Skip to playerSkip to main content
City of Kenton
  • 6 months ago
Transcript
00:00Tonight's meeting to order, the 15th regular session of Kenton City Council, and let's start with a roll call.
00:09Joel Alhauser. Present. Sue Fox-Berroker. Present. David Beasley. Present. Steve Walter. Present. Chad Miller. Present. Peg Wren. Present.
00:20Rhonda Tudor. Robin Jones. Here. John Schwimmer. Present. Lynn Webb. Present. Cindy Murray. Here. Thank you, Emma.
00:32I'd ask all who are able to please stand for a prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
00:42Heavenly Father, our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Rhonda Tudor.
00:48Father, we thank you. You blessed us with Rhonda in so many ways.
00:54As a caring friend, a welcoming neighbor, a loving mother, and a staunch volunteer.
01:02We have been so fortunate for the time we shared the laughter, the memories, and the impact she had on our lives.
01:10Please bring comfort to Rhonda's family, and peace in knowing that she has now joined John in your eternal care.
01:21Amen.
01:24I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands,
01:31one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
01:37Again, welcome, everyone.
01:48Try to work through everything tonight as quickly as we can.
01:52And I know there's probably a few folks here just to either ask questions or have thoughts on the charter initiative that is on the ballot and the process.
02:07So I think when we get to other matters, I will just ask if anyone's here for that,
02:14and we'll kind of give everybody a chance to ask what they want to ask or talk or everyone be quiet and we move on.
02:22So with that, let's go on to our next item on the agenda, and that's approval of our prior minutes from two weeks ago.
02:31Are there any additions or corrections to those minutes as they were presented in your packets?
02:40Hearing none, they'll stand approved as submitted.
02:42Don't have anyone on the agenda tonight, so we'll move right on down through the agenda.
02:50As far as communications, I have none.
02:54Does anyone have any communications to share?
03:00Petitions, I know of none that are outstanding or that have been properly presented.
03:04So administrative reports, I don't think we have anyone from the police here.
03:10So fire, Chief Donnelly.
03:16I guess I just want to take time to thank Emma, Tori, Whitney, and, well, everyone behind the National Nino event and stuff.
03:25And we were glad to host it, and we just want to thank all the volunteers that helped that night, too,
03:30because we had a really good turnout for it.
03:33So I just appreciate all the help that we had for that.
03:37The new truck, the chassis, is supposed to be completed on September 5th,
03:43and we're still looking at a projected completion date of September 26th.
03:48So everything seems to be moving along, so I haven't heard of any glitches or hiccups there.
03:56Ladder truck, most of the repairs have been done to it.
03:59So they're doing a lot of extensive diagnostic work on the hydraulic system just to make sure we don't replace one expensive part that doesn't solve the problem.
04:10So they're trying to make sure they actually find the problem before they start making repairs to it.
04:16So hopefully we'll be getting more updates this week and maybe getting it back here shortly.
04:24Thanks, Bruce.
04:24Economic development, I guess I would just point out that there is a communication from the Chamber of Business Alliance Economic Development Report for August of 25.
04:44If you have questions about that, feel free to ask Lynn or reach out to Holly directly.
04:54Anything to add in that area, Lynn?
04:56Anything you want to highlight?
04:58No, I'll probably catch it on the end.
05:00Okay.
05:01Income tax, I also have a report there.
05:04That's the income tax report, I believe, through the end of, is it just the end of May?
05:19Mm-hmm.
05:19Okay.
05:20The end of May.
05:22Any thoughts on that or questions?
05:26All right.
05:26Auditor, anything you can talk about tonight, Chris?
05:35John.
05:36Nothing at this time.
05:37I got a question for John, actually.
05:40Wonderful.
05:43I've just kind of thought about it.
05:44We're, like, three months, like, on the rig unit surplus as far as recouping our money.
05:51Like, our 204, like, we're three months past.
05:54All right, we're working on it.
05:56We just got the final invoice in last week, so, you know, we're working on trying to get
06:02a deadline, and we'll move forward.
06:05I will advise council if we are moving forward on that.
06:08So, all right.
06:09I should have a report one way or another at the next council meeting.
06:13All right.
06:14Thanks.
06:16Okay.
06:16Cindy?
06:17All right.
06:20Mayor Webb?
06:20I'll wait.
06:21All right.
06:21So, then, let's go on to committee reports.
06:25And on the first, I'd happen to remind everyone we did have a written report of the committee
06:32and the whole that met two weeks ago regarding, mostly regarding the charter, almost all of them,
06:41totally regarding the charter initiative.
06:44Any questions on that report?
06:46All right, then.
06:51Let's go finance anything to...
06:54No, sir.
06:55Just a reminder, we will meet at 6 o'clock prior to the next session for our initial budget conversations.
07:02All right.
07:03Mop, anything?
07:03Nothing.
07:04Okay.
07:05And how about utilities?
07:06Yeah, we meet the day after tomorrow at 3.30, as far as I know, and still are.
07:16Streets, looks like, meet on the 27th, followed by a legislative, all right?
07:22Correct.
07:25All right.
07:26Any council members that have an appointment, have anything to report?
07:32Just, I'll just open up the floor.
07:34Regional planning did meet this past Thursday.
07:36Nothing of significance to bring before the budget.
07:39Okay.
07:41Anyone else?
07:42Tree commission meets the 25th at 5.30.
07:46And I would say, I have nothing to report for BKP special, so.
07:53All right.
07:54Hearing none, we'll move on to old business.
07:57Nothing there about new business.
08:03Ordinances and resolutions.
08:05We have nothing for first reading.
08:07So we'll go right to second reading.
08:09Ordinance to change the zoning of the real property located at 222 West Carroll Street
08:20in the city of Kenton, Ohio, owned by the Board of Education of the Kenton City School
08:26District, from school zoning to R1 and 1 and 2 family residence district to B1 neighborhood
08:33business district and declaring an emergency.
08:36Anything new on this?
08:38Anybody have any thoughts or questions?
08:42All right.
08:43If there's no objections, we'll read that again at our next meeting for a third and final time.
08:49Okay.
08:50Ordinance number 25-012, an ordinance authorizing the safety service director to advertise for
08:58bids for rock salt for the public works department and to contract the lowest and or best bidder.
09:03Cindy, you still not in a hurry to buy salt?
09:06No.
09:06The price isn't going up.
09:08We don't need to lock that in, do we?
09:10No, but I don't think we're going to have a blizzard.
09:12Okay.
09:13All right.
09:14We'll read that again then also next meeting.
09:18Okay.
09:19Third reading.
09:20These are kind of all related in a way.
09:22So, final reading.
09:23If you have questions once that one's done, I know Cindy can answer.
09:27Resolution number 028-25, a resolution authorizing the city of Kenton to apply for, accept, and enter into a water supply revolving loan account agreement on behalf of the city of Kenton for construction of Wayne Street trunk line phase 2 water replacement and designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan and declaring an emergency.
09:50Anybody comfortable with where we are on this, or do you need anything from Cindy?
09:55Okay.
09:58Okay.
10:00I'm moving that we adopt resolution number 028-25.
10:05Moved by Sue, seconded by Peg.
10:08Any discussion?
10:10All right.
10:11Sue Fox-Berrick.
10:12Yes.
10:13David Beasley.
10:14Yes.
10:15Steve Walter.
10:16Yes.
10:16Chad Miller.
10:17Yes.
10:18Peg Wren.
10:19Yes.
10:19Robbie Jones.
10:20Yes.
10:21And that passes 6-0.
10:25Resolution number 029-25, a resolution authorizing the city of Kenton to apply for, accept, and enter into a water pollution control loan fund agreement on behalf of the city of Kenton for planning, design, and or construction of Wayne Street trunk line sanitary sewer facilities, and designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan and declaring an emergency.
10:50Where there's water, where there's water, you have waste, so here's the waste side.
10:54Any questions?
10:58I move we adopt a resolution number 029-25.
11:04Thanks, Chad.
11:06Second.
11:07Is there a second?
11:08Second by Sue.
11:09Any discussion?
11:12Let's vote on that.
11:13David Beasley.
11:14Yes.
11:15Steve Walter.
11:16Yes.
11:17Chad Miller.
11:18Yes.
11:18Peg Wren.
11:19Yes.
11:20Robin Jones.
11:21Yes.
11:22Sue Foxbrook.
11:23Yes.
11:24That passes 6-0.
11:27A resolution authorizing the city of Kenton to apply for, accept, and enter into a water supply revolving loan account agreement on behalf of the city of Kenton for construction of Barone Street water replacement and designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan and declaring an emergency.
11:45And I think everybody remembers this was kind of an offshoot of fixing the end of Barone Street hole.
11:52Yes.
11:54So, any questions?
11:58Okay.
11:59Looking for a motion if you would so desire.
12:01I move for the adoption of the resolution number 0-30-25.
12:08Thanks, Peg.
12:09I'll second.
12:10Thanks, Chad.
12:11Any discussion?
12:14That's right.
12:16Steve Walter.
12:17Yes.
12:18Chad Miller.
12:19Yes.
12:19Peg Wren.
12:20Yes.
12:21Robin Jones.
12:22Yes.
12:23Sue Foxbroker.
12:24Yes.
12:25David Beasley.
12:26Yes.
12:27Passes 6-0.
12:31Resolution number 0-31-25.
12:35A resolution authorizing the city of Kenton to apply for, accept, and enter into a water pollution control loan fund agreement on behalf of the city of Kenton for planning, designing, and reconstruction of Barone Street storm facilities and designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan and clearing an emergency.
12:53That's right.
12:56Same drill.
12:58I move to adopt resolution number 0-31-25.
13:02Thanks, Robin.
13:04Second that.
13:05Second by Peg.
13:06Is there any discussion?
13:10Chad Miller.
13:11Yes.
13:12Peg Wren.
13:13Yes.
13:13Robin Jones.
13:14Yes.
13:15Sue Foxbroker.
13:16Yes.
13:17David Beasley.
13:18Yes.
13:18Steve Walter.
13:19Yes.
13:21Passes 6-0.
13:22Okay.
13:27Other matters.
13:28Before we get into the charter, obviously, very recent developments, and that was on this passing news just today.
13:43We'll have to get our wits about us, though, when things do move on, and then we do have, we will have an unfilled seat that we'll have to look at.
14:00Need to find out, well, we'll look into it.
14:02I'm trying to remember how she ran, but might be reaching out to some of you for doing some interviewing to see what happens.
14:08I'm familiar with.
14:09Yeah, I can't remember if she was independent, though.
14:12She was.
14:12She was, so then it's on us.
14:15Right, yeah.
14:15It'd be a city council decision.
14:18We've done this before, you know, so we can seek anyone at large, it is, you know, and try to figure out.
14:27And, of course, there are a couple of write-ins.
14:31Right.
14:31So, for, you know, this is going to be a short-term deal because it'll only be through the end of the year.
14:40Very similar to what Jacqueline did several years ago.
14:43And I'm, I think there's still time for write-ins, I believe, another week or two.
14:5125th of August.
14:52Okay.
14:54But that still doesn't help our unexpired terms.
14:57No, no, no.
14:58You know, it's just, you know, if you're talking about people that may be interested.
15:01Right.
15:01People that are going to be on, you know, as a write-in or somebody I think we would at least want to reach out to.
15:08Right.
15:08So, might be reaching out to some of, all of you here next few days.
15:15I think we're actually supposed to do that within 30 days, aren't we?
15:21I don't know.
15:21Move, I don't remember.
15:23One something.
15:24Something like that.
15:26So.
15:27Okay.
15:27Charter.
15:28I do know someone has a sheet of questions.
15:31So, I'm going to start there.
15:33And as we do, introduce yourself, please.
15:36Yes.
15:37My name is Colleen O'Connell.
15:38I have a question about the Charter City.
15:40I've read what's been in the paper.
15:42I've read the advice code ordinances.
15:44I'm not clear on any of it.
15:47So, I'm hoping you people who are pushing it or know about it can answer some of my questions.
15:53It's my understanding that there are certain, there are people that have to run to be on the committee.
15:58There has to be a minimum of 12.
16:0015.
16:0115, but no maximum.
16:0315 is?
16:05The number.
16:05The number.
16:06What happens if 15 people do not run?
16:09Council would force.
16:11Or if 15 people don't want to do it?
16:15You can't force people.
16:16You are correct.
16:17You can't force people, but I'm not going to say.
16:21I would be hard-pressed not to find 15 people out of 8,000 that if they didn't have.
16:26I'm not saying everybody's all about putting their name on a ballot and putting their name out there in that regard,
16:32but if they would want to be involved otherwise, I feel like, I feel comfortable that 15 would be willing to participate.
16:41So, whether it's...
16:42People would just be appointed?
16:43They would be appointed.
16:44So, they wouldn't have to go through getting a petition filing, a petition filing fee, and getting the...
16:49There's no filing fee?
16:51No filing fee.
16:53They would not have to go through the process of getting the 25 signatures correct.
16:57And just to kind of give an update, I think we know of two that have already filed,
17:03and I want to say another half dozen that are working on it.
17:08That's just what I am aware of.
17:11Right.
17:12The top 15 vote-getters are the ones who would...
17:16And if there's not 15 on the ballot, then council would point 12.
17:19If it would be 12, then council would, you know, through a process as determined by council,
17:27council would have to sit down on how they're going to get names,
17:30whether it's in the newspaper, reaching out.
17:33You know, there's no formal rules on how that's to be done.
17:36So, it may kind of...
17:37Has that been discussed?
17:38Well, I don't think so, because I think the hope is that there will be 15 members,
17:44and the group is working to try to get people on that.
17:51And those members are non-reimbursed, correct?
17:54Correct.
17:55Right.
17:55So, they're basically doing it for free.
17:58They're doing a service to their communities.
18:00All right.
18:00I would phrase it.
18:01Yes.
18:02So, and then I read something that the expectation is they're going to meet twice a month or every other week.
18:11Tentatively.
18:11I mean, that could vary.
18:12It could vary depending on the topic.
18:14If they, the variables involved would be how fast they moved through each section or chapter or topic of it.
18:24If they got bogged down, they may have to meet more frequently.
18:27But, in general, that's, other charters have, that's been the, the window has been every other week.
18:35So, what happens if someone is a committee member and just stops showing up?
18:40Council would fill that position through appointment as well.
18:43It would always have to remain 15 people.
18:45So, even if they got elected, you could remove them?
18:50Not remove them.
18:51You asked if they just stopped showing up.
18:53Right.
18:53They stopped showing up.
18:53If they, if they kind of retired.
18:55No, if they just didn't show up.
18:57I'm busy.
18:57Every Wednesday from now to the end of the swim season, I'm busy.
19:00I can't be there for the next six months.
19:01Well, I mean, that kind of, you're, you're acknowledging that you're not being a part of it.
19:06I know you're trying to pin it into.
19:08I'm trying to understand the process.
19:10No, I understand what you're saying as far as how many meetings would they have to miss is, in essence.
19:16Essentially.
19:17Yeah.
19:18I don't really know an answer.
19:20I'm sure.
19:22I would probably.
19:23I would think that the formation of the group, you would start with your ground rules and requirements for membership at that point.
19:29That would be.
19:30So who's in charge of the group?
19:32That's a great question.
19:32So you have 15 people.
19:34So once the 15 people, the top.
19:35They would pick amongst themselves?
19:37Right.
19:37And, and they would, and they, and to kind of lend to what Dave was saying, they would set their ground rules.
19:45What it would take to, you know, out of 15 people, is it going to be a majority rules?
19:49Would it be, they would set their, their parameters of where they would, 60%, you know what I'm saying, as far as.
20:00What, they would set their parameters on what would pass, so to speak, so that they're not getting bogged down.
20:08And then those 15 people would pick, essentially, who's in charge.
20:11They would pick, they would elect amongst themselves who would be the chair of it.
20:16That they would elect a person that would be the draftee, that would kind of take the notes and write the legislation as they determine it to read.
20:27That, that would be one position they would find amongst themselves to fill.
20:33Yeah.
20:33So, the committee's writing the legislation, or the committee's telling Mr. Schroeder what to write?
20:40Well, the, go ahead, John.
20:41Yeah, the committee drafts the charter, you know.
20:44And that's where I've insisted, I feel we need legal counsel that's experienced in drafting charters to work with the city.
20:59And we've already brought one firm in that provided, you know, kind of a guideline to get us where we are now.
21:08Well, because the issue is you can, you almost need experience in maybe what works, maybe what doesn't.
21:15Because if we do, if it's voted yes, we adopt a charter, we put it to the voters, they vote a second time in favor of the charter that's been put forward.
21:25We want to make sure it's something we can live with, because if there's problems with the charter, to change it, we have to go back to the voters again, which is a lengthy and not necessarily a cheap process.
21:41So, I do not feel comfortable in myself just, I mean, the code on charter, it's the Constitution, a paragraph about this big.
21:51So, then, what do you put in a constitution that is constitutional?
21:58There's a lot of great, so I would look to legal counsel that is experienced in charters to help provide a lot of that somewhat firm.
22:08Because, I mean, we can look at different cities, but if we're comparing ourselves to, like, a City of Columbus charter, that's not a good idea.
22:17You know, we would want to get some, a city that has, a city, village, or township that has maybe the same kind of issues that we have, demographics, population, and even, you know, employment that is somewhat similar.
22:35Because we have our own set of issues, and what works for Marysville or Lima, which are both charter cities, may not work at all for us.
22:44So, that's what Brooker and Graydon is doing, correct?
22:47If that firm were to be.
22:48Right.
22:48If she is that firm.
22:49Okay.
22:49So, they have not been retained yet?
22:51Not yet.
22:53Okay.
22:53So, we have an engagement letter that they've provided us, and we're kind of working through that process.
22:59But, you know, that's the firm that we have been, and Chad has been, in discussions with.
23:04So, my understanding is, the advantages of this is it gives council oversight over who the mayor is appointing.
23:16It allows council to set qualifications for appointed positions, and to monitor that.
23:22So, the charter would actually create that.
23:27Okay.
23:28The charter would, the mayor wouldn't actually appoint whatever would end up being administrator, city manager, whatever the charter would create.
23:42It would be a vetted, that would be a vetted position that council would vote on and hire, so to speak.
23:48It would be a hired position.
23:50Okay.
23:51So, it wouldn't be appointed.
23:53Okay.
23:56I know we.
23:56So, it would set forth the qualifications.
23:59Right.
24:00That would then be subject to being hired by council in accordance with the charter.
24:05Right.
24:06Yes.
24:06Okay.
24:07What are the other advantages of this?
24:11So, beyond, are you asking beyond Cindy?
24:16As far as the city.
24:17I'm hoping it's not just focused on Mr. Murray, but.
24:19No, no, no, you're not, so.
24:21Other than that, other than setting up qualifications and setting out procedures for hiring non-appointed positions within the city.
24:30So, are you talking like the auditor and treasurer?
24:33No, they're elected.
24:34They're all elected.
24:35They would no longer be elected.
24:37Really?
24:37Yeah, like, my position very well would be, I would have to do these people happy.
24:44So, this could undo elected positions.
24:46Right.
24:46I wouldn't say undo.
24:47They wouldn't be there anymore.
24:49Right.
24:49Yeah, you would just be.
24:50The new charter designates those positions.
24:52Right.
24:53Now, there is a charter component that you still have elected officials.
24:57So, that is one thing that the charter commission would have to decide.
25:01But a plan that a lot of people use is the treasurer, the auditor, mayor, they're all appointed.
25:09You know, sometimes you can just have the mayor vote, but they don't have as much authority.
25:13You know, so, that's something that can be determined in the charter.
25:18And that's not something, no one's really talked about what would be the best plan.
25:24You know, that's something the committee would have to get into.
25:27You see the endurance box here.
25:29Yeah.
25:30The vote is yes in November.
25:32That's what the committee would have to get their hands around.
25:35What path would they feel be the best for the city.
25:39What are the disadvantages of a charter?
25:43The biggest disadvantage I see is there's the statutory plan has been around time tested.
25:55You have case law.
25:57You have statutes that say what a city can and can't do.
26:00It says who hires who, who can fire who.
26:04And charter, there's more gray area.
26:07Yeah, so, if we put something in the charter or we act, is that constitutional or could it be subject to challenge?
26:15So, there are potentially more gray areas where you may not know what you're doing is legal
26:21until the court tells you you've overreached your home rule authority through your charter.
26:27So, you could be subject to a lot of lawsuits because you're changing a lot of things all at once.
26:33It would depend, you know, but the possibility is always there.
26:37It is a possibility that it's there, but you're not, it's not about really trying to change everything at once
26:45as much as, for me, creating a, what I would consider a better structure to fulfill the positions
26:53that aren't really vetted right now, whether it is the auditor, whether it's the treasurer,
26:58whether it's the city service director, these positions deal with a lot of money, a lot of different hats that are worn by that.
27:08Couldn't you do that through a higher advice, or through codified ordinances?
27:12I could.
27:13A lot of our codified ordinances is another issue that we struggle with.
27:17If we have, I think John kind of says maybe 30% of ours are outdated and antiquated as it is, that they haven't been kept up.
27:28We need to, for me, I feel like we need to stay current with our government.
27:36And I know the tried and true is statutory has been around 100 years, and I kind of lean on this.
27:46We don't all drive Model A's.
27:48The world's progressed in 200 years.
27:52We need to be current in our forms of government.
27:59As far as statutory, it's, I think when me and Cindy or Cindy actually looked it up, there's 183 charter cities already,
28:09and 58 are only statutory or so left.
28:11So, I mean, it's, you're asking somebody in Columbus, 51% of Columbus, to see us and address our issues
28:23when they're giving us the ability to create a charter and address our issues in real time
28:30as opposed to having to go to Columbus and lobby for things that would be beneficial to our community,
28:36whether it's the tax code, whether it's how we bid, things of that nature.
28:40But all of that can be done through the codified ordinances at a much cheaper rate than what you're going to pay for the rate?
28:46Possibly.
28:47No, not necessarily.
28:48Especially, we have zero flexibility in the elected officials in the codified ordinances.
28:54Zero.
28:55They have to be done that way.
28:57But to answer your question, where you are going, Colleen, yes.
29:02We have been given a vision of what we think might come out of a charter committee,
29:10but those 15 people could go 180 in the opposite direction
29:14and establish things that we were not anticipating.
29:19Or do nothing.
29:19It's, or it's within the parameters of what they're giving a charter to do.
29:26Why can't they do nothing?
29:26Well, if they, if they can't agree and they can't put a charter together for the ballot,
29:31then there'll be no ballot issue.
29:33There'll be no ballot.
29:33They're, they have to reach.
29:35Bricker and Graydon.
29:36No, no, we wouldn't have paid, you wouldn't have paid Bricker and Gray for that.
29:41So you're not paying until after the vote in November, after the committee members are paying.
29:46Pretty much, if you read the minutes from the meeting I had two weeks ago,
29:49it's pretty much what we decided.
29:52We will, yeah, we will not have anything until after.
29:55We should have almost no cost prior to that.
29:58Prior to the.
29:59We don't want to get the cart ahead of the horse.
30:00But if the ballot passes and we put 15 names out there and they begin work, yes,
30:06then we begin paying Bricker and Graydon day one.
30:07And that's my question.
30:08You have 15 names, you're paying Bricker and Graydon,
30:10and your 15 people can't come to an agreement.
30:13Yeah, you're talking after November.
30:15So if they get in the room and there is no consensus.
30:19So, I appreciate your question.
30:23I guess I kind of give you the opposite of that.
30:27You've got 180-some charters in the state now.
30:32I think folks in Kenton have just as much intelligence as anywhere else.
30:38I think they're very capable of having 15 people that could work through that.
30:45I'm not saying they're not.
30:46I'm asking you to get the information.
30:49And if they do not, then wouldn't that also tell us something as well?
30:54I mean, that's going to happen pretty quick in the process if they can't come to some sort of agreement.
31:02But these are individuals that have the desire to collect those signatures.
31:09Well, if you have 15 that do that, there's a chance some are just appointed.
31:14So there are, and the Ohio Revised Code provides for them.
31:18Right, but I'm not saying that's wrong.
31:19Okay.
31:20But they didn't go through all the effort.
31:22The other people did.
31:23All right.
31:24As we also said, we know that, I know of four or five, six petitions floating around right now,
31:32and I know of two that have already been turned in.
31:34Okay.
31:35So, again, can we let it play out and see if 15 people?
31:43I mean, is, is, I guess I'm.
31:46My question is, what happens if it doesn't?
31:48If you don't get the 15, if the 15 can't get along?
31:52So that would be after the election, and if, first, the city of Kenton,
31:58the voters would need to decide if, in that election, if they wanted to move forward,
32:02and that's what's being presented to them.
32:05If they chose to, why would 15 people that wanted to be involved and be hands-on
32:17and have an impact in their community not work at trying to establish what their whole point
32:26in running for that position was for?
32:29If they can't?
32:30When you're tasked, you're suggesting that they would all have a similar vision,
32:34which there is no guarantee whatsoever.
32:39That's correct.
32:40So also, also Brick or Graydon, as far as their role, they're going to be at the meetings,
32:46and they specialize in kind of getting it done, so they're going to herd the cats, so to speak.
32:52That's going to be their objective is to get that.
32:56Their importance is, you know, so Sunbury was one of the more recent ones that passed it,
33:01and there's stuff they didn't like in theirs.
33:04Well, that's where we'd look at what specifically didn't they like in theirs,
33:08what, you know, lessons learned, and that's why I think it's important to have somebody familiar with the patients.
33:13So Brick or Graydon's going to come to these meetings but not get paid for a whole year?
33:17No, if we, if the vote is yes in November, we would be looking to sign an engagement letter with Bricker
33:27or if another firm wants to come and throw their pitch, we would be looking to use their services
33:35because I think, I mean, flat out, I think you need a little experience in this, you know, in the history.
33:42And I've been very up front.
33:44If people want to be critical of me of taking that position, I'm going to work with whoever.
33:49I'm not going to say hands off, but at the same time, I just think it's important to have somebody knowledgeable.
33:56Otherwise, we may have a train wreck on our hands.
33:58And I think somebody experienced can help keep the ship going in the right direction.
34:05But, yeah, is your scenario possible that they can't come to an agreement?
34:10It is possible, but I think push comes to shove between the committee.
34:16I think you'll have at least enough vote where they get, maybe there might be some dissension within the committee,
34:22but the committee, all the committees then is doing is saying, okay, here's what we've put together.
34:29And we're going to mail a copy to every voter in the town, and you get to vote, you know,
34:33and it'll be up to the voters for the second.
34:36After November, if the ballot in November passes, and you'll engage Berger and Gray.
34:42Or another firm.
34:43Or whoever.
34:44And we definitely would look at other firms.
34:47That's not my issue.
34:48Berger and Gray is not my issue.
34:50No, but we're trying to get in.
34:52I think I've seen a $60,000 fee floated around for them.
34:57So is there going to be one person from the committee can call them with questions?
35:03We have to wait until a meeting?
35:04Or are you going to let 15 people call them with questions?
35:06Because that's going to run up your $60,000.
35:07That would be outlined in the engagement letter.
35:10That would be specifically coming.
35:13I really think everything would funnel through John as well.
35:16Like the committee would ask John, and John would follow up in that regard.
35:21It wouldn't be a free-for-all of 15 people.
35:24And if you're meeting every two weeks, I think the questions are going to be mostly reserved to those meetings
35:29and discussed in the open meetings.
35:32And knowing they're coming back and unfollowing them.
35:35Right.
35:36So if it passes in November and the committee decides not to do it, how do you change back?
35:42You haven't changed anything at that point if it passes in November.
35:45So then the ballot in November?
35:47It just dies and everything stays the same.
35:50Because it takes two passages.
35:54First, essentially you're saying, yes, we want to look at this.
35:58We want to do the process.
35:59Right.
36:01Then they do the process.
36:03They present the charter to the voters, as John laid out.
36:06It gets mailed to every household, and the voters vote on that.
36:10And that's why you don't have a year, because there has to be enough time frame to get the charter out
36:16and then get it out before the election guidelines to the voters.
36:21So really, you're talking about an eight-month process from November.
36:26You really have to get the charter framed, or you're going to miss your Secretary of State filing deadlines.
36:32Well, people need time to open it, because I'm sure it's not a two-page document.
36:36Right.
36:37And I'm sure it's not easy to understand.
36:39So you keep talking about the cities that have gone to charter.
36:46Has anyone gone back to a statutory?
36:50I'm not aware of any.
36:54I know we talked about it when Bricker Graydon was here.
36:57It's able to be obtained.
37:00It is a difficult process to change back, the same as it's difficult to change, too.
37:05Is it the same process to undo it?
37:07I don't have that answer for you.
37:10I'm not really familiar with the undoing.
37:13It would have to be a vote of the voters, but what your formal process...
37:19Do you vote and have a committee again and then figure out what statutes you want?
37:22No, because the higher revised code lays that out.
37:25You'd probably go back to...
37:26So you would just vote not to have a charter anymore?
37:29It's not something we've dug into.
37:31Because the goal here, if this were to be acted on, is to allow the residents of Kenton to say,
37:42hey, we do like this idea of a charter, or we don't.
37:46So that's what's being presented in November.
37:48November is really just giving the commission an opportunity to create it, see what they create.
37:58Then the following year, what they created would be the ultimate vote on whether we had a charter or we didn't.
38:06I would ask you to maybe try to get to your...
38:15I mean, we've gone way over what we normally do in a question and answer, so get to your...
38:21Those are my questions.
38:23That's all of them?
38:24Okay.
38:25I would point out a statistical anomaly.
38:28We've been using this number, 183 charters, and only some 50 remaining cities.
38:35I think it was 58.
38:36That's a...
38:38There are 938 municipal governments in this state of Ohio.
38:43So we're roughly 20%, not 75%.
38:48There's roughly 20% on the charter.
38:50And 80% still unstatutory.
38:54Just to put that statistical fact out.
38:59Right.
38:59Yeah, we will need to dive deep and see what needs to be changed, though, because, you know,
39:05a lot of our codified ordinances, appointments, things of that nature, the employee section,
39:13that would have to be worked through, and we'd have to change.
39:17So a lot of the codified ordinances would have to be changed.
39:20So it matches whatever is ultimately in the charter.
39:26Almost one.
39:26But we would still have codified ordinances and, you know...
39:30Still have the crimes and the zoning and all of that.
39:33Right.
39:34Mm-hmm.
39:34That would change.
39:36Right.
39:36So, except sometimes it mentions mayor or safety service director.
39:43It may be the administrator in that, you know, there may be less involvement by the mayor
39:49in the codifieds, depending on whether you have that strong mayor form or not.
39:55So that would have to be looked at.
39:57But there would be a lot of work on the codifieds that would come out of this if it does pass.
40:02So...
40:06Anyone else here to talk about that topic?
40:14Okay.
40:22Comments from the public?
40:23Anything other than charters?
40:28News media.
40:30I think, Tim.
40:31Council members, administration, Bruce, anything more to talk about?
40:38Kristen.
40:39No?
40:40Okay.
40:42Then I guess we'll go right on to Sue and work our way around.
40:46Just keeping it to her family, your prayers.
40:53I'd like to express my thank yous to Chief Donnelly
41:01and his staff, the firefighters, Chief Messer, and our police department, Emma, and Whitney,
41:09and Tori McDaniel, and everybody who volunteered for the first night out, national night out,
41:14because it was a great success.
41:16And it got the citizens involved and their kids involved in a lot of things that go on
41:21at the fire and police department, so that was good.
41:24My sympathies to Onda's family and friends and loved ones.
41:27We'll miss her here.
41:29And I know Sue will miss her at the Elks because she had a volunteer heart like big as this room.
41:33So my sympathies to them.
41:38I guess.
41:39John, anything?
41:40Colleen, I just appreciate you taking an interest in this because we don't have all the answers for everything.
41:46But if this moves ahead, we do want to get it right.
41:50Right.
41:50But, you know, that's what we're trying to figure out.
41:53So if you have questions or things you want to hit off me or, you know, let me know
41:58because we're learning as we go, too.
42:00But I appreciate the input.
42:03More times than often, we don't hear any input until action's done,
42:09and then we just hear crabbing.
42:11And it's better to be proactive, so I appreciate it.
42:14That's all, Joel.
42:18Yep, Cindy.
42:19Lynn, I guess it's up to you, Lynn.
42:21Me?
42:22Mm-hmm.
42:22Okay, I'm going to go down my list.
42:25From the pool, the 2025 season is in the books.
42:32Just to clarify, we usually run a little light on lifeguards this time of year
42:39because kids going back to college and sports start,
42:44so we run down on, we don't have enough guards to keep the pool open, so to speak.
42:53If anyone's been up by Murray Park, Cherry Street Park, Splash Pad,
42:58whatever title you want to use for that park, we have a new basketball court.
43:03Quality Paving had that done last week,
43:06and we're working on getting the backboards and the posts painted.
43:11So pretty excited about that.
43:13And the new equipment, playground equipment, for Wharton Park will be started at the end of next week,
43:20and that was through a grant a couple years ago,
43:23so we finalized that today on location.
43:27Just to bring everybody up to speed for Cindy and I's week,
43:32last week was a pretty good week as far as we get,
43:40we're in a good spot where we have some really good state officials.
43:45Rob McCauley, who's the president of the Ohio Senate,
43:48was here for an hour talking with us,
43:51asking about all of our projects, our needs, our wants, our plans.
43:57It's really great to have those people engaged in what we're doing.
44:01That way they know what they're, when we're asking for money,
44:05they know exactly what we're going for.
44:09Jim Hoops, he was here.
44:10He's state representative for the 81st District,
44:14but he'll be, he's running for our Senate next time around.
44:23And then Cindy and I met with Aaron Montz Friday.
44:28He was here for a couple hours, and he was a past mayor for Tiffin,
44:33who really transformed Tiffin in this kind of the same way of kind of what we're doing here,
44:39and he has taken a huge interest in us.
44:42He's with an architecture and engineering firm,
44:46and so it was another good conversation just that people are noticing what we're doing here
44:52and wanting to help and kind of gives us some advice
44:57and kind of what the tough spots that they went through to help maybe look at it a different way.
45:04But it was very helpful.
45:07Let me give you a rundown on the garage.
45:10The street crew are in the 1st and the 4th Ward right now on dura patching.
45:18We're still working on, they're hitting some alleys on the way and during that time,
45:24but we still have a big alley list to go back to.
45:28We tried to get as many of the alleys between Maine and Detroit done
45:32just because so many people are using those for access.
45:36And we have some paving that will be done next, well, at the end of this week
45:41so we're close to get that done before school starts up on summits,
45:47some waterline break areas and that kind of stuff.
45:51We did start our sewer crew back.
45:55Noah Loeffler is the crew leader for that.
45:58He's doing a phenomenal job, and we just hired Theron Gammon back.
46:02So that's a big plus.
46:04He has a lot of experience, operator.
46:08So they're doing a great job.
46:10Detroit Street, between Carol and Eliza, that project, they've already started running service lines.
46:17And so that's going along really good, putting PAPS in.
46:23And tomorrow, Cindy and I at Burrell, we meet with the schools
46:29because we want to try to really get it ironed out with school bus, bus stops, with all that.
46:37And it's ever-changing, just so we want to make sure the community knows we're trying to stay ahead of that in real time
46:45as much as real time gives us.
46:48Because sometimes it could be, for example, when they go from Carroll Street to North Street,
46:55if they could do that all in one day and grind it or something like that.
47:00But it's some of those things that we have to get, one, communication-wise,
47:06from the project to the people and parents.
47:12We have a nice reprieve from the trucks since Dunkirk's kind of shut down right now.
47:18So it's been nice.
47:20We did have a little mishap yesterday with the truck going through the barricades.
47:25And, oh, yeah, yeah, the flashing light at the middle school will be turned back on
47:32to cycle through for red-green just now that school's back in.
47:36So we'll put things out there just to remind everybody.
47:42But I would say that's kind of where we are.
47:46And, again, if anybody ever has any questions, stop in, call.
47:52We'll give the best answer we can.
47:55We have a lot going on.
47:57We had some surveying done, the final thing.
48:02We run into an issue with old time.
48:09We have a solid where the buildings are,
48:12and then you have the seawall from around the courthouse that's unmovable.
48:17So kind of as things become regulation over decades, we get squeezed.
48:22So we're kind of squeezed on this courthouse corner and this corner down here.
48:26So it had to be surveyed, and some of the bump-outs taken out.
48:32But that's kind of what's kind of held things up because you have to put ADA ramps in
48:40and you have an arm mask that comes in.
48:44So we're kind of squeezed on space there.
48:48So, again, we're trying to get it to look as good but be as most effective
48:53and the most important thing, we have to be compliant.
48:55Because if ADA is not set right, they will make it be set right.
49:01So those are the things that kind of looks like it when people see it as dragging.
49:07We just wanted to get that right.
49:09And I was pleased with Cindy and Merle and the team, you know,
49:14kind of making sure this has to be looked at.
49:18So they did a great job, an engineering team.
49:22And, again, I can't say enough about Helms & Son.
49:24So, so far, so good.
49:27But I know it's taken a long time and we have some construction fatigue going on out there.
49:31Rightfully so.
49:32We get it.
49:34But those are the reasons what's happening.
49:37That's all I have.
49:38I'd echo also what John talked about, especially calling, thank you for the questions.
49:52This is one of those topics, it's been discussed, charters, multiple times.
49:58I think it comes up, maybe it has come up historically here, more often when we had a weak administration, which we don't now.
50:14I think it's come up this time because over and over, as Chad has alluded to, we do run into issues trying to get some key positions filled or filled with people on a consistent basis, especially all auditor.
50:34Auditors, it's probably the, I would say in the Ohio Revised Code, the weakest, when it comes to city government of our size, it's definitely a weak link.
50:48I mean, they don't even really have to be there, very little.
50:52But, boy, if it goes awry, which we have seen when we've had a chief deputy get sick, it's on that auditor.
51:01Well, there's another position that you could work on a little bit differently.
51:09But regardless of all that, I mean, the real point is, and this is where I tend to get a little bit defensive, I think folks in Kenton can do anything any other community can do.
51:22And I'm not saying you were saying they can't.
51:24You weren't.
51:25But so many times it comes up that, you know, well, what if nobody will do it?
51:32What if they don't agree?
51:35Well, first of all, I hope there's spirited debate in those meetings.
51:40I hope there's lots of discussion.
51:44I'm more worried if there's not.
51:45I'm more worried if we get 15 people in there, if the city wants to move forward with it, and we can meet once a month, and we can whip this thing out, and it's done.
51:58That's what scares me.
51:59As you well know, the Ohio Revised Code, this is just one area where it's so vague that it's a wonder we're able to get anything done in government in the state of Ohio.
52:13The ORC is a very vague document, and it's even vague in how you move forward with a home rule.
52:22So this will give folks a chance to research it on their own, to decide if it's something that they think would be good to move forward on.
52:32And it moves more of the decision to a larger body as opposed to one person.
52:43It can work out great with a mayor that recognizes we might have good people in a position and keeps those people and lets them do their job.
52:56But it also can work out really poorly, and that's part of what a charter is trying to get away from, so that way you have a larger group that are hiring those folks.
53:09So you don't get this constant changeover with an administration.
53:16Keep asking questions, and if that's something folks in Kenton want to do, that's what we'll do.
53:24If they don't, we won't.
53:27Keep doing what we have done.
53:35But if we can't get enough even to do that, what I would say is that's one of the issues we're trying to solve, a charter tries to solve.
53:45We need people to want to be interested in their city and where they live, where they're growing up, where they're raising their kids, and what's going on.
53:54That's what we need.
53:56We need people like what you did ask questions tonight.
53:59We need people that want to run for, be involved on city council.
54:04I mean, we spoke of Onda tonight, and Onda did that late in life.
54:10Onda is just in her second term.
54:12It's something that I remember the day she walked across the yard and said,
54:16Hey, I think I'm going to run for council.
54:21She had a desire.
54:23She had an immense knowledge of local government, and it's something she wanted to put into practice.
54:29We need more people to do that.
54:31We need a retired accountant to say, Hey, I want to run for auditor.
54:36We just need that, and we're struggling to get it.
54:43So if folks don't like that, there's an answer.
54:48Get involved.
54:51So anything else tonight?
54:53All right.
54:54With that, then I guess we're adjourned for two weeks.
Comments