Meeting Observed: Kent City Council
Date of Meeting: 11/1/2023
Format: Virtual
Meeting Summary:
Committee of the Whole:
Update on the City Hall Construction: Progress is moving ahead on the new City Hall, according to Melanie Baker. The electrical has been approved, window frames are in (but not the glass), and the electrical rough-in has been approved. A July 2024 completion date is still in the offing.
Proposed Ward Boundaries Ballot Update: When the Proposed Ward Boundaries measure was thrown back to the committee during last month’s City Council meeting, it caused many problems. According to Bridget Susel,, Dec. 20 is the deadline for passage to get it to the Board of Elections and get it on the ballot for the March election.
Discussion on this measure got pretty technical, especially since there are two different maps. Turner noted voters want to remain in current ward maps to keep consistent. In Ward 3, a portion of the ward goes beyond the Cuyahoga River. Rosenberg noted she wasn’t sure what map would be used. The second map wasn’t submitted to the council because the measure was referred back to the committee, although council members said they’d seen both maps.
Motion to move the measure out to committee to bring it back to the City Council at second reading. Motion passed 6 to 2.
Health and Public Safety: Proposed Idling Car Ordinance – Revised language to the Idling car ordinance from unattended to unoccupied vehicle. Tracy Wallach, who is a big supporter of the revision to the city law currently on the books, wants to change the wording to address the air pollution issue. This was controversial during the meeting. Kuhar, Ferraro, and Rosenberg Ferraro called it overreaching that the government can’t enforce it. Shafer Bish supported the measures (and seconded the measure. Motion to pass the revision to the idling car law, changing unattended to unoccupied and excluding service vehicles. Passed 5 to 3.
But this will be back before the city council again.
Streets, Sidewalks, and Utilities Committee: Melanie Baker summarized 2023 Capital Projects. Millions of dollars (from grants and state funding) have been spent to address issues in everything from sewer repairs to water works, from road repair to water wells. Here are some high points. Water Main has been replaced on Cuyahoga and Majors streets ($1.2 million); Water Wells fixed.: Wells 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are back online and function. (Wells 9 and 12 back into production) ; Road Work: St. Rt 43 and 59 resurfacing, ODOT funding, $1.97 million concrete repairs on Gougler and Mantua – more will be needed there: Seal Coating on 20 streets in town; Crack seal work done on Summit, 43 and N.Water. Sanitary Side: water reclamation in the works, all four final clarifiers have been rehabbed.
Lots of collaboration with many different govt groups and organizations, including Chimney Swifts work with Eagle Scout troop 177; School Travel Plan with fifth grade at Holden school (will be eligible for grants); Reimaging the gateway, collaboration with KSU, residents, local businesses, ODOT, in House service.
Over the last ten years, double (almost triple) the amount of money used for sidewalks.
Finance Committee: There were technical problems with the streaming in this section.
The Council also went into executive session to consider the property for public purposes, the sale of property at competitive bidding, or the sale or other disposition of unneeded, obsolete, or unfit-for-use property.
Which members of the board/council 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; and Robin Turner, Ward 3. Absent was Roger Sidoti, At Large
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://kentoh.portal.civicclerk.com/
Observer: Kathleen Endres