Meeting Observed: Kent City Council

Date of Meeting: 11/3/2021

Format: Virtual

Meeting Summary:

Special City Council Meeting:

• 2021-115: An ordinance authorizing a collective bargaining agreement between the city of Kent and the local union 721, International Association of Firefighters for the period of Sept. 1, 2021 to Aug. 31, 2024, declaring an emergency. Unanimously approved.

Council Committee Meetings

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

• Board and Commission Interviews:
• Interviews only, vote to be taken at a later date, successful candidates need 5 votes (majority of the City Council)
• Architectural Review Board, two vacancies, three applications:
• Incumbent Kevin Koogle, architect discusses his design and construction background. Endorses new review guidelines with "teeth." Current ones outdated.
• Incumbent Dennis Saxe, a retired architect. Need diversity of design.
• Valerie Landis, not an architect but business owner, moved to Kent in March 2020. Also applied for Planning Commission. She said she had many suggestions for ARB and ARB is her preferred committee assignment.
• Building Appeals Board, two vacancies, one applicant
• Incumbent Robert Rummel, electrician.
• Board of Zoning Appeals, 1 applicant
• The Rev. Steven Protzman of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent. Encouraged to apply, Has background in architecture specialized designs.
• Civil Service Committee. No applicants
• Planning Committee. 1 vacancy, 1 applicant
• Valerie Landis (see earlier on ARB)
• Shade Tree Commission. 1 vacancy, 2 applicants.
• Incumbent Andrew Scholl. Background in Trees, currently also on the Sustainability committee but cannot serve on both committees under the new city ordinance. He'll need to decide which he is interested in.
• Hannah Frederick, not present
• Storm Water Committee. 1 applicant
• Hannah Frederick, not present.
• City/KSU Town-Gown Update from Dana Lawless-Andrick. Includes updates on communication, ice skating, KSU volunteers.
• New City Hall Project Bid Update:
• 90 bids submitted, 3 within the 10 percent of architect's estimate. $8.7 million low bid, submitted by Thomarios Construction, Copley, Ohio. Contract needs to be awarded by Dec. 15. Going out for bonds, $9.5 million. Concerns from the council on shortages and delays.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:

• Collegiate Passion Brands (DBA Kent Sportswear). Appeal of an ARB decision. Team Shop for Kent Athletics. Painting outside of shop blue and gold. Mike Beder, the owner of business, said he wasn't aware that color had to be approved by ARB, gold paint is Sherwin-Williams KSU gold. The building doesn't have a historical designation. Doesn't violate any codes but ARB wants changes (Gold too brash). Susel explains that ARB guidelines say that color needs to be compatible with adjacent buildings in color and texture. ARB would not issue a certificate of appropriateness so the business owner appealed to city council. Motion: to delay consideration of the appeal until after the new ARB guidelines are approved. Measure passes 5-4.
• Request for Local Historic Designation - Request so Liquid Crystal exhibit (at Kent Historical Society Museum) and possible historic tour (Heritage Tourism) of the Liquid Crystal technology which had been developed largely in Kent. Asks for Approval to submit for grant and for the city to be the fiscal agent for the grant if won ($20,000). Unanimously approved
• Main Street Kent Contract Renewal:
• $66,500 for 2022; $70,000 for 2023; $70,000 for 2024. 2022 reduction to reflect the constraints on the Kent Budget. Unanimously approved.

STREETS, SIDEWALKS & UTILITIES COMMITTEE:

• Curbside Recycling Contract Status Report. Next year, recycling will remain every other week. Contract with Portage County. Council moves that the contract with Portage County by extended for 18 months. Issues: Council guarantees that the recycling will be recycled as opposed to commercial companies that often just send it to the dump. Approved 8 to 1 (Kuhar against).
• Grant Funding Request for East Main Street. Brady's staying in place. starting 2026. Unanimously approved.
• Grant Funding Request for Hike and Bike Trail. to complete the train from Stow St. to Main Street. Unanimously approved.

FINANCE COMMITTEE:

• Transfer of Taxes from Portage County, Unanimously approved
• Then City Council went into City Council "To consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee or official." Items to be discussed Board the Commission Appointments

Which members of the board/council were present:  For the Council Committee Meeting, the following were present: 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.

There were two meetings on November 3. On the earlier, special City Council Meeting Garret Ferrara and Roger Sidoti were absent but they were present for the Council Committee Meeting that followed.

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/City-Council-6

Observer: Kathleen Endres