City Council

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026 COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Good evening. Welcome to the Massillon City Council meeting for Monday, March 16, 2026. We have in attendance the following City officials: Mayor Jamie Slutz, Safety Service Director, Renee Baker, Asst. Law Director, Edmond Mack, Director of Development, Ted Herncane, and Street Superintendent, Josh McClay. Under #5 on the agenda is where the public can speak on any topic that appears on tonight’s agenda and under #17 is where the public can speak on any topic that does NOT appear on tonight’s agenda. I’d like to remind you that if you have a cell phone, please set it to mute, vibrate or turn it off. Thank you. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Roll call, please. 1. ROLL CALL Roll call for the evening found the following Council Members present: Holly Bryan-Huth, Mike Gregg, Julie Harwig Smith, Seth Marcum, John Paquelet, Mandwel Patterson, Eric Ray and Tony Townsend. Roll call of 8 present COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. I’d like to make a motion that we excuse Councilwoman Cunningham from tonight’s meeting. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Ray. Roll call. 8 yes to excuse Councilwoman Cunningham COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Councilwoman Bryan-Huth. 2. INVOCATION COUNCILWOMAN HOLLY BRYAN-HUTH 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY COUNCILWOMAN BRYAN-HUTH COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Councilwoman Bryan-Huth. 4. READING OF THE JOURNAL COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Madam Clerk, are the minutes of the previous meeting transcribed and open for public viewing? COUNCIL CLERK ROLLAND – Yes, they are. 1  COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Are there any additions or corrections to be made? COUNCIL CLERK ROLLAND – No, there are not. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – If not, then the minutes stand approved as written. Thank you, Madam Clerk. 5. REMARKS OF DELEGATIONS AND CITIZENS TO MATTERS ON THE AGENDA 6. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. I just wanted to take this opportunity to give a big shout-out to the Massillon Basketball Tigers. They’re having a tremendous season. They’re set at 25-1. They will be playing Saturday for the State semi-finals against Lima Senior and hopefully will then be playing in the championship game on Sunday. So just again, I big shout-out. The boys have been really representing their school, themselves and the community very well and we want to see them push forward for a win on Saturday. Thank you. Go Tigers. 7. CONSENT AGENDA 8. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Ord. No. 30 – 2026. ORDINANCE NO. 30 – 2026 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE AN ORDINANCE making certain appropriations from the unappropriated balance of the 1212 Concert Series Fund for the year ending December 31, 2026. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. As we discussed, this is money that has come in in the form of donations in the past was in this account and moved forward to get started with concert series. Any questions or discussion? Seeing none, I make a motion that we waive the rules requiring three readings and bring Ord. No. 30 – 2026 forward for a vote. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Marcum. Roll call for suspension. 8 yes for suspension COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – And for passage. 8 yes for passage COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ord. No. 30 – 2026 has passed. Ord. No. 31 – 2026. 2 ORDINANCE NO. 31 – 2026 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE AN ORDINANCE making certain appropriations from the unappropriated balance of the 2101 Wastewater Treatment Fund, for the year ending December 31, 2026, and declaring an emergency. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. We discussed this in our Work Session. This is money for accumulated sick leave payout for a retiring employee. Does have emergency language, the reason being to have funds available for an April 1, 2026 retirement date payout. Are there any questions or discussion? Seeing none, I make a motion that we waive the rules requiring three readings and bring Ord. No. 31 – 2026 forward for a vote. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Paquelet. Roll call for suspension. 8 yes for suspension COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – And for passage. 8 yes for passage COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ord. No. 31 – 2026 has passed. Ord. No. 32 – 2026. ORDINANCE NO. 32 – 2026 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Director of Law of the City of Massillon, Ohio, to enter into a one (1) year Agreement with the Village of Beach City, Ohio, for the purpose of providing prosecutorial services, and declaring an emergency. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. As we discussed in Work Session, this is another one of the request for an agreement, in this case with the Village of Beach City, Ohio, for the purpose of providing prosecutorial services and legal services. The dollar amount is $6,000.00 which I believe has not changed from the previous year. Any questions or discussion? Seeing none, I make a motion that we waive the rules requiring three readings and bring Ord. No. 32 – 2026 forward for a vote. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Marcum. Roll call for suspension. 8 yes for suspension COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – And for passage. 8 yes for passage 3  COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ord. No. 32 – 2026 has passed. 9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 10. PETITIONS AND GENERAL COMMINCATIONS 11. BILLS, ACCOUNTS AND CLAIMS American Legal Publishing - $ 2,442.03 Update to Codified Ordinances USA Today – LocaliQ - 67.40 Publication of March 16th Hrg. Total - $ 2,509.43 COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. I make motion that we pay the bills. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Patterson. Roll call. 8 yes to pay the bills COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. The Clerk will pay the bills and charge them to their proper accounts. 12. REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS Auditor’s Report - February 2026 COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilman Gregg. COUNCILMAN GREGG – Thank you, President Slater. I make a motion that we accept the Auditor’s Report for February 2026 COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Marcum. Roll call. 8 yes to accept the Auditor’s Report 13. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Our next Work Session will be Monday, March 30, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. We are off the week of March 23rd. 14. RESOLUTIONS AND REQUESTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS 15. CALL OF THE CALENDAR 4  COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Ord. No. 6 – 2026. ORDINANCE NO. 6 – 2026 BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tabled March 2, 2026 until March 16, 2026 AN ORDINANCE amending the Zoning Map of the City of Massillon, by rezoning a certain property from R-1 Single Family Residential District to B-1 Local Business District. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilwoman Harwig Smith. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Thank you, President Slater. This was tabled until today. We had a hearing at 6:15 p.m. today. No one attended as said whether they were for or against. We have talked about this for weeks. The applicant is Michael Fisher of Ferrall Pools. This is for the lot adjacent to Ferrall Pools. He bought it and they’re adding on for storage of supplies. The Planning Commission recommended approval of this. It’s at 1629 Tremont Ave. S.E. It’s a rezoning from R-1 to B-1. Did anyone on Council have any questions regarding this? Okay. I’d like to bring it forward for a vote. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Marcum. Roll call for passage. 8 yes for passage COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you, Madam Clerk. Ord. No. 6 – 2026 has passed. 16. THIRD READING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Res. No. 20 – 2026. RESOLUTION NO. 20 – 2026 BY: COMMUNIT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE A RSOLUTION reversing the decision of the Massillon Zoning Board of Appeals made on January 28, 2026, wherein the Zoning Board of Appeals denied a variance from the Massillon Zoning Code to allow for a variance of five (5) feet for six (6) single family homes to be constructed on Candell St. S.E., Massillon, Ohio. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilwoman Harwig Smith. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Thank you, President Slater. This resolution for this variance has been withdrawn. I’d like to make a motion to table Res. No. 20 – 2026 indefinitely. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilman Marcum. Roll call. 8 yes to table Res. No. 20 – 2026 indefinitely 17. SECOND READING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Ord. No. 26 – 2026. 5 ORDINANCE NO. 26 – 2026 BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AN ORDINANCE amending the Zoning Map of the City of Massillon, Ohio, by rezoning a certain property from R-1 One Family Residential District to RM-1 Multiple Family Residential District. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilwoman Harwig Smith. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Thank you, President Slater. This is a rezoning request for the property at 446 South Ave. S.E., Parcel #610674, Lot #2923 and Part Lot #2924. The applicant is Tommy Martinez and the purpose is the property has already been set-up for duplex use. It has all separate utilities. So we’re voting to go from R-1 to RM-1. This will be second reading. Did anyone have any questions this evening? Alright. Second reading. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Ord. No. 26 – 2026 has received second reading. Ord. No. 27 – 2026. ORDINANCE NO. 27 – 2026 BY: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AN ORDINANCE amending the Zoning Map of the City of Massillon, Ohio, by rezoning a certain property from R-2 One Family Residential District to R-1 One Family Residential District. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilwoman Harwig Smith. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Thank you, President Slater. This request is for rezoning from R-2 to R-1 to accommodate construction of approximately 79 new single-family homes. It’s Westbrook Estates, Mark Holz from Frontier Land Group. I did request; I just had some questions about the building plans and lot sizes that they’re planning on putting here. I’m hoping they can come back to the next meeting and maybe answer. Maybe Alex or the builder. My concern is that these are full-size homes going on smaller lots. The out skirts are off of Rt. 93, the 22-acres. So there’s really not a whole bunch of neighborhoods around it. It’s going to be a whole new neighborhood and I’m just concerned that putting full size houses on these small lot sizes, I’m worried about parking and the driveway and parking on the road and as long as we have enough room for that then I don’t see a problem. I just want to make sure that we’re going to have the proper structure. Did anyone else have any questions or something that they’re worried about that we can let them know ahead of time so when they come back to us? Councilman Paquelet. COUNCILMAN PAQUELET – Yeah, I did have a question; I looked at the Auditor’s website and it appears that the other properties around there, the other homes in the neighborhood appear to be R-1 as long as the Auditor’s site is accurate. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Okay. COUNCILMAN PAQUELET – That’s what I was able to ascertain. Thank you. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Alright. Anyone else? 6  COUNCIL CLERK ROLLAND – You might want to remind them that there’s a public hearing on April 20th. COUNCILWOMAN HARWIG SMITH – Yes. So there will be a public hearing on April 20th. When we get to third reading, I’ll table it. So, tonight, this is second reading. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Thank you. Ord. No. 27 – 2026 has received second reading. 18. REMARKS OF DELEGATIONS AND CITIZENS TO MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA 19. ADJOURNMENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Councilwoman Bryan-Huth. COUNCILWOMAN BRYAN-HUTH – Mr. President. I would like to make a motion to adjourn. COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Seconded by Councilwoman Harwig Smith. Roll call. 8 yes to adjourn COUNCIL PRESIDENT SLATER – Meeting adjourned. ______________________________ ______________________________ DIANE ROLLAND, COUNCIL CLERK MIKE SLATER, PRESIDENT 7