thank you
and I meant to restart this because
I mean like when we call people in yeah
do you need to restart it
all right
ladies and gentlemen uh like to call
this meeting order welcome to the
Tuesday March 7 2023 meeting of Bexley
city council I'd like to thank all my uh
elected official friends up here for
your service to our city
Mr McPeak I yes sir I know you don't get
paid extra for doing it twice but you
got to give us another roll call well I
will this time get it uh correct so okay
I liked the first one I guess
Miss Robinson here Mr Klingler here Mr
Markham here Mr Marcelino president
yes and Miss feibel I am still here
thank you would you all please rise and
join me in the Pledge of Allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
Republic for which it stands on Nation
underground indivisible with liberty
I don't expect to try yeah
do we have a special guest tonight I
think we do we have
someone very special to the city I don't
want to yes yes oh he's getting
the man the man who needs no
introduction no introduction at all but
uh please sir tell us your name and your
address and a little bit about what
you're doing in the city these days
hello I'm Brian Fury what vote first
turn the microphone on all right now do
it
oh it said pause before speaking of
stuff
Hello everybody thank you and welcome me
my name is Brian Drury I'm at 919
Grandin Avenue in South Bexley
um I'm the new uh chamber Commerce
director effective January so
my office is at 544 South Drexel from
there you're welcome to stop benefits
this is open and the door's unlocked
yeah don't come in there
um
next uh Tuesday from there I'll be
sharing all the details from there of
the chambers plan from there at the
state of the city or city of the state
or city whatever we're called into there
student Community State of community I
just want to make certain for there I
have that right
um the chamber would like to uh continue
our partnership with the city especially
concerning economic development of the
business the business district support a
celebrations committee to there
thank you
um work with capital u and Workforce
Development and community events
um our vision is to make Bexley a local
destination place
where people can come for an afternoon
evening spend time shopping eating and
enjoying the town
we want to focus on our brick and mortar
stores as well as our booming home-based
businesses making certain from there
that they get the support they need
the chamber is also willing to help
navigate change when I first came to
vaccine a few years ago
this laugh from there uh we had one
high-end restaurant the Bixby Monk and
there
could be a Jeopardy question next week
just FYI a few small restaurants and a
course
a McDonald's oh
that's when I came
I mean teen time we've expanded our
options
um exploring food shopping uh really the
city has grown in that time period
um and I like to help build a bigger
tent to include all members of the
Mexican community
featuring Our Heritage months supported
Next Generation leadership team that
we're putting together and our ability
to communicate a vision of what makes
Betsy a special place to live
this includes partnering with Community
groups
and making certain from there that they
feel welcome and part of the community
the chamber wants to support
City's Vision to surround and focus on a
one Bexley Community view there
got the t-shirts and there we're all set
um
I have a lot more to talk about but uh
in consideration from there as you know
I can go on and on until break of dawn
and talk about this town
however I want to be considered your
time also this wonderful community's
time so with that I'll allow you to ask
questions
Brian I'm so glad you came here and I
just want to say how
much you've embraced this new role how
many different places I have seen you
and in Bexley the last few weeks which
is a testament to how active you are in
this role and how much money I guess I
spend in the community too so yeah well
I love that and now my wife knows
exactly everywhere I'm going yeah she
doesn't have to put me on the tracker
anymore she's like you're there so but
um it is exciting and it's also exciting
meeting new people
um that I never met and also being able
to figure out from there how we really
uh keep this community growing forward
do we have any questions or comments for
Brian he's promised to answer any
questions no matter how personal they
might be I have no question but I do
want to say the selection of you as the
chamber president was
genius I mean really you you are
everywhere You've Been Everywhere before
you got this job and to see you and the
active social media presence is just
really really exciting and I personally
look forward to working with you on some
of those heritage month and uh specific
events I think this partnership with the
city and the Chamber and really engaging
our businesses and the work that we do
and the events that we plan is it's
really it's it's an exciting time uh for
sure so thank you for saying yes and
being part of one Bexley well thank you
Jen yes I was just comments too I'm
really excited
um to have
um Brian join our um Bexley celebration
and events
um crew where we plan all the fun well a
lot of the fun for Bexley we've always
been blessed with someone from the
chamber to be on our
committee and Brian hasn't missed a beat
you know coming in and joining in the
fun it's clearly the best meeting in
town clearly yes maybe not always you
know
we have to Wrangle people in a lot but
it's a lot of fun and we really do enjoy
it and you are blessed to work with a
lot of people who don't necessarily live
in Bexley may not even have a business
in Bexley but remain on the chamber and
they are wonderful Kevin route is one of
those he's amazing he's great he's
thinking about videoing the parade for
people who can't get outside you know to
actually see it for some of our elderly
you know citizens who have always
watched it so
um thank you for you know embracing
everyone's creativity and and going with
it so well thank you and I appreciate uh
you know allowing me to be on the that
committee from there so uh opportunity
to kind of really see some of the behind
scenes and and enjoy so thank you
Brian I have to say when you first told
me that you were throwing your hat in
the ring for executive director of
Bexley Area Chamber of Commerce I was so
excited and I was even more thrilled
when you got picked because one of the
things that I truly truly love about
what you do in our community on the
vaccine minority parent Alliance
um and through all our various events is
that you are truly a connector of people
that really really always has come
through
um I'm the council liaison of the
chamber Brian and I just met last week
and one of the first things he says to
me is do you want to partner with the
Bexley Women's Club on something next
week by the end of that day he already
had a draft of this event put it out on
social media so once you put it out you
know it's it's official we're a go but I
think that you truly have a knack for
uniting connecting people and we really
truly appreciate your effort we're
thrilled on what what great work you're
going to do well thank you and I
appreciate that uh looking forward to
next uh Wednesday
anybody who wants to have a great launch
we're going to be East Market in there
with special guests
just on well I'm just going to add to
all the lovely statements
um Brian was so lovely when I was
running for Council and just offering a
hand and
um we had we've had great conversations
from them on you are a connector I think
that's the best way to State it and the
Chamber is in great hands so as Jen said
thank you for saying yes
well thank you and I appreciate your
support
do I say something I spelled Brian too
Brian is
I will say so uh I've enjoyed getting to
know you over the years Brian and I'm
super excited to see you in this role I
think you are a fantastic fit and it's
great to see your energy and what you're
bringing already to the chamber point in
a point case in point sorry uh yesterday
Brian and I were just chatting after a
meeting in front of the Bexley library
and he started asking me about the
city's Economic Development plans some
of the stuff we're doing I was like oh
my gosh that's the first time an
executive director of the Chamber of
Commerce has has started to ask about
some of that stuff so let's I look
forward to continuing working with you
and I also want to plug the Jeopardy
program that you have is next Monday is
that right next next Wednesday next
Wednesday free event all right at Drexel
7 PM Baxley Jeopardy so learn about some
history with the Bexley historical
society and events so and there will be
prizes oh there you go and with special
sponsor so you know
all right thank you thank you appreciate
it
Brian I think I think doing this job
also might help bring you out of your
show a little bit so I think that's good
for you well I'm trying because uh I
have to now uh also collect money from
people
[Laughter]
enough for the pop insert can you get us
some tacos in this place you know
something other than that please I I
think there's called Chipotle
good good catch yeah
okay
thank you Brian
oh that's a good idea later okay I'll
make sure that yeah yeah yeah sounds
good uh Mr mcpeek do we have any speaker
slips we do have two speaker slaps thank
you go ahead and uh
read off those names for me uh Mr David
Green Mr David Green please
you'll need to toggle that button there
we go hi thank you uh my name is David
Green I'm uh resident of South Bexley
806 Francis Avenue
and I've handed this out the council
members this is this is the letter I
wrote to
the reason I'm doing this is it relates
to the south of actually plan
I I wrote this letter to
Laura Lauren Cardone from morpsey she's
uh works with uh Transportation Planning
mpo is morpsey and they do a lot of
transportation planning for the city of
Columbus and for the whole region but um
I mentioned this these issues because I
think they're important and they're
they're already contained in the plan
but I thought I'd mention them again and
it it addressed his uh
the uh area along Livingston Avenue that
has the Heavenly commercial area right
before you get to the uh
I-70 and specifically access management
principles to improve the commercial
District the traditional goal of access
management has been to enhance Mobility
to reduce Conflict for vehicular
Transportation expanded goals are now to
enhance mobility and reduce conflict and
improved modes for all modes of travel
especially pedestrians so this is
important if we're going to have a
pedestrian access along Livingston we've
had problems with pedestrians getting
ahead and other issues but this is more
of a modern approach and these are some
of the benefits and then also some of
the reasons to play the techniques and I
think um
there's a whole book on this and I gave
it to the mayor to look at but
um but reply from
Miss cardoni was that um
she appreciates what I sent her and she
says that
these are these are already contained in
the joint Livingston Avenue plan the
problem is to get Columbus to agree with
you and I contact Columbus
with limited success I think Columbus
has got so much stuff going on that uh
it's hard to get through to some of the
zoning people but um I think
before there's any uh serious
approvals of any development we should
consult the plan and look at the plan
and make sure we're conforming to it and
uh
she says that these recommendations are
right in line with your ideas and
suggestions so
I hope that we can all work on this and
make sure the plan is implemented and um
yeah take a look at this and um like I
said if you have any uh serious
questions about access management issues
uh the mayor has the book
so uh just to check that all council
members get a copy of that 250 Pages
worth thank you thanks thank you Mr Gray
who is our second speaker uh Mr Babar
yep
give us your name and address please
already on my name is and I live on the
south side and work in the north side so
I've been in Baxter for the last 25
years either it's my three kids in
backslip
so I'm managing store on the North
Cassidy Avenue the dairy March used to
be now it's private it's my cousin he on
that thing and he's been there for the
last one more than 30 years
so we heard that the city of Baxley they
are putting a ban on the flavored
cigarettes
so my the reason my the reason to be
here
is that what just the river Seekers
because we are very responsible we've
been here for more than 30 years as I
said so we never have any kind of
violation to to sell a cigarette to
underage even not liquor violation we
had in 30 years so we are just very
responsible on those things and we
checked the IDS and make sure everything
it's a we're giving to the adults who
are eligible to buy the tobacco and
other liquor products
so because two three things are there
FDA is already doing this thing when
they ban the tobacco flavor tobacco all
over the U.S will be ready to take out
this thing but if you do in the city of
Baxley the most of the Syria backslip
people they will go to another county is
another city to buy the things and this
is very hard for us to stay in that
place because we're paying higher end
and high property taxes
so this is a very because our cigarette
is about 33 percent of our total sale
whatever she got maybe five to ten
percent of that and we will lose a lot
of business on that one since we are
very responsible on that and we had
never violation of the Secret side
tobacco I will request a city of
excellent please
just let us sell those things until the
FDA approved for the everyone because if
the flavor secret people they would
smoke that they go to a lot of counties
so they'll buy it from there all the
things they would buy
tips
quarterings and energy drinks everything
from there so we will lose a lot of
business and financially it will be very
hard for us to say stay here
and we find some other things to do with
thank you sir
Mr McPeak that's the end of the speaker
slips
correct no more speakers all right I'm
going to move to the president's report
and just uh say a special thanks to uh
council member Jen Robinson and mayor
Kessler for the Strategic committee uh
meeting tonight I just want to emphasize
how much I appreciate again uh the city
council for putting in coming in early
putting in extra time always to uh
consider the uh legislative goals the
Strategic goals the finances of
everything that we go over and I think
it really speaks well of all of you and
the city for choosing you here to as
Representatives that you do put in that
time and they do put in that effort and
I'm really I'm glad to be a part of this
group and I'm glad that you're here
representing our city I just want to say
that I
I'll just leave it at that I'll go City
attorney
I have no report this evening
Mr mcpeek Auditor's report uh no report
but I started to pull invoices without
the Beecher to do our monthly audit so
uh the next meeting we'll uh charity
um sir comments there thank you Mr
mayor's time for the administrative
update
thank you
um first up we have Mr Bayshore uh I
think we're still having an issue on
incoming audio here so I'm gonna
see if we can get him on the speaker
here
supplement thank you
[Music]
good evening
hey Andy you might want to mute your
side
I just muted it
okay
all right so uh Andy your uh your report
do you have anything to add to the your
written reports I have nothing attached
in my written report but happy to answer
any any questions
any questions for Andy
I do know there's been some we've
received some questions Andy about
um the sewer lining projects uh
specifically I believe there was some
questions about storm sewer lining that
occurred uh and I know there's that's an
ongoing project do you want to maybe
just give Council a quick kind of
overview of what's been going on and
what we've been here
sure
um last week we completed the storm it
was a storm sewer lining project on
Chelsea
um we are complete with that
um Mel was lining the storm
um the residents did not have any issues
unless they have a legal connection I
know there was I heard from one and I
think maybe because the council members
might have heard from a couple more
um but once we get those addresses we
will investigate that but this week
capital is on spring break and we are
lighting the storm on Pleasant Ridge
from Mound to Astor and then next week
we'll be lining the storm on North View
Caroline
um the residents are being notified with
a more up-to-date notice and I included
a little bit I mean the city engineer
included a little bit more info on the
new notices so it doesn't mean any
confusion but um if there's any issues
you read at the Residential College
contractor
we'll help them out thank you
I think I want somebody to help her
accounts understand that the the
portions that are being lined are have
been identified as areas where we might
be seeing storm water leaving those
lines because they're so broken and
we're actually going into the sanitary
lines which contributes to
some of the sanitary flooding issues
we've been trying to tackle correct we
do line storm and sanitary but in these
areas we're lining right now we
identified those
um was serious ini problems and where
the storm had a lot of cracks and um
Falls and that was actually leaking into
the sanitary so that's why we've chose
to align these storms to her lines
yeah
any questions for Andy about that or
anything else on his report
all right Andy thank you so much
appreciate you being with us tonight no
problem thank you all right thanks
Recreation and Parks Mr Price
nothing added my written report happy to
answer any questions
Mike yeah
um just wanted to make sure Council
knows what happened at the last park and
rec meeting with the new
um
terms on when people can go ahead and
hire put the date down for the Mansion
yeah so
um that changed yeah the rec board
approved
um updated alcohol policy to reflect the
framework changes that the council
approved the other piece of that that
was sort of outside the framework was
the change to our rental uh when you can
start renting how far out you can rent
um the building it is it was before this
change it was one year out you could
rent
um
uh they've moved that up to two years
out for residents and 18 months for
non-residents and uh that was a
recommendation from from the Department
because uh with the new space we are
seeing a couple things we're seeing some
changes in terms of how early people
want to book uh whether for any event
but with the the new space we are seeing
more inquiries uh for bar and Bot
Mitzvahs
um the previous space really generally
wasn't quite big enough for most barn
barometers the new space is
um and as we've learned uh the timing
for that is is further out than one year
so
um we've extended that actually today I
was at the Fun Run in Maryland and a
resident came up and said thank you very
much for extending that um that was uh
you know that that's changed their
ability to look at the space so I think
so far uh good responses good response
to that and um I think it's a good
change it also it also does a good job
of protecting our residents that have
first access to the facility as well so
Mike I saw you had uh the employment
Fair 61 people turned out that seems
like quite a bit is that
first time we've done it so it's the
most we've ever had
um
but no we were very excited about it
it's a New Concept obviously hiring is a
difficult thing to do in our staff is
constantly looking at different ways to
try to engage uh potential employees and
this was a great concept that came out
of collaboration among staff and um
you know on paper it sounded like a
great idea you never know until you do
it and to have 61 show up we're really
happy with that
um you know what we saw was a lot of
younger people
um and but but continue to build those
connections whether it's for employment
this year for future years is is a
really positive thing for us and he did
not run out of Chipotle no it sounds
like we hit that yeah it sounds like we
that was perfect
right
any other questions for Mike
uh Mike I want to commend you on a
fantastic Jeffrey Woods Festival
very very good hard work and there's
some more photos in my report
I will note that while I should I'll
save some of my quips for my report so
thank you yeah no I appreciate it the
reality is the reality is the service
department and the uh Parks maintenance
department take the Run of that they
they do the heavy lifting on that event
so thank you to all those staff so I
want to share with Council this is our
10th anniversary bottle nice work
helping maple syrup Mike managed to
attract the largest number of registered
attendants ever 50 registered attendants
we also managed to bottle less maple
syrup bottles than we typically bottle
by far with 79 models so the price of
maple syrup on Arbor Day is going up yes
so you know how many how many bottles
was it 79 79 a few of them already
spoken for right right right it's rough
but it was it was a great event my
really great work on on your part and uh
as a part of the staff obviously I guess
we know how to tell if the mayor really
loves you this year
[Laughter]
yeah we might have to Outsource maple
syrup production along with leaf
uh okay thank you Mike
um I believe next up uh Gary Chief Lewis
I'm sorry is not present he's doing
Chief training Ohio chief training uh
this week uh but he did provide a
written update
which
and I can certainly pass her on along
any questions or
um answer maybe any questions I do want
to say one thing real quickly to
supplement this is uh that we have you
know we've been monitoring the train
derailment uh obviously
there was another trainer recently
um in Ohio we'd already been talking
with Franklin County Emergency
Management just making sure that our
current Emergency Management plans are
up to scratch you know we're thinking
through those with fresh eyes given
what's happened so Lieutenant overlay as
you know is is tasked with specifically
Emergency Management Administration has
been on top of that just wanted you guys
to know that we're that's something
we're monitoring um not just so much of
what's happened but also
what can we learn from what's been
occurring and making sure that our own
plans are
um sufficient because as you know we are
we do have a pretty active rail line
there um uh North uh City and right next
to our Police Department so
any questions that I can pass along or
attempt to uh cover
actually I have a question is there a
way to get ideas or information about
what's being
truck through the city on those trains
because my guess is as total guests I
don't have any idea is that
um at least through EMA Emergency
Management we should have access to some
information and again my guess is that
again maybe it's wishful thinking that
some of the more dangerous stuff doesn't
come through a major metropolitan area
not that it should we should put other
people in danger but it might be helpful
to know that whether it's our throughout
from them and you know the the rails
roads directly or through County
Emergency Management too I'll find out I
know that's the same rail line that goes
right next to the airport so those right
yeah so I don't know when I say major
Metro it goes all these other places too
right right
Mr Marcelino yeah uh just a significant
increase in the number of calls that
we've received it seems like this year
but it doesn't seem like that's
correlating to an increase in crime
necessarily outside of Motor Vehicles
theft just as a whole
um it looks like Words
um saying there do you see what I'm
saying yeah yeah so if you could just
pass that along just to see I'd see that
he has an increase in business checks
but still even without business checks
yeah call for service is an interesting
stat because it does also include in
internal calls so for example even a
business check just right that that
jumps out at me right off the bat
because the
um officers will call back into dispatch
and be like I am at are they Mark into
the business that counts as a log for
call for service yeah so yeah I'll we'll
find out thanks
any other questions
all right
um
feature I totally skip past you I
apologize it was not intentional uh but
Mr Hale is there uh
is there anything that you would like to
add
let's see if your audio works
yes
you have no report all right thank you
very much Peter any questions for
Beecher
has anybody checked just to see if maybe
he just talks like that now
like a Max Headroom yeah
be sure no questions for you sir thank
you for sticking around for that thank
you thank you
all right take care
okay
we will we really do need to fix that
value issue that's really cool
um okay uh several things to cover with
my update
um
you may have received calls or emails
regarding the tree removal on Parkview
um
the
North Park View West Side of Parkview
there's a variety of Golden Rain trees
that were near an end of life and we
were starting to see a lot of failure in
those trees and also crab apples that
were diseased
um
the tree Commission
proactively looked for a plan to replace
those and so they've been removed
they're being removed have been removed
and been replaced with Persian Ironwood
trees that are being planted over the
next several weeks it's a change in
interface for Parkview and we've
received a lot of questions about it
letters were supposed to have gone out
and so we're trying to figure out why
some residents say that they didn't
receive letters about it notifying them
so
um the the funding for that was
privately provided through the
vexibudification fund
um and it's it was a more proactive
approach as opposed to just letting the
trees kind of die out and and fail over
the years of doing like a real clean
replacement of this Persian Ironwood
trees are supposed to be really great
trees so we're excited to see what they
look like but I didn't want you to be
aware of that project and there's some
more verbiage in the report here on I
think page two yep
it's sure Mike please so
one of the neighbors did reach out and
was concerned with an email and I I know
that you know how much I love Volunteers
in our community and I want to tell you
Susan quinton's wrote
this man the nicest email with so much
information so much beautiful
information to share with him about all
of this I I just you know this is not a
paid position she has she's a volunteer
and it was I just had to brag about her
a little bit and you all need to know
that
the individuals that the mayor picks for
some of these boards and commissions are
just beyond outstanding so so tell her
thank you if you see her anytime soon
that's a great point and I will point
out that Susan quintense came before me
and she'll probably be here longer after
I accidentally but yes absolutely she's
a very incredibly hard-working and
passionate volunteer
um we do have human resources RFP uh
that we just posted to our website and
we will be circulating to the broader
Community
um to try to seek assistance with that
contract that we discussed so you can
view that on our website right now
[Music]
um
there's some photos to share I want to
call out one of these for stuff we have
some great maple syrup photos
uh Mike price is not in this photo only
because he was at a at one of his kids
games she was there for the rest of it
so that's not fair that you were left
I'm gonna Photoshop you uh we also had a
recycle bike event there which is great
uh our sustainability coordinator has
been helping the middle school last week
they composted every day and then the
elementary school was so excited that
they joined on as well
um and so that's something that the kids
are really leading at the schools with
this and nudging some of
the adults in their Universe towards
this which is great
um
there's one of your council member
colleagues uh trialing the city's zero
emissions mower insurance cover that
that's cross not I just want to point
out there's a really
yeah
um we had a great Commonwealth workshop
last night and this is a photo from a uh
an event that was held at the library
um last week I believe uh with local
author uh Damon Mosley who wrote the the
book Smile for a week and he was telling
a story at the event that was really
touching um about how as a kid growing
up on the near East Side he would come
into Bexley to trick-or-treat and so he
brought a bag of treats you could see at
his lap there of can't even pay for it
back to the community including a corner
store pickle that he gifted to me which
is really cool so uh that was a fun
moment and I also picked this photo so
that Jack Reynolds would know that I've
been vying for the best beard in the
city but he's got me beat so good work
Jack
um it was the first time you ever
received a pickle I think it is yeah
uh yeah right I I gave it true Justice
by deep frying it the next day or a
couple days after with my kids as part
of our Friday fish fry that was inspired
by uh Matt uh Klingler I believe
um real quick we have as you guys know
we have
um re kind of awoken the concept of
electoral aggregation based upon
conversations with Brokers suggesting
that the timing is ripe for looking at
this again electric rates were really
upside down last year and are about to
be upside down in a different way which
is to say that aep's local rate is
almost double it's looking like it's to
be almost double this summer what it was
a year or two ago
so we are double checking to see if this
is a good moment to enter into
aggregation with a different model last
year last two two or three years ago we
looked at
um partnering with AEP after they
responded to an RFQ that we had and
buying into locally sourced renewable
projects essentially with legislative
changes that wasn't feasible this is
looking at Renewable Energy Credit based
electricity
and by going through a broker we're
risk-free we're going to Simply study
the market find out if there are rates
and a product that fits that mold that
would make sense for our community so
there's a one pager on this
um
and it discusses kind of uh the history
and what we're looking at today I also
have Incorporated in the agenda a copy
of our survey that was I think about a
year ago where we asked residents what
they would be willing to take on with an
aggregation plan uh so that's in there
as well and then lastly
um there is a commonwealth Park Workshop
document so you can see the materials
from last night's Workshop which
includes some really fun interesting
Dynamic new ideas for the Commonwealth
Columbia Plaza development and what that
might look like and I can answer any
questions on any of that right now
yeah
that's just
on your report I just wanted to commend
you on putting up the Middle School
compost project the young leaders of the
middle school that I have heard from for
two years now have been working to get
that done and I know there are a handful
of sixth graders that um really had been
pushing to make this happen so it was
great to see that a pilot study happened
I know that they're coming to speak to
school board tomorrow night but I did
let them know that the city is in
support of their initiative and we a
year and a few months ago hired the
wonderful Elizabeth Allman who had
worked with those kids as a part of the
project so I wish them the best of luck
when they present tomorrow night the
school board but I really appreciate you
highlighting their initiatives because
they've been working hard on that yeah
what's really neat is at two points
student-led it's great uh fully
supported by our staff and and and
funded by our refuse fund so it is a it
is one of our pilot programs
I Gotta Throw my comment on the
Commonwealth I did not make it here last
night but I was on that work group six
seven years seven years ago I think and
I just uh it's so exciting that's I mean
all that stuff on there is just it's
just Dynamite I can't wait to really
start to see some of that really happen
I mean it's it's really great
yeah so and we're looking at a final
draft plan to just come back to record
and tree commission you guys take a look
at it as well and
um I think late April if you haven't
looked at any of that stuff it's there's
just some really really great stuff in
those plans so it's just I mean what a
fun amazing project that was
yeah
it does seem like it was a long time ago
we were first talking about I'm like wow
that'll be really cool someday and here
it is both both Ben Kessler and my hair
look different back then
all right thank you sir
with council's uh permission here I'm
going to make a change to the agenda we
do not technically have an ordinance
with presenting visiting presenters but
I know we have
um someone here who probably wants to
speak on behalf of an ordinance it's
table that I think
ready to come off the table tonight if
any anybody object to me moving the
tabled ordinances up to this portion of
the meeting
if not I will ask if there's any action
on tabled ordinances yes I would uh move
to remove ordinance number 4822 around
the table and open for discussion second
motion to uh move which foot where's it
at
4822 from the table by Mr Marcelino
seconded by Ms fiebel all in favor say
aye
same sign
all right Mr Marcelino please
refresh us on this yes thank you for the
robot friend this is the tobacco retail
license and regulations ordinance so
we've been discussing for uh sometime at
this point uh we've heard a lot of
feedback from various parties
um in light of some of the comments from
tonight I just wanted to note a couple
things that this is not in any way a
conviction against any Bexley uh
business whatsoever
um it's just an effort to try and keep
our children safe I certainly understand
the bottom line and the need to do
business but you know by your
calculation it seems as though we have
about 30 of the business five to ten of
that being uh you know flavored meaning
that total business maybe three percent
if it saves One Life To Me the bottom
line is less important than the uh the
health of our children in our community
as a whole
um sitting as a safety and health chair
for the Bexley city council this stands
as something that's extremely important
not only from just a general viewpoint
on Tobacco but you know from a personal
level uh you know I think that when I
was in high school in Bexley the first
first type of tobacco I received was a
flavored tobacco and it started my
journey of an addiction tobacco for over
a decade at that point so personal in
that nature yeah maybe just directly
with me that's why it's so important but
I want to hope that this will help keep
that type of tobacco away from our
children in this community not because
you've been giving it away freely just
because any way that we can restrict the
the flavored tobacco whatsoever to get
to those high school or middle school
students is is a step in the right
direction because I know I wasn't you
know using a scope straight I was using
skull Mint or skull Sherry or whatever I
could get my hands on because I didn't
like School straight because it didn't
taste it's good at the time so that's my
personal viewpoint on it again I thank
you for your many years of service to
our community and I truly hope that this
will not be a complete uh uh a big
obstacle for you to overcome to remain
in our community and again the increased
penalties that I'm posing here certainly
if you keep up with your strong
practices is of not selling to minors
and making sure that your staff is
checking IDs this shouldn't impact you
whatsoever but those strong uh penalties
are there for people that may come after
you and care to do business in our
community from my standpoint
um that being said a lead of the rest of
the council to to weigh in on that for
themselves but that was my point and I
want to make sure you knew that this was
in no way a direct conviction for me
upon your uh activity within our
community or frankly any other person
but just so me trying to safeguard from
something that I think um is within my
capacity to do so at this point
um
they're gonna open this up to
um comments and questions from uh city
council here where we are
anything that you would like to uh
yeah I'm sorry yep
um I just
I love how uh Sam articulated that I
mean I I couldn't you know um
say it better if I wanted to and I
um I totally agree we we love our small
businesses in Bexley we we I mean tell
them Brian we love our swamping
businesses we do but this this is
um you know Bexley is personal it's
personal to me
um you all are sick of hearing me say I
legislate with my mom hat on and I never
take it off and
um I legislate for for Franny who's not
even two but I legislate for Julius who
is who is 17.
and I do not want
his frontal lobe being distressed by
this kind of
um addiction and and it is thought to be
cool and then it's realized that it
calms you and I I don't want them
relying on something like that to calm
them and I want to make it absolutely
positively as difficult as it can be for
our youth to be able to get a hold of
this and while you may not be selling to
these kids these kids have a way of
convincing adults to get it for them I I
just I just
want to be absolutely as careful as we
can and keep it away from them until
they their frontal lobes out are
able to make good choices and know that
yes they are not invincible and no they
are affected by these things they just
the consequences they don't get at that
age so
um I am so excited about this piece of
legislation so thank you so much for
being brave to bring It Forward
other comments or questions throughout
the city council
Sam uh would you mind just kind of maybe
taking us through this I know that we
have we're gonna have two stages to this
tonight and one is we're gonna have to
make amendments that are proposed
amendments uh we will review those
comment on those and and most likely
vote on the Amendments and then we will
consider the entire amended ordinance
and possibly take a vote comment and
then take a vote on that those will be
two sort of separate events at this time
would you kind of just run us through
there and show us the Amendments that
we're going to be looking at tonight
sure so there's you know the uh the
section in general came by nature of
Franklin County uh Board of Health there
to the uh to our health department here
um to review and take a look at it and
see if it's something that we'd be
interested in acting specifically there
are other communities around central
Ohio that are also an acting uh similar
types of uh of uh licensing requirements
uh for example we have Columbus
Whitehall Reynoldsburg we're basically
an Island right now between all of those
communities and I think that there's
more joining that list almost by uh by
the year moving down here the biggest
change that I made was just having to do
with the the penalties really
um the changes that are within here
outside of that have to do more so with
the due process
um in terms of who's been denied uh
tobacco retail license or if they've
been if they've been found in violation
of this just in regards to what their
rights would be there's clarification
within there moreover again just the
amount of insignificance of the fines I
felt as though they were too minimal to
Warrant even frankly going forward with
this type of
legislation because I didn't see them as
being any type of barrier to just
breaking the law and getting a pat on
the wrist so this would indeed
significantly increase the fines as they
were initially proposed and potentially
exist in other communities thank you Sam
and you great job by the way of doing
that last time I just want to kind of do
a quick review of that again and I'd
like to open it to City Council Members
if there are any questions or comments
on the Amendments that are up there
are you making a motion here I have a
very minor uh nitpick which when I when
I drafted this
I took something out that got added back
in by Franklin County Public Health and
I just want to call it's very small so
it's just like of my own philosophy uh
this high contrast red color with
capitalized letters at least one half of
an inch high I think it's not necessary
that we codify the that you know we're
making an ugly sign with all caps to
enforce the law I think we can you know
make sure that the prominent lettering
is there without it being an eyesore so
I just think that's an unnecessary uh
addition it was it was a uh purposely
removed from a earlier draft and then
added back in by Franklin County but if
no one agrees with that that's cool too
that's just a little knit you're gonna
feel about fonts your proposed changes
currently it is there and you're
currently proposing to us that we
removed that is that what you're saying
this is a proposed amendment to the
ordinance didn't have this it was
purposefully left out of the ordinance
and the yellow is the proposed amendment
and it exists sorry that's confusing
yeah I had highlighted that to make sure
that we were aware actually this exact
conversation so it it would say it would
read without that purple so I'd say the
notice must be at least this size words
must be legibly printed in such a way as
to be highly visible and easily legible
I'd added that language in lieu of in
high contrast red color with capitalized
letters at least one half of an inch
so your proposed what you're proposing
to us tonight is to just don't add that
back in okay so we would say we would
look like that that would not be part of
the amendment in other words right okay
yeah just it's currently like this
there's they said Frank would kind of
Public Health added that back it was
it's like their boilerplate it's again
super nitpicky it's just something that
I feel like is an unnecessary thing to
put in the legislation that seems
reasonable any questions about what the
mayor is proposing right there
are there any thoughts on that change
Mr Marcelino do you have any thoughts on
that I'm completely fine okay with that
okay all right any other comments or
questions about the Amendments that are
up there
and I will extend the opportunity
audience to comment on the Amendments
and noting that we will have a moment
after this to comment on the legislation
itself but uh
yes sir yeah I just wanted to um commend
Sam and thanks Sam for um taking extra
time you know I had a lot of
conversations about this and we you know
I was in a green in agreeance with him
as far as the penalties
um I think it's super important and
thanks
you have um some action than Sam right
now
yes I would uh
move to a past ordinance
48.48-22 or two uh accept the changes as
proposed so motion to amend ordinance 48
40 22 22 as noted uh on our screen there
by Mr Marcelino
seconded by misfiable
Mr McPeak please uh Miss Robinson
yes Mr Klingler yes Mr Markham yes Mr
Marcelino yes miscellaneous yes Miss sad
yes and Miss feil yes Amendment passes
so yeah sorry so amended yeah I'm trying
sorry trying to keep it all straight
here
um at this time I will allow you to make
your next
um
action and then I'll open it up for
comment does that seem reasonable sure
well I've moved to pass ordinance 4822
amended for uh ordinance 48-22 motion to
adopt a minute
48-22 seconded by Miss fiebel comments
from uh city council before the vote
happens I see MS lamke
um I can support this 100 I think it's
got a very good balance of due process
for owners it's got a nice
um balance of
penalties by progression so that uh the
first time while it's still serious it's
not as significant as for repeat
offenders so I think overall it does a
really good job of balancing
um the importance of young folks in
Bexley but also trying to encourage
folks to have healthy habits so I intend
to vote Yes
Assad
um as I said at our last council meeting
we've spent a lot of time on this it's
been on the table off the table and
doing due diligence to really make sure
that we understand what this means to
our community and I have to commend
um councilman Marcelino on doing a nice
job of really giving us time to
um really understand what this means
with that being said
um the transparency in my home now
having two middle schoolers a sixth
grader and an eighth grader has been
significant on what
our children are being exposed to and as
Council
um
person uh febel said it is our job to
protect our youth and our community so
although I don't disagree with you that
there's other places that will people
will go to find things
um it can't be here and we've got to do
our due diligence to make sure we're
protecting our youth so I will be in
favor of this tonight and I do
um again appreciate Sam marcelino's time
on this ordinance
hmm
Ms Robinson
um I will be echoing what so many people
have said when this first was brought to
us
um and when the folks from City of
Columbus came and talked about what they
were doing and then Sam you took the
lead to bring this back to us I did a
deep dive with all of the research that
I had done a couple years ago when we
passed the flavored ban and one of the
things that I find so
um important is as I'm looking at those
numbers
um how many kids had between middle and
high school are have access to these
things and then go on to become addicted
those numbers haven't changed much in
the last two years which makes something
like this really really important we've
come off a global pandemic our kids are
stressed they're dealing with anxiety
they're dealing with social things that
we don't always understand as parents
and I feel for business owners because
none of us want to put business owners
in our community in any position where
they can't be successful but as
everybody has said here
we we have a responsibility to making
sure that our children are healthy and
safe and they are dealing with so much
more than I think we are even aware and
when my kids were in middle school they
are not anymore I was shocked to see and
hear how many kids were doing these
kinds of things on a regular basis and
my fear is those numbers are actually
getting a lot younger so
um with all of that in mind and um just
with such gratitude in my heart for Sam
for bringing this back and and
continuing the work that was started a
couple years ago I will
150 be in support of this ordinance
thank you
Mr Kessler
I want to join uh and thank you Sam for
sponsoring this and I also want to
recognize Dr Rob crane who's in the
audience tonight
um I think it was over a year ago you
kind of gave me a heads up and you said
we're coming after this this concept
next and as you knew Bexley was the
first in the region to Van ban flavored
vaping products so this is not
huge change in terms of our overall
regulation but what is really meaningful
about this is we're joining a regional
effort and that makes a big difference
and I know that you're looking at this
in a regional framework but you're also
looking much bigger than that and how
can we take this to the state of Ohio
and to the country and your leadership
Dr crane on this issue uh has been so
pivotal to our entire country so thank
you for all of your work on
um
including you know drafting most of the
language that was in here uh minus a
couple typos that we fixed but that's
not on you so
I'm joking okay
um I also want to point out that like
you know to your point I was at the
school district office at a meeting a
week ago and then walking through the
hallways and smelling Vape in the
hallways and somebody kind of making
jokes about what's happened in the
bathroom I have a fifth grader who has
there's a student in his class who's you
know there have been some issues and
that include vaping in the bathroom so
this is happening younger and younger
it's in our schools it's in schools
Across America and we have a moral duty
to do everything that we can to prevent
that so I appreciate councils very
serious very careful look at this I
appreciate the regional and National
leadership that asset that we have in
our backyard thank you Dr Crane and
thank you Sam for working so hard and
pushing this along and for ratcheting it
up good work
thank you Mr President at this time I
would invite comment from anybody in the
audience who would like to
before we take a vote
all right Sam this has been long and
lovely here we go
Mr mcpick
that was my comment Mr Marcelino what if
I did yes Mr Markham yes Assad yes Mr
Klingler yes Miss Robinson yes Miss
Bible big yes and Miss lamke yes amended
ordinance passes
thank you
all right let's move on to the consent
agenda
we have on the consent agenda the
meeting minutes
from February 21st 2023
comments or questions on the consent
agenda
comments or uh questions from the
audience on the consent agenda
if not I moved to adopt the consent
agenda second seconded by Ms Robinson
um Mr mcbeek
Miss lamke yes Miss Bible yes Miss
Robinson yes Mr cleanler yes masad yes
Mr Markham yes and Mr Marcelino yes
consent agenda passes thank you
all right we are then on to a third
reading of ordinance 5-23 to certify
special assessments for the repair of
sanitary sewer lines where the work was
not done by the owner after being
ordered that's the wrong title
because we have an amenity yet oh I'm
sorry I thought we already have met by
the owner after being ordered by the
city in accordance with Bexley code
section
1490.15b4a or Bexley code section
1492.04 B1 and it was necessary to do
the work and assess the owner introduced
by Ms lamke thank you you might recall
that at our second reading we deferred
amendments to tonight the amendments are
shown up on the screen especially the
title that the City attorney just read
mayor are there any other changes to
numbers anything else that we need to
consider
that being said I motion to amend
ordinance 5-23 as proposed on the screen
second
uh motion to a man by Ms lampke seconded
by a Mr Klinger or any comments or
questions from Council
comments or questions from the audience
that's to repeat
Mr Klingler yes Mr Marcelino yes Mr
Markham yes Mrs Bible yes Miss lamke yes
Miss odd yes Miss Robinson yes
I'm sorry is this amended okay emotions
and ordinances amended thank you
next I motion to adopt an ordinance 5-40
to adopt ordinance 5-23 by Ms lamke
second executive by Mr Klingler concert
questions from Council
answer questions from the audience
Mr mcpeek
this Bible yes Miss Robinson yes Miss
lamke yes masad yes Mr Marcelino yes Mr
Klingler yes Mr Markham yes amended
ordinance passes thank you
I'm not kidding that's great good one
[Laughter]
all right we are on to Second readings
which tend not to get as much Applause
um second reading of ordinance 6-23 to
amend the zoning of certain Parcels in
the city in order to Zone the property
at the southwest corner of Sheridan
Avenue and Main Street here in further
described as mixed-use commercial with
the Main Street District overlay and to
Amanda replace the official zoning map
of the city of Bexley introduced by Mr
Klingler
thanks Mr Fishel um there's a second
reading of this ordinance we went over
it
um
pretty good death last time any any
questions on this one
it's not
my question was just in fall and
follow-up to this
um when we are going to have our meeting
to the public would that be
when the date has been set for that yeah
so it's been noticed as our next council
meeting which is March 28th
um I will point out that in upon further
review of our zoning code and the
calendar I thought I thought that we
were pushing bees up back in a week and
we weren't so we're going to have
five days between the Visa meeting where
they're gonna study this in the council
meeting and we need to have seven days
between them and our code so we're going
to have a public meeting on the 28th
just as we always do we are also going
to have a public meeting April 11th so
that we cure any potential defect in uh
in that zoning so
um and I know that uh Council for one of
the property owners on this ordinance is
present I'm not sure if
you wish to say anything or have any
questions
gotcha okay thanks
so what we'll have to send out a new a
second notice Natalie
keeping the first one on the 28th and
then sending a second one out that'll be
at least same exact notice 30 days in
advance of April 11th you said I thought
we were going to construe the March 28th
notice to be sufficient oh that's right
we were going to do that's right I'm
sorry we talked about that today no
additional written notice we'll just
make it clear as We Are Tonight on March
28th as well that that there would be
another opportunity on April 11th right
there is a it is on the calendar on our
website already so it is pop it has been
properly posted for April 11th and the
same will be true with Arden 723 as well
all right I think we can move on oh
quick question on that sorry Amazon but
the rfps for that will start on April
7th still with
no
rfps oh no this isn't now different site
different different thing okay yeah yeah
this is the this is the property at the
corner of Sheridan and Maine this is the
gravel lab um yeah the gravel lot where
the farmers market used to be all right
this is currently campus planning zone
right campus Planet Zone got it for this
and then yep okay
and this site is not a
I'm going to verify what I'm about to
tell you I think it's correct is that
just adjacent to us it is zoned mixed
use commercial even though it's owned by
capital
that campus planning district was only
on the south side of Main Street but I
will I'll double check that
yeah I think it's I think that's the
correct
all right let's do some more zoning all
right second reading of ordinance 7-23
to amend the zoning of certain Parcels
in the city in order to Zone our
property located within Schneider Park
is it open space and to amend or replace
the official zoning map of the city of
Baxley Mr Klingler
thanks Mr Fishel again second reading of
this we
went over it uh during the first reading
any nothing's changed since our last
meeting any questions
all right
all right we are on to First reading of
first reading wardens hs23 to
appropriate
7982 from the unencumbered general fund
to the building department in 62 428
from the Waterfront to the water
administration department for the
purpose of paying back Medicare taxes
for 2020 through 2022 MS lamke
thank you this ordinance came about as
we had some employees who originally
hired prior to March 31st of 1986 they
retired and then they were rehired and
they should have had some Medicare taxes
withheld moving forward but those taxes
were not withheld so we are correcting
that at this time any questions from
Council
is there a safeguard this is more so
operations is there now a safeguard so
this doesn't happen again
yeah I mean this was more of a change in
policy around Medicare taxes so the
reality is these these folks were
employees they were not having this
withheld today everyone has it withheld
so it it's more of they were
inadvertently grandfathered into their
their previous practice okay so and
there's no way to appeal this to
MediCare at this point if it was
something where they had a change in
policy that's about this what I'll talk
to you off the Record yeah between that
but that's kind of where I'm thinking is
that why do we have to eat this I
understand you can't go back against the
employees most likely but but is there a
way to recoup this from like I know it's
only whatever this much but it's yeah we
can talk offline if you I mean yeah we
can talk I'm pretty sure the answer is
no though because
what happened is we agreed I assume
these are the service department
employees that we agreed to allow to
retire and retire I mean it's not going
to happen again because there's nobody
here who's hired prior to 1986 but I
mean I I think it's apparel processing
where the payroll should have caught it
didn't catch it I also think there's a
statute of limitations which has worked
in our favor so I wouldn't be overly
concerned about our financial uh
leave it at that all right thanks
that's an exciting world of Medicare
withholding
uh I think we're good to move on to the
uh
we'll carry over that excitement into
the finance committee report MS lamke
no report this evening how about uh
safety and health committee Mr Marcelino
no report this evening thank you well
we'll try strategic committee with Jen
Robinson
thanks president Markham
Mr Matt Klingler with zoning
yeah we'll have a hearing in in 30 days
or a couple March 28th public hearing on
the ordinance that I spoke about all
right sounds good that's all I have
um
because you wore the tie and everything
that's sad
no report all right MS fiebel
no reports
um just just to follow up I did double
check that
um this site is an excuse commercial and
the other one is not all right double
checked our uh
public comments for our survivors here
we we lost it we lost a lot of our group
I got a quick thing I need counsel to do
that I forgot the motion okay for the
chief so the chief is wanting to go to a
national conference for law enforcement
communication
in Las Vegas at the end of this month oh
um
I know so I wanted we just need a I need
a Voice vote to approve it is uh it is
within it is within their budget for
training it's a a modest cost iecw
or IC
iwcee okay
TPS report no I don't know International
Chiefs of police
I think it's a Communications conference
sorry um
so I what would you say the costumes
well see now I don't have that on my
fingertips
whatever it is it stays in Vegas so we
don't know
if I can uh let me see
I almost feel like I see this on his
calendar but I I thought the idea we
were talking about was fun I'll bet it's
on his calendar
I don't have that information barely
available
tonight though I do need a Voice vote in
case that is indeed what he talked to me
about this a week ago I don't have
the full costs but I would ask for a
motion to approve the Chiefs to travel
to a National Conference assuming that
in uh the Judgment of the auditor myself
those expenses are reasonable and a
normative
how's that yeah
um so yeah all right a motion to approve
that uh additional expense or not
additional expense actually it's already
in the budget right in the state I think
we'll say yes
allow the chief to leave the state
second second if I missed a cling all in
favor say aye
aye aye all opposed same sign
I now public comments
listen so I encourage you to go with
them and see what's going on all right
sacrifice
uh oh I could do this all night but I
will take a motion to adjourn we do have
a border patrol yeah I will be doing it
all night but uh so moved by Mr
Marcelino
second by Miss Robinson all in favor say
aye aye
very adjourned thank you everybody