[1. Call The Meeting To Order - Mayor Jeff Gore]
[00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MEETING REGULAR SESSION.
TODAY'S DATE IS JUNE 24TH, 2024.
WE'RE GETTING STARTED AT 6:01 PM THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY CALLED TO ORDER.
[2. Invocation - Pastor Randy Griffith Of The Free Methodist Church At 6875 Old Troy Pike, Huber Heights, Ohio]
ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS OUR INVOCATION, AND THIS EVENING IT'LL BE BY PASTOR RANDY GRIFFITH AT THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH AT 68 75 OLD TROY PIKE HERE IN HUB HEIGHTS, PASTOR GRIFF.THE APOSTLE JAMES WRITES, MY DEAR PEOPLE, TAKE NOTE OF THIS.
EVERYONE SHOULD BE EQUIPPED TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY FOR A PERSON'S ANGER DOES NOT BRING ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE THAT GOD DESIRES.
THEREFORE, GET RID OF ALL MORAL FILTH AND THE EVIL THAT IS SO PREVALENT AND HUMBLY ACCEPT THE WORD PLANTED IN YOU, WHICH CAN SAVE YOU.
DO NOT MERELY LISTEN TO THE WORD AND SO DECEIVE YOURSELVES.
ANYONE WHO LISTENS TO THE WORD BUT DOES NOT DO WHAT IT SAYS IS LIKE SOMEONE WHO LOOKS AT HIS OR HER FACE IN A MIRROR, AND THEN AFTER LOOKING AT THEMSELF GOES AWAY AND IMMEDIATELY FORGETS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
BUT THE PERSON WHO LOOKS INTENTLY INTO THE PERFECT LAW THAT GIVES FREEDOM AND CONTINUES TO DO THIS, NOT FORGETTING WHAT HE OR SHE HAS HEARD, BUT DOING IT, THAT PERSON WILL BE BLESSED IN WHAT THEY DO.
THE PREAMBLE OF OUR CONSTITUTION BEGINS LIKE THIS.
WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION.
I RECALL THAT A TEACHER IN MY PRIOR SCHOOLING CRITICIZED OUR FOUNDER'S GRAMMAR IN THE WORDS MORE PERFECT UNION, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT DO BETTER THAN PERFECT, BUT I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER.
THE APOSTLE JAMES HERE PROMOTES LOOKING INTO THE PERFECT LAW THAT GIVES FREEDOM AND THEN DO IT.
THOSE WHO DO SO WILL BE BLESSED.
THAT PERFECT LAW RELATES TO THE CHARACTER AND NATURE OF GOD AND IS GIVEN THROUGH THE SPIRIT BY FAITH IN CHRIST.
AND IT IS PROMOTED BY BIBLICAL TRUTH.
THIS TRUTH IS GIVEN TO US AND IS MEANT TO BE APPLIED BY US ON THE BASIS OF LOVE.
THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND HIS WORD AT WORK THROUGH HIS PEOPLE IS THE PERFECT LAW THAT GIVES FREEDOM.
AND IT IS FREEDOM THAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR CONSTITUTION.
AND SO I PROMOTE GOD'S PERFECT FREEDOM, NOT AS A RELIGION, BUT AS THE TRUTH RESULTING BLESSING WILL BE SELF-EVIDENT AND SELF-AUTHENTICATING BECAUSE GOD IS BEHIND IT.
BECAUSE THE PERFECT LAW THAT GIVES FREEDOM DOES NOT ORIGINATE WITH HUMAN LEGISLATION.
THOUGH HUMAN LEGISLATION IS HELPED BY IT, IT COMES THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS EVENING.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT ARE GATHERED HERE.
WE LOOK TO YOU FOR YOUR SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY AND YOUR WISDOM AND GRACE TO BE HONEST AND GUIDE EVERY ASPECT OF THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
[3. Pledge Of Allegiance]
IGI TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.TONY, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL PLEASE?
[4. Roll Call]
MR. DAVIDSON? HERE.[5. Approval Of Minutes]
WHICH IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE, UH, ITEM FIVE A, WHICH ARE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 10TH, 2024.
IF THERE'S ANY CORRECTIONS OR, UH, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
IF NOT, THOSE MINUTES WILL STAND AS APPROVED CASE SAYING, NONE, THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER SIX, SPECIAL
[ Wayne High School Girls Track And Field Team Recognition And Proclamation Presentation - Mayor Jeff Gore]
PRESENTATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.TONY, FIRST UP WE HAVE ITEM SIX, A WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION PRESENTATION BY MAYOR JEFF GORE.
WE'D ASK THE COACHES AND MEMBERS OF THE GIRLS, UH, TRACK AND FIELD TEAM TO JOIN THE MAYOR UP FRONT HERE.
[00:05:09]
POINT, MAYBE SOME OF YOU WANNA COME ON THE OTHER SIDE.SO ONCE I GET DONE, UH, READ THE PROCLAMATION, I'LL HAVE COACH FERNANDEZ SAY, SAY A FEW WORDS AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN DESCRIBE THE ACCOMPLISHMENT, UH, UH,
SO THIS IS A CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS MAYORAL PROCLAMATION, SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION FOR A GROUP OF VERY SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOST WORTHY OF THIS HIGHEST MARK OF OUR FAVOR.
AND WHEREAS THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM DEMONSTRATED HIGH LEVELS OF COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP BY COMPETING MAY 30TH, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 1ST, 2024, AT THE 2024 OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HELD AT WELCOME STADIUM IN DAYTON, OHIO.
AND WHEREAS THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM WON THE OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THIS MEET.
AND WHEREAS THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM WAS THE FIRST GIRLS TEAM IN ANY SPORT IN WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY TO WIN AN OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION TITLE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JEFF GORE, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HEBREW RIGHTS, OHIO, TO HEREBY EXTEND OUR VERY BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND CONTINUED SUCCESS AS THE WHITE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM AND BE FURTHER RESOLVED THIS RECOGNITION THAT SEALED BY PRESENTING TO THESE HONOR INDIVIDUALS THE CITY OF HEBREW RIGHTS COIN AS A TOKEN OF OUR ESTEEM.
THEN WITNESS WHEREOF I HERE TO SET IN MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS TO BE AFFIXED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024.
UH, I, I CANNOT DESCRIBE THIS SEASON WITHOUT, UH, SAYING CREDIT TO THE KIDS, UH, MY COACHING STAFF.
UM, IT WASN'T A REGULAR YEAR FOR US BECAUSE WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THIS WITHOUT THE USES OF A TRACK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW, BUT OUR, OUR TRACK WAS BEING REDONE AND IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
SO WHAT STARTED OUT AS LAST SUMMER'S PROJECT DID NOT FINISH UNTIL WE COMPETED AT THE STATE MEET.
SO FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR KIDS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS BIG GOAL, UH, IS A CREDIT TO THEM.
IT WAS EASY TO MAKE AN EXCUSE IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO DO WELL, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD'VE BEEN OKAY WITH THAT.
BUT THE KIDS, THE COACHES, AND WE JUST DECIDED, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DEAL WITH THE HAND THAT'S DEALT WITH US, AND WE GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT WE DID.
AND, AND THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED THE FIRST THING.
AND YOU KNOW, I, I'M A PROUD HEBREW CITIZEN.
UH, SO TO SEE THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT ON THE GIRLS SIDE, YOU KNOW, THE GUYS, WE DO GREAT.
THE GUYS HAVE WANTED, THE GIRLS HAVE NEVER DONE IT.
AND TO SEE THEM ACCOMPLISH THAT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY, MAKES ME HAPPY FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, MAKES ME HAPPY FOR THE KIDS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM AND ALSO TO MY STAFF, AND THANK YOU.
SO, UH, YOU AND MIKE AND I GO BACK A LONG WAY.
HE IS, HE IS A YEAR OLDER THAN YOU, BUT YOU OWE A FEW RECORDS OF YOUR OWN THERE AT HIGH SCHOOL AND TRACK, SO NOT ANYMORE.
SO, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THE NEAT THING ABOUT IT, JUST TO SEE THEM GROW, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE, UH, TO GIVE BACK AND, AND THEN TO HAVE COACHES ON MY STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND SO TO SEE THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, OBVIOUSLY THIS TROPHY GOES TO THE KIDS, BUT IT GOES TO THE CITY, HE WRITES, AND IT GOES TO WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I GOT A CALL FROM MY OLD TRACK COACH, BOB RACHER, AND I GOT A CALL FROM MY OLD ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WHEN I HIRED JIM SHERRARD.
AND I'LL TELL THEM WHAT I'M TELLING YOU, THIS TROPHY BELONGS TO THEM AS WELL.
AND FOR ANY, ANY TEAM THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THIS, UH, HAD BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND, AND HAS HAVE PUT THEIR SWEAT AND, AND TEARS IN, IN THIS EVENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M FORTUNATE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS SINCE YOU SAID MY AGE, SINCE 1985.
SO EITHER AS AN ATHLETE, AS AN ASSISTANT COACH OR A HEAD COACH.
SO I'VE SEEN IT AND IT'S NEAT TO SEE, AND I'M HOPING TO CONTINUE THIS A LITTLE LONGER AND HOPE LIZ WON'T BE THE FIRST.
AND JOHN, IF YOU COULD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET SOME NEW UPDATED SIGNS COMING INTO THE CITY.
[00:10:01]
TALKING ABOUT GIRLS TRACK STATE CHAMPIONS.YEAH, SO I'M NOT SURE I DON'T WIN THE LAST TIME THE BOYS, BOYS WON IN 2000 AND WE WERE RUNNER UP IN OH TWO AND THEN AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND THEN WE WON IT THE FIRST TIME IN 1995.
OH, DON WEBBS SON, WHEN I WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH.
SEE, WE NEED TO GET SOME UPDATED CITY SOUND, SO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET, GET THE INFORMATION TO JOHN SO WE CAN ABSOLUTELY HAVE OUR SIGN SHOP, MAKE, MAKE THE ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, WE WILL HAVE INDIVIDUAL, UH, INDIVIDUAL PROCLAMATIONS FOR EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM, JUST FOR, SO FOR TONIGHT WE'RE JUST KIND DOING THE GROUP ONE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS, UM, I'LL BRING THOSE.
UH, I'M GONNA BE AT THE, UM, I'M SORRY, ON THURSDAY.
I'LL BE THERE ON THURSDAY AND I'LL HAVE, I'LL HAVE THE ITEMS IN KIND THE INDIVIDUALS.
[ Wayne High School Boys Track And Field Team Recognition And Proclamation Presentation - Mayor Jeff Gore]
ONE, THEN YEAH.ITEM SIX B, WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION PRESENTATION BY MAYOR JEFF FOR OKAY, IT IS TRACK SEASON.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS MAYORAL PROCLAMATION FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
SO WHEREAS THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION FOR A GROUP OF VERY SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOST WORTHY OF OUR HIGHEST MARK OF FAVOR.
AND WHEREAS THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM DEMONSTRATED HIGH LEVELS OF COMPETITIVE SPIRIT IN GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP BY COMPETING MAY 30TH, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 1ST, 2024, AT THE 2024 OHIO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DIVISION ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HELD AT WELCOME STADIUM IN DAYTON, OHIO.
AND WHEREAS THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM WON SECOND PLACE OR RUNNER UP AT THE O-H-S-A-A DIVISION ONE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
AT THIS MEET NOW, THEREFORE, I, JEFF GORE MAYOR, THE SEA OF HEBREW RIGHTS, OHIO WILL HEREBY EXTEND OUR VERY BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND CONTINUED SUCCESS TO THE WAYNE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM.
THE FURTHER RESULT OF HIS RECOGNITION IS SEALED BY PRESENTING THESE HONORED INDIVIDUALS.
THE CITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS COIN IS A TOKEN OF OUR ESTEEM.
AND THEN WITNESS SWEAR, I HERE TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF HUMAN RIGHTS BE AFFIXED THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024.
UM, SO BEFORE I GO ON, LET ME INTRODUCE THE ATHLETES THAT ARE HERE ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE.
WE HAVE MS. TIER, BRANDON, PATRICK, AND KENDALL TURNER.
UH, IN THE SUMMER, UH, SOME OF THE GIRLS COULDN'T MAKE IT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHETHER THEY HAD ALREADY VACATION PLANS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT THESE TWO YOUNG LADIES WERE PART OF OUR SCHOOL RECORD, UH, FOUR BY ONE RELAY AND ALSO PLACED SECOND IN THE FOUR BY 100 RELAY AS WELL.
AND TIERRA WAS, UH, THIRD PLACE IN BOTH HUNDRED AND 200 METER DASHES.
SO THE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT GREAT BACK POINTS, RIGHT? YEAH.
THEY, AND THEY BOTH COME BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON.
WE, ALRIGHT, UH, UP HERE, THESE SPINE GENTLEMEN HERE, WE HAVE RECENTLY GRADUATED JACKSON SOLOMON, UH, ANTHONY PORTIS, ALL THREE OF 'EM ACTUALLY HAVE GRADUATED ALREADY.
UH, JOSIAH MARSHALL, AND THEN THIS YOUNG CAT HERE IS KING MARTIN.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHERS THAT WEREN'T HAPPEN TO BE HERE, BUT, UH, A STATE RUNNER UP THAT TO ME THAT THAT'S NO, UH, YOU KNOW, NOTHING TO BE, UH, ASHAMED OF, UH, BE PROUD, REALLY.
UH, THESE KIDS FOUGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY STATE TITLE IS TOUGH AT THE DIVISION ONE LEVEL IS EVEN TOUGHER.
AND FOR, FOR EVERYONE UP HERE TO DO WHAT THEY DID THE WHOLE SEASON AND TO JUST COME UP A LITTLE BIT SHORT.
BUT AGAIN, JUST LIKE THOSE GIRLS, YOU KNOW, I GET THE MAJORITY OF THE KIDS BACK.
UH, SOME OF 'EM REALLY IMPROVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR.
SO A CHAMP, UH, A STATE RUNNER UP IS JUST THE ICING ON THE, THE CHERRY ON TOP, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE THESE KIDS WORKED HARD.
UH, SOME OF THESE GUYS HERE, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THEY'LL BE GONE AFTER NEXT YEAR.
SOME OF 'EM ARE GONNA COMPETE AT THE NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, BUT THEY'LL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THIS SPECIAL SEASON AND SPECIAL YEAR FOR US.
OKAY, MIKE, IF YOU INTRODUCE YOUR COACHES.
SO THESE IS MY, MY FINE STAFF HERE.
AND LISTEN, IT'S, YOU, YOU GET ALL THE CREDIT AS A HEAD COACH, BUT I THINK ANYBODY KNOWS THAT THE SUCCESS OF A PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU HAVE.
AND FROM RIGHT HERE WE HAVE DEJA AVERY, SHE IS A FORMER ATHLETE OF MINE AS WELL, UH, IS NOW ONE OF OUR THROWS COACH, UH, TODD ANDERSON.
UH, JIM FINLEY'S, OUR THROWS COACH, LESLIE BACHELOR, SHE'S OUR SPRINT COACH.
JASON CRAIG, ANOTHER FORMER ATHLETE.
AND THE FORMER STATE CHAMPION FOR US WAS ON OUR 2002 TEAM, AND WE WERE STATE RUNNER UPS AS WELL.
[00:15:01]
MY, UH, EVERYTHING, COACHAND THEN DRAIN FENWICK IS ALSO ONE OF OUR SPRINT COACHES.
SO AGAIN, UH, I CAN'T DO THIS, UH, WITHOUT THEM.
UH, AND, AND I, I AM HONORED TO HAVE THEM ON MY STAFF.
UH, THEY, THEY MAKE IT WORK AND THEY, THEY MAKE ME LOOK GOOD.
SO THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT.
CONGRATULATE YOUR, OKAY, NEXT UP WE
[ Mayoral Proclamation And Presentation To Ms. Pam Whited, Huber Heights Water Department - Mayor Jeff Gore]
HAVE ITEM SIX C MERRILL PROCLAMATION AND PRESENTATION TO MS. PAM WHITE HEIGHTS WATER DEPARTMENT BY MAYOR JEFF COURT.PAM, IF YOU'D JOIN THE MAYOR UP FRONT.
OKAY, SO THIS IS A CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS MAYORAL PROCLAMATION FOR SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT AS WELL.
SO WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL OF HEBREW HEIGHTS WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF PAM WHITE UPON HER RETIREMENT AFTER 49 YEARS AS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE HUBER HEIGHTS WATER DEPARTMENT.
AND WHEREAS PAM WHITE STARTED HER CAREER IN THE WATER INDUSTRY IN 1975 AND HUBER HEIGHTS, BUT THEN PRIVATELY OWNED OHIO SUBURBAN WATER COMPANY, ALTHOUGH THE CITY'S WATER UTILITY WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY IN 1996 AND WAS OPERATED BY MANY DIFFERENT FIRMS OVER THE YEARS.
WHAT DID NOT CHANGE WAS A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO OPERATED THE WATER UTILITY, INCLUDING PAM WHITE.
AND WHEREAS PAM WHITE BECAME THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THE RIGHTS WATER DEPARTMENT IN 2006, DURING HER TENURE, THE BER HEIGHTS WATER DEPARTMENT ADVANCED SIGNIFICANTLY INCLUDING GROWING THE CUSTOMER BASE.
FROM 8,000 TO 18,000 CUSTOMERS BUILT, UPGRADED, EXPANDED, ADDED WATER STOPPING TO AIRCRAFT ROAD WATER PLANT ADDED BOOSTER STATIONS TO INCREASE WATER PRESSURE NORTH BY 70, MOVED FROM MANUAL BILLING TO COMPUTERIZED BILLING, MOVED FROM QUARTERLY TO MONTHLY METER READING WITH AN AUTOMATED READER WITH THE METER READING.
WHEREAS PAM, WE WAS ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF CITY PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ACTING AS THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE CITIZENS WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY BOARD SERVING ON THE HEBREW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION AND VOLUNTEERING FOR AND SERVING HIS PAST PRESIDENT OF THE HEBREW RIGHTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LABOR RIGHTS ROTARY CLUB, AND THE AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMITTEE.
AND WHEREAS PAM WHITE WAS AWARDED THE AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION'S WENDELL R LED CITATION AND LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WATER INDUSTRY SINCE 1992, WHEREAS THE WORK OF PAM WHITE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY THAT HAVE ENHANCED THE PROVISIONS OF CITY SERVICES AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND HE RIGHTS.
AND NOW THEREFORE, I JET FOR MAYOR THE CITY HEBREW RIGHTS OHIO HEREBY EXTEND OUR VERY BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND CONTINUED SUCCESS OF AL WHITEHEAD HUB HEIGHTS WATER DEPARTMENT, HONOR, DEPARTURE.
AND ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY ADMINISTRATION, I EXTEND HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ATTAINMENT OF THIS MILESTONE.
AND THANKS FOR AMEN SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC AND THE HEBREW HEIGHTS COMMUNITY BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THIS RECOGNITION IS SEALED BY PRESENTING THIS HONOR INDIVIDUAL OF CITY OF RIGHTS.
KEY IS A TOKEN OF OUR TEAM AND WITNESS WHEREOF I HEARING YOU SET IN MY HAND AND RECALL THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS, THE AFFIXED, THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 2024.
AND CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE IF YOU WANT, CERTAINLY.
BUT IF YOU WANT, I DO WANNA SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN A BLAST.
THIS IS WHY I DON'T LIKE TO TALKING TALK.
BUT, UM, IT HAS BEEN A BLAST 45 YEARS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE, THESE, THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS PAST COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS PAST MAYORS.
AND EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH OVER THE YEARS, OR I WOULDN'T HAVE STUCK IT OUT FOR 49 YEARS
SO WITH THAT, OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MONTH AND THIS IS THE KEY TO THE CITY THAT WE'RE GONNA PRESENT TO YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU.
[00:20:01]
TO GO? YES.NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CITIZENS COMMENTS FOR AGENDA ITEMS TEN THIRD ITEM THIS EVENING, MAYOR.
[8. City Manager Report]
NUMBER EIGHT, CITY MANAGER REPORT.IT'S REALLY HARD TO FOLLOW THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST A FEW UPDATES AROUND THE CITY REAL QUICK.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE FACILITY, IF YOU'LL NOTICE DOWN ON TAYLORSVILLE ROAD, THEY'VE STARTED, UH, THE CLEARING, UM, MOST OF THE, UM, TREE WORK AND BRUSH REMOVAL WILL BE DONE BY THIS COMING FRIDAY.
UM, AND THEN THE SITE WILL START GOING THROUGH SOME, SOME GRADING AND SOME UPDATES TO THAT JUST TO GET READY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S COMING, UM, ON THE PARKS AND REC FRONT.
UM, JUST A NOTE FOR EVERYBODY.
FARMER'S MARKET WILL BE CLOSED THIS SATURDAY BECAUSE OF THE, UM, STAR SPANGLED HEIGHTS CELEBRATION.
UH, THEY'LL BE BACK OUT THERE, UM, STARTING BACK ON THE 6TH OF JULY.
WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, THINGS GOING ON IN THE PARKS JUST FOR KIDS TO KNOW.
THERE'S A MOBILE FOOD, UH, VIDEO GAME TRUCK THAT'S GONNA BE AT SHE GATE AND CLOUD PARK, UM, ON TUESDAY, JULY 2ND.
AND THEN THE DAYTON METRO LIBRARY WE'RE CO-HOSTING AN EVENT AT THE, UH, GARY SHERMAN PARK.
ALSO, IT'S A READING EVENT FOLLOWED BY SOME GAMES.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS NOW, BUT DON'T FORGET THIS COMING SATURDAY IS THE STAR-SPANGLED HEIGHTS.
SO WE'VE GOT THE PARADE FOLLOWED BY THE FESTIVITIES DOWN AT THE, UH, CLOUD PARK, AND THEN CULMINATING IN THE, UH, FIREWORKS AT 10:00 PM SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THINGS.
SHEETS HAD THEIR GRAND OPENING THIS PAST WEEK, UM, ON THE 18TH, UM, OF NOTES, ONE OF THE, UH, BETTER THINGS.
PBS PLASTICS NOW HAS CELEBRATED 20 YEARS BEING HERE.
AND THEY DID SO ON A, UH, GRAND OPENING OF THEIR THIRD, UM, UH, PRODUCTION HALL.
SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE EXPANDED IN THEIR 20TH YEAR AS WELL.
SO, UM, ZONING WISE, THERE IS A, HAS BEEN A CHANGE.
SO THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE REVIEW BOARD'S GONNA MEET THIS COMING THURSDAY THAT WAS RESCHEDULED FROM THE SIX 13 MEETING THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A QUORUM.
SO LAST THING, JUST SOME, UH, ENGINEERING NOTES.
PITTSBURGH ROAD WIDENING IS GONNA BE COMPLETED HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
AS PART OF THAT WIDENING, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THREE LANES NOW THEY'RE GONNA GO TO KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE OUT HERE ON TAYLORSVILLE ROAD, TWO LANES, UM, EAST AND WEST WITH A CENTER TURN LANE.
UM, SO THAT'LL HAPPEN, UH, THAT'S GONNA RUN.
UM, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT, LIKE WHAT WE HAVE HERE FROM OLD TROY.
UM, OVER TO BRANT, THE SANITARY SEWER SLIP LINING PROJECT'S, UH, GONNA KICK OFF HERE, UM, LATER THIS WEEK.
UM, THAT'S IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY.
UM, WE ARE DOING, UH, 6,900 LINEAR FEET OF, UM, WORK.
UH, THIS SHOULD TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
AS YOU'RE OUT AT THE FESTIVITIES ON SATURDAY, YOU'LL NOTICE CLOUD PARK HAS, UH, HAD ALL THE WALKING PATHS REPAVED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UM, THAT SHOULD BE CLEANED UP AND READY TO GO FOR THE FESTIVITIES.
AND THEN THE LAST THING, WE DO HAVE A, UM, DECORATIVE STAMP CROSSWALK AT A COUPLE INTERSECTIONS ON BRANT PIKE AND ONE ON OLD TROY.
THOSE CREWS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA WORK IN THE EVENING, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE STARTING, UH, COMING UP THIS NEXT WEEK FROM 7:00 PM TO 6:00 AM THEY'LL HAVE TRAFFIC OPEN, UM, DURING THE WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS, UH, COMMENTS FOR JOHN REGARDING THE ITEMS, UH, SPECIFICALLY THAT WERE IN HIS REPORT? YES, ANITA, KIND OF WITH THE STREET REPAYMENTS, UM, WHEN WE DO THE STREET REPAYMENT PROGRAM AND STUFF, UM, AND SIDEWALK PROGRAM IS ALL OF THE CURBS CUT FOR HANDICAP BECAUSE I WAS SEEING A COUPLE COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK THAT THEIR CURBS WERE NOT CUT FOR HANDICAP AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE CUT SO PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE I UTILIZE, I WOULD MAKE THAT ASSUMPTION.
RUSS, WOULD YOU, UH, YEAH, WE, WHEREVER WE'RE REPLACING CURB AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS, THE CURB RAMP WILL BE REPLACED.
IF IT'S NOT OUR STANDARD
UH, WHEREVER THE STREET PROGRAM IS, UH, CURB IS, WHETHER IT'S CURB REPLACEMENTS GOING, WE CHECK ALL THE HANDICAP RAMPS AND IF THEY'RE NOT THE STANDARD, WE DO REPLACE 'EM.
IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC ONES, IF THEY'LL, I MEAN, IF THEY WANT TO GET 'EM TO, I ASK THE PERSON, THE STREET SURE.
AND THEY NEVER GOT BACK WITH ME, JUST TO MAKE SURE.
IF THEY'VE GOT ANY ISSUES, I I CAN BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON.
[ An Ordinance To Amend The Codified Ordinances Of The City Of Huber Heights, Ohio To Provide Amendments To Certain Sections Of The Traffic Code And To Certain Sections Of The General Offenses Code; To Provide For Codification; To Provide For Severability; And To Repeal Conflicting Ordinances. (second reading)]
UNDER PENDING BUSINESS ITEM NINE A.AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HEBREW HEIGHTS, OHIO TO PROVIDE AMENDMENTS TO CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE TRAFFIC CODE AND TO CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE GENERAL OFFENSES CODE TO PROVIDE FOR CODIFICATION TO PROVIDE FOR SEVERAL, SEVERAL ABILITY AND TO REPEAL CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AT THE SECOND READING.
TONY, YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, JUST AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS IS TO, UH, UPDATE
[00:25:01]
OUR CODE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH, UH, CHANGES IN PROVISIONS OF THE HIGH REVISED CODE TO THESE TWO SECTIONS OF THE HUB, RIGHT.AND, UH, THIS IS AT THE SECOND READING AND WOULD ASK FOR COUNSEL'S APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
IS THERE A MOTION NANCY, MOVE TO ADOPT THERE? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? IS THAT FRED? UH, NO, MS. BRIAN, SORRY.
CAN I CALL ROLL PLEASE? MS. BAKER? YES.
MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO AND NEXT IS ITEM
[ An Ordinance Providing For The Issuance And Sale Of Notes In The Maximum Principal Amount Of $5,000,000, In Anticipation Of The Issuance Of Bonds, For The Purpose Of Paying The Costs Of Improving The City’s Facilities By Constructing, Furnishing And Equipping A New Building To House The Public Works Department, Including Landscaping, Site Improvements, Any Necessary Utility Improvements, Constructing Related Parking Facilities, And Acquiring Real Property And Interests Therein In Connection Therewith, All Together With The Necessary Appurtenances Thereto, And Declaring An Emergency. (second reading)]
NINE B.ITEM NINE B, AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOTES AND THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COST OF IMPROVING THE C CITY'S FACILITIES BY CONSTRUCTING, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING A NEW BUILDING TO HOUSE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING LANDSCAPING SITE IMPROVEMENTS AND ANY NECESSARY UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS, CONSTRUCTING RELATED PARKING FACILITIES AND ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY AND INTEREST THEREIN IN CONNECTION THERE WITH, ALTOGETHER WITH THE NECESSARY APP S THERE TOO AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AT THE SECOND READING.
JOHN, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, NO SIR.
THIS IS JUST THE SALE OF THOSE NOTES.
UM, FOR THE $5 MILLION FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY, THESE WILL, JIM TOLD ME TODAY, THESE WILL GO OUT WEDNESDAY, SO WE SHOULD KNOW PRETTY QUICKLY WHAT OUR INTEREST RATE'S GONNA BE ON THOSE, SO.
UH, AND COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO ADOPT THE ITEM THIS EVENING.
SO IS THERE A MOTION DON? SO MOVED THERE A SECOND.
I WILL SECOND YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[ An Ordinance Providing For The Issuance And Sale Of Notes In The Maximum Principal Amount Of $10,000,000, In Anticipation Of The Issuance Of Bonds, For The Purpose Of Paying The Costs Of Improving The City’s Facilities By Constructing, Furnishing And Equipping A New Building To House The City Council Chambers, A Senior Services Facility And Other Administrative Purposes, Including Landscaping, Site Improvements, Any Necessary Utility Improvements, Constructing Related Parking Facilities, And Acquiring Any Necessary Real Property And Interests Therein In Connection Therewith, All Together With The Necessary Appurtenances Thereto, And Declaring An Emergency. (second reading)]
C.ITEM NINE C, AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF NOTES AND THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $10 MILLION IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE COST OF IMPROVING THE CITY'S FACILITIES BY CONSTRUCTING, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING A NEW BUILDING TO HOUSE THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, A SENIOR SERVICES FACILITY AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES, INCLUDING LANDSCAPING SITE IMPROVEMENTS, ANY NECESSARY UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS, CONSTRUCTING RELATED PARKING FACILITIES, AND ACQUIRING ANY NECESSARY REAL PROPERTY AND INTEREST THEREIN IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ALTOGETHER WITH THE NECESSARY APPEARANCES THERE TOO AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AT THE SECOND READING.
JOHN, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UM, NO.
THIS WAS JUST THE 10 MILLION NOTES FOR THE, UM, GOVERNANCE CENTER.
UH, THE AMENDMENT, IF I'M CORRECT, TONY IS SPEAK TO REMOVE THE SENIOR.
THERE'S AN, UH, AMENDMENT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE, UH, PACKET.
IT WAS PUBLICLY NOTICED BASED ON THE DISCUSSION AT THE, UH, WORK SESSION, UH, THAT REMOVES ANY REFERENCES TO THE SENIOR CENTER.
UM, IN THIS, UH, PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, IT'S BEEN VETTED BY BOND COUNSEL AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, POSTED APPROPRIATELY.
SO, UH, COUNSEL'S ACTION TONIGHT WOULD BE TO FIRST AMEND THE ORDINANCE, UH, TO REPLACE IT WITH THE AMENDED ORDINANCE, REMOVING THOSE REFERENCES AND THEN TO ADOPT IT.
COUNCIL WORK SESSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO AMEND AND THEN ADOPT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND NANCY? MOVE TO AMEND.
AND SECOND TO AMEND ANY DISCUSSION.
MOTION TO AMEND CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ADOPTION? TONY.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN TO ONE FOR ADOPTION.
[ A Motion To Appoint Casey Taylor To The Parks And Recreation Board For A Term Ending March 31, 2027.]
10, OUR NEW BUSINESS ITEM 10 A.A MOTION TO APPOINT CASEY TAYLOR TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR A TERM ENDING MARCH 31ST, 2027.
TAYLOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, JUST AS STATED HERE, IT'S AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
THE BACKGROUND CHECKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
I'M SORRY, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS ADOPTION.
IS THERE A MOTION MARK? MOTION TO ADOPT SECOND KATE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND DISCUSSION.
[ An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2024-O-2625 By Making Supplemental Appropriations For Expenses Of The City Of Huber Heights, Ohio For The Period Beginning January 1, 2024 And Ending December 31, 2024. (first reading)]
HAVE ITEM 10 B.ITEM 10 B, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 2 4 DASH 2 6 25 BY MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR EXPENSES OF THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS, OHIO FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 AT THE FIRST READING.
JOHN, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, NO.
JUST REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS FOR THE TWO MESSAGE BOARDS FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
THIS IS FOR MDTS, FOR POLICE CRUISERS, UM,
[00:30:01]
FURNITURE AND FIXTURES FOR THE SENIOR CENTER.AND THEN THE, UM, ESTIMATED COST OF THE NEW GOVERNANCE CENTER IS ALSO IN THERE.
RECOMMENDATION FROM COUNSEL OR FROM THE WORK SESSION WAS TO WAIVE THE SECOND RATING AND THEN ADOPT IT.
THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR MOTION TO WAIVE.
AND SECOND TO WAIVE THE SECOND READING.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
MOTION TO WAIVE CARRIES SEVEN TO ONE.
ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, TONY CALL.
[ An Ordinance To Approve An Economic Development Plan For The Authentix Development Project And To State That The City May Hereafter Proceed With Approval Of Tax Increment Financing Incentive District. (first reading)]
C.ITEM 10 C, AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE AUTHENTICS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
AND TO STATE THAT THE CITY MAY HEREAFTER PROCEED WITH APPROVAL OF A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING INCENTIVE DISTRICT AT THE FIRST READING.
WORK SESSION RECOMMENDATION WAS TO PASS ASSIGNMENT TO A SECOND.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE THIS ON TO A SECOND READING.
[ A Resolution Authorizing The City Manager To Purchase/Lease To Own Taser 10 Devices For Use By The Police Division Through Vendor Axon. (first reading)]
10 D.ITEM 10 DA RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE C CITY MANAGER TO PURCHASE LEASE TO OWN TASER 10 DEVICES FOR USE BY THE POLICE DIVISION THROUGH VENDOR AXON AT THE FIRST READING, JOHN? YEAH, JUST TO RECALL, OUR CURRENT TASERS ARE ENDING THEIR SERVICEABLE LIFE.
SO THIS IS GONNA GET US INTO A LEASE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEARS OWN THESE DEVICES AS WELL.
IS THERE A MOTION I NEED MOVE TO ADOPT THERE A SECOND MARK.
ANY DISCUSSION? ATTORNEY MR. DAVIDSON? YES.
AND A MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO.
[11. Citizens Comments - General]
UP IS ITEM NUMBER 11.COMMENTS FOR GENERAL COMMENTS STUDY.
UH, FIRST UP I HAVE NATALIE DONAHUE.
NATALIE DONAHUE, BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENT.
UH, FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON THE JUNE 10TH MEETING, YOU WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE TOWN HALL.
UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND.
SO TIMING WISE, I'M STILL GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO HOLD IT.
AND I WANNA THANK MR. ROGERS FOR HELPING COORDINATE THAT.
AND, UM, YOUR DEPUTY NANCY DID A GREAT JOB GETTING BACK WITH ME.
I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD ACTUALLY GET ON THE, UM, AGENDA SO QUICKLY, SO I FIGURED IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO ROLL IN, BUT THANK YOU.
ANYWAY, BUT WELL, THE MAYOR, YOU CAN THANK FOR, FOR GETTING IT ON THERE IN A TIMELY BASIS.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU, UM, FOR COORDINATING THAT.
UM, I HAVE SOME WORK TO DO YET I HAVEN'T LISTENED TO IT ALL, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE CONTACTING ME AFTERWARDS IN TEXT MESSAGES.
UM, SO I RECEIVED THEM TECHNICALLY THE NEXT DAY.
BUT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT, UM, OUR, UH, TREASURER, TINA HAGERMAN AT BETHEL SCHOOL HAS INDICATED THAT SHE WANTED TO LISTEN AS WELL AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT SHE NEEDED TO UPDATE OR REVISE OR CORRECT ON ANY OF THE NUMBERS THAT WERE SHARED THAT NIGHT BECAUSE, UM, THAT THAT WAS THE, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED.
SO SHE WAS GOING TO TRY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO WE'LL TRY TO, UM, MAKE SURE WE GET THAT AND WE CAN POSSIBLY SHARE THAT THEN THROUGH EMAIL AT SOME TIME.
SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, BUT THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO I I SHARE THIS WITH YOU, NOT BECAUSE YOU CARE, BUT ONCE IN I ONCE ABLE TO ENJOY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRIP TO EUROPE WITH MY FAMILY AND THAT, UH, COINCIDED WITH THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY.
AND, UM, AS I WAS TRAVELING ON A BUS WITH 46 OTHER PEOPLE, UM, IT GAVE ME A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACED DURING THAT TIME AND TO SEE THE LANDSCAPE AND KNOW WHAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH.
AND I CAN'T EQUATE THAT TO ANNEXATION, BUT THERE IS SOME TAKEAWAYS THAT I FOUND THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR.
AND, UM, O OVER THAT TIME, I WASN'T ABLE TO REALLY CAPTURE MY THOUGHTS ON MY PHONE OR WRITE 'EM DOWN ANYWHERE.
BUT, UM, I TRIED TO PUT THIS A LITTLE BIT TOGETHER TONIGHT.
[00:35:01]
IF IT'S A LITTLE RAMBLING, BUT I DID WANNA SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ANNEXATION AT BETHEL NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND I THINK WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE NUMBERS AND THE FINAL IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED.WE LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT THIS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
AND IF I SAY ANYTHING, I, I MEAN NO RESPECT TO ANYONE OR HUMOR AS I TALK THROUGH THIS COMMENT.
BUT AT THIS POINT IN THIS WHOLE ISSUE, I REALLY CAN'T RECALL WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO HUBER HEIGHTS OTHER THAN THE MONEY SIDE OF THINGS.
UM, IS IT REALLY JUST ABOUT THE MONEY? IS IT ABOUT HAVING THAT EXTRA LAND TO PUT HOMES ON? IS IT ABOUT THE EXTRA POWER, AS I'LL SAY? I MEAN, WHAT REALLY, WHAT IS REALLY DRIVING THE HUBER SIDE OF GOING FORWARD WITH THE ANNEXATION? IS IT REALLY JUST ABOUT THE MONEY? AND AREN'T WE COLLECTIVELY SMARTER TO COME WITH UP WITH ALTERNATE WAYS OF CREATING INCOME FOR THE CITY OTHER THAN ANNEXING PROPERTY FROM ONE COUNTY TO ANOTHER, NOT JUST ANOTHER CITY NEARBY, BUT ANOTHER COUNTY? IT SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS ON A GOOD DAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT BEING AN ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF TRYING TO INCREASE INCOME.
UM, JUST LIKE IN EUROPE, IN WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II, A MINDFUL DECISION WAS MADE TO GO INTO OTHER COUNTRIES AND TAKE THEIR NEIGHBOR'S LAND.
LOOK AT THE CARNAGE IN YEARS OF DESTRUCTION THAT IT CAUSED.
WHILE THIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN THE FACT THAT ONE MAN, AGAIN, ONE MAN WANTED A BETTER PRICE FOR HIS PROPERTY, WHICH ISN'T NECESSARILY BAD OR MAKE HIM BAD, AND ANOTHER MAN WHO DECIDED HE COULD CAPITALIZE ON HIS, ON THIS PROPERTY WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, AND THIS IS AMERICA.
SO WE, WE WANNA SEE THAT THERE WAS A WAY OF, UM, EXCUSE ME.
THOSE PEOPLE FOUND A WAY UNDER ANNEXATION THAT ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS OF THE IMPACT TO THOUSANDS OF OTHERS THAT IT MAY AFFECT.
IF THIS COULD BE SEEN AS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL, I THINK WE WOULD NOT STILL BE HERE TALKING ABOUT IT, OR FIGHTING TO MAINTAIN OUR LIFESTYLE AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION.
THE TWO THINGS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, A NO VOTE WILL NOT IMPACT HUBER RESIDENTS.
AS YOU HAVE WORKED HARD TO CREATE GOOD THINGS CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY FOR YOUR RESIDENTS.
DON'T GO TOO FAR OR OVER THE EDGE BY ALLOWING ANNEXATION TO PASS.
LIFE IS SHORT AND EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO ENJOY WHAT HUBER ALREADY HAS.
YOU HAVE PLENTY TO OFFER AND MORE ON THE WAY WITH NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND OF COURSE, BUCKY'S, WHICH WILL BE, UM, A BONUS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
THE ANNEXATION CAN, EXCUSE ME.
UM, FOCUS ON CREATING THOSE GOOD COMMUNITY SPIRIT BY BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS TO BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
THE ANNEXATION CAN BE TURNED DOWN WITH BOTH GRACE AND INTEGRITY.
YOU OWE NO ONE AND NO VOTE ON THIS.
ANNEXATION GIVES HUBER STRENGTH AND THE ABILITY TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE EARNED A GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD.
ISN'T THAT AS IMPORTANT AS WELL, PLEASE VOTE NO ON ANNEXATION AND IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY PASTOR GRIFFITH MADE A GOOD POINT TONIGHT THAT SAID WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER THAN TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND ANNEX THE ACREAGE THAT BETHEL TOWNSHIP IS TRYING TO SAVE AND KEEP IN ITS OWN COMMUNITY.
SO PLEASE VOTE NO AND THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON BOTH SIDES.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR LISTENING AND YOUR ATTENTION TODAY.
AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES AND OTHER COMMUNITY FRIENDS WILL HAVE OTHER PROBABLY MUCH BETTER THINGS TO SAY.
I I, I DO WANNA ADDRESS A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, SO IN, IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE, ANYTIME SOMEONE SAYS, NO DISRESPECT, THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS I GET OFFENDED BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT TO ME MEANS THAT SOMETHING IS GONNA FOLLOW, MEANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
UM, YOU MADE A STATEMENT THAT SAID, NOT THAT YOU CARE.
IF I DIDN'T CARE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE TOWN HALL THAT WE HAD.
IF I DIDN'T CARE, WE WOULDN'T GO THROUGH, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE GO THROUGH.
I WOULDN'T GO THROUGH BEING CALLED.
LET'S SEE, IT'S BEEN, UH, VLADIMIR PUTIN AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
WE'VE BEEN COMPARED TO VIOLATING CIVIL RIGHTS OF, OF PEOPLE ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT
[00:40:01]
OCCASIONS AND WE'VE ALL SAT UP HERE AND TAKEN IT.SO, UM, TO SAY THAT WE DON'T CARE IS VERY OFFENSIVE.
IF WE DIDN'T CARE, THIS HAD ALREADY BEEN AN AGENDA, WE WOULD ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT MY THOUGHTS ARE PERSONALLY ABOUT THIS.
I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THEY KNOW HOW I THINK ABOUT THIS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IT ISN'T THE CASE.
SO WHEN I'M TOLD THAT I DON'T CARE AND I'M ACCUSED OF ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, I, I AM OFFENDED.
AND WHEN SOMEBODY FROM NOT IN MY CITY COMES TO THE PODIUM AND OFFENDS ME AT ONE OF OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, THAT'S OFFENSIVE AND I'M GONNA STAND UP FOR THAT.
WE DO CARE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND THAT'S WHY IT'S WENT ON FOR TWO YEARS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
IT TAKES MONEY TO OPERATE A CITY.
IT COSTS MONEY TO OPERATE A CITY.
IT COSTS MONEY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE.
IF I DIDN'T CARE, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT ARE THERE WAYS WE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? I'LL ASK NOW, IS THERE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT THAT I CAN TALK TO TO GET INFORMATION BACK TO YOUR BOARD SO WE DON'T VIOLATE ANY SUNSHINE LAWS? BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO A SUPERINTENDENT AND ALTHOUGH I REACHED OUT SEVERAL TIMES, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD NO.
UH, THOSE ARE THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
WELL THAT'S, OH, THAT ISN'T YOUR DECISION TO MAKE.
SO YES, YOU WENT OVER ON YOUR TIME.
YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER 30 SECONDS OR WHATEVER.
IT'S TO SAY YOUR PIECE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
THE TWO THINGS, UM, I WAS NOT REFERRING TO YOU, I WAS REFERENCING THE DEVELOPER, MR. LER, ABOUT HIM DEVELOPING THE PRO.
I DON'T, I DID NOT MEAN TO IMPLY IT WAS YOU AS A PERSON.
WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU ADDRESS THIS COUNSEL, YOU'RE ADDRESSING ME AND IT'S OFFENSIVE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S UP HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKED ABOUT, WE DON'T CARE.
'CAUSE IT ISN'T THE DEVELOPER'S DECISION.
THERE'S EIGHT PEOPLE UP HERE WHO ARE GONNA, THERE'S EIGHT PEOPLE SITTING HERE WHO HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE, WHO ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO SIT HERE, WHO HAVE TO ANSWER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR CONSTITUENTS, THE RESIDENTS OF HUBER HEIGHTS, OHIO.
AND THEY'LL MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND, AND I HAVE NO ISSUES, NO PROBLEMS WITH ALL OF YOU COMING TO OUR MEETINGS AND TALKING, BUT DON'T DISRESPECT THE PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL.
WE WOULDN'T COME TO YOUR MEETINGS AND DO THAT TO YOU.
PLEASE DON'T COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND DO IT TO US.
WELL, IT WAS NEVER IN MY INTENT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
I WAS WORRIED SOMEBODY WOULD TAKE IT THAT WAY JUST BECAUSE OF THE TONE OF TALKING ABOUT EUROPE AND THE WORLD WARS.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT AGAIN.
APPARENTLY I DIDN'T DO WELL, MY APOLOGIES.
IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
THAT IS THE LAST THING I EVER WANNA DO TO ANYONE EVER.
BUT I DID WANNA SAY WE DO HAVE A NEW INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT WHO OFFICIALLY TAKES REIGNS ON JULY 1ST AND HE IS ALREADY WORKING, UM, THIS WEEK.
HE'S BEEN APPROVED AND WILL JOIN THE SCHOOL OFFICIALLY NEXT WEEK ON JULY 1ST.
WOULD YOU LET HIM KNOW THAT THE COOPER HEIGHTS MAYOR WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK TO HIM AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM? I WILL.
AND I'LL USE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE, IF THAT'S OKAY.
JEFF MORFORD, MIAMI COUNTY BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
WE'VE HEARD NUMEROUS TIMES 40 YEARS AGO, DAYTON ATTEMPTED TO DO TO WANE TOWNSHIP AS HUBER HEIGHTS IS PLANNING TO DO TO BETHEL TOWNSHIP TODAY.
WHY WOULD YOU AGREE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS SO WRONG 40 YEARS AGO AND IS STILL WRONG TODAY? WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT TRAFFIC ISSUES, WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT SCHOOL ISSUES AND YOUR SOLUTIONS.
PLEASE REALIZE YOUR SOLUTIONS WOULD NOT BE NEEDED IF YOU HAD NOT CREATED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
20 YEARS AGO WITH HUBER HEIGHTS, INVOLVEMENT WITH ANNEXATION OF BETHEL TOWNSHIP LAND HAD UNKNOWN EFFECTS.
NOW TODAY, THE PROBLEMS ARE REALIZED AND THE CAUSE DETERMINED HUBER HEIGHTS AGREEMENT TO ANNEXATION.
SO TODAY I ASK YOU NOT TO CONTINUE THE PROBLEMATIC ANNEXATIONS.
PLEASE LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES AND VOTE NO TO ANNEXATION.
LET YOUR NEIGHBORS IN BETHEL TOWNSHIP GROW AND DEVELOP AT A PACE THAT IS CORRECT FOR BETHEL TOWNSHIP.
THE CORE PROBLEM LIES IN COLUMBUS, WHERE LAWMAKERS SWAYED BY LOBBYISTS AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS SIGNED ANNEXATION LEGISLATION THAT WOULD DENY THE SMALL RURAL TOWNSHIPS THE RIGHT TO HAVE A SAY IN THE
[00:45:01]
ANNEXATION PROCESS.THE FUTURE, I'M NOT AGAINST ALL ANNEXATION, AS LONG AS BOTH COMMUNITIES HAVE THE RIGHT AND PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
ALSO, THE IMPACT OF ANNEXATIONS ARE SO GREAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN AN ANNEXATION REQUEST IS FILED, THE REQUEST SHOULD GO TO THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BALLOT IN BOTH COMMUNITIES NEEDING THE MAJORITY APPROVAL FROM BOTH COMMUNITY CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
YOUR MAYOR MADE MENTION THAT EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WAS ELECTED TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITIZENS OF HUBER HEIGHTS.
THIS ANNEXATION WILL HAVE MANY EFFECTS ON YOUR CITY AND YOU AS REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR CITIZENS WILL VOTE.
THIS ANNEXATION WILL HAVE MANY EFFECTS ON THE BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, BUT I DO NOT SEE OUR CITIZENS OR TRUSTEES HAVING A VOICE, HAVING A VOTE.
PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME IF YOU CAN, THE LOGIC, FAIRNESS, OR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS INVOLVED ALSO TO EACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
DID YOU DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE? I HAVE SUGGESTED NUMEROUS TIMES TALK TO 100 OF YOUR CITIZENS IN YOUR RESPECTIVE WARDS AND GET THEIR INPUT.
PLEASE BE FAIR AND REPRESENT BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY WITH EQUAL FACTS AND ENTHUSIASM.
UH, GOOGLE'S UH, DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY.
A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY IS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISION MAKING.
PEOPLE HELP MAKE DECISIONS DIRECTLY BY VOTING ON LAWS AND POLICY PROPOSALS.
DEMOCRACY IS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.
IT EMBRACES INCLUSION AND EQUALITY AND CAN FACILITATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT RESPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS. IN THIS SYSTEM, PEOPLE EXERCISE FREE WILL.
DEMOCRACY MEANS RULE BY THE PEOPLE.
A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY HAS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISION MAKING.
WHAT ARE THE VALUES OF DEMOCRACY? RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES.
TOLERANCE OF DIFFERENCES AND OPPOSING IDEAS.
EQUITY, VALUING ALL PEOPLE AND SUPPORTING THEM TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
EACH PERSON HAS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ASSOCIATION, MOVEMENT AND FREEDOM OF BELIEF.
WE ARE BLESSED TO BE LIVING IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A FREE COUNTRY WHERE THE DEMOCRACY IS THE RULE.
TO BE CLEAR, OVER THE LAST 250 YEARS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM EVERY STATE AND EVERY WALK OF LIFE.
BETWEEN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, THE WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, VIETNAM WAR, 1,000,300 PLUS THOUSAND PEOPLE, US CITIZENS HAVE DIED FIGHTING TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND DEFEND OUR WAY OF LIFE.
OUR RIGHT TO HAVE CHOICES, OUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE OUR RIGHT TO VOTE, VOTE ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT EACH CITIZEN, THE RIGHT TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL LEVELS FROM WARDS, PRECINCTS, TOWNS, TOWNSHIPS, CITIES, COUNTIES, STATES, AND NATIONAL LEADERS.
THE OHIO ANNEXATION LAWS AND PROCEDURES ARE AT ITS CORE, ANTI DEMOGRA, EXCUSE ME, MS. BROWN AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.
DISCRIMINATORY AND VIOLATES THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS LIVING IN SMALL RURAL TOWNSHIPS.
WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON OUR FUTURE, PLEASE SEE THAT IF ONE PERSON OR ONE COMMUNITY LOSES THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, THEN WE ALL ARE AT RISK LOSING THESE RIGHTS THAT SO MANY HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR OVER THE LAST 250 YEARS.
AT THE STATE LEVEL, THE LAWMAKERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CURRENT ANNEXATION LAWS AND PROCEDURES.
I DON'T CARE HOW THEY TRY TO RATIONALIZE OR HOW MANY DOLLAR BILLS THEY USE TO COVER OR SMOOTH OVER THE PROBLEMS. I SUGGEST THEY ARE WRONG AND THEY WILL BE CHALLENGED TO RIGHT A WRONG.
I CHALLENGE YOU CITIZENS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY TO SEE THE INJUSTICE AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO RIGHT OR WRONG.
I BELIEVE WE CAN SEE THAT ANNEXATION LAWS AND PROCEDURES ARE FLAWED AND DOLLAR SIGNS CAN EASILY CLOUD ANYONE'S VISION.
BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE, THE LAWMAKERS IN COLUMBUS HAVE ELIMINATED BETHEL TOWNSHIP'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS ALLOWED TO STIFLE OR ELIMINATE THE VOICE OF A FEW SUCCESSFULLY, THEN THE TIME WILL COME AND THE VOICES AND VOTES OF MANY WILL BE IGNORED.
SO IF YOU BELIEVE AND APPRECIATE LIVING IN A FREED DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY WHERE YOU CAN MAKE CHOICES AND VOTE, PLEASE
[00:50:01]
SEE THAT BETHEL TOWNSHIP IS DISADVANTAGED.A COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES AS YOU DO, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE NO TO ANNEXATION.
AS ALWAYS, I LEAVE YOU WITH A GOLDEN RULE, DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A MAKE A A QUICK CLARIFICATION HERE.
SO AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR, OF YOUR STATEMENT, UM, YOU HAD SAID THAT ANNEXING WAS SOMETHING WE WERE PLANNING TO DO AND I JUST KINDA WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR.
I I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANYONE UP HERE, UH, MAYBE ONE PERSON UP HERE HAS ACTUALLY MADE THEIR MIND UP 100% ON WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS.
UH, HAS ANYONE ELSE MADE UP THEIR MIND ON WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO? NO, SIR.
SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE PLANNING TO DO ANYTHING.
THERE'S MORE INFORMATION THAT WE ARE WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT WE'RE GOING TO OBTAIN, AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THE DECISION WHEN WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, JUST MY OPINION.
WELL, AND, UH, WE'RE ALL ENTITLED TO THEM.
APPRECIATE MY OPINION AND YOUR OPINION.
NEXT UP WE HAVE BETH VAN HERRIN.
BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU ALL.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THAT HEARING TWO WEEKS AGO.
THAT WAS VERY KIND OF YOU TO DO IT.
I DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME, BUT I DID WATCH IT ONLINE.
AND, UM, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS THAT I WANNA ADDRESS PRIMARILY TO MAYOR GORE.
YOU MADE SOME STATEMENTS IN THAT MEETING THAT PRETTY MUCH THREW ME UNDER THE BUS, WHICH I I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR, UM, WAS THE WORD YOU JUST USED, UH, OUTRAGE OR YOU WERE NOT HAPPY? I I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I'M GONNA READ 'EM BECAUSE I WANNA GET 'EM CLEARLY.
UM, THIS IS AT THE 2 35 0 1 SECTION.
UM, SO THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED A MEETING WITH US, UM, ABOUT THE, THESE ARE EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT THE TRANSCRIPT SAYS, UM, ABOUT THE ANNEXATION.
AND WE DID, WE DID HAVE THAT MEETING AND THAT WAS KIND OF WHEN, UH, THE OLDER COUNCIL WAS THERE.
SO WE DID, WE DID HAVE THAT MEETING AND AS WE DISCUSSED IT AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT, UM, THERE WASN'T, UM, THERE WASN'T A HUGE DISAGREEMENT.
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD ANDY EARHART AND I AS BE TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE WANNA MEET WITH YOU, MR. CAMPBELL AND MARK SCHUMER? IF THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE A HUGE DISAGREEMENT? OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS, BUT LET'S KEEP GOING.
UM, YES, BUT THAT'S, THAT, THAT ISN'T, I I'M JUST, I'M, THAT ISN'T WHAT WAS DISCUSSED.
UM, I MEAN, THEY CLEARLY SAID THAT THEY, UM, WOULD PREFER THAT IT NOT HAPPEN.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE DISCUSSED A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT WITH, UM, BETHEL.
SO IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE COMING IN, WE'D HAVE A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT WITH, WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
AND, UH, WHEN THEY LEFT, THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
I JUST WANNA SAY, I'VE HAD ONE MEETING WITH YOU, JEFF GORE.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH YOU, MARK AND, UH, BRIAN SADOWSKI.
AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH BRIAN, THE FORMER ATTORNEY AND, UH, BRIAN'S ASSISTANT AND ANDY AND MYSELF.
I RECALL ONE THE MEETING WITH A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT THAT WAS WITH BRIAN THAT WAS NOT WITH YOU.
UM, HOWEVER, HAPPY TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S EVER HAPPY FROM BETHEL TOWNSHIP WHEN THEY LEAVE A MEETING WITH HUBER HEIGHTS JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE ANNEXATION.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PERSONALITIES INVOLVED, IT JUST HAS TO DO WITH THE ANNEXATION.
UM, AND YOUR STATEMENTS FROM THAT LAST CITY COUNCIL, FROM THAT, FROM THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 10TH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THAT MEETING WHERE MARK CAMPBELL WAS PRESENT, I WAS PRESENT.
ANDY EARHART AND ROB SCHOMER, THEY'RE MISLEADING.
AND FRANKLY, I THINK THEIR GROUNDS FOR SLANDER, UM, FOR YOU TO SHARE THESE FALSEHOODS IN A PUBLIC FORUM MEETING AS IF THEY WERE TRUTHS IS INCREDIBLY DISINGENUOUS.
UM, I CAN THINK OF ONLY TWO REASONS WHY YOU WOULD STOOP TO SUCH A LEVEL ONE, YOU ARE TRYING TO DRUM UP VOTES ONE OR YOU WANNA TAKE THE HEAT OFF YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU GUYS WERE UNDER A LOT OF HEAT THAT NIGHT.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU SITTING UP HERE AND TAKING A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM ALL THE RESIDENTS.
BUT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT IS OUR JOB.
THERE ARE MORE THINGS IN THERE.
I DIDN'T PRINT IT ALL OUT BECAUSE IT GOES ON FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN, JEFF, MARK, MYSELF, ROB AND ANDY, AND HASH OUT THE WHAT EXACTLY WAS SAID IN THAT MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT WHAT YOU STATED DID NOT HAPPEN.
SO THAT, THAT WAS CERTAINLY MY INTERPRETATION.
WHEN WE LEFT THE MEETING, THERE WAS NOBODY THAT WAS UNHAPPY.
THERE WERE, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, MEETING FURTHER.
SO I YEAH, I MEAN I'M, THAT WAS, THE MEETING HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT THAT MAYBE FIVE AUGUST, 2020 AND THERE WAS NO ANNEXATION PETITION
[00:55:01]
AT THAT TIME.WE HAD SIMPLY HEARD FROM OUR RESIDENT THAT HE HAD SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH A DEVELOPER.
SO WE, UM, DECIDED TO COME TO YOU TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO PERHAPS CHANGE THE AGREEMENT OF THAT DEVELOPMENT, BUT ATTACK SHARING, THAT ONLY CAME UP WHEN, TO MY RECOLLECTION THAT IT CAME UP WITH BRIAN.
NOW I AGREE THAT WE ALL HAVE FAULTY MEMORIES.
I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER EVERYTHING, EVEN WHAT I HAD FOR DINNER YESTERDAY.
SO, BUT TO STATE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU DID AS IF THEY WERE FACT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SO, SO TO YOUR, MY RECOLLECTION, OKAY.
MY RECOLLECTION IS WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GENERATED THE PHONE CALL JUST A FEW DAYS LATER TO MR. CAMPBELL ABOUT THE TAX SHARING AGREEMENT.
THAT PHONE CALL WOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN PLACE HAD WE NOT DISCUSSED IT.
WELL, IN YOUR, IN YOUR, UM, STATEMENT, IT SAYS IT WAS THE NEXT DAY, I BELIEVE, AND, UM, MS. FA, MS. FAHE MUST BE VAN HERRON MADE A PHONE CALL BACK TO, UH, THE CITY.
SO, AND I I DON'T RECALL US TALKING ABOUT A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT IN THAT MEETING.
AGAIN, I RECALL KNOWING A LOT ABOUT YOUR SECTION 4.9 10 THAT SAYS YES.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PART THAT THAT THE BIGGEST PART MEETING THE PART OF IT OF THE MEETING YES.
SAID THAT, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, THE DEVELOPER HAS THE RIGHTS OF, UH, YOU HAVE THE RIGHTS OF FIRST YOU AS THE CITY HAVE THE RIGHTS OF FIRST REFUSAL WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DEVELOPER.
AND WE WEREN'T SURE THAT IF YOU ACTUALLY HAD THAT INFORMATION OR IF YOU KNEW THAT, OR IF YOU'D READ THAT DEVELOPER AGREEMENT.
SO THAT WAS THE BIG PIECE OF THAT MEETING.
AND YOU ALSO KNEW AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT MY MEETING WITH BILL, BILL KLER THE DAY BEFORE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT KNEW ABOUT THAT MEETING AT THAT TIME WERE BILL KLER AND MYSELF.
SO THAT WAS VALUABLE, INVALUABLE INFORMATION FOR ME TO LEARN AT THAT POINT.
HOW CLOSELY INTERTWINED, AT LEAST YOU AND MARK AND ROB WERE WITH THE DEVELOPER.
SO I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING AND YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE YOUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING.
BUT NONE OF US CAN STATE WOULD BE BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT UNLESS WE RECORDED IT, WHICH MAYBE YOU DID.
THE WAY IT CAME ACROSS IN YOUR JUNE 10TH MEETING WAS IF IT WAS FACT AND IT THAT I'M TELLING YOU, I WANNA DISPUTE WHAT, WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND, AND YOU CAN, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THAT IS EXACTLY HOW I REMEMBER THE MEETING TAKING PLACE.
BETH, UH, FIRST OFF, I WAS VERY HAPPY TO MEET YOU THAT DAY.
AND I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED WITH HOW YOU HAVE REPRESENTED YOUR VOTERS.
UH, WHAT I RECALL IS WE DID TALK ABOUT A TAX SHARING AGREEMENT.
UH, I HAD BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE ROB HAD BRIEFED ME ON WHY I WAS BEING ASKED TO COME.
YOU CALLED ME THE BEST I REMEMBER.
BUT THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO, UM, NEGOTIATE A, UM, MORATORIUM.
WE WOULD LOVE A MORATORIUM NORTH OF 40 MM-HMM.
UM, AND IF I LIKED YOU AT THAT POINT, UH, I REALLY LIKED YOU WHEN YOU HAD THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT YOU FELT WAS RIGHT WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE HEAP FOR IT.
AND THAT WAS THE VOTE THAT YOU, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS UNANIMOUS, UH, VOTED THE LEGISLATION ON THE MORATORIUM.
WE DID WORK ON AN AGREEMENT WITH BRIAN AND YOUR LAWYER.
UM, AND ONE OF THE KEY TENANTS WAS A MORATORIUM, UM, IN EXCHANGE FOR NOT OPPOSING THE PREVIOUS ANNEXATION PETITION.
UM, WE WERE UNDER THE PRE, UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM BRIAN AND YOUR LAWYER THAT ALL OF YOU CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD SEEN THAT ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS TRUE, I'VE HEARD COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORIES FROM ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY.
I DO KNOW THAT ALL THE TRUSTEES AT THE TIME AND BETHEL TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES HAD SEEN THE AGREEMENT, HAD AN ABILITY TO COMMENT AND MAKE CHANGES AND WORK ON IT.
AGAIN, IT COULD BE THAT THAT WAS WHAT WE ASSUMED WAS BEING SAID, OR THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD OR THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO REMEMBER.
BUT FROM BRIAN AND FROM YOUR LAWYER AT THE TIME, UM, THAT ALL OF YOU HAD SEEN THAT AGREEMENT, UM, YOU CHOSE NOT TO PASS THAT AGREEMENT.
WE TOOK AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF HEAT FOR THAT AGREEMENT, BUT BASICALLY THE TENANTS WERE, WE WOULD NOT OPPOSE THE PREVIOUS 268 ANNEXATIONS, UH, ACRES
[01:00:01]
OF ANNEXATION FOR ANNEXATION IN EXCHANGE FOR YOU WOULD NOT ANNEX ANYTHING, ANYTHING NORTH OF 40 ON BASICALLY WEST OF 2 0 1 AND EAST OF 2 0 2.AND, AND EVERYONE HAD SEEN THAT AND WE BELIEVED WE HAD AN AGREEMENT AND THAT CHANGED AT THE LAST MINUTE.
AND I, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT PEOPLE REMEMBER, YES.
I HAVE RUN INTO THREE OF YOUR FORMER, THREE OF THE COUN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE Y AND ALL OF THEM TOLD ME PRETTY MUCH, I HAVE NO CLUE THAT WHAT THAT WAS.
SO AGAIN, MAYOR, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT STORY.
MARK, IF, IF WE GO BACK AND WATCH VIDEOS OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, BRIAN CHENOWSKI UPDATED COUNSEL IN PUBLIC.
AND HE COULD HAVE, AGAIN, I'M, HE DID.
I'M JUST SAYING THIS IS WHAT, AND I THINK HE AND I HAD EVEN ONE OF THE SEVERAL TIMES WE TALKED, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, THAT, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD TOLD YOU THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
THAT WAS AFTER BRIAN HAD TALKED TO US IN PUBLIC.
HE, HE HAD BRIEFED US IN PUBLIC.
SO RIGHT NOW, LET ME ASK YOU QUESTION IQUESTION IF I COULD.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
THAT WAS JUST MY POINT ON THAT.
WELL, THAT, THAT ISSUE, YOU KNOW HOW NO ONE RECORDED OUR MEETING? MM-HMM.
AND BRIAN DID UPDATE US ON, RIGHT.
I I I'M NOT SAYING HE DIDN'T, I'M JUST SHARING THAT THAT IS WHAT I HAVE HEARD.
BUT IN ME SAYING THAT, BRIAN BRIEFED US.
THOSE FOLKS DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT.
SO AT ONE POINT, YOU AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA TO PROTECT YOUR NORTHERN BORDER WITH A LONG TERM MORATORIUM.
OUR NORTH OF 40, OUR SOUTHERN BORDER.
WELL, THAT'S WAS THE GIST OF THE ANNEXATION AGREEMENT, RIGHT? YES.
IT WAS THE AREA WE CALL YOU GUYS CALL IT BRANT PIKE AND OLD TROY PIKE AND US 40.
BUT THE SQUARE IN THERE, WE HAD WRITTEN IN OUR ANNEXATION AGREEMENT FROM MAY OF 2023, WHICH WAS, OKAY, HUBER, YOU CAN HAVE THAT.
BUT YOU COULD ANNEX THAT AREA.
BUT IN EXCHANGE, THERE'S A MORATORIUM ON FUTURE ANNEXATIONS.
AND WE, THE TRUSTEES, JULIE REESE, UM, MYSELF, DON BLACK FACED A PACKED HOUSE OF PEOPLE SAYING, WHAT? YOU'RE SIDING WITH HUBER.
BUT WE THOUGHT THAT IT, WE TRULY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A WIN-WIN.
WE DID, WE HAD FEEDBACK FROM BRIAN.
WE HAD FEEDBACK FROM YOUR LAWYER THAT IT WAS, YOU GUYS WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
WE WERE NOT TRYING TO PULL THE WOOL OVER YOUR EYES.
WE WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, JUST AS EVERYBODY HERE HAS ASKED YOU TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
WE DO WANT TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
WE ALSO KNOW, TRULY, AS I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL VERY, VERY WELL AWARE WITH ANNEXATION LAWS, AND I'M WAY OVER MY FIVE MINUTES, BUT THANK YOU.
WITH ANNEXATION LAWS, THEY TOTALLY FAVOR THE MUNICIPALITY.
WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON.
AND I THINK IT'S THE FRUSTRATION WITH THOSE LAWS THAT LETS ALL OF US COME AND WANT TO JUST BLAME SOMEBODY.
WE SHOULD BE BLAMING OUR STATE LEGISLATORS, BUT INSTEAD WE WANT TO BLAME YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING HEAT FROM ALL OF BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.
WE KNOW YOU'RE ALL GOOD PEOPLE.
WE JUST REALLY DON'T WISH TO HAVE HUBER HEIGHTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD GET 50 OR A HUNDRED OR A THOUSAND YEARS OF NO MORE ANNEXATION FROM ON A MORATORIUM.
SO MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORTED ALL OF THAT, AND I REMEMBER WHAT IT SAID, BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, WE'D EVEN DISCUSSED MAYBE IT NEEDED, UH, LOOKED AT IN RELATIONSHIP TO HOW MANY YEARS IT WAS, BUT IT WAS A WELL CRAFTED, WELL DONE DOCUMENT.
SO THE FEEDBACK, SO THE FEEDBACK ON THE HOW MANY YEARS? WE DID NOT GET THAT.
ANDY MAY HAVE GOTTEN IT FROM BRIAN, BUT I DON'T RECALL THAT.
JULIE, DO YOU RECALL THAT? NO, NO.
I'M JUST, I I KNOW I'M, I'M TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
I'M NOT EVEN ASKING YOU TO, IT WAS EITHER 40 OR 50 YEARS.
AND THEN UNLESS WE WOULD REACH AN AGREEMENT, IT WOULD REPEAT FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS.
BUT BESIDES THAT TO AGREE, YES, WE WELL, RIGHT.
SO, BUT NOBODY, THAT'S NOT MY POINT.
DO YOU STILL THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA? YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GONNA STAND UP HERE AND TALK FOR THE OTHER TWO TRUSTEES.
SO WOULD YOU TALK FOR YOU AS A RESIDENT, UH, TALK FOR ME.
I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD GET A MORATORIUM.
AND, AND I'M TALKING UP HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAPACITY, MAYBE CHRIS COULD TELL ME WHAT CAPACITY I'M SPEAKING IN, BUT I THINK AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I FAVOR IT THEN AND I FAVOR IT NOW.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA THEN, AND I STILL THINK IT WAS A GOOD
[01:05:01]
IDEA.I THINK YOU PERSONALLY TOOK A LOT OF HEAT ALONG WE DID WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.
AND I HAVE A TON OF RESPECT FOR YOU THEN AND NOW.
I THINK YOU, I THINK BETHEL TOWNSHIP IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU REPRESENT THEM.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S PUBLICLY MY OPINION, BUT I STILL SUPPORT THAT.
PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO PROTECT YOUR BORDERS.
I THINK THAT BETHEL HAD DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT EAST WITH, WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO THAT IS THE, ALSO CAME UNDER A LITTLE BIT OF FIRE, I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, THAT 168 ACRES IS IN A PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
IT IS PART OF, UM, FIVE RIVERS METRO PARK.
AND THAT WAS PART OF DE C'S PLAN WAS DEVELOPED TO DEVELOP THAT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? WHO IS YOU? YOU JUST GAVE SOME INITIALS DECK.
BUT IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT YOU GUYS APPLIED EFFORT AND PROTECTED EAST OF HUBER HEIGHTS WITH THE PARKS YOU PUT YEAH.
THE CORNER OF 2 0 1, YOUR HONOR, THE CORNER OF, UM, UH, BRANT PIKE AND SINGER ROAD IS 168 ACRES.
AND SO FOR US, YOU JOINED THE METRO PARKS, CORRECT? WE DID JOIN METRO PARKS AND YOU PROTECTED YOUR, AND THAT BENEFITS YOUR RESIDENTS AND IT BENEFITS OUR RESIDENTS, BUT FOR US, IT'S A KIND OF A DOUBLE BENEFIT BECAUSE IT, IT DOES STOP DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE DON'T WANT ANY MASSIVE MORE HOMES.
WE'LL TAKE 20 OR 30, BUT NOT 200.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
AND I THINK A MORATORIUM NORTH WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO LIKE, AND IT'S NORTH.
IT'S NORTH FROM YOUR SEAT AS WELL.
IT'S RIGHT, IT'S NORTH OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
YOU STILL THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA? MM-HMM.
UH, YOU DID THAT KNOWING IT WASN'T POPULAR.
AND, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT WE DON'T TAKE THESE DECISIONS LIGHTLY.
WE DON'T MAKE THESE DECISIONS LIGHTLY.
AND NOBODY IS DOING THIS AS A CAREER.
WE'RE ALL DOING WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK ALL OF US RESPECT THAT YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THAT WE THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT IS BEST.
AND IT, I DON'T WANNA LOSE ANY MORE LAND TO ANNEXATION.
NOBODY IN BETHEL TOWNSHIP DOES NOT AT ALL.
BUT IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE A BULLET NOW TO, TO MAINTAIN OUR TOWNSHIP FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, OR 150 YEARS WITH NO ANNEXATION, I THINK THAT WE COULD LIVE WITH THAT.
OR, OR I COULD, I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE OTHER TWO TRUSTEES.
AND I'M NOT UP HERE SPEAKING AS A TRUSTEE.
AND WAS THERE SOMETHING BETHEL WAS GETTING OUT OF THAT AGREEMENT? UM, WE, IN ADDITION TO THE MORATORIUM, THE AGREEMENT STANDS, BASICALLY WE GAVE YOU EVERYTHING.
AND IN EXCHANGE FOR THE MORATORIUM, BECAUSE THAT IS TRULY WHAT WE DON'T WANT, WE WANT YOU TO DETACH THE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALSO MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE JUNE 10TH MEETING MINUTES.
THE, THE WAY THE ORIG, THE CARRIAGE TRAILS AND PARK TOWN, THE WAY THOSE WERE ANNEXED WAS, IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC DETACHMENT.
YOU GUYS HAD TO FILE SOME PAPERWORK, BUT IT, IT BECAME IMMEDIATELY DETACHED.
AND BY DETACHED, I MEAN THAT THOSE RESIDENTS ARE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ATTEND BETHEL SCHOOLS, THEY ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT MEMBERS OF THE HUBER HEIGHTS COMMUNITY WITH, IN 20, I THINK IT'S 1116, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ANNEXATION LAW HAS GOT A SMALL REVISION.
AND NOW IT IS A, WITH AN EXPEDITED TYPE TWO ANNEXATION, THERE IS AN, YOU HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH, WE HAVE, WE, THE TOWNSHIP HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU IN ORDER TO DETACH THAT, THOSE, UM, PARCELS AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT RESIDENTS COMPLETELY.
SO WITHOUT US REACHING AN AGREEMENT TO FORMALLY DETACH THEM, THEY BECOME ESSENTIALLY DUAL CITIZENS.
THEY STAY, THEY VOTE IN BETHEL TOWNSHIP ELECTIONS.
THEY VOTE IN HUBER HEIGHTS ELECTIONS.
THEY COULD RUN FOR TRUSTEE, THEY COULD RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL.
THEY WOULD ALSO PAY ANY, UM, NON-SERVICE, UH, LEVEES THAT WE HAVE, WHICH ARE PRETTY MINIMAL.
BUT THEY WOULD NOT PAY OUR FIRE AND LEVY, YOU GUYS WOULD, THEY WOULD PAY YOUR FIRE AND LEVY, UM, AND POLICE LEVY THINGS.
BUT WE DO HAVE A GENERAL FUND LEVY.
SO, AND IN THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF, IN THE AGREEMENT, IT WAS DETACHING THAT WAS 200, AND AT THE TIME IT WAS 60 SOME ACRES.
UM, IT WAS A MORATORIUM FOR 50 YEARS, REPEATING AFTER 50 YEARS, UNLESS BOTH SIDES REACHED AN AGREEMENT.
[01:10:01]
UM, IT WAS NO REPARATIONS.UM, YOU, BECAUSE THAT IS, WAS ALSO A CHANGE IN THE 20 16 11 TIMEFRAME, WAS THAT THE ENTITY THAT TAKES THE, THAT ANNEXES, THE LAND HAS TO PAY, UM, REPARATIONS OVER A 12 YEAR PERIOD FOR THE INCREASED VALUE ON THAT LAND.
UM, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE GAVE UP.
UH, WE DO HAVE A TIFF ON ALL THOSE PARCELS.
WE, UH, WOULD JUST GET RID OF THE TIFF.
SO THERE'S NO LEGAL BATTLE INVOLVED IN THAT.
THERE'S NO LAWYER FEES TO PAY, NO OFFENSE.
UM, SO, UM, AND THEN, BUT THE, SO WE DID, WE FELT LIKE WE GAVE AND GAVE AND GAVE.
AND THEN TO HAVE YOU GUYS NOT EVEN BRING IT TO VOTE WAS, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
MADE ME FEEL LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S THE, THEY DON'T EVEN WANNA WORK WITH US.
ONE OF THE TIMES WE TALKED WAS WHEN, NOW I DID CALL YOU.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER TALKING AND I APOLOGIZED.
AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, UH, MAYOR, WHEN PARKTOWN, UH, WAS BUILT, WE DID WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT AFTER THERE WERE RESIDENTS THERE.
SO WE HAD RESIDENTS IN PARK TOWN THAT WERE UBER RESIDENTS AND BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.
SO THAT WASN'T DONE PRIOR TO THE HOMES BEING BUILT.
AND AT THAT TIME, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
YOU COULD JUST DETACH 'EM BECAUSE THAT WAS UNDER THE OTHER TYPE OF ANNEXATION LAWS.
DO YOU KNOW IF THAT AGREEMENT IS STILL IN EFFECT THAT YOU FOLKS PASSED? IF, IF I WERE TO INTRODUCE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD VOTE OUR PORTION TO? UH, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHECK WITH YOUR LAWYER AND I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK.
WE WOULD HAVE TO CHECK WITH OUR LAWYER.
SO TECHNICALLY IT STILL IS AN AGREEMENT.
COULD YOU GET WITH ME TOMORROW? HOW MANY YEARS AGO WAS THIS? A YEAR AGO.
COULD YOU CHECK TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY AND LET ME KNOW IF ON WHAT QUESTION, UH, CAN WE STILL PASS IT? IS IT STILL BY? SO WE PASSED AN ANNEXATION AGREEMENT LAST YEAR, AND, UM, WITH THE INTENT THAT IT WOULD FOR THE PRE PREVIOUS ANNEXATION PETITION, WHICH WAS A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF ACREAGE, BUT MOSTLY THE SAME.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD GET ALL THESE CONDITIONS, WE WOULD AGREE TO THESE, ALL THESE CONDITIONS, EVERYTHING WE JUST TALKED, IT'S IN, IT'S IN AN AGREEMENT THAT THE BETHEL TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES VOTED ON.
WHAT WAS THE VOTE? THREE TO ZERO.
THAT'S WHEN WE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE THE LAST TIME.
WHETHER OR NOT THE BETHEL TOWNSHIP ACTION IS LEGAL IS NOT FOR ME TO SAY.
UM, SO I THINK THAT IT, IT LIKE ANY CONTRACT THAT TAKES TWO, DO YOU EVER GIVE AN OPINION? UH, COULD YOU GIVE AN OPINION IF IT'S STILL BINDING
I'D PREFER TO AN ATTORNEY TALK TO THE TOWNSHIP'S ATTORNEY, PLEASE.
MAYBE THE BETTER COURSE, PLEASE.
AND IS THAT, I ASSUME THAT'S FROM MIAMI COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE? UH, NO, WE HAVE AN ANNEXATION ATTORNEY.
UM, JULIE CAN GIVE YOU HIS NAME.
ALRIGHT, I'LL GET THAT AFTER THE MEETING.
YEAH, I, I REALLY DON'T CARE WHO WE TALK TO.
I'M JUST INTERESTED IN THE ANSWER BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT AGREEMENT.
I THOUGHT YOU SHOWED STRENGTH.
I, I BELIEVE THE BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.
AND, AND I THINK AT THAT JUNE 10TH MEETING, I THINK WE DID MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT WAS OUR INTENT WAS TO CONFORM THE BOUNDARIES AND DETACH THAT AS WELL.
I MEAN, THAT WAS, I, I WANNA TELL YOU THOUGH, YOU CANNOT CONFORM THE BOUNDARIES UNLESS YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH US.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE WAY THE NEW LAW IS WITH EXPERT.
SO THAT WAS THE INTENT THAT YOU WOULD ENTER INTO AGREEMENT WITH US.
THEN WE'LL TAKE 5,000 YEARS OF NO ANNEXATION.
JUST AS LONG AS WE'RE, AS LONG AS NOW I KNOW YOU WANNA DO IT.
DON, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, YEAH.
AND THIS IS JUST FOR CHRIS AND FOR, UM, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE, UH, AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, JULY 5TH, 2023 IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE COMPLETE BETHEL TOWNSHIP ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.
AND MR. CAMPBELL, IT DOES GO INTO EACH OF THE, UH, AREAS THAT YOU AND BETH JUST DISCUSSED.
IT, UH, COVERS EACH ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. SO, UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND THAT JULY 5TH, 2023, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THE AGENDA ITEM IS, UH, BETHEL TOWNSHIP ANNEXATION AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I AM A BETHEL TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE.
AND WHILE WE ARE FIRMLY AGAINST ANNEXATION, I'M HERE SPEAKING ONLY FOR MYSELF TONIGHT, NOT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, MR. GORE, I DID NOT CALL YOU PUTIN.
I LIKENED THE TAKING OF THE UKRAINE LAND AGAINST THEIR
[01:15:01]
WISHES AND WITHOUT THEIR AGREEMENT TO OUR SITUATION WHERE LAND IS BEING TAKEN AGAINST OUR WISHES AND WITHOUT OUR AGREEMENT.IT WAS THEN AND STILL IS A TRUE STATEMENT THAT IF ANNEXED IT WILL BE AGAINST OUR WISHES.
JULIE, COULD YOU MOVE YOUR MICROPHONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT? SO, SO WE CAN HEAR YOU BETTER? OH, I SOUND REALLY LOUD TO ME.
WANT ME TO REPEAT ALL THAT? NO THANK YOU.
SO TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS RAISED THAT BETHEL TOWNSHIP IS NOT DOING ANYTHING AND DID NOT DO ANYTHING KNOWING THAT ANNEXATION WAS COMING.
THESE WERE RAISED LAST TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE WEREN'T DOING ENOUGH.
AT THE LAST MEETING, I EXPLAINED SOME THAT THE SCHOOL CANNOT BUILD AHEAD UNLESS THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE BUCKETS OF MONEY SITTING AROUND.
I ALSO EXPLAINED WHY THE 20 MILLION ACROSS 30 YEARS DOES NOT HELP THE CONSTRUCTING OF YET ANOTHER SCHOOL BUILDING EFFORT.
THE FUNDING IS NEEDED UPFRONT.
WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO ADDRESS WAS ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL DID TRY TO DO TO PLAN FOR THE INFLUX OF STUDENTS.
FIRST, THE RESIDENTS OF THE BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT, 100% PAID FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT OPENED IN 2017.
THE SCHOOL JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD IT AT THAT TIME.
SO NOW OUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR RESIDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE A 30 YEAR MORTGAGE ON THAT BUILDING.
DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PASSED A RESOLUTION TO PUT AWAY PART OF THE TAXES RECEIVED INTO A CONSTRUCTION FUND.
SO THEY PUT, THEY PUT AWAY PART OF THE TAXES RECEIVED INTO A CONSTRUCTION FUND FOR THE NEXT NEEDED BUILDING.
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WAS AT CAPACITY WHEN IT OPENED.
SO WHILE SOME MONEY WAS BEING SAVED FOR CONSTRUCTION, IT CUT INTO OTHER SPENDING RAISES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF WERE MINIMAL, SOMETIMES NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
TEACHERS HAD GIVEN UP SOME STEP RAISES BACK WHEN THE ECONOMY WAS BAD AND WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THAT RIGHT.
MAINTENANCE ON OUR NEARLY A HUNDRED YEAR OLD SCHOOL BUILDING WAS MINIMAL, CAUSING MORE EXPENSIVE REPAIR REQUIREMENTS WHEN THEY BECAME AN EMERGENCY.
DOLLARS WERE STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT IN ORDER TO SAVE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION FUND.
BUT WHAT THAT MONEY BEING SET ASIDE DID ALLOW WAS THAT THERE WAS THEN A SMALL SUM THAT COULD BE USED AS A DOWN PAYMENT, SO TO SPEAK, AS MORE CLASSROOM SPACE ON MORE CLASSROOM SPACE IN THE FORM OF OUR NEW ELEMENTARY.
BUT WE STILL HAD TO BORROW OVER 28 MILLION AGAINST FUTURE TAX REVENUE.
AND THAT 28 MILLION, GIVE OR TAKE, WAS THE LIMIT THAT WE COULD BORROW.
NOW WE ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION FUND.
OUR SCHOOL IS ONCE AGAIN TAPPED OUT, PAYING FOR THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
OUR RESIDENTS ARE TAPPED OUT, STILL PAYING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ARE WAITING FOR THE STATE, LIKELY ANOTHER SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS TO PRODUCE EVEN A DIME OF THE MONEY THEY PROMISED US.
THERE'S NO FUNDING TO BUILD AHEAD RIGHT NOW.
SO DON'T THINK THAT THE SCHOOL DID NOTHING KNOWING THAT THESE STUDENTS WERE COMING DUE TO ANNEXATION.
THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY STUDENTS COMING AT A BLAZING RATE OF SPEED IN RECENT YEARS.
FOUR TO FIVE CLASSROOMS OF NEW STUDENTS PER YEAR ON THE TOWNSHIP SIDE.
I PERSONALLY HAVE CONTACTED MY REPRESENTATIVES BOTH BY EMAIL AND PHONE DISCUSSIONS.
I CREATED A GRASSROOTS LAND AND LIFESTYLE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
WE INVITED JENNA POWELL TO A COFFEE TALK TO EXPRESS OUR ANNEXATION CONCERNS.
I'VE GONE TO EVERY RALLY I CAN WHERE OUR REPRESENTATIVES APPEAR AND ARE TAKING QUESTIONS, INCLUDING FOR MR. NEWMAN WHO IS RUNNING AGAINST JENNA POWELL SEAT IN THE HOUSE.
I'VE ALSO SPOKEN AT THE MIAMI COUNTY TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND HAVE CONTACTED THE OTA EXPRESSING CONCERNS AND ASKING FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELP.
WE ALSO HAVE MANY RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALSO CONTACTING OUR REPRESENTATIVES, OTHER TOWNSHIPS, THE OTA, ET CETERA, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
YOU MENTIONED THE METRO PARKS.
WE DID DONATE 25% OF THE COST OF ACQUIRING THES PROPERTY TO STOP ANNEXATION FROM JUMPING THERE.
THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR AND TRUSTEES HAVE SPOKEN WITH LANDOWNERS TO TRY TO EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR THEM OTHER THAN ANNEXATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO BUY EVERY ACRE OF PROPERTY IN THE LINE OF FIRE FOR ANNEXATION.
SO PLEASE DON'T THINK WE ARE JUST SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT TURNED SLOWLY AND THE ORC HAS NOT YET BEEN AMENDED.
SO YOU SEE ME HERE AT EVERY MEETING POSSIBLE FOR ME BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS VOTING NO IS OUR ONLY HOPE.
EVERYTHING ELSE, WE HAVE NO SAY NO CHOICES.
SO I'M ASKING AT LEAST VOTE NO AT THIS TIME TO ALLOW THE SCHOOL TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF ANNEXATION.
AND AT BEST VOTE NO TO ALLOW US TO KEEP OUR TOWNSHIP SAY AND HOW WE DEVELOP OUR COMMUNITY.
AND LAST UP WE HAVE DONNA HUGHES.
MY FASHION STATEMENT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PINK SHOES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS DONNA HUGHES, BETHEL TOWNSHIP REPRESENTATIVE, AND I THINK I KNOW YOU ENOUGH.
[01:20:01]
TO MY THANKSGIVING DINNER.YOU KNOW,
EASTBOUND SHOAL, UH, APPROACHING E UH, 2 0 1.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD BACK THAT LEFT HAND, TURN UP SIX FEET, MAKE IT ALL WHITE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW IT NOT TO CROSS OVER IT.
'CAUSE IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR LARGE TRUCKS TO TURN.
I DO THANK YOU FOR THE EASTBOUND MERRILY WAY FROM KROGER'S APPROACHING 2 0 2 0 2 THAT YOU DO HAVE IT BACKED UP.
BUT IT'LL PROBABLY BE GOOD, BETTER TO HAVE ANOTHER TWO FEET BACKED UP BECAUSE THERE'S A POLE RIGHT ON THAT CORNER, UNLESS IT'S GONNA BE MOVED.
RECENTLY IN RECENTLY, UM, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS OR THINK ABOUT WHAT A YES LOOKS LIKE.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THE YES, WE'VE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY MADE, UM, IN 2003, 2004, 2014 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ONLY HAD FOUR STUDENTS FROM THIS AREA.
OR IN 2014 TO 2023, WE HAVE NOW EIGHT 1,800 AND CAN'T REMEMBER WORD EIGHT.
SO THAT'S ABOUT ALMOST 948 KIDS HAVE COME IN DURING THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD.
AND IN THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD, THOSE CHILDREN, THOSE ELEMENTARY CHILDREN FROM C TWO AND C ONE DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH DOCTORS OR OUR SCHOOL BOARD DOCS ARE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, WHICH IRRITATES THE CRAP OUT OF ME.
WE'RE AN ENGLISH SPEAKING NATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE 900 STUDENTS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.
THE PROPOSAL BY THE LAW OF 2003 REALLY DID TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT OF THE LOCALE.
AGAIN, MR. MAYOR GORE, I WANT TO SAY I WANT THE DEVELOPER TO GET AS MUCH MONEY.
I WANT THE LANDLORD TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN GET.
BUT I WANT IT BUILT ON BETHEL SPECS, NOT FIVE HOMES TO AN ACRE.
THAT INCREASES THE ASPHALT, THE CONCRETE, THE ASPHALT OF THE HOUSES, WHICH INCREASES THE HEAT.
AND THANK GOODNESS YOU DID PLANT SOME TREES.
AND BECAUSE I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH CARRIAGE TRAIL ONE, WHATEVER THAT ROAD IS CALLED, AND THE STREETS ARE NOW GROWING UP, THE TAX AND THE TIFF DOES NOT KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH, THE TAX AND TIFF IS ONE TO TWO YEARS AFTER IT'S COLLECTED BEFORE WE CAN GET IT.
AND THE COST OF ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WITH THE ENGLISH IS THE SECOND LANGUAGE.
'CAUSE WE'RE SPEAKING IN FIVE, TEACHING IN FIVE LANGUAGE, SOMETIMES SIX AND SEVEN.
AND WHAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT IS WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT DO NOT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, THE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY AT HOME TO TEACH IT EITHER.
UH, THE ELL ROSE FROM 3.3% TO 16.3.
THE ECONOMICALLY, UH, DI DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE WENT FROM 3.3 IN 2003 TO 25.6%.
AND HERE, THE BETHEL STUDENTS, BETHEL PEOPLE, BETHEL, UH, TAX PAYERS ARE HALF TO SHOULDER THE BURDEN.
AND ALSO WHEN I PAID MY TAXES, MY TAX LADY IN MIAMI COUNTY SAID, OH, BY THE WAY, YOUR TAXES WILL GROW UP BECAUSE THOSE, THOSE HOMES HAVE A LOT MORE MONEY AND THEY'RE GONNA RAISE YOUR TAXES.
AND I SAID, WHOOPI, DO, BECAUSE I'M RETIRED, I DON'T HAVE INCOME LIKE THAT.
ON SOCIAL SECURITY, WE HAVE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS OUR SCHOOL IS THE CENTER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU GRADUATED IN 1943 OR WHATEVER, THE, THE CAMARADERIE OF STUDENTS GOING TO BETHEL LAST MORE THAN JUST THE LAST TIME AT LAST GENERATIONS.
AND YOU'LL SAY, OH, MY SISTER WENT TO THAT SCHOOL.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOSE POINTS OF INTEREST.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FIVE YEAR MORATORIUM OF THIS ANNEXATION OF 295 ACRES.
FACT IS I WOULD LIKE NO ANNEXATION SO WE CAN CATCH UP.
'CAUSE IF WE'RE, BECAUSE IN 2023, WE HAD 164 KIDS COME IN AND WE ONLY GRADUATED 103.
ACCORDING TO THE STATS I WAS GIVEN, I DO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LETTING US SPEAK BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT LET US DO THAT.
BUT I WANT YOU ALSO TO REMEMBER, OUR HEARTS ARE IN THIS LAND.
REMEMBER, NOT ALL OF YOU MIGHT BE, NOT BE THAT OLD, BUT REMEMBER HOW YOUR HEART FELT GOOD WHEN ANNEXATION WAS STOPPED BY DAYTON.
YOU WERE IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN DESTINY, YOUR OWN PROPERTY.
[01:25:02]
AND NOW THAT YOU'RE REACHING, YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING THAT DAYTON DID TO YOU, YOU'RE REACHING, IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE REACHING NOT ONLY PAST THE COUNTY TOWNSHIP, BUT YOU'RE PASSING INTO THE COUNTY, ANOTHER COUNTY.SO I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE RECONSIDER, PLEASE INTERPOSE, LIKE THE BOOK OF THE LESSER ASRATE SAID, YOU EACH ONE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INTERPOSE AND TO STOP THIS, EMPLOY THIS IMMORAL PLUNDER, LEGAL PLUNDER OF A LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN 2003 THAT OUR LEGISLATORS PASSED.
IF I HAD KNOWN THAT, I WOULD'VE STOPPED IT TOO.
NO, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO YEAH, I'LL, I'LL WE'LL GET THERE IN JUST A SECOND.
[12. City Official Reports And Comments]
UM, A LOT, A LOT TO UNPACK.SO I THINK, SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, I MEAN, I I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL JUST CALLED IMMORAL, UH, REGARDING AND, AND IMMORAL HO HOLD ON.
OKAY? SO I'M ASKING TO INTERPOSE ON THAT LAW.
BUT IF WE, WE, I'M NOT LET IT GO THROUGH.
IF WE MADE A DECISION OTHER THAN WHAT YOU BELIEVED THAT WOULD, THE IMPLICATION IS THAT WE ARE IMMORALLY PLUNDERING YOUR LAND.
UM, SO I'M, I'M GOING TO TRY TO STICK TO FACTS I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF.
OTHERWISE, THAT ISN'T THE CASE.
UM, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS THUS FAR THAT HAS BEEN DONE ILLEGALLY.
AND AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THE LAWS ARE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS OF HEBREW HEIGHTS.
AND WE HAVE NOT GOT TO ANY PART OF THIS PROCESS OR THESE PROCEEDINGS OR ANY PART ABOUT THIS, UH, WHERE IT HAS BEEN DONE ILLEGALLY OR IMMORALLY.
UH, HUBER HEIGHTS HAS FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.
HUBER HEIGHTS HAS THOSE SAME TRADITIONS.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I I'LL SAY THAT, I MEAN, I, I THINK I, I DO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT, THAT BETHEL IS IN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT NONE OF YOU WANT THIS.
I I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT AND I DO GET THAT.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS TOO, THAT THE WAY TO CONVINCE A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS NOT TO BE INTERESTED IN ANNEXATION IS FOR A LOT OF THE BETHEL RESIDENTS TO STOP MAKING IT SOUND LIKE BETHEL IS HEAVEN AND HUBER HEIGHTS AS HELL.
BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY THE WAY SOME OF THIS IS MADE TO SEEM, A LOT OF TIMES THAT BETHEL IS, IS THE HEAVEN TO LIVE IN AND HEBREW RIGHTS AS HELL.
WE DON'T WANT ANY PART OF HEBREW HEIGHTS.
UM, WE DON'T WANT YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANT ANY PART OF IT.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS, THAT HAS BEEN SAID MANY, MANY TIMES.
OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BEEN MADE TO SOUND LIKE IT'S HORRIBLE.
AND YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE TO SOUND LIKE IT'S WONDERFUL.
NOW, THERE IS CLEARLY A DIFFERENCE.
I BELIEVE THE STATE REPORT DEBT CARD THAT JUST CAME OUT HAD BETHEL RANKED, UH, IN THE TOPS IN THE STATE, EVEN WITH THE NUMBERS THAT YOU MENTIONED, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH YET SOMEHOW THEY'RE STILL GETTING A VERY GOOD EDUCATION.
AND THE GRADUATION RATES ARE HIGH ENOUGH TO BETHEL IS ACHIEVED.
THOSE TYPE OF STATE NUMBERS ON THE STATE REPORT CARD.
I WANNA ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENTS BECAUSE IT, IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME AS AN EDUCATOR.
I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, MY CURRENT SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE I TAUGHT LAST YEAR, I HAD STUDENTS FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN MY FIRST AND SECOND PERIOD CLASS.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH GOOGLE TRANSLATE.
AND AS AN EDUCATOR, IT IS MY JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS ARE IN MY CLASSROOM.
I TEACH THEM TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY ALONG WITH THE STUDENTS WHO SPEAK ENGLISH.
AS MUCH AS EVERYONE HAS SAID ABOUT AND TALKED ABOUT THESE KIDS WHO, WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, BETHEL IS NOT, BETHEL IS NOT THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF OHIO WHO IS EXPERIENCING A GROWTH OF STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES WHO DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.
BUT THIS IS AMERICA AND THIS IS A MELTING POT.
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE.
AND MOST OF THEM, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, ARE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTRY.
AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT IS THE FEDERAL LAW, AND IT'S THE JOB OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE JOB OF THE TEACHERS TO TEACH THEM THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN.
AND BETHEL, AT THIS POINT, HAS NOT BEEN EXEMPT FROM THAT.
BETHEL IS NOW BEING INCLUDED IN WHAT ALL THESE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE
[01:30:01]
DOING.SEVEN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IN BETHEL IS NOTHING.
MY WIFE IS A COUNSELOR AT HUMAN RIGHTS CITY SCHOOLS, AND THERE ARE PROBABLY 24 TO 25 DIFFERENT BOOKS AND DICTIONARIES FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND LANGUAGES THAT SHE HAS TO USE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO HER STUDENTS.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE SEVERAL, THERE ARE A HUNDRED DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL THAT I'M IN RIGHT NOW.
ONE OVER A HUNDRED, I BELIEVE IT'S 112 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
SO IT IS NOT JUST THIS PROBLEM THAT BETHEL IS EXPERIENCING.
IT'S AN ISSUE IN ALL THE SCHOOLS, BUT IT'S ALL OF OUR JOB DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
THOSE STUDENTS ARE HERE AND WE'RE NOT GONNA TELL 'EM THAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA EDUCATE 'EM.
AND I DON'T EVEN WANNA SAY THAT'S A PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE PEOPLE, THEY'RE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH 'EM.
SO THIS, THIS IDEA THAT IT'S JUST ALL THESE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ARE CAUSING SUCH A PROBLEM FOR THE STUDENTS OF BETHEL.
IT'S, IT'S ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH THIS, BUT THAT'S WHO WE ARE AS A COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE AS A NATION.
THAT'S HOW WE EDUCATE OUR KIDS, AND WE COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU HAD SAID SOMETHING, UM, I REALIZE, AND I, AND I WANTED TO GO BACK ON SOMETHING THAT, THAT JULIE HAD SAID REGARDING NEEDING THE MONEY UPFRONT AND, AND ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, I MENTIONED IN THAT MEETING THAT I THINK WE LOOKED AT TRYING TO LOOK AT WHAT THE FLEXIBILITY OF WHAT THAT COULD BE.
SO I KNOW IN THE PRESENTATION, THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT MONEY WAS, AT LEAST FOR THE PRESENTATION DOCUMENT, WAS SHOWN LIKE $10 MILLION IN YEARS ONE THROUGH 15, ANOTHER $10 MILLION IN YEARS, UH, 10 THROUGH 10 THROUGH, OR 15 THROUGH 30.
BUT I THINK BASED ON WHAT THE, THE, THE TAXES AND THINGS ARE AND THE PROJECTED TAX RATES, WE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT CAN BE FRONT LOADED BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND THE DIFFERENCES IN THE TAXATION AND THE, WHETHER IT'S A TIF OR WHETHER IT'S AN NCA THROUGH A CRA, HOWEVER THAT MONEY IS GENERATED, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE FLEXIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS MUCH MONEY THAT IS FRONT LOADED AS POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT SITUATION.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR THAT NOBODY UP HERE IS UN IS UNDER ANY, UH, IDEA THAT THAT MONEY CAN JUST BE PAID OUT OVER A 30 YEAR PERIOD.
THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T HELP THE SOLUTION.
AND I WILL SAY, I'M NOT AFRAID TO SAY PUBLICLY THAT IF THERE IS NO WAY FORWARD TO HELP WITH THE SCHOOL ISSUE, I WON'T SUPPORT ANNEXATION.
SO FOR ALL OF YOU WHO THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW, HOW, WHAT, WHAT I THINK AND WHAT INFLUENCE I MIGHT HAVE OVER THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH A VIABLE SOLUTION TO EDUCATE THOSE KIDS.
AND BECAUSE, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE YOUR KIDS, IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEIR PARENTS ARE OUR RESIDENTS AND WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR RESIDENTS CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.
SO I DO CARE AND I DO TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
MY WIFE WILL TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES, HOW MANY, HOW MUCH I'M UP AT NIGHT AND, AND THINKING ABOUT THIS AND STRUGGLING WITH THIS.
THIS IS A VERY PERSONAL ISSUE FOR ME AS I THINK IT IS.
EVERYBODY UP HERE, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THIS DUS TAKES ANY OF THIS LIGHTLY, BUT IF WE CAN'T FIND A WAY FORWARD AND A SOLUTION THAT MAKES SENSE, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT.
IT'S WHY IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT TO BE VOTED ON.
I THINK SOME OF YOU HEARD ME SAY IT WOULD BE ON THE 24TH AGENDA.
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR INFORMATION.
IF WE WERE ALL POSITIVE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, IT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON IT AND WE'D BE OUTTA HERE, BUT WE'RE NOT.
I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS AND I WANNA FIND A SOLUTION.
AND IF THERE IS NO SOLUTION, I'M NOT IN FAVOR.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING I DO? NANCY? UM, YES.
UM, I AM PERSONALLY VERY OFFENDED.
UH, WHEN I HEAR SOMEONE COME IN AND SAY THAT PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURES ARE KEEPING MY KIDS FROM BEING EDUCATED.
THESE ARE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES CAME HERE AS IMMIGRANTS.
UM, AND, AND THE STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE SCHOOLS NOW ARE NOT JUST RESIDENTS.
THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.
PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO COME HERE IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE.
AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO WELCOME THEM AND TO FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM, UH, INTEGRATE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU CAN DO THAT BY GETTING INVOLVED IN CULTURAL EVENTS, BY GOING TO MEETINGS THAT ADDRESS CULTURAL ISSUES, BY PERHAPS REACHING OUT TO THE ENGLISH SPEAKING, UM, NEW AMERICANS TO HELP THEIR PEERS ADJUST AND TO DO THEIR STUDIES.
[01:35:01]
ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT PEOPLE ARE, WOULD RATHER STAND UP, BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO COUNCIL MEETING AND SAY, I RESENT THE FACT THAT TIME IS BEING SPENT ON THESE PE, THESE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENTS.THEY ARE THERE AND THEY DESERVE TO BE EDUCATED.
AND I THINK THAT A LITTLE REACHING OUT, YOU WILL LEARN AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THAT CULTURE.
YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE.
YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES BEING THAT THE ADULTS NEED ACCESS TO, TO ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAMS. AND THEY NEED TO BE DIRECTED TO THOSE PROGRAMS. THOSE, AND IF THEY'RE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS, IS SEND THEM IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE THEY HAVE A REAL CHALLENGE WHEN THEIR CHILDREN COME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND THEY WANT TO TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY LEARNED IN SCHOOL AND BECAUSE OF THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM, THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE DOING, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH.
THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE CHILDREN ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING IN SCHOOL.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, LIKE I SAID, I TAKE PERSONAL OFFENSE BECAUSE, UH, WE AT HEBREW HEIGHTS HAVE EMBRACED, UH, THE CULTURES.
WE APPRECIATE 'EM, WE HAVE LOTS OF BUSINESSES HERE THAT HAVE BROUGHT TREMENDOUS NEW CULTURAL FOODS.
UM, AND I, I PERSONALLY GO TO ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR FOOD IS WONDERFUL.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO REACH OUT.
THEY WANT TO BE REACHED OUT TOO.
THEY WANT, THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, WITH A LITTLE EFFORT, I THINK THAT WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER.
OH, THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY.
IF YOU'RE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THE LAWS IN COLUMBUS, VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
UH, MY COMMENTS, UH, AND QUESTIONS MORE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE ALL POSITIVE.
AND AND I APPRECIATE EVERY BETHEL TOWNSHIP RESIDENT THAT HAS COME AND SPOKE TO US FOR MAYBE A COUPLE YEARS NOW.
MAYOR, YOU AND I DO TALK OFTEN AND I KNOW WHAT BURDEN THIS ISSUE HAS PLACED ON YOUR HEART.
AND, AND WE HAVE TALKED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT IDEAS AND THINGS.
AND AT ONE OF THE WORK SESSIONS I HAD ASKED STAFF TO PROVIDE ME THE CASH BALANCE OF BETHEL SCHOOLS.
AND THAT NIGHT I COULDN'T GET ANYONE JOHN, TO TELL ME THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT THAT AND THAT IT WAS 31 MILLION.
BUT I'M ASKING YOU, JOHN, AND I'M GONNA ASK FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL TO DIRECT JOHN TO GET THESE ANSWERS.
I THINK THESE ARE SOME GOOD QUESTIONS FOR US TO ASK TO HELP US REACH A DECISION.
BUT JOHN, I WANT TO KNOW FROM 2019 TO 2023 WHAT THE BETHEL SCHOOL'S CASH BALANCE WAS.
ALSO, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT COST BETHEL SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE A KID EACH YEAR.
THERE IS A WAY TO COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER, RIGHT, JOHN? THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
THERE, THERE IS WHAT WE SPEND, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT THE SAME AS WHAT WE COULD BE SPENDING ON THINGS LIKE MORE HELP FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT DOES BETHEL TOWNSHIP SPEND TO EDUCATE EACH CHILD? UH, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO, UH, MODIFY MY QUESTION, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
'CAUSE I, I WANNA GET THE RIGHT QUESTION SO WE CAN GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS.
UH, JOHN, I WANT TO BE PROVIDED BY STAFF A LIST OF REVENUE SOURCES THAT BETHEL SCHOOLS HAS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE INCOME TAX THAT I THINK THE CARRIAGE TRAILS RESIDENTS PAY, UH, PROPERTY TAXES, ET CETERA.
I'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE TO WRITE THAT DOWN.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A CORRECTION OR A CHANGE, JUST IF THE MAYOR'S OKAY.
JUST SPEAK UP 'CAUSE I WANNA GET THESE QUESTIONS RIGHT.
SO THE MAYOR CAME UP WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS
[01:40:01]
GENIUS AND THAT WAS A SCHOOL BUILT IN CARRIAGE TRAILS TWO CLOSE TO TRAILS.ONE THAT WOULD NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EDUCATING CHILDREN THAT WERE COMING OUT OF CARRIED TRAILS TWO, BUT IT WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE HEAR EXIST NOW WITH CARRIED TRAILS.
ONE THE THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT SOME OF THE, THE OVERCROWDING IS HAPPENING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SOME OF THOSE KIDS WOULD IN FACT GO TO THE NEW SCHOOL.
IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL FOR THE ACTUAL, MOST OF THOSE KIDS, THE, THE STUDENTS COMING OUT OF WHAT WOULD BE THE OLDER BE TOWNSHIP OWNERS? YES.
AND WHAT I LEARNED, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LEARNED IT, BUT I LEARNED THAT NIGHT THE 20 MILLION WE WERE PROPOSING WAS SEED MONEY.
IT WASN'T WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
NONE OF US BELIEVED THAT 20 MILLION IS GONNA BUILD THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
BUT WE DID TALK ABOUT HOUSING SIX TO 700 CHILDREN.
SO JOHN, I BELIEVE THE STATE HAS SOME TEMPLATES ON BUILDING AND BUILDING COSTS FOR 600 STUDENTS.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT COSTS, IF THE LAND IS DONATED, WHAT IS THE COST TO BUILD A SCHOOL? SO ONE SIMPLE WAY WOULD BE TO ASK TIP CITY WHAT THEIR PER SQUARE FOOT CONSTRUCTION COST OF THEIR PROPOSED SCHOOL IS.
THEY'RE BUILDING A NEW K THROUGH EIGHT BUILDING.
AND THEN MULTIPLY THAT BY WHATEVER THE SQUARE FOOTAGE NEEDS TO BE TO HOUSE SIX TO 700 STUDENTS.
WOULD THAT BE, UH, DRIVEN BY THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS? MAYBE THEY PROJECTED A HIGHER NUMBER? YES, IT WOULD.
SO, SO IF WE HAD TALKED ABOUT A THOUSAND STUDENTS, IT WOULD COST MORE THAN 600.
AND JEFF, THE MAYOR, HAD TALKED ABOUT SIX TO 700 STUDENTS.
SO THAT'S, I I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS AS, AS EVEN AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR MYSELF TO MAKE A DECISION.
UH, SO WHAT APPROVAL IS NECESSARY FOR THE DISTRICT, BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BUILD A BUILDING? SO I'VE DONE THIS FOR 37 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER BUILT A SCHOOL BUILDING.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT APPROVAL YOU NEED.
SO WHAT APPROVAL IS NECESSARY FOR THE DISTRICT TO BUILD A NEW SCHOOL? AND CHRIS, ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD HELP JOHN WITH, THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT QUESTION FOR YOU.
COUNSEL SAID YOU WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS THAT IT TAKES TO GET A NEW SCHOOL BILL INDEPENDENTLY OF JUST HAVING MONEY.
IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, WHAT ELSE IS REQUIRED? LIKE, DO YOU HAVE TO, UH, PETITION THE STATE AND THE STATE HAS TO GIVE YOU, UH, A PERMIT TO BUILD THAT SCHOOL? WHAT, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? I'M GONNA STOP HERE.
I HAVE ABOUT EIGHT QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GONNA STOP HERE FOR A MINUTE.
IF YOU'RE PRO ANNEXATION, THEN THE DEVELOPMENT GENERATES TONS AND TONS OF MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LIKE WAY MORE THAN THEY NEED.
IF YOU'RE ANTI ANNEXATION, THEN THE DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T GENERATE ENOUGH MONEY TO EDUCATE THE KIDS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
NUMBER ONE, IT JUST DOESN'T GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE.
OR THERE'S THESE RESTRICTIONS THAT MAKE IT YEARS TO BE ABLE TO EVEN BUILD A BUILDING.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE DISTRICT TO BORROW MONEY TO BUILD THE NEW SCHOOL BUILDING? I'LL WAIT TILL THEY'RE DONE.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE DISTRICT TO BORROW MONEY TO BUILD THE NEW SCHOOL IN CARRIAGE TRAILS? IF THE CITY OF HUBER HEIGHTS WANTS TO BUILD A STREETS DIVISION FOR 24 MILLION, WE PASSED LEGISLATION.
APPARENTLY IT'S DIFFERENT WITH SCHOOLS.
SO CAN THEY BORROW MONEY TO BUILD A SCHOOL? BETHEL SCHOOLS? NOT SOME ABSTRACT SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OHIO, BUT BETHEL SCHOOLS.
HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL BE GENERATED OUT OF CARRIED TRAILS TWO PER YEAR BASED ON THEIR BUILD UP SCHEDULE? I THINK THEY SAID A HUNDRED AND SO HOUSES.
SO HOW MANY CHILDREN WOULD THAT BE? AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT, FINDING THAT OUT, JOHN, JUST LOOK AT CARRIAGE TRAILS ONE AND FIGURE OUT HOW MANY KIDS WERE GENERATED EVERY YEAR.
I MEAN, WE HAVE AN EXACT MODEL AS EXACT AS YOU COULD MAKE IT.
AND AT THIS POINT I'LL SAY IF THERE'S ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT CAN HELP JOHN AND STAFF COME UP WITH THESE QUESTIONS, I, I, I DON'T CARE IF IT COMES FROM US ON THE DIOCESE OR COMES FROM
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STAFF, BUT I JUST WANT IT TO BE RELIABLE THOUGHT OUT.NOW THIS IS FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE.
IF COUNCIL HAS A PERSPECTIVE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH ME, I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT.
BUT FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, WOULD YOU PROVIDE ME A LIST OF ADVANTAGES TO THE CITY FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARRIAGE TRAILS ONE? NOW TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, THERE IS A CLOCK TICKING HERE.
SO I ASKED FOR THEIR CASH BALANCE, WHICH I THINK IS PUBLIC RECORD AND I'M YET TO GET IT FROM STAFF.
SO I WANT TO GO A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN THAT, GETTING THIS INFORMATION.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL GLASS HALF FULL STUFF.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
IT IS NOW 7 47 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
SORRY, I WAS KIND OF COMBINING THOSE ALL TOGETHER.