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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE FAIRBORN CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR JANUARY 20TH, 2026.
[I. Call to Order]
WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.MR. KIRKPATRICK? HERE. MR. ALLEN? HERE. MISS CHESS? HERE. MR. DODD? HERE. MR. MCCUBBINS? HERE. MISS REASTER? HERE. MISS STANTON? HERE. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. AS A REMINDER, PLEASE TURN OFF ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT MIGHT BE DISRUPTIVE DURING THE MEETING. AND I WANT TO READ A STATEMENT BEFORE WE START INTO OUR FORMAL PART OF THE MEETING.
BEFORE WE BEGIN TONIGHT'S MEETING, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO RECORD THESE PROCEEDINGS USING CELL PHONES OR OTHER RECORDING DEVICES. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND OPEN GOVERNMENT.
HOWEVER, TO ENSURE AN ORDERLY MEETING AND TO ALLOW US TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS EFFICIENTLY, WE ASK THAT ALL RECORDING BE DONE IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS.
SPECIFICALLY, PLEASE RECORD FROM YOUR SEAT IN THE DESIGNATED PUBLIC SEATING AREA.
PLEASE KEEP YOUR DEVICES SILENT AND AVOID MOVEMENT IN THE AISLES DURING THE MEETING.
PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF WHILE RECORDING DURING THE MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION, AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S MEETING.
OKAY, OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5TH,
[IV. Minutes – Consider approval of the minutes of the January 5, 2026, Council Work Session and the January 5, 2026, Regular Meeting.]
2026 COUNCIL WORK SESSION. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? OKAY. HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE.OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5TH, 2026 COUNCIL WORK SESSION ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN.
NEXT, WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5TH, 2026 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5TH REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN.
[V. Prescheduled]
WE HAVE JOE BRADEN FROM THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WILL BE PRESENT TO AWARD, AN AWARD OF DISTINCTION TO HILLARY BROWNING AND THE FAIRBORN FINANCE DEPARTMENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THAT.NOW, I KNOW WHY YOU WANT ME TO TURN. THIS ON? OKAY. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. COME ON. THERE WE GO.
YEAH. OKAY. READ IT FROM RIGHT HERE SO YOU CAN ADDRESS EVERYONE.
THE AUDITOR STATES OFFICE AUDITS APPROXIMATELY 6000 ENTITIES.
4200 OF THOSE ARE AUDITED ANNUALLY. IN. LESS THAN 4% ARE EVEN ELIGIBLE FOR THIS AWARD.
THE AUDITOR STATE AWARD WITH DISTINCTION IS PRESENTED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPON THE COMPLETION OF A FINANCIAL AUDIT, WHICH MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA OF A CLEAN AUDIT REPORT.
NOW, I'M GOING TO READ THROUGH THIS REAL QUICK. SO EVERYONE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS WHAT IT TOOK HILLARY AND HER GROUP TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND ALSO THE REST OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. FIRST, THE ENTITY MUST FILE THE FINANCIAL REPORT WITH THE AUDITOR OF STATE'S OFFICE BY THE STATUTORY DUE DATE, WITHOUT EXTENSION ON A GAAP ACCOUNTING BASIS, AND PREPARE AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.
SO IT'S PROBABLY THAT ONE. THE AUDIT REPORT MUST NOT CONTAIN ANY FINDINGS FOR RECOVERY, ANY
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MATERIAL CITATIONS, ANY MATERIAL WEAKNESSES OR SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES, ANY UNIFORM GUIDANCE FINDINGS OR ANY QUESTION COST, THE ENTITY'S MANAGEMENT LETTER.HAVE YOU STAND OVER HERE? STAND OVER HERE. THE FURTHER THE DISTANCE.
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE OTHER MICROPHONES. ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. THE ENTITY'S MANAGEMENT, LETTER MUST CONTAIN NO COMMENTS RELATED TO ANY ETHICS REFERRALS.
ANY QUESTION COSTS LESS THAN THE THRESHOLD PER UNIFORM GUIDANCE.
ANY LACK OF TIMELY, ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT SUBMISSIONS.
ANY BANK RECONCILIATION ISSUES. ANY FAILURES TO OBTAIN TIMELY, SINGLE AUDITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNIFORM GUIDANCE? ANY FINDINGS FOR RECOVERY? ANY PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PUBLIC RECORDS ISSUES.
AND THE ENTITY SHALL HAVE NO OTHER FINANCIAL OR ANY OTHER CONCERNS.
IT MUST BE ME. IT MUST BE MY VOICE. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? MAYBE IF I HOLD IT. IS THAT IT? THIS IS NEW THAT WE'RE TRYING THIS.
OH, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE PROBLEMS WE'RE HAVING WITH IT.
WE'LL GET IT FIXED. WELL, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY. BACK TO WHERE I WAS HERE. OH. I WAS NOTING THAT THIS REPRESENTS THE HARD WORK OF ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES HERE IN THE FINANCIAL STAFF WHO MAKE AN EFFORT EACH DAY TO ATTAIN ACCOUNTING EXCELLENCE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL OF THEM THAT HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB HERE, WATCHING OVER EVERY DOLLAR HERE AT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN.
BUT HILLARY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO STEP OVER HERE, I SPECIFICALLY WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HILLARY BROWNING, YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, FOR HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, HER PROFESSIONALISM, AND EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO FISCAL INTEGRITY.
ON BEHALF OF OHIO AUDITOR STATE, KEITH FABER, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN THE OHIO AUDITOR STATE AWARD WITH DISTINCTION. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] I'M GONNA SET THIS DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL THAT SIDE ONE, TWO. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
GOOD JOB. YEAH. YEAH. WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED.
AND JOE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
ABSOLUTELY, YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO OLD BUSINESS.
[VI. Old Business]
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS ORDINANCE 1-26. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE 1-26 FOR THE SECOND TIME BY TITLE ONLY? SO MOVED SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM AND INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH OHIO REVISED CODE SECTION 9.64.OKAY, BEFORE WE COME TO COUNCIL, QUESTIONS, THIS ORDINANCE REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WISHING TO. PARDON? MAKE HIS PRESENTATION.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU JUST. NO, I NEED TO MAKE MY PRESENTATION.
OH. I'M SORRY. MY APOLOGIES. SO, IF COUNCIL DOESN'T MIND, I'LL.
I'LL STAY IN THIS POSITION. VERY QUICK PRESENTATION TONIGHT, ORDINANCE 1-26, APPROVING THE CITY'S CYBERSECURITY PLAN AS REQUIRED BY OHIO REVISED CODE, CHAPTER 9.64. IT ADOPTS A CITYWIDE CYBERSECURITY PLAN.
IT ENSURES COMPLIANCE WITH CHAPTER 9.64, THE OHIO REVISED CODE.
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IT ESTABLISHES A DOCUMENTED PROGRAM TO SUPPORT INCIDENT RESPONSE PROCEDURES, REQUIRED TRAINING AND AWARENESS, AUDIT READINESS AND LONG TERM COMPLIANCE, AND SO KEY ELEMENTS OF THIS PROGRAM DEFINE, DEFINES ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, WHETHER THAT BE CITY COUNCIL, MYSELF, THE IT DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND STAFF.USES A RISK-BASED APPROACH ALIGNED WITH THE NIST CYBERSECURITY FRAMEWORK (CSF) 2.0.
THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BEST PRACTICES CHECKLIST COVERING SIX AREAS.
IT ESTABLISHES REQUIREMENTS FOR ANNUAL CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING.
SO WE DO CONTRACT WITH SOME OUTSIDE FIRMS FOR ASSISTANCE.
AND THOSE FOLKS WHO DO PROVIDE THAT TO US NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPLIANT.
ALSO, SHOULD THERE BE NEED TO IF THERE'S A CYBERSECURITY INCIDENT.
ESTABLISHES INCIDENT RESPONSE AND REQUIRED REPORTING PROCEDURES UNDER THAT SECTION OF THE REVISED CODE INCLUDES MANDATORY REPORTING TIME FRAMES TO THE OHIO CYBER INTEGRATION CENTER, OR CIC, AND THE OHIO AUDITOR OF STATE'S OFFICE.
IT PROVIDES RANSOMWARE GOVERNANCE, REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL PRIOR TO ANY RANSOMWARE PAYMENT.
AND AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT, JOHN PETTY, WHO RUNS OUR IT DEPARTMENT, DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF TRYING TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME AND USE BEST PRACTICES, AND IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE INTERNET.
AND SO KUDOS TO HIM FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS. AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY CYBERSECURITY PLAN, AS REQUIRED BY OHIO REVISED CODE, CHAPTER 9.64, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, YOUR HONOR. OKAY, MY APOLOGIES FOR JUMPING THE GUN ON THAT.
SO BEFORE WE COME TO COUNCIL FOR QUESTIONS, THIS THIS ORDINANCE DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK TO ORDINANCE 1-26, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
OKAY. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR QUESTIONS, STARTING WITH COUNCILMAN DODD. ALL RIGHT, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
I'M JUST GLAD THAT THE CITY IS BEING PROACTIVE IN THIS.
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF ISSUES GOING AROUND WITH CYBER SECURITY NATIONWIDE.
SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS BEING VERY PROACTIVE.
THANK YOU. MIKE. YEAH, I ECHO THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILMAN DODD.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS TIME. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THIS.
AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME PROCEDURES IN PLACE OR WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME PROCEDURES IN PLACE SO THAT WE'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND WE WON'T RENDER OURSELVES HELPLESS IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO ADD.
THANK YOU. I HAVE NOTHING, THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MIKE, BUT I WOULD ECHO WHAT MY PEERS HAVE SAID AND KNOW THAT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PART OF IT IS DESIGNED MOST OF IT IS DESIGNED TO KEEP OUR INFORMATION SAFE.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT AS WELL. THANKS, MIKE.
SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS LIKE CITIZEN MEETINGS ON THE WEEKEND PRIOR TO THESE EVENTS AND DISCUSSING THE AGENDA FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE AREN'T COMFORTABLE TO COME TO THE MEETING AND ASK IN THE PUBLIC FORUM.
SO I JUST HAVE ABOUT FOUR QUESTIONS HERE. ONE QUESTION WAS WHAT'S THE VETTING FOR THE FOLKS THAT GO IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT? AND IS THAT PART OF THIS PLAN? SO WHEN SOMEONE APPLIES TO WORK IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT, IT GOES THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, THE APPLICATIONS REVIEWED. WE GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.
INTERNALLY, AS FAR AS THE FOLKS WHEN THEY'RE SELECTED I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO JOHN PETTY, OUR IT DIRECTOR, FOR ANY CERTIFICATIONS, AUTHORIZATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT THEY HAVE.
BUT I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THAT. OKAY. MAYBE I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT OUTSIDE FOR THAT.
AND THEN THERE WAS A CURIOSITY ABOUT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT HAD HAPPENED PRIOR ABOUT DO WE DO WE BOND FOR OUR IT MANAGER OR DIRECTOR? AND WHAT ARE THE PROTECTIONS THERE IF LIKE, SOMETHING SHOULD GO WRONG WITH THE PERSON IN THAT ROLE AT SOME POINT,
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WOULD THEY? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BOND THE IT DIRECTOR.WE DO HAVE THROUGH OUR INSURANCE. WE DO HAVE CYBER, SOME CYBER SECURITY INSURANCE SHOULD IT SHOULD AN OCCURRENCE HAPPEN SPECIFIC TO THAT THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENTITY POOL OF OHIO. AND SO YES, WE DO HAVE SOME BUT IN DISCUSSIONS I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER IT DIRECTORS THAT ARE BONDED.
I WOULD ASSUME SO. DID SOMETHING NEFARIOUS. OKAY.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE I THINK I SAW ALREADY ON YOUR SLIDE, IT WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE TRAINING FOR STAFF ON CYBERSECURITY, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS ANNUAL TRAINING. WE WILL CONTINUALLY DO AND WE DO FROM TIME TO TIME DO TRAINING.
BUT WE WILL, I MEAN, IT'S JUST YOU COULD MAKE A MISTAKE AND CLICK ON THE WRONG EMAIL.
AND SO WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO EQUIP OUR, OUR STAFF WITH ADEQUATE TRAINING THAT IF THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE AN EMAIL THAT THEY JUST DON'T ARBITRARILY OPEN IT, IT CAN, WE CALL IT IN AND THEN THEY LOOK AT IT.
OKAY. NICE. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. BUT AS ALREADY MENTIONED BY COUNCIL, THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT IT'S THE NATURE OF THE WORLD WE NOW LIVE IN.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO WAIVE THE RULE REQUIRING THAT ORDINANCES BE READ ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS? AN ORDINANCE 1-26 BE READ FOR THE THIRD TIME BY TITLE ONLY? SO MOVED. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MISS REASTER? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. ORDINANCE 01-26, AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM AND INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH OHIO REVISED CODE SECTION 9.64.
THANK YOU. MIKE. OKAY, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 1-26.
SO MOVED. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MISS REASTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. ORDINANCE 1-26 IS DULY ADOPTED.
NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS. WE HAVE ORDINANCE 2-26.
[VII. New Business]
IS THERE A MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE 2-26 BY TITLE ONLY DECLARING AN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE.OPPOSED? ORDINANCE 2-26, MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO THE APPROPRIATIONS BUDGET OF THE CITY OF FAIRBORN, STATE OF OHIO, AND AUTHORIZING TRANSFERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
AND WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR. GOOD EVENING.
OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE ARE DISCUSSING.
OOPS, I'M SORRY. ORDINANCE 02-26. 02-26, I'M SO SORRY.
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2026 OPERATING AND CAPITAL AND TRUST BUDGETS.
TYPICALLY, AS ALL THINGS FINANCE ORC SECTION 5705.40.
THERE'S BASICALLY TWO BUDGETARY APPROACHES IN OHIO.
THE FIRST IS, IS THAT COMMUNITIES WOULD AUTHORIZE A TEMPORARY BUDGET AND THEN RATIFY A PERMANENT BUDGET IN MARCH, OR IT IS THE PROCESS THAT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN HAS WHERE WE RATIFY OUR PERMANENT OR OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN WE SUPPLEMENTAL AS WE GO ALONG. TYPICALLY, IF YOU CHOOSE THE FIRST APPROACH, YOU, THEY, THOSE COMMUNITIES MAY NOT SUPPLEMENTAL OR AMEND THEIR APPROPRIATION AT ALL ONCE IT GOES TO PERMANENT.
THAT'S SORT OF THE LAST CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT, WHEREAS OUR APPROACH IS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS FINE TUNING OUR BUDGET AS WE GO ALONG, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST TO MAKE FIXES TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IN JANUARY, WE KIND OF HAVE A COUPLE THEMES IN.
THE FIRST OF THE THEME IS THE COST OF THINGS THAT WE DID NOT KNOW WHEN WE MADE OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, AND WE'RE ASKING TO HAVE THAT ADDED ROUTINE CORRECTIONS WHERE WE FOUND THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EITHER TAKE BACK OR ADD BACK IN BECAUSE THEY WERE ERROR.
OR THE LAST IS, IS THAT WE HAVE JUST SOME NET NEW REQUESTS THAT CAME AFTER THE BUDGET WAS MADE.
SO THE GENERAL FUND IS HAS A REQUESTED INCREASE OF 45,940.
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A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE JANITORIAL CONTRACT THAT WAS BID IN THE LAST QUARTER OF THE YEAR AND CAME IN ABOVE WHAT OUR ESTIMATE WAS.SO 1,172 IS FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, RELATED TO THAT JANITORIAL CONTRACT.
12,376 WE'RE ASKING TO RE-APPROPRIATE A CONTRACT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED IN NOVEMBER OF 2025, BUT DID NOT PROCEED UNTIL THE NEW YEAR. BECAUSE OF THAT, IT DID NOT GET ENCUMBERED AND NOW NEEDS TO BE REAPPROPRIATED SO THAT IT CAN BE ENCUMBERED.
OUR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO UTILIZE SAVINGS THAT WAS FROM OUR ULTA FIBER CONTRACT.
AND THEN $85.00 FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FOR AN INCREASE IN NEW JANITORIAL CONTRACT.
I AM SORRY, THERE IS NOT 15,000 THERE. THAT IS JUST AN OVERSIGHT ON MY SIDE.
IN THE FIRE FUND, THERE'S $155 INCREASE, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE CONTRACT CAME IN AT AND WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY BUDGETED, AND 1,650 FOR JANITORIAL CONTRACT. AND AGAIN, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY BUDGETED AND WHAT THE BID END UP COMING IN AT. AND THIS ENTIRE PAGE IS FOR JANITORIAL CONTRACT.
AND SO THE REASON THERE'S THESE LITTLE ADJUSTS PER FUND IS BECAUSE THE FUND THAT HAS THAT BUILDING IS THE FUND THAT ENDS UP PAYING FOR THEIR PORTION OF THAT CONTRACT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO WE END UP HAVING TO SPLIT THIS JANITORIAL CONTRACT BY SQUARE FOOT AND THEN INTO EACH FUND.
AND SO YOU END UP RESULT. THE END RESULT IS THESE VERY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS.
YOU KNOW, WHERE BUDGET EXISTS THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO BE EXPENSED.
THE SAME IN THE POLICE AND FIRE CAPITAL FUND.
THERE WAS A BUDGET FOR A NEW MEDIC IN THE CIP.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENTERED IT ONE WAY. THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ENTERED IT THE OTHER.
THE RESULT IS THAT THE BUDGET WAS ENTERED TWICE.
WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE DEBT SERVICE COSTS, BUT WE DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WOULD BE UNTIL WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO BID AND SOUGHT THOSE BIDS. 74,000 IS THE COST. 74,092 IS THE COST FOR THE GENERAL FUND BONDS, AND 114,379 FOR WATER BOND RETIREMENT. WE ACTUALLY COVER THE COST OF THIS WITH THE REVENUE FROM THE SALES OF THE BONDS, SO THE REVENUE WILL BE COMING IN FEBRUARY WHEN WE ISSUE THE BONDS.
THESE COSTS WERE INCLUDED IN OUR DECEMBER LEGISLATION THAT AUTHORIZED THESE BONDS.
IN THE SEWER DEPRECIATION FUND, THEY HAD A 2025 CIP ITEM, THE SEWER MAIN LIFT PUMP REPLACEMENT PROJECT THAT REQUIRED A REBID AND CAUSED A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL DELAY BECAUSE WE HAD TO HOLD THE PROJECT, WAIT FOR IT TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR REBID.
REBID THE PROJECT. WAIT FOR 60 DAYS. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR A REAPPROPRIATION OF THIS PROJECT, IT'S 365,000. THE TRANSFER TO THE SEWER DEPRECIATION FUND HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE CASH IS THERE. THE PROJECT JUST NEEDS YOUR APPROVAL TO PROCEED.
IN THE WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT FUND. WE HAVE TWO LARGE GRANTS THAT WERE PRE FRONTED GRANTS, AND THAT WE RECEIVED THE CASH UP FRONT. AND THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT HAS TO VOTE TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS ON ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.
SO WE'RE REQUESTING A REAPPROPRIATION OF THOSE TWO GRANTS.
250,000 FOR THE AES GRANT AND 7, WHAT IS REMAINING ON THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION GRANT, $707,587.90. AND BECAUSE THEY ARE GRANTS, WE HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THEM PRETTY MUCH TO THE PENNY.
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AND THESE ARE THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING.AND WITH THAT, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 02-26.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
WE'LL START COUNCIL QUESTIONS WITH COUNCILWOMAN CHESS.
NO, HILLARY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR AGAIN, YOUR HARD WORK AND HOW DILIGENT YOU ARE IN PRESENTING THIS PIECE OF WORK TO US THE BUDGET. I CAN IMAGINE ALL THE WORK THAT TOOK PLACE AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD IT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, NEITHER HILLARY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE CITIZENS THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT COSTS YOU SEE, UP THERE AREN'T YOUR TAX DOLLARS, THAT'S GRANT MONEY. WE'RE JUST THE KEEPER OF THE CHECKBOOK FOR THAT.
CORRECT, THE CITY OF FAIRBORN IS THE FIDUCIARY AGENT.
WE CANNOT UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS FOR OURSELVES. AND THERE IS A SEPARATE GOVERNING BODY THAT AFTER YOU VOTE TO RE-APPROPRIATE THESE FUNDS TODAY, THEY STILL HAVE TO VOTE TO AUTHORIZE THE FUNDS.
AND THE HINKLE IS BASICALLY THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR A COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT LIKE THE CITY'S ACFR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FROM MY WEEKEND.
WITH THE CITIZENS. AND I COULDN'T ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, SO I BROUGHT THEM HERE.
NOW, THIS ONE'S GOING TO SOUND FUNNY, BUT MAYBE.
BUT AS FAR AS THE JANITORIAL, THE QUESTION CAME UP TO ME, AND I COULDN'T ANSWER IT ABOUT WHAT DO WE HIRE OUT FOR JANITOR, VERSUS WHAT KIND OF STUFF DO WE DO OURSELVES? LIKE, AS FAR AS, LIKE JUST EMPTYING RECYCLING BIN TYPE OF STUFF LIKE THAT WAS NOT REALLY RELATED TO.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR JANITORIAL SERVICE IN THIS BUILDING IS FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
I KNOW THAT IN SATELLITE LOCATIONS LIKE THE PARKS AND REC OFFICE, IT'S ONCE A WEEK.
SO IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER AND SOME OF THE FIRE STATIONS, IT DEPENDS ON THE BUILDING.
SO JUST TO JUST GENERALLY SUMMARIZE THEY DO EVENING CLEANING SERVICE WHEN THE CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICES, FIRE STATIONS, ETC. THOUGH THEY'RE 24-HOUR OPERATIONS.
IT'S DESIGNED TO HAVE CLEANING OCCUR, THAT IS NOT DURING OUR REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.
IT INVOLVES EVERYTHING FROM DUSTING, SANITIZING THERE'S VACUUMING TAKING OUT TRASH AND RECYCLING.
SO IN EVERY OFFICE THEY COME, THEY TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND RECYCLING EVERY EVENING.
AND THEY'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING OUT THE LARGER CYCLING BIN.
AND THOSE ARE KIND OF THE BASIC. THEY ALSO HAVE TO SANITIZE AND CLEAN EVERY RESTROOM.
AND THERE'S ALSO LITTLE KITCHENETTES IN MANY OF OUR LOCATIONS.
AND THOSE ALL HAVE TO GET CLEANED UP. AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THOSE DAILY SERVICES.
AND SOMEONE IN THE GROUP ASKED IS THAT JUST A POSTAGE METER, BUT NOW I SEE UP ON HERE.
YEAH, IT'S AN IMI COMPLIANT POSTAGE METER MACHINE AND IT WEIGHS ALL OF THE MAIL.
IT STAMPS THE MAIL IN, AND IT COMMUNICATES WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THAT SERVICE IN, IMI LIKE STAMPING AND WEIGHING ALL OF OUR MAIL INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE AND STAMP EVERY SINGLE PARCEL, IT DOES THAT FOR US, BUT IT HAS TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE.
AND THAT'S THE PIECE THAT'S THE IMI COMPLIANCE.
AND SO IT HAS TO DIGITALLY SEND INFORMATION TO THE POSTAL SERVICE THAT WE HAVE THIS MANY PARCELS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH WITH THIS WEIGHT AND THESE DESTINATIONS. AND IT COMMUNICATES IN THAT WAY.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BIDDING PROCESS.
IT'S JUST A REALLY KIND OF WEIRD THING. THERE'S TWO PITNEY BOWES, AND THEN, THIS [INAUDIBLE], WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE USING. THANK YOU. YEP. AND THEN THE I HAVE JUST A FEW MORE.
ONE WAS ABOUT IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE SHARED, IT WAS CALLED I THINK IT WAS CALLED PLACER IO.
YES. THAT ON HERE IT WAS CALLED AI. THAT'S THAT WAS ME CORRECTING MY OWN ERROR.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT IS. I WILL DEFER QUESTIONS THOUGH, TO MATT ABOUT THE SOFTWARE ITSELF, BUT THAT WAS ME CORRECTING AN ERROR THAT I MADE.
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SO IT LOOKED LIKE IT SAID IT WAS LIKE ANALYSIS SOFTWARE.YES. IT'S, IT IS DATA ANALYSIS. IT TRACKS MOSTLY FOOT TRAFFIC THROUGH DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE CAN UTILIZE IT TO SEE VISITORS COMING IN OR TRAFFIC PATTERNS OR CONCENTRATIONS OF USE MOVING THROUGHOUT THE CITY OR REALLY ANYWHERE WHERE WE SPECIFY WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO VEHICLES, VEHICLE TRAFFIC? OR NOT NECESSARILY VEHICLES.
IT WORKS THROUGH MOBILE DEVICES, SO USE LOCATION SERVICES THERE, AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR PROCESS OF TAKING THAT DATA AND KIND OF STRIPPING IT DOWN, SO THERE'S NO PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT'S BEING SHARED.
BUT THEN THEY CAN KIND OF WE CAN GIVE PARAMETERS TO SAY THIS AREA OR THIS TIME OF DAY OR THE STRETCH, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS STRETCH OF MONTHS OR WHATEVER.
AND THEY CAN GIVE US INFORMATION THAT WE CAN USE TO THEN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
I AGREE, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TWO MORE. WHAT'S WHAT IS A BMI AUDIT? IT IS A CHILD AND DEPENDENT AUDIT FOR OUR SELF-HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.
SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN INDIVIDUALS SIGN UP FOR HEALTH INSURANCE WITH THE CITY.
THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO BE INSURED.
AND THEN WE TAKE THAT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND THEN THEY BECOME INSURED.
EVERY SO OFTEN WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AUDIT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED UNDER THE CITY'S INSURANCE, I.E. LIKE THEY, THE INDIVIDUALS HAVE CUSTODY OF THEM, THEY REALLY ARE THEIR CHILDREN OR THEY REALLY ARE A SPOUSE, OR THAT AGE OF THE CHILD IS, YOU KNOW, IF I SAY MY DAUGHTER IS TEN, THE AUDIT IS GOING TO COLLECT INFORMATION TO VERIFY THAT MY DAUGHTER IS TEN, THAT SHE IS MY DAUGHTER, AND THAT I HAVE CUSTODY OF HER AND THAT SHE'S ENTITLED TO THE CITY'S INSURANCE.
THE REASON THAT WE DO THAT IS, IS BECAUSE THERE IS FRAUD IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE SPACE, AND WE ARE IN A SELF HEALTH INSURANCE POOL, THE JEFFERSON HEALTH PLAN POOL. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLYING WITH THOSE REGULATIONS.
THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. THE LAST QUESTION WAS JUST THE ONE ABOUT THE COG.
THE QUESTION WAS, WERE THOSE GRANTS RELATED TO LIKE, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT OR IS THAT SOMETHING SEPARATE LIKE THAT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, THAT'S LIKE BATH TOWNSHIP THAT.
IS NOT THE UL. SO THAT IS NOT THE ENHANCED USE LEASE.
AND TO ADD ON, I DO BELIEVE IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR WE WILL START TO MOVE TOWARDS RIGHT STATE BEING THE FIDUCIARY AGENT, THEY VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE OVER THAT FOR US. AND SO THE COG WILL BE VOTING ON THAT.
BUT THIS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE UL THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL.
SO YEAH, THESE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE UL.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS FOR ANSWERING ALL THE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. OKAY, COME BACK TO COUNCILMAN DODD.
EXCUSE ME, SORRY. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND EVERYTHING, BUT NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR STAFF. OF COURSE.
HILLARY, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT.
THE, THAT TO ME SPEAKS OF A SECTION, A DEPARTMENT THAT DOES EVERYTHING RIGHT. WE'VE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST NINE, TEN YEARS.
AND IN THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT, PROBABLY THE MOST REGULATED DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND COMPLIANCE YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING RIGHT.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THE DILIGENCE THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM PUT IN THAT.
AND THEN THIS IS EVIDENCE OF THAT AGAIN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU. MOST OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
I DID HAVE ONE ON THE IMI, THE POSTAGE METERING.
IS THERE A COST SAVINGS BY DOING IT OURSELVES VERSUS TAKING IT TO THE POST OFFICE? WELL, WE HAVE. IS AN EFFICIENCY THING. IT'S AN EFFICIENCY THING.
[00:35:01]
WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE VOLUME, IT WOULD NOT HELP US AT ALL IF WE WERE TAKING, YOU KNOW, TONS OF MAIL.IT GOES THROUGH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE PROCESS, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE POST OFFICE FROM THERE.
SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO STAMP ALL OF OUR MAIL, RIGHT? LIKE WE STILL HAVE TO BUY POSTAGE, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS MACHINE DOES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE'RE NOT BUYING THE MACHINE. WE'RE ACTUALLY LEASING THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY LIMITED, USEFUL LIFE. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO BUY A MACHINE.
WE WOULD BE IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN NOW WHERE IT SUDDENLY DIES.
AND WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ONE AND WE HAVE TO HAVE AN IMMINENT REPLACEMENT.
SO LIKE OUR FLOCK CAMERAS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER KIND OF LOWER USEFUL LIFE PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY WE'VE OPTED TO RENT HERE AND THIS HAS BEEN VETTED BY THE IT DIRECTOR, JOHN PETTY, AS WELL.
PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
DAN, CAN I. SURE, GO AHEAD. DO YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'RE USING THE MACHINE AND USING THE IMA, ARE WE GETTING THE BULK RATE? YES, I BELIEVE WE'RE GETTING THE BULK RATE. IT'S DISCOUNTED.
SO IT'S CHEAPER FOR US TO DO THIS VERSUS TAKING IT TO THE POST OFFICE.
GOT IT. THANK YOU. IS THAT CORRECT? GET BACK TO YOU.
YOU'RE GIVING US A LOOK AT YOUR. MAYBE, BECAUSE THERE IS AN INCREASED COST IN THE NEW MACHINE, I'M NOT SURE. TRULY, I'M NOT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO INCREASE THE COST FOR ACTUALLY RENTING THE NEW MACHINE, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE BULK RATE THAT WE HAD WITH OUR OLD MACHINE, WHICH WE'D OWNED.
SO I DON'T THINK SO. IT'S PROBABLY NET NEW COST JUST BECAUSE OF US HAVING TO HAVE THE MACHINE, BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES WE WOULD LOSE BY, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY HAVING TO TAKE ALL OF OUR MAIL AND HAND STAMP EVERYTHING.
WE JUST, I JUST CAN'T SEE THAT BEING OPERATIONALLY EFFICIENT AT ALL.
A LOT OF TIME WOULD BE SPENT BY STAFF DOING THAT.
YEAH. I MEAN, IN MY DEPARTMENT ALONE, I MEAN, JUST THINK OF HOW MANY CHECKS THAT WE HAVE TO REMIT, THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE. OKAY, WELL, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT CLINT SAID ABOUT THE AWARD.
MR. BRADEN FROM THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE COMMENTED THAT VERY FEW CITIES GET THAT AWARD.
VERY FEW CITIES, EVEN FEWER GET IT CONSISTENTLY.
SO KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU. WELL DONE. MAY I SAY ONE THING ON THIS TOPIC? MATT WALBAUM, WHO WAS ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR THROUGH JULY, HE REALLY HELPED TO ME TO COMPLETE THIS ACFR, IT WAS REALLY A GROUP PROJECT. AND MATT AND ABANDONED NOW.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK HIM FOR THE WORK THAT HE PUT IN.
WE ARE WELL SERVED BY JANELLE ROGULSKI, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT MATT, ME AND A FEW KEY MEMBERS OF STAFF, JENNY ABLIN, AND KATIE ESTES AND PENNY PRESTON AND GLENN SMITH WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO COMPLETE THIS ACFR AND COMPILE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS NEEDED ON A VERY SHORT TIMELINE. SO JUST WANTED TO RELAY THAT THE STAFF INVOLVED AND HOW MUCH WORK IT TOOK.
SO MOVED. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES, MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS REASTER? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. ORDINANCE 2-26 IS DULY ADOPTED.
NEXT WE WILL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 3-26. IS THERE A MOTION TO READ RESOLUTION 3-26 BY TITLE ONLY? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? RESOLUTION 3-26, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE WAIVER OF DELINQUENT AND CURRENT REAL PROPERTY TAXES FOR CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES TO FACILITATE REDEVELOPMENT. INTRODUCE JALEN WHITE, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST.
MAYBE. SO FOR SOME CONTEXT, FOLLOWING TWO UNSUCCESSFUL SHERIFF'S SALES, THESE PROPERTIES WERE FORFEITED TO THE CITY TO PREVENT NEIGHBORHOOD BLIGHT AND VARIOUS UNKEMPT PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE MAJORITY OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED WITHIN WRIGHTVIEW AND NATIONAL HOMES.
DELINQUENT TAXES CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO IMPAIR MARKETABILITY FOR THESE LOTS AS THEY APPEAR UNATTRACTIVE TO DEVELOPERS, AND AS A RESULT, THESE PROPERTIES WILL LIKELY REMAIN VACANT UNLESS DELINQUENT TAXES ARE WAIVED.
[00:40:01]
I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS VERY LONG LIST, BUT HERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE DELINQUENT TAXES AND THE AMOUNTS OWED FOR EACH PROPERTY.IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SOME OF THE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN IN THE CITY'S POSSESSION FOR OVER A DECADE. THIS MEANS THE CITY HAS TAKEN ON MOWING, LANDSCAPING, AND MAINTENANCE FOR THESE PROPERTIES OVER MANY YEARS, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT COST FOR US.
I THINK ONE PROPERTY ALONE HAD LIKE $30,000 WORTH OF MOWING FOR OVER TEN YEARS.
OVER $494,000 IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO DEMOLITION AND SITE STABILIZATION COSTS FOR ALL THE PROPERTIES.
THE GOAL FOR THESE PROPERTIES IS TO PROMOTE INVESTMENT TO THE INFILL HOUSING PROCESS. THIS IS WHERE THE CITY SEEKS OUT PROPOSALS FROM PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO CONSTRUCT SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ON THESE PROPERTIES. THE INFILL PROCESS ALSO ENSURES THAT THESE CONSTRUCTIONS WILL BE UP TO BUILDING DESIGN STANDARDS BASED ON OUR NEW ZONING CODE.
THERE WILL BE, THIS IS THE SECOND ROUND OF RFPS, WE DID OUR FIRST ONE LAST YEAR. THIS ONE WILL PROBABLY INCLUDE ABOUT 5 TO 7 NEW HOMES ADDED PER YEAR. THIS WILL ALLOW ACTIVATION FOR THESE SITES TO GENERATE NOT ONLY PROPERTY TAXES, BUT POTENTIAL INCOME TAX FOR NEW RESIDENTS COMING TO FAIRBORN. STAFF RECOMMENDS THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 3-26, WAIVING DELINQUENT TAXES, PENALTIES AND CURRENT TAXES OWED FOR THESE PROPERTIES.
IF UNDEVELOPED, THESE LOTS WILL REMAIN VACANT, UNTAXABLE AND WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE ONGOING PUBLIC COSTS WITH NO BENEFIT TO THE CITY OR THE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE'LL START COUNCIL QUESTIONS WITH COUNCILMAN DODD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, VERY WELL.
ONE QUESTION. I HAVE THE RFP THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEND OUT FOR 5 TO 7 HOMES.
IS IT A BULK? SO SOMEBODY HAS TO BUY ALL SEVEN.
NO, NO, YOU CAN DO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES. THEY CAN DO INDIVIDUALLY. RIGHT.
YES. OKAY. YEAH I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS, BUT I HAD TO ASK.
YEAH. OF COURSE. OKAY. OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE.
I APPRECIATE US MOVING FORWARD AND TRYING TO GET THE CLEAN US UP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU JALEN, I AGREE.
SO THANK YOU, JALEN. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
JUST, I'M JUST GLAD FOR THE CONTINUATION OF IT.
THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS JALEN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION, IS FOR MIKE, PROBABLY. I MEAN, IT'S MAYBE IT'S FOR YOU.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT. SO, SORRY. HOW MANY TOTAL PROPERTIES IS IT, LIKE 20.
IT'S ABOUT 20, YES. SO, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO, WHAT DO YOU GUYS SEE AS THE.
LIKE THEY'RE ALL INTENDED TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS RIGHT, EVERYTHING ON THERE EVENTUALLY.
WE WOULD RATHER OWN THEM THAN THEM GOING TO THE STATE AND THEN POTENTIALLY BEING LOST.
BUT WE WANT TO ACTIVATE THOSE PROPERTIES AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW QUICKLY THE BUILDERS CAN BUILD THESE.
SOMETIMES THE WE'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST WHERE THEY'VE BEEN VERY RAPID.
I'M SURE THAT IF WE HAD PROPERTIES THAT WERE CLOSE IN PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER, THAT WOULD OCCUR.
AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR SURE, BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW QUICKLY THE BUILDERS CAN MARSHAL THEIR THEIR CRAFTSMEN AND GET THE LOANS THEY NEED TO AND DO THOSE THINGS. SO ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY AS WE TAKE OUT THESE BITE SIZED CHUNKS, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A COUPLE OF THEM EVERY YEAR.
OKAY, SO FOR LIKE ABOUT FIVE A YEAR YOU'RE THINKING, OR A 5 TO 7 A YEAR.
IT COULD BE LIKE IT COULD BE. I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT, DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY THIS GOES, MAYBE WE DO ANOTHER ROUND THIS YEAR. JUST DEPENDS ON HOW THE ECONOMY IS.
ADDING ON TO THAT, SORRY, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF PROPERTIES, LIKE I SAID, THE MAJORITY IN RIGHT FIELD NATIONAL HOMES, AND THERE ARE A FEW KIND OF PARCELED OUT LIKE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO I THINK WHAT OUR MAIN GOAL IS, IS TO DO ONE NEIGHBORHOOD AT A TIME. SO MAYBE START AT RIGHT VIEW AND THEN FOCUS ON NATIONAL HOMES AND THEN KIND OF DO LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF PROCESS. KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING.
YEAH. YEAH. BASED ON THE MONTGOMERY DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH. OH, GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE ANSWERS.
YEAH. THAT'S ALL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. JALEN AGAIN, THANKS.
THIS IS A LOT OF WORK LOOKING AT THESE AND FIGURING OUT.
AND IT'S GOOD TO FINALLY GET THEM KIND OF OFF THE BOOKS, SO TO SPEAK.
[00:45:04]
YEAH, FOR SURE. SO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON ALL THIS.THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 3-26? SO MOVED. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
MISS REASTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. RESOLUTION 3-26 IS DULY ADOPTED.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPOINTMENTS TO REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO REVIEW THAT LIST? SO MOVED.
SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MISS CHESS? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS REASTER? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. OKAY, RODNEY, YOU'RE GOING TO REVIEW THAT LIST AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THAT.
YEAH. THIS IS FOR THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND FOR THE REGIONAL PLANNING AND COORDINATING COMMISSION OF GREENE COUNTY, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RPCC OUR DELEGATE NOMINATED IS TANA STANTON AND OUR ALTERNATE IS SYLVIA CHESS.
THE FAIRBORN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS DAN KIRKPATRICK, BRIAN DODD AND MARY REASTER.
AND OUR TAX REVIEW, TAX INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TIRC, IS COUNCILMAN CLINT ALLEN.
JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MISS REASTER? YES.
MISS CHESS? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MR. DODD? YES.
MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. NEXT WE HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO CITY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO REVIEW THAT LIST? SO MOVED.
SECOND. OKAY. AND MARY IS GOING TO REVIEW THAT LIST.
FIRST WE HAVE THE BOARD OF ADJUDICATION, NATHAN BUBASH A THREE-YEAR TERM.
BOARD OF TAX APPEALS, HEATHER BRAGG, THREE-YEAR TERM.
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, MICHAEL COX FIVE-YEAR TERM.
MAYOR'S BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE WE HAVE MARILYN PARSONS, ISABELLA BARDOT, EMILY MCLAUGHLIN, MIKE REED. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD WE HAVE DARRYL LESTER, NATHAN BUBASH, MARILYN PARSONS, ALLISON GALFORD. CHRISTOPHER, I'M GOING TO BUTCHER YOUR LAST NAME, SZUL.
PERSONNEL ADVISORY BOARD WE HAVE JANA MIXON, ISABELLA BARDOT, AND HEATHER BRAGG.
OKAY, WE'VE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND TO REVIEW THAT BOARD.
JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MISS REASTER? YES.
MISS STANTON? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. OKAY. THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE CITY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ARE ALSO APPROVED.
AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THOSE A LOT OF THOSE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES STILL HAVE OPENINGS.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE LET THE CITY STAFF KNOW.
WE WOULD LOVE TO ADD MORE PEOPLE TO SOME OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND BOARDS.
OKAY, NEXT WE WILL OPEN CITIZENS COMMENTS. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
[VIII. Citizens Comments]
PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES.MARILYN MCCAULAY, 23, EXCUSE ME, 2309 MALLORY COURT.
IT WAS FUN ONCE AGAIN. THIS WAS OUR THIRD YEAR AND WE SERVED ABOUT 150 KIDS.
THIS YEAR WE WERE DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK THE MOVEMENT OF THE ONE DATE PROBABLY HINDERED THAT, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY SUCCESSFUL. I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK MATT ARNOVITZ FOR LETTING US USE HIS STORE THERE ON SOUTH CENTRAL.
SEVERAL VERY NICE DONATIONS THAT HELPS US KEEP TOYS ON THE SHELF.
MY ADVISORY ELF BOARD, WHO I COULDN'T HAVE DONE WITHOUT IT, AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED AT DIFFERENT TIMES SET UP, TAKE DOWN WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO DO. AND YES, WE BROKE A RECORD WHEN WE HAD TO GET OUR ITEMS MOVED BACK TO STORAGE.
IN 50 MINUTES, WE HAD IT LOADED UP, DELIVERED, UNLOADED DOORS SHUT IN 50 MINUTES BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO HELP. AND THAT'S HELPS US GET THE JOB DONE.
SO THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY DID BIG OR SMALL OR WHATEVER.
IT WAS ALL FOR THE KIDS. THANKS. THANK YOU, MARILYN.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL? PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
[00:50:16]
JUST A MINUTE. JOANNE COLLINS, 173 ERIE.ON JUNE THE 10TH, I WENT TO THE CEMETERY TO PAY MY 16-MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND.
THEN AT THE MEETING, I WENT ON TO THE MUSEUM, AND AT THE MEETING, A LOT OF US WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW LONG AND WHAT ALL WE'VE DONE, WHICH I THANKED EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE SO MUCH HARD WORK.
THERE WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP THAT I HAD APPARENTLY OFFENDED THE MUSEUM, AND THERE WAS A LETTER GOING AROUND SAYING THAT IT WAS DISRESPECTFUL. I'M HERE TO CORRECT THIS, IT WAS NOT DISRESPECTFUL.
WE HAD A VOTE ON WHO WE SHOULD VOTE FOR OUR POINTS.
WE WERE ALLOWED FIVE POINTS. SOMEBODY TOLD ME THAT YOU COULD AT LEAST ONE POINT.
I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY OF THEM BECAUSE I WANT US TO GET IT.
I SAID, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY DO. BECAUSE I SAID THAT.
THEN I GOT THIS LETTER TELLING ME I WAS DISRESPECTFUL AND I WAS BANNED FROM THE MUSEUM.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND I WENT TO MY MEETING. IT WAS THERE.
MR. CONRAD CAME OUT. HE SAID I OWE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO HIM.
AND IF I DIDN'T, I WAS TO LEAVE. I SAID THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING.
LET'S TALK IT OVER. WE'RE ADULTS. HE SAID, GET OUT OF MY WAY OR I WILL RUN OVER YOU.
BUT I WON'T SAY THE WORD HE USED. I WENT BACK TO MY CHAIR.
I STOOD AND THE COMMITTEE THERE AT THE TABLE.
HE CAME OUT. HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, POINTING HIS ARM AND HIS HAND.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR DEAD HUSBAND. IT WAS LIKE A KNIFE TO MY HEART.
PAIN UNBEARABLE. I GOT MY STUFF AND WALKED OUT OF THE MEETING.
TERRY AND SHARON FOLLOWED. THE NEXT MEETING WAS AGAIN HELD BACK AT THE MUSEUM.
THEY THROWED ME BACK IN THE FIRE. TERRY AND PAUL AND JOY WENT IN WITH ME AGAIN.
I WAS TOLD BY MY COCHAIR, YOU NEED TO GO IN THE BACK AND TALK TO MR. CONRAD. I SAID, THERE'S NO WAY. AFTER HE THREATENED TO RUN OVER ME WITH HIS, WALKER, CALLED ME A B AND THEN SAID, NO ONE CARES ABOUT MY DEAD HUSBAND. I WASN'T GOING BACK.
MY COCHAIR SAID YOU WERE VERY DISRESPECTFUL. EVEN PAUL AND JOY AGREED.
JOY SPOKE UP AND SAID, I HEARD WHAT SHE SAID.
IT WASN'T DISRESPECTFUL AND TO STOP TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN HER MOUTH OF UNTRUTH.
NEXT THING I KNOW, HE COMES OUT OF THE ROOM. I'M CALLING THE COPS.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ARRESTED. THREE COPS ARE TAXPAYER COPS CAME WITH THEIR CARS AND THEY SAID, IS THERE A PROBLEM? SO MY COCHAIR AND THE CONRAD WENT TO THE FRONT OF THE STORE AND TALKED.
EVERYTHING IS ON DOCUMENTED WITH THE POLICE REPORT.
I AM NOT MAKING UP ANYTHING. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE MEAN TO ANYBODY.
I AM A CHRISTIAN. I'M TRYING TO SET MY REPUTATION STRAIGHT.
THAT ONE, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. TWO, I DIDN'T DISRESPECT ANY VETERANS OR ANYBODY'S PLACE.
AND THREE, I WASN'T TAKEN TO JAIL. SO BY THAT I LEFT AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, I WILL NOT BE MADE A RUN OF THIS. I SAID BEFORE I LEFT, I SAID AND MADE A STATEMENT TO THE COMMITTEE AND TO MARK, YOU CAN THREATEN TO RUN OVER ME. YOU CAN CALL ME A B AND SAY NO ONE CARES ABOUT MY DEAD HUSBAND, YET YOU TRY TO GET ME JAILED OVER THE REMARK I HONESTLY SAID I WILL GIVE ONE POINT TO THIS COMMITTEE OF THE MUSEUM, BUT HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO. THIS IS A SHAME THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THAT PEOPLE ARE EAVESDROPPING AND SENDING YOU NASTY LETTERS AND SAYING THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
MY REPUTATION IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE POLICE FOR BEING SO NICE.
AND I AM NOT ALLOWED AT THE MUSEUM.
I HAVE A TIMER HERE. HI, I AM KAREN JEFFERS TRACY.
578 LOHNES. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
I WORK EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, SO THIS IS LIKELY THE ONLY TIME YOU'LL EVER SEE ME.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR CITY, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, FOR HANDLING ALL THE BORING DETAILS THAT I COULD NEVER EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO. I'M SO GLAD THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I WANT TO THANK TANA AND CLINT FOR HELPING SUPPORT THE BEAUTIFUL MARTIN LUTHER KING EVENT YESTERDAY, AND MAYOR KIRKPATRICK AND AND ALSO MR. MCCUBBINS, FOR ANSWERING ME BY A LETTER FROM A COMMENT THAT I MADE THAT WAS REALLY GOOD,
[00:55:09]
REALLY RESPONSIVE. I'M A LIBRARIAN AND A CLIMATE SCIENCE EDUCATOR, AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ABOUT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.NOW, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT OUR WONDERFUL FIRST RESPONDERS ARE PREPARED TO MOUNT AN EFFECTIVE DISASTER RESPONSE TO ANYTHING, WHETHER THAT IS TO A NATURAL DISASTER OR AN EXTREME WEATHER EVENT, AS HAPPENED IN ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, OR FACING AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT OR SPILL, AS HAPPENED IN EAST PALESTINE.
PALESTINE, OHIO. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE OUR CITIZENS ARE WELL PREPARED.
ASHEVILLE WAS HIT BY A HURRICANE 300 MILES FROM THE COAST.
AND I WANT TO PUT FORTH A VISION FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT, MULL ABOUT, CONSIDER IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THE BEST WAY TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE AND TO RECOVER FROM DISASTER IS TO WORK TOGETHER WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO HAVE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS NETWORK AND COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE TOGETHER, IDEALLY WITH SOME LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION FROM THE CITY.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT PREPPING ALONE IN YOUR BASEMENT OR MAKING A BUNKER.
IT IS DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE BACKUP RESILIENT SYSTEMS FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, HAVE WATER CATCHMENT. WATER PURIFICATION. ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT WORK WHEN THE ROADS ARE TORN UP.
AND FOOD SECURITY. SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WERE FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN ASHEVILLE.
SO STRENGTHENING OUR CITY, STREET BY STREET, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY WEATHER DISASTERS OURSELVES, WEATHER DOES GET THROUGH DISASTERS OURSELVES, BUT WE CAN BOUNCE BACK FROM THEM AND OUR CITY CAN BE IN A STRONGER POSITION TO HELP SURROUNDING AREAS AFTER THESE EVENTS. SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS FOR LEADERSHIP, WHICH MAKES THIS A PRIORITY.
THE COST TO THE CITY COULD ACTUALLY BE MINIMAL OR NOTHING, BECAUSE MANY OF OUR CITIZENS ARE ALREADY READY TO VOLUNTEER AND THEY ALREADY HAVE RESOURCES STORED AWAY NOT IN USE, WHICH COULD BE VITAL IN AN EMERGENCY.
THOSE OPEN LOTS WERE REALLY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE IDEALLY FOR FOOD SECURITY IN THE COMING, YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR FOOD COMES 2000 MILES TO OUR SHELVES.
WE NEED MORE. OHIO IS IN A POSITION, REALLY. IT'S A GREAT POSITION IN THE WHOLE NATION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR OUR PEOPLE IN FOOD, IN WATER, AND SOIL. THOSE ARE OUR TREASURES HERE IN OHIO.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE SOME OF THOSE EMPTY LOTS SHOULD BE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
I KNOW WE HAVE COMMUNITY GARDENS, BUT IT'S VERY HARD TO GET FAR.
IT SHOULD BE IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IDEALLY FOR FOOD SECURITY, UNDER THE CHANGED CONDITIONS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN, WE WOULD HAVE A LOT IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS.
SO ONE MINUTE. OKAY. ASHEVILLE FOUND THAT LOW TECH THINGS LIKE WALKIE TALKIES, HAM RADIOS, DIRT BIKES, DIRT BIKES WERE REALLY HELPFUL. BICYCLE TRAILERS AND PEDICABS AND SOLAR CHARGERS.
AND JUST KNOWING WHO WAS HERE AND WHO IS MISSING, WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON YOUR STREET, WHO HASN'T CHECKED IN, WHO HASN'T BEEN CHECKED ON. KNOWING WHERE THE COOL BASEMENTS ARE IN A HEAT DOME EVENT, KNOWING WHO'S WILLING TO SHARE THOSE.
SO, AND REMEMBER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE CELL PHONES, AFTER THAT DISASTER.
SO THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION.
AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GOT FROM OUTSIDE HELPED TRANSPORT SUPPLIES AND THEY AND PEOPLE TO MEDICAL HELP AND SAVED LIVES. SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO CLIMATE LITERACY CLASS AT THE FAIRBORN LIBRARY.
FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 6:30. THANK YOU.
OKAY, ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL? PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
JAMES BAKER, 427 GRANT STREET. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JAMES BAKER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF FAIRBORN.
[01:00:02]
I'M HERE BECAUSE OF SERIOUS ISSUE, REMAINS UNRESOLVED AND CONTINUES TO BE REFRAMED INSTEAD OF ADDRESSED.THIS IS NOT A RACIAL ISSUE. IT'S NOT A POLITICAL DISAGREEMENT.
IT'S ABOUT A FALSE AND DAMAGING PUBLIC ACCUSATION MADE BY A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHILE SPEAKING IN DALLAS, TEXAS. COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA CHESS PUBLICLY ASSOCIATED ME WITH THE PROUD BOYS AND RACISM.
THAT STATEMENT WAS FALSE, RECKLESS, AND HARMLESS TO MY REPUTATION IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I LIVE.
AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE DISCUSSION WAS SHIFTED TOWARDS DISCRIMINATION IN GENERAL.
I AGREE THAT MANY PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION.
HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE FALSELY LABELING SOMEONE AS A RACIST OR AN EXTREMIST.
WHAT I'M ASKING INSTEAD IS FOR COUNCILWOMAN CHESS AND THIS COUNCIL TO PUT THEMSELVES IN MY POSITION, BEING PUBLICLY ACCUSED, FALSELY LABELED, AND HAVING YOUR CHARACTER QUESTIONED BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
COUNCILMAN CLINT ALLEN STATED THAT WE NEED TO MOVE ON, MOVE FORWARD.
I AGREE, BUT THERE'S NO MOVING ON AND MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL COUNCILWOMAN CHESS TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER ACTIONS, CORRECTS THE RECORD, AND OFFERS A CLEAR PUBLIC APOLOGY. IF SHE IS UNWILLING TO TAKE THAT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN IT IS, IN MY VIEW AND OTHERS THAT SHE SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER RESIGNING.
LEADERSHIP REQUIRES INTEGRITY, AND WHEN TRUST IS BROKEN AND RESPONSIBILITY IS REFUSED, STEPPING ASIDE BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHOICE. THIS IS NOT RETALIATION. THIS IS ACCOUNTABILITY.
FAIRBORN DESERVES LEADERSHIP WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR WORDS, NOT LEADERS WHO DIVIDE AND DIVIDE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH UNFOUNDED ACCUSATIONS. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE HILLARY ON HER AWARD, BUT SHE LEFT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK JULIE FOR ALL SHE DOES. ALSO FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL? PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
[IX. City Manager Comments]
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I KNOW THAT COUNCILWOMAN STANTON BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION ABOUT CHARTER REVIEW DURING OUR WORK SESSION.SO FIRST, I WANT TO NOTE THAT OUR LAW DIRECTOR, MIKE MCNAMEE, IS SICK THIS EVENING.
I WISH HIM WELL. BUT I WANTED TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING FORWARD AN ORDINANCE FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION AT THE FEBRUARY 2ND, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT IS ANTICIPATED THIS WILL BE PRESENTED AS AN ORDINANCE OF SUBMISSION CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARTER REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED PUBLIC NOTICE FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
THE PURPOSE OF THAT ORDINANCE WOULD BE TO PLACE ON THE MAY 5TH, 2026 OHIO PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT, A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN CHARTER CONCERNING THE CHARTER'S RECALL LANGUAGE IN LIGHT OF THE OHIO SUPREME COURT'S JULY 17TH, 2025 DECISION IN THE CITY OF MAUMEE VERSUS LUCAS COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
HISTORICALLY, THE CITY HAS RELIED ON THE SEPTEMBER 1989 OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION ISSUED TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN REGARDING THE VOTER APPROVED 1988 CHARTER AMENDMENT, AND WE BELIEVE THAT GUIDANCE WAS SUFFICIENT. HOWEVER, THE OHIO SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IN MAUMEE VERSUS LUCAS COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS EXPRESSLY IDENTIFIED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION AS INCORRECT.
AS COUNCIL KNOWS, ANY CHARTER AMENDMENT MUST BE APPROVED BY THE ELECTORATE AND THIS WOULD APPROVE, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE PROPER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VOTERS OF FAIRBORN TO CONSIDER AND DECIDE THIS ISSUE.
BECAUSE OF THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION WAS ISSUED ON JULY 17TH, 2025, AND BALLOT ISSUES FOR THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 GENERAL ELECTION WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE SUBMITTED BY AUGUST 6TH, 2025.
THE CITY DID NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT TIME TO FULLY REVIEW THE DECISION, EVALUATE ITS IMPACT, AND PREPARE AN APPROPRIATE CHARTER AMENDMENT IN TIME TO MEET THAT DEADLINE. SO NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WE WILL BRING FORWARD AN ORDINANCE PROPOSING TO PLACE ON THE MAY PRIMARY BALLOT, WHICH IS, I BELIEVE, AS I LOOK AT MY NOTES, MAY 5TH. SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BY FEBRUARY 4TH, WHICH IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT REQUEST FROM STAFF TO PLACE THAT ON THE MAY 5TH, 2026 PRIMARY BALLOT. THE OTHER QUESTION THAT'S ARISEN IS ABOUT THE MCNAMEE LAW FIRMS FEES.
AND SO THE $661,000 PER YEAR THAT COVERS STAFFING THAT WE DO, NOT ONLY FOR OUR LEGAL FEES,
[01:05:05]
BUT ALSO THE FAIRBORN MUNICIPAL COURTS. WE ACTUALLY, THROUGH THE $661,000 A YEAR, PROVIDES FOR A LAW DIRECTOR, AN ASSISTANT LAW DIRECTOR, WHEN NEEDED, TWO FULL TIME PROSECUTORS AT THE COURTS AND TWO FULL TIME PARALEGALS.SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
TYLER IS A SUCCESS CASE, WE'VE CREATED THE RECRUIT PROGRAM FOR FIREFIGHTERS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO TYLER. CONGRATULATIONS TO HILLARY AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS A MONUMENTAL TASK THAT THEY DO. AND I CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR WHAT THEY DO.
SUNDAY, I WAS WITH MARILYN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AT 3:00, WHERE MARILYN AND HER GROUP, WHICH WAS MADE UP, OR IS MADE UP OF FAIRBORN LITTLE LEAGUE AND WEEHAWKEN REPRESENTATIVES UNVEILED THEIR NEW PARK MASTER PLAN FOR ERNIE FIELD.
IT IS INCREDIBLE. AND IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WORK TOWARDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK, FOR BOTH LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND FOR OUR SKYHAWK FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
BUT, MARILYN, YOU AND YOUR GROUP HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
THE PLAN IS BEAUTIFUL. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT MOVING FORWARD.
THAT WAS SUNDAY, AND WE'LL PUT SOMETHING ON OUR WEBSITE THAT DIRECTS FOLKS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
SO IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE AND HELP, THEY CAN DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. THE RENOVATIONS TO THE FIRE ADMIN WING OF THE BUILDING ARE COMPLETE, AND THE FURNITURE AND OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE BEING STORED DOWN THERE ARE BEING MOVED OUT.
SO OUR NEXT WORK SESSION ON FEBRUARY 2ND WILL RETURN TO ITS NORMAL PLACE, THE FIRE TRAINING ROOM.
AND THEN AGAIN CITY COUNCIL'S ANNUAL RETREAT WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH AT THE FAIRBORN DOUBLETREE BY HILTON, WHICH IS THE FORMER HOLIDAY INN I 675 FAIRBORN.
WE'LL BEGIN AT 8:30 AND WE WILL CONCLUDE NO LATER THAN 4:30.
[X. Council Comments]
WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO COUNCIL COMMENTS, STARTING WITH COUNCILWOMAN CHESS.THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK HILLARY FOR THE HARD WORK THAT SHE'S DONE.
I THINK WE'VE ALL DONE THAT ALREADY, BUT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT TAKES PLACE IN IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS OF THE CITY, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK AND A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK WITHIN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
AND OUR I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN DOES A WONDERFUL JOB IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
ALSO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME TONIGHT.
I'D LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE SAME THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
NOT JUST A DISASTER, BUT KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO SOMETHING DO HAPPEN? WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT. SO YEAH, GREAT JOB IN PRESENTING THAT.
CONGRATULATIONS. MISS MARILYN FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR KIDS AND EVERYTHING.
I'M GLAD EVERYTHING WENT WELL FOR YOU. AND HOW FAST YOU GUYS WORK AND THE HELP THAT YOU HAD TO GET TO YOUR GOAL AND MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED FOR OUR CHILDREN. I THINK I WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR NEW FIREFIGHTER, AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS HE'S GOING TO BE ACTUALLY GIVEN TO THE CITY OF FAIRBORN.
I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
BUT I WANT TO ALSO GIVE KUDOS TO TANA AND HER TEAM FOR A WONDERFUL MARTIN LUTHER KING PROGRAM.
THE FOOD WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY STAY THE ENTIRE TIME, BUT I DID WATCH SOME OF IT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY VIDEOING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FOOTAGE.
[01:10:06]
SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD CELEBRATING ONE OF OUR AMERICAN HEROES, WHICH IS DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR.AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MUCH MORE COMING FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND HE ALSO YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR CHALLENGES, BUT HE KEPT GOING FORWARD INTO HIS DEATH.
AND SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
THANKS EVERYBODY ELSE FOR THE COMMENTS AND HOPE WE CAN GET GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. YEAH, I'M GOING TO TRY AND FLY THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICK.
SO YES, CONGRATULATIONS TO FISCAL FOR ALL THEY DO, ESPECIALLY EVERYONE IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. I WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON THE FLU.
I TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, AND I'M SURE I'M RIDICULED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR IT, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AS A HEALTHCARE WORKER, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T DO IT.
IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO WASH YOUR HANDS, GET IMMUNIZED IF YOU FEEL INCLINED TO DO SO.
DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO PROTECT YOURSELF. BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WORK IN A HOSPITAL. I HAVE TWO IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW.
IT'S REALLY BAD OUT THERE WITH THE FLU. SO DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO PROTECT YOURSELVES, PLEASE.
KAREN. YES, I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR PRESENTATION THERE.
WE TALK ABOUT THESE, AS A MILITARY MEMBER. WE DID, PLANNING, PREPARING AND TRAINING WAS WHAT WE DID, FOR THAT ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WHICH SOME MADE. AND MANY OF US WERE FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE TO MAKE THAT.
BUT IT'S WE HAVE THESE PLANS. WE HAVE A DISASTER PLAN.
THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE IS IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE PLAN. WE SIT ON A SHELF AND WE LET IT COLLECT DUST.
IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT. IT NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP EVERY YEAR IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
IT NEEDS TO BE REFINED. IT NEEDS TO BE TRAINED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T DO A LOT OF REAL WORLD TRAINING LIKE WE DID IN THE MILITARY.
SO WE WILL TAKE THOSE TO THE CHIEF AND SEE IF HE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THAT.
I WILL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE LEGAL FEES, BECAUSE WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT NAUSEAM BEFORE, AND IT APPEARS TO BE A LOT OF MONEY. BUT WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN AND LOOK AT IT, IT REALLY ISN'T.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. WHEN THE FAIRBORN CITY COURT WAS ESTABLISHED, FAIRBORN WAS THE BIGGEST CITY AT THE TIME, AND THEREFORE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT GOT THE SEAT TO HOUSE THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
THAT IS NOT THE CASE ANY LONGER, BEAVERCREEK HAS SURPASSED US.
WE'RE AT ABOUT 35,000. BEAVERCREEK IS AT 45,000.
THAT COURT SUPPORTS FAIRBORN BEAVER CREEK, BATH TOWNSHIP, BEAVER CREEK TOWNSHIP, AND WRIGHT STATE.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO OTHER CITIES, AND THE ONE EXAMPLE THAT I HAD WAS AT 1.2 MILLION, AND THAT'S LIMA, OHIO. THEY'RE THE SAME SIZE OF US AT 1.2 MILLION, AND THEY'RE ONLY SUPPORTING 35.
WE'RE DOING IT FOR 656 AT OVER 80,000. AND WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST COURT.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING A BARGAIN, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AS I SAID, I WAS BUSY WITH FAMILY THAT WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.
BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, A FRIEND OF MINE CHALLENGED ME EVERY MLK DAY TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
AND THIS YEAR, I DID LEARN SOMETHING NEW. AND I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH.
AND NOT TO BE NEFARIOUS ABOUT MY RESEARCH, BUT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT ROSA PARKS AND LEARNED THAT MRS. PARKS WASN'T THE FIRST PERSON TO REFUSE TO GIVE UP HER SEAT ON A BUS.
[01:15:01]
NO HARM, NO FOUL. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE FIRST TWO MEMBERS TO DO THAT, MISS CLAUDETTE COLVIN, WHO WAS ARRESTED IN 1955 AT THE AGE OF 15 FOR REFUSING TO GIVE UP HER BUS, PASSED AWAY IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO AND SHE WAS 86 YEARS OLD.SO THAT WAS THE LESSON THAT I LEARNED DOING MY LITTLE RESEARCH THIS WEEKEND.
SO I WANT TO SEND OUT MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO THE COLVIN FAMILY.
AND I'LL END IT ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN STATON. OKAY. SO, LIKE EVERYBODY SAID, CONGRATULATIONS TO HILLARY AND STAFF FOR ANOTHER YEAR OF KEEPING US FISCALLY SAFE. THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME AND SPOKE.
JOANNE, THAT WAS A SAD STORY. I WAS I WAS SORRY TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.
KAREN, THANKS FOR, THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT REALLY PASSIONATE AND EDUCATED ABOUT THAT TOPIC.
AND JIMMY, I JUST DON'T, I DON'T COMMENT ON WHAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT POTENTIALLY YOU'VE MENTIONED A LAWSUIT, SO I FEEL LIKE I SHOULDN'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR COMMENTS WERE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO. OKAY. AND THANK YOU, MIKE, FOR GIVING THE UPDATE ON THE INFORMATION TO CLARIFICATION ON THE, AND THE TIMING AND EVERYTHING FOR THE FOR WHAT WOULD WHAT CHANGES WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE FOR A RECALL ELECTION FOR PEOPLE. AND THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, RODNEY, FOR EXPLAINING THAT SO WELL ABOUT THE CITY FEES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, LIKE, SOMETIMES THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS YOU COME ON A COUNCIL AND LIKE YOU WOULD NEVER, YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN. AND THAT'S LIKE OR OR YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU HAVE ONE OPINION ABOUT SOMETHING AND THEN YOU COME ON AND YOU LOOK AT IT AND THAT LIKE FOR ME AND IT WAS A HARD DECISION.
WE HAD TO DECIDE WHILE I WAS ON COUNCIL WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE ANOTHER JUDGE.
AND IT WAS A HARD DECISION. SHE WAS OVER, SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY OVERLOADED, YOU KNOW, I MEAN.
AND SO WE HAD I MEAN, I FELT LIKE I HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THINGS WERE LAID OUT IN THE PAST WHEN WE WERE THE BIGGEST CITY, WE TAKE ON THE LOAD FOR ALL THOSE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
BUT I DON'T LIKE THAT IT WORKS THAT WAY. I WISH IT DIDN'T WORK THAT WAY.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DODD. THANK YOU.
A FEW THINGS HERE. FIRST OF ALL, THE, I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE HILLARY AND HER STAFF, AND THAT'S AN AMAZING, AMAZING THING. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW FIREFIGHTER.
THAT'S IT. AND I WAS FORTUNATE, I WENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON TO LISTEN TO THE FAIRBORN SPORTS PARK UPGRADE WITH MARILYN. AMAZING JOB. AND WITH THE MAYOR AND MARY.
AND WE I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE A DRAWING CARD FOR THE CITY OF FAIRBORN. IS THAT SPORTS PARK. IT IS GOING TO BE.
I HAVE BEING, MY ENGINEERING BACKGROUND, I HAVE WORKED ON OTHER SPORTS PARKS AND STUFF, AND THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BRING IN PEOPLE, AND THAT IS. AND KNOWING MARILYN, THEY GOT THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE IN CHARGE OF IT.
THE NEXT THING WE ARE GOING THROUGH EXTREME, A COLD WEATHER RIGHT NOW.
SO WITH YOUR DISASTER PLAN. YEAH. WE NEED TO CHECK ON OUR NEIGHBORS, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S OKAY.
I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE I HAVE A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS LIVE IN MY SUBDIVISION.
SO WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, AND WE TRY TO.
BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS AND CHECK ON YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, THIS WEATHER IS NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
IT'S, IT IS COLD. AND BEING A BOY FROM CALIFORNIA, THIS IS REALLY COLD.
[01:20:05]
AND YOUR DISASTER THING, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH IT, BECAUSE BEING ONE THAT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CALIFORNIA WE LEARNED IT IN SCHOOL BECAUSE OF ALL THE EARTHQUAKES. AND WE, IT WAS A, THEY WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF TEACHING ALL THE STUDENTS WHAT TO DO IF AND IT WAS IT'S VERY NEEDED.I KEEP IN MY HOUSE STILL A VERY LARGE SUITCASE FULL OF EMERGENCY FOOD AND WATER AND BLANKETS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF. SO, YEAH, IT'S, YOU LEARN THAT, AND I LEARNED IT ALSO, LIKE RODNEY SAID IN THE MILITARY, SO YEAH. OKAY, THE CITY SOLICITOR, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING RODNEY SAID. RODNEY SAID IT PERFECT. ACTUALLY I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT MIKE HAS DONE.
HE ANSWERS OUR QUESTIONS WHEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS TO HIM, AND HE IS VERY FORT WORTH WITH THE ANSWERS. I MEAN, HE'S GOT A VERY TOUGH JOB. HE'S GOT A BIG STAFF, BUT HE'S, I THINK HE'S DOING THE CITY A GREAT PRIVILEGE OF WORKING HERE. WITH THAT, THE RECALL THING.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THE CITY IS GOING TO TAKE THAT ON AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE I BELIEVE ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS LIKE OR WE'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG, THEN YEAH, ANY ONE OF US SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE RECALLED AT ANY ONE TIME. NOBODY'S PERFECT. SO WE DO MAKE MISTAKES.
HOPEFULLY NOT TO THAT EXTENT. BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND I'M GLAD THE CITY IS FINALLY ADDRESSING IT.
AND I GUESS THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE GREAT FOR. I'M GLAD TO SEE THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER FOLKS ONLINE. I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT TONIGHT.
MARILYN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING UP. WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE LITTLE TIGHT SHOP.
YOU KNOW, DOING SOMETHING FOR THE KIDS. IT'S JUST REMARKABLE THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE THAT COME OUT THERE EACH AND EVERY YEAR FOR LITTLE TYKE SHOP. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART IN DOING THAT.
AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART AND IN THINKING ABOUT THE KIDS WITH, THE SPORTSPLEX PARK.
I, YOU KNOW, BEING SOMEONE WHO LED THE FAIRBORN GIRLS SOFTBALL LEAGUE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I UNDERSTAND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS TO COME TOGETHER AND PLAY WITH OTHER KIDS AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING AS A TEAM. SO NOTHING BUT GOODNESS CAN COME OUT OF THAT.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MLK DAY EVENT WE HAD ON, YESTERDAY.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A SIX YEAR THAT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER.
EVERY YEAR IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE IT MORE FOUNDATIONAL NEXT YEAR BY GETTING SOME SPONSORSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND INCORPORATING BRINGING BACK THE BRINGING BACK THE SCHOOL, THE ART AND THE AND THE ESSAY CONTEST AND MAYBE EVEN A VIDEO CONTEST WITH THE KIDS THAT WAS ALWAYS PHENOMENAL TO SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS WERE ABOUT DOCTOR KING AND WHAT HE STOOD FOR. IN REGARDS TO THAT I DID EXPRESS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE BELOVED COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT FAIRBORN TRULY IS. IT'S A
[01:25:05]
BELOVED COMMUNITY. I STRUGGLE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT JOANNE SHARED ABOUT HOW SHE WAS TREATED.KINDNESS COUNTS. DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT A PERSON MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT.
YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STRUGGLE IS IN ANYBODY'S LIFE.
AND IT'S JUST TOUGH. IT TRULY IS. JOANNE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HEART.
BUT A BELOVED COMMUNITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE RESPECTED AND CARED FOR AND TREATED AS EQUALS, THAT'S WHAT DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING EMBODIED.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEMOCRACY. HE PUSHED IT. HE PUSHED EQUALITY.
WE DON'T BECOME. WE DON'T LIVE OUT THE CONSTITUTION.
WE DON'T LIVE OUT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT HIM PUSHING THAT, WILL WE FULLY EMBRACE LIBERTY, TRUTH, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL? WE DON'T DO THAT WITHOUT HIM PUSHING THAT AND HIM DYING FOR IT.
MATTER OF FACT, HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE FOR IT.
HE KNEW THAT. IT'S UNFORTUNATE. BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE'VE GOT A DAY WHERE WE CAN CELEBRATE IT AND REMEMBER. IT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT.
I TRULY BELIEVE FAIRBORN IS A BELOVED COMMUNITY.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T HAVE CONFLICTS. DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T HAVE DISAGREEMENTS.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T HAVE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, BUT KINDNESS COUNTS.
AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT.
IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, AS ALREADY EXPRESSED. PLEASE STAY WARM.
PLEASE STAY SAFE. AND BE CAREFUL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORTER THAN CLINT'S. I TOO ATTENDED THE MASTER PLAN.
YESTERDAY. NO, SUNDAY. ALL MY DAYS RUN TOGETHER.
IT IS, NO KIDDING AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN, BUT IT IS GORGEOUS AND LONG OVERDUE.
IT'S JUST A PLAN. IT'S GOING TO EVOLVE. IT'S GOING TO TAKE FLIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND I BELIEVE IN OUR COMMUNITY PULLING TOGETHER, MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WE DID IT WITH OUR SCHOOLS, AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT WITH THIS PARK.
SO I AM SUPER EXCITED. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE EVOLUTION OF THIS.
SO THANK YOU, MARILYN, FOR HEADING THAT UP. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU CAN'T TELL MARILYN NO, SO GOOD LUCK IF YOU DO. TODAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SHAKING HANDS WITH TYLER AS HE AFTER HE TOOK HIS SWEARING IN OATH. VERY ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG MAN. I DID MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS AWARE THAT WE ARE FAR GREATER COMMUNITY THAN COVINGTON, OHIO. SO, SUPER ENTHUSIASTIC, HE'S VERY EXCITED TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN.
MOST DESERVING OF THIS AWARD, AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR STEWARDSHIP.
SO I'M SUPER THANKFUL FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT I'VE HAD SO FAR THIS YEAR AND WHAT COMES AHEAD IN 2026, SO THANK YOU. OKAY, I GOT A FEW THINGS TO GO OVER.
I WANT TO START OFF WITH THE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY EVENTS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ON LAST FRIDAY TO ATTEND AN EVENT PUT ON BY CLARK STATE OVER IN SPRINGFIELD.
WONDERFUL EVENT ATTENDED BY A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE.
FANTASTIC SPEAKER, BUT IT WAS THE START OF RECOGNIZING WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS ALL ABOUT.
AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE EVENT ON MONDAY YESTERDAY AT THE MAIN HOUSE EVENT CENTER.
[01:30:02]
SOME GREAT SPEAKERS. IT WAS NICE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER FOR THAT.AND THEN LAST NIGHT I WAS AT A SCOUTING AMERICA, WHICH IS THE NEW NAME FOR BOY SCOUTS EVENT AT FOR ONE OF THE LOCAL, THIS IS A BOY SCOUT TROOP. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IN SCOUTING AMERICA, THERE ARE BOY SCOUT TROOPS AND GIRL SCOUT OR GIRL TROOPS, NOT SCOUT, BUT GIRL TROOPS. AND AT THIS EVENT LAST NIGHT, THEY DID SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE WHERE THEY SET THE BOY SCOUTS INTO SEPARATE GROUPS AND GAVE THEM DIFFERENT TASKS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR HAD DONE.
THE TABLE I WAS WITH, WITH A GROUP OF SCOUTS, THEY HAD A VARIETY OF QUOTES THAT DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD MADE IN SOME OF HIS SPEECHES. AND IN THOSE QUOTES, THE SCOUTS WERE ASKED, HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO THEM AND THEIR SCOUTING LIFE, AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE COMMENTS. AND THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM FROM AGE 11 TO ABOUT 17.
ABOUT DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. JUST A VARIETY OF THINGS USING HIS QUOTES.
SO IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO SEE HOW WHAT A GREAT PERSON THE IMPACT THEY HAVE HAD.
AND THAT BRINGS ME ON TO THE NEXT COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOCTOR KING WAS NOTED FOR WAS HOW HE TREATED PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IN THE MEDIA TODAY, WE DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF THAT.
WE SEE PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF THINGS VERY DISRESPECTFULLY.
YOU GET RESPECT WHEN YOU GIVE RESPECT, AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
SO AGAIN, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING EVENTS WERE GREAT. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE HILLARY AND THE ENTIRE FINANCE TEAM AS WE MENTIONED ALREADY, THAT STATE AUDITOR THAT CAME HERE TONIGHT POINTED OUT THAT THAT AWARD IS NOT GIVEN OUT HAPHAZARDLY.
IT'S GIVEN TO CITIES AND FINANCE DEPARTMENTS WHO REALLY MEET VERY STRINGENT CRITERIA.
SO KUDOS TO THEM. HILLARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT NOT HILLARY.
KAREN. I'M SORRY. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU SOME MORE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE AFTERWARDS I HAVE SOME IDEAS FOR YOU.
AGAIN, KUDOS TO OUR NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE.
I WANT TO THANK MIKE FOR EXPLAINING. UNFORTUNATELY, PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING, I WAS QUESTIONED BY SOMEBODY HERE ABOUT THOSE CITY SOLICITOR FEES. AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE CHOSE TO LEAVE BEFORE THAT EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN.
SO I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CITY SOLICITOR FEES.
LOOK AT THE MINUTES FROM TONIGHT'S MEETING. HEAR WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAD TO SAY.
HEAR WHAT RODNEY MCCUBBINS ADDED OUR CITY SOLICITOR DOES A LOT FOR WHAT WE PAY HIM FOR.
AND AGAIN, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE PERSON THAT WAS QUESTIONING ME LEFT BEFORE HE COULD HEAR THAT EXPLANATION, BUT ANYWAY. I WANT TO THANK TANA FOR MEETING WITH CITIZENS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF COUNCIL HAS DONE AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER.
WE'VE ALL MET WITH CITIZENS. SOME OF US MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH CITIZENS.
I WANT TO THANK CHUCK STOUT, WHO IS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
CHUCK, EVERY MONTH OR TWO COORDINATES AND SETS UP WHAT HE CALLS BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR.
BUT IT'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAN THE MAYOR WHO COME TO THAT.
THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE 24TH FEBRUARY AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ATTENDED NOT ONLY BY THE MAYOR BUT BY SOMETIMES OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
CITY STAFF ATTEND THAT SCHOOL STAFF, OR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AMY GEBHART FREQUENTLY COMES TO THOSE.
WE HAVE USUALLY FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATION.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY IS DOING OR HOW DEPARTMENTS RUN OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SCHOOLS, THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SOME RESPONSES AND ANYBODY CAN ASK QUESTIONS AT THOSE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S 24TH FEBRUARY, 8:00 AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
AND THANKS AGAIN TO CHUCK STOUT, WHO IS THE PERSON WHO SETS THOSE UP.
MARILYN, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE EVENT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT THE SPORTS COMPLEX.
I OCCASIONALLY HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY, THERE'S NOTHING FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO IN FAIRBORN.
WELL, I'M GOING TO TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
[01:35:05]
THAT PROGRAM BETWEEN THE LITTLE LEAGUE, THE WEE HAWKS FOOTBALL, THE CHEERLEADING PROGRAMS, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL PUTS ON ARE CITY PARKS AND REC, WHICH IS THE BEST IN THE STATE, PUTS ON A LOT OF ACTIVITIES DURING THE SUMMER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DO IF YOU GO OUT AND LOOK FOR THEM.
THE SCOUTING PROGRAMS, GIRL SCOUTS, SCOUTING AMERICA.
LITTLE LEAGUE IN WEE HAWKE HAS BEEN A PART OF FAIRBORN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND THAT PROGRAM IS GOING TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN, BUT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH THAT TEAM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AS ALREADY MENTIONED THIS COMMUNITY IS WHAT MADE US HAVE OUR NEW SCHOOLS IN THIS COMMUNITY CAN MAKE THAT PROGRAM WORK, TOO. I'M CONFIDENT IN THAT. SO, MAY I INTERJECT REAL QUICK.
YEAH. MARILYN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT DIDN'T HE SAY THAT IT WAS THE LONGEST RUNNING LITTLE LEAGUE IN THE STATE? WAS THAT CORRECT? 76 YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. PRETTY INCREDIBLE. 70. IT'S OVER 70 YEARS OLD.
SO I ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO REALLY GET BEHIND THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S COMING UP REAL SOON WITH THE SCOUTING AMERICA PROGRAM, WHICH IS OPEN TO BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS WHO ARE IN SCOUT PROGRAMS AND SCOUT TROOPS IN THE FAIRBORN AND SURROUNDING AREA IS WHAT THEY CALL THE MERIT BADGE TRAIL DRIVE, WHICH ARE FAIRBORN CITY SCHOOLS, HAS BEEN VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OVER THE YEARS.
THAT'S COMING UP TWO WEEKENDS IN FEBRUARY AND ONE WEEKEND IN MARCH, AND THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE OLD FAIRBORN HIGH SCHOOL, NOW THE FAIRBORN MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THEY OFFER A VARIETY, OVER 30 DIFFERENT MERIT BADGES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS, DIFFERENT SKILLS THAT THEY CAN LEARN. AND AGAIN, KUDOS TO OUR SCHOOLS FOR BEING VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
NOW I WANT TO CLOSE WITH JUST SOME COMMENTS. ALSO ABOUT THE WEATHER.
YES, IT'S A LITTLE DICEY OUT THERE, BUT I GOT SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYBODY.
SPRING IS TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM TODAY. OFFICIALLY, SPRING IS MARCH 20TH.
THAT'S TWO MONTHS AWAY FROM TODAY. SO IF YOU CAN HANDLE JUST A FEW MORE MONTHS OF ROUGH WEATHER.
SPRING WILL BE HERE. CHERISE, I SAW YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
I KNOW IT CAN'T COME QUICK ENOUGH. BUT, LIKE, HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BY SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WATCH OUT FOR FOLKS WHO NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
WHETHER IT'S SENIORS OR YOUNG PEOPLE. I WAS AT THE KROGER YESTERDAY WHEN IT WAS RATHER CHILLY, AND I SAW A BUNCH OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG KIDS IN SHORTS, WALKING AROUND IN THE PARKING LOT, AND I'M THINKING, WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS? IT'S BEEN PRETTY CHILLY, SO LET'S WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER.
LET'S ESPECIALLY WATCH OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE WEATHER.
ONE GUY WAS WEARING SHORTS AGAIN, AND I'M THINKING 14 DEGREES WALKING A DOG.
ANYWAY, SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME HERE TONIGHT.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO ASK PEOPLE TO REALLY CONSIDER TREATING EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT.
YOU GET RESPECT WHEN YOU GIVE RESPECT. AND WE'RE SEEING A LACK OF THAT IN SOME AREAS.
AND WE'VE GOT TO TURN THAT AROUND. WE LIVE IN A GREAT COMMUNITY.
FAIRBORN IS A WONDERFUL CITY TO LIVE IN. AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING A PART OF IT.
OKAY. IF THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL BUSINESS, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MISS REASTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MISS CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MR. MCCUBBINS? YES. MISS STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR JANUARY 20TH IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.