Meeting Observed: Kent City Council

Date of Meeting: 9/15/2021

Format: Virtual

Meeting Summary:

Work Session with City Council: Report on Kent City Hall Progress (Melanie Baker)
The bidding for the new city hall exceeded the 10 percent required under state law. The architect's construction estimate had been set at $7.3 million but the bids came in at $8.5 to 9. 2 million. Baker said that economic times explained the increased amount e.g. increase in building materials and increase in labor costs. The new architect's construction estimate is $8.3 million for construction and $180,000 for furniture. Baker hoped that the council would approve a rebid in October, with an opening of bids in November and announcement of the winning bid in December. The rebidding would be completely reopened. According to Baker, the reopening of the bids might not be as bad as it sounds because the interest rates are currently down. Move to accept the rebidding at $8.3 million, Kuhar votes against, the rest approve.

Regular City Council:
Public Comment -- written and oral. Just a few included in this report, e.g. Main Street Kent Oktoberfest is in September; resident Christine Vais asks City reinstate city-wide mask mandate; Architect Doug Fuller talked about the Architectural Review Guidelines: Christopher Clevenger-Morris resigned from Planning Commission (for specifics on this action, see report for last City Council Meeting).

Committee of the Whole:
For specific details on these matters, see Kent City Council's previous report.

• 2021-092 AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF PAY FOR THE AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY -- approved unanimously
• 2021-093 AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF PAY FOR THE WARD COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously
• 2021-094 AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE RATE OF PAY FOR THE MAYOR OF KENT, OHIO AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously
• 2021-095 AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE CURRENT REPLACEMENT PAGES TO THE CITY OF KENT CODIFIED ORDINANCES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously

Community Development
For more on these measures, see reports on the previous 2 meetings.

• 2021- 096 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR FUNDING OF TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT PROGRAM (NGP) TO ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT/ENGAGEMENT, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously
• 2021-097 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO ENTER INTO A LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF KENT AND MAIN STREET KENT (MSK) TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN AN ART PIECE AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously.

Health & Safety Committee:
These are recommendations, not laws. For full details, see report in previous City Council meeting.
Continue to monitor COVID numbers prior to deciding on mask mandates; Authorize staff to disperse COVID information presented from Health Commissioner and mention the effectiveness of masks and vaccines as a preemptive measure. Both recommendations were approved unanimously.

Streets, Sidewalks and Utilities:
For additional information about these action, see report from previous meeting

• 2021- 098 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 353.02 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF KENT TITLED "PARKING REGULATION AUTHORIZATION" TO ALLOW FOR ON-STREET PARKING ON THE EAST SIDE OF WALNUT STREET BETWEEN CHERRY AND HARRIS STREETS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (Authorized) -- approved unanimously

Finance Committee:
For additional details on this committee report, see report from previous meeting.

• 021- 099 RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE AMOUNTS AND RATES AS DETERMINED BY THE BUDGET COMMISSION AND AUTHORIZING THE NECESSARY TAX LEVIES AND CERTIFYING THEM TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR (Unauthorized) -- approved unanimously.
• 2021-100 AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING A DONATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $500.00 TO THE CITY OF KENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND AN INFORMATION SIGN FOR THE POLLINATOR PARK / HAMMOCK PARK, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY -- approved unanimously

Executive Session. Closed to the public.

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; Tracy Wallach, Ward 6; Gwen Rosenberg, At Large; Michael DeLeone, At Large; Roger Sidoti, At Large; Robin Turner, Ward 3.

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/_09152021-908

Observer: Kathleen Endres