Meeting Observed: Kent City Council Regular Meeting

Date of Meeting: 6/7/2023

Format: Virtual

Meeting Summary:

Kent City Council Committee Meeting

Council of the Whole (Please excuse misspelled names in this report)

Boards and Commissions Interviews:

Nathan Hathaway, 215 E. Elm St., applied for the Civil Service Committee

• Sidoti asked about his Civil Service experience (None)
• Shaffer-Bish asked about his view on labor. Unions “as good as their members,” union member for 25 years.
• Ferraro: he works well with others, volunteer wise he does it through Kent State and at his church.
• Turner: asked why he apply – replied that he wanted to get involved in the community.
• Council will vote on this next meeting (June 21), but he is the only applicant for the Civil Service Committee meeting.

City Flag Committee: John Riddinger reported on the year-long flag design for the city. The three options have been on display at Kent Free Library since March. The Committee also presented at Davey Middle School and had 6th graders complete a survey. Press releases on Social Media, Main St. Kent, Record-Courier, and TV 2 as well as Davey Middle School and Library. . 812 responses to the survey up to the meeting (June 7). The flag with the largest number of no. 1 rankings was the star with the green and blue bars (seehttps://theportager.com/kent-residents-choose-your-citys-new-flag/)

Discussion of the rollout of the new design followed: Committee wants to be part of the rollout. Suggests a flag raising at the Heritage Festival next week.
Council accepts Option A (unanimously) as the Kent City Flag. Council liked the idea of the roll out at the Heritage Festival.

Update on Construction of the New City Administration Building.
Internal framing beginning, Rough-in of water and electricity, coming in on schedule, walk-through coming in July.

Pilot 4-Day Work Week at the Service Administration Complex:
Pilot: Memorial Day to Labor Day, Monday through Thursday (7 to 5) (4 days a week/10 hours a day), seems to be going well. Ruller saw it as a way of retaining and recruiting staff.

Health and Public Safety Committee

Business District Noise – or loud music under the stars.
Chief Shearer asks Council where this should go. Noise ordinance had focused on house parties and generally downtown venues generally off limits. No one had ever cited a downtown business for noise.
Ruller – outside music seems to be the issue. Nine members of the community spoke. Most were in support of the business district’s music and outside music (most were from the Zephyr and in support of music – Lavaree, Leonoa, Musser, Buvee, Dunn, Said, Malarjek, Dolpher). Bruce Guzzetta asked for some time limits for the loud music (excuse the spelling of names).
Tracy Wallach suggests that this be handled like the food trucks, e.g., small groups representing all parties get together and hash it out.

Low-Frequency Noise:
Ruller wants some guidance from the city council on what to do about this issue.

• Ferraro suggests letting Land O’Lakes (subsequently referred to as that unnamed company) work with consultants to see what they find out.
• Wallach had brought this issue up before with another company and hot tubs that emit low-frequency noise that can go through houses and windows.
• Turner suggests looking at it more fully.
• Ruller repeats the question: question or case by case?
• Rosenberg agrees with Ferraro to handle it on a case by case basis.
• Wallach: continue to investigate
• Sidoti: “Science complex,” don’t do anything until the issue is understood.
• Ferraro suggests a motion to “let it go at this time,” Which caused further discussion. Bish emphasized the measure to let the council to continue education.
• Turner suggests “put it in abeyance” until the consultant’s report returns.
• Although the measure was not clearly articulated. The Council agreed (unanimously) to get additional information about low-frequency noise and get the consultant’s report from the unnamed company.

Request to accept bicycle helmet donation:
City Council unanimously agreed to accept the 72 bike helmets donated to the city, to be distributed at the Historic South Side Festival and Heritage Festival.

After 2 hours and 49 minutes, the council went into executive session to discuss board and commission appointments and employee evaluations.

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; 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://kentoh.portal.civicclerk.com/

Observer: Kathleen Endres