City Council

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 415 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Canton City Council. If everyone would please turn your cell phones to vibrate, we would appreciate it. With a quorum being present, the Chair calls this meeting of Canton City Council to order. Roll call please, Madam Clerk. ROLL CALL TAKEN BY CLERK WOOD: 9 COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: (JOHN MARIOL, JAMES BABCOCK, LOUIS GIAVASIS, BRENDA KIMBROUGH, JASON SCAGLIONE, CHRIS SMITH, JONATHAN COOKS, RICHARD SACCO, FRANK MORRIS) NINE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT (MEMBERS CRYSTAL SMITH, FISHER & HAWK ABSENT) CLERK WOOD: Nine present, three absent, Madam President. EXCUSING MEMBERS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you very much. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we excuse Members Smith, Fisher and Hawk from this evenings meeting. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to excuse those three members from this evenings meeting. Are there any remarks?…Hearing none, roll call vote please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Members Crystal Smith, Fisher and Hawk are excused from this evening’s meeting. Tonight’s invocation will be given by Ward 8 Council Member, Richard Sacco. If you would please stand and remain standing for our Pledge. The regular meeting of Canton City Council was held on October 28, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. in the Canton City Council Chamber. The roll call was taken (see above) by Clerk of Council, Jill M. Wood. The invocation was given by Council Member Richard Sacco. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by President Bates Aylward. AGENDA CORRECTIONS AND CHANGES PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: And thank you, Member Sacco. We are now under Agenda Corrections and Changes. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we suspend Rule 22A to add second readings Ordinances to #20 through #22 to this evening’s agenda. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to add Ordinances 20 through 22 to this evenings Agenda. Are there any remarks?... Hearing none, roll call vote, please. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 416 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinances 20 through 22 are now a legal part of your agenda. Pursuant to Rule 12B, as we have for the past few weeks, we’re going to move Public Speaks to right before Miscellaneous Business. PUBLIC HEARINGS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: We are now under Public Hearings, and we have none for this evening. OLD BUSINESS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: We are now under Old Business, and my understanding is there is some Old Business. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Thank you Madam President. Um … I wanted to take a moment to address the comments uh … made by speaker last week … who characterized or said that um … Council should be treated as psychopaths. Um … I strongly disagree with this characterization uh … especially given the significant investments that we have recently made and continue to make. Um … investments like our youth summer camp and work experience program which has helped 1500 kids this year. Uh … we’ve invested millions in affordable housing and home ownership support with multiple investments like proving funding for 42 affordable housing units, uh … working with Habitat for Humanity for affordable home repair, renovation, new construction affordable homes. Our Shorb investment in home construction and renovations with additional grant programs like covering 50% of exterior repairs for home owners. Offering $25,000 assistance to build a new home and down payment assistance programs. We’ve invested over a million dollars in building a medical facility and a grocery store in a underserved area, addressing health care and food insecurity. And we’re now requiring Dollar Stores to prove fresh food at their new locations. We’ve invested 4.5 million dollars in building playgrounds and splash pads in every single quadrant of this city and over 8 million dollars is currently being invested to expanded fiber optic cable with the goal of offering universal affordable high speed internet to families in the city. And this is on top of the tens of millions of dollars we’ve invested in the infrastructure of the city. These investments are going to be increasing under this administration and Council. We have made neighborhood revitalization a priority which will result in millions of additional dollars annually invested into our neighborhoods. Reflected in tonight’s agenda um … items 15 and 16. So I take issues with the idea that these efforts are some how psychopathic. It is not psychopathic to invest in youth programs, affordable housing, food access, medical care, in … internet infrastructure. These actions demonstrate a commitment to improving the quality of life of all residents and getting stuff done. That’s what we have been doing, that’s what we’re going to continue to do, thank you. INFORMAL RESOLUTIONS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you very much, Leader Mariol. We are now under Informal Resolutions and we do have one for this evening. Madam Clerk, will you please read Informal Resolution #1 by title. 1. MAJORITY LEADER MARIOL: AUTH WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY CONTRACT FOR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES FOR CONCRETE WALL. – ADOPTED COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 417 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you, Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Informal Resolution #1. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Informal Resolution #1. Are there any remarks? …Hearing none, by voice vote, all those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Those opposed no. NO REMARKS RESOLUTION #1 PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY VOICE VOTE PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: The ayes have it, and the motion carries and Informal Resolution #1 has been adopted. COMMUNICATIONS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: We are now under Communications. Let the journal show that all Communications are received as read. NOTE: ALL COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH FOLLOW, LISTED BY AGENDA TITLE, ARE ON FILE IN THEIR ENTIRETY, IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE WITH THE AGENDA ITEMS FILE DATED OCTOBER 28, 2024. 2. REQ SANITARY SEWER ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE; EMERGENCY. - SERVICE DIRECTOR HIGHMAN 3. REQ TO ENTER CONTRACT WITH WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY FOR MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES FOR CONCRETE WALL. - SAFETY DIRECTOR PERRY. - SERVICE DIRECTOR HIGHMAN ORDINANCES AND FORMAL RESOLUTIONS FOR FIRST READING PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: We are now under first readings of our Ordinances and Formal Resolutions and Madam Clerk, would you please begin with Ordinance #4. NOTE: PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD CALLED UPON CLERK WOOD TO READ ORDINANCES #4 THROUGH #19 FOR THEIR FIRST READING BY TITLE AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, AS FOLLOWS: O#4. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO ENTER INTO A JOB CREATION AGREEMENT WITH PINNACLE CARE PROVIDERS PURSUANT TO THE CITY'S INCENTIVE PROGRAMS; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY Referred to Community & Economic Development Committee O#5. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($45,000 SUPP COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 418 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2324 NALOXONE ACCESS GRANT FUND TO 2324 NALOXONE ACCESS GRANT FUND - 700 OTHER DIRECT COSTS) Referred to Finance Committee O#6. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF LOTS 3587 AND 3588; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, 2000 BLK OF TUSC ST. E, WARD 4) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#7. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF LOTS 27095 AND 27096; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, 334 GOBEL AVE NE, WARD 4) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#8. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF LOTS 22526 AND 22527; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, 2157 6TH ST. NE, WARD 4) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#9. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF LOTS 22775, 22776, 22777, 22778, 35216 AND 35217; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, 2500 BLK OF 7TH ST. NE, WARD 4) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#10. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF PART OF OUTLOT 915 AND ALL OF LOT 40096; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (IRONROCK CAPITAL INC., 1201 MILLERTON ST. SE., WARD 4) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#11. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ACCEPTING THE REPLAT OF PART OF OUTLOT 590; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (JAMES SCHMIDT AND CHERYL STEELE, 2951 BALDWIN AVE NE, WARD 6) Referred to Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee O#12. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR AND ACCEP $625,000 IN GRANT FUNDS FROM THE FY2024 COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES GRANT; AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO RENAME FUND 2789 2012 COPS HIRING PROGRAM GRANT FUND TO 2024 COPS HIRING PROGRAM GRANT FUND; AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($25,000 SUPP APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2789 2024 COPS HIRING GRANT FUND TO 2789 102001 POLICE ADMIN - OTHER) Referred to Finance Committee COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 419 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 O#13. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO ANY CONTRACTS NECESSARY TO RESPOND TO THE 303 ELGIN AVE. NW DEMOLITION; AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO PAY ANY MORAL OBLIGATIONS FROM RESPONDING TO THIS EMERGENCY SITUATION; AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH BUTCHER AND SON TO PERFORM THE DEMOLITION; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY Referred to Finance Committee O#14. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH BURGESS & NIPLE LTD. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $267,304 FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATED TO THE 2025 LARGE DIAMETER SEWER CLEANING AND INSPECTION PROJECT; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY Referred to Finance Committee O#15. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO: ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $115,000; ADVERTISE, RECEIVE BIDS, AWARD, AND ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE CONTRACTS FOR THE 15TH ST. NW AREA STREETSCAPE AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, GP 1438; AND ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE CONTRACTS FOR THIS PROJECT UTILIZING ANY PROCUREMENT PROCESS AUTHORIZED BY LAW; WAIVES THE INFORMAL RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS OF CANTON CODIFIED ORDINANCE 105.09 FOR PURCHASES AND CONTRACTS RELATED TO THIS PROJECT; AUTHORIZES THE AUDITOR TO PAY ALL MORAL OBLIGATIONS FOR CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS THAT ARE OTHERWISE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF CONTROL; AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($115,000 SUPP APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2175 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IMP. FUND TO 2175 202050 15TH ST. NW AREA STREETSCAPE AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJ, GP 1438 - OTHER) Referred to Finance Committee O#16. (1ST RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO: ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $58,000 FOR THE 11TH ST. SE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, GP 1144 (11TH ST SE PROJECT); ENTER INTO A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER WITH S.E.T., INC. IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $675,000 FOR ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ON CHERRY AVE. SE AS PART OF THE 11TH ST SE PROJECT; ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE CONTRACTS IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $100,000 FOR DESIGN OF THE SHERRICK ROAD AREA NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, GP 1465 (SHERRICK COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 420 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 PROJECT); ADVERTISE, RECEIVE BIDS, AWARD, AND ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE CONTRACTS FOR THE SHERRICK PROJECT; AND ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE CONTRACTS FOR THESE PROJECTS UTILIZING ANY PROCUREMENT PROCESS AUTHORIZED BY LAW; WAIVES THE INFORMAL RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS OF CANTON CODIFIED ORDINANCE 105.09 FOR PURCHASES AND CONTRACTS RELATED TO THIS PROJECT; AUTHORIZES THE AUDITOR TO PAY ALL MORAL OBLIGATIONS FOR CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS THAT ARE OTHERWISE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF CONTROL; AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($703,000 SUPP APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2175 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IMP. FUND TO 2175 202095 11TH ST. IMPROV. PROJ, GP 1144 – OTHER – $603,000; TO 2175 20205 SHERRICK ROAD AREA NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJ, GP 1465 – OTHER - $100,000) Referred to Finance Committee O#17. (1ST RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 210/2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO PAY A MORAL OBLIGATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,474.25 TO PREMIER COURT REPORTING FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RENDERED AS PART OF STATE EX REL. LARRY R. PARSONS, JR., ET AL. V. CITY OF CANTON, OHIO; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY Referred to Finance Committee O#18. (1ST RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 211/2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO PAY A MORAL OBLIGATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $78,622.90 TO ATLANTIC EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RENDERED TO REPAIR AMBULANCE #566; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY Referred to Finance Committee O#19. (1ST RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 212/2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR AND ACCEPT $56,640 IN GRANT FUNDS FROM THE 2024 COMMUNITY POLICING DEVELOPMENT MICROGRANTS; AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO RENAME FUND 2779 2014 COPS HIRING PROGRAM GRANT FUND TO COMMUNITY POLICING DEVELOPMENT MICROGRANT FUND; AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($10,000 SUPP APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2779 COMMUNITY POLICING DEV FUND TO 2779 102001 POLICE ADMIN – OTHER) Referred to Finance Committee CLERK WOOD: Madam President. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 421 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you very much. At this time the Chair would declare an in-house recess for the Finance Committees to meet in regard to Ordinances 17 through 19 on your agenda this evening. You are now in recess. (COUNCIL RECESSED AT 7:16 PM FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO MEET IN REGARDS TO O#17 THROUGH O#19; RECONVENED AT 7:25 PM) PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Council is now reconvening after the recess, Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we suspend Rule 22A to place Ordinance 17 through …#17 through 19 back on this evenings agenda. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to suspend Rule 22A to place Ordinances 17 through 19 back on this evenings agenda. Are there any remarks? …Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinances 17 through 19 are now a legal part of your agenda. Leader. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President… I move we suspend Statutory Rules on Ordinances 17 through 19. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Alright, It’s moved and seconded to suspend the Statutory Rules on Ordinances 17 through 19. Are there any remarks? …Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. That passes and you have heard the three readings. Leader. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #17. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: : It’s been moved and seconded that you adopt Ordinance #17. Are there any remarks under this Ordinance other than what we’ve already had? …Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 422 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 #17 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 210/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #17 has been adopted. Ordinance #18, please. Oh, I’m sorry … Leader. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #18. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #18. Are there any remarks under this Ordinance other than what we’ve had thus far? MEMBER MORRIS: Madam president. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Yes, Member Morris. MEMBER MORRIS: Question. Member Sacco asked a question, “Who approved this”? And my understanding was, the Fire Department contacted the Law Department, the Law Department agreed or gave the permission to do this. But, correct me if I’m wrong but, isn’t this legislative authority the only one allowed in the city to authorize an expenditure over $50,000? LAW DIRECTOR REECE: Well that’s why it’s coming to vote today. MEMBER MORRIS: No, no sir, we are not approving this, we’re approving a moral ob. We are not approving and expenditure that we were told about. Somebody already spend the money. So, we were circumvented from the entire process. Somebody authorized a department to spend $53,000, which by the Codified Ordinance, comes backs to Council for Council’s approval. Not somebody else. LAW DIRECTOR REECE: So, I guess my options were to keep an ambulance out of service and put the community at risk or make a decision and I made the decision. MEMBER MORRIS: The ambulance was out of service for over 15 months already. LAW DIRECTOR REECE: It was, it was. MEMBER MORRIS: Thank you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Are there any further comments … I’m going to make sure I’m right on this … on Ordinance #18? …Any further comments? Okay, thank you. Now, it’s been moved and seconded that we adopt Ordinance #18 and we’ve had our comments, correct? Okay, so make sure roll … roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 8 YEAS, 1 NAYS (MEMBER MORRIS VOTED NAY) CLERK WOOD: Eight yeas, one nay, Madam President. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 423 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 #18 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 211/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #18 has been adopted. Leader Mariol, Ordinance #20. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #19. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Oh, #19, I’m sorry. It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #19. Are there any remarks under this Ordinance … under 19? …Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas,, Madam President. #19 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO.212/2024 ORDINANCES & FORMAL RESOLUTIONS FOR SECOND READING PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. We are now under second reading Ordinances and Formal Resolutions. Madam Clerk, would you please begin with Ordinance #20. NOTE: PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD CALLED UPON CLERK WOOD TO READ ORDINANCES #20 THROUGH #22 FOR THEIR SECOND READING BY TITLE AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, AS FOLLOWS: O#20. (2ND RDG) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10/2024, AS AMENDED, TO ESTABLISH THE ATTACHED EXHIBIT AS THE CLASSIFICATION PLAN FOR THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE MANAGEMENT AND NON-BARGAINING PERSONNEL EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF CANTON; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY O#21. (2ND RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR AND ACCEPT $13,937.99 IN GRANT FUNDS FROM THE 2024 PATRICK LEAHY BULLETPROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT AND TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 BULLET PROOF VESTS FOR THE MEMEBERS OF THE CANTON POLICE DEPARTMENT; AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO RENAME FUND 2790 2017 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL GRANT TO 224 PATRICK LEAHY BULLETPROOF VEST GRANT FUND; AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY ($13,937.99 SUPP APPROP FR UNAPPROP BAL OF 2790 2024 PATRICK LEAHY BULLET PROOF VEST GRANT FUND TO 2790 102001 2024 PATRICK LEAHY BULLET PROOF VEST GRANT - OTHER) COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 424 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 O#22. (2ND RDG) AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CLERK OF COUNCIL TO CERTIFY TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR UNPAID AND DELINQUENT CHARGES FOR SERVICES PERFORMED BY AND/OR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF CANTON BUILDING AND CODE DEPARTMENT DURING CALENDER YEAR 2023 FOR MOWING AND LITTER CLEAN UP; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY CLERK WOOD: Madam President. ORDINANCES & FORMAL RESOLUTIONS FOR THIRD AND FINAL READING PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you, Madam Clerk. We are now under Ordinances and Formal Resolutions for their Third, Final Reading and vote. Madam Clerk, please begin with Ordinance 23. NOTE: PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD CALLED UPON CLERK WOOD TO READ THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES #23 THROUGH #27 FOR THEIR THIRD READING BY TITLE AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, AS FOLLOWS: O#23. (3RD RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 213/2024 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE STATEMENT OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE 2904 MARKET AVE N- 2024 ANNEXATION AREA, THE APPROXIMATE DATE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED, PROCEDURE TO RECONCILE INCOMPATIBLE ZONING USES UPON ITS BEING ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF CANTON, OHIO; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #23. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #23. Are there any remarks?...Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. #23 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 213/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #23 has been adopted. Ordinance #24, please. O#24. (3RD RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 214/2024 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE STATEMENT OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE 2050 CENTRAL AVE SE - 2024 ANNEXATION AREA, THE APPROXIMATE DATE SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED, PROCEDURE TO RECONCILE COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 425 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 INCOMPATIBLE ZONING USES UPON ITS BEING ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF CANTON, OHIO; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #24. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #24. Are there any remarks?...Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. #24 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 214/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #24 has been adopted. Ordinance #25, please. O#25. (3RD RDG) POSTPONED TO 11/4/24 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 1351.03, AMENDMENTS, DELETIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE, OF CHAPTER 1351, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #25. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #25. Are there any remarks? MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Yes. MEMBER MARIOL: I move we table Ordinance #25 until the next Council Meeting. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded that we table and postpone the passage of Ordinance #25 until the next meeting. Which I believe is November 4th … MEMBER MARIOL: Yes… COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 426 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: …2024. Are there any remarks? Yes, Member Sacco. MEMBER SACCO: What’s the reason that we’re tabling it, if I might say? Why are we tabling this? MEMBER GIAVASIS: I asked for the uh … the … to be postponed to give the people that are here in the audience the opportunity to responded to the legislation before it’s voted on. PRESIDENT BATESD ALYWARD: And I will say um … we have several speakers tonight that would like to speak on this issues signed up. Okay, alright so it’s been moved and seconded that we postpone Ordinance #25 until our next meeting um … and we’ve had some remarks. Any more remarks? …No. Hearing none, by voice vote, all those in favor of postponing and tabling it until next meeting, signify by saying aye. Those opposed no. NO REMARKS POSTPONEMENT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY VOICE VOTE (MEMBER MARIOL ABSTAINED, MEMBER MORRIS OPPOSED) CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Alright, the ayes do have it. The motion carries and Ordinance #25 will be postponed until next week. Alright. Ordinance #26 please, Madam Clerk. O#26. (3RD RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 215/2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CLERK OF COUNCIL TO CERTIFY TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR UNPAID AND DELINQUENT CHARGES FOR WATER, SANITATION, AND SEWER SERVICES; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #26. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #26. Are there any remarks?...Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. #26 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 215/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #26 has been adopted. Ordinance #27, please. O#27. (3RD RDG) ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 216/2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO ENTER INTO CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 WITH WENGER EXCAVATING, INC. IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 427 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 EXCEED $115,735.60 FOR THE 34TH ST. NW AREA WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT; AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO PAY ALL MORAL OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO THIS CHANGE ORDER THAT TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO THE FINALIZATION OF SAID CHANGE ORDER: AMENDING APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE NO. 61/2024; AND DECLARING THE SAME TO BE AN EMERGENCY (SUPP APPROP FR 4501 202018 4TH ST. BRIDGE REPLAC, FR 4501 202023 10 TH ST. NE REALIGN & CKISE W&L TO 4501 207067 34TH STR AREA WTR MN REPL PROJ - OTHER) PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adopt Ordinance #27. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and seconded to adopt Ordinance #27. Are there any remarks?...Hearing none, roll call vote, please. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. #27 ADOPTED AS ORDINANCE NO. 216/2024 PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. The motion carries and Ordinance #27 has been adopted. ANNOUNCEMENT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: We are under the Announcement of Committee Meetings. Our next meeting date is November 4th, 2024, and the Committee Meetings will start at 6:30 PM. Community and Economic Development uh … the Chairman is not here will somebody call that for Mr. Hawk. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, Community and Economic Development will meet November 4th at 6:30 PM PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Finance Committee. MEMBER GIAVASIS: Madam President, Finance will meet November 4th at 6:30. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you. Annexation Committee, Member Morris MEMBER MORRIS: I don’t see anything on the agenda for Annexation. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: I don’t know, you’re in big red letters on here so… for next time. MEMBER MORRIS: Same time, same place. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Okay, thank you. Public Safety and Thoroughfares Committee. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 428 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 MEMBER BABCOCK: Madam … Madam President, Public Safety and Thoroughfares will meet same time, same place. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you. Alright …(Inaudible). is there nothing? Uh oh, my red letters were wrong. Then we will not have an Annexation meeting. PUBLIC SPEAKS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Okay. Alright, we are now under Public Speaks, and we have 16 speakers this evening. Um … most of you have been here before but, once again please approach the microphone, try to speak in so that we can hear you and um … you can obviously monitor your time on the…onthe boards and uh … please give your name and residential address. Okay, our first speaker … oh my eyes are bad … Jeana Marie Warren. Ms. Warren … do we have a Ms. Warren here? No, okay. Alright, well, Ms. Warren … no alright. So, we’re going to go on to our next speaker, Mr. Roger Gates. Mr. Roger Gates, yes. ROGER GATES: My name is Roger Gates, I live at 611 Smith Ave. North West. This resolution #25 … (inaudible) Oh … hello? Alright. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Yes, thank you. ROGER GATES: Can I have a reset on my time? Since nobody could hear me. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Yeah, go ahead and reset him please for three. Thank you … Thank you, go ahead. ROGER GATES: The resolution 25 that just came up okay, I reside in my family home. I have the same address on my birth certificate as I do my driver’ss license. We’re going to get to the CPS and uh … Adult Protective Services and Probate Court. Now, I live in a home … my mom had a trust set up and it says it in the trust that I was allowed to stay in the house until the time that I see that I wanted to leave or we decide to sell the house. Well, the Guardian Program through the Probate Court is trying to seize my home right now. But, yet it was because the deed wasn’t switched over and I had a sister that’s … bat shit crazy and didn’t move the stuff over into the trust as she should have. I went to the probate Court and I voted … voiced this opinion and they sent it to the guardian, they said that I didn’t get this. This is the systems that are operating within the city right now and all of us are getting tired of it it’s … it’s … they got unlimited power. My question is … is this…do I have to register my house through this or what do I have to do? Because I … this is my … this is my family home. I mean 55 years I’ve lived in the same place. This isn’t just something that just came about. I…I… I need to know what I need to do to secure my home. They’re trying to take it right now. My mom hoarded the house and I’ve been trying to clean it out and I got and order from Judge Dickson- Parks not to clean the house out. I need the house cleaned out in order to be able to fix the house. I cannot qualify for any city programs because the house is not in my name, it’s in my mothers name. I don’t even … I can’t even get the water turned on. I called the authority multiple times I’ve tried … twice I tried last August and I tried again just recently because they came out and they marked my curb box. So, I wanted to know why my curb box was marked. I want to fix my home I… I… it’s the only place … it’s the only thing I got left. They took my mom and they put her in a home, drugged her up so they can deal with her and this isn’t just new. Pay attention to Trumbull, Portage, and all the other Counties that are operating underneath this Guardian Program, it’s no better than the CPS program right now. All these systems are broken and over stepping in they got a mild amount of power and they’re stepping all over us. They took $600,000, they put my mom in an $8,000 a month home which I was willing to take care of my mother for $3,000. Adult Protective Services when in to Probate Court and stated she’s being adequately taken care of but yet they said I didn’t understand it. I’m college educated I got my … I got my COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 429 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 degree in Human and Social Services. Life has dictated to me that I took care of them for thirteen years, my mother and my grandmother. When my grandmother died, that’s when everything changed and they took everything when they stated drugging my mom to deal with her at the nursing home, which they said “ It’s Okay”. The health care guardian… it don’t matter… we the people are coming. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Okay. Thank you Mr. Gates. Um … our next speaker is Mr. Daniel Gates. DANIEL GATES: My names Daniel Gates and I live in the U. S Constitutional Republic. God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference. You in front of me, you guys have the power to change things but you don’t have the courage. And you don’t have the wisdom to know the difference. You got a loose cannon Law Director here. Mr. Mayor when you guys had the Town Hall meeting said if we have a problem we need to report it to that department. When I do I get a runaround and when I interrupt that runaround of a talk around, I get told to get this shit out of my ears. So, I told your Law Detector … Law Director that he needs to get the shit out of his mouth. I’m tired of hearing it. I… My car got broke today and then I did a little walk… well not today Saturday… got broke because your water you’re … you’re main… water main valve covers, they’re not good, they broke. It went flying up into my car and flying all the way across west Tusc, that could have killed somebody. You guys so worried about public safety? No you’re not. Your workers are lazy, they’re lazy. They do not care about their job and they get over paid for it. If I did half the crap that your city workers did, I’d get fired from my job. You guys got to do better I mean I … I … I could have died with my father in the car, with my girlfriend in the car and that’s unacceptable. I’m afraid to drive down your roads, I am now. I’m paranoid. I’m sitting here driving like this now, looking like a drunk man driving down the road because I’m trying to dodge every hole, every crack cause I don’t know what’s going to come flying out of your dang road. This … they were doing work on that road, probably on Friday and they said “ You know what, we’re done let’s go” and they left it unsecure. It’s unacceptable. And I have to show insurance? No, I don’t have to show insurance when it’s not my fault. It’s not my fault, it’s your guys’ fault your workers. I didn’t do anything but drive down the road see, in the military we do this thing called confidence training. You go into a gas chamber, you put your gas mask on, they burn CS gas in front of you, and then they tell you to take your gas mask off it’s clear and it burns. Then you learn that your gas mask works. Same thing driving down the road. I thought I had confidence to drive down the road. You guys expect us to maintain our vehicles, if we do not maintain our vehicles for safety, then we get fined fees and we’re not allowed to drive that vehicle. But, when your roads are unacceptable for us to drive on, I… I have to go through a run around with Mr. Jason Reece over here telling me, degrading me when I didn’t even disrespect him, I just told him I was tired of the circular conversation. Yeah, rolling his eyes and he’s a loose cannon he went to approve something without the proper channels. Loose cannon, loose cannons. (inaudible) God bless you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you Mr. Gates. Our next speaker … and I hope I’m reading this correctly uh … Starr Fear? Am I saying that correctly? STARR FEAR: Yes ma’am, you are. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Alright, thank you. If you’ll give us your name and residential address. STARR FEAR: My name is Starr Fear of 221 Duber Avenue Southwest. The last meeting I had attended as a listener, now this meeting I am coming here speaking to you as I am not a citizen of Canton, Ohio, I am not from here I am from Rome, New York. Um … you know, y’all are … I’m seeing conflict between the community and you guys. You guys are having us speak after you guys have already done your voting. You COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 430 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 guys are having us talk to you, but yeah you don’t listen. You say you’re listening, but you’re not. You’re really not. Um … you know I was in the car with him when … that water thing popped up out of the ground. I have been in a total of six accidents in my in my 21 years of living on this earth. Six! My ex tried to kill me whatever, not my problem. He’s gone, he’s out, we’re good. Another thing that I want to bring to the table you guys said in the last meeting that you’re talking about…something about the single-family housing. F*** that … Lets go where … PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: No … no, no, no, no we don’t have any cussing like that. That’s not appropriate, don’t do that. STARR FEAR: Let’s start talking about the … low income housing. Let’s start talking about the citizens that are on the streets. Let’s start talking about the citizens of Canton, Ohio who have yet to have a place of their own. I am a single being, I am living with friends, paying partial rent with them because I cannot make rent on my own, making $13 an hour. I am sitting here hoping and praying to God, to any living being, we the people do not deserve what we are receiving. You guys are not helping us, you are wasting money on things that we do not really need. Instead, fix the roads. Instead, more low income housing. Instead, get the people that are on a waiting list. As of last night, I was talking to somebody I know um … did you know that the waiting list for Metro and Section 8 is up to five years? You know there’s people on the streets right now, that ain’t got anything. No food, no clothes on their back but yet, we can’t do anything about it. So, as a citizen I need you guys to help us. As a citizen. Thank you, have a wonderful rest of you day. (applause) PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Ms. Fear. Our next speaker is Robin Windlack, I believe I’m saying that correct. And please, correct me if I did not say that right. ROBERT WINDLAND: Yeah uh … Robert Windland … PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Oh, Windland. Okay, thank you. ROBERT WINDLAND: I live at 221 Dueber Avenue Southwest. The landlord I have … he don’t want to fix any part of our building. It’s going downhill we get … we pay $500 a month for what? So, we have a broken bathroom flood that … I might fall through the floor one day when we’re in the tub … my sons in the tub. And he’s not fixing no screen doors, he’s not fixing the screens there’s no screens in my apartment. The kitchen floor’s got big old hole in it. We tired to fix that, he don’t want to fix that. He won’t even spend the money to fix the place, he wants to bring me stuff to fix it but yet he don’t want to pay me to fix it. I fixed so much in that apartment when we evicted a women that … that was down there. There was holes in there, cockroaches in there, everything else in there and he expects me to live with that? I fixed all the holes up, painted the whole place and I told him about the roaches twice alright, he still hasn’t had anybody come and spray it yet. I still see them here and there and he expects me to pay rent when he’s not fixing nothing. That place is … it’s a dump. Literally a dump. I’d rather live on the street than live there. He’s not … he’s there landlord but he’s not a landlord. Oh, then he wants the rent money and worry about going on vacations, taking his money and running as soon as he gets rent he’s gone. I talk about this and this and this. He’ll be like “ I’ll get somebody out here.” It’s been two months and I ain’t seen nobody come out yet. The plum … the plumbing in the basement…there’s sewer coming up through the basement. My wife sick over it, my son is getting sick over it, I’m getting sick over it. It caused me to have cancer and he’s not fixing anything. I keep telling him about all the smell, I’ll get a plumber … I’ll get a plumber out there. You not … you’re saying words but you’re not doing any actions. He don’t want to fix nothing at all, he wants the rent money, yeah, but yet he don’t want to fix anything. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARDS: And this is at 221 Duber Avenue Southwest? COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 431 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 ROBERT WINDLAMD: Yup, apartment A. Yup. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you. Continue. ROBERT WINDLAND: His name is Jeff Barber. He don’t want to fix anything in the building. He expects us to pay his rent, but yet he … he … he don’t want to fix nothing. He did replace our refrigerator, still going to have roaches in it. That he only replaced and our kitchen counter because it fell apart when I was remodeling the place. And I charged him only 400 bucks to remodel it which I could have charged him a lot more, which I should have charged him a lot more because I had to do all remodeling, all the painting, all the plaster, all the mud work, replace the counter, replace the cap … uh … cab … cab … cabinet counter top, and I had to replace the toilet gas uh … gasket cause it kept leaking. It won’t flush I had to fix that. And yet he expects … but … but he expects his rent money for every month. This month … next month he ain’t getting no rent money till he fixes something. And if he … if he evicts me, he can’t cause he’s not fixing anything. Thank you. PRESIDENT BATESD ALYWARD: Thank you sir. ANDREA PERRY: Madam President? PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Yes? ANDREA PERRY: Um … Mr. Windland I’ll have uh … building inspector out there uh … I have your address as 221 Duber Avenue Southwest, Apt. A. Is there anyone there during the day? ROBERT WINDLAND: Yes … (inaudible) ANDREA PERRY: Okay, alright we’ll have someone there tomorrow. Okay? PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you. Our next speaker is Ms. Anne Krusemark. If I’m saying that incorrectly please correct me. ANNE KRUSMARK: Hi, I’m Anne Krusmark and I feel very bad for the tenant who has all those problems. I have been a landlord in the City of Canton for 22 years, I bend over backwards to make my houses in decent shape. They’re not the Taj Mahal, but they’re in … they’re clean, they’re neat and I work very hard to keep it that way because everybody deserves a safe place to live. That said, um … Canton City has in that 22 year span, made it very difficult to operate in the City of Canton. Your … your Amendment #25 if I understand it correctly, is going to raise the annual um … fee to have a rental in the City if Canton from $80 to $125 or $135 I’ve heard different numbers. Um … I only have 12 units in the City of Canton right now. I’ve had as many as 26 in the prior years but I only have 12 right now. Um … with property taxes going up 30 to 40 percent or more um … I had one jump 49% um … because of the recent evaluations um … insurance follows that um … it makes it very difficult to operate when you spend a lot of time not getting rents because people don’t pay them. And I get that times are hard and there are a lot of people that can’t afford the rent, but if they can’t afford the rent they shouldn’t really uh … agree to pay it. Um … I had … I can’t tell you the number of tenets that punched holes in the walls and colored on the walls … the dry wall with magic marker that’s not cleanable and all sorts of other things. This week alone I’m spending between 5 and 7 thousand dollars to fix one residential unit um … a lot of it because of something that one of the tenants did. Um … not intentionally in this case but still the tenet doesn’t have the money to fix it so its my job to fix it. Um … please do not raise the annual rental rates I know it doesn’t seem like much on an individual bases but it makes a difference between being able to operate and not. I don’t make a lot of money on my rentals. I have mortgages on all of them. If I’m lucky I COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 432 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 make $200 in a month, unless I have expenses, then which case…then I’m in the hole. Um … please consider that … when you vote on that issues because it makes a big difference and what you’re doing is you’re driving local landlords out of the city and having them sell to make what they’ve had in it to out of state like people in California who don’t care what the property looks like, because they’re not here, they just want the money. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: And ma’am, just real quick, I want to confirm your address 8473 Daisywood … ANNE KRUSEMARK: Yes ma’am. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Northwest. Okay, thank you. Our next speaker is Michael Billig. Mr. Billig, if you could give us your name and residential address please. MICHAEL BILLIG: Good evening, my name is Michael Billig and I live at 5755 Wynnbrook Road Southwest, in Canton, Ohio. Good evening fellow citizens and board members. (inaudible) I had it all written down so I could read it out … hold on a second. Okay, first of all id like to talk all of you, all the public servants here. Only people who lived a life of service understands what it means to be in public service. The holidays, weekends and evenings with countless hours dedicated to city issues. The family events that you miss because you are tending to city business. The sleep that you lose worrying about city business. Thank you again, for your efforts on the behalf of our community. I and many others here are considered about Resolution 25 and the proposed increase in registration fees. If you are one of those people concerned about this issues, I ask you to please stand now… okay. Thank you, please be seated. Why is such a fee increase warranted? It does not require a massive amounts of effort on the behalf of city employees to register properties, and a deed, it seems more like a added tax than anything else. The burden of this will inevitably be passed on to tenets, many of whom cannot afford it. Especially, in light of the massive increase in property taxes. There’s been little information regarding this issue shared with housing providers in the city. And it seems as though the city was trying to sneak this by, perhaps hoping to escape the attention of those it effects most. Mindful of that, I then request you hold the vote for an ample amount of time to allow the people directly involved to have an opportunity to consider this thoroughly and provide input about it. Anything else carries with it the possible taint of impropriety. I hope I am mistaken in these regards as your constituents expect and deserve better from their elected officials. Thank you for your time and attention. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Mr. Billig. Our next speaker is Darin Andorka. I believe I’m saying that correctly. DARIN ANDORKA: Yes. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, if you could give us your name and residential address for the record. DARIN ANDORKA: Darin Andorka, 156 Roslyn Avenue Northwest, Canton, Ohio. And I’m calling about a err … here today about a MRDD House that I’ve been dealing with for the past three years, that is nothing but problems. And first I have … I could stand here all night and go over all the problems but I’m going to go over some of the majors. First, I want to address Mr. Scaglione and Mr. Reece who said he apparently does not does not know that I’ve tried to contact his office. I’ve actually been in his office trying to file charges against the Canton Police Department and against Mrs. Crystal Smith, who unfortunately is not here tonight. Where I was under the impression that if you make a police report, you have to be at the scene in order to make the police report. Mrs. Smith was allowed to make a police report and she also lied on this particular police report which is COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 433 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 a felony. I tried to go down to Mr. Reece’s office, I was denied those two charges by his uh … I guess his assistant prosecutors or whatever they are, but I’ve been to his office three times in the last three years and I was just told by Mr. Scaglione that he has no idea what’s going on so, that’s that. So, now let’s get into some of the problems that I’ve been dealing with, with this house. I’ve been had residents on my property, threating my life. I’ve had residents on my property from this home, stealing stuff from my property, causing property damage to my property. Screaming and yelling on my property, and just recently over the weekend at four in the morning I have one of the residents screaming in my … on my property with three Canton Police Officers, cruisers out in front, who tell me, “Just go inside, this is none of my business.” This is my personal property that these people are on. I have these … these people that are supposed to be taking care of the patients there that are smoking pot with the patients, that have brought underage are community … or underage child that live in this neighborhood in to the house with alcohol. We have two residents living in this house currently that are both underage, one male and one female. How is this even possible? We have these residents screaming at neighbors, yelling at neighbors. I have employees call me racist, ignorant, yelling at me where I’m legally allowed to park because they don’t want me to park there because it inconveniences them as they sit out in their cars, instead of taking care of the residents. Playing their music, talking with their friends, talking with other people. Not taking care of the residents but yet, the police department, who I’ve talked with several, lots of police are … are sick of dealing with these homes because they are not being done … they’re not doing what they’re suppose to be doing, the law. They are taking care of these residents or these people that own these houses (inaudible) PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you. DARIN ANDORKA: Can I add one last final thing uh … under my opinion Mrs. Reece is my Ward Member she has … she owns this house. I was under the impression that an elected official who not allowed … PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Well … DARIN ANDORKA: To have any business dealing with anything that they can have influence over. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: And what’s the address of the house in question? DARIN ANDORKA: 200 Roslyn which had had over … PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: 200 … Okay. DARIN ANDORKA: 300 police calls within the last four years. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Alright, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Andorka. DARIN ANDORKA: You’re very welcome and by the way this is going to Tucker Carlson, I’ve been talking to Fox 8 (inaudible from audience) PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Alright … now … alright now … we’re … our next speaker is Mr. Justin Nicely. Mr. Nicely. JUSTIN NICELY: My name is Justin Nicely uh … former resident of 1124 13th street over at the Jackson Sherrick Community Housing. Now I live in Massillon, Ohio. I’m not going to talk to them today. I’m here to make a declaration for the masses, that our freedom is, without question, under attack and I’m not here trying to convince anyone of this fact because those that don’t believe me, it’s too late for you. I’m here to tell the COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 434 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 remaining line of the tonic complain of equality and social justice is over because the red truth tail is this, that without freedom you’re not going to get either. You’re going to come to find that if the empowerment of with in the knowledge of your rights and to share this empowerment of the knowledge with the village that you’re apart of and excises these freedoms through proactiveness, equality is going to start coming naturally and with very little effort. Too many times I hear so many people talk about, to our elected leaders and their negligent to serve and protect we the people and the problem with that is you guys are only half riding what it is that you’re asking for. Their position that they’ve lost sight of is in servant of the people and that which we have failed us miserably because they don’t have the temperament for the trade. Many time have over stepped in the lack of morality and integrity. They’ve made it very clear that it’s not their responsibility to protect us, it’s ours. Every single one of us are responsible for our own individual safety and wellbeing not them. And it’s been confirmed like (inaudible) when they watched innocent children died at the hands of a maniac due to coward-ness as they stood by and said they’re not responsible for it. That should have been every citizen wake up call on how they are not to be depended on and how much empowerment that we the people have over ourselves, our country, and our responsible to (inaudible) unify cause the village to do such, but it wasn’t. We the people have failed because we’ve trusted wolves amongst sheep’s for a false sense of security. We’re willing to give up our freedom for literally an illusion… a dream we all need to wake up from. You didn’t wake up when they forced us into lock downs and separated us from those that we love and many were left to died alone. You didn’t wake up when they for mask, social distancing, and mandates. You didn’t wake up when they took away our schools, our places of worship, republic offices, and our jobs. You didn’t wake up when they crucified those once held as heroes and now essential and then try to force drugs on them. You didn’t wake up when they openly silenced and censored those that don’t fit the narrative. You didn’t wake up when they sit there and send billions of our money to serval countries for wars yet can only give chump change to their own citizen in their time of crisis. You don’t wake up when they poison our food, they kidnap our children and traffic them for profit, militarize our law enforcement, (inaudible) and the homes. Embezzled our money for their our personal gain at our expense all while killing millions in the process and proclaiming it’s all for our safety. We have corruption at the highest levels from those that are suppose to be serving us and with very little oversight, even less accountability. My wake up call to this was in 2019 when my home was raided by CPS and Canton Police with no warrants. My children were kidnapped and trafficked off allegation alone and given back with the threats and blackmail to cover it all up and their mistake. And in 48 hours from now and five years later, they want to do it all again. They’re going to lock me up, they’re going to take away my children over speech and for the sake of being a father. We the people need to stand together as a village and as a united front we need to say that we have had enough. I can’t lay down and I’m not going to sit there and stand by and watch every single one of y’all have to take this. I will have every single one of your backs. Now, my only question to the masses that are sick and tired, how many of you are going to have mine? PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD; Thank you, Mr. Nicely. Our next speaker is Ms. Cassandra White, Ms. White. CASSANDRA WHITE: My name’s Cassandra White, 816 2nd Street Massillon, Ohio. I’ve been here for about two months now, every Monday, and what I’ve head from all your meetings is you all care about your city. I’d like to discuss the Skyline Terrence, which is funny that everybody here is talking about real-estate. Aka “The P” the property is not SMHA but does get state funding and is low income housing. It has gone under new ownership and they’re rehabbing all the buildings, they look nice. The owners are having work done with the … with the tenants staying in their apartments. They’re not allowed to leave while the work’s being done. The construction company that has been hired is negligent and unprofessional. They turned the water off in the build for tenants for at least an hour and as long as twelve hours at a time. So, for that long period of time, they cannot use the bathroom, cook for their children, or do laundry. I called an reported that to the health department two months ago, still never have received a return call from the voicemail that I left. Actually, they COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 435 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 gave me the runaround as soon as I said Skyline Terrence. The front building was done unit by unit but now that it’s getting cold they’re rushing to get the windows and doors replaced. So, they’re putting the new windows and doors in with framing and moving on but they all have a sliding glass door and they’re taking them off and tossing them into the grass or over the railings on second and third floors. It then smashes and glass goes everywhere. The 800 building now has new doors and windows, but the tenants are freezing. They have not come back and tapped or mudded the walls, there’s holes in the walls so the airs coming through all the cracks. Now, what doesn’t help is the management … or the owners does not turn on the heat for these buildings until the end of November. One tenant came home the other day and found a nail gun shot hole through her 75 inch TV. When she asked who was responsible she was told by the owners “It wasn’t their problem”. The tenant had to approach the foreman to try to see what they were going to do. She turned on a translator to communicate with them and one employee that did not know she had it on said “Don’t tell her we did it”. The foreman sent the guys to get a new one and … and then told him it would come out of his pay. Don’t your young children deserve to go outside and play without fear of glass everywhere or shooting nails. These people pay their rent and deserve to be treated like humans. They already have to worry about the crime that’s there. I’ve been told one of the reasons my son was shot and because he was walking through the P at night. Sounds like it’s a neighborhood that Canton needs to worry about fixing up instead of building a $160,000 homes. I do have pictures to back these up um … and also whenever she called to report to the police that her TV was broken when she came home, they said “We don’t come out and make police reports anymore. We’ll take it over the phone.”. What if there was other guy in the house? And she was there with three young children, they could have harmed her. Justice for Zachary Forenash, justice for Frank Tyson. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Ms. White. Our next speaker is Ms. Skylark Bruce. Ms. Bruce. (Sierra Mason yells inaudible words from audience) MEMBER SMITH: I Alright talked to her about … PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: We … we have her … CIERRA MASON: Thank you Ms. Smith, thank you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: We have her address. Go ahead Ms. Bruce. SKLARK BRUCE: My name is Skylark Bruce and I live at 2216 Bollinger Avenue Northeast. Last week, the Repository reported that the third and final defendant that had … has been to court related to the May incident of excessive force with Canton Police K9 and the now fired Office Nicholas Casto. Where are Casto’s charges? The Repository story makes no mention of those questions or if they asked it. Losing one’s jobs is not a consequence specific to police officers. The defendants could also have easily lost their jobs its very common for workers to be fired once they’ve been arrested and are unable to show up for a shift or two. If the only charge that the third defendant still had on his plate was resisting arrest and the other assorted charges couldn’t stick, then what on earth was he being arrested for? If someone is not being arrested legitimately how can it be illegitimate to resist? But, again … where are the charges that Casto should face? When another department hires him, he’s liking to repeat the same behavior towards members of the public in that jurisdiction. Under our current system, punishment is how we attempt to stop repeated bad behavior. It doesn’t work, as we can clearly see in our justice system, but it’s absurd to see wildly different standards applied based on weather someone is or was an officer or member of the public. (inaudible) that it comes to actually heal what is sick inside of us and rupture between us and community would make a lot more sense to try. I can hear some of you laughing in your heads, then please, tell us what would be better. Tell us more than the problem is a whole lot of people who COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 436 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 don’t behave. Our whole system right now is based on ideas about how to correct behavior that bare little connection to reality. How would you give Casto and the more recently fired, Officer Brandon Momerov, the tools and motivation to behave better. If these would be different than the tools and motivation you would give to a member of the public who was actually charged with assault on another person, then you need to ask yourself why. If these two officers need support, ongoing education, and community to make different choices, what does that tell you about the entire public? We are going to keep asking why and demanding answers. We’re going to keep bringing in these important matters up because weather or not this is important to our City Officials, it is important to us. We do not want living in Canton, Ohio, to resemble living in the occupied West Bank. No one, including the Palestinians who live there, deserve that, Justice for Zachary Fornash, Frank Tyson, the three ordinary people charged for the dog bite case in May, so many more and free Palestine. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you Ms. Bruce. (applause) Our next speaker is Ms. Sue Jacobs. Ms. Jacobs. SUE JACOBS: Uh … hi I’m Sue Jacobs, 2322 Gridley Avenue Northeast. My problems about the homeless. I go out and I feed them myself. I did work for an Outreach Program that the Mayor’s aware of. Steve Robertson, he’s an idiot. Anyhow, we go out and feed them and we got to their camps where they’re at and if you would spend one hour there, you would not be there. And I’ve seen them bulldoze their houses where they’re staying at. We went out and give them coats and jackets whatever they need. We go there and its all in a pile and a woman’s place is gone and we’re digging to see if she’s laying in there dead. There has to be something that can be done there … I know there’s felons, I know there’s pedophiles, I know they’re all out there but, you have people out there, veterans out there. They need uh … their birth certificates, stuff like that. I buy it out of my pocket and I’m on a pension. Somebody should be able to do something for these people. They’re out there freezing. I can’t say anything more except Mayor, something there should be done. I’m willing to help… whatever you want to do. I have people to help me, we cook food and we take it out and the people they can’t even plug their phones in to charge them. They’re getting beat up out there. They’re getting knocked around and they’re afraid to call the police. One guy got hit with a shovel and yeah, there’s a lot of thieves but we got thieves in our neighborhood that’s not homeless. And what are we suppose to do with them? Shoot them? We treat our dogs better than that and I love dogs but I love them homeless people out there too and they don’t have none of this coming. And I think if any of you go out there and you just stay there, just for a … sit out there with you for a half hour and you’ll see there’s dogs out there. Dogs out there that’s getting their mouth busted and stuff, I take food out to them. I don’t want a pat on the back we need help. They have one place, you have 60 people that can go there and spend the night. They say there’s 300 homeless here. Take a better count. There’s probably 1,700. House surfers and everything else. You know, I’m told if I feed them I’m going to go to jail. Well, you know what? I’m going to be the first 75 year old women to go to jail. (applause) I mean that … that’s just how I feel. Something should be able to be done. Akron’s doing it, other places are doing it. Mayor I’d help you, if there’s something you want me to do I would do it and stay within the law. These people are going to freeze. There’s people dying. We’re buying blankets out of our pockets to ... heating blankets and coats and everything else we can get. I’m online begging people for help because I don’t have it but I’m going to feed them until I drop dead. Alright, thank you very much, I appreciate you guys listening. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you Ms. Jacobs. Our next spear … speaker is Ms. Sierra Mason. SIERRA MASON: Sierra Mason, 1210 Market. So I’ve been listening to everybody speak, and all I’ve heard is trauma after trauma after trauma. We have people who are begging for their homes, We have people who are begging for food, We are pe … are…we have people who are begging for peace. And I’ve been talking about this for weeks. I haven’t said too much about what you guys have and haven’t done or I’ve been talking about empathy, listening to your people, listening to your community. And honestly, like that’s half the problem here COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 437 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 these people want to feel like they’re heard when they come to you with their concerns. They want to feel validated and … and at least seen. You don’t have to fix their problem all the time.Trust me, I work with 35 families every month. I visit with them and they have a plethora of issues. From their houses being shot up, to wanting to take their own lives. to wanting to shoot up drugs, to not wanting their children anymore, to wanting everything in the world for their children, to disabilities, to substance abuse disorders, to severe mental health disorders. And I’m in their homes or I’m at the rehab with them or the nursing homes or the hospitals and trust me, I’m no miracle worker. But I listen and I validate that their experience is their experience and I may not be able to fix every issue that they have, but I’m here and I’m listening and there may be a resource out there for them. That’s what half of these people need. That’s what 80% of the people who have spoken today, there’s a resource out there that fixes that and I can help you get connected to that. I’m a community health worker and that is literally my job. You need birth certificates for the homeless? There’s an act … there’s access and there’s resources for that. I … I can literally help you with that. But it’s these kinds of solutions that bring peace to our community, which is what we need. We need to stop traumatizing our … our community members with the police and start instilling trust within the systems that operate in our communities that are supposed to be helping these people. Stark County is very resource rich the problem is we’re connection poor. What are we going to do to get these resources in … (inaudible) who actually need them. Here would be a great start. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Ms. Mason. Our next speaker is Ms. Lila Wohlwend am I saying that I … I … I’m not reading the correctly and please correct me. LILA WOHLWEND: Lila Wohlwend, 202 49th Street Southeast, Canton, Ohio. I’m a property manager here in Stark County Ohio and that means I get to work with a lot of housing providers as well as a lot of tenants and I’m seeing struggling on both sides. So, when I hear that you guys want to raise registration fee is 40% well, that’s a concern because I’m watching my owner struggle to pay higher insurance costs, higher property taxes higher supply, cost higher labor costs, and it’s eating them. So, what do they have to do to continue to operate? They raise rents and the problem with that is the people paying for them don’t have the money to do that either. So, why does the city want to take more money to do that? One of the housing providers that I work with ask that question, and was told that the city wants to use it to demolition houses. Now, my question is if we already have a housing shortage why are we tearing down more houses? And why do we think that the housing providers should shoulder that burden? Instead why don’t we take that stock of houses that were trying to tax people for and get … and help work with the housing providers that all already made a business out of fixing up houses. That’s what they do so we could take these properties that are currently off-line and bring them online. More supply means lower prices and that helps the tenants as well. It means the city doesn’t have more demolition cost meaning you don’t have to ask us for higher registration fees, which means the housing providers have less cost tenants have less cost. How does that benefit the city? If we’re fixing them up, we’re hiring people here in the area, we’re buying supplies here in the area and let me tell you what, what is that going to do for the city? You’re ultimately going to get property … more property tax from these properties you’re not getting it from now, sales tax from all the things we buy and when somebody moves in you get income tax. To me this is a win on both sides. Wouldn’t that ultimately be a better way to fix up the city and bring in more money on your side? I’m asking you to vote against the ordinance that raises the registration fees. We need better solutions to this cities problems. Thank you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Ms. Wohlwend. (applause) Our next speaker is Mr. Eric Wohlwend. ERIC WOHLWEND: Thank you very much Council, Mayor, and everyone here. My name is Eric Wohlwend from 202 49th Street. I am from right here. I’m a member of Stark County real estate investors and I’m a COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 438 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 professional housing provider. Well I have renovated more than 1,000 properties all around the county areas, less than 100 of them were among this city. The reason that I avoid the city so much is because of the red tape and these registration fees. I’m exactly the type of person. My company is the company that fixes as many as 20 to 40 different properties a year we can rehab. When it gets too expensive for us to do this and it got too hard to do business in the city, shut down my office located at 3001 W. Tusc, right on the main drag. Now we’re in Canton South so we don’t have to deal with the stuff that goes on in the city. I sold that 15 unit building, 15,000 square feet to the person that would pay me the most money. Unfortunately, he happens to live out of town. He managed to let the heat go out, waterlines broke, move everybody out. Now, that building right there by the fairgrounds on west Tusc. has been empty for years. And when I looked it up today, they are many of thousands of dollars behind in property taxes. You’re driving out the local land owners and getting these West Coast investors because that’s all we can sell to if we want to get our investment back after sinking so much money into in that case tuck pointing, that you’re building department made me do it really didn’t need to be done other than one small area. Now you propose to charge investor more. You can’t sell a product for more or for less than you put into it. There is no possibility that you can keep raising fees and us not pass it on to the tenants. I know this is terrible, I know the people that are sitting right here are hurting bad. And my company pays a lot more than 13 but, it’s still hard to pay your rent now nowadays. There is no way we cannot pass this on with all of our input cost going up. You just can’t sell a product at less than you have into it. If you believe that this is going to be paid for by anybody but the tenants you really should look at basic economics and think about that. If this ordinance passes and our fees go up, the things that are actually going to happen is less people are going to want to do business in the city. The rents will unfortunately have to be increased. They’ll be less properties fixed up which exacerbates the homeless problem that we already have. And the ones that are sold are probably going to be sold at the highest bidder, which is almost always an out-of-town owner. Think about that before you raise our fees. Thank you for your time. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Mr. Wohlwend. Now, our finally speaker tonight is Ms. Cindy Royer. Ms. Royer … Ms. Royer are you still here? Oh, there she is. There she is … if someone could just help … yeah. CINDY ROYER: Hi, my name is Cindy Royer … can you hear me? Oh, okay. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you. CINDY ROYER: Thank you. My name is Cindy Royer and I live at 2317 Gridley Avenue Northeast. This is not a new problem It’s been … I’ve lived there 10 years … almost 10 years 10 years and it’s been the same problem for 10 years. Um … there’s two houses a house across the street at 2316 uh … is owned by brother and sister and brother lives there. He’s been in and out of prison and jail. He just had his third drug uh … aggravated drug uh … charge. My problem I’m trying to do is prevent him from going to prison again that would uh … squatters would take over then we have massive shootings and … and stuff and we can’t get them out of there. Uh … What I see at most about 2-3 times a week about 2 o’clock in the morning uh … the car will go into their … He’ll turn his light out, car will pull in with their lights out, he goes with the flashlight, goes to the car for a couple seconds, they leave turn the lights back on and hey, another car comes in. Some nights it’s three cars, some nights it’s seven maybe more. And um … like I said my problem is this … it’s … the vice squad did go in there when we we’re thinking they were cooking in there. And um … nothing really came of it but they weren’t cooking but the houses massive hoarding it’s … it’s unbelievable. Is how they put it. There’s a washer laying or dryer laying on its side in the front yard, massive trash and so forth. But, my problem is um … this has been going on for going on ten years and I have notified as many as I could and I don’t know there’s just a problem you know, take care of it. But, God forbid the neighborhood and innocent people, if he does go back to prison. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 439 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 His sister she lives in Pittsburgh can’t control it. We had the … the Vice Detective we had and the um … Council men were wonderful and they … they … it took them a lot of Marshalls and arrest and OD’s and deaths and shooting to get the squatters out of there. That’s all I want to do, there’s child that lives on the street and elderly as me and so … and we want to you know … we want to … to calm … he has three beautiful nice cars. Which I would love to have the one and he doesn’t work of course he’s … he’s older, he’s 60 something. And I just want to safely get into the house two house down is pretty much the same thing. They’ve also lived there for years and years. And one quick thing on the homeless, periodically I have a … behind my garage is kind of a fenced in little wooded area and I often have a homeless man or women that have been sleeping back there. My dogs will see them and I don’t want to chase them off but they run they’re afraid. And it breaks my heart to see them in there. Either rain, snow or whatever it’s … it’s just heartbreaking. And I do help so when I can and it’s just a bad situation but this drug … I know what they’re doing in the middle of the night. I called the police but by the time they get there, they’re gone. And they’ll say well if you see them again call them and it’s just kind of silly to keep calling because the police can only do so much and have so much time. But I just felt you know I … I just know that something’s coming again. With he just got another uh … aggravated drug charge the first of October. They sent him to jail a couple weeks for … thank you uh … for listening. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you Mrs. Royer and thank you to all of our speakers. We are now under Miscellaneous Business. And is there any Miscellaneous Business that any of the Members would like to bring before the group? MEMBER SMITH: Yes, Madam … yes, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Yes, Member Smith. MEMBER SMITH: Yes, first of all I’d like to uh … thank the landlords for coming down and speaking about this increase. I do have a question and probably a concern if this question is answered right. So, this increase would mean that you would be increasing Metropolitan Housing? MAYOR SHERER: Member Smith that is correct. MEMBER SMITH: Okay, now Metropolitan Houses is been tax exempt and property exempt so, why now are we increasing Metropolitan Housing? And let me tell you why I have a concern about that…because Metropolitan Housing is low income, possible no income and now you want to increase um … Metropolitan Housing then Metropolitan Housing is going to increase the resident’s rent. MAYOR SHERER: So, Member Smith I’ve had this conversation with every Council Member prior to this and prior is when I got this job, when you think about Victory Square, it’s not the same a SMHA. Okay? MEMBER SMITH: Okay, no I wasn’t … MAYOR SHERER: I know, I know … MEMBER SMITH: I wasn’t speaking on … MAYOR SHERER: I know, I know … MEMBER SMITH: Victory square I … speaking on … COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 440 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 MAYOR SHERER: I know, I know … MEMBER SMITH: Stark Metropolitan Housing MAYOR SHERER: I know, I know but … I know … MEMBER SMITH: And the reason why I was speaking about it is because the vast majority of Ward 4 and 6 had Metropolitan Housing. I don’t want that to loom like that single out them two Wards being singled out and getting this tax increase. And … And … MAYOR SHERER: Member Smith … MEMBER SMITH: We do have our uh … director of Metropolitan Housing here tonight because that was going to be my question to her. So, when they did this tax increase … MAYOR SHERER: Mem … Member Smith if I could … if I could respond? MEMBER SMITH: One … one minute Mayor ... MAYOR SHERER: Okay. MEMBER SMITH: No disrespect. MAYOR SHERER: No, that’s fine. MEMBER SMITH: But, my concern is once these … this increase becomes… to Metropolitan Housing, then there’s a possibility that they’re going to have to increase these no income, low income, residents rent. MAYOR SHERER: So, just to respond Member Smith … yes, historical SMHA has been exempt. You are correct by saying that. MEMBER SMITH: Okay. MAYOR SHERER: And historically our Code Department and our Health Department and our city services have been provided for free, even though it’s SMHA, we have responded to numerous, numerous and hundreds of complaints over the … over the years. Even prior to me getting this position. MEMBER SMITH: (Inaudible) MAYOR SHERER: I can’t … I can’t ... now just to finish …I can’t … since I’ve had this job for the last ten months I could account, probably thirty to forty emails that I’ve gotten from complaints from SMHA units. That were … that we had to have our building department, our code enforcement officers, come and respond and we’re basically … we have historically…have been providing free services. Okay? Now, I understand that SMHA is low in … low income housing but so … so is Victory Square. MEMBER SMITH: We’re not talking about Victory Square. MAYOR SHERER: I know … I know we’re not … I know we’re not, Chris. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 441 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 MEMBER SMITH: You keep bringing it up though. MAYOR SHERER: I know we’re not … I know we’re not. But … but we have historically been providing free services and what … what I’m … the Administration and myself are purposing is, yes, to raise the registration fees. Now, to … but also re … have a registration fee for SHMA at $80. So, when you think about … if you divide that past twelve months you’re talking about $6 and some change. We … we have been basically surviving on the same amount of money for the build department for the last 8 years. Now I know there’s a lot of landlords that are here not to talk about SHMA, okay? That are concerned about raising the registration fees. MEMBER SMITH: Right, I was the one talking about … MAYOR SHERER: Okay … okay but, its been … its my … the position that I am taking Chris is that basically we have been providing free services to SMHA. Now if there were no issues with SMHA, I bet … I wouldn’t by no means wouldn’t even be bringing this up. MEMBER SMITH: Have you addressed the issues with Metropolitan Housing? MAYOR SHERER: And we did have a con … I did have a conversation with Deneeta today. And that’s why we’re postponing this till next week. MEMBER SMITH: Oh, oaky. MAYOR SHERER: To have … to have to sit down and have the time to have a conversation. So, and I hopefully … hopefully they have … MEMBER SMITH: But … but you haven’t had a conversation with her prior to today? MAYOR SHERER: No, I didn’t. MEMBER SMITH: Because … because we was supposed to vote on that. MAYOR SHERER: No, I have not. MEMBER SMITH: Oh, well let me tell you my stance on this, I will not be supporting that I … I … really would not. And I think the landlord, the ones that have spoken, I appreciate you coming down to speak on it. But, I feel that it needs to be addressed more, I think that we should have went to Metropolitan Housing and forgive me for speaking about Metropolitan Housing, but the reason why I do is because I … that’s my Ward and I speak for my residents. And I don’t want them to have to … it’s bad enough the economy and the way it is now that they can barely pay they rent now and … (applause) and I’m … and I’m just saying because I just don’t feel it’s fair. You know? And they’ve been exempt all these other years and then now we come at a time like this and I just don’t think its fair. And I … I … appreciate Ms. White coming and speaking about Skyline Terrance and I will check on that tomorrow, I appreciate that. Yes, and so I will not be supporting this increase. MAYOR SHERER: And Member Smith I respect your position but I’d also … is it fair to every other landlord that’s in this room that we’re charging registration fees to them and not … and not SMHA. MEMBER SMITH: Well, no you shouldn’t even … you probably shouldn’t even be charging the landlord either. I mean if … cause you know what (applause) cause there are good landlords and there are bad landlords. COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 442 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 Don’t get me wrong, there are good landlords and there are bad landlords but you can’t, you know, do the good ones what you really need to be doing to the bad ones. And that’s just my theory on that. I don’t think you should be. (applause) MEMBER COOKS: Mad … Madam President? PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, are there any other comments under Miscellaneous Business? Mr … yes. MEMBER COOKS: I too … I too have some of the same concerns as Councilwomen Smith um … in my Ward, Ward 6 uh … we’re distortional … disproportionately uh …have many Stark Metropolitan Housing um facilities within that Ward um … any minuscule amount could affect the residents, and then I reflect back to last week when um … Ms. Bell brought in a picture of the um … uh … young man that had just moved in with his children in one of their facilities and there was no bed or anything like that. On that Sunday, she actually brought them to my home and got a mattress out of my uh … garage for him to sleep on at night.. So, I’m speaking specially for Stark Metro … Metropolitan Housing residents at this time. So, I do have some of those concerns also. Uh … secondly um … I talked (Inaudible) with Ms. Wohlwend and Ms. Jacobs last week. We talked about the issues that they talked about tonight and I will continue to talk with them to see if we can work through these things. Thank you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you very much. Are there any further comments under Miscellaneous business? MEMBER MORRIS: Madam … MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President … oh MEMBER MORRIS: Go ahead … MEMBER MARIOL: No, no please, Member Morris. I’m on a different topic. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Member Morris. MEMBER MORRIS: I’m just going to tick everybody off, you go first, (laughter) PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: So, I just wanted to address a couple things we heard in Public Speaks, regarding um … those in our community that need uh … assistance. So, through our Community Development Department um … under this Administration approved by this Council uh … we have provided homeless navigation specialists uh … a grant that’s projected to serve 2,700 uh … a grant that provides furniture and home goods for residents who can’t afford them. That’s projected to serve 500. Assist seniors, disable individuals, veterans, and low to modern income individuals with rental assistances. That projected to serve 300. Um … a grant to create a training center uh … to recruit and train low to modern income residents in construction uh … the construction industry. That’s projected to serve 1,692. Uh … we already gave $750,000 to the Parkway Loft Project that will build 42 affordable housing units in the city. We’ve provided uh … uh … money for emergency shelter operations in Canton. That’s projected to serve 200. Funding that would provide housing for wounded and disable veterans, projected to serve 63. Um … totaling serving 5,455 people estimated in this community and COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS JOURNAL 112 JOURNAL PAGE 443 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OCTOBER 28, 2024 those projects along with others like that uh … account for 2.75 million, that’s just for this year. So, if anybody need some assistance or any of those programs sounds like something that you or someone um … who you know needs help um … start by contacting our Community Development Department. They can um … hopefully get you in the right uh … uh … point you in the right direction. Thank you. PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Thank you, Leader Mariol. Now, Member Morris. MEMBER MORRIS: Okay, so just for the record, I’ll be in Virginia next Monday on a job site so, I will not be attending. So, that will give plenty … all of you plenty of time to calm down and not be … be so upset with me. (laughter) Because I am going to piss you guys off. Yeah, I’ve sat down here for years and watched us follow mayors, and we followed these mayors to the gates of hell…wrong, right, or indifferent. Boy I, I, I…but, tonight, the city Law Director circumvented your own damn rules. Approved something that requires Council approval and some of you paused. You didn’t want to vote for it because something inside of you said “this is wrong”. You’re damn straight it’s wrong. For years I’ve been saying this. This is a strong Council, weak Mayor form of government, but that’s against the Law Director too. We run this place, we control the purse strings, and until you grow a set, we’re going to continue to come down here and looks stupid to these people. (applause) Can we end now? Because I really have to go to the bathroom. (laughter) PRESIDENT BATES ALYWARD: Alright, thank you Member Morris. Alright, are there any other remarks under Miscellaneous Business?... Hearing none, Leader Mariol. MEMBER MARIOL: Madam President, I move we adjourn. MEMBER BABCOCK: Second. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: It’s been moved and adjourned … and seconded to adjourn. Madam Clerk, roll call vote, please. CLERK WOOD: Excuse me, we have not dismissed. NO REMARKS ROLL CALL 9 YEAS, 0 NAYS CLERK WOOD: Nine yeas, Madam President. PRESIDENT BATES AYLWARD: Thank you very much. We are adjourned. (Gavel falls) ADJOURNMENT TIME: 8:39 PM ATTEST: APPROVED: JILL M. WOOD KRISTEN BATES ALYWARD CLERK OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT