City Council

200 South Hamilton Road City of Gahanna Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes City Council Stephen A. Renner, President Trenton I. Weaver, Vice President Karen J. Angelou Merisa K. Bowers Nancy R. McGregor Kaylee Padova Michael Schnetzer Jeremy A. VanMeter, Clerk of Council Monday, February 6, 2023 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, February 6, 2023, in Council Chambers. President of Council Stephen A. Renner called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Vice President of Council Trenton I. Weaver delivered an Invocation and led members in the Pledge of Allegiance. The agenda for this meeting was published on February 3, 2023. Present 6 - Karen J. Angelou, Merisa K. Bowers, Nancy R. McGregor, Kaylee Padova, Stephen A. Renner, and Trenton I. Weaver Absent 1 - Michael Schnetzer B. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA: None. C. HEARING OF VISITORS: 1. Resolution Presentation for Black History Month by Council Councilmember Bowers introduced RES-0003-2023 in recognition of February 2023 as Black History Month and honoring the contributions of African Americans in the City of Gahanna. She noted that this Resolution also recognizes that the Big Walnut Country Club located in Gahanna was celebrated this past September with the first historical marker in the city. She stated that we are incredibly proud of that very important history. In addition, she is honored to present the Resolution to a special guest in Chambers, Ms. Indigo Stanley. Stanley is Miss Black Ohio America 2022. She grew up in Gahanna and is a student at The Ohio State University pursuing her undergraduate degree in education. Bowers noted that Stanley has been working on a project to help second graders become better readers and is very motivated to ensure literacy of all young people. Stanley wants to use her pageant platform to help other young ladies throughout Central Ohio identify and build upon their strengths. Bowers offered Stanley time to speak on Black City of Gahanna Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 History Month. Ms. Stanley, who lives very close to City Hall, stated she wanted to touch on why she thought it was important for February to be recognized as Black History Month and why black history is important in the grand scheme of American history. First, she stressed that representation is very important. Growing up, she did not see a lot of representation. This Resolution will bring forth a lot more people to celebrate Black History Month. As a queen for Miss Black Ohio America, Stanley said she is standing in Chambers to let everyone know that representation is very important. Second, she stated that black history is a big part of American history. Throughout American history, you will see the fabric of black history touch points many times. Lastly, she said she was very proud to be a part of this dedication and very proud to be a part of this change. She quoted former President Barack Obama, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Stanley said Council’s Resolution is very important and this is a great moment in history. With applause from Council and the audience, Stanley thanked everyone for allowing her to be part of this. 2. Proclamation Presentation by Mayor Jadwin 2023-0030 Mayoral Proclamation - Black History Month 2023 Mayor Jadwin said it was her pleasure to also issue a Proclamation for Black History Month. Jadwin introduced Miss Jasmine Davis. Davis, a Gahanna resident, is a fourth grader at Columbus School for Girls. Jadwin shared that Davis was selected for the title of Little Miss Black USA. Little Miss Black USA is an organization that celebrates, promotes, and honors black beauty, black brilliance, and black legacy. Jadwin said she is honored by Davis’ representation of Gahanna and Ohio. Jadwin first met Davis at the Big Walnut Country Club dedication ceremony. The biggest part of Davis’ honors in December was being selected as the oral recitation winner for the City of Columbus Martin Luther King, Jr. Day breakfast. Jadwin presented Davis the Proclamation in honor of Black History Month and in recognition of the work that Davis is doing at such a young age to represent black culture and heritage. She invited Davis to present her oral recitation called “Agitate.” Ms. Davis said her birthday was yesterday and is 10 years old now. She began her recitation of “Agitate.” Agitate. Agitate. Agitate. Change makers must agitate to make the change they seek in this world. As a change maker, Dr. Martin Luther King agitated for justice when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott demanding that black people could sit anywhere on the bus. He agitated for civil rights when he fought against Jim Crow laws trying to take away black people's right to vote. He agitated for economic empowerment when he demanded equal pay for equal work. Agitation is a tool we change makers use to succeed. As a nine-year-old change maker, I agitate against unfair play, against bullies, and against painful sarcasm. I agitate against those who try to bend the rules so that they can win the game. I agitate City of Gahanna Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 against my teacher when she uses painful sarcasm that hurts my feelings. I agitate against bullies who try to make my friends cry. When I get older, as a change maker I will agitate for equal pay for women so that they have the power to speak up in the boardroom in front of men who are no longer making more money than they are doing the same job. I will agitate for black voices to be heard so that when George Floyd begs he can't breathe as a police officer's knee is on his neck, the violence will stop and a black father can live another day to see his daughter. I will agitate for racial equality so that black people are not feared or seen as bad because of the color of our skin. In the words of Sam Cooke, ‘It's been a long, a long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come.’ Oh, yes, it will. Council and those in attendance applauded Ms. Davis on her recitation. President Renner remarked how impressive Davis’ vocalization, delivery, and expression was for her age. He thanked her for sharing this with Council. 3. Members of the Public Ryan Spak of 211 Carlin Court E, Gahanna, OH spoke on pedestrian safety. Mr. Spak said that at the final Council meeting of last year Lieutenant Moffitt gave a presentation on traffic safety. Spak wanted to comment on that. He very much appreciates the work that our Police Department does and appreciates Lieutenant Moffitt. Spak stated he knows not every city has someone who is as aware of the data as [Moffitt] is. Moffitt is a very valuable resource. That being said, Spak would push back on one statement that Moffitt made. Spak said Moffitt stated that from a data standpoint, we are a safe pedestrian city. From Spak’s understanding, this is mostly based on the fact that from the various data sets Moffitt was looking at, pedestrians tended to make up less than one percent of total crashes. The problem with that is if you have one pedestrian in your city and that pedestrian gets hit, it does not matter if they are 0.001 percent of total crashes, 100 of the pedestrians in your city got hit. Spak said if you think about the middle of the ocean, there are zero pedestrian crashes but it does not immediately follow that the middle of the ocean is safe for pedestrians. That is because if an environment is perceived to be unsafe or uncomfortable or inconvenient, people simply will not use it. If you have a very low number of users, you almost necessarily will have a proportionally low percentage of total crashes. He added it is possible that what the data is telling us is not that we have a safe pedestrian city but there is something about our city that is so unwelcoming to pedestrians and so few of them that they do not really even show up in the data. Thinking about some other things we know at a national level, Spak said we know pedestrian fatalities are hitting record numbers at a state level. He added that Ohio has passed the threshold for crashes involving vulnerable road users and is now federally mandated to address the issue. Design principles that have been used in the past have resulted in unsafe conditions. Unless we can say something that Gahanna has done radically different than the state or the nation as a whole, those same unsafe condition conditions would exist in our city. Typically, if you have an area that is safe for pedestrians, it means that it is also going to be relatively safe for vehicles. Spak said that is because vehicles are what make roads dangerous. They correspond to each other. It is going to be very hard to say that you have a safe environment for City of Gahanna Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 pedestrians if drivers are acting in an increasingly unsafe way. Going back to Lt. Moffitt's presentation, Spak stated we know that last year there was a 35 percent increase in traffic stops. You know there was a 44 percent increase in arrests resulting from those stops and a 17 increase in OVIs. Conditions in our city seem to indicate that it is not entirely safe for pedestrians and is not getting better for them either. Spak said Moffitt also addressed the recent pedestrian crash on Havens Corners Road. Spak noted that Moffitt indicated there was going to be an increased officer presence after a break in school. After there is a winter break or summer break where students are not around and they come back, we are going to put a police car there to remind drivers of appropriate driving behavior in a school zone. Spak’s question is if we are truly a safe city for pedestrians, why do we need to remind drivers what appropriate driving behavior is when we actually think a pedestrian will be present? Spak said he was not picking on Lt. Moffitt. Spak said he actually agrees with most everything [Moffitt] said. Spak thinks Moffitt is looking at the data in terms of how to allocate his limited resources. If there is a crash type that he does not have to respond to a lot, and thankfully is not very severe, it does not necessarily justify pulling officers from other areas. In that case, Spak thinks rather than saying that we are a safe pedestrian city, a more accurate statement would have been the current crash data does not justify reallocating our resources. Spak thinks the data tells us something more than how to allocate policing. For at least the past seven years that Spak is aware of, every time the city has requested public input, there has been a majority, if not overwhelming response, that residents want the city to be more walkable. What this data is telling us is that it is not. Until we make fundamental and intentional changes to how we approach zoning, planning, engineering, design, and maintenance, every dollar we spend will be in service of upholding a system that we know to be unsafe and unusable. He thanked Council for the time. D. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Minutes for Approval: 2023-0025 CN Minutes 1.17.2023 The minutes were approved on the Consent Agenda. 2023-0026 COTW Minutes 1.23.2023 The minutes were approved on the Consent Agenda. 2. Motions for Approval: MT-0003-2023 A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DIVISION OF LIQUOR CONTROL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSFER FORM (TREX) REGARDING TRANSFER OF A D-5 PERMIT FOR DERBY GAHANNA LLC LOCATED AT 505 MORRISON RD City of Gahanna Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 The Motion was approved on the Consent Agenda. 3. Resolutions for Adoption: RES-0003-2023 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 2023 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE CITY OF GAHANNA The Resolution was adopted on the Consent Agenda. 4. Ordinances for Second Reading, Adoption: ORD-0002-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO AWARD AND ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH NEWCOMER CONCRETE SERVICES, INC FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK FOR THE 2021 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM The Ordinance was adopted on the Consent Agenda. ORD-0003-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTH O R I Z I N G A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION - 2021 Sidewalk Maintenance Program The Ordinance was adopted 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- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer E. RESOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTION: RES-0004-2023 A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE A THEN AND NOW PURCHASE ORDER UNDER OHIO REVISED CODE 5705.41(D)(1) FOR THE PURPOSE OF UTILITY SERVICES PROVIDED BY AEP Senior Deputy Director of Administrative Services Corey Wybensinger said the Resolution before Council is for a “Then and Now” certification. Funds were not encumbered prior to the use of utility services for AEP. The Director of Finance has certified that funds were available at the time of the purchase (this is the “then”) and at the time of the payment (which is the “now”). They were appropriated, collected, and/or in the process of collection and free of any encumbrances in accordance with Ohio Revised Code. Wybensinger said the Department of Administrative Services respectfully requests this Resolution to approve payment on the Then and Now certificate. A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Padova, that the Resolution be City of Gahanna Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer F. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION, WAIVER, AND EMERGENCY ADOPTION: ORD-0007-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A BARGAINING UNIT AGREEMENT FOR THE UNITED STEELWORKERS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 2, 2023, THROUGH JANUARY 1, 2026, WAIVING SECOND READING AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY President Renner introduced the Ordinance, read it by title, and asked Senior Deputy Director Wybensinger to again introduce himself and discuss this item, as Council had not seen or discussed this in last week’s Committee of the Whole. Mr. Wybensinger noted that there need to be a date change in the Ordinance to reflect the effective period of January 2, 2023, to January 1, 2026. He said the City of Gahanna and the United Steelworkers have reached a tentative agreement on the 2023-2026 contract. The bargaining unit has voted in favor of adopting this successor agreement. Wybensinger noted the report submitted details the substantive changes to the contract. With this contract, all employees at the city will now be on the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and a health savings account (HAS). The Department of Administrative Services respectfully requests this Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into the USW contract for the period of January 2, 2023, through January 1, 2026. For the new contract to be effective and to meet the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) filing deadlines, it is requested the legislation be passed as an emergency and with waiver of second reading. This will allow the contract terms to begin immediately upon passage. In addition, this contract is retroactive to January 2, 2023. The request for emergency and waiver will allow members to receive back wages in a timely manner. The estimated three-year cost impact of this agreement is approximately $682,000. Aside from the need for an amendment on the effective dates of the contract, President Renner asked if there were any questions from Council. There were none. He asked for a motion to amend to have the Ordinance read January 2, 2023, through January 1, 2026. A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Weaver to amend the date range of ORD-0007-2023 to read January 2, 2023, through January 1, 2026. A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Weaver to lay on the table the motion to amend. Councilmember Bowers noted that Council had not first moved to approve City of Gahanna Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 the Ordinance when introduced. A motion to approve was first in order, and then a motion to amend could be considered. President Renner said he believed Bowers to be correct as there first needed to be a motion at the introduction of the Ordinance. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Weaver to adopt the Ordinance. City Attorney Mularski confirmed that there now needed to be Council action on the motion to table (take from the table). A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Weaver to take from the table consideration of the previous motion to amend the date range of ORD-0007-2023 to read January 2, 2023, through January 1, 2026. For clarity, Attorney Mularski said that what Council is considering now is to reintroduce the motion to amend. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer A motion was made by Angelou, seconded by Weaver to amend the date range of ORD-0007-2023 to read January 2, 2023, through January 1, 2026. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer A motion was made by Bowers, seconded by Weaver, that the Ordinance be Introduced, Second Reading Waived, and Adopted as an Emergency as Amended. Attorney Mularski confirmed that Council will now consider voting on the main motion as amended. President Renner asked if there was any further discussion. Vice President Weaver asked Mr. Wybensinger if he could explain the importance of the SERB filing deadline for the record. Wybensinger noted that the filing deadline is 30 days from the execution of the agreement. The administration wants to ensure a timely filing. He said Director Vollmer would be able to provide more details into what the pushback would be on this if the deadline was not met. Weaver asked if the date of the agreement is considered to be when the union members approved the contract and not when the City would sign after Council approval. Wybensinger said it would be the date of execution. There are a lot of City of Gahanna Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 signatures that need to be obtained. Mayor Jadwin said administration is bringing this forward this week because if they had waited until next week with Committee of the Whole and then the following the Council meeting for Council to vote on it, it would have been too late in order to meet the 30-day SERB deadline. She reiterated that the administration is bringing it forward now so that the City can avoid the penalties and violations associated with that. Weaver thanked Mr. Wybensinger and Mayor Jadwin for the clarification. He stated he has a general discomfort with waiver on most things, especially major contracts. He thinks it is important that Council understands the ramifications of not hitting the deadline and the importance of it. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Angelou, Bowers, McGregor, Padova, Renner and Weaver Absent: 1- Schnetzer G. ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION / FIRST READING: ORD-0004-2023 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND GAHANNA CODE CHAPTER 157 RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGARDING MEMBERSHIP OF THE RECORDS COMMISSION President Renner introduced the Ordinance and read it by title. ORD-0005-2023 AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE GAHANNA COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION (CIC) FOR A TERM BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2022, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2024, TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR THE CITY President Renner introduced the Ordinance and read it by title. ORD-0006-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT WITH THE FRANKLIN COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR USE OF CITY PROPERTY AS POLLING LOCATIONS FOR THE YEAR 2023 President Renner introduced the Ordinance and read it by title. H. CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS: 1. Clerk Mr. VanMeter reminded Council about the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s 2023 State of the Region event that is scheduled for Friday, March 31, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. If any members would like to attend, they need to let the Clerk know as soon as possible for the reservation. VanMeter also noted that Council Office has reached out to members of the Planning Commission for invitation to attend this event as well. City of Gahanna Page 8 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 2. Council Councilmember Bowers shared that she and Councilmember Weaver sent a letter congratulating Representative Stephens on his election as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. In the letter, Bowers noted they identified three priorities that they had asked him to keep in mind. One was to protect the constitutional right to home rule. The second was to restore the local government fund. The third was to solve and protect public school funding. Bowers said the letter went out at the end of January. I. REPRESENTATIVES: 1. Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) - Renner, Weaver President Renner noted items from the CIC’s regular meeting from January 17, 2023. An outside consultant/CPA firm had not yet completed their review of the yearly financials. Renner shared that it was pointed out by the treasurer that this is not unusual for end of the year because the end of the year usually takes the longest. The financials will be reviewed at the February CIC meeting for both December and January. Treasurer Kessler also informed the body that the new contract with the consulting firm will increase by $1,600 largely due to the CIC's recently acquired properties in the Creekside area. The new CIC/City of Gahanna contract was reviewed. CIC President Collins stated that she would attend the January 23, 2023, Committee of the Whole for any questions regarding the contract. The CIC ratified a property management agreement with Wallace F. Ackley for the properties that it now holds. Renner shared that Director Strum asked the body if he could engage with businesses that will be displaced to find other spaces within Gahanna. Everyone agreed that he should. The CIC also approved a letter of intent with the Pizzuti Companies to begin working on a development agreement for the Creekside area. Director Strum said that the goal will be to have this completed in February. Director Strum also showed the CIC website that is now live (www.gahannacic.com). Renner urged others to go to this site. They will be posting meeting minutes, as well as updates about the Creekside project once that begins. 2. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) - Angelou Councilmember Angelou noted the first 2023 executive committee was last Thursday. The first commission meeting for the year will be February 9, 2023. Angelou shared she has been sending Council information concerning MORPC activities throughout January and the prior year. She hoped Council has received these items. MORPC was awarded $200,000 for a comprehensive safety action planning in rural communities. The Central Ohio region continues to grow at accelerated pace and new economic development projects are coming online. She added that the Central Ohio region is on track to reach three million residents by 2050. Data Day: Driving the Region Forward with Data will be on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. This is a City of Gahanna Page 9 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 one-day event held at Ohio University Dublin’s Integrated Education Center. She encouraged everyone to attend. Executive Director William Murdock will be on a panel for the Columbus Metropolitan Club on March 15, 2023. The forum is Laying Track at Amtrak's Expansion. Angelou also mentioned the MORPC State of the Region is on March 31, 2023. She hopes that some of Council can come because it is a wonderful event to attend. Lastly, Angelou reported that Thea Ewing will be leaving her current role as chief regional development officer and senior director of programming on February 10, 2023. She has accepted a new role at a major engineering and planning firm. Angelou said that Ewing’s impact on MORPC region members cannot be understated. For nine plus years Ewing has been running and improving programs, built extensive relationships, and developed a national reputation. 3. Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) - Padova Councilmember Padova shared the Ohio Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus had their annual conference last month. Visit Gahanna was honored for innovation, creativity, effectiveness, and impact in travel and tourism, marketing, and advertising in three different categories. The first was for their brochure for the Creekside District. The second was for the 2022 Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival for their marketing campaign. The third was for the 2022 Herbal Cocktail Trail for specialty marketing. Padova shared there is also a new wedding and event planning guide on the webpage that was just released by the CVB. Hotels have reported that a large portion of their business is related to celebratory gatherings, so this guide will be a good resource for making event planning easier in Gahanna. Visit Gahanna is asking for nominations for their Hospitality Award that will be presented during the annual meeting taking place on March 16, 2023. To learn more, go to the Visit Gahanna Facebook and submit a nomination for any frontline employee. 4. School Board (SB) - Bowers Councilmember Bowers noted that the quarterly meeting was held between the city and the district last Tuesday, January 31, 2023. It was a good opportunity to connect and share information between the superintendent, the mayor, council members, and board members. One of the items discussed was that the district recently passed a new policy on district participation in Board of Revision proceedings. This policy articulates the current practices for the Board of Education to participate in real property tax valuation proceedings. By implementing this uniform policy, no property owner complainant will be singled out for special attention or different treatment, and the District will not take a different approach to property owners who are similarly situated. The intent is to create fairness and equal treatment across the district. Bowers added there is ongoing collaboration between the district and the city to address student and staff parking needs. She said she knows that the City’s public safety services are well tuned into that issue, along with the Mayor's office. The Gahanna Gala is on Saturday, February 25. Individual tickets are sold out but you can still register to participate in the virtual silent auction. Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available. Lastly, Bowers said this Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 8 a.m. is coffee and conversation with Dr. Deagle and two of the school board members at Upper Cup Coffee City of Gahanna Page 10 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 on Mill Street. If anyone would like to speak with Dr. Deagle and get to know board members, this is a good opportunity to attend. The board of education is now using Board Docs to communicate their agendas and share legislation that they have passed. Bowers said it seems to be an advantage and an asset to ensuring agendas can be disseminated more easily than they were before. J. OFFICIAL REPORTS: 1. Mayor Mayor Jadwin commented on a wonderful representation the City had this evening with Ms. Stanley and Ms. Davis being in Chambers tonight. Jadwin thanked both of them. Jadwin said Davis’ recitation brought her to tears. For a 10-year-old, Davis has quite the future in front of her. It is wonderful to represent and recognize Black History Month. We celebrated a seminal piece of Gahanna's history in black community in Central Ohio in 2022 with the dedication of the marker honoring the Big Walnut Country Club. Jadwin said this was a pivotal moment in history for the black community, and the City looks forward to continuing to explore opportunities to recognize the importance of the Big Walnut Country Club not only to the black community but to Gahanna as well, and especially as we move forward to 2024 when Gahanna will celebrate its 175th birthday. Jadwin said that Gahanna continues to have a diverse employment base as well as one of the most diverse business communities. Marlow’s Cheesesteaks was recently featured in the Dispatch as an eatery to visit during Black History Month as a black-owned business. The Whole You just celebrated its first-year anniversary. This is a female black-owned business on North Hamilton Road. The City is working with the owner who is already looking for room to expand. She has done a phenomenal job in growing that business in Gahanna. The City looks forward to continuing to make Gahanna an attractive location and destination for black-owned businesses and female-owned businesses and expects great things in 2023. Jadwin shared that she had the opportunity to speak at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting that was held at The Peak at Edison a little over two weeks ago. They had about 85 to 100 folks who were there, including business owners, residents, and business operators. The Chamber had invited Jadwin to talk about development updates with the city and some of our development projects of 2022, what is ahead in 2023, and how we will continue to make a Gahanna a top destination to live, work, and play. Jadwin looks forward to keeping the community updated on those projects. Last week, Jadwin met with newly elected Ohio State Senator Michelle Reynolds who represents Gahanna. They talked about issues facing Gahanna. Jadwin said to Councilmember Bowers and Vice President Weaver that the City was coming at [the Ohio legislature] both ways. Jadwin talked with Reynolds about local government funding and the protection of home rule. Jadwin stated they also talked at length around workforce challenges and Reynolds’ initiatives in that regard, as well as some of the infrastructure initiatives that really need to happen in this region given the development that is happening 10 minutes north of Gahanna. Jadwin shared that there was an alarming situation at City Hall just a couple of weeks City of Gahanna Page 11 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 ago. A bomb threat was called into our building which caused City Hall to evacuate for the safety of staff, visitors, and people doing business here. It happened shortly before noon. This is also the time where we tend to have a lot of students passing back and forth through the parking lot because they are heading to and from lunch. The City reached out to the school, Dr. Deagle, and her staff right across the street. They arranged to have the students stay in place. Jadwin recognized this was undoubtedly a frightening experience for parents and students trying to understand what was happening, but it was a necessity out of an abundance of caution. The City did not know what was happening and wanted to ensure that everybody in the area was safe. Jadwin applauded staff for the calm and professional manner in which they evacuated the building that day, stood in the parking lot, and went into other facilities until the police had an opportunity to investigate. She also appreciated the quick response of the Gahanna Police Department, as well as partners from Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Columbus Police Department who brought their canines to go through the building. It was a stressful day but as soon as it was over and we got the “all clear” to come back in, our staff returned and just picked up right where they left off. She reiterated her appreciate for their patience, as well as Dr. Deagle, the school staff, teachers, and parents in their cooperation as we worked through that situation. On January 7, Amanda Parker, Director of Court Services, was sworn in as the 2023 president of the Central Ohio Association of Mayor's Court Clerks. She will be serving in that capacity while also sitting on the executive board of the association of Mayor's Court Clerks of Ohio. Parker was recently past president. Jadwin remarked that the City really has a tremendously talented, experienced staff that guides the city. She looks forward to continuing to show what our staff members do and what they bring to the table each and every day for residents of Gahanna. The administration has also been working on a refresh of the Parks Master Plan. The Department of Parks & Recreation plans to present a draft of that plan to Council later in March. Prior to that, the Department will hold a town hall meeting in Chambers. Tuesday, February 21, 2023, is a tentative date for that. The purpose will be to share with the community what the Parks Master Plan is. The Parks Master Plan was based on extensive surveys. This town hall will be an opportunity for public comments so that when the administration finalizes a draft to bring to Council for input, members will have had that public comment opportunity and the administration can bring a more complete picture. Jadwin noted that the State of the City will be Thursday, March 23, 2023. Networking will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a program set to kick-off at 6:15 p.m. The address will be delivered at our future home of the Gahanna Police Department, City Hall, and Senior Center at 825 Tech Center Drive. This is an opportunity for the public to come inside and see what the future home will look like. She will talk about some of the successes that the City has collectively done in 2022 and talk about how we are framing the future for the city in 2023, the work that we are doing today that will continue to make Gahanna grow and help keep us a vibrant destination for residents, for businesses, and visitors in years to come. 2. City Attorney None. City of Gahanna Page 12 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 K. COUNCIL COMMENT: Councilmember Angelou thanked all of the guests in Chambers tonight. It was wonderful to see everyone. She congratulated Stanley and Davis on their successes and she appreciated them for attending tonight’s meeting. Councilmember Bowers thanked Indigo Stanley, Miss Black Ohio America, for sticking it out and staying for the entire meeting. Bowers appreciated Stanley’s comments and quote from former President Barack Obama on change. This was incredibly meaningful and calls on each one of us to show up to do our part. Bowers noted she asked the Clerk to incorporate her constituent report to the agenda and minutes. She highlighted a couple of items from the report, which included her visit to the Reeb Center downtown where the “Undesign the Red Line” exhibit is on display. This will also be at the main library the Columbus Metropolitan Library downtown from February 16 to March 14, 2023. The exhibit is an interactive exploration of the history of structural racism caused by the 1938 redlining maps and how this inequality continues to impact our communities today. It focuses not just on what happened in the past but how we can come together to “undesign” these systems with intentionality. She said this has a lot of historical maps from Central Ohio that shows exactly how black and brown people were kept out and excluded from certain communities literally by drawing red lines on maps. Bowers encourages everyone to take a look at that. She noted her next constituent hour, February 13, 2023, at the front lobby conference room at City Hall. It will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. She will also offer a link to attend via Zoom. Councilmember Padova thanked Ms. Stanley for joining Council and speaking. She also said it was great to have Ms. Davis attend. Padova felt like she was watching a future Amanda Gorman with her recitation in front of Council. Davis did not have any notes and seemed to have everything memorized. It was very impressive. Padova was grateful both Stanley and Davis reside in Gahanna. Vice President Weaver echoed Council colleagues in expressing gratitude and congratulations to Ms. Stanley and Ms. Davis. He thanked them for their words and for the reminder that it is not just our words that matter but it is our actions. We have to do the work. Weaver noted he had published his quarterly newsletter last week and is available online. He will also be hosting a constituent hour next Wednesday, February 15, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the front hall lobby conference room. He is happy to have as many people as possible who are willing and wanting to share their thoughts. Weaver also shared a disturbing situation that occurred last week at his wife's school where she works that created a lockdown. It served as a reminder to hug your loved ones and to also thank the wonderful Gahanna Division of Police, all teachers, and staff. President Renner thanked Ms. Stanley for sitting, waiting, and listening as Council flubbed over one of the ordinances on the agenda. He invited all of Council to join Ms. Stanley for a photo opportunity together at the end of the City of Gahanna Page 13 City Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023 meeting. This would be nice, as it was missed in the beginning. Black History Month is February. February is also the American Heart Month and we also celebrate President Lincoln and President Washington's birthdays. There are also a lot of other celebrations. However, Renner said Black History Month is something important because of the reasons that have already been stated but one of the biggest to him is the stories, hearing the stories of people from the past and present. These stories are very important. Jelani Cobb, who is the dean of the Columbia Journalism School and staff writer at The New Yorker to share stories in a curated series on Apple Plus. Cobb has put them in three separate sections. Renner remarked that the stories are phenomenal and urged others to see his interview. He mentions this to underscore the point of listening to these powerful stories which are available on many platforms (iTunes, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others that are free through the library). Stories help us be able to communicate with each other. Black History Month is a moment for us to be able to look and gain an understanding of others. 2023-0027 Councilmember Merisa K. Bowers' Constituent Report - January 2023 L. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Council, President Renner adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. Jeremy A. VanMeter Clerk of Council APPROVED by the City Council, this day of 2023. Stephen A. Renner City of Gahanna Page 14