Date of Meeting: 9/1/2021

Meeting Observed: Kent City Council Meeting

Format: Virtual

Meeting Summary:

This 3-plus-hour meeting began with a work session with the Architecture Review Board. (Over the last few months there had been discussion about the Architectural Review Board and its guidelines. This work session is the result of that discussion)

Work Session:
3 members from the Architectural Review Board were present: Howard Boyle III, Bridget Tipton, and Kevin Koogle. Boyle said he was there to provide a historical perspective. City Council Member Sidoti read the 1-1-14 overarching mission. Tipton said Kent guidelines were based on Secretary of Interior guidelines, which were based on a preservation philosophy. Koogle said the ARB is helpful to those who ask for help. There was a lot of discussion about signs and color palate. ARB member said there is no color palate in the guidelines but it is covered by overarching good design and that bright colors don't fit the downtown. This work session lasted more than an hour. Specific cases were discussed but there was no action taken by the city council.

Committee of the Whole

• Boards and Commissions - only one applicant for the Board of Health - Michelle Frederick applied for a second term.

Salary Review Committee Recommendations:

• Committee Members: Tom Pascarella, Kathie Slater, Benjamin Tipton (Alternates: Jeff Roeger and Warner Mendenhall). The issue here is OPERS (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System) and city council members qualifying for the minimum amount to earn one year's service. Council needs to review every two years but cannot vote for their own salary increases.
• Background information: The Committee looked at a variety of factors, including salaries of council members of neighboring communities (Kent placed 26 out of the 32 studied), forms of government, those with public universities.
• Recommendations: increase the pay for council members to reach the OPERS minimum for earning 1-year service in this retirement system. That means that the Ward council salaries will go up in 2024 and the at large would go up in 2022. (At large would be able to reach the $10,500 earlier) and then increase the salaries by 1.75 percent as recommended by OPERS. This would only bring this up to the middle of the 32 communities studied). Mayor would get $11,500 and then a 1.75 percent increase as recommended by OPERS. Council voted unanimously to accept the report and will study the recommendations before its next Sept. meeting.

City Hall Update:

• 16 bidders and they came in considerably over ($8.2 to $8.3 million) the anticipated amount. Increase due to co-vid and material cost increases. Bonds are at 1.87 percent. Demolition will be $200,000 and want to move quickly on demolition. Wants a work session with Council.

Attendance on Boards and Commissions:

• This came up after the head of a committee complained about attendance from members. Council staff was asked to look into the issue. Staff didn't find an issue and recommended that existing protocols be followed. Discussion follows about this. Council votes that the person (who had complained about attendance) should step down as chair of the planning committee. Only one voted against this measure.

Ordinance Replacement Pages:

• Council votes were unanimous for the replacement pages.

Committee Development Committee:

• Neighborhood Grant Changes. At the last meeting, council revisited the Neighborhood Grant program. Bridget Susel reported back to Council on this. The $7000 grant program would be divided $3500 for residential enhancement (e.g. community parties and community betterment) and the other half to help eligible homeowners with charges associated with code enforcement. This measure was authorized with emergency unanimously.
• Main Street Kent Art. Art on N. Water Street. Main St. Art responsible for art. Asks for licensing agreement, covered by grant. Council moves to authorize. Approved unanimously.

Health and Public Safety Committee.

• Noise Ordinance Review. This came about after a resident reported that a neighbor had signed a noise complaint, which meant that the resident had to go to court. Staff looked into this matter and found there were 9 definitions under the unlawful noise ordinances. Law director and police chief to go back and return to council recommendations.

Covid update and mask discussion:

• Joan Seidel, Kent Health Commissioner, gave a state of covid in Kent report. Increase in positivity rate, unvaccinated 17x more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated, greater number of cases than last year in city of Kent.
• Mask discussion - mask works well when worn correctly. Unvaccinated people who don't use masks pose risks. 44240 vaccination rate 55.2 percent. Booster: Stay with the manufacturer you started with.
• Mask Mandate will revisit in two weeks, need input from businesses -- unanimously approved.
• Second motion: use social media to disperse information on the effectiveness of masks -- unanimously approved.

Street, sidewalks & utilities committee:

• Main Street Updates - Worst crash corridor for the past 3 years because of high volume of pedestrians, buses, and traffic. Two roundabouts suggested, which will reduce crashes. Throughout the public meetings, residents gave input. They are concerned about traffic cutting through neighborhoods.
• Parking on Walnut Street --11 parking spaces. Move to authorize with emergency, measure approved unanimously.

Which members of the board/council were present: Mayor Jerry Fiala, Council President; Amy Wilkens, Clerk of Council; Garret Ferrara, Ward 1; Jack Amrhein, Ward 2;  John Kuhar, Ward 4; Heidi Shaffer Bish, Ward 5; Gwen Rosenberg, At Large; Michael DeLeone, At Large; Roger Sidoti, At Large; Robin Turner, Ward 3. Absent was Tracy Wallach, Ward 6 (excused)

Was there a public notice of the meeting that included the time and place of meeting: Yes

Was an agenda of the meeting or handouts available to visitors: Yes

Are minutes from previous meetings posted/available: Yes

https://www.kentohio.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09012021-900

Observer: Kathleen Endres