City Commission

On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 6:01 p.m., the Dayton City Commission met in regular session in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Mims called the meeting to order. INVOCATION Commissioner Shaw gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Mims led the public in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken, and Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, and Turner-Sloss were present. The Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear, and the Acting City Manager, Mr. Joe Parlett, were also present. Commissioner Joseph made a motion to excuse Commissioner Fairchild from this week’s commission meeting. Commissioner Shaw seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Joseph made a motion to approve the minutes from the July 10, 2024, City Commission meetings. Commissioner Shaw seconded the motion. The previous meeting minutes were unanimously approved. SPECIAL AWARDS/PRESENTATIONS The meeting began with a presentation from Felicia Graham and Theresa McGeady from the Department of Water on the Adopt a Drain Program. Ms. McGready said that when residents adopt a drain or catch basin, they commit to clearing the drain before rain events to prevent litter and other waste from entering the storm drain system. Residents are also able to name their drains and winners are picked quarterly. Ms. Graham announced the winners as “Midnight Drain to Georgia, Only Happy When it Drains, Shania Drain, Drain, Drain, Go Away and Purble Drain, Purple Drain. The winners will receive a gift bag with items to help keep the drain clear. Major Paul Saunders of the Dayton Police Department presented the 2023 Annual Surveillance Report. The report is required as part of the police reform process and informs the commission on the use of current surveillance technology so that they can make decisions on the continuation or modification of policy on these technologies. Major Saunders began the presentation by saying the purpose of the annual report is to ensure transparency and oversight to protect civil rights and liberties, the Dayton Police Department has completed the required 2023 Annual Surveillance Technology Report which provides information to the Commission so they may effectively update the public about the use of such technologies. Major Saunders noted the changes from the 2022 report. He stated that gunshot detection, (ShotSotter) was discontinued and Fusus Technology was implemented in 2023 and a section was added to the current report. Major Saunders said downtown Dayton cameras were used several times in 2023 when the Bicycle Response Team (BRT) was deployed to respond to ongoing criminal issues in the area of East Fourth Street and South Jefferson Street. Major Saunders highlighted body-worn cameras stating these cameras are designed to be worn by police personnel to record interactions with citizens. He stated the footage is shared with the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office and the City of Dayton Prosecutor's Office for prosecution, the Public Defender's Office upon request, and the public, pursuant to public records requests on a regular basis. Major Saunders said there are currently 464 total body- worn cameras with a cost of $301,524 in 2023. He stated during administrative investigations there were a total of four (14) training memorandums and one written reprimand that were issued to officers in 2023 related to incidents where body-worn cameras were not property activated. Major Saunders highlighted Mobile Vehicle Records (MVR), saying they were purchased through Axon Enterprises, Inc., and aim to provide accurate documentation of police-public contacts, traffic offenses, and subject transports. He stated in 2023, footage from the VVR’s which operates in tandem with the Axon Body 2 Body Worn Camera system, was used in administrative investigations, officer-involved shootings, and criminal investigations. He said the cost for the Fleet 3 system in 2023 was $343,560. Major Saunders said automatic license-place readers provide police personnel with an automated method of identifying vehicles and license plates connected to criminal activity. The ALPR’s notify personnel of the location of vehicles wanted for time-sensitive investigations such as Amer Alerts or Silver Alerts. He said ALPRs are attached to the Axon in-car camera in DPD cruisers and a fixed Flock camera site. Major Saunders noted the fixed- site ALPRs were deployed in the first quarter of 2023, utilizing $98,975 in federal grant funds, and in 2023, links to both the Axon and Flock transparently reports were activated on the City of Dayton’s Police Transparency Portal. Major Saunders highlighted the Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS) Program which aims to gain real-time information for specific incidents such as bomb threats, SWAT deployments, missing person searches, civil disorders, and crime scene reconstructions. Major Saunders highlighted Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS) deployments which consisted of (1) Patrol Operations pilots utilizing UAS technology on 11 different occasions in 2023, most of which involved assisting Patrol officers who were actively searching for fleeing suspects and from April 30, 2023-May 1, 2023, Patrol Operations pilots and the Bomb Squad completed over 44 flight missions in an attempt to locate a missing child near the Huffman Dam. TSU, SWAT, and HNT did not operationally deploy UASs in 2023. Major Saunders said the Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (USA) programs aim to gain real-time information for specific incidents such as bomb threats, SWAT deployments, missing person searches, civil disorders, and crime scene reconstructions. He stated the department currently possesses ten (10) UASs with the 2023 maintenance, repair, and replacement costs for UASs totaling $5,775.41. Major Saunders highlighted Fusus Technology. He stated that Fusus enhances the situational awareness and investigative capabilities of law enforcement officers and other first responders enroute and on the scene during critical incidents. He said citizen participation in the program is voluntary and Fusus was implemented at no cost to the City of Dayton. Major Saunders said investigative personnel utilized Fusus on several occasions in 2023 to follow up on complaints, particularly incidents involving crime in Downtown Dayton. Among those incidents were a stabbing at the McDonald’s restaurant located at 410 S. Main St., a homicide near the Reibold Building, and a drive-by shooting at E. 4th St. and S. Jefferson St. Major Saunders provided surveillance technology links where anyone can find information regarding the city’s surveillance technology. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE CALENDAR There were no additions or deletions to the calendar. DISCUSSION OF CALENDAR ITEMS Calendar Item No. B1. Flashparking, Inc. The Acting City Manager, Mr. Joe Parlette said the purchase order add new technology in the parking garage with installation of a new parking space occupancy system. Calendar Item No. 2 – A-1 Tree Care, Inc. The Acting City Manager, Mr. Joe Parlette said this service agreement is part of the Dayton Recovery Plan for continuous work in the neighborhoods for the removal of 114 hazardous trees and 65 tree stumps in DeWeese, Twin Towers, Wright Dunbar, Roosevelt, Madden Hills, Lakeview, Pineview, Highview Hills and Stoney Ridge. Calendar Item No. 3 – Space Creator, LLC The Acting City Manager, Mr. Joe Parlette said this service agreement the city manager’s office has been working on for several years is to gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the employee culture, experience, and how things are going in the workplace. REPORTS 1. Purchase Orders, Agreements and Contracts: (All contracts are valid until delivery is complete or through December 31st of the current year). PLANNING, NEIGHBORHOODS AND DEVELOPMENT A1. Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (college intern program services as needed through 12/31/24) $50,000.00 PUBLIC WORKS B1. Flashparking, Inc. (installation of a parking space occupancy system) $306,606.68 B2. Valley Asphalt Corporation (asphalt paving material and related items as needed through 12/31/24) 75,000.00 -Depts. Planning, Neighborhoods and Development and Public Works. TOTAL: $431,606.68 Service Agreements 2. A-1 Tree Care, Inc. – Service Agreement – Dayton Recovery Plan – for the removal of 114 hazardous trees and 65 stumps in the DeWeese, Twin Towers, Wright Dunbar, Roosevelt, Madden Hills, Lakeview, Pineview, Highview Hills, and Stoney Ridge neighborhoods (25% MBE Participation Goal/100 % Participation Goal Achieved) – Department of Public Works/Civil Engineering. $78,460.00 (Thru 03/31/25) 3. Space Creator, LLC -Service Agreement – to improve the City’s organizational culture to create a more productive, inclusive, and engaging workplace. $92,000.00 (Thru 12/31/25) CITIZENS’ COMMENTS ON CALENDAR ITEMS There were no citizens’ comments on calendar items. APPROVAL OF CITY MANAGER’S REPORTS Commissioner Shaw made the motion to approve the City Manager’s Reports. Commissioner Turner-Sloss seconded the motion. The City Manager’s Reports were approved with a 4-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, and Turner-Sloss. LEGISLATION RESOLUTIONS – SECOND READING Resolution No. 6808-24- Honorarily Naming Cowart Avenue as “Joe Madison Way” for a Two-Year Period. The question being shall Resolution No. 6808-24 be adopted. A roll call vote was taken resulting in a 4-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, and Turner-Sloss. The Resolution was adopted. Resolution No. 6809-24- Authorizing the City Manager to Accept a USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grant from the USDA, Forest Service in an amount of Two Million Dollars and Zero Cents ($2,000,000.00). The question being shall Resolution No. 6809-24 be adopted. A roll call vote was taken resulting in a 4-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, and Turner-Sloss. The Resolution was adopted. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS Citizen’s comments were received from the following: 1. Mr. Alec Johnson, 4822 Hassan Circle #8. - spoke about the death of Brian T. Moody. 2. Mr. Joseph Abrams, 2125 Della Dr.- spoke about the death of Brian T. Moody. 3. Mr. DeAndre Norvell, 3512 Piedmont Ave - spoke about an issue involving the church parking lot and his neighbors. 4. Ms. Crystal McGhee, 6630 Averrell Dr. – spoke about the negative story that was written about her nephew Britton Harrison. 5. Ms. Sabrina Jordan, 245 Bluecrest Ave. – spoke about the death of Brian T. Moody and their demands to have police investigation investigated by BCI and not the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. 6. Ms. Martha Washington, 652 Gramont Ave. – spoke about the property at 648 Gramont Avenue. 7. Ms. Jola Faullcs, 8451 Lyons Gate Way – spoke about the death of Brian T. Moody. 8. Mr. Elmer Martin, 1620 W Fifth St. – spoke about the death of Britton Harrison and security measures for his funeral. COMMENTS BY THE CITY MANAGER The Acting City Manager, Mr. Joe Parlette, had no closing comments. COMMENTS BY THE CLERK OF THE COMMISSION The Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear, had no closing comments. COMMENTS BY THE CITY COMMISSION Commissioner Turner-Sloss Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked Felicia Graham and Theresa McGeady for their quarterly update. She also thanked the quarterly winners. Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked Major Saunders for his 2023 Annual Surveillance Report. Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked citizens for their comments and concerns at the meeting. Commissioner Turner-Sloss gave her condolences to the Harrison and McGee families for their loss. Commissioner Shaw Commissioner Shaw provided highlights of the graduation ceremony for Air Camp and how programs like this one provide our young people with opportunities so they can see something else other than fighting. Commissioner Joseph Commissioner Joseph said this is a tough time in the city of Dayton. He stated he and his colleagues will be looking at new initiatives to try and stop the violence that has plagued our city. Mayor Mims Mayor Mims said he and his colleagues will be working on finding ways to reduce the gun violence that has caused much pain in our city. Mayor Mims highlighted Janelle Ross and her family on their 50th anniversary. Mayor Mims highlighted the Major Taylor Bicycle Club summer program kick-off. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m. ___________________________________ Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr. Mayor Attest: _____________________________ Clerk of Commission