[00:00:05] >> GOOD EVENING. I'VE BEEN GIVEN THE HIGH SIGN. [ I. Call to Order] WELCOME TO FAIRBORN CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR DECEMBER 1ST, 2025. WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. KIRKPATRICK. >> HERE. >> MR. ALLEN. >> HERE. >> MS. [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. HERE. >> MR. FRITZSCHE >> HERE. >> MR. MCCUBBINS. >> HERE. >> MS. REASTER. >> HERE. >> MS. STANTON. >> HERE. >>THANK YOU, JULIE. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE? >> >> THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. THIS TIME, WOULD YOU ALSO PLEASE SILENCE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES? OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CONSIDER MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS. [IV. Minutes – Consider approval of the minutes of the November 17, 2025, Council Work Session and the November 17, 2025, Regular Meeting.] WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH COUNCIL WORK SESSION. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, OR DELETIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NOW, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025 COUNCIL WORK SESSION ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN. NEXT, WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, OR DELETIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN. WE DO HAVE SOME PRE-SCHEDULED BUSINESS. [V. Prescheduled] FIRST UP, WE HAVE SOME PRESENTATION OF MILESTONES. DO YOU HAVE THOSE [INAUDIBLE]? >> BEEN A WHILE. >>YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE? OTHERWISE, IT'S ME JUST STANDING HERE. I DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. [LAUGHTER]. >> LET'S GO HUNT DOWN. >> READY? I'M SHERI SHEL, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR. THIS EVENING, WE ARE RECOGNIZING OUR CITY PLANNER, KATHLEEN RIGGS, FOR 10 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. CONGRATULATIONS. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR EMPLOYMENT ANNIVERSARY WITH THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE YOUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE DEPARTMENT. YOU PLAY A SIGNIFICANT AND VITAL ROLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, AND OUR GROWTH AND SUCCESS AS A CITY ARE DEPENDENT ON HAVING DEVOTED AND ACCOMPLISHED EMPLOYEES SUCH AS YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORT IN HELPING US REMAIN A GREAT COMMUNITY TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY. >> THANK YOU. >> NO, I'M GOOD. NEXT, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PIECE OF INFORMATION OR PROCLAMATION THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT. BUT BEFORE I START READING THIS PROCLAMATION, I NEED TO HAVE THE ELF IN CHARGE COME ON DOWN HERE, AND I UNDERSTAND EVERY ELF IN THE ROOM, AND WE MAY EVEN HAVE A VISIT FROM THE MAN HIMSELF. I SEE ONE MORE PERSON WITH AN ELF HAT. OOPS. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION HERE. >> WOODSTOCK. [00:05:02] >> BEFORE I READ THIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THAT IS REALLY A BIG THING IN FAIRBORN. I WANT TO THANK THIS LADY STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO ME HERE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. SHE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT, BUT LET ME READ THIS PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, THE FAIRBORN LITTLE TYKE SHOP PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHILDREN OF FAIRBORN AND BATH TOWNSHIP, FROM BABIES TO THOSE IN THE SIXTH GRADE, WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES. WHEREAS EACH GIFT COSTS ONLY $1 REGARDLESS OF HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL, AND WHEREAS EACH SHOPPER WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ELF, WHO WILL ASSIST THEM IN THEIR GIFT SELECTIONS, AS WELL AS FINDING THE PERFECT GIFT BAG TO STORE THEIR SELECTION IN UNDER THEIR TREE AT HOME UNTIL THE DAY OF THE BIG REVEAL. WHEREAS THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR FOR THE LITTLE TYKE SHOP, AND WILL BE LOCATED AT 56 SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE IN FAIRBORN, OHIO. NOW, THEREFORE, I DAN KIRKPATRICK, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN, OHIO DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, FROM 5:00 TO 8:00 P.M., AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, FROM NOON TO 3:00 P.M. AS FAIRBORN LITTLE TYKE SHOP DAYS IN THE CITY OF FAIRBORN AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS WITH SMALL CHILDREN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. SIGNED BY ME. THE FLOOR IS YOURS, CHIEF ELF. >> THANKS, DAN. I WANT TO THANK MY ELVES, AND THIS IS JUST A SMALL PIECE OF THEM. IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO PUT 2,000 GIFTS, GET THEM READY FOR KIDS. OVER THE TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN OUT THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SERVED ABOUT 450 KIDS AND ABOUT 2,200 GIFTS. IT KEEPS THE ELVES BUSY, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. I WANT TO THANK THEM. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS BEEN VERY GRACIOUS IN HELPING US. IT FOUND US IN A VERY GOOD POSITION THIS YEAR. WE CAN ALWAYS USE DONATIONS. YOU NEVER GET ENOUGH. THIS YEAR, WE WERE VERY LUCKY. WE HAD A PREVIOUS SELF MADE A BIG DONATION THAT WE FOUND AFTER SHE WAS GONE. ANYHOW, WE WERE SETTING PRETTY THIS YEAR. THANK YOU, AND BRING YOUR KIDS, YOUR GRANDKIDS, AND NEIGHBORS' KIDS, AND ANYBODY ELSE. >> THE FORMAL PICTURE HERE. LET'S GET ALL THE ELVES. CENTERED AROUND HERE. [INAUDIBLE] >> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE DAYTON AREA THAT DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AGAIN, MARILYN, THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS STARTED AND ALL YOUR ELVES FOR BEING SUCH A BIG PART OF THIS. THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES FAIRBORN SUCH A SPECIAL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON. NEXT, WE HAVE OLD BUSINESS. [VI. Old Business] WE'LL START OFF WITH SOME SECOND READINGS. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE 32-25 FOR THE SECOND TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> ORDINANCE 32-25. AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS AND THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $1,000,611.792 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COST OF VARIOUS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, HILARY BROWNING, FINANCE DIRECTOR, PRESENTING. [00:10:01] >> GOOD EVENING. WITH ME TODAY. I ALSO HAVE HEATHER MEYER, WHO IS FROM BRADLEY PAYNE ASSOCIATES. THEY ARE OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISORS FOR ALL OF OUR BOND DEALS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AT LEAST BOND, COUNCIL, BUT WE ALSO HAVE MUNICIPAL ADVISORS TO HELP US TO STRUCTURE THESE DEALS TO GIVE US THE BEST POSSIBLE ADVICE ABOUT OUR DEBT ISSUANCE, AND SO HEATHER IS HERE AND SUPPORT. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING, AND SO I WANTED TO HAVE BRADLEY PAYNE HERE TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT AND SOME JUSTIFICATION FOR OUR NEW DEBT SERVICE PROTOCOL. THIS WOULD BE THE VERY FIRST ORDINANCE. THESE ARE ACTUALLY REFUNDING BONDS. JUST TO LOOK AT THE PROCESS, HOW THERE'S GOING TO COVER THIS SLIDE ABOUT HOW OUR PROCESS ACTUALLY WORKS. HERE WE HAVE AN ISSUANCE PROCESS, OR A TIMELINE OF WHAT THE CITY GOES THROUGH IN ORDER TO ISSUE ANY DEBT. YOU'LL SEE UP HERE, IT STARTS WITH BONDS AND FINANCING OPTIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED WITH THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS. THEN WE GET TOGETHER WITH HILARY AND THE CITY, ALONG WITH BOND COUNCIL, AND WE GO OVER ALL OF THE NEEDS AND HOW THOSE ARE GOING TO BE STRUCTURED FOR THAT FISCAL YEAR. THEN, IN GREEN THERE, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW. THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDS BOND ISSUANCE TO COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL APPROVES THE ISSUANCE THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. NEXT, WE SIT DOWN WITH HILARY AND TALK ABOUT WHO'S THE BEST BOND UNDERWRITER FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUANCE. OR IS THIS GOING TO LOOK BETTER AS A BANK PLACEMENT? WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT FINANCING AND THE LOWEST COST OF FUNDS FOR THE TAXPAYERS AND FOR THE CITY? AFTER THAT, WE START WORKING ON ANY TYPE OF PRELIMINARY DOCUMENTATION THAT GOES TO INVESTORS. IF IT'S A PUBLIC OFFERING, IT GOES TO THE INVESTORS, AND THEY DO ALL OF THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND THEIR CREDIT WORK INTERNALLY TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO PUT A BID IN ON THAT TYPE OF DEBT. OR IF IT'S A BANK PLACEMENT, WE WORK ON ANOTHER DOCUMENT CALLED A TERM SHEET THAT WE SEND OUT TO 35, 40 BANKS ACROSS THE US, AND WE GO WITH THE LOWEST COST OF FUNDS. AFTER THAT, THE BONDS ARE EITHER SOLD TO INVESTORS OR THE BANKS ARE LOOKING AT THAT IN THEIR INTERNAL CREDIT PROCESS. THEN THE UNDERWRITER, AS HILARY PUT HERE, IF APPLICABLE, IT COULD BE A BANK AS WELL; LIKE I SAID, THE MUNICIPAL ADVISOR, BOND COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, AND FINANCE DIRECTOR APPROVE THE SALE OF THE BONDS TO THE INVESTORS. THAT'S USUALLY ON THE DAY OF WHAT WE CALL PRICING, WHEN THEY'RE EITHER OFFERED IN THE PUBLIC MARKET OR THE DAY WE DECIDE ON WHICH BANK HAS THE LOWEST COST OF FUNDS. AFTER THAT, THERE ARE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE SIGNED, EVERYONE REVIEWS, AND THE FUNDS ARE THEN, AT CLOSING DATE, TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY. OUR NEXT SLIDE HERE SHOWS CREDIT RATINGS OF LOCAL MIAMI VALLEY AND OTHER LARGER GOVERNMENTS HERE. YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS SIMILAR TO THIS. YOUR RATING AS A MUNICIPALITY OR A SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR A PUBLIC ENTITY, IS THE SAME AS OUR CREDIT SCORES. WHAT IS IT? I'VE BEEN SO FAR REMOVED FROM THAT. I THINK IT'S 840 IS THE HIGHEST FOR INDIVIDUALS,840. THAT WOULD BE A AAA. THEN IF YOU GO DOWN TO, SAY, 780, CREDIT SCORE, THAT WOULD BE A AA1, AND THEN SO ON. THE STATE WAS JUST MOVED BACK UP, OR WHAT WE CALL UPGRADED TO A AAA. THE STATE OF OHIO WAS DOWN TO A DO AA ONCE. ONE NOTCH OFF OF FAIRBORN'S AA2, WHICH TELLS YOU ALL THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT CREDIT RATING. JUST LIKE OUR CREDIT SCORES, WHEN OUR CREDIT SCORES ARE HIGH, WE GET A LOWER RATE. WHEN OUR CREDIT SCORES ARE LOW, WE GET A HIGHER RATE. IT'S THE SAME EXACT SCALE HERE. THE AAAS GET THE LOWER RATE, AND THE A3S, AND AFTER A3, THERE'S BBB, AND SO ON, AND THEN IT GETS DOWN TO JUNK BONDS. BUT YOU ALL HAVE A VERY GOOD CREDIT RATING, WHICH INDICATES LOWER RATES IN THE MARKET OR AT THE BANK LEVEL AS WELL. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HILARY. >> THANK YOU, HEATHER. >> IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE ISSUED 1.75 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND COURT PROJECT BANS OR BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES. THESE ARE BONDS THAT MATURE ANNUALLY, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY EITHER HAVE TO BE PAID OFF ANNUALLY OR THEY HAVE TO BE REISSUED ANNUALLY. THIS ORDINANCE, ORDINANCE 32-25, WILL PROVISION US TO RETIRE THE BOND ANTICIPATION NOTES WHEN THEY ARE DUE IN FEBRUARY OF 2026. WE ARE SEEKING APPROVAL TO ISSUE BONDS FOR THE REMAINING AMOUNT PLUS ISSUANCE COSTS, [00:15:05] WHICH IS NOT TO EXCEED 1,000,611.792. >> THIS ORDINANCE ALSO ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY OF TERM SO THAT THE CITY CAN OBTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE RATES, AND SO ALLOWS FOR A TERM THAT IS NO LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AND NO GREATER THAN 16. THE REASON IT IS 16 YEARS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ROLLED THESE NOTES MULTIPLE TIMES, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FULL LENGTH OF THE 20 OR 30 YEARS LEFT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'VE ROLLED THEM. THEREFORE, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS THAT WE CAN GET ON THIS BOND REFUNDING IS 16. AGAIN, THIS ALL DEPENDS ON THE RATE. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO REDUCE COSTS FOR THE CITY WHILE GETTING THE LONGEST TERM THAT WE CAN GET SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE RECURRENT COSTS OF ISSUANCE ANNUALLY. THAT SAID, BANS ARE TYPICALLY HAVE A HIGHER INTEREST RATE ANYWAY. JUST GOING FOR BONDING INSTEAD OF BANS IS ALSO LOWER ISSUANCE COSTS RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING IN THIS ISSUANCE A PERMANENT PAYDOWN OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT ROOF PROJECT, IT ONLY HAS $142,000 LEFT. WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO PAY THIS OFF INSTEAD OF BONDING IT BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A LOW AMOUNT. THIS ISSUANCE CALLS FOR US PAYING OFF THAT AMOUNT, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES ABOUT 74,000 IN ISSUANCE COSTS. WITH THAT, WE WOULD RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF ORDINANCE 32-25, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. >> BEFORE WE COME TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS, ORDINANCE 32-25 REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO ORDINANCE 32-25, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. SINCE NO ONE COME FORWARD, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND COME BACK TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS, STARTING WITH COUNCILMAN FRITZSCHE. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, HILARY. >> THANK YOU. >> HILARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU HAVE WALKED US THROUGH THIS FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE SUMMER AND PROBABLY EVEN THE SPRING WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NEXT. I THINK THAT WE'VE TAKEN THOSE POSITIVE STEPS ALREADY IN OUR BUDGET INTENTIONAL STEPS TO DRAW DOWN THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU. >> I WOULD JUST REITERATE. THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION, THE DETAILED READ AHEAD AND THE DETAILED EXPLANATION. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. >> THANK YOU. >> YES, THANK YOU AGAIN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> NO QUESTIONS, HILARY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> NO QUESTIONS FOR ME. THANK YOU. >> NO QUESTIONS, BUT AGAIN, AS EVERYONE SAID, THANKS FOR ALL THE HEARD WORK. IT'S NICE TO SEE HOW WE STACK UP WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FAIRBORN IS DOING PRETTY GOOD. I GOT A THUMBS UP FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T SEE THAT. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO WAIVE THE RULE REQUIRING THAT ORDINANCES BE READ ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS? THAT ORDINANCE 32-25 BE READ FOR THE THIRD TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MRS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MRS. STANTON. >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MRS. CHESS? >> YES. >> MR. FRITZSCHE? >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> MRS. ORDINANCE 32-25, AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS, THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $1,611,792 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COST OF VARIOUS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. >> THANK YOU, MIKE. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 32-25? >> MOVE. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MRS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MRS. CHESS? >> YES. >> MR. FRITZSCHE? >> YES. >> MRS. STANTON? >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> ORDINANCE 32-25 IS DULY ADOPTED. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO READ ORDINANCE 33-25 FOR THE SECOND TIME BY TITLE ONLY? S. >> MOVE. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> ORDINANCE 33-25. AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS, THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $2,488,208 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COSTS OF VARIOUS MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM PROJECTS. HILARY BROWNING FINANCE DIRECTOR PRESENTED. WE GOT YOUR INTRO. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU. ORDINANCE 33-25 IS PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS AND NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT 2,488,208. THE REASON THAT THESE ARE TWO ORDINANCES IS BECAUSE ORDINANCE 32-25, IT WAS A GENERAL FUND ORDINANCE. ORDINANCE 33-25 IS FOR OUR WATER FUND. THIS ONE IS A LITTLE LARGER. [00:20:01] WE ISSUED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 3.1 MILLION IN BANDS FOR WATER LINES, MAINS, AND OTHER WATER UPGRADES. IN TOTAL, WE HAD ABOUT 4.2 MILLION IN TOTAL BANDS FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT. THEY ARE MATURING ANNUALLY. THEY'RE REQUIRING PAYOFF BY CASH OR BY RE-ISSUANCE, AND THEY ARE COMING MATURE IN FEBRUARY OF 2026. WE ARE SEEKING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2,488,208, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE HOPING FOR A VERY AGGRESSIVE PAYDOWN SCHEDULE THAT IS FUNDED MOSTLY FROM PFAS PROCEEDS, I'LL JUST COVER THAT. BEFORE I GO INTO THAT ONE, THE TERM HERE IS 5-20 YEARS. WE HAVEN'T ROLLED THESE NOTES AS LONG, AND IT IS UTILITY DEBT. FOR BOTH OF THOSE REASONS, WE HAVE A BIT MORE GENEROUS TERMS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH HERE, AND AGAIN, THE GOAL AND HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY ON THE TERM IS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BEST POSSIBLE RATE. HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, I'VE CIRCLED IT IN GREEN, WE ARE PROVISIONING FOR A PAYDOWN OF 1.8 MILLION UTILIZING THOSE PROCEEDS FROM 3M FROM PFAS SETTLEMENT DOLLARS. WE HAVE ISSUANCE COSTS ABOUT 114,379. OUR TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT THEN IS 2,488,208. THIS IS A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PAYOFF. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OUR LARGEST PAYOFF TO DATE, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ROLLING THESE BANDS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THEN ISSUING SOME NEW DEBT IN THE CAP, JUST MAKING THAT DEBT EVEN BIGGER. THIS IS AN AGGRESSIVE MOVE, BUT IT IS ONE THAT'S REALLY NEEDED FOR THE WATER FUND. WATER REVENUES PAY FOR THIS DEBT. ABSENT THAT, WE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME REALLY WITH THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE IN THE WATER FUND PAYING DOWN THE DEBT. IT WOULD TAKE US A VERY LONG TIME IF WE WEREN'T GETTING AN AGGRESSIVE PAY DOWN SCHEDULE AND THEN BONDING OUT THE REST, WHAT WE COULDN'T PAY DOWN THIS YEAR. WITH THAT, WE RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF ORDINANCE 33-25, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. >> AGAIN, ORDINANCE 33-25 REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 33-25 AND COME BACK TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS, STARTING WITH COUNSEL MANCHES. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AGAIN. THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HILARY. THANK YOU. >> NO QUESTIONS. THANKS. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, HILARY. >> NO QUESTIONS, HILARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT USE OF THE PFAS MONEY, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE US REDUCE OUR DEBT. THANK YOU. >> THANKS. >> AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE HOW MUCH EFFORT YOU AND YOUR STAFF PUT INTO LOOKING THROUGH THESE THINGS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO WAIVE THE RULE REQUIRING THAT ORDINANCES BE READ ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND ORDINANCE 33-25 BE READ FOR THE THIRD TIME BY TITLE ONLY. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> MRS. CHESS. >> YES. >> MR. FRITZSCHE? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >>YES. >> MRS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MRS. STANTON? >> YES. >> ORDINANCE 33-25. AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS IN THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $2,488,208 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COSTS OF VARIOUS MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM PROJECTS. >> THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 33-25. >> MOVED? >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MRS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MRS. CHESS? >> YES. >> MR. FRITZSCHE? >> YES. >> MRS. STANTON? >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> ORDINANCE 33-25 IS DULY ADOPTED. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO READ ORDINANCE 34-25 FOR THE SECOND TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> ORDINANCE 34-25. IN ORDINANCE AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS AND CREATING NEW CHAPTER 11-36 OF THE FAIRBORN CODIFIED ORDINANCES TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS GOVERNING MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES, KATHLEEN RIGGS, CITY PLANNER PRESENTING. >> THANK YOU. YES. GOOD EVENING. THESE ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS ARE REALLY ABOUT SETTING THE PARAMETERS FOR THE ONE DISPENSARY THAT IS APPROVED TO LOCATE IN THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. THE CITY OF FAIRBORN IS THE APPLICANT IN THIS CASE. JUST TO GO OVER A BIT OF THE BACKGROUND. IN 2023, THE STATE OF OHIO APPROVED THE LEGALIZATION OF THE SALES OF ADULT USE MARIJUANA. [00:25:08] SINCE 2024, WE HAVE ENACTED SEVERAL MORATORIUM ON DISPENSARIES LOCATING IN THE CITY. REALLY, THAT WAS IN ORDER TO STUDY THE STATE REGULATIONS THAT WERE COMING OUT, AS WELL AS JUST MONITORING THOSE RULES THAT WERE GOING TO BE ESTABLISHED, AND THEN TO DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE POLICY HERE. THE MORATORIUM IS ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TO END ON DECEMBER 31ST IN THE CITY OF THIS YEAR. ALSO IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, A POLICY WAS ESTABLISHED THAT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF DISPENSARIES IN THE CITY TO ONE. THESE TEXT AMENDMENTS AS AN OVERVIEW, REALLY IS TO PROVIDE REGULATIONS ON THE LOCATION, THE DESIGN, AND THE OPERATION OF THAT SINGLE DISPENSARY. THESE REGULATIONS ARE INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT THIS FACILITY OPERATES SAFELY, MAINTAINS COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING LAND USES, AND PROTECTS THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE. WHAT DO THESE CHANGES REALLY MEAN IN OUR ZONING CODE? WE'VE AMENDED SOME SECTIONS. WE'RE ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 1136 IN THE ZONING CODE. DISPENSARY WILL BE A CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE DISPENSARY WILL BE LOCATED GREATER THAN 1,000 FEET FROM CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, PARKS, OTHER DISPENSARIES OR ESTABLISHMENTS, SELLING SPIRITUS LIQUOR. OTHER REGULATIONS THAT WE ALSO SET WERE DRIVE THROUGH AND DELIVERY WOULD BE PROHIBITED UNLESS APPROVED BY THE STATE, AND WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE THAT. SOME ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT WERE ALSO ADDED ARE THAT BUILDING DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ADEQUATE BUFFERING, TRAFFIC, CIRCULATION, LANDSCAPING, LIGHTING, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN. WE ESTABLISHED RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. THIS PERMIT IS REVIEWED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RENEWAL AND IS NON TRANSFERABLE. ALSO, SETTING OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AS FAR AS HOURS OF OPERATION, REQUIRING CONTINUOUS VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, AND ON PREMISE CONSUMPTION WOULD BE PROHIBITED. JUST TO GO OVER SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE DID RECEIVE. WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER FROM ROBERT ZIMMERMAN OF BENISH LAW. THIS IS THE FIRM REPRESENTING GREEN THUMB INDUSTRIES. THIS IS A CANNABIS COMPANY WHO HAS EXISTING DISPENSARIES IN THE STATE OF OHIO AND ARE LOOKING ACTUALLY TO LOCATE IN FAIRBORN. THEY ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED TEXT LANGUAGE AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE DISPENSARIES LOCATED IN MORE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS. PLANNING BOARD DID HAVE AN EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION AT THEIR MEETING ON NOVEMBER 12. WE DID GO OVER THE RATIONALE TO LOCATE IN THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IS REALLY APPROPRIATE DUE TO THE LACK OF SENSITIVE AREAS THAT ARE IN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, THE LOCATION AWAY FROM SCHOOLS, AWAY FROM CHURCHES, AWAY FROM LIBRARIES. IT WOULD MEET THOSE PROPOSED SETBACKS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN THIS ORDINANCE. THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT IS USUALLY ALSO MORE SEPARATED FROM OUR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, AND IT ALSO JUST SEEMED MORE PRUDENT TO ENFORCE ANY LOITERING RESTRICTIONS, THE NO ON PREMISE USE, AS WELL AS THOSE HEIGHTENED SECURITY PROTECTIONS. ALSO, JUST TO GO OVER THE STAFF RESEARCHED CITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, INCLUDING COLUMBUS, CANTON, CLEVELAND, BROOK PARK, AND WESTERVILLE, JUST TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON THE LANGUAGE. APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THESE CITIES THAT WERE RESEARCHED DESIGNATED DISPENSARIES TO BE LOCATED IN INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. THE STATE LEGISLATION GIVES CITIES THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH THESE REGULATIONS AND PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES ON DESIGN, LOCATION, OPERATIONS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. THEN I GUESS JUST LASTLY, A DISPENSARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN LISTED AS A SEPARATE USE IN OUR ZONING CODE, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE LISTED AS A SEPARATE USE APART FROM RETAIL SALES AND SERVICES. ONCE THE MORATORIUM EXPIRES AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THIS LANGUAGE WILL BE IN PLACE TO REGULATE THAT SINGLE DISPENSARY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? >> BEFORE WE COME TO COUNCIL QUESTIONS, THIS ORDINANCE ALSO REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO ORDINANCE 34-25, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. [00:30:12] >> MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, THE SAME ROBERT ZIMMERMAN WHO WAS MENTIONED BY MS. RIGGS. CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY IN YOUR TEN YEARS. THAT'S TERRIFIC. AGAIN, MY NAME IS ROBERT ZIMMERMAN. I'M A PARTNER WITH THE BENISH LAW FIRM IN CLEVELAND. I WAS HERE IN MARCH AT THE WORK SESSION. I WAS ALSO HERE IN SEPTEMBER WHEN YOU PASSED THE SINGLE DISPENSARY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. AS WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT, YOU MAY RECALL THAT I SPENT 16 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL IN MY HOMETOWN OF SHAKER HEIGHTS. LET ME JUST SAY THAT I LIKE SITTING WHERE YOU ARE BETTER WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. GREEN THUMB INDUSTRIES, GTI, OHIO, WE'RE AN INDUSTRY LEADER OF A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED CANNABIS COMPANY. I DID SUBMIT THAT LETTER, AND I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT IT HERE. I'M SURE THAT YOU ALREADY LOOKED AT IT, AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING THAT I SAID THAT WOULD BE UNFAMILIAR. BUT THERE IS ONE POINT THAT I REALLY DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE. AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN MARCH, RIGHT NOW, IN YOUR RETAIL DISTRICTS, PEOPLE IN FAIRBORN, WHETHER THEY LIVE HERE OR NOT, CAN GO INTO STORES AND BUY UNREGULATED HEMP DERIVED THC PRODUCTS, WHICH MAY PROVIDE THE SAME TYPE OF EFFECT AS LEGALIZED MEDICAL AND ADULT USE MARIJUANA. YOU SAW THOSE PRODUCTS. THOSE ARE THE POP UP SMOKE SHOPS, THOSE ARE THE GUMMIES, THE CANDIES, THE VAPES, THE WHATNOT THAT ARE BEING SOLD RIGHT NOW IN YOUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS ON AN UNREGULATED BASIS. THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL RECOMMENDED ZONING HERE ESSENTIALLY PUTS THE LEGALIZED CANNABIS THAT THE VOTERS OF THE STATE OF OHIO AND A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF YOUR OWN VOTERS, WHAT THEY LEGALIZED, THAT PUTS THAT PRODUCT, THE LEGALIZED REGULATED PRODUCT ON AN UNEQUAL FOOTING, WORSE FOOTING IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL SALES THAN THE UNREGULATED HM DEIDE THC SALES. THAT'S WHAT THIS ZONING AMENDMENT WOULD ACCOMPLISH. I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RESPECTFULLY THINK ABOUT THAT, AND THE IMPLICATIONS THAT THAT COULD HAVE FOR CHILDREN AND FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO USE THE PRODUCT EITHER FOR MEDICAL OR FOR RECREATIONAL REASONS. IN ADDITION TO THE LETTER, I WOULD JUST MENTION TO YOU THAT WHILE YOU DID ADOPT THE SINGLE DISPENSARY AND PLAN ON LIFTING THE MORATORIUM AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THIS PRODUCT, THE REALITY IS THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DESIGNATION, THAT IS EFFECTIVELY A PERMANENT MORATORIUM IN FACT. IT'S A PERMANENT MORATORIUM BY ANOTHER NAME. BECAUSE, AS I THINK YOU KNOW, THE LI DISTRICT THAT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL SALES. THAT'S NOT WHAT IT'S FOR. YOU DON'T SEE THAT THERE. THERE IS NOT AN INVENTORY OF BUILDINGS THAT ALLOWED THAT TYPE OF SALE. IT'S UNSUITABLE FOR THAT TYPE OF COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE. SO I WOULD ALSO MENTION, BECAUSE I SAW SOME OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS HERE. I DROVE THROUGH IT ON THE WAY HERE TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE LI AREA. NOT ONLY IS JUST NOT SUITABLE FOR RETAIL SALES. YOU DIDN'T SEE IT, SEE ANY OF THEM. IT WAS VERY DARK. IT JUST SEEMED AN UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE TO GO BY LEGALIZED CANNABIS. NOW I KNOW THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE LIGHTING UNDER THE DESIGN STANDARDS, BUT THAT'S JUST THAT PARTICULAR AREA. THE WHOLE SURROUNDING AREA, NOT WELCOMING. AND AGAIN, VERY DARK. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A COMPANY LIKE GREEN THUMB INDUSTRIES, WE CONSIDER OURSELVES AN INDUSTRY LEADER, THE GOLD STANDARD. WE WANT TO PROVIDE A FIRST CLASS RETAIL EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CONSUMERS. WE CAN'T DO THAT FROM THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT. I SUSPECT WHAT MAY END UP HAPPENING HERE, IF THIS ENDS UP PASSING, IS YOU'RE GOING TO GET A COMPANY THAT LOCATES THERE THAT YOU DON'T WANT. FAIRBORN, THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE REPUTATION OR THE EXPERIENCE OF GREEN DUMB INDUSTRIES. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM. THERE ARE OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOCATION IN THE THOUSAND FOOT BUFFER, AND WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS TYPE OF SALE. I KNOW THAT CLEVELAND WAS MENTIONED. I LIVE IN CLEVELAND. I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE ARE CANNABIS COMPANIES LOCATED IN THE COMMERCIAL AREAS OF CLEVELAND, ACTUALLY, NOT VERY FAR FROM MY OFFICE. SO THERE IS ANOTHER WAY. I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY URGE THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO REJECT THE PLANNING BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION HERE. AGAIN, WE RESPECT ALL THE EFFORT THAT'S BEEN MADE, PARTICULARLY BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR AND ALL OF YOU. BUT PERHAPS IF THERE'S A EVEN MORE DIRECT ACT THAN A REJECTION. [00:35:06] PLEASE DON'T PASS THIS TONIGHT. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. YOU DON'T NEED ME TO TELL YOU THAT. THIS TYPE OF THING IS A VERY BIG THING FOR THE CITY. I WOULD ASK YOU TO GO THROUGH ALL THREE READINGS, AND IT COULD REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE CONSIDERATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO KIND TO ME AND THE COMPANY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. IF NOT, I'LL GO SIT DOWN. THANKS. >> OPEN THIS UP TO OTHER COMMENTS FIRST. >> DON'T LOOK AT ME. YOU'RE IN CHARGE, MAYOR. PLEASE TAKE A SEAT WHILE WE SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE. >> GOT IT. THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAME AS SAYING ZIMMERMAN, TAKE YOUR SEAT. GOT IT. I WILL DO THAT. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS THEN AND COME BACK TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS. WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN RICHARD. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, A MORATORIUM. MR. ZIMMERMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR TEAM AND GETTING SMART ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S A TOUGH SITUATION WHEN THE VOTERS VOTE FOR A CERTAIN THING. WE, AS A COUNCIL, HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND TRY TO BALANCE THAT IN THIS CITY. WE STILL HAVE SOME DECISIONS AND CHOICES TO MAKE, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SHARE. >> THANKS. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO PRETTY MUCH ALL OF CLINTS' COMMENTS. I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE THC, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT OUR STATE LEGISLATION WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD ON WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. BUT CLINT IS RIGHT, IT'S A TOUGH BALANCE TO BALANCE LEGALLY, BALANCE ALL THE THINGS, CODIFIED ORDINANCES, BALANCE THE CITIZENS' REQUESTS AND WANTS AND NEEDS. THE DECISION IS NOT MADE LIGHTLY, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PRESENTATION. >> WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALSO HAVE BEEN OVER THIS SO MANY TIMES THAT WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAYS VERY TOUGH DECISION. BUT AGAIN, MS. ZIMMERMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. WE APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. THANK YOU. >> THANKS, KATHLEEN. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS EITHER, AND I THINK CLINT SAID IT ELOQUENTLY. IT'S A TOUGH POSITION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND STAND BEHIND IT NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. >> YES. I ALSO BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION IN OUR WORK SESSION IF THIS WAS WHAT I THINK WAS REFERRED TO AS AN EFFECTIVE MORATORIUM, BECAUSE MY INTENTION IS NOT THAT WE WOULD DO THAT. THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT FROM KNOWLEDGEABLE FOLKS WAS THAT THIS INDUSTRY HAS THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A FACILITY IN THIS LOCATION. IT'S NOT FOR ME, MARIJUANA AT THIS TIME. BUT IF I WOULD THINK IF I WERE GOING TO GO GET IT. PERSONALLY, I DON'T THINK I WOULD MIND DRIVING TO I MEAN, OUR INDUSTRIAL AREAS ARE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. WE DRIVE THROUGH THEM TO GO TO, LIKE, PARKS, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE AN OIL REFINERY OR SOMETHING. SO I THINK ALL THE AREAS ARE NICE. AND MAYBE EVEN SOME PRIVACY BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW. PEOPLE CAME HERE AND CRITICIZED US FOR EVEN HAVING A MORATORIUM. SO OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE LOOK DOWN. SOME PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON OTHER PEOPLE FOR DOING MARIJUANA, SO MAYBE IT EVEN GIVES SOME PRIVACY. THAT WAS THE THOUGHT I HAD AFTERWARDS. I GUESS I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK MR. ZIMMERMAN. >> I CAN'T HEAR SEAT BACK MY BACK HERE? >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK YOU. >> SIR, WOULD YOU COME DOWN THEN SO SHE CAN? >> [INAUDIBLE]. NO YOU CAN. THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE. >> I'M ON THE MIC RIGHT NOW. SO ARE YOU SAYING DEFINITELY THAT [00:40:02] GREENTHUMB WILL NOT BE INVESTING IN A FACILITY IN OUR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING AREAS? >> I CAN'T SAY THAT DIRECTLY, BUT I CAN JUST SAY THAT FROM AN ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS STANDPOINT, WE HAVE DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT THE ZONING. AND AGAIN, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW MUCH WE RESPECT THE EFFORT AND THE STUDY THAT'S GONE INTO IT. YOU DO HAVE A TOUGH DECISION. IT IS A BALANCING ACT, BUT OBVIOUSLY, GREEN THUMB INDUSTRIES ALSO HAS TO MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS AND DO ITS OWN BALANCING. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANKS. >> THANKS. I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS. >> I DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THIS. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO KATHLEEN IN LOOKING AT THIS. CITY COUNCIL HAS MET EXTENSIVELY, TALKED ABOUT THIS IN WORK SESSIONS. THE VOTE IN NOVEMBER OF 2023 WAS TO LEGALIZE THE USE OF MARIJUANA. IT WAS NOT TO ESTABLISH DISPENSARIES. IF ANYBODY QUESTIONS THAT, I HAVE THE VERBIAGE FROM THAT NOVEMBER 23 THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT. IT DID NOT SAY FOR COMMUNITIES TO ESTABLISH MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES. SO THE MOTORIUM THAT WE PLACED WAS FOR US TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT THIS, AND I THINK WE HAVE DONE THAT. MR. ZIMONT, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I'M GOING TO DISAGREE. AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU CAN BE ANYWHERE IN FAIRBORN IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF PLACING SOMETHING IN SUCH A FARAWAY PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO IT. LIGHT INDUSTRIAL. THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES IN FAIRBORN WHERE THIS COULD BE LOCATED. MOST PEOPLE KNOW THIS. I'M THE ONE COUNCIL VOTE THAT VOTED AGAINST THE DISPENSARY. MY BACKGROUND IS WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH. I SPENT OVER 35 YEARS WORKING IN MENTAL HEALTH. I'M NOT A FAN OF THIS. I THINK MOST PEOPLE THAT KNOW ME KNOW THAT. I THINK PLANNING BOARD PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT AND EFFORT INTO THIS. COUNCILS PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS. KATHLEEN, I KNOW YOUR OFFICE HAS LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AT THIS. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION, SIR. ALL DUE RESPECT. COUNSEL IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS. AT THIS POINT, IS THERE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULE REQUIRING THAT ORDINANCES BE READ ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND ORDINANCE 34-25 BE READ FOR THE THIRD TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> STILL MOVED. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? >>MS. ESTER. >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS. >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MS. CHESS? >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> MS. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. >> MR. BARKER? >> YES. >> ORDINANCE 34-25, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS AND CREATING A NEW CHAPTER 11 36 OF THE FAIRBORN CODIFIED ORDINANCES TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS GOVERNING MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES. >> THANK YOU, MIKE. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 34-25? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MS. ANN. >> YES. >> MS. ESTER? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MS. CHESS? >> YES. >> MR. FRISK? >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MR. HENDRICK? >> YES. ORDINANCE 34-25 IS DULY ADOPTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> YOUR HONOR, POINT OF ORDER. >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SO MOVED. >> THERE'S A MOTION A SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE RULE? >> MS. ESTER? >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MS. CHESS. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]? >> YES. [INAUDIBLE] >> I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO ISSUE A CENSURE TO COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA CHESS UNDER SECTION 12 OF OUR NEWLY ADOPTED RULES OF COUNCIL PASSED ON OCTOBER 6, 2025. >> WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. WE HAVE PASSED THE SENSOR. WE'LL TAKE UP THE ITEM NOW? OR NOT. [OVERLAPPING]. >> YES. THAT WAS JUST THE APPROVAL TO PUT THE MOTION ON THE AGENDA. COUNCILMAN REASTER HAS STATED THE CONTENT OF THE MOTIONS. AT THIS TIME, IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR COUNSEL DISCUSSION. I THINK WITH THE MOVEMENT, MAYBE EXPLAINING WHAT THE MOTION IS AND EXPRESSING WHAT THE LANGUAGE OF IT IS. >> I, AS DEPUTY MAYOR, AND AS A COUNCIL PERSON, WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPROVAL OF THE WORDS SPOKEN BY [00:45:01] COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA CHESS ON 103-12-0205. SYLVIA HAD MADE MULTIPLE DISPARAGING REMARKS OF THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS BY CALLING THEM AND OR US WHITE SUPREMACIST, AND ALLEGEDLY HER PEERS AND FELLOW CITIZENS WERE THE ENEMY. HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES AS A COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL, ACCEPTANCE OF ALL SERVICE TO ALL. THE WORDS THAT SYLVIA SPOKE ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE ELECTED TO SERVE. THESE WORDS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO LEAVE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE ON WORKING RELATIONSHIPS, OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OUR PROGRESS AS A WHOLE. YOUR HONOR, AND FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THESE WORDS ARE NOT BECOMING OF A COUNCIL PERSON ELECTED TO SERVE THIS CITY. >> DID YOU WANT TO ACCUSE YOURSELF? >> I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA. FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, I RENTED AN OFFICE FROM COUNCILWOMAN CHESS. HONESTLY, BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION, I [NOISE] DIDN'T EVEN HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO HER ABOUT IT, BUT I'VE DECIDED JUST I'M GO IT WAS A MONTH, AND I'M JUST LEAVING IT AT NOVEMBER TO AVOID ANY ISSUES, SO IT IS DECEMBER 1ST. I KNOW I HAD SPOKEN TO YOU, MIKE ABOUT THIS WHETHER IT WAS A NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF, [NOISE] BUT THE RENT WAS FOR NOVEMBER AND IT SAID NOVEMBER'S RENT ON THE CHECK, AND IT WAS A MONTH TO MONTH THING. AS OF TODAY, THAT RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE. I HAD PLANNED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE FOR IF POSSIBLE. I'M SORRY. [NOISE] I JUST REMEMBER THAT UP TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S DECEMBER 1ST, AND MY I NO LONGER HAVE THAT. >> YOU ARE NOT ASKING TO RECUSE YOURSELF. >> I'M MAKING SURE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO. >> SO LONG AS THAT ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN TERMINATED, THEN THERE'S NO NEED FOR YOU TO RECUSE YOURSELF. I DID ADVISE YOU THAT IF IT WAS ONGOING, BUT THAT DECISION IS UP TO YOU. YOU'VE MADE THAT PUBLIC. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T RECUSE YOURSELF. IT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU. >> WELL, BASED ON YOUR ADVICE TO ME THAT THAT WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND SYLVIA, I'M VERY SORRY BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT SO I DIDN'T EVEN TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT THAT I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT, I SAID IT WAS A MONTH TO MONTH THING JUST TO SEE HOW IT WORKED OUT, BUT I DECIDED JUST TO KEEP IT FOR NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO STAY PRESENT THEN. WE NO LONGER HAVE A BUSINESS AGREEMENT RELATED TO MY RENTAL OF A SMALL OFFICE. >> I NEVER AT LEAST [INAUDIBLE]. >> THEN WE WILL CONTINUE WITH COUNSEL COMMENTS AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN FRITZSCHE. >> I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH THAT WASN'T ALREADY ADDRESSED IN COUNCILWOMAN REASTER STATEMENT. BUT I DO RESPECT THAT COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA, HAS HER RIGHT TO TO TO SAY WHAT SHE SAYS. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT'S NOT THE VIEW OF THE REST OF US. I THINK THAT'S ALIVE. [NOISE] COUNSEL ALLEN. >> WORDS MATTER WHEN THEY'RE WRITTEN. WORDS MATTER WHEN THEY'RE SPOKEN, AND WHEN THEY'RE SPOKEN, THEY PROBABLY HURT MORE. I DO DISAGREE WITH SOME OF THE CHARACTERIZATIONS IN THE IN THE SPEECH BECAUSE I KNOW THE CITIZENS OF THIS FAIR CITY. MY HEART IS HEAVY. [00:50:04] MY HEART IS HEAVY. BECAUSE I KNOW ALSO THAT COUNCILWOMAN CHESS POURS HER HEART AND SOUL INTO WHAT SHE DOES. BUT IT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY [NOISE] FROM THE WORDS OR THE EXPRESSIONS THAT WERE SHARED. I TRULY FEEL THAT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I TRY VERY HARD TO MEASURE MY COMMENTS BECAUSE I FEEL IN THIS POSITION, IN THIS ROLE, I'M REPRESENTING SO TO THE CITIZENS, I NEED TO ENCOURAGE, I NEED TO UPLIFT, I NEED TO HELP. [NOISE] WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE. THE TOUGH SITUATION HAD COME TO A POINT TO WHERE WE'RE CENSURING SOMEONE. FIRST TIME EVER. FIRST TIME EVER. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE EVEN HAVE A PATH OR UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO NEXT. BUT I WILL ASK THAT WE ALL INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. BE COGNIZANT OF WHERE WE ARE. IF WE ARE GOING TO SHARE A THOUGHT, AND OPINION OF VIEW. LET'S BE RESPECTFUL AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE OTHER PERSON DIDN'T NECESSARILY COME UP THE SAME WAY WE CAME UP. WE ALL CAME IN TO THIS DIVERGENT INTERSECTION AND LIFE THROUGH DIFFERENT PATHS, AND WE ARE HERE. THAT'S ALL I ASK IS THAT WE BE RESPECTFUL AND MINDFUL OF THE OTHERS. BE KIND. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET BEING KIND. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET BEING KIND. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE. BUT IT IS HEAVY. ON MY HEART. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> YOUR HONOR? IF I MAY. LISTENING TO COUNCILMAN ALLEN'S COMMENTS. IN TERMS OF WHAT WE DO NEXT, I THINK IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO REMIND COUNSEL WHAT CENSURE IS. >> I'M JUST GOING TO READ. [NOISE] IS THAT OKAY? >> MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT. >> I WAS NEXT, JUST SO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. BACK ON OCTOBER 6TH, THIS YEAR, 2025, RESOLUTION 45-25 WAS A RULES OF COUNCIL HANDBOOK THAT DESCRIBED A VARIETY OF THINGS ALL ABOUT WHAT COUNSEL DOES. IN SECTION 12, TITLED CENSURE AND DISCIPLINE. CENSOR IS A FORMAL PUBLIC STATEMENT ADOPTED BY COUNSEL THAT EXPRESSES DISAPPROVAL OF THE WORDS, ACTIONS, OR CONDUCT OF ONE OF ITS MEMBERS. IT IS A DISCIPLINARY MEASURE USED TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOR DEEMED INCONSISTENT WITH THE DUTIES, DECORUM, OR ETHICAL STANDARDS EXPECTED OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. CENSOR DOES NOT REMOVE THE MEMBER FROM OFFICE, LIMIT THEIR VOTING RIGHTS, OR ALTER THEIR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. THE PROCESS REQUIRES A MOTION, SECOND, DEBATE, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MEMBER TO RESPOND. ADOPTION REQUIRES A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS ELECTED. A CENSOR IS RECORDED IN THE MINUTES, COUNSEL'S AUTHORITY TO ADOPT RULES OF PROCEDURE, INCLUDING THE USE OF CENSOR IS PROVIDED UNDER CHARTER. REMOVAL OF A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM OFFICE MAY ONLY OCCUR IN ACCORDANCE WITH OHIO LAW, WHICH IS DEFINED IN ORC 733.72 OR BY JUDICIAL ACTION, AND IS NOT WITHIN THE POWER OF COUNSEL THROUGH CENSURE. I WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. I WANT TO ADD MY COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE DOWN THE ROW. [00:55:04] I TOO WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED. WHEN I NOT ONLY HEARD ABOUT THIS, BUT I WENT ONLINE AND LOOKED AT THE SPEECH THAT WAS PRESENTED DOWN IN TEXAS ON OCTOBER 31ST. I WAS VERY, VERY SADDENED AND DISAPPOINTED TO WATCH AND HEAR WHAT WAS BEING SAID ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, WE REPRESENT THIS CITY. WE HAVE JUST UNDER 35,000 RESIDENTS HERE, AND WE ARE YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATION. THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE LISTEN TO CITIZENS, THAT WE OBSERVE WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THIS COMMUNITY. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN COUNCILWOMAN CHESS MADE THE COMMENTS THAT SHE MADE AT A COLLEGE CONVOCATION IN TEXAS ON OCTOBER 31ST. I DID NOT FEEL AT ALL THAT IT REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE KNOWN TO LOVE AS THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY CITIZENS IN FAIRBORN ABOUT THIS SINCE OCTOBER 31. EVERY PERSON I HAVE SPOKEN TO IS ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE YOUR STATEMENTS DURING CITIZENS COMMENTS. MY WIFE AND I SETTLED IN FAIRBORN AFTER A VERY LENGTHY MILITARY CAREER. WE LIVED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST COAST, NORTH AND SOUTH. WE CHOSE THIS COMMUNITY ONE OF THE REASONS WAS BECAUSE OF ITS DIVERSITY. MY WIFE IS FROM BALTIMORE. SHE GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OF ETHNIC DIVERSITY, WHERE THE IRISH LIVED IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE ENGLISH LIVED IN ANOTHER, AND THE POLISH LIVED IN ANOTHER, AND THERE WAS DIVERSITY, BUT IT DIDN'T MIX. THIS COMMUNITY, THE [NOISE] DIVERSITY IS VERY MIXED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT FAIRBORN, AND BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, MOST OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WE SELL EQUIPMENT TO THROUGH THE MILITARY, INCLUDING THE AIR FORCE, HAVE OFFICES AT THE AFMC HEADQUARTERS BUILDING. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF CITIZENS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO MAINTAIN OFFICES AT WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE. THOSE MEMBERS FROM THOSE COUNTRIES AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF YOU DRIVE AROUND FAIRBORN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE INDIAN RESTAURANT NOT JUST FAIRBORN, BUT BEAVER CREEK, INDIAN RESTAURANTS, JAPANESE RESTAURANTS SOME ASIAN STORES, OTHER KINDS OF BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY IN THIS COMMUNITY. I WAS AGAIN, VERY DISAPPOINTED TO LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON OCTOBER 31ST. WE WILL HEAR FROM COUNCILWOMAN CHESS IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT I AM ALSO VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HAVE SEEN WHAT I SAW AND HEARD WHAT I LISTENED TO. >> I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WERE GOING TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END OF TONIGHT'S MEETING AND THEN BE ABLE TO MAKE A STATEMENT. WHAT I HAVE PREPARED WAS I HAVE SOMETHING I'M GOING TO READ, BUT THAT'S WHEN I WAS PREPARED. >> WERE YOU STILL HAVE A COMMENT [OVERLAPPING]. >> BUT NOW I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO READ IT NOW. [NOISE] FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M VERY I'M LIKE, TECHNICAL PERSON, FACT DRIVEN PERSON, BULLET POINT PERSON, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO BE READING FROM. FIRST, THIS IS MY PERSPECTIVE WITH MY OPINIONS, AND I'M NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. PUBLIC FEEDBACK, AND THE TITLE OF THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN STANTON RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT COUNCILWOMAN CHESS SPEECH AT PAUL QUINN COLLEGE POINT 2. PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED PRIOR TO TODAY. ONE EMAIL, ONE BY EMAIL, TWO BY PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, TWO BY PHONE IN TOTAL FROM THREE INDIVIDUALS. I WAS ANTICIPATING THAT I WOULD HEAR A LOT MORE TONIGHT IN THE COMMENT SECTION. I GUESS I'LL HEAR THAT LATER,111425. THAT'S WHEN THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM A CITIZEN AND A COPY OF A TRANSCRIPTION THE CITIZEN HAD MADE FROM THE VIDEO OF COUNCILWOMAN CHESS SPEECH, LIMITED TO THE FAIRBORN RELATED SECTIONS. EMAIL REQUESTED THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS, AND I'M PARAPHRASING THESE BELOW. IF YOU WANT THE ACTUAL ONE, THAT'S A PUBLIC RECORD, THE EMAIL. ONE, A POLICE INVESTIGATION BY THE CITY INTO COUNCILWOMAN CHESS CLAIMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY INTIMIDATION TOWARDS HER AND FAIRBORN, [01:00:05] INCLUDING THE PROUD FROM THE PROUD BOYS, AND TWO THAT FAIRBORN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVING ON THE LIONS CLUB SHOULD REQUEST COUNCILWOMAN CHESS TO RESIGN. I DON'T SERVE ON THE LIONS CLUB. HOPEFULLY SOME DAY, BUT TOO BUSY RIGHT NOW. THEN 111725, TWO CITIZENS SPOKE DURING THE CITIZEN COMMENTS PORTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AGAIN, THE REST OF THIS ABOUT THAT WILL BE SUMMARIZED BY ME. FOR FULL COMMENTS, YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO OF THAT MEETING ON THE CITY WEBSITE. FIRST, KAREN COMBS MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT, REQUESTING COUNSEL TO TAKE ACTION AND ALLEGING THAT COUNCILWOMAN CHESS SPEECH DID THE FOLLOWING. MADE FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT FAIRBORN'S HISTORY OF BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS, WHICH OMITTED PREVIOUS BUSINESS OWNERS, REFERRED TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF FAIRBORN LIONS CLUB AS THE ENEMY, AND MADE STATEMENTS THAT IMPLY THAT RACISM IS RAMPANT IN FAIRBORN. JIMMY BAKER MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT THAT INCLUDED A REQUEST FOR COUNCILWOMAN CHESS TO APOLOGIZE TONIGHT. QUOTES BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT WITHOUT NAMING HIM DIRECTLY, THAT HER SPEECH HAD FALSELY IMPLIED THAT HE WAS A PD BOY. AGAIN, THAT SUMMARIZED THE ACTUAL WORD FOR WORD ON THE VIDEO ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE,111825 AND 112925. ONE CITIZEN SENT ME LINKS TO POSTS AND ASKED ME TO READ THE POSTS ON THE CITIZENS FOR FAIRBORN'S FUTURE FACEBOOK PAGE. >> NEXT SECTION. THIS IS ACTIONS THAT I HAVE TAKEN AFTER THE FEEDBACK THAT I HAD JUST SUMMARIZED. FIRST, I WATCHED THE VIDEO FROM THE PAUL QUINN COLLEGE WEBSITE AND COMPARED IT TO THE TRANSCRIPT IN THE CITIZENS EMAIL. IN MY OPINION, THE CITIZEN TRANSCRIPT SEEMED PRETTY ACCURATE, ALTHOUGH I COULD NOT COMPLETELY CONFIRM THIS BECAUSE OF THE VIDEO'S SOUND QUALITY. I REWATCHED THE CITIZEN COMMENT PORTIONS OF THE 111-11-7205 CITY COUNCIL MEETING VIDEO AS I PREPARED THIS STATEMENT. I READ THE POST ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THE CITIZENS FAIRBORN CITIZENS FOR FAIRBORN FUTURE FACEBOOK PAGE, AS I WAS REQUESTED TO DO BY ONE CITIZEN. I SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR TO DISCUSS OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL'S RESPONSE. THIS WAS NOT A PUBLIC MEETING, AND I DID NOT TAKE ANY NOTES. I READ THE FAIRBORN LIONS CLUB FACEBOOK PAGE'S PUBLIC ADDRESS POST RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. AND I ALSO READ THE FAIRBORN JUNE 10TH CELEBRATION FACEBOOK PAGE TO CONFIRM THAT THE LIONS CLUB WAS AN EVENT SPONSOR, WHICH I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE ATTENDED THAT EVENT, I THOUGHT I SAW THEM THERE WITH THEIR BOOTH. THE SECTION IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE OPTIMAL OUTCOME GIVEN WHAT I KNOW AT THIS POINT. FIRST. WHERE POSSIBLE, COUNCILWOMAN CHESS' STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED ARE FACT-CHECKED. WHERE FACT-CHECKING A STATEMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE, FOR EXAMPLE, TERMS USED THAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING TO HER SPEECH AUDIENCE OR FROM HER PERSONAL EXPERIENCES THAT COUNCILWOMAN CHESS WOULD PROVIDE CLARIFICATION ON THOSE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED. WANT TO SAY AS ASSUMING THAT THAT ONE OF THOSE FIRST TWO POINTS TURNS OUT TO BE TRUE, BUT I DO FEEL THAT I FEEL THAT IT IS CERTAIN THINGS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO ME ALREADY THAT SOME STATEMENTS WERE FALSE. BUT ASSUMING THAT STATEMENTS WERE FALSE, HARMFUL STATEMENTS ARE FALSE, THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT COUNCILWOMAN CHESS ISSUE AN APOLOGY, ALONG WITH A WRITTEN PUBLIC STATEMENT, ACKNOWLEDGING AND CORRECTING ANY FALSE STATEMENTS AND CLARIFYING ANY STATEMENTS THAT SHE BELIEVES HAVE BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD. WE CARE WHAT'S OUT THERE ABOUT OUR CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I WILL, THIS IS NOT IN MY NOTES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IF I WERE IN COUNCILWOMAN CHESS' SHOES AS A PERSON, AS A HUMAN THAT MAKES MISTAKES. I'VE BEEN IN THE PLACE OF HAVING BEEN SOMEONE WHO'S MADE MISTAKES BEFORE. AND MANY TIMES. AND I PERSONALLY I WOULD NOT WANT SOMEONE TO ASK ME TO MAKE AN APOLOGY TONIGHT. I WOULD WANT TO GO AND THINK ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE I WAS ASKED TO RESPOND. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BY THIS, I AM NOT ASKING FOR AN APOLOGY TONIGHT. SOMETHING MORE THOUGHTFUL IS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR. I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY COUNCIL INITIATE A PUBLIC PROJECT TO ACCURATELY DOCUMENT THE RACIAL HISTORY OF FAIRBORN. [01:05:02] THIS PROJECT COULD INCLUDE A DIVERSE WORKING GROUP OF RESIDENTS, AND POSSIBLE RESOURCES COULD BE THE FAIRBORN AREA, HISTORICAL SOCIETY, RIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY, RIGHT PAT AIR FORCE BASE, AND THE GREEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE COULD SEE IF GRANT MONEY EXISTS FOR SUCH A PROJECT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR RESIDENTS TO REPORT INCIDENTS OF HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO BIGOTRY AND OR CATEGORIES OF HATE CRIMES, AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE CITY TO RESPOND AND DOCUMENT THAT. AND THEN I JUST HAVE SOME FINAL COMMENTS AND REFLECTIONS. I'M SORRY, THIS IS TAKING SO LONG, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS A 56-YEAR-OLD MIDDLE-CLASS WHITE WOMAN, THE OVERALL THEME OF COUNCILWOMAN CHESS'S SPEECH SEEMED TO BE THIS. PAUL QUINN COLLEGE TAUGHT HER HOW TO FOCUS HER TALENTS AND PASSIONS INTO AN ACHIEVABLE PERSONAL MISSION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHER BLACK PEOPLE IN HER COMMUNITY. SO FAR, SHE HAS DONE THIS BY ADDING HER PERSPECTIVE AS A BLACK WOMAN TO EXISTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT. CREATING NEW COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR BLACK WOMEN AND BECOMING THE OWNER OF SEVERAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS, AND I APPLAUD THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANK YOU. ANOTHER THEME INTERWOVEN WITH THE FIRST WAS RACISM, WHICH MAKES SENSE GIVEN HER SPEECH AUDIENCE AND HER LIFE'S WORK. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, WHITE MIDDLE-CLASS WOMAN WHO HAS LIVED IN FAIRBORN FOR OVER 20 YEARS, I APPRECIATE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR RESIDENTS. AS A GAY PERSON WHO EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT HOMOPHOBIA IN MY YOUTH, IT IS A PRIORITY TO ME TO LIVE IN A DIVERSE AREA BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL SAFER. BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, AND I WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A BLACK PERSON. I'M USING THE TERM BLACK VERSUS AFRICAN AMERICAN BECAUSE MY FRIENDS WHO ARE BLACK PREFER THAT TERM. I THINK MOST OF US WOULD AGREE TO SAY THERE IS NEVER ANY RACIST BEHAVIOR TOWARDS BLACK PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY, OR PROBABLY EVEN IN OUR CITY, IS INCORRECT. DURING MY LIFE, I HAVE SAID THINGS IN MY YOUTH THAT I NOW CONSIDER CROSSING A LINE, AND I WISH I HADN'T SAID THEM. I LIVE, AND I LEARN, I TRY TO DO BETTER, AND I APOLOGIZE WHEN I CAN. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH OUR COUNTRY HAS COME SUCH A LONG WAY FROM ITS RACIST PAST, THAT A WEALTH DISPARITY STILL EXISTS BASED ON PAST DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES. AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS. THIS IS THE VERY LAST PART OF WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S A LITTLE OFF THE TOPIC, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THE BOOK CALLED THE COLOR OF LAW, A FORGOTTEN HISTORY OF HOW OUR GOVERNMENT SEGREGATED AMERICA, BY RICHARD ROTHSTEIN, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS BOTH FACTS OF THE LAWS AND STORIES ABOUT HOW THE LAWS AFFECTED SPECIFIC PEOPLE'S LIVES. AGAIN, SORRY THAT TOOK SO LONG, BUT THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNSEL, KEVIN. >> I CAN'T REALLY DISAGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID HERE, AS A FAIRBORN BORN AND RAISED AND LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE HERE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE 26 YEARS I SPENT IN THE MILITARY. I WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED IN THE COMMENTS, AND IT HURT PERSONALLY. I THINK ME AND MARY ARE THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE UP HERE THAT WERE BORN AND RAISED IN FAIRBORN. I COULD SAY THAT WHAT SHE CONVEYED WAS NOT MY EXPERIENCE. NOT AT ALL. AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, THOUGH, I MADE THE DECISION TO JOIN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, WHERE I SPENT 26 YEARS. AND ONE OF THE BASIC TENETS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY IS TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. SPECIFICALLY, THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS FREEDOM OF SPEECH. SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY WHATEVER SHE WANTS, AND SHE CONVEYED HER PERSPECTIVE OF HER LIFE. I DON'T SEE IT. IT'S NOT BEEN PROVEN TO ME THAT THAT IS WHAT IS EXISTING HERE. BUT I DON'T SEE LIFE THROUGH HER EYES. THAT COULD VERY WELL BE HER PERSPECTIVE AND HER EXPERIENCE. I RESPECT THAT. ALTHOUGH I DISAGREE WITH THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED. WHAT I FOUND MOST DISTURBING ABOUT THE SPEECH, WHICH I RELUCTANTLY LISTENED TO AFTER THE OUTPOURING, I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY WAS THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LIONS CLUB AND EMBEDDING HERSELF WITH THE ENEMY SO SHE COULD GET INSIDE. [01:10:04] AND IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY SHE'S SITTING UP HERE ON COUNSEL TODAY. IS THERE A HIDDEN AGENDA? WHAT'S NEFARIOUS BEHIND IT? DO I TRUST HER ANYMORE? OBVIOUSLY, SHE DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE LIVING IN THE CITY THAT SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTING AND DISPARAGING IT IN OTHER STATES. I'M CONCERNED OVER THAT ASPECT MORE THAN ANYTHING. AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, YOUR HONOR. COUNCILWOMAN CHESS, YOU'RE CERTAINLY ENTITLED TO MAKE RESPOND. >> YEAH. I APPRECIATE IT. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE TO HEAR MY COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE IT. AND THANK YOU, COUNSEL, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL. I WOULD HAVE RESPECT FOR EACH OF YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR COMMENTS, AND HOW YOU FEEL. I THINK IT WAS ON NOVEMBER 26. THE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE LIONS CLUB. AND I DID RESPOND. I SENT THEM A LETTER, AND LET ME READ IT TO YOU. I SENT THEM A RESPONSE. AND THE REASON FOR THE RESPONSE WAS A RESPONSE OF MISUNDERSTANDING. GREETINGS, AND I REACHING OUT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN REGARDING A PERSONAL MATTER THAT AROSE DURING A PRIVATE EVENT AT A PRIVATE INSTITUTION. BEFORE DIVING INTO THE ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY SOME KEY ASPECTS OF MY SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. NUMBER ONE, THROUGHOUT EVERY TOWN IN THE CITY I HAVE LIVED IN, I HAVE BUILT A REPUTATION AS A COMMUNITY LEADER AND ADVOCATE. I DEDICATED OVER 50 YEARS TO COMMUNITY ADVOCACY. UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE MOVING TO FAIRBORN SIX YEARS AGO, AND MANY OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT I'VE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT. I JUST KIND OF KEPT IT TO MYSELF. I HAVE FACED INTENSE SCRUTINY FROM LESS THAN 1% OF THE POPULATION. THIS SCRUTINY HAS AT TIMES CROSSED THE LINE INTO HARASSMENT, DEFAMATION, AND FALSE ALLEGATIONS, WITH INSTANCES OF RACIALLY CHARGED ATTACKS AND BIASED BEHAVIOR AGAINST ME. IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, THIS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED MY HEALTH, MY FAMILY, AND MY BUSINESS. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH INVASIVE EXAMINATION OF WORDS, ACTIONS, AND PERSONAL LIFE AS IF I WERE A LAB UNDER SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATION. REGARDLESS OF MY ADVERSARY'S OPINIONS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT 99.99% OF FAIRBORN RESIDENTS ARE SOME OF THE MOST WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT. SO EVEN UP HERE, SITTING HERE, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE IN THE SPEECH I GAVE. AND I WAS SPECIFICALLY DIRECTLY TALKING TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WAS ACTUALLY HARASSING ME. THAT 99.9% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FAIRBORN ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL PEOPLE. I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT. NOW, GIVEN MY EXPERIENCES, I WAS INVITED TO SHARE MY STORY WITH A GROUP OF SCHOLARS AND ALUMNI. FROM MY ALMA MATER, MANY OF WHO ARE PURSUING DEGREES IN SOCIAL JUSTICE, PRE-LAW, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES. NOW, DEPENDING ON THE AUDIENCE, I MAY EXPRESS MYSELF IN METAPHORICAL TERMS, DRAW PARALLELS, OR SPEAK LITERALLY TO CONVEY MY POINT. OKAY? UNFORTUNATELY, A SMALL FRACTION OF FAIRBORN RESIDENTS, THE VERY SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HARASSED ME FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, OPTED TO CRITIQUE THIS SPEECH AS WELL. AND LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. WHEN I MOVED HERE AND BOUGHT PROPERTY DOWNTOWN FAIRBORN, OHIO, I'VE HAD PEOPLE TO BURN [INAUDIBLE] IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. I'VE HAD PEOPLE TO CALL MY PHONE AND SAY, WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER WORD ON CITY COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN HARASSED. EVEN FOR SOMEONE, BEFORE I BECAME A COUNCIL MEMBER, CAME TO THE PODIUM AND LITERALLY JUST BELITTLED ME IN MY DIALECT AS A SOUTHERN WOMAN. AND IT WAS IN THE PAPER THE NEXT DAY. THEY ACCUSED ME OF SUING PREFUNDING, WHICH WAS PLACED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF DAYTON TIMES. I HAVE BEEN CALLED THE HATE WAS SO MUCH, AND I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT I NEVER REALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. [01:15:02] NOW, LET ME FINISH TELLING YOU WHAT I SENT TO THE LIONS CLUB BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE REST OF IT LATER. IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE LONG. BUT IN MY ADDRESS, I MENTIONED SITTING ON THE BORDER LIONS CLUB BECAUSE I WANTED TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO THEIR DISCUSSIONS. THIS PARAPHRASE WAS DEFINITELY MISINTERPRETED, AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO IMPLY THAT I WAS SPYING ON ANYONE. METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING, I MEANT TO EXPRESS THAT SOMETIMES WE VENTURE INTO UNFAMILIAR PLACES OR ENVIRONMENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW OTHERS OPERATE. AND THEN OCCASIONALLY WE ENCOUNTER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OPPOSE US WITHIN THOSE SPACES. BELIEVE ME, JUST LIKE PEOPLE SCRUTINIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID AND DONE. I DO HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE, OR PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ME TELLING ME, EVEN IN THIS VERY ROOM, THEY HAVE SAID SOME REALLY NEGATIVE THINGS AND TERRIBLE THINGS IN SMALL SPACES AND PRIVATE SPACES THAT WAS REALLY UNCALLED FOR. MY THING WAS TO GO AND SEE IN FACE-TO-FACE WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH SO MANY PEOPLE'S FACES AND WHERE THEIR NAMES ARE. YES, I DID GO INTO MY OWN ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE WHO THEY WERE, BUT NOT TO SPY ON ANYBODY. THAT WAS NOT THE INTENTION FOR THAT COMING, AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. AND THIS IS WHAT I CONVEYED IN MY MESSAGE TO THE LIONS CLUB. LET ME SEE HERE. THOSE OF YOU ALL WHO KNOW ME, I HAVE GIVEN A LOT TO THIS COMMUNITY A LOT. I REALLY HAVE. AND FROM, YOU KNOW, HELPING ORPHAN KIDS, AND I DON'T PUT THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE FROM PICKING UP TRASH, FROM SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES. WE HAVE GIVEN A LOT TO THIS COMMUNITY SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. >> THESE SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THEY CONTINUE TO TAUNT ME AND TAUNT ME AND TAUNT ME. IT IS NOT ABOUT MY TAXES. IT IS ABOUT THIS. IT IS NOT ABOUT THIS. IT'S ABOUT THAT. THEY JUST CONTINUE ON AND ON AND ON AND ON. CAN YOU IMAGINE MY FAMILY MEMBERS GETTING A HOLD OF ALL THESE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND ALL THESE FALSE ALLEGATIONS AND PEOPLE CALLING MY PHONE AND SAYING THINGS. WE DO HAVE PEOPLE HERE LIKE THAT. WE'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THE 99.999% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT LIKE THAT. WE'RE ONLY SPEAKING TO THAT SMALL PERCENTAGE. WE CONSTANTLY JUST CONSTANTLY BADGER. THIS IS WHAT THEY WAS ASKING ME TO SPEAK TO BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE AT THOSE UNIVERSITIES WHO HAVE FACED THE SAME THINGS IN THEIR ENDEAVOR JUST TO BE INCLUDED. THAT'S WHAT THEY WAS ASKING ME TO PRESENT THAT DAY. NOW, I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE THAT YOU TOOK IT THE WRONG WAY. IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN THAT WAY. BECAUSE I DON'T TALK LIKE THAT. BUT MY INTENTION WAS FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT MATTER WHAT YOU GO THROUGH, YOU PUSH YOUR WAY THROUGH IT. DON'T BE INTIMIDATED BY PEOPLE WHO THINK IT'S OKAY TO CONSTANTLY BELITTLE YOU AND MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU'RE NOT WORTHY. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN FIRED FROM A JOB IN THIS COUNTRY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR AND CONSTANTLY BEING BELITTLED ALL THE TIME. I'M A NEW PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO CAME HERE DOING NOTHING BUT WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY. BLACK, WHITE, BLUE, GREEN, BROWN, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO YOU WERE. BUT I HAVE CONSTANTLY FACED REALLY HARASSMENT. CONSTANTLY. IT'S NEVER ENDING. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE THAT DO THINGS THAT THEY HAVE RECORDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BEING HOUNDED LIKE ME. I KNOW THAT MOST OF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I NEVER MENTION IT. I NEVER SAY ANYTHING. I JUST KEEP PUSHING AND KEEP GOING AND KEEP LOVING. IF YOU ARE DISAPPOINTED, I DO APOLOGIZE TO YOU. BUT IT WAS NEVER INTENDED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BECAUSE IN MY SPEECH, I ALSO SAID THAT THAT 99.9% OF PEOPLE IN FAIRBORN ARE A WONDERFUL PEOPLE. [01:20:05] I SEE IT THAT. IN THE END, I WILL GO BACK AND I WILL RE EVALUATE. I MUST EMPHASIZE, THOUGH I DO NOT ADVOCATE FOR NAME CALLING, BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. THERE'S PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW THAT I KNOW SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT ARE VERY MEAN AND UGLY. VERY UGLY AGAINST ME. BUT I'VE NEVER MENTIONED YOUR NAME. I'VE NEVER SAID ANYTHING. I KEPT IT TO MYSELF. I'VE BEEN KIND. EVEN WHEN PEOPLE LIED ON ME, I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT KIND. WHILE SOME MAY HAVE EXPRESSED UNKIND SENTIMENTS ABOUT ME, THEY STILL POSSESSED THE RIGHT TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS IN PRIVATE SETTINGS AND THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY I DON'T CALL YOUR NAME. YES, THERE ARE A FEW KEY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED A RATHER KIND REMORSE MEMBERS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION IN THE PRIVATE SETTING. HOWEVER, I WILL REFRAIN FROM REVEALING THEIR IDENTITIES AS THESE SAME PEOPLE HAVE ALSO MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY. I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO TARNISH SOMEONE'S CHARACTER, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HOLLY PRIVATE OPINION ABOUT ME. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SCRUTINY, I HAVE FACES BECOME A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN FAIRBORN, I SOUGHT TO CONNECT FACES WITH NAMES IN THE HOPE OF SHIFTING THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF ME. I MAY NOT HAVE ARTICULATED THIS CLEARLY IN MY SPEECH, BUT MY INTENTION WAS TO ENCOURAGE CONFRONTING THOSE WHO SEEK TO TARNISH YOUR CHARACTER FOR POLITICAL OR UNJUST REASONS RATHER THAN COWERING IN FEAR. MOST HBCU COMMUNITY MEMBERS I SPOKE TO UNDERSTOOD THE EXAMPLES I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY. I HAD JUST 7-10 MINUTES DELIVERED THIS MESSAGE, AND RATHER THAN HEALY GLOSSING OVER SOME OF THE QUESTIONABLE COMMENTS, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN OUT TIME TO CLARIFY THEM FURTHER. I SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT MY CRITICS WOULD SCRUTINIZE MY WORDS JUST AS THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE MY ARRIVAL IN FAIRBORN. I HOPE THIS LETTER CLEARS UP ANY CONFUSION, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO TOOK OUT TIME TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY RATHER THAN SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT MY INTENTIONS. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE YOU ARE CORRECT. FAIRBORN LIONS CLUB IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY PERSONS CONCERNS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. I HAVE INVITED THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID THINGS ABOUT ME TO COME HAVE TEA WITH ME, TO COME TALK WITH ME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO SAY SOMETHING TO ME, BUT IF THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACE RELATIONS IN FAIRBORN. BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, WHEN I TELL THEM I LIVE IN FAIRBORN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY SAY TO ME. FAIRBORN? THIS IS WHAT THEY SAY. THEY TELL ME THEIR EXPERIENCES IN FAIRBORN. I TELL THEM, "NO, FAIRBORN IS ON THE MOVE. FAIRBORN IS A WANT TO A PLACE TO LIVE AND PLAY." THAT'S WHAT I TELL THEM. MY ADDRESS TO THAT PRIVATE INSTITUTION WAS JUST TO THAT PRIVATE INSTITUTION. BUT IT WAS NOT MEANT TO HARM ANYBODY OR ANYONE IN FAIRBORN. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN TO THIS COMMUNITY. MOST PEOPLE WHO SCRUTINIZE ME, WHO SAY THOSE ILL WORDS TO ME, I DON'T SEE THEM I HERE DOING ANY COMMUNITY SERVICE. I DON'T SEE THEM HERE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S WRONG. I WAS AT A PRIVATE INSTITUTION AT A PRIVATE COLLEGE, MAKING COMMENTS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE HERE IN FAIRBORN. [01:25:01] BUT GOD KNOWS MY INTENTION WAS NEVER TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE THAT FAIRBORN LIONS CLUB WAS A BAD PLACE BECAUSE IT IS NOT. IT'S ABSOLUTELY A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. SO FAR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. MAYBE LATER I CAN COME BACK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AGAIN. YOU CAN COME TO ME. YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME. YOU CAN TALK TO ME. THAT DOOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPEN. TO MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU FEEL ANY TYPE OF WAY, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR HOW YOU FEEL, BUT THOSE WAS NOT MY INTENTIONS AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT PERSON. NEVER HAVE, AND THERE WILL BE. BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION IN THIS TOWN SURROUNDING RACE RELATIONS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN HARASSED, LITERALLY HARASSED IN THIS CITY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE BY ONLY A FEW PEOPLE, BUT NOT EVERYONE. BUT I DON'T LET WHAT PEOPLE DO TO ME DICTATE HOW TO TREAT YOU. MOST OF YOU ALL IN HERE KNOW, I HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT KIND EVEN TO THE ONES WHO HAVE DONE ME HARM, AND WHO WE HAVE FILTERED OVER INTO MY FAMILY AND EVERYWHERE. WHICH I THINK IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. NO I DON'T HEAR THE OUTCRY ABOUT THAT. I DON'T HEAR EVERYBODY TUG, SO I'M SO SORRY YOU WENT THROUGH ALL THAT. WHERE IS THE OUTCRY? WHEN PEOPLE ATTACK SOMEONE LIKE THAT CONSTANTLY, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT. DO I GET A GAG OR PUT OUT THERE OR HARASSMENT CHARGES. SHOULD I DO THAT MYSELF TOO? BUT I DIDN'T. I FORGAVE AND I CONSTANTLY FORGIVE AND FORGIVE, AND FORGIVE. IT GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU JUST SAY, I'M TIRED OF KEEP FORGIVING AND YOU KEEP ATTACKING ME. FOR WHAT? MY JOB IS TO COME TO THIS COUNCIL AND DO MY JOB AND I DO MY JOB ON THIS COUNCIL. I CAN SEE SOME ROLLING THEIR EYES, MAKING COMMENTS. I'M OKAY WITH THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE THAT YOU DON'T TAKE THAT. LITERALLY I HAVE SUBMITTED THE LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB. HE THANKED ME FOR IT AND I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEN HAVE MADE A CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE RELATIONS IN FAIRBORN BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED. I WOULD NOT TELL YOU ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO ME ABOUT WHAT SOME OF YOU PEOPLE HAD SAID ABOUT ME, NOT YOU ALL, BUT THAT LESS THAN 1% IN YOUR PRIVATE SETTINGS, BECAUSE, BELIEVE ME, THERE ARE PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOU AND WATCHING YOU AND COMING BACK AND TELLING ME. IT'S SAD. IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BELIEVE OUTSIDE OF FAIRBORN THAT WE ARE A WONDERFUL CITY, I ADVISE THE LESS THAN 1% TO STOP. WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING TO HARASS ONE PERSON AND CONSTANTLY DO IT, PLEASE STOP. I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT. I'VE HAD ENOUGH. THAT'S ALL I TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EARS. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING IF YOU DECIDE TO UNDERSTAND. IF I'VE HURT ANYONE'S FEELINGS, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT THAT WAY THAT I WAS AGAINST ONE ORGANIZATION CAUSE I WAS NOT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CHESS. [01:30:02] IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONG COUNCIL >> IS THAT THE DEBATE OR? >> NEXT UP IS WE'LL VOTE ON THE CENSURE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS, WHICH I'M ASSUMING IT'S NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE I SEE YOUR PROCESS THERE. IS ANYONE ALLOWED TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON HER BEHALF IF ANYBODY WANTS? >> THERE'LL BE CITIZENS COMMENTS LATER. >> WE VOTE BEFORE? >> THIS IS A VOTE AMONG COUNCIL. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A COMMENT. MY COMMENT IS THAT WHEN WE MET TO DISCUSS THIS, I ASKED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A REDACTION AND HEARTFELT APOLOGY BEFORE TAKING IT TO CENSURE. NOT THAT I DIDN'T SAY THAT CENSURE WAS OFF THE TABLE, BUT I SAID THAT TO ME, THAT WAS MY PREFERRED APPROACH. I WILL SAY THAT. I WAS ALSO UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT, AND I WAS GOING TO BE ASKING FOR THAT APOLOGY TO BE FORTHCOMING IN THE FUTURE TONIGHT. I JUST WANT TO SAY TO EVERYONE, I'M SORRY, BECAUSE I'M NOT PREPARED. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT TO VOTE ON THIS. I DON'T EVEN FEEL I HAVE NOT MADE A DECISION. WHATEVER DECISION COMES OUT OF MY MOUTH IN A WHILE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IT YET, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. >> ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO CENSURE COUNCILMAN CHESS. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? >> MRS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS?. >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> NO. >> MRS. CHESS? >> NO. >> MR. FRITZSCHE? >> YES. >> MRS. STANTON? >> IF WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT I DISCUSSED AND THAT I THOUGHT WE HAD AN AGREEMENT ON WITH THE FOLKS THAT I TALKED TO UP HERE, AND WE HAD MOVED BEYOND THAT AND DIDN'T HAVE A RESOLUTION. I WOULD BE VOTING YES TONIGHT. BUT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I WAS SLIGHTLY BAIT AND SWITCHED ON THIS FOR TONIGHT, I WAS NOT PREPARED AND TONIGHT I AM VOTING NO. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. OKAY THE MOTION PASSES. COUNSEL HAS ADOPTED A MOTION TO CENSOR COUNCILWOMAN CHESS. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH BUSINESS. OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS. [VII. New Business] I'M GOING TO ASK BRIAN DODD, RODNEY MCCUBBINS, AND MARY REISTER ALONG WITH THE HONORABLE BETH CAPELLI FAIRBORN MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, TO COME DOWN TO THE FLOOR FOR THE OATH OF OFFICE. [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE]. >> I SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR A FIRM. >> I SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR FIRM. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> AND WILL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> AND WILL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO. >> THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO. >> AND I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS. >> OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS. >> OF THE CHARTER ORDINANCES? >> OF THE CHARTER AND ORDINANCES. >> OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES? >> WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES. >> OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. >> OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. [01:35:03] [APPLAUSE] >> I SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR A FIRM. >> I SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR A FIRM. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> AND WILL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> AND WILL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO. >> THE STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO. >> THAT I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> THAT I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER,. >> WILL OBSERVE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER. >> AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> AND THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE. >> AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE. >> THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. >> THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. [APPLAUSE] >> SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR A FIRM. >> SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR FIRM. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF. >> AND WE'LL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> AND WE WILL OBEY THE LAWS OF. >> THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO? >> THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF OHIO. >> THAT I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> THAT I WILL IN ALL RESPECTS. >> OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER. >> OBSERVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER. >> AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. >> AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE. >> AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE? >> THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. >> THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JUDGE CAPELLI. BEFORE WE ASK COUNCILMAN DODD TO JOIN US ON THE DIS, I'M GOING TO ASK THE OTHER TWO COME BACK UP HERE. WE'LL HAVE YOU UP HERE IN JUST A MINUTE, SIR. I HAVE IT ON MY AGENDA HERE TO DO A ROLL CALL. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. KIRK PATRICK? >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN? >> YES. >> MS. TESS. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE]. >> YES. >> ALLEN DON'T LEAVE. NO, NOT YET. NO. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >>. ALL RIGHT. >> YES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE UP A RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ RESOLUTION 59-25? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> RESOLUTION NUMBER 59-25, A RESOLUTION COMMENDING ADAM FRITZY FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN. WHEREAS, ADAM FRITZY PROUDLY SERVED THE CITY OF FAIRBORN AS A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL FOR FOUR YEARS, WHERE HE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH COLLABORATION, SOUND POLICY, AND FORWARD LOOKING DEVELOPMENT AND WHEREAS. DURING HIS TENURE ON CITY COUNCIL, ADAM SERVED ON THE FAIRBORN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD, HELPING GUIDE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT LOCAL GROWTH AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL CITIZENS. WHEREAS, PRIOR TO HIS CIVIC SERVICE, ADAM HONORABLY SERVED FIVE YEARS, IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AS AN AVIATION ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN, AND EXPERIENCE THAT INSTILLED IN HIM A STRONG SENSE OF DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, AND COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND WHEREAS ADAM CARRIES THE VALUES HE LEARNED THROUGH HIS MILITARY SERVICE AND DO EVERY ASPECT OF HIS PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC LIFE, DEMONSTRATING UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE AND SERVICE TO OTHERS, WHEREAS, ADAM CONTINUES TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AS A DEDICATED FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WITH THE AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHERE HE SERVES AS A PHYSICAL SCIENCE TECHNICIAN, AND WHEREAS ADAM AND HIS WIFE COURTNEY, MARRIED IN JUNE 2003, ARE PROUD PARENTS WHO HAVE BUILT A STRONG FAMILY FOUNDATION, AND RECENTLY WELCOMED A DAUGHTER IN LAW INTO THEIR FAMILY AND WHEREAS, THROUGH HIS YEARS OF SERVICE ON CITY COUNCIL, HIS MILITARY SERVICE AND HIS CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE, ADAM FRITZY HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO MAKING FAIRBORN A WELCOMING AND VIBRANT CITY AND [01:40:02] WHEREAS THE CITY OF FAIRBORN WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS SINCERE GRATITUDE, AND APPRECIATION FOR ADAM FRITZY'S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AND ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN, STATE OF OHIO, THAT, SECTION 1. ADAM FRITZY IS HEREBY COMMENDED FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN, SECTION 2. THE CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ITS HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO ADAM FRITZY FOR HIS DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND TIRELESS EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF FAIRBORN. SECTION 3. THE CITY COUNCIL WISHES ADAM FRITZY CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL ITS FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND THANKS HIM FOR HIS LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. SECTION 4. IS HEREBY FOUND AND DETERMINED THAT ALL FORMAL ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL CONCERNING RELATING TO THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION WERE ADOPTED IN AN OPEN MEETING OF THIS COUNCIL, AND THAT ANY AND ALL DELIBERATIONS OF THIS COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES THAT RESULTED IN SUCH FORMAL ACTION WERE MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SECTION 121.22 OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE. SECTION 5, THIS RESOLUTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT AND BE FORCED FROM AFTER THE EARLIEST PERIOD ALLOWED BY LAW. YOUR HONOR, IT'S TIME FOR A VOTE. >> BEFORE WE GET TO A VOTE, WE HAVE COUNSEL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> CERTAINLY, I'M JUMPING THE GUN HERE. >> YES. >> NORMALLY, COUNSEL WOULD ASK QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER, BUT IN THIS CASE, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE COUNSEL COMMENTS. CLAIM? >> YOU WANT ME READ TO YOUR PRESENTATION? >> YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL AFTER? >> WHENEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO IT. >> OKAY. LET'S START DOWN HERE. COUNCILMAN CHESS. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ADAM, EXCEPT FOR DON'T CHANGE YOUR NUMBER BECAUSE I'LL BE CALLING. ADAM HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU. I KNOW ADAM DOESN'T PRESENT HIMSELF AS YOUR TYPICAL POLISHED POLITICIAN, IF YOU WILL, WHEN HE COMES UP HERE AND SPEAKS, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, GETTING TO KNOW ADAM HAS BEEN A REAL TREAT. HE IS DEFINITELY AN OUT OF THE BOX THINKER, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM ADAM IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND HOPEFULLY I'LL CONTINUE OUR FRIENDSHIP IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANK YOU, ADAM. >> AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE JUST SAID, I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING THAT, AND ALSO INCLUDING THAT YOU'RE THE OTHER PERSON THAT RAN ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND HAS AN EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF IT. YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR FROM ME ON THAT AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL. I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS HAVING YOU. >> FORM, [INAUDIBLE]. >> ME. ADAM, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. WE SAID AT THE LAST MEETING THAT YOU WERE THE QUIET ONE, AND THAT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE TRUEST OF TRUE STATEMENTS, BUT YOU ARE INCREDIBLY BRILLIANT, AND YOU'RE INCREDIBLY KIND, AND IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH YOU THE LAST FOUR YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY PICTURES FROM PARIS. >> I'M GOING TO DITTO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID. YOU'RE THE QUIET ONE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT BEHIND THE SCENES, ESPECIALLY IN COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS, WE TALK A LOT. THAT'S WHERE ADAM COMES OUT, FREQUENTLY MAKING STATEMENTS THAT THE REST OF US GO, GOSH, WHY DIDN'T WE THINK OF THAT? HE IS THE THINKER OF THE GROUP. HE'S BEEN THE ONE THAT HAS RAISED QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE REST OF US HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. EVEN THOUGH I'VE ONLY WORKED WITH YOU FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE ALSO LEARNED FROM YOU, AND I WISH YOU ALL THE GREAT SUCCESSES YOU HAVE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. WE'RE GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN ALLAN BECAUSE HE'S GOT SOMETHING SPECIAL HERE. >> CAN I GO DOWN SOLUTION? >> WE SO ALL GO DOWN, YEAH. >> YEAH. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT ALREADY. BUT BUT I WANTED TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT I SHARED ABOUT ADAM, AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNSEL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS THOUGHT AND OPINION AND VIEW ABOUT ADAM FRITZY. AS ALREADY STATED, ADAM, YOU'VE COMPLETED YOUR ROLE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, FOUR YEARS. [01:45:01] AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW YOU SERVED, HOW YOU PERFORMED IN THAT ROLE, THROUGH SERVICE, THROUGH SACRIFICE AND THROUGH STRENGTH. YOUR SACRIFICE WAS THE TIME SPENT AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY, AS WE SAT IN THESE LONG MEETINGS, AS I LOOK AT THE CLOCK. BUT ALSO THE TIME YOU SPENT STUDYING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM. WHICH SPEAKS TO YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR SUPERPOWER, AS I WOULD CALL IT, YOUR CALM DEMEANOR AND YOUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. WHENEVER YOU SPOKE, YOU DIDN'T SPEAK A LOT, BUT WHENEVER YOU SPOKE, WE ALL DID THE EF HUTTON THING AND LISTENED BECAUSE ADAM HAD SOME TRUE PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THE ISSUE, THE CONCERN. YOU RAN ON SUSTAINABILITY. FOR THAT, WE NOW HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND WE'RE WORKING TO DEVELOP THAT BECAUSE OF YOU. WE JUST GOT A SMALL TOKEN. I NOTED YOU'VE SERVED IN THE MILITARY, SERVED IN THE MARINES. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT FIRST. YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR SERVING ON CITY COUNCIL. THE TAX WE PAY IS COMING UP HERE AND LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS. THAT'S OUR TAX. YOU GOT A BUCK KNIFE IN HERE? [LAUGHTER] BUT THIS PARTICULAR PLAQUE WAS CREATED BY A DISABLED VETERAN THAT WORKS OUT AT THE DAYTON VA FOR ADAM. WHEN I SAW THAT PLAQUE, I SAID, MAN, CAN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE CITY THAT HAS A CITY EMBLEM. HE SAYS, WELL, LET ME SEE THE CITY EMBLEM. HE SAYS, OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. BUT NONETHELESS, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT WE CARED FOR YOU, AND WE APPRECIATE BREAK OUT YOUR BUCK KNIFE. [LAUGHTER] WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. AGAIN, THIS PLAQUE WAS HAND DONE BY DISABLED VET ADA DVA, WHICH SPEAKS TO OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY HERE, TOO, SO. THAT'S TO ADAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ADAM. >> THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] >> I'LL SAY A FEW, I GUESS. THIS IS THE WORST PART OF BEING ON CITY COUNCIL FOR ME IS RIGHT HERE, THE SPEAKING ASPECT. BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN, FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH THE JOB OF BEING ON CITY COUNCIL. I APPRECIATE. I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY, MY WIFE, FOR SUPPORTING ME IN THIS ENDEAVOR. I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY ON COUNCIL. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS. I LOVE BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OTHER VIEWPOINTS OTHER THAN MY OWN. THIS WAS A GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT AND WORK THROUGH A LOT OF THAT. AS MUCH OF MAINSTREAM POLITICS GOES, IT GETS DEPRESSING SOMETIMES. BUT BEING ON COUNCIL AND SEEING THAT AT LEAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER IN THE RIGHT SETTING, IT WAS A FRESH BREATH OF AIR. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS EXPERIENCE AS WELL. THANK YOU. [01:50:02] >> [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND] >> ADAM, WE'RE NOT DONE, SO STAY RIGHT THERE. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THIS EVENING'S STATE REPRESENTATIVE, BRIAN LAMPTON, WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION. >> YES, YOUR HONOR, PARDON ME. HAVEN'T VOTED ON THE RESOLUTION YET. >> STATE REP, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION. LET ME GET TO THE RIGHT VERBIAGE HERE. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT OR A RESOLUTION? LET ME GET THE RIGHT NUMBER HERE. WE'VE GOT SO MANY OF THESE. 5925. >> MOVE. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. MCCUBBINS. >> YES >> MS. FRITZSCHE. >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN. >> YES. >> MS. CHESS. >> YES. >> MR. DAN. >> YES. >> MS. TANA. >> YES. >> MS. REASTER. >> YES. RESOLUTION 5925 IS DULY ADOPTED. THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION THERE. NOW WE WILL HAVE OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, BRIAN LAMPTON. PLEASE COME FORWARD, SIR. >> THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS. I'M GOING TO GET A PROCLAMATION FROM THE STATE OF OHIO, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SIGNED BY MYSELF AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, CONGRATULATING ADAM ON YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY. THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN, WE THANK YOU, AND ALSO THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY, AND YOUR SERVICE IN THE MILITARY. CONGRATULATIONS, MY FRIEND. >> THANK YOU, BRIAN. >> GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEAKS TO YOU. >> AT THIS POINT, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A 20-MINUTE BREAK FOR RECEPTION FOR EVERYONE TO THANK COUNCILMAN FRITZSCHE. WE'LL MEET RIGHT BACK OUT IN THERE IN THE TRIM AREA, AND WE WILL START BACK UP AT ABOUT A QUARTER AFTER EIGHT. PLEASE BE BACK IN THE ROOM IF YOU WISH TO HEAR THE REST OF THE BUSINESS, CITIZENS' COMMENTS, CITY MANAGER, AND COUNCIL COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> WHERE? >> IT IS 8:15, AS PROMISED, WE WILL RECONVENE. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, AS I WANT TO WELCOME COUNCILMAN DODD UP TO THE DAIS, UP HERE. GLAD TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF THE TEAM. >> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO READ ORDINANCE 35-25 FOR THE FIRST TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> ORDINANCE 35-25, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE RELEASES AND TERMINATIONS OF EASEMENTS FOR EAST STATON DRIVE ROADWAY EXTENSIONS NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE CITY. >> WE WILL SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 35-25 FOR DECEMBER 15TH, 2025. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE 36-25 FOR THE FIRST TIME BY TITLE ONLY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> ORDINANCE 36-25, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 126.04, 126.05, AND 126.06 OF THE FAIRBORN CODIFIED ORDINANCES TO UPDATE PURCHASING THRESHOLDS AND PROCEDURES TO COMPLY WITH CURRENT OHIO LAW? CREATING SECTION 126.12 TO ESTABLISH CYBERSECURITY PURCHASING AND PUBLIC RECORD EXEMPTIONS, AND APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CITY OF FAIRBORN PURCHASING POLICY AS THE OFFICIAL PROCUREMENT MANUAL. >> THANK YOU. WE WILL SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 36-25 ALSO FOR DECEMBER 15TH, 2025. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ RESOLUTION 60-25 BY TITLE ONLY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? >> RESOLUTION 60-25. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN OPTION OF THIS AGREEMENT WITH AT&T, NEW SINGULAR WIRELESS PCS LLC, FOR CITY-OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE REAR OF 2,200, COMMERCE CENTER BOULEVARD, MICHAEL GEBHART, CITY MANAGER, PRESENTING. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS WILL BE A SHORT PRESENTATION. RESOLUTION 60-25 IS TO AUTHORIZE A LEASE AGREEMENT [01:55:01] FOR AN AREA BEHIND STATION NUMBER 2 AT 2,200 COMMERCE CENTER BOULEVARD. MANY OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT BACK IN 2014, 15, AND 16, THERE WERE RUMORS THAT WE WERE NEGOTIATING WITH AT&T FOR A CELL PHONE TOWER IN THIS VERY LOCATION. THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE AT&T KNOW THAT THE SIGNAL IS TERRIBLE OVER ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE DAYTON YELLOW SPRINGS COMMERCE CENTER AREA. JUST ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. IF YOU'RE IN KROGER'S, YOU CAN'T GET A SIGNAL. IF YOU'RE IN CHUMPS, YOU CAN'T GET A SIGNAL. AT&T WANTS TO CORRECT THAT PROBLEM, AND THEY RE-ENGAGED US AFTER GOING SILENT AFTER 2016 EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD THE PROPOSED LEASE THAT THE CITY SOLICITOR HAS WORKED ON. THE KEY ITEMS IN THAT LEASE, AGAIN, THAT'S AN AREA BEHIND STATION 2, IT WILL BE OUT OF THEIR WAY. IT WON'T BE A PROBLEM FOR THEM. IN FACT, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN HAVE SOME TRAINING IN AND AROUND THAT TOWER. IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE WORKING THOSE DETAILS OUT. THE INITIAL RENT IS $3,500 A MONTH. AFTER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, IT WILL INCREASE BY 20% AND EACH FIVE-YEAR TERM AFTER THAT. THIS HAS AN ORIGINAL FIVE YEARS, AND THEN THREE OPTIONS FOR FIVE YEARS EACH AFTER THAT. AT&T IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PERMITTING, CONSTRUCTION, AND MAINTENANCE. IT'S A CONDITIONAL USE TO HAVE A CELL PHONE TOWER IN THE CITY. THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH PLANNING BOARD FOR A CONDITIONAL USE TO PLACE THAT CELL PHONE TOWER, BUT THIS RESOLUTION ASKS FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND SIGN THAT LEASE AND BEGIN THAT PROCESS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY ANXIOUS TO MOVE ON TO PLANNING BOARD AND TO HOPEFULLY GET THAT TOWER UNDER CONSTRUCTION SOONER AS OPPOSED TO LATER TO IMPROVE THEIR WIRELESS SIGNAL ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY. STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO AUTHORIZE ME TO SIGN THAT LEASE AGREEMENT. I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> WE'LL START COUNCIL QUESTIONS WITH COUNCIL MICHELLE. >> NO, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW THAT WILL ALSO HELP WITH OUR EMS SERVICES, CORRECT? >> ANYONE THAT USES CELL PHONES OUT ON THAT SIDE OF THE TOWN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, WILL ALL BENEFIT FROM THAT, YES. >> ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. THANK YOU. >> MIKE, DO WE HAVE ASSURANCES WHEN THEY'RE CONSTRUCTING THIS THAT IT WON'T INTERFERE WITH THE CURTAIN OPERATIONS AT STATION 2? >> WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT. BACK WHEN WE ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT THIS IN 14, 15, AND 16. WE WERE GOOD WITH THAT, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE ANY CONCERNS HERE, BUT WE'LL DO WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEMS, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AND IT'S ADDRESSED. >> THAT WOULD BE MY MAIN CONCERN BECAUSE THEY BUILT UP THOSE APARTMENTS THERE IN SPACE THAT USED TO BE VACANT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE AROUND THERE. >> YEAH, WE'LL LOOK AT THE CLEAR FALL ZONE AND ALL THAT, SHOULD THERE BE ANY PROBLEMS. >> THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMAN DODD, QUESTIONS? >> YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PLANNING BOARD. THE CITY ENGINEER WILL BE CHECKING THEIR PLANS AND DOING ALL THAT. >> KATHLEEN AND THE CITY PLANNER AND THE CITY ENGINEER WILL HAVE INPUT ON THAT. IT'S A CONDITIONAL USE, SO IT GOES FOR FINAL APPROVAL JUST THROUGH THE PLANNING BOARD BY CODE. >> I'M ASSUMING THERE'LL BE A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT THAT [OVERLAPPING] >> I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT. I'M NOT SURE THOSE SPECIFICS, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE STANDARD [OVERLAPPING] >> YEAH, SOME WAY OF DOING A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT JUST TO BE AWARE OF THAT. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. >> THANK YOU, THAT MAY HELP. >> THIS GUY'S GOT ALL THE QUESTIONS, MAN. THIS IS GOING TO BE COOL. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANKS, CLAIRE. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MIKE. >> I NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING ON A PERSONAL NOTE. YOU SAID THIS WILL IMPROVE PHONE RECEPTION IN THE KROGER. >> IF YOU HAVE AT&T, YOU SHOULD GET MORE THAN ONE BAR IN THE KROGER NOW, ONCE THIS IS BUILT? >> THIS IS CRITICAL, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE GOTTEN HOME FROM SHOPPING AT THE KROGER, AND MY WIFE SAID, I TRIED TO CALL YOU TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE LIST, BUT THERE WAS NO RECEPTION. THIS WILL HELP WITH MY GROCERY LIST. >> I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IF YOU HAVE AT&T, THAT IT WILL IMPROVE YOUR RECEPTION INSIDE THE KROGER. >> IT WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR EXCUSE. >> IT TAKES AWAY MY EXCUSE, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 60-25? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MS. REASTER. >> YES. >> MR. ALLEN. >> YES. >> MS. CHESS. >> YES. >> MR. DAN. >> YES. [02:00:01] >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MS. TANA. >> YES. >> MR. [INAUDIBLE] >> YES. >> RESOLUTION 60-25 IS DULY ADOPTED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO READ RESOLUTION 61-25 BY TITLE ONLY? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. >> RESOLUTION 61-25, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO APPROPRIATE CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS NECESSARY FOR THE BROAD STREET PHASE 4 PROJECT, MANUEL JACOBS, CITY ENGINEER, PRESENTING. >> GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, AND I DO APOLOGIZE IF THIS SOUNDS REPETITIVE BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME PRESENTATION I GAVE TWO WEEKS. WORKING ON THE FINAL STEPS OF RIGHT WAY ACQUISITION AND EASEMENTS FOR THE BROAD STREET PHASE 4 PROJECT. IT'S A VERY FLUID PROCESS. WE ARE WORKING ON TRYING TO GET ALL OUR PROSPECTIVE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CORRIDOR TO SIGN THE NECESSARY EASEMENTS IN ORDER TO MEET THE STATE-MANDATED GUIDELINES FOR THIS WHOLE PROCESS. WHILE WE ARE STILL GOING THROUGH THOSE STEPS WITH A LOT OF THE REMAINING PROPERTY OWNERS, AND WE ARE HAVING GOOD CONVERSATIONS, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING THOSE SIGN EASEMENTS BEFORE EVEN HAVING TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION OF APPROPRIATIONS, JUST BECAUSE THE STEPS FOR A RIGHT AWAY APPROPRIATION HAVE TO GO THROUGH CERTAIN STEPS, THE NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER THAT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN. APPROPRIATIONS BEING STEP 1, AND THAT NEEDS COUNCIL APPROVAL. JUST AS A PRECAUTION, SHOULD ANY OF THE FINAL NEGOTIATIONS FALL APART, OR WE RUN INTO ISSUES, OR WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME NECESSARY TO ADDRESS ALL THEIR CONCERNS IN AN ADEQUATE MATTER BEFORE WE NEED TO HAVE THE PROJECT CERTIFIED FROM A RIGHT AWAY PERSPECTIVE. I AM REQUESTING FOUR ADDITIONAL ADDRESSES TO BE INCLUDED INTO THE LIST OF ADDRESSES THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH APPROPRIATIONS. BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. WE ARE STILL HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. THIS IS JUST THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT. I'M NOT GOING TO RUN THROUGH IT AGAIN, BUT THIS IS THE APPROPRIATION PROCESS THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW. IT'S ONLY USED WHEN WE DON'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE, CAN BE REACHED, OR CAN'T COME TO A MUTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY. APPROPRIATIONS WOULD BE FILED IN COURT. THEY WOULD RECEIVE A FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THE EASEMENT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP, SHOULD IT COME TO THAT. THESE ARE THE FOUR ADDITIONAL ADDRESSES THAT I AM REQUESTING, SENDING NOTICES OF APPROPRIATION. PROBABLY COULD HAVE DONE A LITTLE BETTER DESCRIBING THESE, BUT THE FIRST ONE, 393 NORTH BROAD, THAT IS THE WENDY'S. THE THIRD ONE IS THE MCDONALD'S. THESE ARE LARGE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, ANYTIME YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, EVEN AS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS AN EASEMENT, IT TAKES TIME. WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, THEY'RE SLOWLY GOING THROUGH THE CHANNELS, BUT WE MAY NEED TO AT LEAST START APPROPRIATIONS WITH THEM JUST IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE CERTIFICATION, WE WILL NEED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MOVING THE PROJECT TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION. THE THIRD ONE, 8188 WEST HEBLE, IS THE MULTI-BUSINESS OFFICE AND THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF HEBLE AND BROAD, WHERE THERE'S A DENTIST'S OFFICE, THERE'S A FINANCIAL OFFICE. SIMILAR SITUATION. WE'RE JUST WORKING AND CONTINUING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS. THEY HAVE REQUESTED SOME ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS FROM THE CITY IN TERMS OF A REFERENCE LETTER INDICATING THAT THEIR SIGNS WON'T BE IMPACTED, THAT CONSTRUCTION MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE PROJECT. WE'RE EVALUATING THE MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC PLANS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION, AND I'M DRAFTING SOMETHING THAT WILL BE PROVIDING THEM. HOPEFULLY, THAT LETTER WILL GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SIGNING THE EASEMENTS. THE LAST ONE IS THE BRIDGESTONE FIRESTORM JUST PAST THE KFC. AGAIN, IT'S JUST AN ISSUE OF TRYING TO WORK WITH ALL THE PERSPECTIVE CHANNELS AND TRYING TO REACH INTO NAMIABLE AGREEMENT. RESOLUTION 61-25 IS REQUESTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SENDING NOTICES OF RESOLUTION ONLY IF NECESSARY. AGAIN, AS OF TODAY, WE ARE STILL NOT IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE STARTED GOING WITH THE APPROPRIATIONS. WE'RE STILL WORKING EVERY DAY. THIS IS A VERY FLUID PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY I WAS SURPRISED IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMING TO YOU TWO WEEKS AGO WITH THE ONE ADDRESS THAT THE CONVERSATION TURNED INTO FIVE ADDRESSES, AND I WAS LIKE, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL TO KNOW JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE, BUT HERE WE ARE NOW. AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE. I'M RIGHT HERE. >> THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. [02:05:02] WE'LL START COUNCIL QUESTIONS WITH THE COUNCIL. BEING ONE THAT'S GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN MY PREVIOUS WORK AS AN ENGINEER, I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS. IT'S VERY WELL APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. >> NO QUESTIONS, MANUEL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MANUEL. >> NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, MANUEL. THANKS. >> NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> DO YOU FORESEE ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. WITH THIS? >> POSSIBLY. BUT NOT REALLY A PROBLEM. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WE CAN DO. THE MAIN REASON OR THE MAIN PRESSURE INTO NEEDING TO TAKE THESE STEPS IS BECAUSE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THE PROJECT DESIGN FINALIZED, THE RIGHT AWAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE PROJECT NEEDS TO BE CERTIFIED, NOT JUST BIOS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE CERTIFIED AND REVIEWED BY THE STATE AS WELL. JUST ONE OF THE MANY CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS FROM RECEIVING STATE FUNDING AND FEDERAL FUNDS FOR IT. THESE ARE HEAVILY REGULATED PROCESS IN ORDER TO GET THESE PROJECTS CONSTRUCTED. FOR US TO RECEIVE THAT CERTIFICATION, APPROPRIATIONS IS REALLY THE FINAL STEP. WE CAN HAVE THAT CERTIFICATION WITH WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE RIGHT OF ENTRY. IF WE CANNOT COME INTO A FINAL AGREEMENT WITH THE EASEMENTS, OR WE'RE STILL NEGOTIATING COMING BACK AND FORTH, WE CAN REQUEST A RIGHT OF ENTRY THAT WILL ALLOW OR AT LEAST CLEAR THAT BURDEN FROM CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT, WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE PROPERTY OR WORK IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO IT. THERE'S A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE BEFORE WE WOULD LEAVE US NO ALTERNATIVE, AND WE HAVE TO APPROPRIATE. AGAIN, THAT'S A FINAL STEP. >> STEP WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO TAKE, BUT ME [OVERLAPPING]. NO, IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO EVER HAVE TO. WE ARE ESTABLISHING ALL THESE CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROJECT WILL IMPACT THEM IN SOME CAPACITY, WHETHER IT'S JUST SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS GRADING OR WHETHER WE'RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DRIVE APPROACHES. MY RESPONSIBILITY IN TRYING TO PROVIDE AND BRING FORWARD THIS IMPROVEMENT TO THE CORRIDOR IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BUSINESS OWNER, EVERY RESIDENT, OR ANY PROJECT THAT I'M PUTTING MONEY IN, THEIR IMPACT FIRST STOP IS AS MINIMAL AS POSSIBLE. I WANT TO WORK WITH THEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M DOING THIS IMPROVEMENT FOR THEM. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE BROAD STREET CORRIDOR AND GIVE THEM A BRAND NEW ROAD WITH BRAND NEW CURB, NO NEW DRIVE APPROACHES, AND JUST GIVE THEM A BRAND NEW SET OF ROAD FOR THEM TO ENJOY AND STILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE BUSINESSES. WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THEM AS IMPACTFUL. SOMETIMES DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO WORK AND OPERATE DURING CONSTRUCTION. EVERYTHING I DO FROM THE MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC TO MAINTAINING TRAFFIC, MINIMIZING TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS, IS REALLY FOR THEM. THE EASEMENTS IS JUST A COMPONENT OF THAT. I'M MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE LEGALLY AND FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR ANY IMPACT THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE ON THEIR PROPERTY. >> NICE. >> OBVIOUSLY, VERY IMPORTANT WE DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY. >> YES. >> MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE A SAY IN THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. >> THANKS. >> IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 61-25? >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MR. CHESS? >> YES. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> YES. >> MR. GOD? YES. >> MR. MCCUBBINS? >> YES. >> MS. REASTER? >> YES. >> MS. STANTON? >> YES. >> MR. KIRKPATRICK? >> YES. RESOLUTION 61-25 IS DULY ADOPTED. THAT CONCLUDES OUR RESOLUTIONS. NEXT, WE WILL OPEN UP FOR CITIZENS COMMENTS. [ VIII. Citizens Comments] ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD. PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 5 MINUTES. >> MY NAME IS PATTY JAGABE, 226 EAST MAIN STREET. I WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THE CENSURE. I DID NOT SEE THE VIDEO, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT, BUT I WANT TO SAY FAIRBORN IS NOT A RACIST TOWN. BUT A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS ARE. IN 1972, FOUR BOYS USED TO WAIT FOR ME AFTER CLASS EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS NOT AN AMERICAN. THEY THOUGHT I WAS VIETNAMESE REFUGEE. EVERY NOW AND THEN, SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SO MUCH RACISM OR IGNORANCE. NAIVETY. SOME OF IT IS RACISM. ON YOUR FOCUS GROUP, TANA, I WANT TO BE ON THAT BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY STARTED ON A PROJECT LIKE THAT. [02:10:01] I AM THE REASON THAT SYLVIA THOUGHT THAT JIMMY BAKER WAS A PROUD BOY. I SAW THE STATEMENT WHERE SHE THOUGHT HE WAS A PROUD BOY BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE SURE EVERY CITIZEN KNEW THAT HE BROUGHT THE PROUD BOYS TO OUR TOWN DURING A JOE BLYSTONE RALLY. NEITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NEAR. HE BROUGHT TWO WELL-KNOWN PROUD BOYS. THEY ARE IN ALL THE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THEM IDENTIFIED. AT LEAST TWO THAT I KNEW, BUT A LOT OF THEM WERE WEARING THE HATS. THEY HAD NO BUSINESS IN THIS TOWN, AND HE HAD NO BUSINESS INTRODUCING THE PROUD BOYS TO FAIRBORN, EVEN PUTTING US ON THE RADAR. I'M THE REASON THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT. I'M PROBABLY THE REASON HE DIDN'T GET ON THE CITY COUNCIL. I WILL MAKE SURE EACH YEAR THAT YOU DON'T GET ON THE CITY COUNCIL WHEREVER YOU ARE. THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. THE RACISM IN THIS TOWN IS NOT AS BAD AS IT WAS IN THE 70S. IN THE 70S, IT WAS BAD; I CAN GO PRACTICALLY ANYWHERE IN FAIRBORN AND NOT RUN INTO ONE OF THESE HATERS, BUT THEY ARE THERE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL THAT WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT VICTIMIZATION FEELS LIKE. NEVER. THANK YOU. >> CHARLIE DEER, 1819 WEST BROAD STREET. I HADN'T PLANNED ON SAYING ANYTHING. BUT AFTER LISTENING TO HER, I CAME TO FAIRBORN IN 1965. MY HOME HAS BEEN IN FAIRBORN SINCE THEN. I LEFT PART OF 70 AND 71 TO GO TO VIETNAM, AND THEN I COME BACK TO FAIRBORN. NOW, THIS WAS THE 60S. I DIDN'T SEE WHAT THIS WOMAN JUST STATED. I DIDN'T SEE THE RACISM. I AM HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE. I'M HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT US. I HEARD YOU UP THERE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO FILIBUSTER, THE WAY YOU KEPT JUST TRYING TO MUDDY UP THE WATER. IT'S EVERYBODY'S FAULT. I NEVER HEARD YOU TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S EVERYBODY'S FAULT. THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY IS JUST HOW DISAPPOINTED I AM IN YOU FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT MY TOWN AND MY PEOPLE THE WAY YOU HAVE. THANK YOU. >> KEVIN HEP, 1290 HORIZON DRIVE. I KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO GO WITH THIS, BUT MY OBJECTIVE HERE IS JUST THAT WE ALL JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING. THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY, JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I GREW UP IN BALTIMORE. I REMEMBER IN 1968, AFTER MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS SHOT, AND THE RACE RIOTS. I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, AND I'M THINKING, MAN, WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR WORLD? BECAME VERY AFRAID OF BLACK PEOPLE. PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT WORD. SORRY. PREJUDICES. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIVISION IN BALTIMORE. MY MOM WAS POLISH. MY GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. BEN CALLED A POLK. HEARD PEOPLE BEING CALLED WOP. I'M CATHOLIC. I'VE RECEIVED IT, AND FOUR EYES. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THOSE PREJUDICES ARE QUITE WHAT TWO PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE FELT. WHEN I FIRST CAME ON CITY COUNCIL A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS INTRODUCED TO A BOOK CALLED UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK MAN. I THOUGHT, MAN, WHAT AM I IN FOR SITTING UP HERE ON A CITY COUNCIL? THAT SIX YEARS AGO THAT I HAD TO BE DIRECTED TO THAT BOOK. [02:15:06] GAVE ME SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. WE ALL NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT. WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS? I DON'T KNOW. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. WE ARE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE. WE ARE NOT WHERE WE SHOULD BE IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. >> DONNA JOHNSON 328 BOWMAN DRIVE MAYOR COUNCIL. THOUGH I CERTAINLY FOUND COUNCILWOMAN CHESS'S DENIGRATING PAUL QUINN COLLEGE OCTOBER 31 CONVOCATION SPEECH REPULSIVE, I HONESTLY COMES AS NO SURPRISE TO ME. HER WELL-DOCUMENTED HISTORY INCLUDES DECEPTIVE CLAIMS. OF ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS OF HOLDING A PHD SUBMITTED TO THE OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE, AS WELL AS ON HER BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT. DECLARING THE SUCCESS OF A DOWNTOWN FAIRBORN TRUCKING INDUSTRY BUSINESS WHEN PUBLIC RECORDS DENOTE REVOCATION OF THIS LICENSURE AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR, AND PAST CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS IN TEXAS CONCERNING THEFT. MS. CHESS'S PERSONAL DEALINGS HAVE MOST CERTAINLY SERVED AS A PORTENT TO HER BEHAVIOR AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SO, IT IS SYLVIA'S CONDUCT CARRIED OUT IN HER ROLE AS FAIRBORN CITY COUNCILWOMAN THAT I BELIEVE MAYOR KIRKPATRICK AND COUNCIL IS GROUNDS FOR A FULL, EXTENSIVE INTERROGATION AND YOUR ULTIMATE REQUEST FOR HER RESIGNATION. DURING HER ONLY TWO-YEAR TENURE, COUNCILWOMAN CHESS INCURRED 11 SALES TAX LIENS WITH THE STATE OF OHIO FOR HER DELINQUENCY IN TURNING OVER TO THE STATE THE TAX SHE HAD COLLECTED FROM HER OWN CUSTOMERS. APPROPRIATELY, AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THIS PUBLIC RECORD AND CONSIDERING MS. CHESS'S OVERSIGHT OF THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONIES, CITIZENS RALLIED FOR HER RESIGNATION. BUT AS OPPOSED TO A HUMBLE APOLOGY TO THE ELECTORATE, MS. CHESS CONCOCTED A TALE OF RECEIVING A RACIALLY THREATENING LETTER AND PRESENTED HER TALE HERE IN AN OFFICIAL JULY 21 COUNCIL MEETING. AS A RESULT OF THE COUNCILWOMAN'S OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF HER RECEIPT OF THIS LETTER, CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN A COPY, WHICH PROVED TO BE AN INNOCUOUS ACCOUNT OF MS. CHESS'S SALES TAX DELINQUENCIES BEYOND ANY MENTION OF RACE AND CERTAINLY NO THREATS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT, BASED UPON HER FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF RACIAL INTIMIDATION CONTAINED IN THAT LETTER, COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED HER RESIGNATION SINCE SHE MADE THOSE STATEMENTS IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY. THEN, IN A FORESHADOWING OF MORE THINGS TO COME, COUNCILWOMAN CHESS INCLUDES THE FALSE CLAIM OF CONTRIBUTING HER LEADERSHIP TO THE MIAMI VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION IN HER BIO SUBMITTED TO PAUL QUINN COLLEGE AND POSTED TO THEIR WEB PAGE. MAYOR KIRKPATRICK, CITY COUNCIL CLERK JULIE TAYLOR, AND THE ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THAT COMMISSION HAVE ALL CONFIRMED WITH ME THAT MS. CHESS HAS NEVER SERVED THEM IN ANY LEADERSHIP CAPACITY NOR AT ALL. DURING THE RECENT NOVEMBER 3 COUNCIL MEETING, MS. CHESS ANNOUNCED TO THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN THAT SHE HAD DELIVERED HER PAUL QUIN CONVOCATION SPEECH. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HER ANNOUNCEMENT, SEVERAL CITIZENS VIEWED THE PUBLICLY RELEASED VIDEO. DURING HER CONVOCATION DELIVERY TO THE ALUMNI OF PAUL QUINN COLLEGE, MS. CHESS CLAIMS. TO HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED AND THREATENED IN FAIRBORN BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS, SPECIFICALLY PROUD BOYS. MAYOR KIRKPATRICK AND COUNCIL, I REQUEST THAT, DUE TO MS. CHESS'S NOTIFICATION TO CITIZENS IN THE NOVEMBER 3 COUNCIL MEETING OF HER OCTOBER 31 CONVOCATION SPEECH, ONCE AGAIN, IN HER OFFICIAL ELECTED CAPACITY, THAT YOU HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE AND REQUEST HER IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION IF SHE FAILS TO COME FORTH WITH PROOF OF HER SEVERE CLAIMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY. PROUD BOY INTIMIDATION TOWARD HER IN OUR CITY OF FAIRBORN. FAIRBORN CITY COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA CHESS, YOU HAVE BECOME SO ENTRENCHED IN YOUR OWN DISHONESTY AND MISREPRESENTATIONS. SAVE MY COUNCIL THE TIME, AND IN THE INTEREST OF MY HOMETOWN, IMMEDIATELY RENDER YOUR RESIGNATION. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL? >> YEAH. >> GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HEARD THE HATRED FROM THIS LADY RIGHT HERE. >> JIMMY. GIVE ME AN ADDRESS, PLEASE. [02:20:02] >> I'M SORRY, JIMMY BAKER, 427 GRANT STREET. YOU JUST HEARD THIS LADY STEP UP HERE. WITH HER HATRED TOWARDS ME. THAT SHE SYLVIA, IS ON COUNCIL BECAUSE OF HER, AND SHE'LL DO EVERYTHING SHE CAN TO KEEP ME OFF COUNCIL. I'M NOT A PROUD BOY. I DIDN'T CALL THE PROUD BOYS. THEY CAME TO AN EVENT WHERE I PROVIDED A BUILDING WHEN JOE BLYSTONE WAS RUNNING. THAT'S ALL I COULD SAY ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST MORE LIES AND HATRED. CHARLIE DEER HAS KNOWN ME MY ENTIRE LIFE. MY FAMILY, MY ENTIRE LIFE. MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN THE SERVICE. THEY CAME FROM BARI, ITALY, TO ELLIS ISLAND, AND THEY CAME HERE IN THIS TOWN IN 1950. YOU'RE DISGUSTING. BUT WHAT YOU SAID AGAINST MY FAMILY, WHAT YOU SAID IN THIS TOWN, ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN. YOU NEED TO GO. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY. YOU NEED TO GO. >> GOOD EVENING, SHARON 12 90 HORIZON DRIVE. I SIT HERE AND LISTENED TO ALL THESE PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE IS NO RACISM IN THIS TOWN AND THAT THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY AT ANY POINT. I KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. I ALSO WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, EXCEPT FOR THE FEW YEARS THAT I TRAVELED WITH MY FATHER AS A AIR FORCE BRIDE. MY MOTHER TOLD ME STORIES WHEN SHE CAME HERE IN THE 1930S AND 40S ABOUT THE SIGNS THAT WERE IN THIS TOWN. NOW, ONE PERSON HAS SAID THAT MY MOTHER AND I ARE LYING, THAT THOSE SIGNS NEVER EXISTED. I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF THEM. I DON'T HAVE THEM. I HAVE SEEN THEM. THEY DID SAY THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE BETTER NOT BE SEEN IN THIS TOWN AFTER DARK. THAT'S WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE '40S AND EVEN THE EARLY '50S. I LIVED HERE ALL THESE YEARS. MY BEST FRIEND IS BLACK. NOT YOU, NOT YOU. DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANY LONGER, BUT MY BEST FRIEND IS BLACK. I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU. THE NUMBER OF TIMES WHEN WE WERE IN THIS TOWN, JUST WALKING AROUND OR IN STORES, THAT THINGS WERE SAID TO US, NOT JUST HER, US, BECAUSE I WAS WITH HER. FOR ME TO HEAR PEOPLE SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWN THAT NEVER HAD ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. IT'S BUNCH BULL BECAUSE I'VE LIVED THROUGH IT. I REALLY DON'T LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT ON MANY LEVELS. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE TIME. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE RESULT WAS NOT RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT SAYING HER ACCUSATIONS ARE CORRECT. I DON'T KNOW. I WASN'T THERE. BUT I DO KNOW IT HAS HAPPENED AND STILL DOES HAPPEN. NOT TO A GREAT EXTENT, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN AND ANYBODY WHO THINKS IT DOESN'T, YOU'RE A FOOL. WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS IN THIS TOWN. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. >> GOOD EVENING. PAM GAYHART 1201 ARTESIAN LANE. I FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK THIS EVENING BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FAIRBORN COMMUNITY. TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT, I'D TAKEN OUT A PETITION TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RUN BECAUSE I DIDN'T TURN ALL MY PAPERWORK IN AT THE SAME TIME AT THE GREEN COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS. THIS WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHY I WAS NOT ABLE TO RUN. TO BE HONEST, I BELIEVE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE LEADERS WHO CAN ADMIT MISTAKES AND WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. [02:25:06] FAIRBORN IS A DEMOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AND STRONG COMMUNITY. I'VE WORKED FOR FAIRBORN CITY SCHOOLS FOR 23 YEARS, AND I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE EMPLOYED IN AN OCCUPATION THAT I LOVE FOR A COMMUNITY THAT I CALL HOME. WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES. YET TIME AND AGAIN, I SEE INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY GROUPS, CHURCHES, AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS STEP UP AND MEET THE CHALLENGES WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY. THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS VERY STRONG IN FAIRBORN. WHEN THERE IS A NEED, WE FACE THE CHALLENGE TOGETHER, AND TOGETHER WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IMPACT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. I WANT TO PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF THIS. FAIRCREEK CHURCH JUST FED OUR SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE FAIRBORN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THANKSGIVING AS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. PASTOR GREG TROUT, WHO REACHES OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS IS ALWAYS ASKING, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? THE FAIRBORN FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS WITH TRUNK OR TREAT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTS, HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY ABOUT GIVING BACK. THE FAIRBORN SENIOR CENTER SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY IN SO MANY WAYS AND INCLUDES STUDENTS FROM THE SCHOOLS AT THEIR EVENTS. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY TEACH OUR YOUTH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY, LEADERSHIP, AND GIVING BACK. THE FAIRBORN LIONS CLUB WHO SUPPORTS THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND EFFORTS LOCALLY TO GROW OUR COMMUNITY. THE LEADERSHIP IS DILIGENTLY WORKING ON A STRONG GOAL OF 100 MEMBERS TO LEAD AND SERVE IN FAIRBORN. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE REALLY PROUD TO BE PART OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT HIS GRANDFATHER WAS PART OF, AND BY THE WAY, HE NEVER MISSED A MEETING. CHRISTMAS IN ACTION, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY BY HELPING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED HELP WITH BASIC HOME REPAIRS, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HOME. FAIRBORN KIDS ALSO HELP WITH THIS. THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN FAIRBORN. THESE GROUPS ARE DIVERSE IN AGE, VIEWPOINTS, ETHNICITY, AND EXPERIENCES. THIS DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONGER AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO LEARN TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND IDEAS TOGETHER. COMMUNITY LEADER'S RESPONSIBILITY, IN MY OPINION, IS TO SERVE, GUIDE, AND UPLIFT THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT. THEY ARE STEWARDS OF TRUST AND CATALYSTS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. COMMUNITY LEADERS, MODEL ETHICAL BEHAVIOR, AND RESPECT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS AND DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY, FAIRNESS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS WHICH SHOULD BE ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST, NOT PERSONAL INTEREST. I HAVE TWO PERSONAL EXAMPLES I'D LIKE TO SHARE. WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR AT OHIO UNIVERSITY A LONG TIME AGO, MY TWIN BROTHER ALSO ATTENDED OHIO. HE TAUGHT ME A REALLY VALUABLE LESSON. WE LOVE TO GO OUT AFTER FOOTBALL GAMES AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. I WAS SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF MY SORORITY ON CAMPUS. HE REMINDED ME THAT I WAS PRESIDENT ALL THE TIME. HE SAID, PART OF SERVING IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE IS THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE OFF THAT HAT AND CHANGE IT AT WILL. I'VE CARRIED THIS IDEA AND THOUGHT WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, AND IT WAS SOME OF THE BEST ADVICE HE EVER GAVE ME. ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, KAREN COMBS, WHO'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, COMMENTED ABOUT SOMETHING ON OUR DISTRICT SOCIAL MEDIA. THAT'S PART OF MY DAY JOB. I WASN'T HAPPY WITH HER COMMENT, AND I'D HAD ENOUGH. I DELETED HER WORDS. SHE REACHED OUT TO ME AND ASKED WHAT OUR BOARD POLICY WAS REGARDING THIS, AND GUESS WHAT? WE DIDN'T HAVE POLICY AT THAT TIME. >> I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO STOP. THE BEEPER JUST WENT OFF. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> I GET FIVE MINUTES. >> NO. YOU CAN SPEAK. YOU CAN'T GIVE YOUR MINUTES TO SOMEBODY ELSE. >> CHRIS GAYHART, 1201 ARTESIAN LINE. [02:30:03] I'LL FINISH HER SPEECH. I BRING UP THESE EXAMPLES BECAUSE THEY HIGHLIGHT THAT AS LEADERS, WE ARE HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY ALL THE TIME, NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE. COMMUNITY LEADERS MAKE DECISIONS WHICH SHOULD BE ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTERESTS, NOT PERSONAL INTERESTS. EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN OUR COMMUNITY, STATE, AND THE COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. YET OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES HONESTY, FAIRNESS, AND RESPECT FROM OUR LEADERS. WHEN MISINFORMATION IS PRESENTED AS FACT, IT UNDERMINES TRUST AND WEAKENS THE COMMUNITY WE ARE WORKING HARD TO CONTINUE TO BUILD. MOST IMPORTANTLY, ACKNOWLEDGING ERRORS WHEN THEY OCCUR, CORRECTING MISINFORMATION PROMPTLY, AND PUTTING THE COMMUNITY'S WELL BEING AHEAD OF PERSONAL INTERESTS, THIS IS TRULY THE FOUNDATION OF RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP. I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SYLVIA CHESS. IN CONCLUSION, WHEN A PUBLIC FIGURE CHOOSES TO SPEAK, THEY ALSO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, IMPACT, AND INTEGRITY OF THEIR WORDS. WITH INFLUENCE COMES ACCOUNTABILITY. FREEDOM OF SPEECH PROTECTS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK. IT DOES NOT PROTECT A PERSON FROM THE PUBLIC PROFESSIONAL OR ETHICAL CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT THEY SAY. CERTAINLY, WE WANT TO BE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE, AND IT IS OUR SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO SUSTAIN THAT IN ALL WE DO. >> ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. >> JOY COLLINS, 173 ERIE. HELLO, EVERYBODY. I'M BACK. THEY TALK ABOUT DISCRIMINATION. THEY TALK ABOUT RACE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BLACK, YELLOW, GREEN, OR BLUE, TO BE DISCRIMINATED. I'VE PROBABLY BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE MORE CITIES, MORE RESTAURANTS, BEEN IN A MALL, ESCORTED OUT, JUST BECAUSE I'M A BIKER. THEY DON'T LIKE BIKERS. THEY FOLLOW YOU IN THE STORE THINKING YOU'RE GOING TO SHOPLIFT. WE DON`T SHOPLIFT. WE GO OUT AND WE TRY TO DO THINGS THAT ARE GOOD. I'VE BEEN IN FAIRBORN OVER 70 YEARS. HOW MANY HAVE YOU BEEN HERE THAT LONG? I WIN. I KNOW FAIRBORN BETTER THAN ANY OF YOU. I GREW UP IN THIS TOWN. I WENT TO SCHOOL IN THIS TOWN. I GOT MARRIED IN THIS TOWN. THEY TORE DOWN THE AMERICAN LEGION WHERE I WENT. I LOVE THIS TOWN. IT BROKE MY HEART WHEN PEOPLE TALK BAD ABOUT IT. CLINT, YOU'RE RIGHT. WORDS HURT AND PEOPLE SHOULDN'T EVER TALK BAD ABOUT THINGS. I KNOW VETERANS. THEY WENT TO NAM AFTER SCHOOL. I LOST A LOT OF MY VETERANS. THEY WERE KILLED. THEY WERE WOUNDED. THEY COME BACK IN BODY BAGS, AND THEY WERE NOT TREATED PROPERLY. THEY WERE NOT TREATED RESPECTFULLY. THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. I DECIDED WITH MY HUSBAND OVER 10 YEARS AGO, I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR TOWN THAT WE SAID, THIS IS A MILITARY TOWN. INSTEAD OF JUST CALLING DOWN TO IT, ME AND MY HUSBAND DECIDED, WE TALKED TO THE BIKERS, WE TALKED TO THE CHURCH, AND THEY SAID, WE'RE BEHIND YOU. START IT UP. I WENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL. I ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY PLANS AT THE TIME THEY DID NOT. THEN DANKERT PATRICK CONTACTED ME ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER AND ASKED IF HE COULD CO CHAIR. MY HUSBAND SAID TO MAYOR, HEY, THAT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT HELP. I APPRECIATE ALL THE VETERANS THAT WANTED THIS. THE CITIZENS THAT WANTED THIS. THEY HAVE STEPPED UP, AND IT'S ALMOST DONE. OF COURSE, IT'S TAKEN US LONGER THAN TO BUILD TWO SCHOOLS, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE. BUT IT'S DONE. ALSO, THE POLICE. HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS ARE CALLED PIGS OR PEOPLE PICK THEM OVER. THEY BREAK THE LAW. THEY DON'T LIKE BEING CAUGHT, SO THEY GET MAD AT THEM. HEY, THEY BROKE THE LAW OR THE COPS WOULDN'T BE NEEDED. THEY GET DISCRIMINATED AGAINST TOO, BUT THEY DON'T DITCH THE TOWN. THEY SUPPORT THE TOWN, THEY SUPPORT THE JOB, AND THEY SUPPORT US. I WORKED AT THE SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS WITH DISABLED KIDS. THERE WAS MANY TIMES WHEN THE PARENTS WERE MAD AT THEIR KIDS HAD MESSED UP, AND THEY CAME IN AND WE WERE TOLD, PLEASE, BE A WITNESS FOR THIS TEACHER, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT, THEY CAN BE BROUGHT IN AND THEY CAN BE SUED BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS SAID THAT THEY SAID, THEY'RE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. [02:35:04] THEN YOU'VE GOT THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE AFTER THE JEWS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS. YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. MY BIKERS HAVE NO COLOR. WE HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. WE HAVE FOR OVER 35 YEARS. I AM BLESSED THAT WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T REALLY LIKE US THIS MUCH BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW US, WE WANTED TO BE KNOWN SO WE JOINED TIMBERT WITH THE GARDEN PROGRAM. WE STARTED PLANTING FLOWERS. THE TITLE IN THE PAPER WAS BIKERS GET DIRTY AND FAIRBORN. HEY, WE'LL TAKE IT. IT GOT US ATTENTION. ANOTHER THING WE DID WAS, WE JOINED THE FAIRBORN CHRISTMAS PROJECT. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS. WE WANTED SENIORS BECAUSE SENIORS GET FORGOT. WE GO OUT. WE DO FUND RAISER. 100% OF OUR MONEY GOES TO KROGERS, A LOCAL BUSINESS. THEY KEEP THE REFRIGERATOR ITEMS IN THE REFRIGERATOR, THE FREEZER AND THE FREEZER. WE COME BACK THE NEXT DAY. WE GET IT. THE SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, YOU WILL SEE THE BIKERS OUT SINGING, WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS OFF KEY, BUT WE WILL BE GIVING THE GROCERIES. WE GET HUGS, WE GET THANK YOUS, BECAUSE WE CARE. WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. DON'T CRITICIZE IT AND SAY, OH, POOR PITY FOR ME. HEY, I'M A BLONDE. NOBODY HEARS ANY MORE BLONDE JOKES THAN I DO. BUT THAT'S PART OF DISCRIMINATION. REDHEADS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A FIERY TEMPER. I DON'T THINK THEY DO, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. WE JUST NEED TO LEARN TO NOT DRAG UP THE PAST AND LEARN TO MOVE FORWARD AND ALSO DO IT WITH PRIDE WITH LOVE AND CARING. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN YOU THOROUGHLY. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> MY NAME IS KYLE FRY. I LIVE AT 180. WEST ROZON DRIVE, FAIRBORN HERE. >> HOW COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR NAME? >> KYLE FRY? >> KYLE FRY. THANK YOU. >> I DIDN'T REALLY PLAN ON EVEN SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT, BUT THIS HAS BEEN MY TOWN FOR 40 YEARS, AND I DON'T AGREE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT. I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL TO WHERE I COME FROM AND WHAT I SAY. BUT WHAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS I SEE A TOWN THAT'S SEPARATED. I SEE A SIGN BEHIND OUR MAYOR THAT SAYS A CITY IN MOTION, AND WE'VE DONE NOTHING BUT WALK BACKWARDS TONIGHT. WE'RE NOT MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. GOING DOWN TO TEXAS AND BASHING OUR TOWN THE WAY YOU DID DIDN'T MOVE US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I WORK IN OUT OF WITH CHILDREN ALL THE TIME. RODNEY MCCUBBINS WILL TEST TO THAT, THAT I'VE COACHED SPORTS TEAMS FOR THIS TOWN. I GREW UP IN THIS TOWN. I GAVE BACK TO THIS TOWN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE BEFORE ME GAVE TO ME. GREG MCDUFFY, A BLACK MAN IN THIS TOWN. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I CONTINUED TO COACH BECAUSE HE POURED INTO ME, AND I OWED IT TO HIM. YOU SAY THAT NOBODY SAW ANYTHING THAT YOU WENT THROUGH, BUT I WATCHED CLINT LOSE HIS BUSINESS HERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I WATCHED CLINT TAKE 1 FT, PUT IT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER AND KEEP WALKING. HE DIDN'T GO AND MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR TOWN. AS WE SAT HERE TONIGHT, YOU SAID THAT YOU CONTINUED TO FORGIVE AND TO LOVE, BUT WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU WERE THE ONE COUNCIL PERSON WHO DIDN'T GIVE ADAM FRITZY ANY WORD ON THE WAY OUT, BECAUSE HE DISAGREED WITH YOU AND HE GAVE YOU A NO TONIGHT. YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL HIM HOW THAT HE DID A GREAT THING IN THIS TOWN. WHEN YOU SPOKE, YOU KEPT SAYING, I'VE DONE ALL THIS. I'M PART OF THE GENERATION OF WE WHO KILLED THE RACISM IN THIS TOWN IN THE '90S IN THE EARLY 2000S. I'M PART OF THE GENERATION THAT WALKED BESIDE OF ANYBODY OF ANY COLOR. IT DIDN'T MATTER TO ME. I'VE BEEN ALL THROUGH THIS STATE DELIVERING FURNITURE AND BEING WHO I WAS. I'VE BEEN A SALES DRESS. I'VE BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO READ PEOPLE IN TONIGHT. WHEN YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS US, YOU BLAMED US FOR OUR FEELINGS. RODNEY, YOU SAID AT BEST, CAN WE TRUST THEM? I HAVE A HARD TIME TRUSTING ANYBODY IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE I'VE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR TOWN FOR OVER THE YEARS AND YEARS, EVERYONE WANT TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT ABOUT RACE IN BLACK AND WHITE. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE BIGGER PROBLEMS IN OUR TOWN THAN BLACK AND WHITE RIGHT NOW. JIMMY BAKER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RUNNING FOR ELECTION AND PEOPLE SAYING THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID ABOUT HIM. I DON'T KNOW JIMMY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER MET YOU TONIGHT FACE TO FACE. I DON'T KNOW HIM, BUT I DID WATCH THIS LADY RIGHT HERE HAND YOU AND [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT BEFORE SHE CAME UP TO SPEAK, AND I KNEW THINGS WERE GOING TO GO SOUTH. I'VE DISAGREED WITH MARY REISTER ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I COMMEND YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT IN PULLING THAT FORWARD AND STANDING ON GROUND IN BUSINESS IN FAIRBORN. THIS IS MY TOWN. I HAVE AN 18, A 17 AND A 15-YEAR-OLD THAT I WANT TO RAISE MY GRANDCHILDREN HERE. I LEFT MY SENIOR YEAR AND WENT AND PLAYED BASEBALL IN VANDALIA. I WENT TO SCHOOL THAT MAYBE HAD FIVE BLACK PEOPLE. THE DIVERSITY WASN'T THERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I DID RIGHT AFTER THAT? I MOVED BACK HOME BECAUSE THIS MEANT SOMETHING TO ME. DIVERSITY MEANT SOMETHING TO ME. TO GO OUT THERE AND SAY PROUD BOY, IS THAT HURT? BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT GROWING UP. I KNOW THAT YOU AND I AND ME AND CLINT HAVE [02:40:01] MUCH DIFFERENT LIVES AND THAT RACISM IS A REAL THING, AND IT'S EVERYWHERE. IT'S NOT JUST WHITE ON BLACK. IT'S BLACK ON WHITE. IT'S WHITE ON ASIANS. IT'S EVERY DIRECTION. EVERYBODY IS DEALING WITH RACISM. BUT IF THIS WAS A TABLE TURNED AND RODNEY WENT AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD BE CALLING FOR HIM IN THIS PLACE. IF OUR MAYOR WENT AND SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY'D BE CALLING FOR HIM IN THIS PLACE. I AM 40-YEARS-OLD. I HAVE A LOT OF LIFE HERE, AND I WANT TO STAY HERE, BUT I CAN'T KEEP MY FAMILY IN A TOWN THAT WANTS TO ARGUE ABOUT BLACK AND WHITE, AND I WON'T. THE SCHOOLS ARE GROWING. THE TOWN IS MOVING FORWARD. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE US NOWHERE. BUT WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE ON OUR CITY COUNCIL GOING OUTSIDE OF OUR WALLS AND SPEAKING ABOUT OUR TOWN THE WAY THEY HAVE. BECAUSE THAT'S ALL PEOPLE WILL EVER KNOW OF FAIRBORN, IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. THOSE PEOPLE WHO KNOW FAIRBORN NOW, THAT'S WHAT THEY KNOW US AS. THEY DON'T KNOW US AS YOU CALL THE 99%. THEY DON'T KNOW US AS THE DEER WHO GOES OUT AND GIVES AWAY MEALS TO PEOPLE FOR HOLIDAYS. THEY DON'T SEE THE CHURCHES THAT ARE POURING OUT. THEY DON'T SEE THE FOOD THAT WAS GIVEN OUT TO THE LESS FORTUNATE. ALL THEY HAVE A DESCRIPTION OF NOW IS WHO YOU MADE US TO BE. THAT'S UNFAIR TO OUR TOWN, THAT'S UNFAIR TO OUR CHILDREN, AND THAT'S UNFAIR TO OUR COMMUNITY. CLINT YOU SAID AT BEST, WORDS MATTER. I'VE WATCHED WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THE REASON WHY CLINT HAS SO MUCH RESPECT IN THIS TOWN IS BECAUSE EVEN IN THE ADVERSITY AND IN WHAT HE WENT THROUGH IN HIS BUSINESS, HE PUT 1 FT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER, AND HE GAINED ALL OF OUR RESPECTS. YOU HAVE A CHOICE TONIGHT, MS. CHESS. YOU CAN EITHER PUT 1 FT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, TAKE SOME SELF EVALUATION, QUIT BLAMING EVERYBODY ELSE FOR WHAT YOU SAID AND TAKE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT. YOU SAID THAT DAY, BECAUSE IT DID HURT OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW YOU FROM ANYBODY. I'VE BEEN A PERSON WHO'S BEEN RAISED MY WHOLE LIFE INSIDE THE CHURCH, AND I BELIEVE IN FORGIVENESS, AND I BELIEVE IN SECOND CHANCES. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. YOU CAN DO WHAT MS. STAN SAID YOU CAN WAIT OR WE CAN HANDLE IT TONIGHT, AND YOU CAN ADDRESS THE CITY HOW YOU WOULD PLEASE, AND YOU CAN GO FORWARD WITH YOUR BUSINESS, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO GO. BUT I THINK WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ADDRESS THIS TOWN IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. [OVERLAPPING] THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL? YES, GENTLEMEN. >> DEAN GILLESPIE, 1512 GLENDALE DRIVE. FAIRBORN. FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK CHARLIE DEER PUBLICLY FOR THE GOD'S WORK HE'S BEEN DOING WITH THE TURKEYS THIS YEAR. I APPLAUD HIM FOR THAT. REALLY NO RECOGNITION OUT OF THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING HIM DOING ALL THIS STUFF ON HIS OWN. I APPLAUD MS. CHESS FOR USING HER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF FREEDOM TO SPEAK. I TRAVEL THE WORLD SPEAKING. YOUR ATTITUDE, YOUR SWAGGER, AND THE WORDS YOU CHOSE WERE NOT BY MISTAKE. THEY WERE NOT TO BE MISCONSTRUED. THEY WERE DONE IN A TACTFUL FORM. I WAS ALWAYS BROUGHT UP WITH THIS IN MY MIND GIVEN TO ME BY MY DAD. A DRUNK MOUTH IS A SOBER MIND. THERE WAS A LOT OF DRUNK MOUTH GOING ON THERE ABOUT THIS TOWN. IT REALLY UPSET ME TO THE POINT OF COMING HERE. BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A MILITARY TOWN FOR A LONG TIME, WE HAVE ACCEPTED DIVERSITY FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, EVERY RACE, COLOR, CREED, SINCE THE AIR FORCE BASE HAS BEEN HERE. YOU CALLING YOURSELF THE FIRST BLACK OWNED BUSINESS IN FAIRBORN, IS ABSOLUTE DISRESPECT FOR THE BLACK OWNERS OF BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN. ABSOLUTE DISRESPECT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO FORAGE THAT WAY. FOR YOU TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE HELPED FACILITATE OPENING 14 NEW BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN. I GREW UP HERE MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I'VE DROVE UP AND DOWN THE STREET, LOOKING FOR THESE 14 PLACES. HAVE NOT SEEN ONE OPENED UP HERE IN THIS TOWN UNLESS THERE PO BOXES AT THE POST OFFICE ON HAVEL DRIVE. I AM HERE TO DEMAND YOUR RESIGNATION. A SANCTION IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE DISPARITY THAT YOU PUT ON THIS TOWN. I AGREE WITH THIS MAN, 100%. THIS COUNCIL STUFF HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A CITY IN MOTION, TRAVELING BACKWARDS SO FAST, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS SETTLED. WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS HATRED REMOVED FROM OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO MAKE THIS TOWN WHAT IT SHOULD BE. [02:45:01] WE HAVE A HUMONGOUS AIR FORCE BASE RIGHT HERE. WE SHOULD BE LEADERS IN A LOT OF THINGS AROUND HERE. WITH THIS ATTITUDE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. I'M VERY GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO FIND OUT WHERE THIS CRAZINESS COME FROM WITH JIMMY BAKER AND THIS PROW BOY THING. I HAVE KNOWN JIMMY BAKER MY ENTIRE LIFE. THAT MAN HAS NEVER BEEN A RACIST, NOR WILL HE EVER BE? HE WAS A DATE POLICE OFFICER DEALING WITH ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE FOR YEARS AND YEARS. NOT A RACIST. I'M GLAD TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THIS. YOU ARE GETTING A PAYCHECK FROM THIS TOWN TO REPRESENT US IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, TO GO PUBLICLY, PRIVATELY, OR IN THE BATHROOM, SPEAKING SUCH DISPARITE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY IS APPALLING AND TO BE PAID FOR IT IS APPALLING. NOTHING SHORT OF YOUR RESIGNATION. ANYONE WHO IS TIPTOEING AROUND THIS RIGHT NOW, YOU'VE SEEN THE VIDEO, YOU HEARD THE SPEECH, YOU'VE SEEN THE ATTITUDE, YOU'VE SEEN THE WORDS THAT WERE USED. THERE'S NOTHING TO MISCONSTRUE HERE. THIS WOMAN SAID THESE THINGS FOR SELF-PROMOTION, MOVING HERSELF FORWARD. YOU HAVE TO GO. WE DON'T NEED THIS IN THIS TOWN. WE DO NOT NEED THIS ON THIS COUNCIL. WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, GET THIS COUNCIL GARBAGE DONE, AND START BUILDING THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL LIVE IN. START BUILDING THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> JAMES CHESS 455 CORONADO DRIVE. I AM A GRADUATE OF BAKER, 1977. MY MOM'S 93-YEARS-OLD. STILL LIVING. >>JAMES CAN [INAUDIBLE]. >> MY MOM'S 93-YEARS-OLD, STILL LIVING? >> NO WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN HEAR. >> DON'T TELL ME WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN THIS TOWN IN 1977 IS A LIE. I KNOW EVERYONE THROUGH HAS DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT DO NOT TELL ME WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THIS TOWN IS A LIE. NOW, I AM BACK. WE'VE BEEN BACK HERE FIVE YEARS. >> SIX. >> SIX YEARS EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. BEGUN 40 YEARS. I'VE GONE ON PURPOSE BECAUSE OF WHAT I EXPERIENCED. BUT BEING BACK IN THESE LAST SIX YEARS, I SEE A CITY IN MOTION. I DO SEE IT. FROM MY EYES, FROM WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED, WHAT MY FAMILY HAVE EXPERIENCED. DON'T TELL ME WE DID NOT RECEIVE LETTERS IN THE MAIL FROM ORGANIZATIONS. THREATEN OUR HOUSE FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. DO NOT TELL ME THAT. IN A PUBLICATION DATED MARCH 10TH, 2024, ATTORNEYS BRANDON HALL AND BENJAMIN YONDER TITLED CITIZENSHIP CIVIL LIVITY, DEALING WITH DIFFICULT RESIDENTS, STAFF, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. STATED. THERE IS NOT A PUBLIC SERVANT EMPLOYEE OR TRUSTEE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A WAR STORY REGARDING AN UNRULY PUBLIC MEETING OR HEARING GONE WILD. PERHAPS IT WAS A QUIRKY PUBLIC COMMENT. MAYBE IT WAS A VIRAL COMMENT FROM A PUBLIC OFFICIAL. HOWEVER, WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE INSPIENCING ANGRY, [INAUDIBLE] DOWNRIGHT UGLY OUTBURSTS FROM THE PUBLIC, THEIR COLLEAGUES, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS. [NOISE] TO ME, THIS IS STRANGE. I'VE BEEN TO ALMOST EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THIS IS THE BIGGEST CROWD I'VE EVER SEEN. STAYED AT THAT. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT THIS AGENDA JUST HAPPENED TO POP-UP AND ALL THESE FOLKS ARE HERE. THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL TO ME. WAS THAT A SETUP RIGHT THERE? MS. STAN SAID, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS. DID ANY OF YOU ALL KNEW THIS WAS COMING? VERY UNUSUAL. BUT THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS. PUBLIC INPUT IS A CORE TENET TO THE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. [02:50:04] THERE ARE NUMEROUS TIMES MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN AND SHOULD INTERACT WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT. ADDITIONALLY, CITY MEETINGS ARE REQUIRED BY OHIO LAW TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. HOWEVER, JUST BECAUSE THE PUBLIC OR CONSTITUENTS DOES NOT MEAN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE DISRESPECTFUL AND TREAT OFFICIALS AND STAFF AS PUNCHING BAGS. HOWEVER, PUBLIC COMMENT POLICIES AVOID RULES REGULATING THE CONTENT OR VIEWPOINT OF THE COMMENTS. FOR THE MOST PART, FAIRBORN CITY POLICY AND SECTION 9 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CITIZENS COMMENTS OF RULES OF COUNCIL HANDBOOK ADDRESSES SUCH THINGS. HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT IT BE STRENGTHENED BY INCORPORATING THE FOLLOWING. ONE, SPEAKERS SLIPS MUST BE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY, INCLUDING NAME, ADDRESS, ORGANIZATION, REPRESENTED, AND ORDINANCE NUMBER OF THE ITEM TO BE ADDRESSED. IF THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE SPEAKING FOR OR AGAINST THE ITEM, THE SUBJECT, IF NO AGENDA, BE FILED BY THE CITY CLERK ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE PRIOR TO 2:00 PM ON THE DAY OF THE SPEAKER WISHES TO SPEAK BEFORE THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS TO SUBMIT THEIR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE CITY CLERK ON A FORM PROVIDED BY THE CLERK, ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE COUNCIL WEBSITE PRIOR TO 2:00 PM ON THE DAY OF THE MEETING, AND/OR CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS. THE COUNCIL WILL NOT ENTERTAIN INCOMPLETE SPEAKER SLIPS. TWO. I'M GOING TO GO OVER ABOUT FIVE SECONDS. >> YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. >> ABOUT 10 SECONDS [OVERLAPPING]. >> THAT'S ME. >> IS THAT YOUR TIMER? >> THAT'S ME. THAT'S MY TIMER AND HERS. >> JAMES, I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME. >> BUT YES, JUST ONE COMMENT. ALTHOUGH I LEFT FAIRBORN 40 YEARS AGO, I DO LIKE TO SEE THE DIRECTION IS GOING INTO. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. >> ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO, COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> DEXTER BAILEY, 1865 SUPERIOR AVENUE. COUNCILMAN, ALLEN, YOU WAS RIGHT. WORDS HURT. WORDS ARE IMPORTANT. FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, THE TRUTH HURTS, TOO. THE TRUTH IS IMPORTANT. YOU GO TO GOOGLE AND GOOGLE, SUNDOWN TOWNS IN OHIO. FAB POPS UP AS ONE. ONE OF THE LAST. I AM THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB, AND WE HAVE MANY OCTOGENARIANS IN THE CLUB. THESE ARE PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 80-YEARS-OLD, AND THEY ARE OF SOUND MIND AND BODY. THEY HAVE LIVED IN FAIRBORN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE, MANY OF THEM VETERANS, PRO VETERANS, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME, YEAH, DEX. I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS A TIME IN FAIRBORN WHEN FAIRBORN WAS NOT PEOPLE OF COLOR. WHEN I HEARD THOSE WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN AT THAT HBCU. I THOUGHT, OH, MAN. THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE FIRST AMENDMENT GIVES US THE RIGHT IN FREEDOM OF SPEECH, DOES IT NOT? IT ALSO GIVES THE RIGHT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL IF THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. IT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT FOR THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. IF YOU ARE SAYING, WE DON'T REALLY LIKE THAT. THAT YOU'RE RIGHT. MAYBE THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK IN THE BOOKS, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, NO ONE EVER EVEN TALKS ABOUT IT, BUT PEOPLE KNOW IT HAPPENED. NOW, WE KNOW. HEY, THERE'S SOME TRUTH THAT WE GOT TO DEAL WITH. THE TRUTH MAY HURT. YES. I'M THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LIONS CLUB. [02:55:01] MAYBE SHE CAME IN TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT HER DID. IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN LIONS CLUB, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE SECRET. WE GOT PURPOSE, PRIDE, AND PASSION FOR SERVING THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF FAIRBORN. I'M TALKING TO ALL OF Y'ALL, AND I'M TALKING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. I'VE SEEN COUNCILMAN CHESS GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I'VE SEEN HER CLEAN UP THE COMMUNITY. I'VE BEEN TO PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T CLEAN UP THEIR COMMUNITY. SHE'S CLEANING UP. I SAY, Y'ALL DO IT. IF SHE MISSPOKE, TONIGHT, I HEARD HER APOLOGIZE. AS A LION, I ACCEPT YOUR APOLOGY. I KNOW WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY THINGS. WE MAY NOT BE PROUD OF EVERYTHING WE SAY. BUT IN THE END, WE CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG, ESPECIALLY THIS CITY. EVEN THE ROMANS DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THEY DID ANYTHING WRONG. THAT'S WHY YOU HEAR ALL THE BATTLES THEY WON. THEY ONLY HAD A LITTLE FOOTNOTE FOR OUR GOOD BUDDY THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THE BIBLE. WHAT I JUST WANT TO COME HERE AND SAY IS THAT I'M GLAD WE NOW HAVE RECORD OF THIS. THIS IS A PART OF THE CITY THAT WE'RE NOT PROUD OF. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT PROUD OF IT. IF IT HAPPENED, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT PROUD OF IT. BUT WHEN I THINK OF BEING ONE OF THE LAST SUNDOWN TOWNS IN OHIO, I THINK OF HOW FAR WE'VE COME. LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE NOW. >> DEXTER, PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIKE. >> ABSOLUTELY. LOOK AT HOW FAR WE'VE COME NOW. I GIVE A HUG TO MY BROTHER, JIMMY BAKER. COME ON, MAN, I GIVE YOU A HUG, MAN. WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, EVERYBODY I SEE IS A FRIEND HERE IN THE GOOD CITY OF FAIRBORN. BUT I KNOW IT HURTS, AND IT'S THE TRUTH. WORDS HURT. WORDS HAVE POWER, AND THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH HURTS. WE GOT TO LOOK AT IT, WE GOT TO DEAL WITH IT, AND WE GOT TO SAY, OKAY, HOW CAN WE MOVE ON FORWARD, BEYOND IT, AND BUILD FROM IT? >> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD. WE WILL CLOSE CITIZENS' COMMENTS, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER COMMENTS. [ IX. City Manager Comments] >> GOOD EVENING, YOUR HONOR, COUNCIL. FIRST THINGS FIRST. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MILESTONE RECIPIENTS. WE HAVE TWO THIS MONTH, BRADECKER, OUR ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF WITH 30 YEARS, AND THEN KATHLEEN RIGGS, OUR CITY PLANNER FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. SO THANK YOU TO THEM FOR ALL THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. JUST A COUPLE OTHER NOTES. HOMETOWN HOLIDAY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING WILL BE HELD THIS FRIDAY. DECEMBER 5TH, BEGINNING AT 5:00 PM. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AT BATH TOWNSHIP FOR DONATING THE TREE FOR DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE THE LIGHTING WILL OCCUR SOMETIME BETWEEN 7:00 AND 8:00 P.M. AS I LOOK FOR OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR GIVES THE THUMBS UP, THE TREE WILL BE LIT BETWEEN 7:00 AND 8:00 P.M. THIS YEAR. SANTA WILL BE DOWNTOWN. FRIDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 5, DOWNTOWN AT MAIN AND CENTRAL. HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE OPENING OF THE NEW GENE FISHER JUSTICE CENTER LAST WEEK. FACILITY, I HOPE TO NEVER SPEND ANY TIME THERE. I THANK THEM FOR INVITING US, AND IT IS A WONDERFUL FULL FACILITY. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, THERE WILL BE A SWEARING-IN CEREMONY IN THIS ROOM AT 9:00 A.M. FOR SEVERAL NEW OFFICERS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND A SWEARING-IN CEREMONY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. PLEASE COME. THAT'S AT 9:00 AM IN THIS VERY CHAMBER. WE'LL BE PROMOTING A NEW ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF ALONG WITH A NEW FIRE MARSHAL, A NEW BATTALION CHIEF, AND TWO NEW LIEUTENANTS. IF YOU'RE ABLE AND CAN ATTEND, PLEASE DO SO. THEN, JUST OUR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S HOURS, THE CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24TH AND 25TH, FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. THEN AGAIN, ON WEDNESDAY THE 31ST, AND THURSDAY, JANUARY 1ST, FOR THE NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY. PUBLIC SAFETY WILL BE ON THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING, YOUR HONOR. [03:00:02] >> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE COUNCIL COMMENTS, [ X. Council Comments] AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN CHESS. >> CERTAINLY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND PROVIDING YOUR COMMENTS. BEFORE I GO ON, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE I WANT MY NOTES SET. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MOUSE OF RECIPIENTS, JONATHAN AND KATHLEEN. I WANT TO SAY ABOUT KATHLEEN. KATHLEEN IS A REALLY HARD WORK. I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM HER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ON COUNCIL, AS I'VE LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ON COUNCIL. BUT I WANT TO THANK HER BECAUSE I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF WHATEVER SHE ALWAYS ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS, AND I REALLY I APPRECIATE HER SO MUCH IN HER TEAM. ALSO, THIS IS NATIONAL AIDS AWARENESS MONTH. SOME OF ALL FAMILIES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY MEMBERS THAT HAVE AIDS OR ANY DISEASE. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I'M DEALING WITH BREAST CANCER MYSELF. WE'RE DEALING WITH ANY TYPE OF DISEASES OR DISEASES, AND CANCER IS CANCER. WE DEAL WITH IT ON A DAILY BASIS WITH MANY OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS. IT'S BEEN A TRYING TIME, BUT WE GET THROUGH WITH OUR FAMILIES. REMEMBER THOSE PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE AIDS OR ANY KIND OF DISEASE THAT COULD AFFECT THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL OF THAT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY COLD OUTSIDE. WHEN WE'RE COUGHING OR WHEN WE HAVE SICK OR WHATEVER, PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT. NOW, CONCERNING TONIGHT AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TONIGHT, AND OUT OF ANGER OR DISAPPOINTMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I'M GOING TO GO, AND I'M GOING TO REFLECT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE SPOKEN. I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE REVIEW THE TAPE THAT'S FROM TONIGHT AND LISTEN TO YOU AGAIN. WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON NEXT TIME AND GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS AND MY OPINIONS OF OUR INSURED SON, AS I ALWAYS I ALSO HAVE GIVEN THE LIONS CLUB A LETTER AS WELL. THEY HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED. I READ IT TONIGHT. I'M SORRY, SOME OF YOU CANNOT ACCEPT. WHAT I'VE SAID, BUT I UNDERSTAND. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WORDS DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES. THERE ARE LIKE CONSEQUENCES BEHIND THINGS THAT WE SAY, ESPECIALLY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS. TO SIDE NOTE THAT, I KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT MATTER, BUT I WAS SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF HBCU LUNGS AND STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT TAKES PLACE IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS WHENEVER YOU'VE BEEN THINGS ARE BROUGHT UP AGAINST YOU, THAT'S NOT NORMAL. THEREFORE, I WILL TAKE UP THAT TIME TO DO THAT. IF YOU COME BACK, I HOPE ALL OF YOU COME BACK IN DECEMBER SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR THAT. THAT BEING SAID, I WILL SEE YOU ALL IS DECEMBER. WE THE NEXT MEETING THAT WE HAVE THIS MONTH. I WILL SEE YOU ALL AT THE NEXT MEETING, AND YOU WILL HEAR THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS BECAUSE YOU'RE COMMENTS TO MATTER. THANK YOU. >> HERE. COUNCIL COLLINS. >> YES. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO SHOUT OUT PENNY AND THANK HER VERY MUCH FOR THE REFRESHMENTS THAT WE HAD THIS EVENING DURING OUR BRIEF INTERMISSION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK JUDGE CAPELLI AND THANKING HER FOR COMING DOWN AND TAKING TIME OUT OF HER BUSY SCHEDULE TO ADMINISTER OUR OATHS TONIGHT. REPRESENTATIVE LAMPTON, AS WELL, FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF HIS STATE REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES AND COMING DOWN AND RECOGNIZING ADAM. PUBLIC SERVICES IT'S TOUGH. IT'S TOUGH, FOLKS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS UP HERE AND SOMETIMES IT'S SIX TO ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE COUNCIL WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE AT HAND AND MAKE THAT DECISION AND HOPE THAT IT'S THE RIGHT ONE AND THAT IT'S THE DECISION THAT'S GOING TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN AND TRY NOT TO EXCLUDE A CLASS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SIT UP HERE AND MAKE THESE DECISIONS. BUT I GLADLY ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY, [03:05:04] AND I TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY, AND I THANK THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN FOR RE-ELECTING ME AND ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY. I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. I LIVE ON MAPLE AVENUE, AND I TELL YOU THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN VERY NOISY. LOTS OF SIRENS, LOTS OF EMERGENCIES GOING ON IN THIS CITY. PARTICULARLY, THE ONE THAT OCCURS A LOT THIS TIME OF YEAR, RESIDENTIAL FIRES. IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST. IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR THAT THE HEATING AND WHATNOT. IN THE STATE OF OHIO, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES CAUSED ABOUT 8.4 DEATHS PER THOUSAND FIRES AND 34 INJURIES, AND THAT WAS IN 19, EXCUSE ME, NOT IN 19 IN 2023. NATIONALLY, THE AVERAGE WAS ONLY 5.8 DEATHS AND 19.7 INJURIES PER 1,000 FIRES. YOU CAN SEE THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT WE LIVE IN. WE'RE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR HAVING FIRES. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THOSE FIRES USUALLY OCCUR IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA. THERE ARE 1,146 FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE REPORTING INTO THIS DATABASE ANNUALLY EVERY YEAR. SO FAR IN 2025, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE LOST FOUR FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY DOING THEIR JOB TO SAVE OUR LIVES AND 78 HOME FIRES FATALITIES. IN 2024, THERE WERE ONLY 92, SO WE'VE SEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS. WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THAT? I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I'D REALLY LIKE TO THINK IT'S PARTLY DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF CHIEF RYAN AND GETTING OUT INTO THE SCHOOLS. I KNOW ONE OF HIS MAIN TENETS WHEN HE TOOK OVER THE CHIEF DUTY WAS GETTING MORE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC LIGHT WITH EDUCATION AND IN THE SCHOOLS. I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT WAS IT. I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS NOTE. IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS LATELY, PLEASE CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS. IF YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED YOUR BATTERIES IN THEM, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR BATTERIES IN THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BECOME A STATISTIC ON THIS WEBSITE. THANK YOU. >> RONEY, YOU'RE THE ONLY REASON I CHANGED THE BATTERIES, AND I SMOKE, I NEED YOU. A LONG MEETING TONIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MILESTONE RECIPIENTS ON ANOTHER YEAR OF SERVICE WITH THE CITY. >> WELCOME TO BRIAN. IT WAS EXCITING WHEN RONNIE CAME BECAUSE HE HAD SERVED ON THE PLANNING BOARD, AND HE HAD SOME EXTRA INSIGHT WITH THAT. IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE. I KNOW YOU SERVED ON PLANNING BOARD AND MANY OTHER BOARDS, SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. >> THANK YOU. >> I GUESS ENOUGH HAS PROBABLY BEEN SAID ABOUT IT. I DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS TONIGHT. I GUESS I'LL JUST LEAVE IT. I GUESS I DO WANT TO SAY. I DID I THINK I SAID THAT I FELT BATE AND SWITCHED BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA, BUT I JUST DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE ACCURATE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED TONIGHT. IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY DIDN'T FOLLOW THE RIGHT PROCESS IN THIS MEETING. MARY FOLLOWED THE WHATEVER ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, WHATEVER APPROPRIATELY TO DO IT. I'M NOT CONTESTING THE PROCESS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. YOUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS, BRIAN. >> WELL, SINCE I'M IN ADAM'S SPOT, I'LL MAKE IT NICE AND SHORT. HOW'S THAT? [LAUGHTER] I FIRST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MILESTONES, THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF ECKER FOR 30 YEARS AND CITY PLANNER KATHLEEN RIGGS, FOR 10 YEARS. LIKE YOU SAID, I HAVE WORKED WITH KATHLEEN FOR QUITE A WHILE, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THOSE ARE SOME GREAT MILESTONES. AND ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ADAM FRITZY, WHO DID A GREAT JOB IN THIS POSITION. I AS I TOLD HIM, I'VE GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL. NEXT, I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN FOR THEIR TRUST AND GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON CITY COUNCIL. I TAKE THIS POSITION VERY SERIOUSLY AND I WILL ALWAYS BE TRUTHFUL AND WORK FOR THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN. AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE LOUDEST POSITIVE VOICE THERE IS. I ALSO WAS TRULY AMAZED AT HOW THE LOCAL CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES HELPED EACH OTHER DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN THE RECENT THANKSGIVING FOOD ACTIVITIES. IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS CITY. WITH THAT SAID, VOLUNTEERING FOR A CITY BOARD [03:10:01] IS ALSO A GREAT WAY FOR CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED. HAVING CITIZENS VOLUNTEERS IS A VITAL PART OF WHAT MAKES FAIRBORN WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. >> BEAUTIFUL. YOU THREW ME OFF BECAUSE ADAM WASN'T THAT LONG. [LAUGHTER] THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR CONCERNS. YOU COME UP AND YOU SHARE YOUR HEART. HONESTLY, IN THE WAKE OF ALL THIS, I THINK WE'VE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP IN HEALING. I TRULY BELIEVE IF WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS SAID TONIGHT, HOW IT WAS SAID, WHO SAID, WE'VE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP IN HEALING. WE DON'T GET THERE BY WALKING PAST EACH OTHER. WE GET THERE BY HAVING A REAL CONVERSATION, HAVING A DIALOGUE, HAVING A BACK AND FORTH, HEARING, SEEING EACH OTHER, TALKING, DISCUSSING. BUT I'M SO PROUD OF OF THE FOLKS WHO STAYED AND ENDURED. YOU ENDURED. WE STARTED AT SIX. IT'S NOW 10 O'CLOCK. >> 9:34. >> 9:34. SORRY. THAT CLOCK SAYS 10:30. THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO HURRY. >> BUT I TRULY THINK THAT I LOVE THIS CITY. I LOVE WHAT WE DO. I LOVE WHAT WE PRODUCE. I LOVE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. I LOVE HOW WE WIN. I LOVE HOW WE GO AT IT. BRIAN HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED HOW WE REACH OUT AND HELP ONE ANOTHER. BRIAN, WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL. ALL THE MEETINGS AREN'T LIKE THIS. SOMETIMES YOU'RE TALKING TO SEATS. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING TO CITIZENS. I TRULY THINK THAT AS WE WALK OUT HERE TONIGHT, AGAIN, WE'VE LITERALLY PULLED THE SCAB OFF. WE PULL THE BAND AID OFF. BUT AS WE WALK OUT HERE TONIGHT, REMEMBER THAT THIS IS THE SEASON. THIS IS THE SEASON FOR GIVEN. THIS IS THE SEASON FOR CHEER. THIS IS OUR HOLIDAY SEASON. THIS IS THE SEASON. THIS IS THE SEASON FOR MERRIMENT. THIS IS THE SEASON OF ADVENT, HOPE, PEACE, LOVE, JOY. THIS IS THE SEASON. I ASK THAT YOU EMBODY THAT. GIVE YOURSELF AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THIS. BUT TONIGHT AND MOVING FORWARD AFTER WE'VE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL. THAT'S WHAT MY MOM ALWAYS TOLD ME. SHE SAYS, CLINT, DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL. BECAUSE WHAT A PERSON SAYS OR DOES TRULY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME. IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT ON JANUARY 1 OF NEXT YEAR, WE'LL BE CELEBRATING HER 80TH BIRTHDAY. I SKIPPED THE MILESTONE RECIPIENTS. Y'ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THEM? THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. >> WELL, IT IS NOW 9:36, AND I'M PRETTY SURE ALL OF YOU WANT TO GO TO BED AS I DO. I'M NOT GOING TO BE LABOR IT. THANK YOU TO THE MILESTONE RECIPIENTS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND. MR. FRY, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE AND CLINT MENTIONED IT. WE'VE ALL SAID IT BEFORE. BUT THIS SEAT UP HERE IS IMPORTANT. WE RUN A BUSINESS, AND YOU CAN'T TAKE BUSINESS THINGS PERSONAL. IF YOU DO, IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LONG ROW TO HOE. IS BUSINESS. WE HAVE A BUSINESS TO RUN. WITH THAT, I WISH YOU ALL A VERY SHORT RIDE HOME AND A VERY PEACEFUL, RESTFUL NIGHT. [03:15:02] >> THANK YOU. MY USUAL LIST HERE, BEAR WITH ME. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO MARION RODNEY FOR YOUR REELECTION AND REAPPOINTMENT TO COUNCIL. BRIAN, WELCOME AS OUR NEWEST COUNCIL MEMBER. AGAIN, THANKS TO ADAM FOR HIS FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. AGAIN, MILESTONE RECIPIENTS, WE'VE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THOSE. WE MENTION THOSE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY SPECIAL THAT SOMEONE SPENDS THAT MUCH TIME WORKING FOR OUR CITY. IT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO RECOGNIZE THEM, AND WE APPRECIATE THEM. THIS LAST WEEK LAST WEDNESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, THE CITY HAD A THANKSGIVING EVENT HERE IN THE BUILDING, AND THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE THAT PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. NUMBER ONE, PENNY. MOST OF YOU KNOW PENNY IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKS IN THE OFFICE, AND REALLY IS THE PERSON WHO KEEPS MIKE OUT OF TROUBLE. IS THAT RIGHT? >> MS. JULIE. >> WELL, I'M COMING TO HER, TOO, BUT THE REASON I MENTIONED PENNY IS PENNY WAS BEHIND PUTTING THE THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION THAT WE HAD. BUT ONE PERSON WAS THE TURKEY KILLER. THAT WAS MIKE MCNAMEE, OUR CITY SOLICITOR. HE PROVIDED ALL THE TURKEYS. I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU. YOU FED WELL OVER 200 PEOPLE THAT DAY, AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW. WE APPRECIATE IT. >> NOW, I'LL COME BACK TO JULIE HERE. JULIE IS ANOTHER ONE WHO COORDINATES A LOT OF WHAT GOES ON AROUND HERE. SHE'S ONE THAT TRIES TO KEEP ME OUT OF TROUBLE, AND DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, DOESN'T JOY. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. MIKE HART MENTIONED THE JAIL TO HER LAST WEEK. THAT WAS A PROJECT THAT WENT WITH GENE FISHER'S GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION FOR MANY YEARS, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NAMED AFTER HIM. WHEN I WAS THE MAYOR BEFORE, GENE FISHER GAVE ME A TOUR OF THE OLD JAIL, AND I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS DISGUSTING. IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THIS COUNTY. I'M AMAZED THERE WEREN'T CIVIL RIGHTS PEOPLE PICKETING THE JAIL. IT WAS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE. THAT NEW FACILITY IS A WONDERFUL PLACE. NOW, GRANTED, JUST LIKE MIKE SAID, WE HOPE NONE OF US EVER SPEND ANY TIME THERE. BUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO TAKE A TOUR OF IT, PLEASE DO THAT. IT'S WHERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS WERE VERY WELL SPENT. IT'S A PLACE WHERE HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL GET SOME GUIDANCE AND DIRECTIONS TO TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND IF THEY END UP SPENDING TIME THERE. TREE LIGHTING HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED. NEXT WEEK ON DECEMBER THE 9TH, CHUCK STOUT, WHO'S NOT HERE THIS EVENING, SETS UP THESE BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR, AND WE'RE DOING ANOTHER ONE AT EIGHT O'CLOCK AT THE FAIRBORN SENIOR CENTER. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND JUST RAISE QUESTIONS, MAKE COMMENTS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.IT'S NOT TAPE RECORDED, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY CITIZENS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD. NOW, I WANT TO CAUTION YOU THE DAY BEFORE, I'M HAVING CATARACT SURGERY. I WILL BE THERE WITH AN EYE PATCH ON. I'M NOT A PIRATE, BUT I WILL BE THERE, MR. GEBART, YOU'RE PLANNING ON BEING THERE. PLEASE COME TO THAT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY. THIS LAST WEEK ON TUESDAY, ON NOVEMBER 25, WE'VE ALREADY MENTIONED CHARLIE DEER AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. BUT CHARLIE AND HIS WIFE, PAM, ALONG WITH CASSIE LESTER, WHO'S SITTING RIGHT OVER HERE, THE FOUR OF US HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAND OUT 100 HAMS IN THE DRIZZLING COLD RAIN. WE DID IT. CASSIE, I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU. CASSIE WAS IN CHARGE OF HAMS.I WAS JUST IN CHARGE OF HANDING LITTLE FLYERS OUT, TELLING PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. BUT IT ALL HAPPENED BECAUSE OF CHARLIE AND PAM DEER, WHO ARE SITTING RIGHT HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE WITH A HANDS FOR CHARLIE. [APPLAUSE] THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT THEY DO THIS OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF THEIR HEART AND THEIR LOVE FOR GOD. AND CHARLIE, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND PAM SPECIFICALLY. CASSIE AND I WERE JUST THE MECHANISM TO GET HIM OUT THERE, BUT WITHOUT YOU, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. PEOPLE BECAUSE OF YOU TWO, HAD A THANKSGIVING MEAL OF A HAM. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'LL FINISH UP REAL QUICK WITH IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. NO SURPRISE THERE. PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE AREN'T TAKING GOOD CARE OF [03:20:03] THEIR HEATER AND MAYBE THEIR HEAT ISN'T WORKING IN THEIR HOME. BE AWARE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS. AND IF YOU CAN HELP THEM, MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT SPENDING THE NIGHT IN A FREEZING COLD HOUSE. THE CITY IS USUALLY VERY GOOD IN ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN ABOUT PROVIDING PLACES TO GO AND GET WARM IF YOU NEED TO. PLEASE, AGAIN, AS THE WEATHER STARTS GETTING COLD BE CAREFUL. RODNEY BROUGHT UP SOME ISSUES ABOUT HOUSE FIRES. WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TRYING TO WARM THEIR HOUSE BY USING A BARBECUE INSIDE THE HOUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. PLEASE JUST WATCH OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. ALL OF US UP HERE TONIGHT HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF HELPING EACH OTHER AND WHAT THE CITY CAN MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE NOT A PERFECT COMMUNITY. WE NEVER WILL BE PERFECT. BUT MY WIFE AND I TRAVELED. WE'VE MOVED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES WITH THE MILITARY. I HAVE MOVED PERSONALLY IN MY LIFE OVER 20 TIMES TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. MY DAD WORKED FOR DEFENSE CONTRACTORS. WE LIVED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. MY WIFE AND I, SHE'S FROM THE EAST COAST. I'M PRIMARILY FROM THE WEST COAST. WE CHOSE TO RETIRE IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF ASSIGNMENTS WE HAD AT R PAT AND WHAT WE FOUND IN THIS COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT PERFECT. I NEVER WILL BE, BUT IT'S THE MOST DIVERSE, MOST WELCOMING COMMUNITY I'VE EVER LIVED IN. HAVE THE BEST PARK SYSTEM. I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE POTHOLES BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER WHOLE ISSUE, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT STREET DEPARTMENT. YOU LET THEM KNOW YOU GOT A POTHOLE. THEY'RE OUT THERE TO FIX IT. BUT THIS IS A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. LOOK FOR THE BEST IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND LET'S FOCUS ON THAT. WE ARE A CITY IN MOTION. WE'RE FIXING UP BROAD STREET. IS A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A LONG TIME. WHEN IT GETS DONE, IT'S GOING TO BE FANTASTIC. WE'VE GOT SOME NEW BUILDINGS, NEW BUSINESSES GOING IN. JUST LOOK BEHIND SHEETS, IF YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR A NEW BUILDING. WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER PROJECTS IN THE WORKS THAT YOU CAN HEAR ABOUT. COME TO OUR BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR TO HEAR MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS. BUT WE ARE A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY, AND FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE. FOCUS ON THE CITY IN MOTION THAT'S GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO. IF THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >> JULIE, PLEASE CALL TH1E ROLL. >> MS. BROWN? >> YES. >> YES. >> YES. >> YES. >> YES. >> YES. >> CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURN * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.