustin Pearson is the author of A Season in Hell with Rimbaud, winner of the 2024 Nancy Dasher Book Award, Millennial Roost, and A Family is a House.

In 2019, The Root named Justin Dustin one of nine black poets working in academic, cultural, and government institutions committed to elevating and preserving the poetry art form. He's an assistant professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at UT where he teaches creative writing and literature. So we're super grateful to Dustin for joining us. And then also to our Juice House Choir, thank you so much for taking time. It's a mixture from what I understand of students and UT faculty.

And I did hear that at least one of you drove, like, forty minutes to be here today because you're not in session anymore. So thank you for your dedication to music and all that it brings to to life. Founded in 2014, Juice House started with a group of UT students, faculty, and alumni who came together with a desire to give back to their campus and their city. What began as an idea to give free, healthy juice to overworked med students on the health science campus has be since become a student organization and community endeavor to cultivate a positive, healthy social e ecology for all students and members on UT's campus. Today, members of Juice House include both community members, UToledo, students, faculty, staff, and alumni dedicated to improving our city.

So thank you so much for gracing us with your incredible talents today. It's definitely appreciated. Thank you. You and you all are welcome to stay for our council meeting if you like. Most people don't, and if you stay, you might find out why. So

I love it.

Thank you so much.

Councilwoman Morris.

Thank you so much for gracing us with your beautiful voices today. It it we were just saying it just gave us chills. So I don't know who drove the forty minutes, but it was well worth it.

Actually, one hour and ten minutes.

Oh. Even more. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And we understand if you don't wanna stay, but thank you again for gracing us.

It was a beautiful way to start our meeting.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank

you. I will recognize councilwoman McPherson. Clerk, please begin with the resolutions in attendance recognizing WGTE FM ninety one on their fiftieth anniversary. Ms. Kam, members from GTE.

Shane, that's you.

Council members Melden, Morris, Sorantu, and Hobbs present resolution one seventy six dash 26 recognizing WGTE FM ninety one on their fiftieth anniversary. Whereas WGTE FM ninety one has served the residents of Toledo and the surrounding region for fifty years as a trusted source of music, news, cultural programming, and community engagement. And whereas since its founding on 05/02/1976, f m ninety one has provided diverse and inclusive programming that reflects the real voices, interests, and experiences of the Toledo community. And whereas WGTE FM ninety one is the only radio station in the area that continues to play classical music, and whereas FM ninety one has played a vital role in promoting local artists, supporting public discourse, and fostering civic participation through its broadcast and outreach efforts. And whereas the station has demonstrated a long standing commitment to education and the enrichment of listeners through its high quality programming, and whereas FM ninety one's dedicated staff, volunteers, and supporters have contributed to its longevity and success, ensuring that it remains a valued institution in Toledo's cultural landscape, and whereas the civic city of Toledo recognizes the importance of independent and community oriented media in strengthening civic life and preserving local identity.

Now, therefore, it be resolved that we celebrate and honor FM ninety one on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary and commend its enduring service to the Toledo community.

Suspension. Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comives?

Yes.

Cramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu?

Yes.

Williams?

Yes.

Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Resolution adopted.

Thank you very much. I'm the radio station manager of WGTE FM. My name is Brad Creswell. I know some of you I've seen before and talked with you on the radio before, but we thank you for this fifty year anniversary recognition. We hope to have more years in the future.

So here's to another fifty years. I mean, it's wonderful that I came here seventeen years ago from the NPR station in New York, and I was immediately impressed, and I've stayed here. Toledo is a wonderful place to work, to play, to live, and we take a small part in trying to get that message out to everybody. So we thank you for the recognition.

Anyone else?

I'm Dale Thornton, the interim president and CEO of WGTE. A lot has changed with media over the years as we all know and probably not more so than with public media today. But one thing hasn't changed and that's our relationship with the city and our support of the city and our efforts to continue to bring the city the programming that they're used to and that they love and that we hope to continue, as Brad said, for another fifty years. Thank you for this recognition.

Thank you. Councilwoman McPherson.

Thank you. Congratulations. And I wanna say thank you for allowing our young people to come and experience WGTE and one of the programs with Shoot This.

Not that.

Not that. Thank you for opening up the doors to our young people so they could they could hands on experience TV and other things. So I personally wanna say thank you and fifty more years of WGTE. Thank you.

Councilwoman Morris.

Thank you, president Williams. And it's wonderful to have you here. My worlds are are are merging, not even colliding, they're just merging. And I don't know if many of you know, but prior to working with for Marcy Capter, my first big girl job was WGTE. And in 1994, I was a TV thirty auction assistant, and we had 2,000 community volunteers, and one of them is on this dais over there.

And he'll tell you about some of the things that he did when he was there, but he was one of my auctioneers, and I just remember that my boss, Bob Barb Conway said it was going to be the hardest job I was going to ever have, and I don't think she was correct. But, it was interesting because at that time we were over at 136 North Huron, and we were in two different buildings that weren't necessarily contiguous, and if there was something going on in the studio, you had to walk around the block to get into the building. And I didn't have a printer, and if I needed to change something, had to take my little disc and I had to walk outside and hope somebody wasn't at that computer, and then print it, and then walk back. It was people don't understand how things used to be. You used to get stuck in the elevator on a very regular basis, and one of the best things that they had was 25¢ pop that was down in the basement.

I was also a member of the Sesame Street Sluggers baseball team, that was for one season and that was enough for me. But we had companies, many companies that underwrote this endeavor, and they came with money, but they also came with their volunteers. People would take off the entire week, week and a half for the auction. They underwrote it. It was really the precursor to home shopping.

It was the precursor to Amazon. And it's really interesting because coming full circle, I served as on the board for nine years and also as the chairperson of the board for nearly two years. And whether it's classical music, whether it's educational resources, whether it's the Voices Around Us podcast, which is amazing. And if you have not listened to it, shame on you because it it features local people talking about all of the different things that are wonderful in our community, whether it's history, aging, religion, culture, women's issues, arts, legal. There's so many different things that we're talking about and addressing.

So, while public media is in transition, it's really under attack, and losing federal funding

is

just imperative that we continue sustaining this jewel in our community, and WGTE has been our study, and so we thank you for fifty years of service, service, and we're looking to fifty more and then fifty more. So thank you.

Council councilman Sorantu.

Thank you, madam president. I have a little perspective because I was a long time volunteer for the channel thirty auction. And I vividly remember in 1976, former station manager Bob Smith, god bless his soul, really dreamed about having FM ninety one, and it happened on his watch. And he was so pleased that night of the auction to announce that that was gonna be the premier of FM ninety one, and that was a great achievement. Not just what Bob did, but the entire staff and the board of trustees of WGTE making that a reality.

And it's it's made a tremendous difference in our community as has WGTE television, which started in about the early sixties out of the University of Toledo. So I remember those auctions. They were great. As many of you know, I can't pass the physical to be a fireman, but I hosted the firehouse quickie board, and it was a lot of fun. But we had a great auction.

It's been a great community center. And what really impressed me so much, all the volunteers that we had, literally people would take their vacation time from work to work the channel thirty auction for a whole week, and it was a tremendous success. So councilwoman Morris is absolutely correct. It was the forerunner of Home Shopping Network and Amazon and so forth because people just loved it. So congratulations to all of you. You're doing a great job and hopefully people will realize in Washington and in Columbus what a great service public television and public radio is to the citizens of this country. Thank you.

Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, madam president. I so I don't have the real world experience of volunteering a little before my time, but I I certainly grew up watching WGTE and being introduced to a gentleman that introduced the world to happy trees and happy clouds and the diversity of understanding how civics works and how you know science was brought into the schools when we may not have had the full capacity to have full teachers. But through your programming, we're able to expose children at an early age to the wonders of the world in science and travel and culture and Toledo stories and and and. But I would be remiss if I didn't, from a very personal perspective, of giving opportunities to voices locally to start their own programs like Voices Latinas back in the day. And now you're doing podcasts, you're adapting to social media and that's awesome what you guys are doing and it sucks that your funding got cut.

It was a almost a tearing out of the heart of a lot of our public education because we a lot lot of us grew up watching WGTE and the programming you guys did growing up. So all I can say is thank you and keep up the fight. You're not alone. And I sincerely appreciate all of your hard work and creativeness into filling those funding gaps. I listen to NPR all the time and I sincerely appreciate all the hosts and what you guys do. And thank you, and we look forward to another fifty years. Thank you.

All right, well you guys can come on and take a picture with your sponsors and the council if you will. Clerk, can you continue on with the second resolution in attendance?

Council president Williams and councilwoman Morris present resolution one seventy seven dash twenty six, recognizing the twenty fifth anniversary of the Toledo crisis intervention team?

We're gonna send this into committee, the public safety committee. We have a lot of people that's involved in the crisis intervention team, we're gonna send this in and we're gonna bring this back up because it's twenty five years next year, it'll be twenty five years, so we'll put that in committee and then we'll bring that out next month. And I now turn this meeting over to council member Nick Colmives.

Clerk, will you please continue with new items from city council?

Councilman Hobbs presents ordinance one seventy eight dash 26 authorizing the expenditure of $77,004,440 dollars from the capital improvement fund district improvement program for the purchase and installation of speed feedback signage in District 1 authorizing the mayor to execute the necessary contract and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Passage.

Comives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu? Yes. Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed.

Councilwoman Morris presents ordinance one seventy nine dash 26 authorizing the expenditure of $17,000 from the capital improvement fund district improvement program for the purchase and installation of lighted stop signs in District 6 authorizing the mayor to execute the necessary contract and declaring an emergency.

Suspension.

Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Passage.

Comaibes? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez?

Yes.

McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorrento?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed? Council president Williams presents ordinance one eighty dash 26, repealing ordinance number four eighty three dash 19 passed on 10/01/2019, authorizing the mayor to enter into a grant agreement with the Toledo Warehouse District Association to support the purchase and installation of street furnishings in the Warehouse District neighborhood authorizing the expenditure of $25,000 from the capital improvement fund district improvement program for site furnishings in District 4 and declaring an emergency. First read.

Please continue with the noise from the administration.

Council member Comives presents the following four items from the Department of Public Service ordinance one eighty one dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into a five year agreement with the option for five one year renewals with Republic Services for curbside refuse and recycling collection services authorizing the annual expenditure of an amount not to exceed 13,200,000 plus any additional fuel charges from the general fund for said services waiving the competitive bidding requirements of TMC chapter one eighty seven and declaring an emergency.

To sustainability and beautification.

Ordinance one eighty two dash 26 amending the Toledo municipal code by repealing section seventeen twenty five point one four titled removal of personal property after an eviction, amending sections 90 nine sixty three point o one definitions, enacting new sections nine sixty three point two six bulk collection and nine sixty three point two seven, set outs, and nine sixty three point nine nine, penalty for the purposes of addressing improper set outs, enforcing bulk collection compliance, and alleviating blight.

To the sustainability and beautification committee.

Ordinance one eighty three dash 26, repealing section nine sixty three point o three b of the Toledo municipal code and enacting a new section nine sixty three point o three b to revise the monthly solid waste fees and declaring an emergency. To sustainability and beautification, please. Ordinance one eighty four dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into and execute necessary agreements with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, OEPA, for purposes of the 2026 community and litter grant authorizing acceptance, deposit, appropriation, and expenditure of grant proceeds in the amount of a $100,000 into the operation grants fund authorizing the expenditure of $25,000 from the general fund 1% for the environment for grant matching obligations, authorizing the acceptance, deposit, appropriation, and expenditure collected, authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award contracts for the purchase of services and other necessary items to carry out the terms of this grant and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komipes, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Passage.

Com Ives?

Yes.

Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu? Yes. Williams?

Yes.

Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs? Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed.

Councilman Martinez presents the following four items from the Department of Public Utilities. Ordinance one eighty five dash 26, authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award a contract for a period of up to two years with the option to renew for one year for the removal, hauling, and beneficial reuse of spent lime produced by the division of water treatment, authorizing the expenditure of an amount not to exceed 5,500,000 annually over the term of the contract from the water operating fund and declaring an emergency.

First reading. Councilman Martinez.

Thank you, madam president. This is first reading, but we are having a committee hearing tomorrow on water quality. This will be the third item on the agenda to discuss. I do not wanna hold this up. However, depending on how the hearing goes tomorrow, this may refer back to committee. Hopefully, we'll get a lot of the questions answered tomorrow. What I'm trying to avoid is another snafu like last year. This is definitely important that we do get this resolved in a very manageable way that doesn't impact our community as it did last time. So if you have any interest, we're having a committee hearing, and this will be the third item on the agenda tomorrow, at 4PM. Thank you.

Ordinance one eighty six dash 26 authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed a $100,000 from the water replacement fund for the Heather Downs pump station in fluent valve project authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract for the purchase of pump station valves, waiving the competitive bidding requirements of TMC chapter one eighty seven and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Comibes, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comibes, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Passage.

Comaibes?

Yes.

Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu? Yes. Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes. Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones?

Yes. Ordinance passed. Ordinance one eighty seven dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into a one year contract with Business Inc for the basin's refurbishment project authorizing an expenditure not to exceed $100,000 from the water operating fund for said project, waiving the competitive bidding requirements of TMC chapter one eighty seven and declaring an emergency.

Suspension. Komives, Kramer, Martinez, Mc McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Komives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorrento? Yes. Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs? Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed. Ordinance one eighty eight dash 26 authorizing the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $15,000 annually from the water operating fund to provide payment of the city of Toledo Department of Public Works membership dues to the Association of Ohio Drinking Water Agencies Incorporated for years '2 2026, 2027, and 2028, and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Emergency. Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Com Ives.

Yes.

Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorantu? Yes. Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs? Yes. Jones?

Yes.

Ordinance passed. Councilwoman McPherson presents the following item from the Department of Human Resources, ordinance one eighty nine dash 26, authorizing an expenditure not to exceed $36,000 from the general fund employee engagement committee for the provision of an employee engagement activity with the Toledo Mudhens baseball club and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorantu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones?

Yes. Ordinance passed. Councilwoman McPherson presents the following item from the Department of Parks and Youth Services, ordinance one ninety dash 26, authorizing the expenditure of $542,179 from the general fund for youth engagement and development initiatives, authorizing the mayor to enter into necessary agreements for these initiatives and declaring an emergency.

Suspension.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Emergency. Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Komis? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes.

Driscoll? Yes. Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed. Councilman Melden presents the following item from the Department of Development, ordinance one ninety one dash 26, authorizing the mayor to enter into a grant agreement with the Toledo Warehouse District Association for improvements necessary to support the Huron Street furnishing project authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed $25,000 from the city center tax increment financing municipal fund and declaring an emergency.

Suspension. Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comaevs? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed. Councilman Sorantu presents the following item from the Department of Finance, ordinance one ninety two dash 26, authorizing the mayor to enter into subscription agreement for a term not to exceed three years for the OpenGov budgeting and planning, reporting, and transparency platform authorizing the annual expenditure of an amount not to exceed $229,473 from the general fund waiving the competitive bidding requirements of t m c chapter one eighty seven and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes. Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed.

Councilman Driscoll presents the following four items from the Department of Transportation. Ordinance one ninety three dash 26.

Councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, council president. I wanted to let council and members of the committee know we've scheduled a transportation committee hearing for the twenty first at 02:00 to discuss this ordinance. And so I think we ought to move this to committee to the transportation committee.

Okay. Okay.

He she has to read it first.

Authorizing the mayor to enact an annual license fee upon the operation of motor vehicles on public roads and highways, authorizing the acceptance and deposit all license fee revenues into the street construction maintenance and repair

fund? Councilman Driscoll.

Just just for the record, I I don't call on myself. You call on me. I'm I move that we move this ordinance to the transportation committee.

Okay. Ordinance one ninety four dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into cooperative grant agreements with and accept financial assistance from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for a construction project, authorizing the acceptance, deposit, appropriation, and expenditure of grant proceeds into the capital improvement fund in an amount not to exceed $50,000 authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award contracts related to the design and construction and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comives? Yes. Kramer?

Yes.

Martinez? McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorantu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed.

Ordinance one ninety five dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into a cooperative grant agreements with and accept financial assistance from Lucas County for design and construction projects, authorizing the acceptance deposit appropriation and expenditure of grant proceeds into the capital improvement fund in an amount not to exceed $9,892,573, authorizing the mayor to execute all necessary documentation for the grants, authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award contracts related to the design and construction and declaring an emergency.

Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Komives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Sorantu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs? Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed? Ordinance one ninety six dash 26 authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 from the unappropriated balance of the Franklin Park Westfield Municipal Public Improvement Tax Increment Fund TIF for a design project, authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award contracts for this project and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorrento, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comaevs? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Cimratu? Yes. Williams?

Yes.

Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes.

Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed?

Councilman Hobbs presents the following three items from the Department of Police Operations. Ordinance one ninety seven dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into a Toledo Police impound lot management services agreement for initial term of five years with an option to renew for an additional five years authorizing the annual expenditure of an amount not to exceed $2,471,617.35 from the municipal toll lot fund, waiving the competitive bidding provisions of TMC chapter one eighty seven and declaring an emergency. First reading. Ordinance one ninety eight dash 26 authorizing the mayor to enter into a grant agreement and accept and deposit grant funds from the criminal justice coordinating council for the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance Assistance, Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program in the amount of $152,792.78, authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of funds from the Operation Grants Fund, authorizing the general fund expenditure of an amount not to exceed $5,000, authorizing the waiving the competitive bid requirements of chapter one eighty seven of the Toledo municipal code and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Com Ives,

Ordinance one ninety nine dash 26 authorizing the mayor to accept a grant in the amount of $331,951.92 from the state of Ohio for police officer training authorizing the deposit appropriation and expenditure of said funds authorizing the mayor to accept bids and award contracts and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Com Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion

carried. Emergency.

Come Ives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Come Ives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson? Yes. Morris? Yes. Sorontu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Druskell?

Yes. Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs?

Yes. Jones? Yes. Ordinance passed.

Councilwoman Jones presents the following four items from the Department of Housing and Community Development, ordinance 200 dash 26, authorizing the mayor to accept deposit appropriate and expend the emergency solutions grant in the amount of $619,354 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund emergency solutions grant program activities authorizing submission to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development of the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven annual action plan and declaring an emergency. To the Housing and Community Development Committee. Ordinance two zero one dash 26 authorizing the disappropriation of $7,550.18 from the previous emergency solutions grant year, authorizing the reappropriation and expenditure of $7,550.18 from the unappropriated balance of the ESG operating grant fund and declaring an emergency. Suspension.

Komives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried.

Emergency.

Comives, Kramer, Martinez, McPherson, Morris, Sorontu, Williams, Driscoll, Gaddis, Hobbs, Jones. Motion carried. Passage. Comives? Yes. Kramer? Yes. Martinez? Yes. McPherson?

Yes.

Morris? Yes. Sorantu?

Yes.

Williams? Yes. Driscoll?

Yes.

Gaddis? Yes. Hobbs? Yes. Jones?

Yes. Ordinance passed. Ordinance two zero two dash 26 authorizing the mayor to accept, deposit, appropriate, and expend the home investment partnership program grant in the amount of $1,971,147.86 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of funding the 2026 home investment partnership program authorizing the expenditure of home carryover funds from all years prior to program year twenty twenty five thirty fourth in the amount of $5,759,943 and authorizing submission to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven annual action plan and declaring an emergency.

To the Housing and Community Development Committee.

Ordinance two zero three dash 26 authorizing the mayor to accept deposit appropriate and expend the community development block grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $7,026,026 authorizing the expenditure of CDBG carryover funds from all years prior to program year 2025, the fifty first, in the amount of 985,000 authorizing submission to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development of the twenty twenty six twenty twenty seven annual action plan and declaring an emergency.

To the housing and community community development committee, please. Clerk, please continue with the clerk reports.

Under the clerk reports, it's ordinance two zero four dash 26 declaring the intent to vacate a portion of Bismarck Street lying north of Swan Creek located in the city of Toledo,

County, Ohio, and declaring an emergency. First reading, please.

Swan That completes our agenda. Council member Comey's first call.

Thank you so much, clerk. I move to dispense with the reading of the Toledo city City Journal for the city council meeting of 04/28/2026.

Seeing no objections, so moved.

I move to excuse councilwoman McPherson for non attendance at the city council meeting of 04/28/2026 and councilman Saran two for non attendance of the agenda review meeting of 05/06/2026.

Seeing no objections are ordered.

I just have a couple of things today to to mention. First, I just wanna share a little update with you all that I had today about the Omni Polymers site with some EPA representatives. It's in District 1. And they've been working there for some time since September of last year, and it looks like they're on track to remove, remediate any chemicals or other toxin toxic material by June or July of this year. So it's a really exciting development for our city.

And a big thank you to the EPA for their work. Also, I got a new tree planted in my yard, a new city tree over the weekend. So it's lot of people. Thrilled to have it. I've been asking for it for a while, so I'm really grateful to have a new tree in my yard. And last I just wanted to mention that the solid waste and bulk set out ordinances will be heard at the sustainability and beautification committee hearing that takes place on May 20 at two p. M. I'd encourage everybody to attend if you're able. And that's all I have today, clerk. Thank you.

Councilwoman Kramer, first call.

Thank you, clerk. I just wanted to take a minute and congratulate all the graduates for 2026. I had the opportunity to attend a graduation last week, two of them last week. And my son's girlfriend graduated from the University of Toledo, so we're really excited for Ashlyn Gurney. But all the graduates, it's very exciting time.

And I also wanted to give a big kudos to the students at ANSAT, the Academy of Natural Science and Technology, I believe it's called. They had a plant sale this weekend, the day before Mother's Day, which is just perfect. And all the students were there working and they could really explain all the plants and, you know, what they all were and where they flourished. So I just wanna give a big shout out to them because that was really incredible to see. And we were overachievers and we bought a lot of stuff that day.

And I also wanted to thank all of those folks who planned the EcoFest at the Glass City Metro Park this weekend. It was a fantastic event, and there were a lot of people there. It was a great day for it, and it really just showed that how many people really care about sustainable items and living in a way that is environmentally conscious. Tartar was there with one of their electric vehicles. So, you know, we it was just a lot of different organizations working together to make sure people understand how they can, you know, live more sustainably and environmentally conscious way. So thank you very much.

Councilman Martinez, first call.

Thank you, madam chair. I don't have much, today. Just a reminder to all the District 2 residents in Broadway, Harvard Terrace area. Looks like we're gonna have the dark frog dash, So there's going be some street closures. We posted on social media just to remind everyone because a lot of times nobody knows and you're trying to get out of your driveway at eight, 09:00 in the morning and you're stuck.

So I want to make sure that we got the information out ahead of time. We do have a water quality meeting tomorrow. So we want to make sure there's a lot of questions around the spent lawn contract and the previous vendors and want to make sure that we have a good conversation about it because really this is the only opportunity we have to have the conversation because once we approve this we will not get to a say in who gets the contract or how it's spent so to speak. So I want to make sure that all the questions are answered and that the community has a voice, can voice their concerns. And then also, yeah, think that's it.

Pretty happy mother belated Mother's Day to everyone and thank you.

Councilwoman McPherson, first call.

Thank you, clerk. Just glad to be back a little bit. Don't don't everybody say nothing. At the council meetings, I'm glad to be back at council meetings. I would like to give a shout out to Republic because of the work that they so graciously did and came back and did on on my street.

So don't get the big head, y'all, but keep doing what you're doing. People are watching closely. And to Councilman Komai's excitement about the trees, I got a call today, they weren't excited about the tree. So glad some are excited about the trees that are being planted in front of their house, but they are those that would have liked to have been asked whether or not they were gonna if they wanted that tree in front of their house. I ain't mentioning no names.

They are in the room. So just FYI, for the rest of the citizens that are not aware or didn't get a notice, you may see some planters out in front of your house planting trees because this is the season and the city will be planting trees. That is it. Thank you guys for your cards and your calls and your visits. I really appreciate it, everything and everybody checking up on me, and I will be in and out still. But thank you.

Councilwoman Morris, first call.

Thank you, clerk, and welcome back to my sister over there. I just wanted to give a shout out to all of the poll workers who ably continue our elections every so often. You know, people have to be there by 05:30 and they leave upwards of 09:30. So we're talking about a sixteen hour day on top of three hours of training, on top of setting up the polling location the night before. And yes, it is compensated, but it is not compensated enough.

So just wanted to give a shout out to all of them who, like I said, keep us moving. And a reminder that the outdoor farmers market is open, you know, it's always open year round, but the sides have come off and all of the different vendors are out there. So please if you have a moment, you know, stop by. There are so many different local businesses that are there on top of all of the great produce that is grown in our region. And then lastly, thank you to you all.

The joke was on me that Uno de Mayo was actually party for my birthday, part of it, and it was a big surprise party. So thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. I truly appreciate it and I'm very blessed to have wonderful colleagues. So thank you.

Councilman Sorantu, first call.

Thank you. This past week, we lost a great Toledoan and a very vibrant city employee, Dan Hiskey. And, you know, Dan served as the city treasurer. He served as the deputy mayor under mayor Finkebiner, and he also served us as a city auditor, and he did a great job. Dan was also a seasoned instructor at the University of Toledo in public finance.

And when he was here as a city auditor, he was just a tremendous help to all the council members. And just it's just a real loss because he he really made a difference in the city, and he loved the city. And he's a he had tremendous amount of integrity. And he was also a Vietnam veteran. He never talked about that, but that's the way Dan was. He didn't brag about himself. He just did the job and was always there to help us. So our sympathies go out to the community because it it is a great loss. That's all I have. Thank you.

Councilman Driscoll, first call.

Thank you, clerk. Yeah. Happy belated Mother's Day. A thing I'll bring up about my mother is she retired last week. Friday was her last day. Well, technically, she has one more day she has to work because she's gonna use up her sick time. So she's come back in two weeks, but she's calling it a retirement. So why why can't we? Congrats, mom. She worked, very hard her whole life and and pretty much always had two jobs, sometimes three, and at one point, four jobs. She was working four jobs. So she's a hard worker. She's earned this, and I'm I'm happy for I just wanna say I won't get a chance. We won't have a meeting then, but I do wanna say happy birthday to my wife a week from took week from yesterday. So next week is her birthday.

I also wanna say just a a lot of gratitude for the way the city approaches and administration approaches the work that gets done in the Old West End ahead of old West End festival. It's it's clear that they take it seriously. And as resident there, I can tell, but also everybody lives in the neighborhood. It's a huge appreciation that we get all the work and infrastructure work done or we try to ahead of festival. It's it's the biggest neighborhood festival every year and just shows that we are paying attention to what's going on in the community.

Obviously, everyone has big parties. The neighbor my neighbor, Caddy Corner to me, has a big party every year. So this is a huge this is a huge festival, and we appreciate what they do. Like I said, twenty first, we're having at 02:00, we're gonna have a transportation committee meeting to talk about the license plate fee. Look, don't none of this stuff is ever fun to do, but I know some members had questions about this. And from my vantage point, it seems necessary, but we at least need to answer the questions that council members have on this before we move forward. And that's all I have. Thank you.

Council member Gaddis, first call.

Thank

you. It's biggest week in American birding here in Northwest Ohio, and it's a festival that brings people from all over the world and brings $40,000,000 into our economy. So if you get some time, get out there and look at the birds. With that, I yield my time.

Councilman Hobbs, first call.

I have nothing. Thank you.

Councilwoman Doctor. Jones, first call.

Thank you, clerk. Well, first, happy birthday to my twins. First birthday today. They have grown so much, they're already running around and it's been a crazy household in the Jones household right now. But, I'm looking forward to celebrating the day and they're having a party this weekend, so it's gonna be very, very fun.

So Zanaya and Deuce or Justin the second if you wanna be technical but happy birthday babies, mommy loves you. And now on to business. So May 14 this Thursday we'll be having a housing community development and public health hearing going over CDBG. That's just an opportunity for council members or public to have extra questions providing the applicants to this round of CDBG and just to get some more clarity on just that process and what they looked for when choosing these recipients as well. So that will be at 02:30 on the 21st Floor, so hopefully you can join us for that.

I would like to of course do a belated Mother's Day as it actually has been a busy weekend. On Saturday I had the honor of being one of the speakers in a fireside chat with my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Toledo Alumni Chapter for the Breakfast Form a Lady fundraiser that happens around the first Saturday every May. We had the opportunity of awarding four seniors with $12,000 in scholarships and then I also had the honor of speaking with my other SOAR, Ebony Carter over at the chamber with Minority Business Assistance Center and we had a very, very good conversation. We also had one of the members from SWV to be a mistress of ceremonies and so it was a very, very nice event and we basically just, it was just very, very well received.

It's not my fault you didn't come.

So also happening for the rest of this month, actually tomorrow I'm continuing with my front porch talks. Tomorrow it will be at West Toledo Library. This is just an opportunity for residents to come and learn more about what's happening at council, any questions that is being asked of what we're talking about, discussions, as well as just getting updates of just different services from the city. Next week it will be on the eighteenth at Mott Branch and then on the twenty first at Sanger Branch and all of these start at six p. M.

So it's open to the public. You do not have to live in the neighborhood in order to attend one of these. I hold these basically this is the second year doing this and I plan to continue doing this as a way to keep our residents informed about what we're doing. Also, on May 20, that is a Wednesday, we are, myself hosting with Delta Hotels over off of Glendale, basically the first food truck rally for food truck rodeo, however you wanna call it, that will be from five to 07:30 at the Delta Hotel, was previously the Radisson, and currently we have about over 30 food trucks that will be present, so come out if you are still interested in being a vendor or a food truck that wants to be part of this, it's free. All that we ask is that you will be able to donate at least 10% of your revenue to connecting kids to meals.

So that is the end all result of this. So looking forward to having that, hoping the weather holds out a little bit more, but if not, we still gonna have it. So, but just come out, enjoy a lot of cuisine, there's a lot of different trucks that'll be out there and it'll be an exciting time. So other than that, I yield my time.

Ms. Council President Williams, first call.

Ms. I just want to thank Mac for keeping the corny dad jokes going with the word of the day. Thank you so much. It was a horrible, horrible, horrible representation of what Sam would have did. So I thank you for carrying it on, It was just horrible. Thank you so much. Meeting adjourned. It was poor.