City Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay. The public comment period of city commissions called to order. Clerk, call the role. Mr. Rickettts here. Mr. Riggsby here. Mrs. Tacket here. Mr. Wallace here. Mr. R

here. So, our comment period, I do not have my script tonight, so I'm going to give you uh as much information I can from memory, but during our comment period time, we're ask that you fill out information on the yellow card and provide the correct information. If you do that and you don't have the correct information on there, you can't speak tonight or the next meeting. Uh during the comment period, you'll have three minutes to speak. Uh and if you uh after you speak and if you cause a disruption, you'll be asked to leave. And if you have uh done that on se three separate occasions, you will not be able you will not be invited back and you'll be considered trespass from our meeting. We want to respect your first amendment's right and we'll be doing that tonight. Uh as we affirm that we just would like an environment where people can share their thoughts or their opinions, their uh questions and concerns and also uh joy of living in Springfield. So that's what we'll do. We'll start our meeting tonight uh with Jamal Smith. Jamal, you go to a microphone.

Welcome. Welcome. Thank you. Um, I'm here tonight to sit in on the uh the uh issue that we have coming up with core 4 and I just want to thank council and everyone here for uh being a part of Springfield. This is my this is my year and a half since I've moved here to Springfield and it's been a very exciting and enjoyable time. I just want to thank everyone on the council here and on the board and just say thank you and uh that's all I have so far. Thank

Thank you very much. Um I I would like to say I would like to thank you and and uh the rest of the BSC and the core for organization for taking that risk and being a pioneer and jumping in on that side of town. So, I appreciate you and I appreciate everything you're doing and the activities that you're doing there to to bring people together that usually don't get to sit together and of all of all walks of life. So, I appreciate what you're doing and and I'm very thankful for you and your organization.

Thank you, Darlene. I um several weeks ago I spoke on the panh pan handling problem we have in Springfield years ago it was deregulated because of freedom of speech. Mr. Hex said he would get back to me which he did. After researching, I informed him that governments can impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, provided these regulations are contentneutral, and serve a significant government interest such as public safety, such as obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic, which I feel is the problem with the location of the pan handlers in our city. Mr. Hec recommended I provide and provided contact numbers to our federal legislators. Mike Turner and future representative Jim Jordan. When I contacted the office of Mike Turner, I was told they're federal and this is a local matter. Yesterday, there was pan handler on the Beal [clears throat] and Hillrest Strip and on the corner of North Beal and Troy Road. It was 26°. Current as of 2024, Ohio section 4511.51 says, "No person shall stand on a highway for the purpose of soliciting employment, business, or contributions from the auction of any vehicle. I and many other citizens of this community feel the distraction and disruption in traffic at those locations and other hightra areas pose a threat to public safety. Pan handlers have a right to relocate. The city has a right to regulate the location. It's in the power of this board and Jill Allen, the city's legal representative, to make this resolution. Thank you for attention to this matter.

Thank you, Diane Daniels.

Good evening, everyone. I'd just like to make a couple of points tonight. Um, I've been speaking with several people within the community and I just had a nice conversation with this gentleman right here. I think we're moving in the right direction with our infill. And what I'm most concerned about is pausing any future expansion outside, making more annexations and so forth until we get our ship in place here within the city rather than concentrating so much energy on 4,000 $400,000 homes and $300,000 homes when infill homes won't cost that much. So this young this fellow right here with his new project off of Uclid Avenue is the example that I would like to see a lot more of. Second item is I go to county commissioner meetings every week and it's a completely different flavor. We've been moving forward with uh community engagement in at county commissioner meetings and it's so refreshing to stand up at the podium, ask a question and have some back and forth dialogue and I would like to see that started here in some way, shape or form. Thank you.

Thank you Diane. And answer to your question about the housing or at least your and to your comment um what the city did engage uh with several years ago was a comprehensive housing study. And so, uh, not only are has [clears throat] the city wanted to partner with opportunities, uh, and property owners to develop, uh, what you've seen out in the, uh, out in the outreach of the city, but also infill projects are very important and there have been several one of those, several of those. So, this is it's a comprehensive effort, not just one direction effort. So, uh, one of the, uh, studies showed that there were a need for houses in the market that you're seeing in those developments. And there's also a need to have opportunities where people can invest in their current properties within some of the more legacy neighborhoods. And what we did is we created a community reinvestment um, opportunity and act that people if they did invest like say $50,000 in their property, they would not have to pay the tax increase on that. So, incentivize people to invest in those properties. So it is something that we do focus on Logan Cobbs and and and her oper her uh position she also uh helps with this as well our department what I was looking thanks for bringing it up and it is something we continue to look at it is not just looking for other large developments although it's a part of it thank you Vernon Bass

[cough and clears throat] [cough] [clears throat]

Thank for having me. I'm uh uh here with uh Smith and uh we both represent uh 44. Uh we appreciate you uh committee for help out there 608 guys at support. Uh we'd love guys to uh support us and uh help us out there in that uh the one thing also that I like to talk about is illegal. You know, I was a police officer here for 30 years of several calls where people dump trash all over and we go around and look through the trash, find out who dumped it or where trash come from. And sometimes uh I guess you find the people who did the illegal dumping and sometimes I don't know what have I ever know what ever came of that issue. But uh until it happens to you, you know, that's when you start saying can't believe I just had a $600 fine imposed on myself, Mr. Smith. Someone dumped my property, which uh had a guy go out to clean up galley, do a couple of things to kind of make that area on Grand Street look good. I thought it looked, but they said that someone from the city sent someone out, cut the trees back off the alley, do a couple of different things, and you know, I didn't think it was worth $630, but uh paid fine. But if you guys could come up with some solution to help [clears throat] the person that having items dumped on their prop of you know see what you guys come up

department at county the city. Thank you.

Yes. I actually serve on the uh Clark County solid waste uh advisory board and um we do have a a program that that looks at the illegal dumping. It's it's a problem throughout the county. It's it's it's huge a lot of times. Sometimes it's uh easy to find out who does the dumping because they may dump a trash bag that actually has their address and name in there. But a lot of times it's it's really tough to do that. If you uh if you have a dumping problem like that, I urge you to contact the uh Clark County Solid Waste District. They have actually we actually have a couple of deputies that go out and uh investigate those types of sites and um they're on Main Street. So, if you give them a call, they would appreciate it. Thank you.

Both Mr. Bass and Mr. Smith have uh thanked us for the help that we've given uh the business. And I'd like Brian to speak to what that is and actually how that's open to um people who are energetic like these two gentlemen, their families uh to um create uh business opportunities and opportunities that they've created.

Yes. Specifically, this is related to uh our CRA. You mentioned the community reinvestment area program uh both for residential and commercial uh redevelopment to try to encourage uh new construction but also redevelopment of existing properties. And this is the case uh with Core 4 um uh on Southern and uh they came in and did a complete renovation. If you haven't been there, you need to check it out. uh took what was probably seen by many as a building that was a lost cause and they turned it into something beautiful and uh those programs help incentivize uh and reduce because certainly there'll be an increase in the valuation of that. And so it gives them uh a break for a period of time on that valuation increase as it relates to property taxes to help support the hard earned money that they put into that property and to make it back put it back into productive use on the tax roles.

Thank you,

Gary Armstrong. Everybody should know exactly what I'm about by now. But they don't know one thing. I'm really about kindness and love. And you know what? That's a stupid state. But that is true. And when I don't get the truth from people that are representative are supposed to be defending me, you could have told me that I just write to the building development de uh development uh head and have a complaint in writing and then uh when uh they don't open the house up to show they build an illegal forunit, it goes to Jill and Jill says the courts let us in. But you've been playing me a dummy for what, three and a half years? Why do you play me a dummy? Cuz if you [clears throat] play this citizen a dummy, you're playing us all of dummies. Because you don't tell the truth about a lot of things. This is a house of cards. You bought hotels. You can't solve problems. The problem was to get something done for the homeless. Oh, you spent what? $6 million and nothing done for the homeless. You didn't do crap. You've wasted the money. And I could have told you and I told you the night three and a half years ago, those two hotels weren't what you needed. You should have put up pup tents and heaters in them and put vending machines and done it cheaply and give benefit to people that have needs. Doesn't anybody have the ability to have solutions to a problem? Instead, you said, "Oh, we're going to do let's do a temporary deal for 6 months with the hotels and we're going to hook up and with a hund00 million a million dollars or $750 for Shelder Dinken versus Sh Homeful

that you knew was going to fail because you got fake appraisals for hotels that weren't worth the money. There was no way those appraisals are valid or legal and yet you put them out." Then then when I what I said in my first meet in uh December 22, I said the the galvanized farm is dead. Oh, then you uh you guys said right away, well, we had a water man break. A water man is in the street. You had four buildings. You couldn't have had 65% damage. The math doesn't add up. You had damage to one building and so many units. It was like a cover up of children in junior high. and you want and then you want to portray me just as a a commenter who just doesn't have anything to give. Listen, I have a lot to give and I've worked for a nonprofit cuz I like giving and we have people in here that don't know how to give, don't know how to tell the truth. And I was hoping our four our three new guys, Rickettts, Wallace, and Riby can take over the control and control the vote and change what we have. We need new city management. The staff here is producing lies about damages that weren't real or true. Time is up and thank you for continuing to be a good example of how much we truly respect the First Amendment right.

Steven Harbaugh. Good evening everybody. Um, this is not going to be very long. I just a couple things I would like to say. Uh, first of all, I want to thank the city commission for uh passing the ICE resolution asking the agents to to um forgo masks and carry visible IDs. Hopefully, they won't be in town and we won't have to worry about that. But I do want to thank you to the city commission uh for the courage to uh to pass this resolution. And the other thing I want to mention is that the Springfield Indivisible is going to be sponsoring a peace walk this Saturday. And I'd like to invite everyone to please join us for the three mile community journey as we march for peace, kindness, and unity. We are going to start at 12:00 at the Southgate Shopping Center. and it will end at the uh Southgate Shopping Center. So, we'll just be doing a threemile loop and uh approximately an hour and a half at the most. So, we between 12 and 1:30 and then we can all go to lunch over at the Haitian restaurant and have some good food. So, again, I just want to thank the city commission for everything you guys are doing. Ladies, excuse me. Um, I think you're doing a great job, but that's just me. Thank you.

Thank you. At this time, are there comments from commissioners? Okay. Is there a motion to adjourn the comment period? So moved. Second. Been moved and seconded. Cler call the role. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Rickett? Yes, Mr. Rue. Yes.

The formal meeting for the city commission's called to order. Clerk, call the role. Mr. Rickettts here. Mr. Riggsby here. Mrs. Packet here. Mr. Wallace here. Mr. Rick

here. Please stand for the invocation and pledge. Our God, we come again before to you and ask that you would uh bless this evening. We ask for peace in Springfield and ask that you give us wisdom as city under God. Is there a motion to approve minutes?

So move. Second. Moved in second. Cler call the role. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Ricketts. Yes. Mr. R.

Yes. Clerk will proceed by u on first readings title only. Authorizing a contribution to Gammon House Incorporated in the amount of $1,000 to support the 2026 Junth and Father Fest celebration. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a community reinvestment area agreement by and between the city of Springfield, Ohio and Core for Connection LLC and granting a community reinvestment area tax abatement. approving general salary increases for non-bargaining unit employees pursuant to section 175.03C of the codified ordinances of the city of Springfield, Ohio, and authorizing the city manager to do all things necessary to implement such increases. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Raven Farms LLC to lease 5.0 0 acres at 5721 Platsburg Road of which 4.8 acres are tillable farmland and confirming and approving related services provided by Raven Farms LLC from January 1, 2026. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Burner Farms to lease 38.758 acres in the vicinity of the city's water treatment plant of which 224.354 acres are tillable farmland and confirming and approving related services provided by Burner Farms from January 1, 2026. authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Clark's Farm Market LLC to lease 103.889 acres in the vicinity of the city's water treatment plant of which 99.159 acres are tillable farmland and

confirming and approving related services provided by Clark's Farm Market LLC from January 1, 2026. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Slim Farms Limited to lease 37.99 acres at the Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport of which 34.89 acres are tillable farmland and confirming and approving related services provided by Clim Farms limited from January 1, 2026. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Joseph Agel to lease 74.466 acres at the Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport of which 42.933 acres are tillable farmland and confirming and approving related services provided by Joseph Agel from January 1, 2026. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a crop land lease agreement 2026 to 2030 with Jeremy and Taylor Rener Farm to lease approximately 589.04 acres at and near the Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport in Clark County, Ohio, of which 505.1 acres are tillable farmland and confirming and approving related services provided by Jeremy and Taylor Rener Farm from January 1, 2026. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a development incentive agreement, single family residential development to provide pursuer services to real property outside the city limits located at 2490 Crabel Road authorizing the exercise of the city's option to renew the contract with Polydine Incorporated for the purchase of Liquid Polymer for an amount not to exceed $84,120.

Thank you. I'm going to ask the city manager to go through some of the first readings to explain more in detail.

Yes. Uh so you saw there were six items there related to crop land lease agreements. This is for various property uh surrounding the water treatment plant. So within the wellhead protection area as well as uh Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport uh that are undeveloped. And so uh working with uh a variety of area farmers to be able to farm those properties uh has been something that we've worked through in the past and continue to do. Uh these are five-year agreements uh for various acreage throughout the city. We talked about uh earlier during the public comment, but I do want to call out again 067-26, which is the community reinvestment area agreement uh between the city and core 4 connection LLC. Um and I know I mentioned on the residential side, uh that is uh it applies to residential property. Um, and that is an automatic there is an application period but does not require commission approval. And then on the commercial side, they need to submit the application uh and then it comes before you here. And I'd like to have Cassie Scott uh from uh our economic development team explain the specific percentages uh and how that's applied to that increased valuation.

This is my first time speaking. Hello everyone. It will be a 15-year 75% tax abatement on the improvements to the property. It will also create around 15 new part-time jobs. And I hear the pork chops are excellent. [laughter] And then the other uh item I'll just make mention of is the uh exercise of our option to renew the contract with polyine for liquid polymer. Uh so this is utilized to reduce the moisture content in our solids solids at the wastewater treatment plant so that they can later be field applied. Um and uh this uh company provides the most effective product that removes that moisture and dries out that uh the solids at the wastewater treatment plant. And there was an increase from $1359 per unit to $142 per unit with this renewal. Are there questions from commissioners on first readings?

I have one on these five-year leases for the um tillable land around the water treatment plant. That's to protect the wellhead as I understand. Correct. We we don't want any any industrialization or anything like that over the that close to the the wellhead. Yeah. So, we own uh a lot of property around our what's considered again the wellhead protection area and it is to do just that to control what is happening on those properties so that it protects that wellfield and and the wellheads. And you you do you do uh you are you do regulate do you regulate chemicals of what?

Yeah, we look at and regulate uh through the leases what can be done on those properties including how they're farmed. Are the comments from the audience on first readings only? None. We'll continue to second readings. authorizing the city manager to enter into an LPA federal local le project agreement number 41880 between the city and the Ohio Department of Transportation to provide the city with eligible costs of up to a maximum sum of 2,299,698 for the CLAMR1079/1078542 RSF also known as CLA Springfield Miscellaneous streets project P number 122845 authorizing an expenditure up to $574,924 to be used as matching funds in connection with the agreement to be entered into with the Ohio Department of Transportation and authorizing the city manager, law director, and finance director to do all things they deem necessary to implement said agreement.

So moved. Second. Been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners from the audience or call the role. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. R. Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with the Shelly Company for the 2026 Northern Estates neighborhood paving project for an amount not to exceed 1,492,948. So moved.

Second. It's been moved and seconded. I'm asking the city manager or Mr. Moore to explain a timeline on our our paving projects like this just to remind folks and what this looks like when we start and and the kind of the phases that we go through.

Yeah. Specifically, uh so this is the award of our neighborhood street program uh for 2026 and it will be the Northern Estates area, specifically the streets north of Providence. Um, and many will have known if you're in that area that they had sidewalk curb and gutter last year as we prepped for this. Um, you know, construction season's very short uh in Ohio. Um, so typically these projects don't happen or occur till after Memorial Day and we try to have them wrapped up as close as we can to to Labor Day, but sometimes depending on the contractor uh what their schedule of work is and when they get in there and and schedule that work um is is what happens here. So, it depends on when they can mobilize equipment and so forth, but I would look to have this started sometime after Memorial Day and and we hope to have it wrapped up as close to uh the beginning of September as possible, but certainly weather impacts it and and other delays. Um, I guess speaking to also like when we when a a project is identified, first we look at the it's civil engineers looked at the the uh the gutters and the curbing. They also investigate underneath. Is there any repairs to be done? Is that right? Yeah. So, we'll look at uh again, we want to protect the investment. So, we'll look at the water, sewer, storm water infrastructure uh to identify if there's work that needs to be done on those because the last thing we want to do is pave over that and then have to rip that up because there's an issue. Uh we work as closely as we can with the gas company to understand their schedule and where they're going to be because uh the gas company does come in when they have to replace their pipe, which they're under mandate to replace all their pipe. Um they destroy the streets. So, we do not want to pave a street that maybe Columbia Gas is planning on uh replacing their pipe soon. We look at pavement condition rating. Uh we address sidewalk curb and gutter usually uh the year in advance of the project. Um so, yes, we look at several different factors in determining what roads are are good candidates for paving. So,

sometimes we're just held up uh at times when we don't want to be to get these projects done. Okay. Thank you. The comments from the audience clerk. Call the role. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mrs. Tucket. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. R. Yes. [clears throat] Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Stinette Industries LLC doing business as cut to perfection lawn and snow for weed cutting and lot clearing services as needed by the city for an amount not to exceed $50,000. So move. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners from the audience? Cler, call the role. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Riggsby?

Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to to enter into a contract with ET's Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping LLC for weed cutting and lot clearing services as needed by the city for an amount not to exceed $50,000. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners in the audience. Cler call the role. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Rub? Yes.

Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Four Corner Property Management LLC for weed cutting and lot clearing services as needed by the city for an amount not to exceed $50,000. Moved. Second. Moved and second. Other comments from commissioners the audience clerk call the role. Mr. Riggsby, yes. Mr. Rickettts, yes. Mr. Wallace, yes. Mrs. Tacket, yes. Mr. Rub, yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Mike's Lawn and More LLC for weed cutting and lot clearing services as needed by the city for an amount not to exceed $50,000. So moved. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners from the audience clerk call the role. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mrs. Packett. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mr. Room. Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of street materials with Highway LLC for an amount not to exceed $84,000. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any other comments from commissioners from the audience? Cler, call the role. Mr. Wallace, yes. Mrs. Tacket, yes. Mr. Rickettts, yes. Mr. Riggsby, yes. Mr. Rub, yes.

Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of Street Materials with Shelly Materials Incorporated for an amount not to exceed $419,525. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners from the audience. Cler call the role. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of street materials with A and B Asphalt Corporation for an amount not to exceed $431,000. So move. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. you want to explain uh let's take a break Brian and explain how and why when we get these contracts and lowest and best things like that real quick.

Yeah. Uh so we put out for a bid uh for the purchase of street materials and as you will see sand and gravel materials coming up too and future items and um you know we uh procure multiple vendors. Doesn't mean that we will uh purchase all of the uh not to exceed amount. That's why their set is not to exceed amounts, but it gives flexibility on who has material and so forth that we can make sure that our crews uh can access and get those materials. A great example is the the highway that we saw earlier uh H EI W A Y uh they are the provider of our cold mix. Uh so the cold mix asphalt that can be utilized to fill potholes and so forth uh during this time of year.

What's that? Which there are a lot of

Yes. And so again, I'll do the plug. If you see a pothole, don't assume somebody from the city has seen that. Please reach out 937-525-58000 to report that uh or through our website. But um so again procuring these street materials, sand and gravel materials are for our street maintenance crews as well as our uh utilities both water, sewer, uh storm water, so that they can make sure that they have access to materials to uh fix and maintain our infrastructure throughout the community. Just as we were buzzing through a lot of these, I would just sometimes u folks will say we go too fast or what are we doing here? This is simply caring for the city and these are asphalt projects and and maintenance projects. But um again, every dollar needs to be voted on and that's why they come up twice. This is the second time we've heard this. There comments from the audience.

Clerk, call the role. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter to enter into a contract for the purchase of street materials for Valley Asphalt Corporation with Valley Asphalt Corporation for an amount not to exceed $422,400. Moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners from the audience? Cler, call the role. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. R? Yes.

Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of Sand and Gravel with Shelly Materials Incorporated for an amount not to exceed $62,977. So move second. It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners from the audience? Clerk, call the role. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of sand and gravel with the Melvin Stone Company for an amount not to exceed $7,732.50. I moved. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners from the audience? Clerk, call the role. Mr. Ricketts? Yes. Mrs. Packet? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract for the purchase of sand and gravel with Mechanicsburg Sand and Gravel Incorporated for an amount not to exceed $195,600. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are the comments from commissioners from the audience? Clerk, call the role. Mrs. Packet? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Ricketts? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. R?

Yes. authorizing the city manager to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with ODW Management LLC for the sale of certain real property located at 325 West Columbia Street. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners from the audience? Clerk, call the role. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mrs. Packet? Yes. Mr. R?

Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a Clark County, city of Springfield geographical information system 2026 to 2030 consortium agreement with the board of county commissioners of Clark County, Ohio and the Clark County Auditor for a shared geographical information system and to allow the county to provide GIS services for the city of Springfield, Ohio for an amount not to exceed $75,000 per year for a total amount not to exceed $375,000 for the 5-year term and confirming and approving related expenditures incurred from January 1, 2026. So moved. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. You want to uh remind us how this benefits a community?

Uh yes. Uh so this goes back to I believe 2015 uh where you know the city had a GIS uh department or individual employee uh the county auditor provides uh for a GIS department and it seemed to start making sense. Let's collaborate and work together. uh we felt that there were efficiencies gained uh in doing so and and I think we have found just that and and being able to work with the county to provide that GIS software system and the network and so forth. You'll see the next item uh allows for that public interface out there. If you've ever visited the auditor site and and dug through some of the layers that are on there, whether it's utilities or um just zoning, those types of things that are cityreated items. Um, and so this has just been a great partnership with the county and again, uh, an effective use of tax dollars by instead of us each having our own separate systems, let's work together towards one better system for the community.

Thank you. Comments from the audience. Cler, call the role. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. authorizing the city manager to enter into a geographic information sharing cooperation agreement with the board of county commissioners of Clark County, Ohio for sharing of GIS data between the city and the county and making the GIS data available to the public for an amount not to exceed $6,000 per year for a total amount not to exceed $30,000 for the 5-year term and confirming and approving related expenditures from January 1, 2026. Move. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Are the comments from commissioners from the audience? Clerk, call the role. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Ricketts? Yes. Mr. Rue? Yes. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Jeff Jess Howard Electric Company to replace taxiway EF and J Edgice at the Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport for an amount not to exceed $33,395. So moved. Second. Been moved and seconded. You want to comment to this? How much of this is granted? Yes. I'll ask Tom Franen if he wants to speak to the project and the percentage. I believe it's 8416.

All right, Mr. Manager, can you remind me where we are? I was in the middle of a project update on my laptop there. So, we're texting. We just wanted to know how texting. I just No, I just want to know how much of this is granted. It's a large amount. And just remind the public. The F and J lighting. Oh, gotcha. So, that was an ODOT project. You're right. It was an 84 uh 84% sharing on that one uh for ODOT and then the city had the remainder of that. That was to replace the lights. I apologize. No, that's fine. That was to replace the edge lights of those tax boys and a lot of the projects that we get out there uh we find grant work to do. So, it's a lot of money coming through, but we also get grants to provide uh to redo these uh taxi ways and lights and things like that to care for the airport. Correct.

Absolutely. The airport receives a lot of the uh funding from the FAA and those grants are 95% to 5% match. So it is one of the better uh opportunities for leveraging that we have the Thank you. Y comments from the audience. Cler call the role. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Ruth. Yes. We will continue with emergency ordinances

authorizing the city manager to enter into an into option to purchase contract for the contingent purchase of real estate with Wabuk Development Company Incorporated for the sale of 501 West Uklid Avenue and 1029 South Plum Street which are owned by the city and no longer needed for municipal purposes and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners? Over this one more time, Brian? Yeah. I'll ask if Logan Cobbs, our community development director, wants to speak to the project.

Hey, commissioners. Good evening. Logan Cobs, director of community development. So, the request before you all tonight is to authorize a option to purchase agreement with Wald Wuk Development Company. Um this option to purchase is covering 501 West Ullet and 1029 South Plum Street. Um there are two adjoining properties. You all in the community as a whole may know this as the Sunflower Field. So Wbuk Development. A little bit about the developer who is present there in the corner as well. Um they're a family- based company that's been in operation since 1980. Um their mission is really focused on developing quality and safe and affordable housing. more specifically for senior residents, low to moderate income households, people with disabilities, um, and other underserved populations. So, this proposal is for a multifamily affordable housing development. It would be senior, so 55 and older. Um, and it's also a LITC project. LITC stands for low-income housing tax credits. So, it's really a primary tool used nationwide to finance affordable housing. Um because it's a LITC project, we're not sure if it's going to move forward or not. We'll hear back in May, June time frame on whether or not funding is awarded. Um and this project can only uh move forward to and proceed if funding is awarded. So this is just an option here tonight and then we would come back with a final purchase agreement.

Thank you. Thank you. Any comments from the audience? Cler call the role. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Mr. R. Yes. Thank you. Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Kenisonson Excavating Incorporated for the East Home Road Storm Sewer Project for an amount not to exceed $164,818 and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second.

It's been moved and seconded. Wonder if Mr. more can explain why we're doing this. Currently in the area of Home Road and Olympic, we experience flooding during times of heavy rainfall. That is because there is a 36-inch storm sewer that after it crosses home road and heads kind of through the woods to the north to the back side of home orchard, it reduces down to a 24-in pipe. But what and and that 24-in pipe is uh deteriorating. So what we will do is attach the 36-in pipe with new 36-in pipe, replace all the 24. So, the pipe will be right sized and new, and it will be able to carry the water to a a newly refurbished detention basin, hopefully alleviate the flooding and make everything better for the people in that area.

The residents experience flooding and sewer concerns in the area there. It surface flooding. It the roadways and the parking lots flood um on Olympic at home road um more often than than anyone would like. Okay. Thank you. Comments from the audience or call the role. Mr. Riggsby, yes. Mr. Ricketts, yes. Mrs. Tacket, yes. Mr. Wallace, yes. Mr. R. Yes.

Authorizing the city manager to enter into a contract with Kenisonson Excavating Incorporated for the East View Heights sewer relocation project for an amount not to exceed $229,266 and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners from the audience? Cler, call the role. Mr. Ricketts? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Rue? Yes.

Confirming and approving the execution of a transitional work grant agreement with the Ohio Bureau Bureau of Workers Compensation in an amount up to $8,200. Authorizing the city manager, director of finance, and law director to perform all acts and execute all documents considered necessary to fulfill the city's obligations under said transitional work grant agreement and to comply with all relevant local, state, and federal legal requirements and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are there comments from commissioners?

Yeah, Brent, can you kind of explain? This is pretty cool, I think. Um, could you explain to everyone? Yeah, this is a grant uh that we're able and eligible to receive through the Ohio BWC and and it allows us to develop a program uh that works to try to eliminate common work injuries. Uh but it also works with our employees that are injured on site and they can be seen on site and individual um treatment plans can be developed for them um with a a physical therapist and so forth so that that can get them back to work more quickly because maybe uh something a firefighter uh has certain duties and so forth. So that uh individual plan could be tailored to them versus somebody that maybe works in fleet um and they can tailor that individual's plan for them to get back to work more quickly in fleet.

Thank you. The comments from the audience clerk call the role. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Wiggby. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. Ricketts. Yes. Mr. Rue.

Yes. confirming and approving a supplemental funding agreement for the addiction treatment program with mental health recovery board of Clark Green and Madison counties to accept funding in an amount up to $4,366 to be used for allowable drug court expenses at the Clark County Municipal Court. Authorizing the city manager, finance director, law director, and court administrator of the municipal court to do all things necessary to implement said supplemental funding agreement and to comply with all relevant local, state, and federal legal requirements and declaring an emergency there. I moved. Second.

Been moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners on the audience? Call the role. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mrs. Packet. Yes. Mr. Ricketts. Yes. Mr. Rue. Yes. Providing for supplemental appropriations within various funds and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Other comments from commissioners from the audience. Clerk call the role. Mrs. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. Ricketts. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mr. R.

Yes. confirming purchases and the obtaining of services for the city and providing for payments therefore and declaring an emergency therein. So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Are the comments from commissioners from the audience? Cler call the role. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mr. R? Yes. There was uh emergency resolution. Uh, can we do the yes it emergency resolution? Sorry.

Authorizing the fiscal officer to establish a super blanket purchase order as authorized in resolution number 6152 for National Processing Solutions in the amount of $30,000 and declaring an emergency therein. So move. Second. Been moved and seconded. Are the comments from commissioners? Will you explain what a super blanket is, please?

Certainly. Commissioners, in the state of Ohio, a super blanket purchase order is a type of purchase order that allows the government entity to encumber funds up to a set maximum amount for the full fiscal year. It's typically used for recurring or predictable operating expenses. In this case, it applies to the credit card processing fees for the municipal court clerk's office, which are ongoing and necessary expenses. Thank you. The comments from the audience. Clerk, call the role. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Riggsby, yes. Mrs. Tacket, [clears throat] yes. Mr. Ruth, yes.

And there's one item added to the agenda, consenting to the appointment of Samina Ahmed to the city planning board and declaring an emergency therein. Move. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Just want to thank Miss Samina for her continued support and involvement in this board. Is there other comments from the audience or call the role? Mr. Riggsby? Yes. Mrs. Tacket? Yes. Mr. Wallace? Yes. Mr. Rickettts? Yes. Mr. Rue? Yes.

Uh, commissioners, I would like to have uh specifically addressed and I'll ask our finance director, Katie Evston. Um, I know a lot of uh comments in the past have been related to audited financial statements and audits performed on a city and we did receive back uh our uh 2023 audit from the state of Ohio auditor's office and so I'd like Katie to uh discuss that and uh kind of explain what that was and what that is.

Certainly. Mayor, commissioners, and members of our community, I would like to clarify language that appears in the auditor of state's cover letter related to our recent audit. Under Ohio revised code, the city of Springfield undergoes an annual financial audit. Our most recent audit was completed and accepted by the auditor of state and the city received an unmodified or clean opinion, meaning our financial statements were found to be fairly presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In the auditor of state's cover letter, two sentences note that an investigation is ongoing and that results may be reported later. Transparency matters and we recognize that language like this can lead to speculation, which is why I'm speaking to this tonight. I have submitted a public records request for additional documentation from the auditor of state. While we have not yet received formal records, the auditor of state has informed us that the matter involves a complaint concerning a former employee. That is the only investigation currently underway involving the city of Springfield. There is no broader financial investigation related to the city's audit. Reviews of complaints by the auditor of state are a routine part of their oversight role and are not uncommon for public entities like Springfield. Because this is an act of review by the auditor of state, it would be inappropriate to speculate beyond what has been formally communicated. I felt it was important to address this directly so residents hear the facts clearly. We will continue to cooperate fully and share any official updates if and when they are issued by the auditor of state's office. The city's audit along with this statement will be available on the city's website tomorrow.

Thank you.

At this time, I'd like to invite commissioner comments or announcements. Yeah, I would like to [clears throat] give a personal thank you to an invite from Mr. Ryan Ray. He invited me to the event at the state theater for some senior citizens called Always on My Mind. Um, it was very touching. It was a very great event. Um, also personally got an invite from um, a dear friend of mine, Terry Toiver, who works at uh, Good Sheeperd Village, which all of the members from all over, all kind of senior citizen uh, organizations and homes was there and it was a great event and it really hit me in the heart and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to sit up here is pay attention to our youth and our elder and our elderly community. So, um, big shout outs to Ryan. I look forward in uh reaching out to you and if you do know Ryan Ray um see how you can help and get engaged. A lot of people volunteered. It was a great event and it really um it really made me feel good and had some great fulfillment at that event. So I thank you all for inviting me. Thank you. I uh I just wanted to say that uh I just received a notification that uh the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services has named City of Springfield Fire Rescue Division as their fire department of the year. Uh it's something I've known for a long time that we have one of the best fire departments in the state, if not in the country. Uh the men and women of the Springfield Fire Rescue Division work tirelessly to protect our citizens and provide top-notch service. Um I can tell you having walked in some of their shoes for a while, um the level of service you get from our fire rescue division and our police division is second to none. We have the most professional,

technically proficient personnel anywhere, anytime. So, I just want to get on the record and say a big thank you to the Springfield Fire Rescue Division, Chief King and his command staff, and uh the men and women of the Springfield Fire Rescue Division. Thank you.

On first Friday, March 6th, from 5:30 to 8:30, the 9th annual International Women's Day celebration of Clark County will take place uh with our partners over at Meyers Market. There will be 20 to 30 different vendors. There'll be a professional juggler, DJ food, and drinks. Um, part of the the sales that night go to um Project Woman and Purity Kits Ohio. We'll be collecting donations as well. Um, and for more information, you can visit the Sip and Dippity Facebook page. There's an event on there with with more details. Thank you.

I just want to give a big thank you to the Nehemiah Foundation and the Salvation Army, especially uh Major Pam, who I've spoken to on several occasions for providing the staffing at the warming center over the last several months. This past month when we had several days of singledigit temperatures and experienced one of the deepest snowfalls that we've had in quite some time was very significant that they were open because they went to a 247 operation for more than a week. I also want to thank all of the citizens of Springfield and Clark County. All the volunteers who donated time, energy, clothing, supplies, food, cooked homemade meals, served those homemade meals, uh checked people in, set up CS, and made absolutely hundreds of gallons of coffee, offered their time and compassion to people in a time of need.

Coffee and sugar

and with a lot of sugar and creamer. That's for sure. It's been an honor and a very humbling experience to witness all this. And I want people to keep in mind the winter's not over yet. So, they're probably going to stay open for a while. And all of us have been opening up our gas bills and seeing the tremendous cost of natural gas this last month. And they keep that place over there, especially when it's running 24/7, heated very well. Very well. And I'm I I don't know what their gas bill has been this month, but anybody any I'm just requesting anybody that can make a donation to the Salvation Army to help pay for that would be greatly appreciated. And if you can volunteer at the warming center, that would also be appreciated. So, thank you to all those people.

Thank you, Commissioner. Is there a motion to adjurnn? So, move second. Been moved and seconded. Cler call the role. Mr. Mr. Rickettts. Yes. Mr. Riggsby. Yes. Mrs. Tacket. Yes. Mr. Wallace. Yes. Mr. R. Yes.