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, June 6, 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, June 6, 2022, in Council Chambers. President of Council Stephen A. 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 June 3, 2022. Present 6 - Nancy R. McGregor, Karen J. Angelou, Merisa K. Bowers, Trenton I. Weaver, Kaylee Padova, and Stephen A. Renner Absent 1 - Michael Schnetzer B. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA: There were no additions or corrections to the agenda. C. HEARING OF VISITORS: 1. Rob Paugh of 552 Theori Ave., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Mr. Paugh said he is speaking in opposition to the Resolution naming June as Pride Month. He shared that as a follower of Jesus as Pastor at Shepherd Church of the Nazarene and Gahanna resident that he is concerned about the message the Resolution sends to residents and young people vulnerable to influences pressing in on them. Paugh said that issuing June as Pride Month in Gahanna celebrates and honors those who have made a lifestyle choice in direct contradiction to scripture. This creates concern for him that the government of the city might celebrate something that scripture indicates is not God’s will or God’s best for all people. Paugh said as a Christian he often prays for God’s favor and blessings upon the city. It seemed contradictory to him to ask for God to bless the community while at the same time celebrating the things God has made clear are not God’s best plan for us. Paugh wanted to be clear that he is grateful we live in a nation that allows people to make City of Gahanna Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 their own choices. He said he was in no way trying to be judgmental in any way toward those who choose an LGBTQ lifestyle and recognized that his responsibility and our responsibility as a society is to love people regardless of their choices. Paugh stated that in his church they try to do that, but that loving does not mean celebrating and honoring their choices that stand in contrast to scripture. Paugh said he had friends who have chosen this lifestyle. He said he loves them and that they love him, and both knew where they stood in terms of scripture. Paugh stated he was not better than anyone who chooses this kind of lifestyle and that we are all on a level playing field. In the Resolution, he referenced that it mentioned we want to value all people regardless of their orientation. He believed that without Pride Month, we can still value all the people regardless of their orientation. Also, the Resolution says that we want to honor the contribution made by every person. He believed we can honor the contribution that people make regardless of their sexual orientation. Additionally, the Resolution says that we want to respect each person. He believed we can respect each person without recognizing their sexual orientation. Paugh stated that we should treat all people equal and that this can be done without Pride Month. Paugh said on behalf of himself and the doctoral position of his church that he is opposed to proclaiming June as LGBTQ Pride Month and celebrating as a government and political body something that is still in conflict with scripture. He understood that Council was facing pressure from all sides on this issue. He said he prayed for Council and wisdom to make decisions on behalf of the community that invited God’s blessings on people. He appreciated the difficult job of Council in leading the city in challenging and changing times. 2. Kathy McCorkle of 677 Picadilly Ct., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Ms. McCorkle urged and demanded a “no” vote on the Resolution. McCorkle thanked Council members who replied to her about where they stood on the Resolution within a timely fashion - Karen Angelou, Stephen Renner, Trenton Weaver and Mayor Jadwin. McCorkle said the Resolution was a political agenda of the leftist members on Council being pushed on people with an end goal to change culture in Gahanna. She noted that last year’s meeting minutes of June 14, 2021, confirmed this when a council member stated about the Resolution that this is important because of visibility and acceptance. She said that another statement that was made was that it was understood that not all council members were going to see this the same way. McCorkle said this was admission that this is not a shared Gahanna value. According to McCorkle, to not have this Resolution including a proclamation of it by the Mayor offended no one, but to pass this Resolution offended some. She said that it is clear that elected officials can choose to offend no one, or they can choose to offend some. McCorkle said this Resolution elevated a group of people in Gahanna and their political agenda. She said the Gahanna school board and superintendent were using the LGBT agenda to corrupt kids, to groom and coax them into a life of sexual deviancy. McCorkle said that now elected officials are engaged in manipulating society to change our culture, too. She stated that the first act of compassion is an accurate definition. She said it is a lie that anyone is born this way because God made creation male and female. She said Lenin said that if you tell a lie City of Gahanna Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 often enough, it will become truth. McCorkle said that so much of what the left gives is lies, deception, chaos, lawlessness, and immorality. She stated Gahanna is lacking in moral leadership and urged Council to not make Gahanna a Gomorrah and to vote “no” on the Resolution. 3. Oneita Bryson of 215 Greenbank Rd., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Ms. Bryson stated being a member of the LGBTQ community in Gahanna. Bryson said that people’s hateful, unkind comments about her orientation have damaged her. Bryson noted she is not alone, citing the Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health which found that 45 percent of LGBTQ youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year. Bryson stated that an accepting community, like the one the Pride Resolution reflects, has been proven to lower rates of attempted suicide in LGBTQ youth significantly. She noted that section 3 of the Resolution asserted that this Council expresses its hope that all in the community can live, work, and be who they are without secrecy or fear. Bryson said this Resolution would have helped both herself and a few friends in eighth grade. She explained that she and others have experienced hateful comments in the halls, such as slurs, or comments like “you should not exist,” and even as far as someone approaching her lunch table and showing her friends an article about how being gay is a sin. That made them feel unaccepted and unwanted by the community they live in. She said they just wanted to be proud about who they were but instead they were considered outcasts with rumors being spread around. Bryson noted that this made them wish they had kept their secret. She said they had already feared an unaccepting community but that living it was so much worse. She said she felt alienated and targeted. When she first read the proposed Resolution, Bryson said that it made her feel like people wanted folks like her in the community and not only did people want them in the community, but they also valued them in the community. She said that therefore it is important for Council to pass this Resolution. It will decrease LGBTQ suicide and self-harm. It will decrease the fear of hate, but it will also increase pride, pride in oneself and in our community. She urged all to vote “yes.” President Renner thanked Bryson for her remarks and for her courage. 4. Melissa Sull of 1070 Brookhouse Ln., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Ms. Sull said she was here to speak in support of the proposed Resolution recognizing June 2022 as LGBTQ Pride Month in the City of Gahanna. Sull said it is critical to reaffirm our support of Gahanna’s LGBTQ community members, especially while the state government is engaged in cruel and persistent efforts to stoke fear and undermine human rights. She understood that a vocal minority preferred intolerance, discrimination, and injustice. Sull said that she knew the most Gahanna residents have the courage and kindness to treat everyone with dignity, respect, and support. This Resolution City of Gahanna Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 is a good way to demonstrate that Gahanna is a strong and welcoming community. Sull hoped that it would pass unanimously. 5. Clifford Mason of 160 S. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Mr. Mason said he is a coordinator of special education at Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools as well as the Board President of Kaleidoscope Youth Center in Columbus, Ohio, serving Franklin County and all of Ohio. In the wake of 2020 and the pandemic, we’ve heard a lot of initiatives and changes in diversity. Mason noted that while diversity is good because we have a mix of people and equity means everybody gets an invite to the dance, we must consider inclusion and belonging. He asked what it meant for everybody to come to the dance floor to dance and leave and feel like they had a great experience because everybody had an equal opportunity to do so. With respect to Generation Z, the youth of Gahanna specifically, Mason said he works with them all day, every day. He said they are terrifying in the best way possible. They have seen from our examples with civil rights and gender movements what it means to protest, and it is not about adult influence. This is what they come to the table with. Mason said [to Council] we come from a generation where we say we’re going to take this system and throw it away and do something different. [Generation Z] is a generation of “burn it all.” Mason stressed the need to really support the youth and get them to understand there needs to be a next step after we “burn it all” because that ultimately is not the solution. He said that at the high school, there are so many children seeking acceptance and support from each other as peers and as adults. There are students who attend the United Club for LGBTQ+ youth at the high school who tell their parents that they are a chess club just to have 45 minutes a month of feeling like they belong because they do not feel comfortable in their own homes. Mason said to consider that they are 120 percent more than their peers likely to be homeless. At Kaleidoscope Youth Center, they support homeless youth and has specific homeless support and shelter for LGBTQ+ youth because some of our youth that turn 18 do not celebrate graduation and the joys of that. When they turn 18, they have no home. Mason said he knew for a fact that some of those youth reside in Gahanna and utilize these support services. When we talk about Pride, people think it is just a celebration, but Mason said to consider this is at the core of people’s identity. He said that LGBTQ+ youth are black, brown, span race, span gender, and span religion. To negate even a portion of them is telling them that their identity is not good enough across the board. Mason said this is not about changing the culture of Gahanna. The culture is already here. This is what people need to understand. Mason urged Council to follow through with this Resolution. 6. Craig Clauson of 566 Dunoon Dr., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Mr. Clauson said he is a 20-plus year resident of the City of Gahanna. He said he is speaking in support of the Pride Resolution. Clauson shared that in June 1969, in a rundown bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village, the New York City of Gahanna Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 City’s finest roughed up patrons, performed genitalia checks, and arrested 13 people. He added that when a member of the LGBT community was viciously hit in the skull with a baton, the community acted and for the next five days an uprising occurred. Within a year of this, Clauson noted that the nation’s first Pride marches began. As neighbors and fellow citizens organized and fought for their rights to exist to live their lives and to be left alone, 52 years later the lessons of Stonewall are still as relevant as ever. While some progress has been made, Clauson shared that we are seeing the active and vicious attempts to prevent their inclusion and to return this community back to the closet. Clauson said that by making these proclamations and flying the rainbow flag, we remind this marginalized community that they have a place in Gahanna. They are welcome to perform commerce in our shops. They are welcome to work in our businesses. They are welcome to attend our places of learning. They are welcome to be our friends. They are welcome to be our neighbors. He thanked the Council and wished everyone Happy Pride. 7. Sharon Montgomery of 572 Bonnington Way, Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Ms. Montgomery said she was delighted to see this Resolution proposed. She noted that we all hear and use the phrase “Gahanna community” a lot. Definition of “community” refer to common interests or characteristics. Connotations of the word suggest inclusiveness. Montgomery said that if we are going to refer to ourselves as the “Gahanna community,” we must not just talk the talk, but walk the walk. She said that recognizing LGBTQ Pride Month is one important way to show commitment to inclusiveness. She strongly urged Council to pass the Resolution, pass it unanimously, and take visible actions to promote Pride, and extend this inclusiveness as far as it needs to go for us to be a true “community.” She said that we do not need to be “best buds” with every resident but do have to afford the same respect and opportunities that we want for ourselves to every other resident. 8. Tommie Radd of 1075 Arcaro Ct., Gahanna, Ohio, spoke on RES-0014-2022. Dr. Radd said she was addressing the Council and administration regarding the important Resolution of Pride being discussed. She said she knew there was not one person who is a proponent of the Resolution that she disagrees with. She is, however, concerned she has not heard enough of the impact on the business community if the Council does not pass this. Radd referenced the State of the City and the talk about Intel. She said we want to show how we are welcoming business and welcoming the message of the inclusivity of our community. She noted that there is an opportunity to show everybody moving here or considering moving here between our school system’s position, as well as our community’s welcoming stance, that it is important to have that as a clear statement and message. She does not want anyone to be considering where they want to move, what they want to do, what kind of community we are, and wonder is any one group or religion, or anything not welcomed here or accepted. It is strictly none of her business what those people’s positions are, but she wants them to know that they are welcome City of Gahanna Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 here, accepted here, and valued here, and that we want that rich tapestry of diversity to expand our worldview and how we fit into this world and country. She asked the Council to have a unanimous vote for this Resolution to send a real clear message to those considering our community, as well as those already here, how much we really do care, value, and not judge anyone, and welcome everyone. She urged the Council to make this clear, as this is an essential component of charting our course now and in the future. President Renner thanked the community for coming forward to speak. D. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Minutes - To Approve: 2022-0166 COTW Minutes 5.9.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0167 CN Minutes 5.16.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0168 CN Special Minutes 5.23.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. 2022-0169 COTW Minutes 5.23.2022 These meeting minutes were Approved on the Consent Agenda. End of Consent Agenda A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Bowers, to Pass the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer E. MOTIONS: 1. MT-0013-2022 A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICE & ENGINEERING PERMISSION TO BID CONTRACT FOR THE 2021 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Angelou, that the Motion be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner City of Gahanna Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 Absent: 1- Schnetzer 2. MT-0014-2022 A MOTION TO AMEND THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA SECTION 6.30 HEARING OF VISITORS, ESTABLISHING SUBSECTIONS 6.30(a) "IN-PERSON" AND 6.30(b) "VIA VIDEO" On the consideration of the main motion, Bowers moved and Weaver seconded. President Renner asked if there was any discussion. Bowers then moved to refer to Committee of the Whole for further amendment and discussion considering information from the City Attorney, seconded by Padova. There was no further discussion on the motion to refer to Committee. A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Padova to refer to Committee of the Whole for further discussion on June 13, 2022. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer F. RESOLUTIONS: 1. RES-0014-2022 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JUNE 2022 AS LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH IN THE CITY OF GAHANNA Vice President Bowers thanked all who were in attendance tonight. Bowers said that through most of the 20th Century, being outed as gay or lesbian almost always meant a complete destruction of your life. You would lose your career, your social groups, and your family. People were forced in fear to hide or lie about their life or hide their life partners, their best friends, their confidants. Bowers said she thought all on Council being married knew how important that relationship is. She said people were relegated to being truly outcasts in society just for who they loved or how they wanted to be seen. In late June of 1969 in New York city as was common practice at the time, police raided the Stonewall Inn. Violence erupted between the patrons and law enforcement and transgender, bisexual, lesbian, and gay people protested how they were being treated under the law. These protests are what led to Pride protests and marches across the country calling on lawmakers to change laws that criminalized people for who they were and who they loved. Bowers shared that coincidentally 1969 was another important year in changing laws for people in love. After a decade of oppression, jailing, and being forced out of their home state of Virginia, Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple, found justice. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws banning interracial marriage were unconstitutional. Some religious groups and churched believed at the time that scripture taught that love between people of different races was a sin. The judgments on homosexuality were City of Gahanna Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 also part of our legal system. Ohio’s law against homosexuality was not repealed until 1972. It was not until the Obergefell decision in 2015 that Ohio’s law prohibiting same-sex marriage was deemed unconstitutional. Bowers said that the role of government is to ensure the safety and prosperity of those whom we serve, which is all our residents. Some groups of people statistically do not enjoy the same level of safety and prosperity of other groups because of many factors. Some of these factors are laws that we have or have had in place. She added that statistically those who are married are more likely to be financially more secure, suffer less incidences of violence or crime and to live longer than people who are single. When we have had laws up until just seven years ago that prohibited all people from marrying who they love, our laws have facilitated a statistical gap between the safety and prosperity of some groups. She said that transgender people are 400 percent more likely - four times more likely - than non-transgender people to be victims of violent crime. Bowers said that we have an obligation to acknowledge these disparities in the safety and prosperity of our community. Bowers stated that this is why she is called to serve and that she hoped to bring others with her in this purpose. She said we have groups of people who need us to be better at ensuring their safety and their prosperity so that we can all achieve the American Dream. The LGBTQ community has made progress in recent years, although not enough --only too recently in marriage equality, employment protections, and more importantly in public awareness. Ultimately, people want to be seen and heard and understood. As we seek to understand those who are different, we become stronger and more complete as a community. We can recognize each other’s needs, navigate new-to-us concepts, and acknowledge and honor differences. Bowers said that this Resolution, as was last year’s, is our way to recognize and understand some of our neighbors and residents who make up the fabric of Gahanna. She said that we serve and live among you, we are your friends and your neighbors and your kids, as you have seen here tonight from the Hearing of Visitors. Bowers thanked all those who came out to speak and to the many residents who emailed Council in support of this Resolution. She said she is open to further discussion with those who are in opposition and believed others on Council would also be open to that as well. She hoped this would lead to a greater mutual understanding and support for the LGBTQ community in Gahanna. Council Member Weaver said he echoed Bowers’ comments thanking everyone for attending and sharing thoughts not just tonight but also through email the past couple weeks. Weaver said we are fortunate to live in a vibrant and diverse city. These resolutions are one of the many roles of the legislative body to highlight the diverse members of our community, their successes, their progress being made, and the work yet to be done, especially for those who have been historically marginalized. Weaver said that we know LGBTQ people are still four times more likely to experience violence in their lives as compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Due to the stress and threat of discrimination, LGBTQIA+ individuals are twice as likely to experience mental health issues in their life and have more than double the rate of depression than the heterosexual population. Suicide is a leading cause of death among City of Gahanna Page 8 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 the LGBTQ community for people ages 10 to 24 and across their lifespan, LGBTQ people attempt suicide at a disproportionate rate. Youth are more than five times to die by suicide than heterosexual peers. Weaver said that his wife is a public school teacher in another district and that she’s often the only safe voice that students can come to. It is crucial that our young people have that safe voice in their lives, something that is often lacking at home for them. He said acceptance matters, acknowledgment and support matters and that Gahanna is an accepting and welcoming community that lifts others up. He believed that this Resolution did just that. Council Member Angelou said she was going to propose having a simple Resolution. She noted the Council tended to have resolutions that were long in length. She said there would have been several things that she would have wanted to shorten. There were three “whereas” clauses that she did not think were more positive and should have been done. However, she said she wanted to talk about something else. She said that Christ on the Sermon on the Mount said, “Judge not, lest you be judged,” as in Matthew 5:7. Angelou said this is how she feels about all of us - we are asked to be judges and we are not judges. The City recognized June as Pride Month, and Angelou hoped the LGBTQ community would be known to us as the Gahanna community. Once you are here, we want you to be here. We want this to be your community. Angelou said her church says love God, neighbor, and self. She wondered about this and started thinking about her friends that are part of the LGBTQ community. She said they are Daniel, they are Paul, they are Cheryl, they are Michael, they are Q, Mary, and Jeff. These people are her friends, and yet we have people that are saying “the Bible” but she thinks that God is with all of us. Angelou said she would like to not see part of politics in this, as this is not politics. This is making our neighbors and all the people of Gahanna to love one another. She believes in this. As she has been considering this, it has been difficult, but she said it is not her choice, but God’s choice in what happens. She said she worked with developmental disabilities her whole life, so she knows what it is like to be different and to take care of and try to keep people from being bullied. To her, this is about people who want to be people. She wished the resolutions could be smaller, as it would be just as good to say we recognize June as Pride Month. As a person of the Bible and as a person on City Council and as a person who wants to attempt to make people feel welcome to this community, Angelou said everyone is welcome to this community no matter what. Council Member Padova said her colleagues and many here today hit all the things she was going to say, and all had said it even better. She thanked all those who came out to support the Resolution, especially to Ms. Bryson for coming out tonight. Padova hoped that Bryson felt seen and knows that she is supported and that all colleagues on Council would also be in support. President Renner said he is in support of the Resolution. Renner noted that this was done last year, it was rejoiced, it was unanimous, and the community was very happy for Council doing so. He said the Council had heard a wide variety of views and that he deeply respected and supported City of Gahanna Page 9 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 that. He noted the testimony by Ms. Bryson, of which the Resolution is meant for people like her. Renner spoke directly to Ms. Bryson, noting that he and his colleagues on Council wanted her to be seen and to be heard and feel loved because she was loved. Renner said that when we bridge into the spiritual realm, we must understand that we all come from a sacred source, the same source. So, therefore, we are manifest of that sacred source. Renner shared a quote from Alan Watts, an author of Zen teachings. “We do not come into this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean waves, the universe peoples. Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.” Renner thanked everyone for their comments. Council Member McGregor said she did not necessarily agree with all that was said tonight either for or against, but that she would support the Resolution. She said she wanted Gahanna to be a welcoming community, wanted neighbors to feel welcome here, and wanted businesses to feel that people are welcome in their businesses. She stressed that she wanted Gahanna to be a welcoming community. She acknowledged that she did not necessarily agree with everything said here but that others might not necessarily agree with everything she says. In the sense that this is wanting people to feel welcome and not discriminated against that she will support this Resolution. A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Padova, that the Resolution be Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer G. STATUTORY RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION, WAIVER & EMERGENCY ADOPTION: 1. SR-0001-2022 A STATUTORY RESOLUTION DETERMINING THE NECESSITY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE SIDEWALKS IN THE 2021 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AREA FOR THE CITY OF GAHANNA, WAIVING SECOND READING AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Weaver, that the Statutory Resolution be Introduced, Second Reading Waived, and Adopted as an Emergency. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer H. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING / ADOPTION: 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 City of Gahanna Page 10 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 A motion was made by Weaver, seconded by Padova, that the Ordinance be Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer 2. ORD-0026-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - North Triangle and Johnstown Road TIF Funds A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Bowers, that the Ordinance be Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer I. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION / FIRST READING: 1. ORD-0027-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - 2021 Sidewalk Maintenance Program This Ordinance was Introduced. J. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION, WAIVER & ADOPTION: 1. ORD-0028-2022 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION AND WAIVER OF SECOND READING - General Engineering Services A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Bowers, that the Ordinance be Introduced, Second Reading Waived, and Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer K. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION, WAIVER & EMERGENCY ADOPTION: 1. ORD-0029-2022 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORD-0089-2021 AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE SALARIES FOR PERSONNEL OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2022, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022, WAIVING SECOND READING AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Padova, that the Ordinance be Introduced, Second Reading Waived, and Adopted as an Emergency. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer City of Gahanna Page 11 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 L. CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS: Clerk - None. Council - None. M. REPRESENTATIVES: Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) - Renner, Weaver President Renner noted that the CIC met on May 24, 2022, and the treasurer reported the financials for February through April. He said the CIC had approximately $3.5 million in assets. The financial statements were shared with the Council via email. The Planning Committee reported that the City had received its first submission of the new high school for the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools project. At the time, it was missing the traffic study. City staff are working diligently to meet the construction timeline. The Development Committee reported that there has been speculative interest within the Taylor Road Industrial Zone area. Buckeye Candy is in the process of moving to their new space in the Liberty Square Plaza. Renner said that another business is already waiting to expand into the former space owned by Buckeye Candy. Lastly, High Bank Distillery opened at Morse and East Johnstown Road. The Real Estate Committee reported on various contracts for properties on High and Mill Street, as well as some property management lease agreements ending soon for some tenants. Renner stated that the CIC discussed what an RFP process would look like to secure a contractor for the probable development. He said the Mayor had discussed the public Town Hall set for Thursday, June 9, 2022. The next board meeting is set for June 21, 2022, at 7:30 a.m. This is the first CIC meeting with all of Council. Renner said this was to ensure council members have an opportunity to meet CIC members, as well as hear firsthand the CIC plans and discussions. This meeting will be held at the City’s golf course. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) - Angelou, Weaver Council Member Angelou said MORPC would meet this coming Thursday. She pointed out that the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) Convention would be held June 12-14th. During June 15-16th there will also be a Freight Convention. MORPC Regional Policy Roundtable Council Member Weaver said the Roundtable met on May 17, 2022. The group was introduced to MORPC’s new grants and investment officer, Abby Barnes. He shared that there was an update on rail, including Amtrak and the City of Gahanna Page 12 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This law set aside the most money ever for rail. Amtrack and the Federal Railroad Administration have been releasing some details. Amtrak’s priority appears to be Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland connection. Weaver said the Governor has expressed interest in this, which should help build some momentum for potential selection of a possible corridor. Regarding the Intel development, there was a special update from Matt McQuade, One Columbus’ managing director of business development. Weaver noted that New Albany City Council has moved forward with annexation and zoning. There were some concerns discussed with supply chain issues. One Columbus felt confident that they have more than a dozen companies in the pipeline ready to get to work on construction. There was a legislative update from Joe Garrity, MORPC’s senior director of government affairs, and Andy Shifflette of the law firm Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter. MORPC has been very active with the state capital budget. This passed the General Assembly last week. Weaver said the bill included $100,000 for the Gahanna Exploration Center. Additionally, HB 377 dealing with the second tranche of ARPA funds passed the General Assembly. He said the second tranche clarified that townships were eligible to receive those funds and that the distribution would come later this summer. He stated that the Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) had contracted with an architect to move forward with a new terminal design. The next step in this project would be to present a design concept to the CRAA board. Weaver said that he had joined a work group to update the public policy agenda for 2023 and 2024. The next Roundtable will be held Tuesday, August 16, 2022. Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) - Padova Council Member Padova said that there were 10 days until the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival. There was still a need for volunteers to work the gates on Saturday and Sunday. She notes this was ideal for groups as a fundraising activity, as Visit Gahanna will donate to the group if it volunteers for one of these slots. Volunteers would also receive free t-shirts, snacks, admission on that day and invitation to the volunteer picnic in July. Children aged 10 and under would be admitted for free all weekend. On Sunday, the admission is buy one, get one free for adults and children over age 10. Veterans are admitted free of charge all weekend. Padova stated that there was a recent addition to the festival which included an open-air art studio, which is a chance to view artists working and performing arts with fire performers, stilt walkers and aerialists. She asked that if anyone can volunteer to visit the Visit Gahanna website to sign up. School Board (SB) - Bowers Vice President Bowers acknowledged and welcomed two school board members in attendance at the Council meeting, Dion Manley and Kara Coates. The board of education engaged Cooperative Strategies to update the enrollment study that was done in 2020. At May’s Finance Committee meeting, this update was shared and the meeting video is available on YouTube. Based on the study, the predictions have come true that when City of Gahanna Page 13 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 combined with the Intel announcement, the proposed new recommended data set is based on a higher per unit per parcel and based on a trend history, taking out COVID-19 impacts. This did not drastically increase the previous study. Enrollment in the district is just over 7,900 students and is projected to grow in 10 years to 9,300 students. This included a lot of discussion on developable land and housing growth across Gahanna and the District’s territory. Bowers said she would forward that study. She congratulated the Class of 2022. Graduation was held last week. Bowers also stated that there were additional items on tax valuations that she would like to discuss with administration first. There are ongoing discussions between the City and the school board and the board’s legal counsel. N. OFFICIAL REPORTS: Mayor Mayor Jadwin thanked everyone in attendance for tonight’s meeting. She said it was wonderful to see an engaged community and to hear the wide variety of thoughts and insights. Jadwin noted that it was not easy to sit in the seats as elected officials representing 35,726 people that live in Gahanna. Balancing the opinions of all of these is difficult, but she thanked all for making their voices heard. Jadwin said that she held an Economic Development forum at Creekside Conference and Event Center. She noted several council members in attendance and thanked them for attending. The topic was the Impacts of Intel and how Gahanna is preparing for growth today and tomorrow. The guest speaker was Lt. Governor Jon Husted. He had reported on insights on growth of Ohio’s economy and how it progressed in manufacturing and technology. She said what she found particularly interesting was how Gahanna and peer communities can work together and collaborate in preparing for Intel, which is going to be just 10 to 20 minutes from Gahanna. Jadwin shared that the City is already seeing inquiries from potential partners and suppliers of Intel looking for industrial space. She said housing is an area that will be impacted. Director of Development Nate Strum provided some insights during the forum on the ongoing Creekside Redevelopment strategy that has been underway the past 11 months. This discussion was geared toward the business and development community. Commercial and real estate representatives and developers were in attendance. As President Renner noted, the upcoming Town Hall will be geared more toward a resident focus on the Creekside Redevelopment strategy. Some of the items discussed at the forum will also be discussed, such as the impact of Intel. The Town Hall will feature some renderings of concepts. The hope is that these will help the City gain additional feedback from the community. The Town Hall will be Thursday, June 9, 2022. There will be an Open House from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and the presentation beginning at 7:00 p.m. If people are not able to make it, the City will also offer the meeting livestreamed on the City’s YouTube page, as well as a survey that will be open on the Gahanna.gov website. Jadwin also noted that as Council Member Weaver had shared, the City was included in the state capital budget, receiving $100,000 for the Gahanna Exploration Center, which reimagines the Price Road house as a classroom with programmable space and outdoor City of Gahanna Page 14 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 classes. The next steps include some design work and engineering plans. Once these get approved, the City can move forward. Jadwin thanked Council Member Padova for mentioning the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival volunteer opportunities. She reminded Council of the admission gate Friday if anyone is available to volunteer to work the gate for the City. Historically, the Mayor and Council and directors have worked a gate together. Jadwin also acknowledged the school board members in attendance. She also congratulated Gahanna lady lions’ track and field team as state champions. Jadwin also announced the hiring of a new public information officer (PIO). This position was discussed at length during budget discussions last year. Dan Pearlman, formerly of NBC4 News, will be joining the City as the new PIO starting tomorrow. Pearlman brings more than 15 years of professional media and journalism experience. He is excited to share the story of Gahanna, what we are doing here, and the unique and diverse community we have. He had shared that he is excited to be a part of our team and that in all the years of reporting, he could not remember hearing a negative story about Gahanna. Jadwin said she would introduce him at an upcoming meeting. City Attorney Attorney Mularski stated that he was getting caught up on some things now that he is back from vacation. O. COUNCIL COMMENT: Council Member Angelou said she was glad everyone was together tonight. She said she had been kind of off due to several things that have happened over the past few weeks, including the loss of her dear cat. She said she has had a lot going on with the emotional stress around this. She thanked all in attendance and that it was always good to see people come to Council meetings. She spoke directly to and thanked Ms. Bryson for being at Council. Council Member Weaver said he wanted to echo Council Member Angelou and thanking everyone for coming out this evening. He congratulated Mr. VanMeter and his family on their newest addition and wished everyone well. He said he was looking forward to the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival and the good food and tunes and company of people in the community. Lastly, he noted that June is also Immigrant Heritage Month. He wanted to add another voice to celebrating the wonderful diversity of the community. Council Member Padova thanked everyone for coming out. She said it was always nice to have more people out in the audience and not be talking to empty chairs. She said she respected what everyone had said this evening and was glad that so many came to show up for love. Vice President Bowers also thanked all in attendance and for comments on the Pride Resolution. She stated that she attended a MORPC and YWCA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) training called “Beyond Inclusion: Building a Community of Belonging.” She heard some of the updated language around DE&I and reflected on whether she was doing the things she should be doing City of Gahanna Page 15 City Council Meeting Minutes June 6, 2022 [with respect to DE&I]. Bowers shared that Reynoldsburg is holding its Juneteenth Festival on June 18th at Huber Park. She said that Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom. This does overlap with Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival, but she wanted to note this is just right down the road. Also, she said that she will send Council information on an upcoming Somali Independence Day Festival that will be held in Columbus in July. President Renner reiterated that Gahanna is a very inclusive community and preaches tolerance. There is struggle a lot of times with this because people must engage and learn. Gahanna is very open and ready to learn. P. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 1. A motion was made by Weaver, seconded by Bowers, to enter Executive Session under the authority of Section 5.40(A) of the Council Rules of Procedure to consider the appointment of a public employee or official. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- McGregor, Angelou, Bowers, Weaver, Padova and Renner Absent: 1- Schnetzer President Renner announced that the Council would meet in the Law Library. Council rose to report to Executive Session at 8:09 p.m. Council rose to report from Executive Session at 8:37 p.m., with no action taken. Q. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Council, President Renner announced the Council adjourned at 8:37 p.m. Jeremy A. VanMeter Clerk of Council APPROVED by the City Council, this day of 2022. Stephen A. Renner City of Gahanna Page 16