City Council

200 South Hamilton Road City of Gahanna Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes City Council Stephen A. Renner, President Merisa K. Bowers, Vice President Karen J. Angelou Nancy R. McGregor Kaylee Padova Michael Schnetzer Trenton I. Weaver Jeremy VanMeter, Clerk of Council Monday, May 16, 2022 7:00 PM City Hall, Council Chambers A. CALL TO ORDER: Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call Gahanna City Council met in Regular Session on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Council Chambers. President of Council Stephen Renner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Vice President of Council Merisa Bowers delivered an Invocation and led members in the Pledge of Allegiance. The agenda for this meeting was published on May 13, 2022. Present 7 - Nancy R. McGregor, Karen J. Angelou, Merisa K. Bowers, Trenton I. Weaver, Kaylee Padova, Michael Schnetzer, and Stephen A. Renner B. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA: There were no additions or corrections to the agenda. C. HEARING OF VISITORS: 1. Proclamation Presentation by Mayor Jadwin DOC-0001-2022 A JOINT RESOLUTION IN HONOR AND MEMORY OF THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF ELIZABETH "BOBBIE" BURBA TO THE CITY OF GAHANNA Mayor Jadwin presented a Joint Proclamation-Resolution between the Mayor’s office and Members of Council. In working with President Renner and talking with the Assistant City Attorney, this is not something that needed voted on, but is open for all of Council to sign. The Joint Proclamation-Resolution is to honor the memory and life of Elizabeth “Bobbie” Burba who recently passed away. Jadwin spoke on Ms. Burba’s tremendous spirit, dedicated service to the City of Gahanna, volunteerism with Gahanna non-profits and leadership as a creator of the holiday lights parade. Jadwin highlighted her personal relationship with Ms. Burba through the Board of Directors of the Gahanna Convention and Visitors Bureau, where City of Gahanna Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 she served as an officer, treasurer, and past president. Ms. Burba volunteered regularly at the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival with Council Member Angelou. She also served on Charter Review Commission and Planning Commission. With a background in finance through Heartland Bank, Ms. Burba brought a lot to the table in her work with all the various organizations and Commissions she served on. Members of Council signed the Joint Proclamation-Resolution. President Renner thanked the Mayor for working on this. He said that Ms. Burba, who lived on the west side of Gahanna, was among the first he had met with when he became engaged in Gahanna and that she will definitely be missed. 2. Members of the Public Ali Romot of 502 Theori Avenue, Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on the issue of “sidewalk/bike trail connecting Theori Avenue to Hamilton Road via Clark State Road." Ms. Romot said the main reason that she and others in the audience at Council is to get a sidewalk or bike route in the Gahanna Green area down Clark State Road. She said there is really no place to walk or ride a bike safely. The group would like to go to the existing sidewalk at the Lutheran Church. Romot said in her community, Theori Avenue is a collection of older homes before you get into the new section of bigger homes at High Point. They have come together as families. A lot on the street have kids that go to High Point and looking to connect themselves with Creekside and the new library being constructed. They want to make sure their kids can walk safely to the high school. A lot of the people in the neighborhood are bikers and runners and many high school kids are walking on Clark State Road. For Romot, this is concerning. She knew there was a larger plan that some people would talk about regarding a bikeway on Clark State Road to Hannah Park. For her purposes, she and her neighbors want to be able to head to Creekside on a bike trail and go to Rusty Bucket and Anthony Thomas chocolates. Romot is a local business owner and understands how important it is to support local. She and her kids go to Creekside all the time. Romot believes this would be a good thing for businesses. Also, she stressed wanting to support the Jazz and Blues Festival by walking or biking and join in the holiday festivals that bring people together at Creekside. She thanked the Council for listening and for Council Member Weaver for his support of her neighborhood. Justin Gartin of 683 Parliament Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, spoke on the issue of “a trail connecting Theori Avenue to Hamilton Road.” Mr. Gartin said a lot of what he had to say has already been stated. He is an avid bike rider and a teacher at Gahanna Lincoln High School. He lives in Gahanna Green with his family. He is here because there are a lot of people in his neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods that believe a multi-purpose trail or bike trail or something running down Clark State Road to Hamilton Road, or at least connecting with the church there, would be beneficial. As a biker, he would like a path, so he does not have to deal with road traffic. When he connected with other members of the community that are here, he realized he was not City of Gahanna Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 alone in wanting something like this. Not all of them are bikers, but value connection in the same way that he does. He was glad to hear there are projects underway to connect the trails in Gahanna and to Creekside. He said he was bummed that as part of the plans there is not anything yet that goes down Clark State Road. This would serve so many communities like his own and Foxboro, Deer Run, Rose Run, Bryn Mawr, and several others. He also would like to be able to walk to Creekside and participate in the countless community events. Gartin polled his sophomores and over two-thirds of them have extracurriculars that require them to stay after school, of which buses do not stay to take them home. They are on their own for transportation. He said a lot of these students walk because they have to and there is not really any place for them to walk. They either trudging through damp ditches or on the street beside cars that go in excess of the speed limit. There’s no trail for them to walk on. With a lot of tragedy in the community the past few years, this feels like another one waiting to happen that is avoidable. He does not see the sense in not going forward with some idea that benefits so many and has demand in the community and avoids potential disaster. Kristy Parker of 532 Theori Avenue, Gahanna, Ohio spoke on the issue of “Clark State Road Trail.” Ms. Parker said she is part of the Gahanna Green crew. She thanked Council for quickly responding to the group’s inquiries and providing open communication and updates with the Committee of the Whole meeting last week. She feels she understands all the complexities involved with the county and Jefferson Township. She wants to bring attention to the portion of the trail that was not talked about much during the [Committee] meeting. She referred to the part from Peace Lutheran Church that starts to head up Clark State Road but then stops. From that point to Theori is about 0.38 miles, of which is the most important part of the trail for her. This is about 2,000 feet. Filling in this small trail would have huge benefits to not only her family, but her neighbors, and the surrounding neighborhoods. Parker stressed that filling this portion in would have a big impact. She worked with neighbors to come up with information on benefits of living in a walkable community (this was distributed to Council). She knows that everyone on Council knows the importance of connectivity and living in a walkable community, but just wanted the information to serve as a reminder. She said she hoped Council would read it with the frame of mind that Council members are the champions of her neighborhood. She said Council members are creative problem solvers and must fight through the complexities that are involved. This is not about just giving people leisurely activity. This has real positive effects on her neighborhood, including safety for bike riders, pedestrian walkers, access to trails, increase physical and mental health, improve happiness, the economy of Gahanna businesses. People living in walkable communities report a better quality of life. Parker asked Council to not give up or scrap the project because of a larger portion being costly and require a lot of resources. She asked for creativity in thinking about this small section of the trail. Something this small with big consequences for a lot of people should be a priority. Parker thanked Council for the time to speak. City of Gahanna Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 Chrissy Kaminski of 494 Theori Avenue, Gahanna, Ohio spoke on the issue of “Clark State Multi-Use Trail.” Ms. Kaminski echoed what previous speakers shared. She thanked the Council. Council Member Weaver is in her Ward and has been representing the group in this. She knows a lot have reached out. She reached out to President Renner as well. Kaminski said she knows Gahanna values connectivity. There is a big hole right now in connecting her neighborhood and the High Point neighborhood to Creekside. This could go a long way in creating a safe path to get people to the central park of Gahanna where events take place. She said from what she has heard, this is managed by Franklin County. The group is quite motivated. If there are contacts or people they can reach out to, they are willing to do that. If Council can think of anything the group could do to reach out to others, as they are motivated to make this happen. She added there are so many families in this neighborhood and High Point that are all active and just want a safer path to get to Creekside. Jill Rudler, of 218 West Main Street, New Albany, Ohio spoke on “introducing herself as candidate for Ohio House District 4." Ms. Rudler said she did not live in Gahanna Green; however, she might have sold some homes in the area since she is a realtor. She is running in Ohio House District 4 and has lived in the district for 35 years. Rudler has sold over 5,000 homes. The District covers Gahanna, New Albany, and Westerville areas. This district should end up being inclusive of Gahanna, but the district lines are not yet finalized. She said selling 5,000 homes involves a lot of negotiating sitting across the table from others. With this, she said you get to know what a lot of people’s concerns are like safety, schools, and obviously connectivity. Bringing people together is also what she would like to do at the Statehouse. She thanked Council for the time to speak. D. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Minutes - To Approve: 2022-0150 COTW Meeting Minutes 4.25.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0151 CN Special Meeting Minutes 5.2.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0152 CN Meeting Minutes 5.2.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0153 CN Special Meeting Minutes 5.9.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. City of Gahanna Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 2. Motions - To Approve: MT-0011-2022 A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF GAHANNA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTHWEST OHIO PURCHASERS FOR GOVERNMENT (SWOP4G) ROAD SALT COOPERATIVE BID FOR THE 2022-2023 WINTER SEASON. This Motion was Approved on the Consent Agenda. MT-0012-2022 A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE & ENGINEERING PERMISSION TO BID THE EAST JOHNSTOWN ROAD TRAIL This Motion was Approved on the Consent Agenda. 3. Ordinances for Second Reading / Adoption: ORD-0023-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - Damage to City Property This Ordinance was Adopted on the Consent Agenda. ORD-0024-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - Water Meter Fees This Ordinance was Adopted on the Consent Agenda. End of Consent Agenda A motion was made by Schnetzer, seconded by Angelou, to Pass the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova, Schnetzer and Renner E. RESOLUTIONS: 1. RES-0012-2022 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MAY AS ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF GAHANNA President Renner read the Resolution in its entirety into the record. Renner invited Dr. Yung-Chen Lu to the podium to speak on the Resolution. Dr. Lu said he is not a citizen of Gahanna but is the founder of the Asian Festival in Central Ohio. He is also Professor Emeritus in Mathematics at Ohio State. He said he is honored to hear that the City is honoring the AAPI community in Gahanna. This is really to the honor of AAPIs and is appreciative of the City’s efforts to do so. He is the founder of the AAPI Advisory Council, established in 2010. This year, Dr. Lu noted they still cannot have the in-person Asian Festival. This festival always takes place at Franklin Park Conservatory. Because there are not any gates that could be used to check attendees, the City of Gahanna Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 event can only be held this year virtually on May 28th and 29th. Every year the Asian Festival will take place during the Memorial Day weekend. Dr. Lu said as Gahanna honors the AAPI community, they are also honoring AAPI heritage in the month of May. Dr. Lu hoped the City could continue to support AAPIs next year. He said he was almost sure that next year the Asian Festival would be in-person. In the inaugural year (1994), there was only 12,000 people. The Festival has plateaued for the last several years at 160,000 attendees. This is the largest Festival in the country. He thanked Council for the time and hoped for the City’s continuing support. Renner said he appreciated Dr. Lu’s comments. He directed members of the audience to the side wall’s scroll, which has history deeply important to him. He noted that the Council and administration continues to support its display. Renner said the Chinese Program in Gahanna that is integrated with the schools had invited Chinese students that visited in 2013 to City Hall to teach them about local government and the students presented the scroll that will remain in Chambers. Dr. Lu offered additional remarks on the scroll from the audience. Renner thanked members of the AAPI community in attendance for coming to Council Chambers and witness the adoption of the Resolution. A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Schnetzer, that the Resolution be Adopted.The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova, Schnetzer and Renner F. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION / FIRST READING: 1. ORD-0025-2022 AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO GAHANNA CODE SECTION 521.06 - CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF SIDEWALKS, INTEGRAL APPROACHES/APRONS AND RELATED AREAS This Ordinance was Introduced. 2. ORD-0026-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - North Triangle and Johnstown Road TIF Funds This Ordinance was Introduced. G. CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS: Clerk - none Council - none H. REPRESENTATIVES: Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) - Renner, Weaver City of Gahanna Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 President Renner said the next meeting will be held May 24, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. in the Committee Room. Renner also reminded Council colleagues that the first joint Council/CIC meeting will take place June 21, 2022 beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Golf Course. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) - Angelou Council Member Angelou reviewed some items from the MORPC meeting last Thursday. Angelou shared that Dr. Amy Acton, former Director of Ohio Department of Health, was in attendance for Rapid 5. Acton will take the helm of this non-profit dedicated to regional connectivity. There is an Intel Funding Opportunities session sponsored by MORPC on May 17, 2022 and a MORPC Attributable Funding Workshop on May 18, 2022. Angelou provided additional updates from the May MORPC board meeting, including an upcoming conference for National Guard conference to be held August 26-29, 2022 that will bring about 5,000 guests to the area. MORPC entered into agreements to receive funds from the US Department of Transportation as well as administer funding for the Rapid 5 organization. Applications are being accepted for major projects for Route 23. There was also an update on the $600,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant administered by MORPC that involved 15 different properties in the region including Franklin, Hocking, and Ross counties. Angelou said that the legislative update highlighted the upcoming state capital budget, spending on the federal level, redistricting, and American Rescue Plan Act funding. The Sustainable Advisory Committee met to discuss a summit on sustainability for October 14, 2022. There are more events scheduled, such as Beyond Inclusion: Building a Community of Belonging on May 24, 2022 MORPC Night at the Clippers Game on June 14, 2022, the 56th Annual Conference for the National Associations of Regional Councils will be June 12-15, 2022, Ohio Conference on Freight June 15-16, 2022, Columbus International Summit on June 25, 2022 Riverfest on June 11-12, 2022, and MORPC State of the Region on April 6, 2023. Angelou said she anticipates hearing a lot from Dr. Acton on the Rapid 5 project. Vice President Bowers said anytime Ms. Angelou would like to invite Dr. Acton to Gahanna she is welcome. Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) - Padova Council Member Padova said that despite the weather, Herb Day was very successful. There are a handful of plants still for sale at the Herb Center. The Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival is still in need of volunteers. Padova offered for any member of the audience to visit creeksidebluesandjazz.com if interested in volunteering. There are paid opportunities for groups to work the admission gates and beverage stations. Midweek at the Creek is going to start June 1, 2022. There will be live music on the plaza from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. There will be tea tastings at the Ohio Herb Center during this time. The Farmer’s Market is also scheduled to happen in the City public parking lot near the Sanctuary from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. City of Gahanna Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 School Board (SB) - Bowers Vice President Bowers said there’s a countdown happening with the end of the school year nearing. She noted that the District received grant funding (ESSR) to create opportunities for students who did not start preschool or daycare programs because of the COVID-19 interruption. There is a Pre-K experience that is part of a kindergarten enhancement program being offered for free. Registration for this ends June 1st. This will be held at Chapelfield Elementary. More details are on gahannaschools.org. There will also be preschool classes, reading and math improvement for grades one through four, and language arts and math improvement for grades five through eight. There is a new superintendent. Dr. Tracey Deagle will assume full superintendent duties on August 1, 2022. Starting tomorrow, Dr. Deagle will serve as a part-time consultant and begin introducing herself to the GJPS community and staff. She has over 22 years of experience in public education. She is an assistant professor of preschool through 12th grade educational leadership at Mercer University. Prior to this, Dr. Deagle was the deputy superintendent at Dublin City Schools and taught for eight years in Van Wert City Schools. Bowers said the community is looking forward to meeting Dr. Deagle. The Board of Education put in a lot of hours to solicit community feedback, working with their selection team, and community members to select a new superintendent. I. OFFICIAL REPORTS: Mayor Mayor Jadwin thanked everyone in attendance this evening. It was a full Chambers. She said whether people were here for the AAPI Resolution that was issued, here to share concerns about their neighborhood, or just to observe and see what was happening in the community, it was wonderful having people engaged. Jadwin said having residents who are interested and want to know what is going on is paramount to the success of any community. Jadwin said she appreciated those who shared the desire to be fully connected with walkability and trails. The City understands that trails, sidewalks, and paths are all very important to residents. She said the City is finally getting the design work done on the last section of the Big Walnut Trail Section 8, which will be the regional connector for Gahanna north south. Jadwin referenced the discussion of the Committee of the Whole that occurred last week, noting the City is seeking funding for an active transportation plan. This will help the City create a plan for sidewalks, trails, multimodal pathways, and safe crosswalks throughout the community. The Clark State Road area will be an area the City will look at once that funding is secured. Jadwin emphasized the City administration hears them and appreciated everyone for speaking on the issue. Jadwin noted some upcoming community events, such as the Splash Pad at the Gahanna Swimming Pool will open this Friday. There will be a ceremonial bucket dump at 3:30 p.m. and all of Council and the public is invited to attend. The Gahanna City of Gahanna Page 8 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 Swimming Pool is an area where residents have long and loudly spoken that they wanted more amenities there. Jadwin said the Splash Pad makes that possible. Next Thursday, May 26, 2022, the City will hold the economic development event that was rescheduled. It will be at the Creekside Conference and Event Center. The topic is the impact of Intel and how Gahanna is preparing for growth today and tomorrow. Lt. Governor Jon Husted will be the speaker to talk about the impacts of Intel from a regional and statewide perspective. Jadwin said Husted and the administration will be talking about what the state is doing in terms of preparation for the Intel project and how that trickles down to Gahanna. This will be a major project that will be a mere 10 to 20 minutes away from Gahanna. Jadwin announced that this week is National Police Week. This is a week set aside to honor and remember officers lost in the line of duty. She said if anyone had blue light bulbs to put them in their outside lights to remember those who serve the community. Lastly, Jadwin said this Wednesday will be City Engineer John Moorehead’s last day with the City. He has accepted a position with the City of Worthington as Director of Public Service. This is a tremendous opportunity for him. He has served the City of Gahanna well and takes with him a breadth of knowledge and experience that will be difficult to replace. Jadwin shared that Assistant City Engineer Caitlyn Ridge will be appointed Interim City Engineer. In addition, as a result of this change, the administration has reviewed the structure of the engineering division. The workload of the division has expanded tremendously, including the number of capital projects and private development projects. The Engineering Division not only interfaces with the Department of Public Service, but also works regularly with Planning and Development and Parks & Recreation. Jadwin said that it seems to make sense to separate Public Service & Engineering as it once was. From a budget standpoint, it would not make much difference. The one change would be to elevate the position of City Engineer to a Director of Engineering position. Jadwin said the engineering sector right now is extremely tight. She has had conversations about this with President Renner and Franklin County Engineer Cornell Robertson. Jadwin believes this change will provide the City greater ability to attract a quality candidate for a very critical position. Jadwin thanked Moorehead for all that he did for the City, stating that he has always been patient and knowledgeable, and whether speaking with Council or a resident he has remained professional and dedicated in every aspect and will be missed. City Attorney - none J. COUNCIL COMMENT: Council Member Angelou wished outgoing city engineer John Moorehead all the best. Angelou shared that Bobbie Burba was a worker and a servant. She would work in all things she was asked to do. She was on Charter Commission, Planning Commission, President of the Gahanna Events/CVB, the CIC, and it goes on and on. She was a good friend. Tiney McComb, who was the president of Heartland Bank, saw that Bobbie was great talent and hired her to be the first woman Vice President of Heartland Bank. She was funny, and a joker. Angelou knows that people of the community will always City of Gahanna Page 9 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 remember Bobbie. Council Member McGregor wished John Moorehead the best and thanked him for his patience with answering all her questions. Gahanna Jefferson High School prom was this past weekend. There were 850 people in attendance. Last night there was a choir concert that was well attended. She appreciated all the efforts that have gone into the schools having these events for the kids. Council Member Padova thanked everyone for attending the meeting this evening. She asked that they stay engaged and reach out if there is anything Council can help with in the future. Council Member Weaver thanked John Moorehead and wished him well. As a new Council member, he appreciated Moorehead’s patience and time to answer questions. The MORPC Regional Policy Roundtable meeting is tomorrow. He looked forward to a more comprehensive report at the next Council meeting. Weaver thanked his colleagues for the two resolutions -- one recognizing and celebrating American Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and one celebrating the life and legacy of Bobbie Burba. She was a wonderful human being. He extended his condolences to all who loved and knew her and thanked her for being a dedicated servant to our community. He attended, along with Vice President Bowers, the Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon on “Is Columbus an Age-friendly City?”. It was very interesting. The Baby Boomer generation is nearing that age where it is time to make difficult decisions and hopefully age in place. He asked how this is done responsibly and sustainably as cities, not just in Gahanna, but around the county to look to develop and redevelop responsibly and sustainably. He appreciated the conversation. Katie White, Director of Age Friendly Innovation Center at The Ohio State University College of Social Work, and Dr. Holly Holtzen, State Director of AARP Ohio, carried the conversation that was facilitated by Ursel McElroy, Director of the Ohio Department of Aging. The conversation looked at building accessible housing, zoning restrictions and where to put age-friendly housing and transportation so that residents can age in place. He thanked all the visitors in attendance and noted that it has been his pleasure to get to interact with the Gahanna Green neighborhood over the past few weeks. He thanked the administration for adding the item to the agenda for last week’s Committee of the Whole. One great item that came out of the conversation was that the Mayor had reached out to the County Engineer Cornell Robertson’s office. The county engineer did not have the Clark State Road trail on their 10-year project plan, but they were going to look at a feasibility study. Mayor Jadwin said after getting several residents emails, she reached out the Franklin County Engineer and he had just shared that he had just completed their 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and any aspect of Clark State Road was not on that CIP. However, the county engineer agreed that he would have his office do a study to look at what would be involved in a multi-use trail. The Franklin County road portion goes all the way from basically Peace Lutheran Church all the way to the Hannah Park area. She needs to confirm that she spoke correctly, too, and that it will be looked at this year. Once completed, the information will be shared with the City of Gahanna Page 10 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 City. Jadwin noted the City is creating its own CIP and will see how that project might fit in and in conjunction with the development of the active transportation plan. Weaver encouraged everyone to look at the City’s YouTube page and last week’s video of Committee and continue to be a part of the conversation. Council Member Schnetzer wished John Moorehead well and thanked him. The community has benefited from Moorehead’s expertise and dedication. He expressed his condolences to the family and friends of Bobbie Burba. He knew Bobbie both personally and professionally and noted that she always had a big smile and a warm heart. She was another individual who left an incredible mark on this community. Schnetzer said we should all be so lucky to have left a legacy such as hers. Vice President Bowers thanked all in attendance and appreciated the community advocacy that came out in support of improving walkability and accessibility. She thanked Director Ferrell and the administration for the presentation last week on the active transportation plan and the update on the Big Walnut Trail. There are a lot of walkability improvements that people can see across Gahanna, and she is grateful that some of those are currently in motion and many more coming. It was Council’s honor to put together the Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resolution. She believed this was the first time that this was done. It was very important to do it this year, as the Asian American and Pacific Islander population has very much been in the media and our awareness heightened over the last several years, in some very positive ways and in some unfortunate ways. There are some great things going on in the community in Central Ohio. There has been increasing population of Asian American Pacific Islanders, particularly in our Bhutanese and Nepali population. Bowers said we also know that hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased over the last two and a half years. She said it was important to make sure that we are honoring and recognizing our neighbors, making sure that they know they belong here, and that we honor what they give and contribute to our community. Additionally, it is also Older Americans month. At the Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon, the speakers discussed issues in transportation and housing and the overlap of how housing impacts older Americans. This is a critical issue that we must deal with. There are all kinds of layers, such as the growth of the region in general, interest rates, the accessibility to materials and how this creates some difficulties in housing. Thinking about what we can do as a community, she believed it was Ms. Parker who spoke earlier that said [Council] needed to think creatively and to be problem solvers. Bowers said Council is elected to think creatively be problem solvers. Thinking about how the City can do that, what do [Council] had control over, she asked these questions: Can some zoning changes be made? Can we educate, talk more about, and destigmatize multi-family housing for our community so we can really contribute to housing in a meaningful way for older Americans and immigrant populations? There are a lot of projects going on here and a lot of lenses that we need to make sure that we are viewing all these types of projects through. Bowers said she knows that they are all important to everyone here. City of Gahanna Page 11 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 Additionally, Bowers shared that it is both Emergency Medical Services and Police Officers Week. She thanked the first responders for serving. Bowers said John Moorehead will be missed and has been an asset to this community. Since he grew up in the community, he knew how to serve the community. Bowers shared her condolences with the friends and family of Bobbie Burba with a lot of gratitude for all that Burba had going on with her public service and career. President Renner said John Moorehead has been an asset on all the points that his colleagues have already said. One of the things is not only his engineering expertise, but also his ability to talk to members of the community whether they liked what he said or not. He stood by his engineering principles and by what is in law. Then, Moorehead helped try to build a bridge with residents. That is not something that everybody can do. Renner is deeply grateful for all the engineering projects, especially on the west side, with the sewer projects and the sidewalk projects. Renner thanked Ms. Ridge for a phenomenal job on her presentation and for stepping up. His impression is that she is already well regarded, and he looks forward to many more reports. Renner thanked all the residents in attendance. One of the most pivotal things in local government is residents being engaged. Renner said that MORPC’s Rapid 5 highlights a lot of the connectivity of trails. Renner thanked the AAPI group. They have invited him into their sanctuary, their places of worship, and into their homes. They have taught him their customs and traditions and have shared food with him. He thanked them for their welcoming attitude. Gahanna is enriched by their presence. Gahanna is an inclusive society. Renner shared a story of Bobbie Burba, one of his first meetings with the city in 2007 was with Ms. Burba. Ms. Burba always had a welcoming spirit. When he found out she lived on the west side, he would visit her. Ms. Burba was very eclectic and had a beautiful yard with glass ornaments and a bench and was always inviting. He is going to miss his conversations with her. Renner shared that Council is going to present a Gahanna flag that has been embroidered with Bobbie’s name to Burba’s mother. She was a dedicated and joyful public servant. K. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Council, President Renner adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m. Jeremy A. VanMeter Clerk of Council City of Gahanna Page 12 City Council Meeting Minutes May 16, 2022 APPROVED by the City Council, this day of 2022. Stephen A. Renner City of Gahanna Page 13