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City of Kenton
  • 5 weeks ago
Transcript
00:00Good evening, everyone. Welcome to Kenton City Council. This is our 17th regular session, and let's have a roll call.
00:06Joel Allhouser. Present. Sue Cox-Berroker. Present. David Beasley. Present. Steve Walter. Here. Chad Miller. Present. Peg Wren. Present. At-Large Vacancy. Robin Jones. Here. John Schwimmer. Present. Lynn Webb. Here. Cindy Murray. Here. Thank you.
00:26Amen. I'd ask all who are able to please stand, and we'll have a prayer, and then Pledge of Allegiance.
00:34Heavenly Father, we come before you today to acknowledge your presence and ask for your help.
00:40As we begin this meeting, help us to feel your spirit and follow the promptings you give us for things we should do or say.
00:48Help us to engage in meaningful discussion and to make the best decisions for our city.
00:54We are so grateful for our friends, family, and all who live and work in the city of Kent.
00:59Help us to strengthen one another and lift your name in the work we do.
01:04Father, we now seek your wisdom and inspiration as we meet together for this City Council meeting.
01:10Please continue to bless us as we seek to fulfill our divine potential.
01:15And please help us to be patient and kind with one another as we learn from each other.
01:19We ask all these in thy name. Amen.
01:25I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands,
01:33one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
01:38All right.
01:45Any additions or corrections to the minutes that Emma so put so much time in typing up?
01:53Okay, they'll stand approved and submitted.
01:56Don't have anyone on the agenda tonight, but there will be time at the end of the meeting,
02:02so we'll ask for public comments and just come forward and state your name and your business.
02:08So we'll move right on to communications.
02:11I have none.
02:13Anyone else have communications to share?
02:17No petitions right now, so we can get right into reports.
02:20Chief Musser.
02:23All right.
02:24Chief Donnelly.
02:32Okay.
02:35If you think something, you always get round two.
02:39Economic development.
02:42Income tax.
02:43There is a report in your folder.
02:44Any questions on that?
02:49Auditor.
02:51Don't think we have anything to do this evening.
02:53I don't believe so.
02:54Okay.
02:55Anything you want to chat about?
02:58I would like to think the audit's done,
03:00but every time Cindy and I think it's done,
03:02here comes another question,
03:03but I would say it's probably 99% finished.
03:08I would think,
03:09can I talk to Brad last week,
03:12early last week,
03:13and he acted like it was almost done,
03:16so he would have his report in a couple weeks,
03:18so I would think by the end of this month.
03:21Okay.
03:28Treasurer John, law director.
03:31No, nothing.
03:33Cindy?
03:34Yes, so I'm sure the mayor will touch on the two main projects,
03:38but we are beginning the lead line,
03:42service line replacement on the North Detroit Street project.
03:45We met with them last week,
03:48so trying to stay ahead of the pouring of the sidewalks on North Detroit Street.
03:53And we're all said they're starting,
03:56they are going to start this week setting up the bypasses on Morningside Drive for the lining.
04:01So that will be done and started, I think, the following week, so.
04:07All right.
04:08Thanks, Cindy.
04:09Lynn?
04:10Just real quick on the update.
04:12Detroit, they're pouring sidewalks.
04:14So, we're thankful for the good weather,
04:19like the guy said today when I talked to him.
04:21It's great weather for cement.
04:23It's not a, or, wait, concrete.
04:26Let me get the correct term.
04:29But not a good time for farmers.
04:32Right?
04:33No rain.
04:33No rain.
04:35So, we're moving right along,
04:36and they were working extensively down at the river for the water line
04:42that was going under the river,
04:44so we're moving forward.
04:47Then I'll have some things at the end.
04:49Okay.
04:51And I would just report right here,
04:54and maybe we can find out when you, what you all think.
04:57We do have two applicants for the open council-at-large position
05:02to fill the remainder of that term.
05:09Obviously, we have all six of you here tonight,
05:12so we're going to be able to get things done
05:14and not like we could have done anything tonight anyway.
05:17What would you, what would work for you all to interview these two folks?
05:25I was thinking before the meeting.
05:29I have a finance budget meeting that will need to go on that schedule.
05:33You've got a budget meeting, okay.
05:35I mean, the other thing would be if we meet one night in the next two weeks.
05:41Or we could have it following the meeting.
05:42We could have it following the meeting.
05:44What would everyone think of that?
05:47If you can keep us to brevity.
05:50Well, Emma just says, she knocks on the desk and says,
05:54that means that we have to get done quickly.
05:56So, we all listen.
06:01Sounds good if the six of you are okay with that.
06:06I mean, bottom line, at least if we get four of you in those interviews,
06:11my way of looking at it.
06:13So, are we just, is somebody going to reach out to ask them?
06:16Yes, I'm going to reach out.
06:18I'll reach out to them maybe yet tonight.
06:20Ask for what they did so far.
06:25The posting said they could submit resumes if they wanted to.
06:28Neither of them did.
06:29They just contacted Emma.
06:32I was going to ask them to throw something together
06:34that I could get to you all so you could look at it ahead of time.
06:40Sound good?
06:41Am I missing anything, John?
06:44Unfortunately, we've done this a few times.
06:46Okay, so we'll shoot for right after the meeting
06:49and have them here.
06:55Reports of standing and special committees.
06:57So, standing committees, finance.
07:00We have a written report tonight,
07:01and as I mentioned, we'd like to do a budget meeting
07:04at 6 p.m. prior to our next session.
07:08Okay.
07:08Moving forward with hopefully some of the expenses
07:11by departments.
07:16Yeah.
07:19Of course we will.
07:22Okay.
07:23Great.
07:23Thank you, David.
07:25How about MOP?
07:26MOP having it.
07:28Okay.
07:29Utilities.
07:30We'll meet September 10th at 3.30.
07:32And how about streets?
07:41Anything there to report?
07:43Do see September 24th at 3.30, right?
07:47Yep.
07:48And legislation?
07:49Same day at 4.30?
07:51Mm-hmm.
07:51Any reports from individual council members?
07:59I can jump right up there and say I don't have anything for BKP.
08:03How about regional planning?
08:05Did not meet in September.
08:08Parks and Rec Board?
08:09We have a meeting Wednesday at 6 here in Council Chambers.
08:13And how about the cemetery?
08:15I mean tomorrow.
08:16Okay.
08:17Three commission?
08:20They had the meeting before our last city council meeting,
08:24and then they are going to meet again October 22nd,
08:28which I will not be able to attend.
08:33It's a Wednesday.
08:34Yes.
08:38Any questions for anybody on these reports?
08:43Okay.
08:43No old business or new business that I'm aware of,
08:47so we'll get right into the legislation.
08:50We have a couple items for first reading,
08:52and you notice they both have asterisks beside them,
08:55so listen up.
08:57We'd like you to move forward on them.
08:59Ordinance number 25-013,
09:03an ordinance providing for additional appropriations
09:06and for transferring funds for the year 2025
09:09for the city of Kenton, Ohio,
09:11and declaring an emergency.
09:14Anybody want to chat about this?
09:17That should all be covered in the finance notes.
09:20Yeah.
09:20And in those finance notes,
09:26you also get an idea of what the reasoning is
09:30for wanting to move forward.
09:34Mr. President,
09:35I move for a suspension of the pre-group
09:36for ordinance number 25-013.
09:39All right.
09:39I'll second that.
09:40Seconded by Steve.
09:41We'll go ahead and vote on that.
09:44Sue Cox Broker.
09:45Yes.
09:45David Beasley.
09:46Yes.
09:47Steve Walter.
09:48Yes.
09:49Chad Miller.
09:50Yes.
09:50Peg Wren.
09:51Yes.
09:52At-Large Vacancy.
09:54Robin Jones.
09:55Yes.
09:55That passes.
09:57That's a better suit.
09:58Mr. President,
09:59I move for the adoption of ordinance number 25-013.
10:03I'll second that.
10:04Moved by David.
10:05Seconded by Peg.
10:05Any discussion?
10:08Okay.
10:09David Beasley.
10:11Yes.
10:11Steve Walter.
10:12Yes.
10:13Chad Miller.
10:14Yes.
10:14Peg Wren.
10:15Yes.
10:16At-Large Vacancy.
10:17Robin Jones.
10:18Yes.
10:19Sue Cox Broker.
10:20Yes.
10:21All right.
10:21We'll also pass six to you.
10:23Okay.
10:27Next up.
10:28Ordinance number 25-014.
10:31An ordinance providing for additional appropriations and for transferring funds for the year 2025 for the city of Kenton, Ohio, and declaring an emergency.
10:39Mr. President, by way of explanation, the audit contract labor would be to get Christy some help on some key issues that we've been struggling with.
10:51This would be bringing Pam back in a contracted labor position only.
10:56The transfers are simply self-explanatory moving from where we have not replaced personnel into where we are covering some salaries there.
11:07So, and I would move for a suspension of the three-year-old ordinance number 25-014.
11:14I'll second that.
11:15Moved by David.
11:16Seconded by Robin to suspend the rules.
11:18We'll go ahead and vote on that.
11:20Steve Walter.
11:21Yes.
11:22Chad Miller.
11:23Yes.
11:23Paid rent.
11:24Yes.
11:25At-Large Vacancy.
11:26Robin Jones.
11:27Yes.
11:28Sue Fox Broker.
11:29Yes.
11:29David Beasley.
11:30Yes.
11:31Passes six to zero.
11:32Mr. President, I move for the adoption ordinance number 25-014.
11:37I'll second that.
11:38Moved by David.
11:39Seconded by Sue.
11:39Any discussion on that motion?
11:43Okay, then.
11:44Chad Miller.
11:45Yes.
11:45Peg Wren.
11:46Yes.
11:47At-Large Vacancy.
11:48Robin Jones.
11:49Yes.
11:50Tupac Broker.
11:51Yes.
11:52David Beasley.
11:53Yes.
11:53Steve Walter.
11:54Yes.
11:55Okay, that passes six to zero.
11:59All right, on second reading.
12:02Resolution number 036-25, a resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget
12:11Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county
12:16auditor.
12:16Nothing's changed in our deadlines here, so we probably have time to let that go, right?
12:22All right, any objections to that?
12:25We'll read that again in two weeks.
12:30No third reading.
12:31Other matters?
12:33So other matters?
12:34I may have skipped over it as far as old business or new business, but I've gotten with Lynn,
12:41and we were able to secure the elementary gymnasium school for Tuesday the 16th to have,
12:48like, a town hall to discuss charter, the charter initiative to invite the public to that.
12:56I'd like to guide it out to council a little sooner, but that's next Tuesday at 6 p.m.
13:05I'm going to try and get...
13:06I'm going to try and get...
13:07And what's the location?
13:10Elementary school.
13:10The elementary school gymnasium.
13:12I'm going to try and get as many of the commission people as possible so that people can put
13:19a name and a face together.
13:21So hopefully we'll have a good turnout and we can answer some questions that are out there and address some of the issues that people have concerns with as far as pro or con on it.
13:34So we're getting the word out on that, just social media, paper, WKTN, anything else?
13:43Do you need any help on that from council members or just word of mouth at least, the more you can talk about it?
13:57Okay.
13:58Chad, anything you can think of we need to be prepared from a council perspective?
14:08Nothing comes to mind.
14:09I mean, nothing out of the ordinary.
14:11I think we're all somewhat educated on it as far as if we're all there and we have a...
14:18We're just there as collectively and it just answers the questions the best we can and get information out there that would benefit the community.
14:29All right.
14:30Great.
14:30Thank you for, you guys, for getting that lined up.
14:35Anything else?
14:38Comments from the public?
14:39Anyone want to address the meeting tonight?
14:45You're right, I don't know.
14:46I'm Doris Bloom.
14:47I'm about to introduce myself.
14:49Yeah, Doris, if you could come up to the podium that way.
14:54I'm Doris Bloom.
14:55I'd like to introduce myself to the people on the board or council that do not know me.
15:00I am running right in for council at large and will be here, I guess, the 22nd with my resume.
15:09So, thank you.
15:10Thank you, Doris.
15:12Appreciate you coming tonight.
15:13Anyone else?
15:21All right.
15:23News media.
15:23Question for John.
15:25Mr. Rigdon.
15:26So, Mr. Rigdon has paid $100,000 to the city, which we've got deposited, and we're waiting for the rest of the money in hopes of avoiding any more legal action.
15:42But, yeah, he did come and pay $100,000 of the bill, which was a good-faced step towards that, but we need the rest of the money.
15:51So, well, we had to work through the process.
15:56He paid within really about two weeks of when we got the bill and everything certified.
16:02So, what's the bill is?
16:07$232,515, if I'm correct, off the top of my head.
16:14So, the amount has been certified over on the taxes as a lien.
16:19Of course, we'll be pulling off $100,000 for that.
16:22That's the process, you know.
16:25So, we're hopeful here within really about a week.
16:31If not, we'll be talking about legal action.
16:35So, you know, which we want to avoid because that's a lengthy process, too.
16:39But if needed, that's what we'll need to do.
16:47Other questions?
16:48Other questions?
16:50Okay.
16:52Then, back to administration and council members.
16:57Either the chief, anything?
17:00No, thank you.
17:01All right.
17:01The fair was, I think, well attended and nice, and I didn't really actually sit in the booth,
17:19but I walked through there several times, and there was a lot of good comments that the residents of Kenton put on the board.
17:26So, I think that was nice to be able to see what they had to say and read what we can do to help move the city forward.
17:37John?
17:38Yeah, just a couple things here.
17:40So, the Republican Central Committee did appoint Bradford Lauder as the author.
17:46We were maybe hopeful that he might be sworn in, but we'll reach out, and we need to get him sworn in.
17:52So, we'll talk about getting him in maybe as soon as tomorrow.
17:56I will come over if he's available to meet to get him sworn in because the auditor's office needs to get that process moving along
18:04so he can do the checks required to signatures and getting them set up on the accounts.
18:11So, that is the process as soon as we get him sworn in and get all the paperwork filled out and get running with that.
18:19And then, second thing, just remember, we did, we're moving ahead with that revitalization district, you know, that we had talked about.
18:30So, Emma, we were required to put that in the newspaper for two consecutive weeks,
18:34and we will have a public hearing at 7 o'clock on the 22nd, so the next coming meeting.
18:40So, if you guys have any questions in the meantime on the revitalization district,
18:45again, all we're doing is opening up a district which would allow additional D5, D5L,
18:52but it's, that's just a designation that's in the area.
18:55Nine additional permits that people would have to apply for through Department of, Division of Liquor,
19:01pay the annual fees.
19:02It's hardly any different, but it just allows more permits.
19:05So, that will be the public hearing that I plan on having legislation that we can at least do a first read on,
19:12and it can move as fast as council wants,
19:16but I plan on having legislation for first read after the hearing.
19:21But I don't expect there's going to be a lot of opposition at the hearing,
19:25but we still need to have at least a short public hearing to address any issues of the public.
19:31So, just a reminder, and again, if anyone has questions, in the meantime, let me know.
19:36Okay, great. Thanks, John.
19:39Cindy, anything?
19:40No.
19:40Lynn?
19:41No, just a quick congrats to everybody at the fair.
19:47Chief Donnelly's, Chief Musser's kids, John Schwimmer's kids, anybody else who had kids there.
19:55They did a great job.
19:57They represented our community very well.
19:59And, again, police, fire, and everybody who was out there that could even answer a question or just represent the city.
20:08We did have some good conversation.
20:10It's a great place to have our booths.
20:12It does give opportunity, not just for people in the community, but, you know, there's a lot of interest from the outside, too.
20:18Oh, when's it going to be over?
20:23That's it.
20:25All right.
20:25Thanks a lot, man.
20:26Okay, that about wraps it up for tonight, then.
20:29Our next regular meeting is Monday, September 22nd.
20:32And, David mentioned, I think you've got a finance meeting ahead of that at 5.
20:38We will...
20:39Oh, so 6.
20:39I'm sorry, 6.
20:40I didn't see the other time.
20:436?
20:44Well, you know, your finance meetings, maybe you need two hours.
20:48You never know.
20:49And then we'll have a couple of interviews after the meeting, and we'll try to keep those...
20:55We'll try to keep our meeting short for us so we can get right to you guys so we're not here too late.
21:02So with that, I think we are adjourned until then.
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