City Council - Regular Meeting

Saturday. I didn't either. I didn't know.

It is 7:00. It's time to start our meeting and we please call the role. Mr. Barker here. Miss Blind present. Mr. Shu present. Mr. C here. Mr. Hower here. Miss Engle here. Mr. Leutus here. Mr. Marmy present. Mr. Ney here. Miss Newman here. We are all here tonight. You please stand for the prayer by Miss and then please remain standing for the pledge.

Lord we thank you for this new year uh time to begin again Lord. And Lord we thank you for protecting our safety forces God. Keeping your hand over them Lord. Lord, we just pray uh for humility in our in our actions, in all we do, Lord. And we pray, Lord, that we would have foresight as well as discernment, God, that we would do what's best for the city. Lord, help us to look for opportunities again, but to consider the long term of every situation. Lord, we thank you God for all that have come tonight and protect those that have meant to come but are unable to. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Um I would like to welcome my daughter Mirabel Brady to the podium to lead us in the pledge of allegiance. She is a seventh grader at Liberty Middle School. I aliance to the flag of her and the flagis.

Thank you. Are you going to sing them two songs?

All right. Next on the agenda is caucus. Do we have anything that's pertaining to the agenda tonight? Um, Mr. President, Mr. from Army would like to invoke rule 11 on ordinance 26-02 as majority leader and also the minority leader agreed that yeah all right um we have 2602 Amy would please read the ordinance

ordinance number 26-02 by Mr. Marie Miss Engle Mr. cost is blind. An ordinance submitting the question, shall the proposed charter amendment as recommended by the charter review commission of the city of Newark, Lincoln County, Ohio, be adopted to the voters of the city of Newark, Ohio, in declaring an emergency. Further reading 26-2 as your wish. Mr. President, Mr. Marmy, make a motion to adopt ordinance 26-2. Second motion by Mr. Marmy, second by Mr. Cost. Do we have any discussion? Mr. President, Mr. farming.

Yes, Mr. President. This is uh we're we're pushing this through invoking rule 11 because we need to meet a deadline to get it onto the ballot. Um the changes that are happening here, it was pretty much onedimensional. It's just to our notifications and requirements for publication. Uh we're changing the language to make it our choice as far as who we utilize and how we communicate. Um it's should save the city uh somewhere between 25 and $30,000 a year to do this. We have our own tools as far as our website and our different social media um venues that we have. So just think that it's going to be more efficient and a more effective use of our taxpayers dollars. Anybody else?

Any please call the role. Mr. Barker, yes. Miss Blank, yes. Mr. Shu, yes. Mr. C, yes. Mr. Hower, yes. Miss Engle, yes. Muta, yes. Mr. Marmy, yes. Mr. Neely, yes. Miss Newman, yes. 26-2 passes uh 10. Next up, it's minutes of the January 5th meeting 2026. Do I have a motion? Motion second. Got a motion by Mr. Luda, second by Mr. Howler. All in favor say I. All

post same sign passes 10. Next up with appointments, Mayor Hall reappointing Mary Billy to the Combined General Health District Board as one of two city of North representatives. Our new term begins uh March 1st, 2026 and will expire February 28 30 2031 um will be a five-year term. Do I have a All in favor say I?

All post same sign that passes reports of standing committees. There are none this meeting reports from city officials. Ryan Bub the city alder operating report for the period ending December 31st, 2025. Uh Brenda Cooper, tax administrator. uh income tax revenue reports for the period ending December 31st, 2025. Petitions uh Manali vacation running north from uh Morgan Avenue and lying south of Bonner Street. Uh communication keep favor Ohio auditor city of North County single audit January 1st 2024 um through December 31st 2024. for day email communication containing an official request to the city council. Um, next up is comments from citizen. This is your opportunity to come and speak. I ask you to give your name and address. You can comment about three minutes. We have anybody tonight? Okay. Next up is ordinance on the second reading. There are none this meeting. Ordinance on the first reading. There are none this meeting. Resolutions on the second reading. Amy, please read 25-28. Resolution number 25-82 or

82 sorry by Mr. Rat, Mr. Cos, Miss Engle, Mr. Marne, Miss Blind, Mr. Burgerer, a resolution authorizing and directing the director of public service by the city of Newark, Ohio to enter into contract without competitive bidding subject to the appropriation of funds for the purchase of a new dump truck and beds for the water distribution sewer maintenance department through Sourcewell, the state's cooperative purchasing program. Further reading of 25-82 is your wish, Mr. President. Mr. Barker. Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to make a motion to adopt resolution 2582. Second. Got a motion by Mr. Barker, second by Mr. Hower. Do we have any discussion? Abby, please call the role. Mr. Barker? Yes. Miss Blind? Yes. Mr. Shu? Yes. Mr. C? Yes. Mr. Hower? Yes. Miss Engle? Yes. Mr. Mutus?

Yes. Mr. Marmy? Yes. Mr. Neely? Yes. Miss Newman? Yes.

25-82 passes 10. Next up is the resolutions on the first reading. There are none this me meeting. Uh next up is comments from citizens. This your last opportunity. We have anybody tonight. Come on up. What's your name and address please? Hi, I'm Jimmy Fry and my address is 31 Pester Road, East Ohio and I'm here representing um North Area Special Olympics, but we do service linking county but we do share it with uh Southwest and we're just trying to get our name out there some more and uh get some more community help and um resources and also looking for athletes and coaches. is and this is one of um Athan's parents with me um and to support us. So just trying to get us out there some more.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? City officials, law director,

just briefly uh congratulations our excellence on a great Martin Luther King Day breakfast and congratulations to President Harris on his award. But that'll pass. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. She just took the word out. I know how. Yeah, it was a great breakfast yesterday morning. Well turnout and even full weather and uh appreciate what you are posting that are excellent pushing it and uh it's how many years 20 nine I thought. Yeah, next year be the 30th year. So, it's a great way for community to come together on such a great day. Um, and I would say I don't want to forget about uh uh Reverend Charles Noble that kind of was our and I I don't want to compare but our local MLK a little bit and I you have to take that with a a little address but he did so many things in this community and our excellence exists because of that and that school has been truly successful. They're carrying on that legacy of challenge and difference in our community and that networking. Yesterday's word is a bridge and uh I talked about the physical bridges but it's also the emotional bridges and the personal bridges that we create across this community and how well uh very proud of it in many ways in Newark how well we all work together and do things. So uh again thank It was a great breakfast and I look forward to next year's. And Jeff, you were a speaker one year and you were award the next. Maybe next year they might forget about you, but I do that. Thank you very much,

Mr. Barker. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, first name call service committee meeting for February 2nd. Uh, congratulations. I'm sorry I missed it. Yesterday morning you receiving the uh, helping hands award for 2026. Congratulations again. And then I also want to take some time and thank our discretionary charter review committee that uh we we passed that legislation tonight through rule 11. Um getting those committees together can sometimes be a challenge and they were right on it right away. So I want to thank all of those community members uh for taking the time to do that and it's important uh for us here at the city to work with those people uh across party lines at all times. So with that I thank them and I will pass. That's the line.

Hey, thank you Mr. President. Uh, congratulations on your award. You deserve it. Thank you.

And I also want to thank the prize and Mrs. Schwarz for coming. That was you did a great job. Thank you guys for that. Special Olympics plays such a crucial role in our community and any way we can support them. It's well worth the time and energy there. So, thank you again for coming. Uh, recently, uh, Reverend Joel King Jr. spoke at the United Church of Christ and he was a first cousin to Dr. Martin Luther King and it was just a great time just to listen and honor the legacy of Dr. King and uh it was just a great again just a list. Uh I also want to thank the energy cooperative they for no cost to the city uh restored a large site and uh it's made a real difference in the South community. So I appreciate their help. And um quickly four trains are coming. Four. And as a preface, I was going to thank Director M uh for his cooperation in this venture, but even though he's not here, I'll still thank him. Uh we have four trains coming uh to Newark. One, the first will go by, the second one will leave from Newark April 26th, uh 2026 this year. Um it will be part of the Ohio 250 celebration. Uh this is the Ohio Buckeye train. It's a great thing to be able to have this coming past our city and then on the 26th leaving from our city. Uh we will be going from New York to Koshakton and once in Koshakton uh the Goodyear blimp will come and meet the train there and then the train will go on down to

Dennis Depot where there will be a a large celebration with a vintage aircraft flyover car shows uh USO 1940 style music the whole time uh with period players. So, it's going to be a great time. Now, there are still tickets available. So, if you have gotten your tickets for the train that leaves from Newark on the 26th, please do so. If you haven't passed, they're high. And with that, thank you, Mr. Shu. Thank you, Mr. President. I will pass. Mr. Cos, I will pass. Mr. Hower, I'll pass all. Thank you, Mr. Engel.

Um, thank you, Mr. President. Um I I too Jeb congratulate you and uh was excited to be at the table of the star of the day. So thank you very much. Um also I want to thank uh the service department and the roads department. Our streets are looking pretty good as we've had snow and get people out the night before to drop some salt and so forth. And uh I didn't have people coming. The streets are looking good. Last year all they did was come back. So thank you to the streets and roads department. Good.

Thank you Mr. Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to thank our water administrator, Brandon Fox. He reached out to a constituent who had some concerns on issues. So, he was able to reach out to them and help them out. And then congratulations to President Harris on your award yesterday. Those are definitely welld deserved. With that, I will pass. Thank you, Mr. Martin.

Thank you, Mr. President. Need to call a finance committee meeting for February the 2nd. Um, I too want to congratulate you and uh sorry I was unable to attend and wish I I could have seen you receive the reward or award um and uh appreciate all that you do for the community and uh in particular for that event and just the support that you've shown and um you know bringing this whole group even closer to that is greatly appreciated. Um, I too want to thank the charter review board that came together uh quickly as far as um or being organized and just ready to hit the hit the ground running. um along with our law director, she definitely um kept us or kept everybody on track, all the language, had it all together and appreciate what she did to make that happen and um it's greatly appreciated. And with that, I will pass.

Thank you, Mr. Ne. Thank you. I will pass. Miss Newman.

Uh thank you, President Harrison. Again, congratulations. My daughter and I were there. Got to see you get the award. So that was really wonderful. So congrats on that recognition. Um I also have a couple of invitations for everybody to come out to the seventh ward. Um so I don't know if anybody has seen on socials but Arn Bakery the seventh ward just underwent some pretty extensive renovations inside. Um so I think that means everyone needs to get cookies. Um so I think I'll be bringing those along the next council meeting. So just to make sure you're here. Um, but it's an exciting update for, you know, a long-standing institution in the seventh ward. Um, I think this is all food themed because I am also inviting you out. This coming Saturday, the historic Hudson Community Association is having its annual chicken noodle dinner on Saturday. So, it is in the Union Hall on Hudson from 4 to 6:30. Handmade chicken and noodles, sides, mashed potatoes, desserts. There's a silent option. There's going to be live music. Um, it's just a really wonderful day to sit down and break bread with your neighbors. Um, tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids. We have takeout available if you can't stick around. Um, but please come out to the union hall this Saturday, 4 to 6:30. And with that, I'll pass on my food invitations.

Thank you. Um, thank you everyone for the nice um comments. Um, yeah, I'm glad that's over. That's always it's nice to get but it's just kind of embarrassing. But anyway, uh next Friday the uh 30th is the ground hall breakfast. Um bright and early so don't forget about that. Our next meeting will be February the 2nd. And do I have a motion by Mr. C by Mr. Libertus? All in favor say I.