[I. Call to Order] [00:00:09] MR. ALLEN? HERE. MS. CHESS? HERE. MR. DODD? HERE. MR. MCCUBBINS? MS. RIESTER? HERE. MS. STANTON? HERE. THANK YOU, JULIE. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I'M WAITING FOR SOMEONE. THANK YOU. OKAY. 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. PLEASE BE SEATED. IF YOU WOULD ALSO PLEASE SILENCE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. [IV. Minutes – Consider approval of the minutes of the January 20, 2026, Council Work Session and the January 20, 2026, Regular Meeting.] OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF SOME MINUTES. WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 20TH COUNCIL WORK SESSION. ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, OR DELETIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 20TH, 2026 COUNCIL WORK SESSION ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN. NEXT, WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 20TH, 2026 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. 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 20TH, 2026 REGULAR MEETING ARE ALSO APPROVED. [V. Prescheduled] WE DO HAVE SOME PRE-SCHEDULED BUSINESS. YOUR HONOR, IF I COULD HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. OH, YES. IF WE COULD MAKE A MOTION, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXCUSE RODNEY FOR HIS- THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HIS FAMILY EMERGENCY. YES. IS THERE, WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ABSENCE OF RODNEY MCCUBBINS DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MS. REISTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MS. CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. THANK YOU, MARY, FOR THAT. OKAY. WE DO HAVE SOME PRE-SCHEDULED BUSINESS. WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE MILESTONE, SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE STAFF TO JOIN US DOWN HERE, AND OUR CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO PRESENT A MILESTONE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND I HOPE THERE'S NO FEEDBACK THIS EVENING. WE HAVE SEVERAL MILESTONES THIS MONTH FOR FEBRUARY. OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, HILLARY BROWNING, IS WITH US THIS EVENING. SHE'S THE ONLY STAFF MEMBER THAT COULD BE PRESENT HERE THIS EVENING, AND SO WE WANT TO PRESENT HER ONE-YEAR MILESTONE TO HER. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I RELY ON HILLARY. SHE HAS MADE OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT EVEN STRONGER IN HER TIME WITH US. THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN INTERESTING, AND SHE HAS ROLLED WITH EVERY PUNCH AND EVERY NUANCE AND EVERY UNEXPECTED HICCUP, AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR EVERYTHING SHE'S DONE, AND THEN I'LL READ WHAT THE MILESTONE SAYS. CONGRATULATIONS. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR EMPLOYMENT ANNIVERSARY WITH THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE YOUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO THIS COMMUNITY AND TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. YOU PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE, A SIGNIFICANT AND VITAL ROLE WITHIN THIS ORGANIZATION. 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 IN. AND AGAIN, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW VALUABLE SHE IS TO THE OPERATION OF THE CITY AND TO ME AS THE CITY MANAGER, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ONE-YEAR MILESTONE. THANK YOU. [00:05:36] THANK YOU, MIKE. IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO CELEBRATE EMPLOYEE MILESTONES. OKAY. OUR NEXT BUSINESS, [VI. New Business] UNDER NEW BUSINESS, WE HAVE ORDINANCE 3-26. ORDINANCE 3-26, IS THERE A MOTION TO READ ORDINANCE 3-26 BY TITLE ONLY, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED. SECOND. THIRD. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? ORDINANCE 3-26, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN, OHIO, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 2.07D OF ARTICLE 2 OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN, OHIO, ENTITLED RECALL AND AUTHORIZING CERTIFICATION TO THE GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR PLACEMENT ON THE BALLOT FOR THE MAY 5, 2026 PRIMARY SLASH SPECIAL ELECTION, THE QUESTION OF AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN TO ESTABLISH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL RECALL PROCESS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. LOOKS LIKE I'M PRESENTING. OKAY, AMITITA. JUST THAT ONE. GREAT. GREETINGS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. HAPPY TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT PRESENTING THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE FOR REVIEW. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS MATTER FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND WHAT I'M SPEAKING OF IS THE ESTABLISHING A NEW RECALL PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. AND ESTABLISHING A NEW RECALL PROCESS WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF A RECENT DECISION BY THE OHIO SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE CAPTIONED STATE X-RAIL CITY OF MAUMEE FOR LUCAS COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS. BOARD OF ELECTIONS. AS THE SLIDE SAYS, I'VE GOT MY POINTER HERE. THE SLIDE SAYS IT WAS THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ISSUED IT ON JULY 17, 2025. WHAT IT DID IS ADDRESSED AND CLARIFIED WAYS THAT- MIKE, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE? OTHERWISE, THE TAPE WON'T BE PICKED UP AND PEOPLE CAN'T- CERTAINLY. AND WHAT THIS DECISION DID WAS CLARIFY THE WAYS IN WITH HOW MUNICIPALITIES CAN ADOPT THE RECALL PROCESS, AND THAT IMPACTS OUR CITY PARTICULARLY. NOW, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AMENDING IS SECTION 2.07. AND THAT IS THE RECALL PROVISION, AND IT'S THE SECOND SENTENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON HERE BECAUSE OUR PROVISION IS BASICALLY INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE THE GENERAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF OHIO. THAT THE PROCEDURE FOR SUCH RECALL SHALL BE THAT PROVIDED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF OHIO. AND THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. AND THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL WITH MUNICIPALITIES IN OHIO. IT PROBABLY TENDS TO OVER A HUNDRED DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SUPREME COURT DECISION. SO, THIS IS THE RECALL PROVISION THAT IS OUTLINED IN OHIO REVISED CODE, SECTION 705.92. AND THAT IS THE ONLY PROVISION IN ALL OF OHIO STATUTES THAT DEFINES WHAT THE RECALL PROCESS IS. THE PROBLEM IS IT DOESN'T APPLY TO CHARTER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS OURSELVES. AND THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES JUST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT IS OUTLINED IN 705.92. SO, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THAT. BUT HERE'S WHAT THE HOLDINGS WERE IN MAMI. NO GENERAL LAW SLASH STATUTE OF THE STATE OF OHIO ESTABLISHES A UNIVERSAL RECALL PROCESS. RC 705.92 GENERALLY AND SPECIFICALLY DEFINES THE RECALL PROCESS FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF MUNICIPALITIES. [00:10:03] THOSE THAT ARE ADOPTED UNDER CHAPTER 705 WERE CHARTER COMMUNITY ESTABLISHED BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. SO, WE'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE CITIES. OKAY, SO UNDER RC 705 THERE ARE CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE CREATED. UNDER THIS PLAN, IT'S THE COMMISSION PLAN, THE CITY MANAGER PLAN, AND THE FEDERAL PLAN. AND I PUT THE CODE CITATIONS, BUT NO NEED TO REFER TO ALL THOSE. BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE FLAVORS OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT CAN BE ESTABLISHED AND UTILIZE THE RECALL PROCESS IN 705.92. AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I JUST SAID. IT STANDS FOR THAT PROPOSITION, ONLY THOSE THREE FLAVORS CAN USE 705.92. AS I SAID, WE'RE AN OHIO CONSTITUTION ESTABLISHED CHARTER COMMUNITY. WHAT'S THE FINAL CONCLUSION? WE CANNOT UTILIZE 705.92. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO CHANGE THIS SECOND SENTENCE. AND ULTIMATELY, I REWROTE THE ENTIRE SECTION HERE. AND THAT'S DETAILED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT I SUBMITTED FOR YOUR REVIEW. SAME CONCLUSION. SO, AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, WE DO NOT HAVE A VALID RECALL PROCESS. SO, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR DEMOCRACY. SO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT ESTABLISHED. SO, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING THAT, THE PATH FORWARD. THERE'S TWO METHODS WE CAN UTILIZE. ONE, PASS-BY ORDINANCE, TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. THAT'S THE QUICKEST METHOD. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY. SECOND IS, THE ELECTORS CAN REQUEST THAT A CHARTER BE AMENDED BY AT LEAST 10% OF THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS. THAT'S THE LONGER ROUTE, MORE COMPLICATED ROUTE. SO, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BY WAY OF COUNCIL. OKAY. SO, THIS IS JUST THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH. WORK WITH CITY SOLICITOR TO GET THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. INTRODUCE THE AMENDMENT AS THE ORDINANCE. CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS. WELL, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING SINCE IT'S BY EMERGENCY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT. WE NEED TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE OF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR PASSAGE. SO, WE NEED AT LEAST FIVE OF SEVEN TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE TONIGHT. THAT AND BY EMERGENCY AS WELL. OKAY. DETERMINE THE ELECTION TIMING. PREPARE THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, WHICH I'VE DONE. THAT IS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT I PRESENTED. AND THEN AT LEAST 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, WHICH IS MAY 5TH, 2026. JULIE'S GOING TO HAVE TO PUBLISH THIS, PUBLISH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CHARTER. THEN WE COORDINATE WITH THE ELECTION COMMISSION TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT. AND THEN, ASSUMING IT'S PASSED BY THE VOTERS, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS TO GO TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO GET APPROVAL. ONCE THAT APPROVAL IS RECEIVED, THE BOARD WILL CERTIFY THE ORDINANCE OR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. WE INTEGRATE WITH THE EXISTING CHARTER. OKAY. SO, LET'S LOOK AT THE TIMELINE. FOR GETTING THIS ON THE BALLOT. OKAY. SO, THE EARLIEST PASSAGE OF THE CHARTER OR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WE CAN DO WOULD BE JANUARY 6TH, 2026. AND YOU COUNT 120 DAYS BACKWARDS FROM THE DATE OF THE ELECTION. AND THAT'S HOW YOU ARRIVE AT THAT DATE. THE LATEST PASSAGE, IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST 60 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION. AND THAT DATE IS MARCH 6TH. SO, WE'RE HERE ON MARCH 2ND. NOW, WE'VE GOT THE TIME TO DO IT, BUT IT'S BETTER TO PASS IT AND GET IT MOVED ON. FEBRUARY 2ND. YOU SAID WE'RE HERE TODAY, MARCH 2ND. TIME TRAVEL. I'M SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO, AND THE LATEST, OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN SUBMIT IT TO THE BOE BY MARCH 6TH, 2026. AND THE MAMI DECISION, THAT CAME OUT IN JULY 17TH. DON'T KNOW WHY THAT JUST POPPED UP, BUT... OKAY. SO, LET'S LOOK AT, JUST FOR PURPOSES OF CITIZENS THAT WANT TO DO THE RECALL PROCESS, THIS IS THE TIMELINE FOR THAT. OKAY. MAY 5, 2026, IF IT GETS APPROVED. THEN MID-MAY 2026, 10 TO 14 DAYS AFTER ELECTION, IT'LL BE CERTIFIED. THE RECALL BECOMES EFFECTIVE UPON CERTIFICATION. SO, IT'S THE DATE OF CERTIFICATION BY GREENE [00:15:02] COUNTY IS WHEN IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. OKAY. NOW, WHEN CAN A RECALL BEGIN? FIRST, THERE'S A LIMIT ON WHAT WE'VE WRITTEN IN THE ORDINANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER HAS TO BE IN OFFICE AT AT LEAST 180 DAYS BEFORE THAT HIM OR HER CAN BE RECALLED. AND THEN, A RECALL PETITION CAN'T BE LESS THAN 90 DAYS BEFORE A REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION. SO, THAT GIVES THE BRACKETED TIME FRAME. OKAY. FIRST STEP, FILE THE RECALL PETITION WITH THE CITY CLERK. AND IT GOES THROUGH, THIS IS ALL DETAILED IN THE ORDINANCE, WHAT'S THE PETITION MUST CONTAIN, AND THEN IT MUST CONTAIN AT LEAST 15% OF THE TOTAL VOTERS FROM THE LAST REGULAR MAYORAL ELECTION. SO, THAT WILL BE NOT OUR LAST ELECTION, IT'LL BE THE ONE WHERE DAN WAS VOTED INTO OFFICE. SO, THAT'S HOW YOU CALCULATE THE 15%. IT'S A MAYORAL ELECTION. SO, WHENEVER THERE WAS A MAYOR ELECTED THAT ELECTION? THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S THE NUMBER YOU SHOOT FOR. NOW, NO MORE THAN THREE OFFICIALS MAY BE RECALLED AT ONE ELECTION. AND WELL, WHY CAN'T WE JUST RECALL THEM ALL? NOW, YOU COULD, BUT THE CONCERN THERE IS YOU DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT TO COME TO A SCREECHING HALT. SO, YOU JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT A MAJORITY SO YOU CAN... AND IN FACT, IN THIS MAUMEE CASE, WHICH IS INTERESTING, THE PETITIONERS WENT TO REMOVE ALL SEVEN AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY, NEXT STEP. JULIE, AND I'LL HELP HER, DETERMINES WHETHER THE PETITION IS SUFFICIENT. IF INSUFFICIENT, THEY HAVE A 10-DAY GRACE PERIOD. AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES. IF YOU GET SIGNATURES INVALIDATED, THERE'S A 10-DAY GRACE PERIOD TO GO OUT AND COLLECT MORE SIGNATURES. OR IF THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN OMITTED, YOU CAN CORRECT THAT. THESE TYPES OF PETITIONS ARE FRAUGHT WITH COMPLICATIONS AND ERRORS. SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. OKAY, SO STEP THREE, ONCE THE PETITION IS DEEMED EFFICIENT, SUFFICIENT, THEN THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS... OR INDIVIDUALS THAT'S BEING RECALLED, THEY CAN RESIGN WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS. THAT'S KIND OF A GRACE PERIOD. AND THEN IF THAT RESIGNATION IS NOT TENDERED, THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT STEP. THE RECALL ELECTION IS SCHEDULED. AND IT GOES AT THE NEXT REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION. AGAIN, THERE'S THE 60, 120-DAY TIMEFRAME. OR A SPECIAL ELECTION CAN BE HELD AS WELL. NOT RECOMMENDED, BUT YOU CAN. IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE TO FINANCE A SPECIAL ELECTION. AND IF THE MAJORITY VOTES YES, IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT MAJORITY, THEN THE OFFICIAL IS REMOVED FROM OFFICE. AND THEN THE VACANCY IS FILLED ACCORDING TO THE CITY CHARTER. AND THAT, I BELIEVE, IS ALSO IN 2.07B, WHICH COUNCIL APPOINTS THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL REMOVED. SO, HERE'S THE SUMMARY TIMELINE. LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE, PREP. JUNE 2026, PETITION FILING WINDOW OPENS. GET YOUR SIGNATURES. GET THEM TO THE CITY CLERK. LATE JULY, IF THE PETITION IS... EARLY AUGUST, PETITION IS CERTIFIED AS SUFFICIENT. THE OFFICIAL IS NOTIFIED AND HAS FIVE DAYS TO RESIGN. DOES NOT RESIGN, IT'S SCHEDULED. THEN THE RECALL ELECTION WOULD BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT. THAT'S KIND OF THE OVERVIEW AND THE RUN-THROUGH. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND COUNCIL CONSIDER AND PASS THIS LEGISLATION AS AN EMERGENCY SO WE CAN GET A RECALL PROCEDURE ON OUR BOOKS AND MOVE FORWARD. SO, OUR COUNCIL QUESTIONS WITH COUNCILMAN DUNN. I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I'VE READ THROUGH ALL THE DOCUMENTS. I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'VE DONE, MIKE, TO GET US WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS HASN'T BEEN AN EASY THING TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND, BUT WE'VE GOT IT RIGHT AND WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. WELL, I APPRECIATE IT. IT TOOK ME TWO OR THREE TIMES TO READ THROUGH IT JUST TO UNDERSTAND IT. YEAH, I GET IT. GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS, MIKE. IT'S THE WILL AND THE RIGHT OF THE VOTERS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS SUCH AS THIS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS. I WOULD JUST ECHO CLINT'S COMMENTS. SO, THANK YOU. [00:20:01] I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON THIS, MIKE. I DON'T HAVE THE COMMENTS, MIKE, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. OKAY. EXCUSE ME. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW THE NEW PROCESS, WHAT STEPS YOU TOOK TO VET IT, LIKE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD A PROCESS AND IT DIDN'T HOLD UP IN THE SUPREME COURT? SO, WHAT KIND OF STEPS DID YOU TAKE WITH THIS NEW PROCESS? AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. AND THE VETTING PROCESS HERE IS REALLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE AND TAKE A LOOK AT MAKE SURE THAT DUE PROCESS HAS BEEN INVOLVED. OKAY. SO, THE MAUMEE DECISION IS REALLY DISTINCT. OKAY. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE ITSELF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE YOU CAN BASICALLY PUT AS LONG AS DUE PROCESS HAS FOLLOWED ANY TYPE OF REQUIREMENT IN THE RECALL PROCESS. IT'S BECAUSE THE LAW OF THE STATE OF OHIO WAS INVOKED BY REFERENCE. BUT WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE NOT THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY UNDER 70592 THAT CAN DO THAT. SO, THAT'S WHY THAT. AND THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR, OH, GOODNESS, 50, 60, 70 YEARS. SO, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES IN OHIO THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS EXACT SAME PROCESS. OKAY. GREAT. WELL, NOT GREAT, BUT OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST ON THE EXPENSE, WHETHER LIKE I SAW THERE WAS THE OPTION TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION OR TO BE WITHIN AN EXISTING ELECTION. AND HOW DOES THAT, LIKE, WHAT KIND OF COST IS IT TO THE CITY IN EITHER OF THOSE CASES? IS IT NO COST IF IT'S WITHIN AN EXISTING ELECTION? IN THIS ONE, THERE'S NO COST. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEN A SPECIAL, LIKE, WHAT'S THE COST TO SOMEONE WHO... I CAN ASK THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. BUT IT'S A LOT. IT'S IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AS I RECALL. OKAY. THAT BALLPARK WAS ALL I WAS ASKING. YEAH. OKAY. THANKS, MIKE. SURE. OKAY. WELL, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT THING. THE CITY OF MAUMEE FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY THAT THEIR PROCESS DIDN'T WORK AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT. WELL, THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE HAPPY, BUT... YEAH. ...BUT THE ELECTORS WERE NOT. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR ALL COMMUNITIES. IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT'S ONE OR ALL OR WHATEVER, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROCESS IN PLACE. THAT'S TRUE. IT'S, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING THAT THE CITY OF MAUMEE WENT THROUGH THIS, THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO INFORMED THEM THAT THEY WERE WRONG. AND BY DEFAULT, WE FOUND OUT THAT WE'RE WRONG. SO IT'S INTERESTING THAT ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE. SO I'M JUST GLAD. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. CERTAINLY. IT'S A PROCESS, LIKE WE SAID, THAT CITIZENS ACROSS THE STATE NEED TO HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SATISFIED OR NOT SATISFIED WITH WHOM THEY ELECT, OF COURSE. SO... VERY GOOD. I'LL TAKE MY SEAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION NOW TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 3-26, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY? SO MOVED. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MR. EASTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MS. CHET? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. ORDINANCE 3-26 IS DULY ADOPTED. THANK YOU AGAIN, MIKE, FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE SOME APPOINTMENTS. FIRST UP, WE HAVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR 2026. SO THAT ALL OF YOU UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A PROCESS THAT THE COUNCIL DISCUSSES. WHO WANTS TO BE THE DEPUTY MAYOR? WHY WOULD THEY LIKE TO BE THE DEPUTY MAYOR? CAN THEY FULFILL RESPONSIBILITIES IF THE MAYOR IS NOT AVAILABLE? AND WE GO THROUGH SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE COME TO A DECISION. AND THE COUNCIL DECIDED THAT COUNCILMAN RODNEY MCCUBBINS HAD ASKED TO BECOME THE DEPUTY MAYOR. AND THE IRONY IS HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. THE OLD SAYING GOES, IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP FOR A MEETING, YOU GET PICKED FOR A COMMITTEE. SO AT THIS POINT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT COUNCILMAN RODNEY MCCUBBINS AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR? SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MS. CHET? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MR. FRENCHIE? OH, SORRY. HE'S JUST KIDDING. OLD LIST. MR. DODD? YES. MS. RIESTER? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. OKAY, COUNCILMAN RODNEY MCCUBBINS IS DULY APPOINTED AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK DEPUTY MAYOR MARY RIESTER FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB YOU'VE DONE IN 2025. I THINK SHE DESERVES A HAND FROM YOU ALL. SHE'S STEPPED IN FOR ME ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. AND YOU HAVE BEEN AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE MEMBER AS OUR DEPUTY MAYOR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. [00:25:01] OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE SOME APPOINTMENTS TO THE CRA HOUSING COUNCIL. AND THESE ARE PER OHIO REVISED CODE. FIRST, WE HAVE FOR JALEN WHITE AND HILLARY BROWNING APPOINTED BY AND SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE MAYOR. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE JALEN WHITE AND HILLARY BROWNING TO THE CRA HOUSING COUNCIL? SO MOVE. SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MR. ALLEN? YES. MS. RIESTER? YES. MS. CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. OKAY, JALEN WHITE AND HILLARY BROWNING ARE APPOINTED. NEXT, WE HAVE MARIE GAY AND KEVIN DEWINE ALSO APPOINTED BY AND THEY SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF CITY COUNCIL. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPOINT MARIE GAY AND KEVIN DEWINE TO THE CRA HOUSING COUNCIL? SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MS. RIESTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MS. CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES. THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE APPROVED AS WE OUTLINED THEM. [VII. Citizens Comments] OKAY, NEXT, WE WILL OPEN CITIZENS' COMMENTS. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME FORWARD. PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO FIVE MINUTES. NOT YET. WAIT, I GET IT. OKAY, JOANNE COLLINS, 173 ERIE. BEARBORN TO KNOW IT IS TO LOVE IT. SWARTZ JEWELRY, PETE. HE CUSTOM APPRAISES BATTERIES, JEWELRY. WHEN MY AUNT VISITED ME FROM NEBRASKA, I TOOK HER THERE AND SHE FOUND AWESOME EARRINGS OF A BIRTHSTONE SUPPORTER. CAROLYN OF HOLLAND FLOWERS. SHE REPLACED THE VOID OF HOAX. SHE LIVES HERE. SHE SPREADS COLORFUL DECORATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. SHE'S A GREAT SUPPORTER. SHE DOES A LOT OF THINGS. MOTHER'S MEMORIES. BEAUTIFUL TIME TRAVEL BACK IN YOUR CHILDHOOD YEARS. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, YOU NEED TO GO THERE. GIOVANNI'S DAUGHTER. SHE STEPPED UP WHEN TONY PASSED AWAY. HE WAS A GREAT LOSS, BUT HIS BUSINESS CARRIES ON AND HIS FAMILY TRADITION WE NEED TO SUPPORT. CHANTILLY'S. WE OUGHT TO BRAG MORE ABOUT THEM. THREE PRESIDENTS' DESSERTS, ALL DIFFERENT PARTIES, WERE MADE THERE. THEY FURNISH AND SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS. THEY'RE HEALTHY FOOD AND IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT REPLACED MIDWAY BAKERIES. AND THE CHANTILLY GIRLS HAVE HAD ILLNESS TOO OVER THE YEARS. OUR HEART IS WITH THE FAIRBORN SENIOR CENTER. THERE IS NO OTHER FAIRBORN SENIOR CENTER AROUND THAT IS LIKE ELLEN SLOAN FARLING AND HER FAMILY STAFF. SHE IS THE BEST. WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM OTHER CITIES THAT JOIN ALONG WITH HER. I KNOW WHEN SHE LOST LEROY, HER HUSBAND, I KNOW WHAT THE LOSS IS LIKE. AND SHE WAS SUPPORTED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE. SHE DOES FOOD BANK. SHE DOES EVERYTHING AROUND HERE. AND THE TOWN NEEDS TO GET BEHIND HER. IF YOU GOT EXTRA MONEY, THROW IT THEIR WAY. BELTON FUNERAL HOME. THEY SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE. WHEN YOU HAVE A LOSS AND YOUR HEART BREAKS, THEY ARE THERE FOR YOU. KELLY. SHE'S A GRADUATE OF FAIRBORN AND SHE RUNS MIAMI VALLEY DANCE. SHE TEACHES THE KIDS. SHE GIVES THEM ALL KINDS OF AGING AND IT'S REALLY GREAT. SHE SUPPORTS THE SCHOOLS AND SHE DOES EVENTS IN TOWN. CONGRATULATIONS, KELLY. DOMINO PRINTING. MY GRADUATION, MY WEDDING, MY BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT GOES ON. AND SHE, HE ALSO NOW HAS A DAUGHTER THAT GRADUATED THAT MAKES AWARD WINNING BLUE RIBBON ICE CREAM. NOT DAIRY QUEEN ICE CREAM. THAT'S NOT REAL ICE CREAM. BUT ICE CREAM. AND I'VE GOT SOME IN MY FREEZER AND IT'S THE BEST AROUND. TC GRAPHICS. SPORTSWEAR. BANNER PROGRAM. HOMETOWN HEROES. SCHOOLS. TROPHIES. HATS. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT TC GRAPHICS? FAMILY DINER. THEY TOOK OVER PONDEROSA. A LARGE MENU. LOTS OF HOME COOKING. THEY HAVE A LITTLE ROOM ON THE SIDE. PEOPLE LOOK FOR PLACES TO GO AND MEET AND GREET. THE WAITRESSES ARE HOT ON YOUR HEAD. RIGHT OVER FRIENDLY. YOU CAN'T BEAT IT. TOWN AND COUNTRY ANIMAL CLINIC. DAVID COKER. HE TOOK OVER HIS DAD'S FAMILY PRACTICE WITH THE DOGS. DAVID IS SPECIAL. I GRADUATED WITH HIM WHEN MY DOG WAS DYING AND I CALLED HIM AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. HE SAID MEET ME AT THE OFFICE. HE HAD JUST GOT BACK FROM VACATION FROM THE AIRPORT AND HE DROVE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE, TO HIS OFFICE AND HE HELPED ME PUT MY DOG DOWN. HE CARED. SORRY. GORDON'S LEATHER AND SHOE REPAIR. WHEN YOU'RE A BIKER AND YOU HAVE LOTS OF LEATHER, HE'S THE BEST. BOOKERY IS GREAT. GENUINE AUTO AND ALTERATIONS IS RUN BY THE SUTTERMANS. BOTH OF THEM HAVE GREAT THINGS GOING. HAMILTON RETIRED. THE DENTIST DID. BUT RAMIREZ TOOK OVER AND TRUST ME, I WENT [00:30:02] FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. SHE'S GREAT. DR. BROWN FAIRBORN AGAIN. SHE EVEN COLLECTS FOOD DONATIONS AND HELPS WITH HER PATIENTS. A.J. KAUFMAN. HE DOES TOWING AND WHEN SERVICEMEN ARE IN DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND HE DOESN'T TELL PEOPLE THIS, BUT THEY HAVE CAR TROUBLES AND STUFF. HE GOES THAT EXTRA MILE TO MAKE IT REASONABLE AND TO HELP THEM OUT. TRIM'S PROPERTY MAINTENANCE. MY TREE FELL DOWN THREE MONTHS AFTER MY HUSBAND DIED AND I COULDN'T GET MY CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE. I CALLED SEVERAL PLACES AND YOU KNOW WHAT? TRIM'S CAME OUT. HE WAS RIGHT THERE. HE DIDN'T ASK HOW MUCH MONEY OR IF I COULD PAY RIGHT NOW. HE WAS THERE TO HELP AND SUPPORT. OUR CHURCHES ARE SUPPORTIVE. BOWLING IS SUPPORTIVE. NOW I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT A COUPLE MORE THAT ARE REAL SUPPORTIVE. I GOT FOY'S. I KNOW HE'S HERE. I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS COMING. SORRY ABOUT THAT, MIKE. BUT HE HAS BEEN A SPECIALTY IN THIS TOWN. HIS FAMILY, WHEN I WAS A CHILD, THEY NEVER TURNED A KID AWAY WITHOUT A PIECE OF CANDY. I HAVE DONE THREE PAGES OF RESEARCH ON FOY'S AND HE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND WE ARE SO BLESSED OF WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HIM. I MEAN HIS ADVERTISING IS BEYOND BELIEF THAT EVERYBODY FROM COLUMBUS TO CINCINNATI TO CLEVELAND KNOWS ABOUT FOY'S AND THEY ALL HAVE GOOD REVIEWS. COME TO FAIRBOURN. IT IS A SPECIAL TIME TRIP BACK IN TOWN. I GOT ANOTHER ONE HERE THAT SHE'S GOING TO CLOBBER ME LATER PROBABLY. TERRY LYNN. I'VE GOT PAGES ON HER. SHE NOT ONLY GIVES ART CLASSES AND SHE PAINTS AND SHE DOES THINGS FOR THE KIDS AND ALL. SHE'S A GUARDIAN AND SHE DOESN'T PAY. LET ME FINISH, PLEASE. SHE DOESN'T TAKE ANY MONEY FOR WHAT SHE DOES FOR TAKING THE VETERANS AROUND. BUT SHE'S AWESOME. AND I'M SORRY I RAN OVER. I'M LONG-WINDED. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY. I KNOW. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD? I GUESS THAT'S NOT A COME FORWARD. THAT'S A HUG. JAMES BAKER, 427 GRANT STREET. I'M ISSUING THIS STATEMENT TO CLARIFY RECENT EVENTS INVOLVING THE FAIRBOURN CITY COUNCIL AND ADDRESS ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND PUBLIC TRUST. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I'VE REPEATEDLY REQUESTED A PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM THE CITY COUNCILWOMAN SYLVIA CHESS FOR STATEMENTS SHE MADE IN DALLAS, TEXAS IN WHICH SHE PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED ME AS A PROUD BOY AND IMPLIED RACIST IDEOLOGY. THESE STATEMENTS WERE FALSE, DEROGATORY, AND DAMAGED MY REPUTATION. TO DATE, THERE'S NO APOLOGY OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED. THIS ISSUE HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT RACE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. WHEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL MAKES FALSE PUBLIC ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A PRIVATE CITIZEN, IT UNDERMINES THE TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AND DIVIDES THE COMMUNITY. SILENCE DOES NOT CORRECT THE RECORD. IT ALLOWS MISINFORMATION TO STAND. IN ADDITION TO THIS UNRESOLVED MATTER, RESIDENTS RECENTLY ASKED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO OUTLINE THEIR PRIORITIES OR WHAT THEY WOULD BE WORKING ON AND WHERE THEY SAW THE CITY AT THE END OF 2026. AND TO EXPLAIN, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCILMAN BRIAN DODD, THOSE QUESTIONS WERE NOT ADDRESSED. CITIZENS DESERVE TRANSPARENCY, DIRECTION, AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION FROM THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS. CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN RAISED REGARDING THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE RECENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE POSITIONED AT BOTH ENDS OF THE MEZZANINE WHERE CITY COUNCIL, THE MANAGER, AND THE MAYOR SIT. COUNCILWOMAN CHESS AND HER HUSBAND WERE ESCORTED THROUGH RESTRICTED AREAS AND OUT TO THE PARKING LOT. MEANWHILE, CITIZENS ATTENDING, LAWFUL AND RESPECTFULLY, WERE LEFT QUESTIONING WHY SUCH MEASURES WERE NECESSARY. PUBLIC MEETINGS SHOULD NEVER FILL INTIMIDATING RESIDENTS EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT. IF AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR EXISTS THAT DID NOT ORIGINATE WITH THE CITIZENS, IT'S A RESULT FROM UNRESOLVED ACTIONS AND PUBLIC NARRATIVES CREATED BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. PORTRAYING FAIRBOURN IS UNSAFE BECAUSE RESIDENTS ASK QUESTIONS, REFLECTS POORLY ON THE CITY LEADERSHIP, AND DOES NOT REPRESENT WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY. I'M ASKING FOR THREE STRAIGHTFORWARD ACTIONS, PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APOLOGY FOR FALSE STATEMENTS MADE AGAINST ME, CLEAR COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS REGARDING THEIR PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN, AND A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM, TRANSPARENCY, AND STRONG PUBLIC TRUST. [00:35:01] I CARE ABOUT THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN AND ITS RESIDENTS AND THE INTEGRITY OF LOCAL AND THE INTEGRITY OF ITS LOCAL GOVERNMENT. ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD NOT BE CONTROVERSIAL. IT SHOULD BE STANDARD. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD? I DON'T THINK I'LL GO FIVE MINUTES, BUT I MIGHT BE ONLY A MINUTE NOW THAT I LOOK. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M MICHAEL FOY. MY ADDRESS IS 16 SOUTH PLEASANT IN FAIRBOURN. I'VE SAID THIS A HUNDRED TIMES, MAYBE A THOUSAND, BUT I LOVE FAIRBOURN. LAST NIGHT AT THE END OF THE GRAMMYS, THEY SAID THE ONLY THING BIGGER THAN HATE IS LOVE. AND BOY, THAT MADE MY NIGHT. AND I'VE BEEN SAYING IT ALL DAY. I LOVE YOUR FAMILY, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, AND LOVE YOUR TOWN. MY FAMILY CAME TO FAIRBOURN IN 1929. MY GRANDFATHER'S SWEET SHOP IN 1912 WAS 114 YEARS OLD LAST YEAR, AND IT FINALLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. MY GRANDFATHER SOLD IT TO ANOTHER FAMILY THAT HAD IT FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS, AND NOW THERE'S A MEXICAN RESTAURANT THERE, AND IT'S IN VERSAILLES, OHIO. AND I JUST THINK, WOW, MY GRANDFATHER STARTED TWO STORES IN HIS LIFE, AND BOTH WERE STILL GOING UNTIL LAST YEAR. FAIRBOURN IS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY. MY GRANDFATHER DID, MY DAD DID, I DID, AND I HOPE MY SON DOES. WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 193 YEARS, IF YOU ADD JUST THE MALES UP IN MY FAMILY, AND THAT'S A BIG THING. TO ME, IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN FAIRBOURN, BUT THEY'VE CHANGED EVERYWHERE. THEY'RE NOT JUST FAIRBOURN. IT'S HARD BUSINESS RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU WATCH THE NEWS, YOU SEE PLACES FOLDING, AND IT KIND OF SCARES ME. BUT IN THREE MORE YEARS, MY STORE TURNS 100 YEARS OLD, AND I TURN 70. I HOPE THINGS GO WELL. JUST THREE MORE YEARS BEFORE WE HIT 100, AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE THERE. SO LET'S LOVE EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF HATE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. LOVE YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD? LET ME TAKE MY HAT OFF, SORRY. MY NAME IS JAMES PICKENS. MY ADDRESS IS 1918 GLEN ROSE, FAIRBOURN. A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, I RAN INTO MIKE FOY, AND JUST A LITTLE HISTORY, I'VE KNOWN MIKE FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS. ONE OF MY MOST IMPACTFUL IMPRESSIONS OF MIKE FOY WAS, I HAD ABOUT $5, AND I WAS IN THE SHOP TRYING TO GET MY SON A LAST-MINUTE HALLOWEEN COSTUME. AND THERE I SEE MIKE FOY, AND HE SAYS, JAMES, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I SAID, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A LITTLE QUICK COSTUME, MAYBE A MASK FOR MY SON. AND HE SAYS, WELL, LET ME SHOW YOU. LET ME SHOW YOU THE VAMPIRE ONE THAT I PUT ON IN THIS PICTURE, AND LET ME SHOW YOU THE ONE THAT MY FAMILY PUT ON IN HERE. SO HE WENT THROUGH AND SHOWED ME ALL THESE PICTURES, AND EACH TIME HE WAS HANDING ME A DIFFERENT PIECE OF THE MASK. AND HE WAS LIKE, HERE, TAKE THIS. YOUR SON WILL LOVE IT. AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES HE GAVE HIM. I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF FAIRBOURN FOR A LONG TIME. I GREW UP IN FAIRBOURN. I GREW UP IN RIGHTVIEW. I CAME HERE FROM DAYTON, FAMILY OF FIVE, COME LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS NOT VERY DIVERSE AT THE TIME. AND WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT MIKE IS RIGHT. LOVE HAS ALWAYS TRUMPED EVERY SITUATION. I'M REMINDED BY PEOPLE LIKE JACKIE BROCKMAN AT THE YMCA THAT GAVE EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE DAYCARE FOR ME AND MY BROTHERS TO GO THERE AND PLAY ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WHERE MY PARENTS MANAGED TO JUST PUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, A LOAF OF BREAD AND SOME CHEESE. I'M REMINDED OF PEOPLE LIKE JIMMY, WHO RENTED AN APARTMENT TO MY BROTHER THAT COULD ALLOW HIM TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO LIVE WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP AND GETTING SOME INDIVIDUALITY. I'M REMINDED OF COUNTLESS PEOPLE, MAYOR DAN KIRKPATRICK, WHEN ME AND MY WIFE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE VENUE, THAT'S MAIN HOUSE EVENTS. WE FACED ULTIMATE AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY FROM ZONING TO BOARDS TO THIS AND THAT. AND EACH STEP OF THE WAY, WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, THE CITY'S AGAINST US. THEY DON'T WANT US TO OPEN. THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO HELP US. IT'S JUST LIKE I'M NOT THE ONE WHO LET ME GET THIS BUILDING. THEY HAD ALL THESE DIFFERENT REASONS THAT WE COULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT. BUT THE LIGHT IN DAN SAYING, KEEP TRYING, KEEP PUSHING, TALK TO THIS PERSON, MAYBE THAT PERSON. AND THE COUNCIL, THE CITY, [00:40:01] WE'VE SINCE HAD THE ROTARY CLUB THERE. WE'VE HAD THE CITY COUNCIL. MY WIFE SITS ON THE DOWNTOWN BOARD. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I'VE CAME THROUGH WHAT WE KNOW IS RIGHTVIEW TO BE ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE PLACES. TO OWN THE BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN FAIRBORN, WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT WAS ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE PLACES. I'M A BLACK MAN WITH A BLACK WIFE, BLACK KIDS RAISED BY A BLACK MOTHER. I CAME FROM THE BOTTOM OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY FAIRBORN IS TO WHAT I WOULD CALL THE PINNACLE. AND EACH TIME, IT WAS LOVE THAT GOT US OVER EVERY TYPE OF DISAGREEMENT. THIS IS MY HOUSE. SO IF I THINK THAT SOMEBODY'S NEGATIVELY TRYING TO IMPACT IT, I WILL STAND UP. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHEN I TALKED TO MIKE FOY. AND HE SAID, I'M HEADED TO THE COUNCIL MEETING, JAMES. IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME WITH SOMETHING, COME DOWN THERE AND SHARE YOUR MESSAGE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING TONIGHT. I'M COMING DOWN HERE, RETURNING AN OLD FAVOR TO AN OLD FRIEND THAT HELPED ME YEARS AND YEARS AGO. SO THAT'S MY STORY. I LOVE YOU GUYS. GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. IT LOOKS LIKE THE WARMEST COAT IN THE AUDIENCE. IT'S LIKE A BLANKET WITH SLEEVES. LOOKS COMFORTABLE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ERIN SMITH-GLENN, 2270 NUTMEG COURT. AND WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY? NAME AND ADDRESS. YOU GOT IT. OKAY, COOL. I WAS INVITED HERE BY MY GOOD FRIEND, SYLVIA CHESS. AND USUALLY WHEN SHE INVITES ME TO THINGS, I USUALLY COME OUT. I OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE MISSED THE MEETING JUST TO RUSH HOME AND EAT. I FIGURED I COULD WAIT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO COME HERE. I WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT TO EXPECT BESIDES THE STANDARD COUNCIL MEETING. BUT I'M HAPPY I GOT TO COME TO SEE, I GUESS, THE EVOLUTION OF DIVERSITY HERE. LIKE WHAT MY FRIEND WAS SAYING ABOUT THE MAIN HOUSE EVENTS. I REMEMBER, I THINK, WHEN IT WAS LIKE A FUNERAL HOME. BUT YOU STEP IN THERE NOW, YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THAT IT EVER WAS. ESPECIALLY SINCE MS. SYLVIA CAME THROUGH AND I FELT LIKE THERE WAS REALLY FINALLY, FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. BUT ONE THING THAT SHE AND I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WAS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE COME TO FAIRBOURN MORE AND MAKING SURE THAT FAIRBOURN ALSO GOES OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES TO KIND OF SHOW ALL OF THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS OF THE PLACE. I'M FROM COLUMBUS ORIGINALLY. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR OVER A DECADE, RAISING MY THREE KIDS. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THEY REALLY WANTED TO COME BACK. SO MUCH SO, TOO, THAT WE WERE BACK HERE IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS AFTER WE LEFT. AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY ENJOY, ESPECIALLY THE SPORTS, THE CONFIDENCE THAT IT BUILDS IN MY KIDS. BUT I REALLY, I THINK, WHAT I AM ENJOYING MORE SO THESE DAYS IS THE GROWING DIVERSITY HERE IN FAIRBOURN. IT DIDN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE HOME TO ME, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM A PLACE LIKE COLUMBUS. COLUMBUS DIDN'T EVEN ALWAYS FEEL LIKE HOME TO ME, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. BUT I'VE FOUND WAYS TO KIND OF MAKE IT MY HOME AND KIND OF BUILD MY OWN COMMUNITY WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I REALLY HAVE BEEN ENJOYING IT MORE IN RECENT YEARS. WE ALL DO ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF COOL THINGS, BUSINESS OWNERS, DINERS, PEOPLE THAT ARE SEAMSTRESSES AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS. BUT I'M A PROFESSOR OF ART AND AN ACTIVE ARTIST. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR REGULAR MOVIE AND DINNER NIGHT, THAN YOUR REGULAR, YOU KNOW, GOING TO A BAR NIGHT. BUT MAYBE SET A DATE UP AT AN ART GALLERY, A MUSEUM. YESTERDAY, AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM OF ART, WILLIS BING DAVIS, WHO'S A GIANT IN THE CITY OF DAYTON, IN OHIO, IN THE MIDWEST, CURATED AN EXHIBIT CALLED BLACK LIFE AS SUBJECT MATTER. AND IT WAS THE THIRD EDITION. THE SECOND EDITION, WE WON ACTUALLY A GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR BEST EXHIBIT IN THE STATE OF OHIO. THAT WAS BACK IN THE YEAR 22. SO THIS IS THE THIRD EDITION. I INVITE YOU GUYS TO GO OUT AND VIEW THE EXHIBIT, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE IT, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. IT DOESN'T MATTER REALLY WHAT YOU GO THERE THINKING ABOUT. JUST GO AND PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MIND EXPANDED BY THE 15 OR SO ARTISTS THAT ARE THERE FILLING UP THIS VERY LARGE GALLERY SPACE AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM OF ART. AND THE RECEPTION YESTERDAY WAS GRAND. IT'LL BE UP UNTIL MAY, I BELIEVE. THE DAYTON METRO LIBRARY ALSO HAS AN EXHIBIT OF ARTISTS, VERY DIVERSE. I'VE KIND OF BEEN IN CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT WITH THE FAIRBORN LIBRARY ABOUT THEM INSTALLING LIKE A [00:45:01] SMALL GALLERY SO THAT ARTISTS CAN BRING IN, AND THEY CAN LIKE ROTATE ARTISTS IN THEIR WORK AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OF THE STUDENTS, WHERE I TEACH AT CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY OR EVEN AT WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY OR EVEN AT THE FAIRBORN HIGH SCHOOL. JUST TO KIND OF SHOW THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE HAPPENING HERE THAN MAYBE PEOPLE SEE ON THE SURFACE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO. SO MAKE A DATE, FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THAT'S OUTSIDE OF YOUR NORM. IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN MAYBE YOU REALLY SHOULD PUSH YOURSELF TO DO IT BECAUSE MANY OF US, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US OF COLOR, HAVE BEEN IN UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS AND THE DISCOMFORT IS KIND OF UNFORTUNATELY OUR NORM. SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO, YOU KNOW, STEP INTO SOMETHING NEW THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU AND MAYBE YOU'LL LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK TO COUNCIL, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, WE WILL CLOSE THE MEETING. [VIII. City Manager Comments] SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, WE WILL CLOSE CITIZENS' COMMENTS AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER COMMENTS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO THIS EVENING, WE HAVE SOME MILESTONES FOR FEBRUARY. MORE THAN JUST OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, HILLARY BROWNIE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO CONGRATULATE THEM. JOHN SANDS, BATTALION CHIEF, HAS BEEN WITH US FOR 25 YEARS IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. RYAN SIMPSON IN MUNICIPAL COURT FOR 10 YEARS. WITH FIVE YEARS, RACHEL TALBERT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SEAN HITCHCOCK IN PARKS AND REC, TRAVIS COOPER IN WATER AND SEWER, AND DAVID YATES, OUR CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL IN THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION. AND THEN WITH ONE YEAR SERVICE TO THE CITY, HILLARY BROWNIE, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, SETH DUCKETT IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND ANDREA DAVIS IN OUR IT DIVISION. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION. THEY MAKE MY JOB A LOT EASIER. ALL OUTSTANDING FOLKS, JUST LIKE ALL MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM AND CONGRATULATE THEM ON THEIR ANNIVERSARIES WITH THE CITY AS EMPLOYEES. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT A SNOWSTORM. I WANT TO THANK TERRY ADKINS, SCOTT SHILTO, BUCK SMITH, AND THE STAFF OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS BEGINNING SATURDAY NIGHT, THE 24TH, AND CONTINUING FOR ALMOST 48 HOURS DURING THAT SNOWSTORM. THEY WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK BEGINNING AT 9 P.M. SATURDAY NIGHT, THE 24TH, THROUGH 5 P.M. ON MONDAY, THE 25TH. THEY WERE BACK AT WORK THE FOLLOWING MORNING, TUESDAY MORNING AT 5 A.M. WE USED NINE TRUCKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH SALT WE USED BECAUSE WE USED A LOT. SO THANKS TO THOSE GUYS. WE EVEN BROUGHT IN TWO MECHANICS ON 12-HOUR SHIFTS SO THAT IF THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCKS THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED, THEY COULD BE FIXED BACK OUT ON THE ROAD. AND SO THANKS TO THOSE GUYS FOR ALL THEY DID AND CONTINUE TO DO. I WANT TO THANK CHRIS BERKER AND HIS TEAM AT PARKS AND REC FOR ASSISTING WITH PLOWING THROUGH THE STORM. ALSO, PARKS AND REC MADE SURE ALL THE FAIRBOURN GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY THE FIRE STATION AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WERE PLOWED SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL COULD STILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE DURING THE STORM. AND OF COURSE, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FAIRBOURN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID. THEY WERE OUT IN THE ELEMENTS AND CONTINUE TO DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. AND I'M GRATEFUL EVERY DAY THAT THEY ARE HERE PROTECTING US, BOTH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE A MUCH BETTER CITY BECAUSE OF THOSE FOLKS. SO THANKS TO ALL OF THEM. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE PRIMARILY THE BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION AND OUR CITY PLANNER, KATHLEEN RIGGS. THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN WAS NOTIFIED ON FRIDAY THAT WE WERE THE RECIPIENT OF A SOLSMART SILVER DESIGNATION, WHICH RECOGNIZES OUR EFFORTS TO MAINSTREAM LOCAL SOLAR PERMITTING AND SUPPORT CLEAN ENERGY OPTIONS. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A LOT OF STAFF WORK AND COORDINATION, AND IT DIDN'T COST THE CITY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE STAFF TIME TO DO THAT. SO SOLSMART CERTIFICATION, SILVER CERTIFICATION, WHICH WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT WE RECEIVED THAT ON JANUARY 30TH. AGAIN, COUNCIL RETREAT WILL BE HELD FRIDAY THE 20TH AT THE FAIRBOURN DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON. THAT'S THE OLD I-675 HOLIDAY INN CONFERENCE CENTER AT 2800 PRESIDENTIAL DRIVE HERE IN FAIRBOURN. THE HOUR, IT'S FROM 8 TO 430, BUT REALLY THE SESSIONS BEGIN AT 830. SO PUBLIC IS WELCOME IF THEY'D LIKE TO ATTEND. AND IF WE WRAP UP EARLY, WE WILL NOT GO PAST 430, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE CHANCE THAT WE'LL WRAP UP A LITTLE EARLY. BUT WE PLAN TO BE THERE FROM 830 TO 430 ON FRIDAY THE 20TH. AT THIS TIME, MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD, I'D LIKE [00:50:01] TO YIELD SOME TIME TO MIKE MCNAMEE, THE CITY SOLICITOR AND LAW DIRECTOR, FOR A BRIEF PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. YOU MENTIONED BRIEF. I HOPE THAT I CAN DO THAT. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN, COUNCIL. OKAY, SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHATTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE LIKE ABOUT THE FEES THAT MY FIRM GETS PAID. CAN YOU HEAR ME? AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT, AND MAYOR, TO BE CANDID, YOU GAVE ME THE IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF PRESENTATION. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT BRIEF, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO LAY A FOUNDATION HERE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEES MY FIRM WAS PAID, YOU WENT THROUGH THE BASICS OF IT. WELL, IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON. WE'VE GOT A WHOLE CADRE OF PEOPLE THAT WORK. THERE'S A PROSECUTION STAFF THAT REQUIRES TWO FULL-TIME LAWYERS AND A FULL-TIME PARALEGAL. AND THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVED AT IT. AND THEN COUNCIL, I'M SORRY, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE PRESENTED FACTS AND FIGURES TO YOU. AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE TODAY. OKAY, SO WHY ARE WE HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION? TO SHOW THAT THE FEES CHARGED TO MY FIRM ARE FAIR AND REASONABLE UNDER OHIO LAW. LET'S DRILL DOWN INTO THE DETAIL A LITTLE BIT. SO I'M GOING TO LOOK AT OUR FEES FROM THREE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS. THE FIRST ONE IS TO COMPARE BY CURRENT CONTRACT TO REASONABLE MUNICIPAL HOURLY RATES BASED ON AN ACTUAL WORKLOAD. TRANSLATION, WE WORK THIS MANY HOURS. THESE ARE THE MARKET FEES. THAT'S WHAT THE PRICE IS. NOW LET'S COMPARE THAT TO THE ACTUAL FEES CHARGED. THE ACTUAL FEES CHARGED. AND SO IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THE FEES THAT WERE BILLED FOR 2025, $954,020. THE CONTRACT IS 661. SO UNDER THIS ANALYSIS, THERE'S A $293,000 SAVINGS. NEXT ANALYSIS THAT I DID WAS TO TAKE THE LAW DEPARTMENT, AS IT NOW STANDS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF MY FIRM, AND BRING IT ALL IN-HOUSE TO THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. LONG STORY SHORT, WITHOUT THE ONE-TIME FIXED COST OF $122,900, THE ANNUAL FEES, IF IT WAS BROUGHT IN-HOUSE, WOULD BE $811,931.85. THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF APPROXIMATELY JUST OVER $150,000. AND THEN WHAT WE DID, AND COUNCIL'S ALREADY SEEN THIS PRESENTATION, WE TOOK A LOOK AT SIMILARLY SITUATED CITIES POPULATION-WISE AND DID A COMPARISON TO THOSE CITIES. AND FAIRBOURN CAME IN AT THE LOWEST OF THOSE COMPARATIVE CITIES, WHICH WAS $661,000. OKAY, SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK BRIEFLY AT WHAT WE PROVIDE. THAT'S MLG, MAGNUM E LAW GROUP, LAW DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT LAW DIRECTOR, LEAD PROSECUTOR, ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR, PARALEGAL SUPPORT, LEGAL RESEARCH PLATFORMS, CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL ATTORNEYS AND PARALEGALS AS NEEDED, NO CITY PAYROLL BENEFITS OR PENSION OBLIGATIONS, FLAT FEE CONTRACT PROVIDES PREDICTABLE ANNUAL COST. ALL THOSE SAVINGS I LOOKED AT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THOSE BACK. THAT'S THE QUID PRO QUO OF A FLAT FEE AGREEMENT. OKAY, SO LET'S DO THE IN-HOUSE COUNCIL ANALYSIS. IF WE JUST HAD TO GO CONSERVATIVE, BARE BONES, WHAT WOULD YOU NEED? ONE LAW DIRECTOR, ONE LEAD PROSECUTOR, ONE ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR. WHY DO WE NEED TWO PROSECUTORS? BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO JUDGES. JUDGE NEEDS A FULL-TIME PROSECUTOR. ONE CIVIL PARALEGAL AND ONE CRIMINAL PARALEGAL. SO ON THE LAW DIRECTOR PART, WE JUST HAVE ONE LAW DIRECTOR AND ONE CIVIL PARALEGAL. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT FOR BRINGING IT IN-HOUSE. PROJECTED SALARIES, AND ADMITTEDLY, THESE SALARIES AREN'T THE LOWEST, BUT THEY'RE NOT THE HIGHEST. THEY KIND OF STRIKE A HAPPY BALANCE. LAW DIRECTOR, 185. LEAD PROSECUTOR, 110. ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR, 85. CIVIL PARALEGAL, 75. CRIMINAL PARALEGAL, 65. [00:55:05] THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TOOK A LOOK AT THOSE SALARIES AND THEN DID AN ANALYSIS IN TERMS OF WHAT WOULD ALL OF THE BENEFITS, ET CETERA, THAT GOES WITH THOSE SALARIES, WHAT WOULD THEY COST THE CITY? 197, 430, 185. THEN THIS REQUIRED LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE. WE HAVE LEGAL RESEARCH SOFTWARE. WE HAVE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT STORAGE. THAT'S A ONE-TIME COST OF ABOUT $113,000, BUT WE PROVIDE THAT. SAME THING, ADDITIONAL COSTS, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY I'M GOING THROUGH THIS HERE IN A MINUTE. OFFICE SPACE ALLOCATION, HARDWARE AND IT SUPPORT, PHONE SUPPLIES, PROFESSIONAL DUES, ET CETERA. ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST, 52,000. THESE ARE STRAIGHT FROM MY NUMBERS. OKAY, SO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TOOK A LOOK AT THOSE SAME SIMILAR EXPENSES AND WHAT WOULD THEY COST BRINGING THOSE IN-HOUSE? AND SO, BOTTOM LINE, SHE CAME UP TO TOTAL AMOUNT OF $217,400 ANNUAL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THERE'S A ONE-TIME CAPITAL OUTLAY OF $122,900 TO ACQUIRE ALL THOSE SOFTWARE PLATFORMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. OKAY, SO AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, GOING FORWARD, THE TOTAL SUBSEQUENT YEAR'S EXPENSE FOR THESE TYPES OF EXPENDITURES WOULD BE $94,500. OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU THE NUMBERS ARE. ADD 520 TO THE BENEFITS AND PAYROLL TO THE ONE-TIME INITIAL CAPITAL OUTLAY. $94,500 ANNUALLY, FIRST YEAR, $934,831, $811,931.85 FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS, AND BIG POINT HERE, WITHOUT COST OF LIVING INCREASES. OKAY, SO JUST TO GO THROUGH IT ALL AGAIN, ALL OF THIS INCLUDED IN THE 661 FLAT FEE, $811,000 MOVING FORWARD ANNUALLY IF IT'S ALL IN-HOUSE. AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO HORN TOO MUCH HERE, BUT KEY ASSUMPTIONS, MINIMUM STAFFING ONLY, NO ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE, NO ESCALATION FOR BENEFIT INFLATION, NO ALLOWANCE FOR TURNOVER OR VACANCY COSTS, DOES NOT INCLUDE OUTSIDE ACCOUNTS FOR CONFLICT OR OUTSIDE OF EXPERTISE, ASSUMES UNINTERRUPTED STAFFING YEAR-ROUND. WITH THAT TYPE OF STAFF THAT I PROPOSED, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP FILL IN FOR THE LAW DIRECTOR, ET CETERA. BUT AGAIN, WE JUST DID A BARE-BONES STAFFING ANALYSIS. OKAY, AND WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS. THIS IS WHAT I ACTUALLY PROVIDE. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE, HOLD ON HERE. YEAH, THIS IS WHERE I START THE PURE CITY CONTEXT REVIEW, OKAY? SO THIS IS WHAT I PROVIDE. AND THEN HERE ARE PURE CITIES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT. OKAY, WE'VE GOT THE POPULATION IN THE LITTLE BLUE BAR RIGHT HERE, RIGHT? AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE COST THAT THEY PAY THE LEGAL STAFF. THIS IS ALL APPLES TO APPLES, PRETTY MUCH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA, WHERE THEIR BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE THEIR PROSECUTORIAL AND THEIR JUDGES. AND SO THAT IS ABSENT THAT. SO YOU KIND OF THROW THAT OUT. THAT'S MORE OF AN OUTLIER. BUT IT WAS A SIMILARLY POPULATED CITY. AND TAKE A LOOK, ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE AT THE LOWEST PORTION AT 661. YOU'LL SEE THE HIGHEST IS LIMA. BUT AGAIN, TO BE FAIR, LIMA HAS A, THEY INCLUDE THE COST OF THEIR JUDGES AND BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE ON THERE, SO. BUT STILL, COMPARATIVELY, WE LOOK VERY WELL-PRICED. AND THEN THAT'S WHAT I'VE JUST COVERED THERE, THE SUMMARY. OKAY, NOW THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH BRINGING IN-HOUSE AS WELL IS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TURNOVER, AND A LOT OF TURNOVER. AND TYPICALLY, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE HIGHEST AND THE BEST AND THE MOST EXPERIENCE. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE. OUR FIRMS RANGE, I'VE GOT 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE. MY WIFE HAS 33, AND OTHERS IN THE FIRM HAVE FROM 15 TO 20, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TWO YEARS, WHICH IS MY SON NOLAN. OKAY, AGAIN, JUST MORE BENEFITS, ACCESS TO MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS, BUILDING COVERAGE FOR SIX LEAVE, NO RECRUITMENT TURNOVER RISK, NO PENSION OR LONG-TERM LIABILITY. OKAY, NOW LET'S JUMP INTO THE HOURLY RATE REVIEW, OKAY? [01:00:01] SO, COMPARES OUR ACTUAL 2025 WORKLOAD AND APPLIES THEM AGAINST VERY REASONABLE MUNICIPAL RATE FEES. FOR EXAMPLE, GENERAL MUNICIPAL LEGAL SERVICES, $250. MY HOURLY RATE FOR NON-MUNICIPAL WORK IS $500 AN HOUR. SO, IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE, BUT THE QUID PRO QUO, I LOVE MUNICIPAL WORK, AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING, FASCINATING, AND STEADY WORK. THEN, I CHARGE FOR A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. THAT SKILL SET IS NOT AS MUCH IN DEMAND, SO THAT RATE GOES DOWN TO $150. PARALEGALS CHARGE $100 TO $150, AND THESE ARE ALL FACT-CHECKED IN OHIO IN TERMS OF REASONABLE RATES FOR A MUNICIPAL. OKAY, SO I ASK MY BUSINESS MANAGER TO PUT THIS CHART TOGETHER FOR ME, AND THE TOP CHART IS LAW DIRECTOR HOURS, AS DIFFERENTIATED FROM PROSECUTION HOURS. LAW DIRECTOR HOURS WERE 01,067.9, MULTIPLY THAT OUT, 266,975. PARALEGAL, 342, MULTIPLY THAT OUT, TOTAL 318,380. PROSECUTORS, THEIR HOURS ARE HEAVY BECAUSE IT'S FULL-TIME, ALL-TIME, AND WE'VE GOT 516 FOR THE LAWYERS, 118 FOR THE PARALEGALS, FOR A TOTAL OF 635. TOTAL PROJECTED HOURLY COST, IF BILLED HOURLY, 954.020 COMPARED TO 611. OHIO LAW REQUIRES THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FEES BE FAIR AND REASONABLE. THAT'S WHAT I TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE HERE THIS EVENING. AND THE CITY EVALUATED THE LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT USING THREE INDEPENDENT METHODS, THE ONES THAT I JUST COVERED. EACH METHOD INDEPENDENTLY DEMONSTRATES THE CURRENT CONTRACT, PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL SERVICES, IS COST-EFFECTIVE, AND FALLS WITHIN A RANGE FOR CITIES OF COMPARABLE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY. SO THAT'S THE END OF THE LEGAL FEE PORTION OF MY PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT PORTION OF MY PRESENTATION? COUNCIL QUESTIONS? NO. THANK YOU, MIKE. OKAY. OKAY, SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO TOUCH ON ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN FLOATING AROUND AND WANT TO ADDRESS DIRECTLY. LOCAL CITIZENS RAISED AN ALLEGATION SUGGESTING AN ETHICS VIOLATION. AND THAT CLAIM IS BASED UPON A PARTIAL READING OF THE STATUTE AND DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR SUBSECTION C, WHICH DIRECTLY ADDRESSES CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING CONTRACTS WITH LAW FIRMS. WHILE WE BELIEVE THAT THE ALLEGATION UNFOUNDED, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN FOR TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY. OKAY, SO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT MADE THIS ALLEGATION IS NOT A LAWYER, AND SO THE LAWYER DIDN'T MAKE THIS ALLEGATION. AND BASICALLY, IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS. RC 2921.42, A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, WHICH I AM, MAY APPOINT ASSISTANTS OR EMPLOYEES, HERE IS THE TRICKY PART RIGHT HERE, EXCEPT A FAMILY MEMBER OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. THEN YOU GO DOWN, EXCEPT A FAMILY MEMBER. THEN WE GO DOWN, EXCEPT A FAMILY MEMBER. OKAY, AS THIS COUNCIL IS WELL-INFORMED AND ADVISED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, MY WIFE, SHE WORKS WITH ME. MY SON, HE WORKS FOR US. AND NOLAN IS AN ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR. AND HE TOOK THE PLACE OF NATE ROSE WHEN HE LEFT THE PROSECUTORIAL, AND MY WIFE TOOK THE PLACE OF ASSISTANT LAW DIRECTOR WHEN NATE LEFT AS WELL. AND COUNCIL WAS ALL INFORMED OF THAT, AND I COVERED ALL OF THOSE TRANSITIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. OKAY, HERE'S WHAT THE PERSON WASN'T DOING. THEY DIDN'T GO TO THE NEXT SECTION. NEXT SECTION IS 4021C. IT IS NOT A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, MEANING 2921.421, OR OF 2921.42, WHICH IS ALSO A SIMILAR STATUTE HERE. NO FAMILY MEMBER COULD BE APPOINTED. BUT HERE'S WHAT IT SAYS. IT'S NOT A VIOLATION WHEN, IF THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION TO ENGAGE THE SERVICE OF ANY FIRM THAT PRACTICES THE PROFESSION OF LAW UPON TERMS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY, THE GOVERNING BOARD, OR THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, OR TO DESIGNATE ANY PARTNER, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE OF THAT FIRM AS A NON-ELECTED OFFICIAL. [01:05:01] SO IT'S NOT A VIOLATION. AND FIRST THING WE DID WAS WE CALLED THE OHIO ETHICS COMMISSION. AND SECOND THING WE DID, WE CALLED INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO GET A QUICK READ ON THAT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? JUDGE CAPELLI DID THE SAME THING. IN PARALLEL, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, SHE CONTACTED THE SAME LAW FIRM. AND IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, NOT A VIOLATION. THAT SAID, OKAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, OKAY, WE WANT TO GET INDEPENDENT CORROBORATION, THIS TERM TRANSPARENCIES, THROWN AROUND LIBERALLY, OKAY? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT. THAT'S WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WE DID. AND WE'RE GOING TO REQUEST BOTH THE CITY AND MLG A FORMAL ADVISORY OPINION FROM THE OHIO ETHICS COMMISSION. THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED HERE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND IT WILL BE ABOUT 45 DAYS TO GET THAT DECISION. OKAY. SO AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEANING HOUSE HERE, LET'S CLEAR ONE MORE THING. PARDON ME WHILE I CATCH UP WITH MYSELF. OKAY. THERE'S BEEN ALLEGATIONS REGARDING A BUSINESS OWNED BY SYLVIA CHESS. AND THIS GOES BACK SOME TWO YEARS ANYHOW. COUNSEL RECEIVED A FULL LEGAL OPINION FROM ME ON THIS MATTER THAT SYLVIA CHESS AND OR THE BUSINESS THAT SHE OWNS, EXTRA PRO DEV 101 CENTER LLC, WAS THE IMPROPER RECIPIENT OF ARPA FUNDS. THAT WAS AS PART OF THE WHOLE COVID RECOVERY PROCESS. AND I DID MY LEGAL REVIEW. I DID A LEGAL OPINION DAY 10-31-23, CHECKED IN ALL ASPECTS. I DID A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT IN A RESPONSE TO THE PERSON THAT HAD A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. AND COUNSEL HAS SEEN THAT. OKAY, THERE'S TWO BASIC CHARGES LEVELED AT THIS PARTICULAR TRANSACTION. AND THE FIRST ONE WAS THAT THE BUSINESS WAS NOT IN OPERATION AS OF JANUARY 1, 2020. OKAY, AND THAT'S JUST A FALSE ALLEGATION BECAUSE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT INOPERATIONS MEAN, YOU HAD TO DIVE INTO A GREAT VAST OCEAN OF FEDERAL REGULATION ON DEFINING WHAT IS INOPERATION. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE IN OPERATION CRANKING OUT THE WIDGETS ACCORDING TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS. SO LONG AS YOU'RE DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE TO START THE BUSINESS, ENGAGING IN LEASE NEGOTIATIONS TO HOUSE YOUR BUSINESS, AND EVENTUALLY GENERATING REVENUES. WELL, THIS BUSINESS DID JUST THAT. THERE WAS MENTION IN MY LEGAL OPINION ABOUT THE BUSINESS WAS PREVIOUSLY BASED IN TEXAS, BUT THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION ON THAT. BUT MY OPINION DID NOT RELY ON TEXAS. MY OPINION RELIED ON HER ACTIONS IN THIS CITY DURING THAT TIME FRAME. SHE MET THAT RATE. AND THEN LET'S SEE. I THINK THE BUSINESS RECEIVED A SECOND ARPA AWARD FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENTS. AND I LOOKED AT THAT, AND THAT WAS COMPLETELY COMPLIANT AS WELL. I'VE JUST COVERED THAT, SO NO NEED TO COVER THAT STUFF AGAIN. OKAY, AND I HAVE COVERED THAT ONE ALREADY. I USUALLY GET AHEAD OF MY SLIDES. SORRY, BUT THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF IT. AND THEN LET'S SEE. HOLD ON. OKAY, THE SECOND CLAIM THAT'S BEEN RAISED IS THAT THERE WAS NO DEMONSTRATED DECREASE IN REVENUE, THAT IT WAS NOT SUBSTANTIATED. AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE. BOTH DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE VETTED THE LOSS IN REVENUE AND TAX RETURNS TO THAT EFFECT. SO, AGAIN, IT'S A WHOLE LOT OF TALK ABOUT NOTHING AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ELSE ON IT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD CLEAR THE AIR, PUT THAT OUT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL. QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNCIL QUESTIONS? NO, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK, MIKE. I REALLY DO. THANK YOU. MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE AS A CITY, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS, IT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. I OWN THE BUSINESS. AND THERE'S SOME THINGS WE WOULD HOPE TO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, LIGHTS, WATER, WISH IT WAS FREE. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GOING THROUGH THAT. YOU CAME IN THERE WITH THAT STACK OF PAPERS. YOU WENT THROUGH ALL OF IT. AND THAT'S THE DETAIL WE NEED WHEN WE TALK [01:10:01] ABOUT LEGAL WORK. AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS ASKED, AND I THINK HE'S DOING AN FAQ SHEET THAT'S GOING TO BE PUBLISHED, MIKE. AND, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO MY OPINION, MY VIEW, THAT WE FIGHT FOR FEEDBACK. WE ASK CITIZENS FOR FEEDBACK. WE ASK CITIZENS FOR FEEDBACK. WE DO THAT ON A DAILY BASIS. AND WE DO OUR BEST BECAUSE WE PROMISE TRANSPARENCY, WE PROMISE OPENNESS, WE PROMISED TO BE CLEAR. AND ALL OF OUR ANSWERS, YOU KNOW, THAT FEEDBACK, SOMETIMES YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT, SOMETIMES YOU WON'T. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SHARED AND THE DETAIL YOU WENT THROUGH TO GET TO IT. HAPPY TO. THANK YOU. SO I LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM AND I THINK PROBABLY MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF US AT SOME POINT OR JUNCTURE IN OUR LIFE HAVE UTILIZED AN ATTORNEY AND GOTTEN THE BILL AND KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS. SO FOR A MUNICIPALITY TO HAVE SUCH A LARGE BILL SHOULD NOT BE SHOCKING TO ANY OF US. I KNOW WHAT MY BILL WAS WHEN I GOT MY DIVORCE. SO MULTIPLY THAT OUT BY THE AMOUNT OF HOURS AND TIME THAT YOUR FIRM PUTS IN, I THINK WE'RE FAR BEYOND REASONABLE. AND I APPRECIATE THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN. IT HELPS PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE VISUAL TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO GO TO BAT FOR THE MONEY THAT WE DO PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES. SO THANK YOU, MIKE. SURE THING. AND I'LL POINT OUT, WE'RE ONE OF TWO FULL-SERVICE CITIES IN THE GREATER MIAMI VALLEY, THE OTHER BEING DAYTON, SO. EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY FULL-SERVICE BECAUSE PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW INVOLVED THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN IS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING A FULL-SERVICE CITY, WE DO EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE EXCEPT FOR PLUMBING INSPECTION. SO EVERY SERVICE THAT THIS CITY PROVIDES, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPAL COURT, MOST COMMUNITIES DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A MUNICIPAL COURT. THEY MAY SHARE IT WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS. BUT WE HAVE OUR OWN WATER SYSTEM. WE HAVE OUR OWN BUILDING INSPECTION DIVISION, OF COURSE, FIRE, POLICE, FINANCE, IT, HUMAN RESOURCES, PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS. ALL THOSE ARE IN-HOUSE. WE DO NOT UTILIZE ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES, DEPARTMENTS. A LOT OF PLACES, OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT BEAVER CREEK, THEY ACTUALLY UTILIZE GREEN COUNTY WATER AND SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. THEY ALSO UTILIZE THE BEAVER CREEK TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T USE THOSE AS A KNOCK ON THEM. THAT'S JUST TO CLARIFY THAT WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. WE DON'T CONTRACT OUT WITH ANYONE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A FULL-SERVICE CITY, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPAL COURT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ALL THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE. WE'VE, FOR YEARS, USED GREEN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH FOR JUST THE PLUMBING ASPECT OF BUILDING INSPECTION BECAUSE IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALIFIED INSPECTORS TO DO THAT. AND THE ONLY OTHER POINT I WANT TO CLARIFY IS MIKE'S CONTRACT DOES NOT PAY THE JUDGES. THAT'S SEPARATE. THIS IS JUST FOR LEGAL DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HE MENTIONED THAT LIMA ACTUALLY ALSO IN THAT FIGURE PAYS FOR THEIR JUDGES. JUDGE CAPELLI AND JUDGE HUNT, THERE'S SEPARATE FUNDS THAT DO THAT. THE 661 IS SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT THROUGH MCNAMEE LAW GROUP. BUT WE DO EVERYTHING OTHER THAN PLUMBING INSPECTION. SO WE ARE A FULL-SERVICE CITY AND THAT'S WHERE THAT TERM FULL-SERVICE COMES FROM. AND MIKE, MY WORK TOUCHES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS. ABSOLUTELY. NO, I'M DONE. THANK YOU. YES, MIKE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU. YOU'VE DONE AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING JOB. AND FOR THE ARPA THING, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ACCUSED OF SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T DO. IT IS HORRIBLE. THEY PLASTERED MY NAME ALL OVER THE FRONT PAGE OF DAYTON DAILY WITH THIS ACCUSATION OF ARPA FUNDING. WHEN I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. EVERYTHING RIGHT. AND WHEN THEY FOUND ME NOT GUILTY OF DOING IT WRONG, THE APOLOGY WAS IN THE INSIDE OF THE PAPER INSTEAD OF THE FRONT PAGE. [01:15:03] AND THIS HAPPENED BEFORE I DECIDED TO RUN FOR COUNCIL. I HAD NO, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT RUNNING FOR COUNCIL. IT WAS IN MY PLAN TO RUN FOR COUNCIL DURING THAT TIME. I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY THE CITY GAVE ME TO TAKE MY OLD PROPERTY AND BEAUTIFY DOWNTOWN. THAT PROPERTY WAS NEGLECTED. AND WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP DOWNTOWN. AND IT'S BEEN VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW DOWNTOWN DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC. SO BUSINESSES DO SOMETIMES SUFFER. AND TO BE ACCUSED OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND YOUR REPUTATION BEING DISTORTED EVERY CHANCE A PERSON GETS IS HORRENDOUS. AND MY REPUTATION HAS BEEN AT STAKE SINCE, SO EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT. EVER SINCE I STEPPED FORWARD TO TALK ABOUT JUNETEENTH IN THIS CITY, SOMEBODY HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT MY DIALECT, MY CULTURE. IT WAS PLASTERED ALL OVER. THEY DID AN ARTICLE ON IT IN FAIRBORN TIMES. AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE TO COME TO A CITY THAT IS GROWING AND THAT IS EMBRACING DIVERSITY TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WHAT DID I DO TO MAKE THESE INDIVIDUALS UPSET? I HAVE NO EARTHLY IDEA TO THIS DAY. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. I DON'T EVEN TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT. BUT I DO KNOW THIS, THAT I HAVE SPENT MY DAYS IN FAIRBORN GIVING COUNTLESS NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS AND EVERYTHING TO THIS CITY. WE PAY OUR TAXES ON OUR BUILDINGS. WE PAY OUR TAXES ON OUR HOME. WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT. SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, YOU ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING WRONG WITH SYLVIA CHESS. AND IT'S REALLY A SHAME THAT I LIVE, SLEEP, WORK, PLAY IN SOMEBODY'S HEAD ALL DAY LONG AND ALL NIGHT. AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. AND THEN YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE FAIRBORN. IF YOU LOVE FAIRBORN SO MUCH, WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE AND MOVE IN THIS TOWN AND GIVE AS MANY HOURS I'VE GIVEN IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND THE DOLLARS I'VE SPENT IN THIS TOWN, AND YOU CONTINUALLY PUSH AND TRY TO FIND SOMETHING ON THEM THAT DISTORT THEIR NAME, DISTORT THEIR CHARACTER. AND YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES. YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW IT HURTS THEIR REPUTATION. YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT HOW IT HURTS THEIR JOBS. YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT ANY OF THAT. I'M SUFFERING RIGHT NOW TRYING TO GET THROUGH CANCER TREATMENTS, CANCER TREATMENTS. YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT ANY OF THAT. AND THEN WE HAVE TO SPEND HOURS OF COUNCIL'S TIME. WE COULD BE FOCUSING ON THE CITY, STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY AND MOVING FORWARD. YOU'RE BRINGING UP ALL THIS STUFF THAT DON'T MEAN NOTHING. WHEN SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING, THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES. AND IT'S NOT FAIR. BUT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS TOWN. NOW, I KNOW EVERYONE'S EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT. BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH MY EYES AND WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH. AND I NEVER SAID A WORD. I'VE ALWAYS FORGIVEN. AND I KEPT GOING. SO I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT BEFORE WE COME TO COUNCIL. COME THIS, BECAUSE I DO HAVE MORE TO SAY. THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR THE TRUTH. I THINK THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, RUMORS, WHATEVER, ARE OUT THERE, I THINK THAT THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS JUST TAKE THE TIME AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS ALREADY SAID. YOU KNOW, WHEN MIKE TOOK [01:20:01] OVER AS A CITY MANAGER, ONE OF HIS BIG GOALS WAS TO MAKE FAIRBOURN AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. TONIGHT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. LETTING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR LEGAL FEES ARE SPENT AND WHAT THEY'RE SPENT FOR. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK. WE ALL APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THAT. I HOPE THAT PUTS THIS TO REST, THAT COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, WE ARE AT THE LOWER END WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED. SO THANKS FOR ALL THAT HARD WORK. THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION ON THE ARPA ISSUE. I HOPE THAT, LIKE I SAID, PUTS US TO REST. WE'LL SEE WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS. WE'LL SEE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER? [IX. Council Comments] NO, YOUR HONOR. YOU'RE GOOD? YES, FOR THE EVENING, YES. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. SYLVIA? THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO RIGHT NOW THANK THE MILESTONE RECIPIENTS, YOU KNOW, FOR WORKING. I AM A FAN OF HILLARY. I'M IN THE HILLARY FAN CLUB, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SHE MADE MY LIFE, I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE CAN ATTEST TO THIS, SHE MADE MY LIFE A LOT EASIER BECAUSE SHE'S SO ELEMENTARY WHEN IT COME DOWN TO EXPLAINING TO US WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET LOOK LIKE FOR EACH LINE ITEM IS AND HOW TO UNDERSTAND THOSE LINE ITEMS. AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HER HARD WORK. AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR HER FOR A YEAR, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE AND WHERE SHE'S AT AND EVERYTHING COMING FROM WHERE SHE COME FROM. SO I SO APPRECIATE THIS LADY. I'M TELLING HER I'M PART OF HER FAN CLUB, OKAY? SO I'M GOING TO PUT MY GLASSES ON HERE BECAUSE I DID PUT SOME THINGS DOWN. JOANNE, THANK YOU FOR KIND OF RECOGNIZING SOME OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS TOWN. I'M SURE THERE'S A PLETHORA MORE, A PLETHORA MORE OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY DESERVE RECOGNITIONS AS WELL. YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO KIND OF GIVE THEM ALL. BUT WE DO HAVE A BUNCH OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN FAIRWATER. I REMEMBER WHEN I MET TERRI LANE. I THINK I BOUGHT SOME PICTURES FROM YOU, DIDN'T I, TERRI? YEAH, FOR THE BUILDING, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE BUILDING AND EVERYTHING. SO SHE DO OFFER A LOT AND EVERYTHING. SO EVERYBODY WHO HAVE A BUSINESS FOR IT. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH MONEY I SPENT IN THE STORE DOING MY TIKTOK VIDEOS. AND SO I APPRECIATE THE CAMARADERIE THAT WE HAVE HAD TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS. SO YEAH, IF I MISSED SOMETHING, I'M SORRY. BUT I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. AND I'M TELLING YOU, YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE THICK SKIN WHEN YOU OPEN UP A SMALL BUSINESS. SO IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE. BUT KUDOS TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE KEPT GOING AND KEPT FAIRBOURN ALIVE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. MR. BAKER, DO YOU ASK US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR, WHAT OUR VISION IS FOR GOING FORWARD IN FAIRBOURN? I THINK I CAN SHARE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES. WE WORK IN A NONPARTISAN COUNCIL WHERE WE COME TOGETHER AND WE MAKE DECISIONS TOGETHER. AND WE MAY AGREE TO DISAGREE ON SOME THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE IN FOR OUR CITY, BUT WE COME TOGETHER AND WE GET THE JOB DONE. OF COURSE, MY PASSION IS SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENHANCING THOSE BUSINESSES IF I CAN, AS MUCH AS I CAN WITH THE REST OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, AS WELL AS HOMELINESS AND FAIR HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, AND ALSO FOCUSING ON THE GROWTH OF OUR TOWN AND MOVING FORWARD. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK AT. I TRY TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THOSE ACTION ITEMS A LOT MORE SO THAT I CAN BE ABLE TO BE A BETTER STEWARD OF WHAT I PROMISED TO DO FOR THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. OKAY? SECONDLY, YOU ASK ABOUT, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU ASKED. I'LL WRITE IT DOWN. LET ME NOT GET IT ALL ON YOU, MR. BAKER, BUT HOLD ON ONE SECOND NOW. OKAY. OKAY. LET ME ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU COME HERE EVERY SINGLE MEETING AND YOU SAY THE SAME THING. AND WHAT I DECIDED TO DO WAS LISTEN TO EVERYBODY'S COMPLAINTS AND WHATEVER THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT HAPPENED AT PAUL GREEN COLLEGE IN DALLAS, TEXAS. I HAVE NEVER, EVER SAID YOU WAS A PROUD BOARD MEMBER. OKAY? I NEVER CALLED YOUR NAME. YOUR NAME WAS NEVER MENTIONED. [01:25:02] IT'S NOT IN THE TRANSCRIPT. YOUR NAME WAS NEVER, EVER MENTIONED. SO I WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP. SECONDLY, I NEVER SAID THAT ALL OF FAIRBOURN WAS RACIST. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRANSCRIPT, I'VE NEVER SAID THAT. I DID, HOWEVER, GIVE MY EXPERIENCE. AND THE EXPERIENCE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ARPA FUNDING THING THAT I WENT THROUGH, WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL, WHEN I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL, I WAS HARASSED BEYOND MEASURE. AND AGAIN, INCLUDING WITH THE ARPA FUNDING, JUST BY A FEW PEOPLE. OKAY? IT WASN'T EVERYBODY IN FAIRBOURN. BECAUSE WHEN I CAME TO FAIRBOURN, PEOPLE WERE REALLY KIND TO ME. BUT THERE WERE A FEW THAT SAID SOME HORRIBLE THINGS. THEY PLASTERED ME ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AGAIN WITH ALLEGATIONS. JUST ALL KINDS OF STUFF. AND EACH ONE OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE FALSE. AND I SAY TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME, COME TO ME. I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO ME. ALL OF THAT. BUT I WAS ONLY GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. BUT IN THAT SPEECH, I ALSO SAID, WE WON. ALTHOUGH WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WE WON. WE MEANING FAIRBOURN. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. AND YOU CAN SAY THAT I DIDN'T MEAN THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. I WOULD NEVER EVER SAY THAT THE ENTIRE CITY OF 35,000 PLUS PEOPLE ARE RACIST. THAT'S ABSURD TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT IF YOU READ THE TRANSCRIPT, YOU'LL SEE IN THERE WHAT SAYS WE. WE WON. AND WE DID. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHEN I SAID WE, I MEANT FAIRBOURN. SO STOP SPREADING THAT. START RESEARCHING. START ASKING QUESTIONS. TALK TO ME. SO WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION BASED OFF OF SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY SAYS, RESEARCH IT BEFORE YOU START PLASTERING THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO I DID WANT TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY HAD TO SAY. BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR RIGHT. THAT'S YOUR FIRST RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND I RESPECT THAT. AND I GAVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHATEVER YOU HAD TO SAY. I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU. I DIDN'T CALL YOU A LIAR. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS. I DIDN'T ATTACK YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA. NONE OF THOSE THINGS. I LISTENED TO YOU. I LISTENED TO EVERYTHING YOU HAD TO SAY. AND NOW I'M SPEAKING UP. I GET ATTACKED ON A DAILY BASIS. ABOUT SOMETHING. FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE. IN THIS TOWN, THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN. ALL THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BACKLASHES ON SOCIAL MEDIA. MOST OF THEM WAS VERY, VERY RACIST. AND I HAVEN'T SAID A WORD. THAT WAS A PRIVATE INSTITUTION. I WAS SHARING MY EXPERIENCE OF WHAT I WENT THROUGH. TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO HEAR IT. AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT. AND KEVIN MCGRUDER, WHO IS A WRITER FOR THE DAILY HEBREW ARTICLE. AND I IMPRESS UPON YOU TO GO AND READ THAT ARTICLE. IT WAS JUST PUT OUT LAST WEEK. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM ME. BECAUSE I WAS PROCESSING. WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE [01:30:01] TO BE SO UGLY? WHEN ALL I HAVE IN MY HEART IS LOVE. I'VE NEVER HAD, I DON'T HAVE A HATRED. NOTHING IN MY BONES. I LOVE EVERYBODY. DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM. DOESN'T MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DID WHATEVER YOU DID. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED EVERYBODY. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. I STILL LOVE YOU. AND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IN THIS TOWN WITH THOSE GROUP OF PEOPLE WAS NOT FAIR. IT WAS NOT RIGHT. AND THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE. THAT'S THE THING. THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE. AND THEY COME BACK HERE EVERY SINGLE MEETING WITH SOMETHING AGAINST ME. AND WHEN IT'S PROVEN THAT THEY'RE WRONG, THEY NEVER COME BACK AND APOLOGIZE. OH, MS. CHANCE, I WAS WRONG FOR WHAT I DID. NO. YOU CONTINUE IT UNTIL YOU SAY, AHA, I GOT HER ON SOMETHING AGAIN. AHA, I GOT HER ON SOMETHING AGAIN. AHA, I GOT HER ON SOMETHING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS FOR FIVE YEARS. OH, SHE DIDN'T PAY OUR TAXES RIGHT HERE. SO IT DIDN'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE WHEN I TOLD YOU NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON SOMETHING BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCREPANCIES ON THAT PART. BECAUSE YOU DON'T SAY, OH, SHE'S LYING. SO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH MY LENS NOW. I'VE HEARD YOU. I'VE HEARD WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY. NOW TAKE A BACK SEAT AND LOOK THROUGH MY LENS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN DIFFERENT. BUT DO I THINK THAT ALL FAIR BOYS LIKE THAT? NO. NO. NO, THAT'S THE FARTHEST THING FROM THE TRUTH. AND I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT. BUT I DO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND SPEAK HOW THEY FEEL. AND THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. I'M DONE WITH THAT. MR. FLOYD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS OF LOVE. I'M FEELING RIGHT THERE. LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T TELL MY HUSBAND, BUT I SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON YOUR STORY. BUT I THANK YOU FOR BEING KIND TO ME AND YOU'VE ALWAYS SHOWED ME A LOT OF COMPASSION IN EVERYTHING SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS TOWN. AND I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY DO. OKAY. MR. PICKENS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS. IT WAS HEARTFELT AND YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FOR FAIRBORN. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HISTORY OF WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH YOUR WIFE. SHE'S HAD SOME GREAT EXPERIENCES WITH FAIRBORN AS WELL. AND THAT'S WONDERFUL. WE NEED TO HEAR THOSE STORIES. WE REALLY DO. MS. SMITH IS NOT HERE, BUT I THANK HER FOR COMING OUT AS WELL. AND I INVITE MORE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO ENJOY AND HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR TOWN AND YOUR CITY. OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU FOR THIS SMALL RANT THAT I GAVE YOU. I DO APOLOGIZE IF I WENT TOO LONG, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY? THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL, I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT. MOST OF THEM, EXCEPT SOME SPECIFIC ONE-ON-ONE STUFF, I AGREE. THANKS TO JOANNE FOR SAYING SO MANY NICE THINGS ABOUT THE BUSINESSES BEFORE BEING CUT OFF AND FOR MIKE AND JAMES SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE HERE. AND FOR ERIN, THE INVITATION TO THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUM OF ART, WHICH SOUNDS INTERESTING. I USUALLY DON'T GET OUT OF TOWN MUCH, BUT THAT'S OUT OF TOWN FOR ME. THAT'S SAD. [01:35:01] AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MILESTONE RECIPIENTS AND ALSO TO ECHO WHAT SYLVIA SAID ABOUT HILLARY. AND IT'S NOT... SHE EXPLAINS THINGS SO WELL. SHE CAN JUST TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S... WE KNOW HER JOB IS VERY COMPLICATED AND SHE'S DOING REALLY GOOD THINGS TO HELP US GET IN A GOOD FOOTING, BUT SHE CAN JUST EXPLAIN THAT SO WELL THAT YOU'RE RIGHT THERE WITH HER. SO I APPRECIATE HER. OKAY. I HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WROTE DOWN AHEAD OF TIME THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. THE FIRST ONE, I HOPE, IS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO SAY TO ANYBODY WHAT TO DO. I JUST FEEL LIKE I NEED TO RAISE THIS CONCERN. FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES, I FEEL VERY NERVOUS ABOUT... WE KNOW THE HAITIANS IN SPRINGFIELD IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THEIR STATUS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE REVOKED. AND SO WE'LL HAVE ICE AND BORDER PATROL OVER IN SPRINGFIELD. AND IT'S NOT UNREASONABLE TO THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT COME HERE TO TRY TO GET AWAY AND THEN MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF CONFRONTATIONS HERE. AND THIS ISN'T A POLITICAL THING OF WHO'S ON WHAT SIDE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I JUST AM REALLY THINKING ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR SAFETY. I JUST HOPE EVERYONE'S SAFE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. NOT TO TELL ANYBODY WHAT TO DO OR WHAT TO THINK. I HOPE THAT THIS COMES THROUGH AND THERE'S NOTHING BAD THAT HAPPENS TO ANYONE HERE. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ALSO COMMENT ON SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT MIKE WAS GOING TO DO THAT IN HERE TONIGHT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT. I'VE SAID THIS SEPARATELY IN DIFFERENT PLACES BUT I JUST FIGURED I'LL SAY IT HERE AS WELL. WE'RE GOING THROUGH CONVERSATIONS OF THE STUFF THAT SYLVIA WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND THEN IT'S LED TO REALIZING THAT OUR RECALL PROCESS ISN'T GOOD. SO WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS THAT ALWAYS COME BACK ON SYLVIA'S SPEECH AT THE COLLEGE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M FOCUSING ON THIS ON THE PROCESSES AND THE FACTS RELATED TO OUR PROCESSES. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FOCUS ON THAT. BECAUSE IT HAS UNEARTHED THAT SOME OF OUR PROCESSES COULD BE BETTER. ONE OF THEM NEEDED TO BE COMPLETELY REVISED. I GUESS I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE. IT CAN BE TRUE THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS BUT IT ALSO CAN BE TRUE THAT I HAVE HAD VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH SYLVIA OVER THE TIME AND I FEEL A NEED TO SAY THAT. I'M FOCUSING ON THE PROCESSES AND WE NEED OUR PROCESS TO BE GOOD AND THE PEOPLE NEED THE RIGHT TO DO A RECALL AND DO WHAT THEY FEEL IS RIGHT. BUT IN MY BRAIN I'M STRUGGLING BUT IN MY BRAIN I'M TRYING TO SEPARATE THE PERSONAL FROM JUST US HAVING GOOD PROCESSES HERE AT THE CITY. AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT TAKEN AS LIKE THAT I'M TRYING TO PUBLICLY SHAME SOMEONE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I JUST REALLY WANT THESE PROCESSES TO BE CORRECT. SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. THANK YOU. MY TURN. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE AND WE DO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY EMPLOYEES ON THEIR MILESTONES. THOSE ARE SOME GREAT MILESTONES. I ALSO WANT TO THANK TERRY, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND CHRIS, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC AND THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR THE AMAZING WORK THEY DID GETTING OUR CITY CLEARED FROM A VERY LARGE, RECORD-BREAKING SNOWSTORM. NEXT, I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS OF FAIRBORN FOR ALL THE HELP THEY PROVIDED THEIR NEIGHBORS. I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS GREAT STORIES OF PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE. LIKE MIKE FOY SAID, THIS IS WHAT FAIRBORN IS ALL ABOUT. HELPING EACH OTHER. AND THAT'S A GREAT THING. I'M ALSO GLAD THE COUNCIL APPROVED ORDINANCE 326 TONIGHT. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS [01:40:01] DESPERATELY NEEDED AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES. OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU. BEAUTIFUL. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I WILL NOT BE LONG. YES, AS I UNFOLD MY PIECE OF PAPER. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE COMING OUT TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO CAME UP AND SPEAK. JAMES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR STORY, YOUR TESTIMONY. MIKE, YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS IS AN ICON IN THIS CITY. I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD THE ICE CREAM SHOP ON MAIN AND FOLKS CAME AS FAR AWAY AS LIMA, OHIO, RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER IN INDIANA. THEY STOPPED BY THE ICE CREAM SHOP, WHICH WAS A REQUIREMENT, BUT THEY CAME HERE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUR SHOP. FOR YOUR STORES. THAT'S HOW WIDE-REACHING THE FOIA BUSINESS IS. HATS OFF TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LEGACY. 114 YEARS IS PHENOMENAL WHEN IT COMES TO OWNING A BUSINESS. AND YOU CRESTING UP ON THE THRESHOLD OF 100 YEARS FOIA. 100 YEARS. THAT'S REMARKABLE. AND JUST THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE SERVED FOR THAT TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU ARE TRULY AN ICON IN THIS CITY AND YOUR BUSINESS IN OHIO. I WILL SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SNOW TEAM, I'M GOING TO CALL IT THE SNOW TEAM, WHO WAS LITERALLY OUT IN THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES. IT WAS NOT ONLY JUST THE SNOW, IT WAS LITERALLY THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES. HATS OFF TO THEM. WE HAD WATER MAIN BREAKS. THEY WERE DEALING WITH WATER MAIN BREAKS IN THE MIDST OF FRIGID TEMPERATURES. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE, ALL OF THEM AGAIN SPEAKS TO THE FULL CORE PRESS I WOULD SAY THAT THE CITY PUT ON TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROADS WERE CLEARED AND PEOPLE WERE SAFE AND THINGS WERE TAKEN CARE OF. SOUL SMART, WE TALKED ALREADY ABOUT SOUL SMART. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SETTING US UP FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO WANT TO TAKE THE SOLAR ROUTE AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS IN THE SOLAR ROUTE. AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO TALK MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TONIGHT ABOUT THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS COUNTRY. AND I WANT TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT RECOGNIZING AND TEASING OUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE MADE THIS COUNTRY GREAT. SO ALL OF THOSE CULTURAL RECOGNITIONS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR PLAY A PART IN OUR GROWTH AS A NATION. SO I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN THE THROES OF. SO I WROTE IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHAT I SHARE. THE 250 YEARS SINCE OUR COUNTRY SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT STRAIGHTFORWARD. AMERICA'S PATH HAS INCLUDED BOLD PROGRESS, SETBACKS, AND NEW DIRECTIONS MARKED BY MOMENTS OF BOTH PRIDE AND REMORSE. OUR IDENTITY IS SHAPED AS MUCH BY PROTESTS AS IT IS BY PATRIOTISM WITH ONGOING DEBATES ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN AND OUR CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE. OUR AMERICAN STORY IS VIBRANT, IT'S COMPLICATED, AND AT TIMES IT'S TRULY INSPIRING. A BLEND OF AMBITIOUS GOALS, [01:45:02] HARD LESSONS, AND CONSTANT RENEWAL. OVER TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES WE'VE MOVED FROM A REVOLUTIONARY BEGINNING TO GLOBAL INFLUENCE ALL WHILE GRAPPLING WITH THE TENSIONS THAT ARE AT OUR CORE. LIBERTY VERSUS SLAVERY. INCLUSION VERSUS EXCLUSION. IDEALS VERSUS INTERESTS. THIS YEAR'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY INVITES US ALL TO REFLECT ON THIS COMPLEX JOURNEY. FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. BLACK HISTORY MONTH INVITES US TO STOP AND LISTEN TO THE STORIES THAT HELPED SHAPE OUR NATION. TO VOICES LONG UNDERREPRESENTED AND TO THE ONGOING LESSONS WE CAN LEARN. THIS MONTH IS NOT ONLY ABOUT COMMEMORATING HISTORICAL EVENTS, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRENGTH, INGENUITY, AND PERSEVERANCE THAT BLACK AMERICANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO EVERY ASPECT OF OUR SOCIETY. BY HIGHLIGHTING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND DAILY EXPERIENCES OF BLACK INDIVIDUALS FAMOUS OR OVERLOOKED BLACK HISTORY MONTH HONORS THEIR RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY IN CONFRONTING EXCLUSIONARY SYSTEMS. AT THE SAME TIME IT CELEBRATES JOY, CULTURE, AND PROGRESS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS MONTH HIGHLIGHTS HOW BLACK STORIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERSPECTIVES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR WORLD. OFTEN IN WAYS THAT GO UNNOTICED. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LEARNING, REFLECTION, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT BLACK HISTORY IS TRULY AMERICAN HISTORY. PRESENT EVERY DAY AND NOT LIMITED TO JUST FEBRUARY. AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH TAKES PLACE AND AMERICA NEARS ITS 2250TH ANNIVERSARY IT'S CLEAR THAT THESE STORIES ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED. THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, THE VICTORIES, SETBACKS, PERSISTENT VOICES ARE AS MUCH A PART OF AMERICA AS THE CELEBRATIONS WE'RE GOING TO PLAN FOR 2026. HONORING BLACK HISTORY MEANS NOT JUST REVISITING PAST BUT RECOGNIZING BOTH THE REALITIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF OUR NATION TO MAKE THE NEXT 250 YEARS TRULY MEANINGFUL. WE NEED TO CONTINUE SHARING HONEST ACCOUNTS OF HISTORY UPLIFT THOSE PERSPECTIVES WHICH HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED AND ENSURE AMERICA'S PROMISE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE IS FULFILLED FOR EVERYBODY. THIS IS ESSENTIAL WORK AND WITHOUT A DOUBT IS WORTHWHILE. SO LET'S TAKE TIME TO HONOR AND REFLECT AND RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE'S STORY IS VALUED. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO THINK THROUGH SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THE THEME HERE TONIGHT HAS BEEN I LOVE FAIRBORN. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK OUT A STORY LEARN SOMETHING NEW THERE'S ANOTHER FUN FACT THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTRIES THAT CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM IRELAND, THE NETHERLANDS ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ENJOY THIS MONTH. THANK YOU ALL. ONE LAST TIME MILESTONES ALL OF YOU THANK YOU AS ALWAYS THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU AS EVERYONE HAS GUSHED YOU ARE THE BEE'S KNEES I'M PRETTY SURE AUTHOR JAMES COLLINS HAD YOU IN MIND WHEN HE WROTE GOOD TO GREAT SO YOU CAME IN AND I HAVE [01:50:05] NO DOUBT BEING THE NEW PERSON PROBABLY FACED IMMENSE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE ALWAYS DID IT AND YOU REALLY SHINED WHATEVER THE WORD IS YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN HILLARY THANK YOU WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU HERE IN THE CITY OF FAIRBORN BECAUSE YOU REALLY ARE THE BEE'S KNEES YES IT IS MY LAST MEETING AS DEPUTY MAYOR IT HAS BEEN MY DEEP HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS DEPUTY MAYOR YOU KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CHATTER ABOUT WHY I WASN'T ON COMMITTEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE COMES A LOT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS DEPUTY MAYOR A LOT OF THINGS YOU SHOW UP TO THAT THERE'S NOT PICTURES OF EVIDENCE THAT YOU'RE THERE AND THE THINGS THAT YOU DO AND THE MEETINGS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF SO I'M HAPPY TO BOUNCE BACK TO COMMITTEES AND I AM HANDING OVER THIS SEAT TO RODNEY BECAUSE I THINK HE'S GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS AND SO AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY FOR THE LAST YEAR I WANTED TO KIND OF DRAW A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE HAD EARLIER ABOUT COMMUNITY AND DRAW BACK TO THE SNOW NOT ONLY FROM CONVERSATIONS AND COMMENTS THAT I HAD PERSONALLY BUT THINGS THAT I SAW ON THE SOCIALS AND I TRY TO STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE IT'S BECOME A CESSPOOL OF NEGATIVITY AND I JUST I'M NOT HERE FOR IT SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I WOULD CHALLENGE THOSE THAT TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOW DO I PHRASE THIS I DON'T WANT TO SAY COMPLAIN BUT VOICE THEIR CONCERNS IS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT AND MAYBE EMBRACE YOUR COMMUNITY LIKE JIMMY AND I LIVE ON THE SAME STREET AND UP AND DOWN THE STREET EVERYBODY WAS HELPING EVERYBODY OUT IT WAS UNPRECEDENTED SNOWFALL JIMMY WAS OUT THERE WITH HIS SNOWBLOWER IN THE STREET AND HIS NEIGHBORS I HAD A YOUNG MAN COME HELP ME CLEAN OFF MY SIDEWALKS THAT'S COMMUNITY WE STAND TOGETHER AND WE HELP EACH OTHER OUT WHETHER IT'S A FALLEN TREE WHETHER IT'S CLEARING SIDEWALKS WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE SO I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO MAYBE PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND GRAB A SHOVEL AND GO OUT AND HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR AND THAT'S NOT THAT'S BY NO MEANS CONDESCENDING I'M JUST POINTING OUT WHAT I KNOW THAT WE DO AS A COMMUNITY MAIN HOUSE JAMES I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR A YOU AND YOUR WIFE FOR CREATING A BEAUTIFUL VENUE IT HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT HICCUPS OBVIOUSLY AS YOU OUTLINED BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WELCOMING VENUE FOR SO MANY GREAT THINGS YOU GUYS HAVE SO MANY COOL THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR KIDS AND A GREAT SPACE AND COURTNEY WON AN AWARD SO THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME SO CONGRATULATIONS SO YEAH SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YES THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AROUND THIS TOWN THAT ARE AMAZING THAT PULL TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT HYATT'S WOKE UP LAST MONDAY MORNING WITH NO HOT WATER AND THEY WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER AND JIMMY SENT ONE OF HIS GUYS OUT AND I BY THE GRACE OF GOD HAD HOT WATER AND I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE THANKFUL FOR HOT WATER ON SUCH A COLD DAY SO IT'S THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CARE AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO SUPPORT WHETHER IT'S GIOVANNI'S OR HYATT'S OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING JUST A FEW OF THE MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY MIKE BILL IS SAD ABOUT THE SWEET SHOP HE'S PRETTY SAD ABOUT THAT SO THAT'S THE END OF THE LEGACY LOTS OF STUFF GOING ON FAIRBOURN CITY SCHOOLS I KNOW A LOT OF US PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THAT FIGHT ANYMORE I KNOW I DON'T MY KIDS ARE GROWN AND FLOWN THE NEST BUT I LOVE TO SEE ALL OF THE GREAT KIDS THAT WE'RE TURNING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND LOTS OF GREAT THINGS ARE GOING ON LOTS OF WINS LOTS OF AMAZING THINGS SO IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING FAIRBOURN CITY SCHOOLS I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO BECAUSE THERE'S SOME AWESOME STUFF GOING ON AND SOME AWESOME KIDS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT INTO THIS WORLD AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST OK MAYBE SECOND TO LAST FAIRBOURN HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND IF YOU'VE NEVER ATTENDED ANY OF THEIR PLAYS THEIR MUSICALS THIS IS A GREAT WEEKEND TO DO IT IT'S COLD AND GROSS AND YOU REALLY PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO SO THURSDAY FRIDAY [01:55:01] SATURDAY THE GRETAS ARE AT IT AGAIN NEW FACILITY IS INCREDIBLE IF YOU'VE NOT EXPERIENCED IT IT'S AWESOME THEY PUT ON A TOP NOTCH SHOW IT IS THE ADAPTATION OF THE MOVIE FREAKY FRIDAY SO GO OUT AND SUPPORT THE KIDS THE COMMUNITY THEY REALLY CAME TOGETHER AS THEY ALWAYS DO FOR THESE FROM BUILDING PROPS AND COSTUMES AND THE GRETAS AND ALL OF IT IT'S FANTASTIC BACK TO YOU MIKE I LOVE THIS TOWN TOO THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE THAT'S WHY I CONTINUE TO SERVE THAT'S WHY I TAKE THE BEATINS AND I KEEP SHOWING UP BECAUSE I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I'M NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE WITH PEOPLE'S DECISIONS AND CHOICES AND THE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT ME AND VICE VERSA AND THAT'S OK THAT'S PART OF LEADERSHIP BUT I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY I LOVE SERVING IT I LOVE SERVING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CAPACITY I LOVE SERVING AS DEPUTY MAYOR I LOVE SERVING IN THE LIONS CLUB AND I LOVE GOING OUT AND HELPING MY NEIGHBORS WHETHER IT'S MOWING THEIR GRASS OR HELPING SHOVEL A SIDEWALK SO YEAH WE ALL NEED TO LOVE EACH OTHER IN SOME FORM OR FASHION CAPACITY WE DO SO THANK YOU THANK YOU OK IT'S NICE GETTING THE LAST WORD BECAUSE I CAN JUST RUN DOWN MY LIST HERE SO LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THAT MY MANY OF YOU KNOW THIS MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE DAYTON CHIEF OF POLICE FROM 1949 TO 1955 AND HE WAS MY HERO GROWING UP HE EPITOMIZED TO ME WHAT PROFESSIONALISM WAS AND ONE OF THE THINGS HE TAUGHT ME VERY EARLY ON THAT THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF GOVERNMENT AT ANY LEVEL WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL STATE, COUNTY OR CITY LEVEL THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ITS CITIZENS THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE JOB AND HE POUNDED THAT INTO MY HEAD AND IN MY 34 YEAR AIR FORCE CAREER I HEARD THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN PART OF OUR JOB IN THE MILITARY WAS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY SO THERE'S BEEN SOME COMMENTS LATELY ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE HERE AND I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE TWO POLICEMEN HERE WE HAVE THE BARRIER STANCHION WHATEVER YOU CALL THAT THING UNFORTUNATELY AS YOU WATCH THE NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY YOU SEE A LOT OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND OTHER PROGRAMS AND TANA MENTIONED WHAT'S GOING ON IN SPRINGFIELD AND THE POTENTIAL FOR PROBLEMS WITH THAT IT IS OUR JOB AS OUR GOVERNMENT HERE TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY WE WANT PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS TO FEEL SAFE HENCE TO POLICEMEN THE BARRIERS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T COME UP FRONT TO CONFRONT ANYBODY INCLUDING COUNCIL PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO VIDEOTAPE ALL THEY WANT FROM THEIR SEATS FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WHY WE'VE DONE THAT IT'S ALL AGAIN A PART OF THE JOB OF OUR GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY I NEVER FORGOT MY GRANDFATHER POUNDING THAT INTO MY HEAD OK LET'S STEP BEYOND THAT MILESTONE RECIPIENTS OUTSTANDING WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE THAT'S OBVIOUS A LOT OF THEM STAY FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THEY ENJOY WORKING FOR THE CITY OF FAIRBOURN I WANT TO JUMP UP AND MARY MENTIONED THIS SATURDAY NIGHT THREE OF US UP HERE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AN EVENT AT WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY THE SAPPHIRE GALA EVENT THAT DEXTER AND KATERA BAILEY WERE SORT OF HOSTING AND EMCEEING BUT TWO FAIRBOURN BUSINESS PERSON IN THE SENSE THAT SHE RUNS THE FAIRBOURN FISH PROGRAM AND A FAIRBOURN RESIDENT AND BUSINESS PERSON WHO IS SITTING IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM NOW WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET RECOGNIZED FOR THAT GREAT JOB FOR WHAT YOU DO AT THE MAIN HOUSE EVENT CENTER FANTASTIC PROGRAM JANE DORLEY FOR THE FISH PANTRY BOTH OF YOU WERE RECOGNIZED COURTNEY YOU AND JAMES HAVE DONE A FABULOUS JOB WITH A BUILDING DOWNTOWN THAT WE ALL WONDERED WHAT WAS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN TO IT AND IT HAS BECOME TRULY A GEM IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA NOW I WANT TO MENTION SOME OF THE OTHER GEMS DOWNTOWN THAT GENTLEMAN SITTING RIGHT HERE, MIKE FOY MIKE FOY AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW FAIRBOURN HAS GONE AND WHERE IT'S GOING MIKE FOY IS MORE THAN JUST A BUSINESSMAN TO ME [02:00:02] HE'S A GOOD FRIEND YOU HAVE DONE A LOT TO MAKE DOWNTOWN WHAT IT IS MIKE AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TONIGHT YOUR MESSAGE OF LOVE NOT HATE YOU KNOW BOTH YOU AND JAMES BOTH MENTIONED CONCEPTS OF THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT MAKES FAIRBOURN GREAT JOANNE MENTIONED A LOT OF THE OTHER BUSINESSES IN TOWN WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY AND IT'S BECAUSE OF BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU ALL THAT HAVE MADE IT THAT WAY SO LET ME JUMP AROUND SOME MORE FEBRUARY 12TH IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FAIRBOURN NIGHT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVERY FAIRBOURN CITIZEN PACKING THE NUTTER CENTER FOR A BASKETBALL GAME IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAIRBOURN CITIZENS TO COME OUT AND CHEER ON OUR FAIRBOURN BASKETBALL TEAM, EXCUSE ME, OUR WRIGHT STATE BASKETBALL TEAM WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S PART OF THAT FUND, THE CHAMBER PUTS ON A THING WHERE THEY GIVE AWAY BOXES OF CHOCOLATES FOR FOLKS THAT SHOW UP IT'S REALLY A GREAT EVENT SO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT THAT'S FEBRUARY THE 12TH DID I MISS ANYTHING MIKE? WE GOT IT COVERED? OR NOT MIKE, PAUL 48TH ANNUAL 48TH ANNUAL FAIRBOURN NIGHT SO THAT'S FANTASTIC WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE CITIZENS COMMENTS SNOWMAGEDDON AS IT WAS CALLED ALL OVER I WANT TO REALLY SHOUT OUT ALSO TO OUR STREET CREWS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THE LAST FEW DAYS TO DRIVE ALL OVER THE DAYTON AREA AND I DON'T, I DIDN'T FIND A SINGLE COMMUNITY THAT DID A BETTER JOB OF PLOWING STREETS OR GETTING SIDEWALKS DONE AND THE SIDEWALKS ARE DONE BY CITIZENS, JUST LIKE MARY MENTIONED A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT OUT AND HELPED EACH OTHER DOING THE SIDEWALKS I DROVE THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS TODAY, NOT IN FAIRBOURN IN OTHER AREAS THAT NONE OF THE SIDEWALKS WERE SHOVELED AT ALL AND I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION WHERE BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY HOW WE GET OUT AND WE HELP EACH OTHER SO KUDOS TO EVERYBODY WHO GOT OUT THERE WITH A SHOVEL I THINK I'VE OH, REAL QUICK, CHUCK STOUT ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CITIZENS HAS BEEN COORDINATING WHAT HE CALLS BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR THAT IS COMING UP ON FEBRUARY 24TH AT 8 O'CLOCK AT THE SENIOR SENATE THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO COME AND IT'S NOT JUST BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR IT'S BREAKFAST WITH THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IT'S BREAKFAST WITH SOME OF THE SENIOR CITY STAFF USUALLY WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THERE, WE HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOW UP AND THEY'RE THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THEY'RE THERE TO HEAR WHAT CITIZENS' CONCERNS ARE SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT FOR THAT THAT'LL BE FEBRUARY 24TH, 8 O'CLOCK AT THE SENIOR CENTER BREAKFAST IS $5, YOU DON'T HAVE TO EAT IT BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A BETTER BREAKFAST IN FAIRBOURN FOR $5 SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT FOR THAT ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT ESPECIALLY WITH THE SNOW AND ALL IS THAT THERE'S NOTHING FOR KIDS TO DO IN FAIRBOURN WELL, I WOULD ARGUE THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS, BUT IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, PLEASE COME TO THAT MEETING, SO YOU CAN GIVE US SOME MORE IDEAS ON THINGS WE CAN DO FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE OUR FUTURE WE HAVE MIKEY JUNIOR AT FOIS, HE'S GOING TO BE SOMEDAY THE MIKE OF FOIS RIGHT MIKE? PLEASE COME OUT TO EVENTS LIKE THAT, TANA HAS BEEN DOING THESE THINGS ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE COUNCIL MEETINGS YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BUT ANYWAY THE POINT IS, THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS TO STEP UP AND SAY, HEY THIS IS GOOD IN FAIRBOURN, BUT WE THINK YOU CAN DO THIS TO MAKE IT BETTER WELL, PLEASE COME SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS WITH US WHETHER YOU GO TO TANA'S EVENT YOU COME TO THIS BREAKFAST WITH THE MAYOR YOU COME DOWN HERE AND SPEAK TO COUNCIL DURING CITIZENS COMMENTS LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE FAIRBOURN A BETTER COMMUNITY WE ARE SO VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE PLACES LIKE THE MAIN HOUSE EVENT CENTER AND THE PICKENS FAMILY AND MIKE FOY YOU KNOW PETE BATES AT THE SCHWARTZ ALL THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, MANY OF WHICH JOANNE MENTIONED, WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY, BUT WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER, SO GIVE US IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT OK, THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS OUR NEW DEPUTY MAYOR RODNEY MCCUBBINS HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT SITUATION WITH A [02:05:01] FAMILY MEMBER PLEASE KEEP HIS FAMILY IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AND ON THAT NOTE, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL BUSINESS, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED, SECOND JULIE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MR. EASTER? YES. MR. ALLEN? YES. MS. CHESS? YES. MR. DODD? YES. MS. STANTON? YES. MR. KIRKPATRICK? YES THE COUNCIL MEETING IS ADJOURNED * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.