* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] OKAY, I [CALL TO ORDER] WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, MARCH THE NINTH, 2026 TO ORDER. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL A ROLE MS. SALUTO? HERE. MAYOR AROSE GRMS. HERE. VICE MAYOR DEROSA. HERE MS. JOHNSON. HERE. MR. KEELER? HERE. MS. CRAM. HERE. DR. LAMB. HERE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION [ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION] TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC PURS PURPOSES, CONFERENCES WITH AN ATTORNEY FOR THE PUBLIC BODY CONCERNING DISPUTES INVOLVING THE PUBLIC BODY THAT ARE SUBJECT TO PENDING OR IMMINENT COURT ACTION, PREPARING FOR CONDUCTING OR REVIEWING NEGOTIATIONS OR BARGAINING SESSIONS WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEES CONCERNING THEIR COMPENSATION OR OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT. AND TO CONSIDER CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE REQUEST FOR AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE THAT INVOLVES PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND IN WHICH EXECUTIVE SESSION IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE POSSIBLE INVESTMENT OR EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO BE MADE IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT. I'M SORRY, WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND PERSONNEL MATTERS CONSIDERING THE APPOINTMENT OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MR. KEELER? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MS. A LUDO? YES. VERY GOOD. I WILL REMIND THE LISTENING PUBLIC THAT WE WILL RECONVENE THIS MEETING IN THIS LOCATION AT 7:00 PM THANK YOU. OKAY. [RECONVENE (7 P.M.)] WE WILL RECONVENE THE MONDAY, MARCH 9TH, 2026 REGULAR DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING. UM, CHRISTINA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE PLEDGE MEETINGS TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY. [SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS/RECOGNITION] WE WILL BEGIN THIS EVENING WITH SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS, AND WE HAVE WITH US REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT BROWN FROM THE AUDITOR OF STATE PRESENTING A FINANCE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS. SO WELCOME. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. YES. IF YOU'LL JUST, THERE YOU GO. LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. HELLO. AND I APPRECIATE A FEW MINUTES ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE BY THE CITY OF DUBLIN. UH, MY NAME IS SCOTT BROWN AND I AM AUDITOR OF STATE KEY FABERS CENTRAL OHIO LIAISON. UM, TO YOU THAT MOSTLY MEANS THAT I SERVE AS YOUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR PERSONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. UM, BUT WHAT I, UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN IS I REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU NEED SOMETHING, I CAN MANAGE THAT THROUGH OUR 800 MEMBER STAFF, UM, A LITTLE FASTER THAN YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL. UM, SO I CAN GET YOU YOUR ANSWER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. UM, AUDITOR FABER ASKED THAT I ATTEND ON HIS BEHALF THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE AUDITOR OF STATE AWARD WITH DISTINCTION TO THE CITY OF DUBLIN. OUR OFFICE OVERSEES NEARLY 6,000 CLIENTS STATEWIDE AND CONDUCTS 4,200 AUDITS ANNUALLY. THIS AWARD PLACES YOUR ORGANIZATION IN THE TOP 4% OF THOSE 4,200 ENGAGEMENTS. THE AUDITOR OF STATE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UPON THE COMPLETION OF A FINANCIAL AUDIT THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA, DEFINED AS A CLEAN AUDIT REPORT, THE ENTITY MUST FILE FINANCIAL REPORTS WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE BY A STATUTORY DUE DATE WITHOUT EXTENSION ON A GAP ACCOUNTING BASIS, AND PREPARE A COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT. THE AUDIT REPORT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY FINDINGS FOR RECOVERY, MATERIAL CITATIONS, SIGNIF MATERIAL, WEAKNESSES, SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES, UNIFORM GUIDANCE FINDINGS, OR OTHER QUESTION COSTS ALONG WITH A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT. UM, I'D LI I, AS I LIKE TO SAY, WE WILL GET THROUGH THAT AUDIT SPEAK AND NOT LIST OFF THAT WHOLE CHECKLIST, UM, TO GET YOU TO THE TOP 4% OF ALL AUDITS IN THE STATE OF OHIO LAST YEAR. BUT REALLY, AUDITOR FABER WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB WATCHING OVER EVERY DOLLAR. THIS AWARD REPRESENTS ALL OF YOUR STAFF AND EMPLOYEES HARD WORK AS THEY WORK CONSTANTLY TO ATTAIN ACCOUNTING EXCELLENCE. WHAT THIS TRULY MEANS IS, ACROSS YOUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE AND THE PROCESSES IN PLACE THAT UNDERSTAND FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY. SO, ON BEHALF OF AUDITOR OF STATE, KEITH FABER, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THE CITY OF DUBLIN WITH THE 2025 AUDITOR OF STATE AWARD WITH THE, WITH DISTINCTION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. GOODWILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. WE HAVE SOME OF OUR, UH, STAFF [00:05:01] THAT WILL RECEIVE THAT ACCOMMODATION FROM YOU, AND I BELIEVE THAT MATT RUBINO, MEGAN MURRAY, AND RYAN REILY WOULD COME FORWARD. UH, THEY PUT ALL THE BLOOD, SWEAT, AND THE TEARS AND MAKING THE REST OF US LOOK GOOD SO THAT IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE THAT THEY RECEIVE YOUR ACCOMMODATION. DON'T BE AFRAID RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, , I DO THIS A LOT. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WHO WANTS TO HOLD IT? I'M NOT, IT'S NOT GOING WRONG. IT'S, IT HAS TO STAY HERE. HEY, MATT, BRING YOUR TEAM HERE TO THE CENTER FOR A PICTURE SUITABLE FOR FRAMING . OH. AND COME ON IN. THANK YOU, SCOTT FOR BEING HERE, HERE TONIGHT. AND THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, OUR FINANCE TEAM FOR THAT SUPERB ACCOMPLISHMENT. OKAY. [CITIZEN COMMENTS] THIS BRINGS US TO THE CITIZEN COMMENTS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO COMMENT ON ANY TOPIC THAT IS NOT ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA. AS A REMINDER, YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN IN THE KIOSK OUT FRONT ON YOUR WAY IN, BUT IF YOU WERE UNABLE TO DO SO, WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR, UM, HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AT THE END OF THOSE THAT HAVE SIGNED IN. AND I WILL BEGIN WITH LINDSEY, JENNIFER HAMILL HAS SIGNED IN. WELCOME. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THE RECORD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR THOUGHTS. I WAS HOPING NOT GO MICROPHONE'S ALREADY ON, SO YOU'RE READY TO GO. SORRY. I'M SHORT. UH, JENNIFER HAMILL 5 7 2 5 TRAFALGAR LANE. UM, GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IN HONOR OF ST. PATRICK'S DAY. I'M ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND SAFE FOR FAMILIES BY ELIMINATING INDUSTRIAL USES NEAR HOMES LAST SPRING, A DISDAIN FOR DATA CENTERS, MANUFACTURING, RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT, AND WAREHOUSES NEXT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. BROUGHT THE RESIDENTS OF BALL, ANDRE AND HOOT ROAD TOGETHER TO ASK COUNCIL NOT TO REDISTRICT SEVERAL WWID PARCELS SOUTH OF SHIRE RINGS EAST OF RAILROAD TRACKS FOR ANY INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES. MY IMPRESSION WHEN COUNCIL TABLED THE VOTE AT THAT TIME WAS THAT THESE WAS, THAT THE CITY WOULD LOOK INTO WHAT ELSE THEY COULD DO IN THAT SPACE. THE ONLY PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS THAT THERE MIGHT NOT BE DATA CENTERS, BUT IT APPEARS MANUFACTURING, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF OPTIONS ARE GOING FULL STEAM AHEAD AND FURTHER CITY STAFF HAS DIRECTED THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION NOT TO CONSIDER RESIDENTIAL USES AT ALL AGAINST THE CURRENT WISHES OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND AGAINST THE RESULTS OF VERY RECENT RESIDENT SURVEYS. WHY ARE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF UNWILLING TO TAKE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS CONCERNS AND SUGGESTION INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAYOR GROOMS HERSELF SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS LAST APRIL THAT YOU WOULD DO SO INSTEAD OF MEETING RESIDENTS IN THE MIDDLE WHERE MAYBE WE GIVE UP RESIDENTIAL IF THE CITY GIVES UP DATA CENTERS, MANUFACTURING AND R AND D FOR SOMETHING LIKE RETAIL SPACE OR RESTAURANTS OR EXPANSION AND OTHER ITEMS RELATED TO THE EXPANSION OF SPORTS OHIO. WHY OUR COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO ADDING, UM, WHY HAVE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF ONLY LOOKED INTO ADDING MORE LANDSCAPING TO HIDE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OR R AND D SITES FROM VIEW POTENTIAL RISKS FROM TOXIC MATERIALS PROCESSES, BYPRODUCTS HAVE NO PLACE IN DUBLIN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS. LAND USES THAT CREATE THESE RISKS SHOULD BE 100% PROHIBITED NEAR RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE DUBLIN FAMILIES THAT CALL THEM HOME MOUNDING. AND 200 FOOT SETBACKS ARE NOT A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF PERMITTING CHANGES, TRYING TO HIDE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL LAND USES BEHIND SMOKE AND MIRRORS, OR IN THIS CASE, MOUNDS OF GRASS AND TREES DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE PART OF COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO RESIDENTS TO TRULY KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND SAFE FOR FAMILIES. THEREFORE, THE RESIDENTS OF ENTRE AND HUTCHER ROAD ARE ASKING ALL AREA RESIDENTS TO JOIN US IN A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN TO CITY COUNCIL DEMANDING CHANGE. WE HOPE THIS TIME THAT YOU'LL LISTEN TO MAYOR GROOM'S PREVIOUS DIRECTION AND TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TOWARD ADDRESSING OUR CONCERNS. YOU CAN DO THIS BY REVISING ENVISION DUBLIN TO REFLECT NO INDUSTRIAL USES NEAR HOMES, AND DEMONSTRATING YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE HEALTH AND HAPPINESS OF THE RESIDENTS YOU SERVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LINDSEY. NEXT, DANIEL HAMILL. WELCOME. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND REST IN THE RECORD AND WE WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS. ARY IS BACK. UH, DAN HAMILL 5 7 2 5 T [00:10:01] FOGGER LANE. UH, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, I REFERENCED BACK ON JANUARY 5TH, MAYOR GROOM'S QUOTE THAT MY LOVELY WIFE JUST WAS REFERENCING, UH, ABOUT THOSE, TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE BACK THEN IN THE APRIL, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT, UH, THEY WERE ALL AGAINST THE REZONING AT THAT TIME AND YOU GUYS TABLED IT. MAYOR AROSE GRUBE SAID TO THOSE IN ATTENDANCE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. SO I'M GONNA REFERENCE THAT QUOTE THAT MY WIFE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT. THERE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE ANTICIPATING THE USE OF THEIR LAND AND WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF EVERYONE. WELL, I JUST SPOKE WITH THOSE PEOPLE NOT TOO LONG AGO WITHIN THE LAST WEEK, AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT, UM, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEIR, THEIR THOUGHTS AND CONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. UM, THAT PARCEL NUMBER IS 2 7 4 0 0 1 4 1 9. UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, THE LAND OVERS OFFICIALLY WITHDREW THEIR SUPPORT TO THE CITY, CHANGING THE ZONING TO TECH FLEX IN AN EMAIL DATED JANUARY 22ND TO JEREMIAH GRACIA, AND I BELIEVE JENNY ROUSH AND ZACH WAS ALSO ON THAT EMAIL LAST WEEK AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, CITY MANAGER, MEGAN O. CALLAHAN MENTIONED THE CITY OF DUBLIN'S GROWTH, UH, HAS BEEN THOUGHTFUL AND RESIDENT DRIVEN. I, I, I WOULD AGREE SO FAR, BUT WHEN REFERENCING THE WID SHE SAID THAT THE CURRENT PLAN IS STRENGTHENING THE DAILY LIFE OF RESIDENTS. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON NEAR THE WID IN BALANCE TREE THAT FEELS THAT WAY. WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, WHY THE CITY STAFF CONTINUE TO BRING PROPOSALS TO PNZ AND CITY COUNCIL THAT ARE NOT ACTUALLY THOUGHTFUL TO NEARBY RESIDENTS THAT DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CURRENT LANDOWNERS THOUGHTS AND CONSIDERATIONS AND IS DEFINITELY NOT STRENGTHENING THE DAILY LIFE OF THE RESIDENTS NEARBY. THOSE ARE YOUR WORDS. THOSE WERE YOUR DIRECTIVES, NOT MINE. THOSE WERE YOURS. UM, WHY AREN'T THEY BEING FOLLOWED? WHY AREN'T THOSE WORDS BEING FOLLOWED? I JUST, I HAVE A PARTICULARLY HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THEY'RE NOT. UH, IT'S BEEN OVER 11 MONTHS SINCE THAT APRIL 7TH, 2025 COUNCIL MEETING AND THE LACK OF PROGRESS AND COLLABORATION ON WHAT WILL ACTUALLY GO INTO THESE PARCELS. IT REALLY HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING. UH, THE COLLABORATION WE WISH FOR BACK IN APRIL WAS WHAT WAS, WHAT CAN WE GET IN THERE? WHAT, WHAT CAN WE ALL AGREE WITH? UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE ONLY ONES NEGOTIATING AND THE ONES THAT ARE GIVING ARE US THE RESIDENTS IN BALANCE TRAY. UM, AND THAT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING. I DON'T THINK THAT'S YOUR INTENT TO NOT FOLLOW YOUR DIRECTIVES, BUT THAT'S HOW THE CITY AND BALANCER IS FEELS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT OR WRONG. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE RESIDENTS FEEL. UM, FINALLY, MR. KEELER, I NOTICED, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN THE LAST CITY COUNCIL, YOU MENTIONED YOUR DA DATA CENTER WEBINAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT WEBINAR AND YOU EVEN MENTIONED IT WAS, UH, BASED DATA PRO DATA CENTER. IT WAS FROM THEM. I, I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER DATA CENTER WEBINAR THAT'S KIND OF, THERE'S A POINT COUNTERPOINT TO THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, BUT IF YOU COULD MAYBE LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE REPORT JUST TO HAVE AN EVEN KEEL, UH, AND, AND PRESENT WHAT YOU SAW ON THAT ONE TOO. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LINDSAY. I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE THAT I'LL READ INTO THE RECORD. FIRST FROM VICTORIA MCDONALD, 56 42 TIME CASTLE LOOP WITH THE SUBJECT OF WID. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS CONCERNS ABOUT THE WEST INNOVATION DISTRICT AND ITS IMPACT TO THE LIVES OF FAMILIES IN DUBLIN. THERE IS STILL MUCH TO BE REGARDED WHEN IT COMES TO CITY COUNCIL HEARING OUR REQUESTS. YES, YOU HAVE LISTENED TO OUR REPEATED CONCERNS ABOUT THE MOVEMENT TO NOT ALLOW DATA CENTERS, BUT HAVE YOU HEARD OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE GREATER IMPACT THAT ANY TYPE OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COULD HAVE ON THE WELLBEING OF OUR FAMILIES? WE ASK THAT YOU KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND FAMILY SAFE. DO NOT PERMIT INDUSTRIAL LAND USES NEAR HOMES. IT IS UNSAFE. MOUNDING AND SETBACKS MERELY HIDE THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. IT DOES NOT MITIGATE OR PROTECT FROM THE RISKS OF TOXIC MATERIAL PROCESSES BY INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY. FURTHER, WE ASK THAT YOU ALSO KEEP POCHARD ROAD RESIDENTS SAFE. DUBLIN'S ECONOMIC GROWTH CANNOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF FAMILIES. AS STATED RECENTLY AT THE STATE OF THE CITY, DUBLIN IS THRIVING AND THE FISCAL PROJECTIONS CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO PLAN WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU REVISE THE ENVISION DUBLIN PLAN AND DUBLIN ZONING CODE ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU. VICTORIA MCDONALD NEXT IS FROM AMY SWANK 59 45 V DILER PLACE WITH THE SUBJECT OF KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND SAFE FOR FAMILIES. DEAR CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND FAMILY SAFE. DO NOT PERMIT INDUSTRIAL LAND USES NEAR HOMES. IT IS UNSAFE. A 200 FOOT SETBACK AND MOUNDING DOES NOT PROTECT DUBLIN'S CHILDREN FROM THE RISKS OF TOXIC MATERIALS, PROCESSES, AND BYPRODUCTS OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, PERMITTING INDUSTRIAL USES [00:15:01] WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS STILL ENDANGERS RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN NO ZONING CODE CHANGES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED. DUBLIN'S GROWTH CANNOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU REVISE THE ENVISION DUBLIN PLAN AND DUBLIN ZONING CODE ACCORDINGLY. AND VOTE NO ON ORDINANCE ZERO SIX DASH 25. THANK YOU. AMY SWANK FROM KOMAL ALDRIDGE 64 93 ENTRE PLACE. DEAR CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND FAMILY SAFE. DO NOT PERMIT INDUSTRIAL LAND USES NEAR HOMES. IT IS UNSAFE. A 200 FOOT SETBACK AND MOUNDING DOES NOT PROTECT DUBLIN'S CHILDREN FROM THE RISKS OF TOXIC MATERIALS, PROCESSES, AND BIPO BYPRODUCTS OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, PERMITTING INDUSTRIAL USES WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS STILL ENDANGERS RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN ZONING CODE CHANGES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, HAVE NO CODE, HAVE CHANGES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED. DUBLIN'S GROWTH CANNOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU REVISE THE ENVISION DUBLIN PLAN AND DUBLIN ZONING CODE ACCORDINGLY. AND VOTE NO ON ORDINANCE ZERO SIX DASH 25. THANK YOU KAMAL FROM KELLY WEBER, 65 96 BALL TRAY PLACE SUBJECT, PROTECT BALANCE TRAY. DEAR CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND FAMILIES SAFE. I WAS THE NINTH HOUSE TO BE BUILT IN BALL TRAY AND GREW UP IN DUBLIN. I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 25 YEARS AND WANT MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO STAY SAFE AND CLEAN AS I BELIEVE DUBLIN WANTS AS WELL. PLEASE DO NOT PERMIT. INDUSTRIAL LAND USES NEAR HOMES. IT IS UNSAFE. A 200 FOOT SETBACK AND MOUNDING DOES NOT PROTECT DUBLIN'S CHILDREN FROM THE RISKS OF TOXIC MATERIALS, PROCESSES, AND BYPRODUCTS OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, PERMITTING INDUSTRIAL USES WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACK STILL ENDANGERS RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN NO ZONING CODE CHANGES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED. DUBLIN'S GROWTH CANNOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU REVISE THE ENVISION DUBLIN PLAN AND ZONING CODE ACCORDINGLY AND VOTE NO ON ORDINANCE ZERO SIX DASH 25. THANK YOU KELLY. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED THIS EVENING. I'M SORRY, THERE WAS ONE OTHER ONE FROM MATTHEW CONNOLLY. THANK YOU JENNY. MATTHEW CONNOLLY, 6,000 HUARD ROAD SUBJECT, KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND SAFE. DEAR CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS MATT CONNOLLY. I LIVE AT 6,000 HOCHER ROAD. PLEASE KEEP DUBLIN GREEN AND FAMILY SAFE BY NOT PERMITTING. INDUSTRIAL LAND USES NEAR RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE USES INTRODUCE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, AND INDUSTRIAL BYPRODUCTS THAT A 200 FOOT SETBACK AND MOUNTING CANNOT FULLY MITIGATE, ESPECIALLY FOR DUBLIN'S CHILDREN AND NEARBY RESIDENTS, ALLOWING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WEST OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS STILL PLACES SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AT RISK, PARTICULARLY WHEN NO CORRESPONDING ZONING CODE PROTECTIONS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED. DUBLIN'S GROWTH SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF RESIDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU REVISE THE ENVISION DUBLIN PLAN AND DUBLIN ZONING CODE TO BETTER PROTECT EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS AND VOTE NO ON ORDINANCE ZERO SIX DASH 25. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. RESPECTFULLY, MAC CONNOLLY. GREAT. ANY ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHERS ONLINE? OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING THAT DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN IN AT THE KIOSK THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA? HEARING [CONSENT AGENDA] NONE. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A REQUEST TO REMOVE THE, UH, MEETINGS OF THE FEBRUARY 23RD REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MS. GRAHAM? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. SALUTO? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR OSA? YES. OKAY. THIS BRINGS [Ordinance 07-26 - Ordinance 13-26] US TO SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND READ ORDINANCES ZERO SEVEN DASH 26 THROUGH 13 DASH 26 TOGETHER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. A LUDO? YES. ORDINANCE SEVEN DASH 26 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AND ACCEPT NECESSARY CONVEYANCE DOCUMENTS AND CONTRACTS TO ACQUIRE A 0.019 ACRE WARRANTY DEED AND A 0.074 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 7 0 6 5 SHIRE RINGS ROAD, IDENTIFIED AS FRANKLIN COUNTY PARCEL NUMBER 2 7 2 0 0 0 2 3 3 FROM JASON R. HUFFMAN FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF [00:20:01] CONSTRUCTING A SHARED USE PATH, WHICH SHALL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT CHARGE. ORDINANCE ZERO EIGHT DASH 26 IS REGARDING ACQUIRING A 0.021 ACRE WARRANTY DEED AND A 0.086 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 7 0 5 5 SHI RINGS ROAD FROM JASON HUFFMAN, ORDINANCE ZERO NINE DASH 26 ACQUIRING A 0.12 ACRE EASEMENT AND A 0.024 ACRE WARRANTY DEED FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 7 0 2 5 SHIRE WINGS ROAD FROM DARYL K SCHWAR AND STEPHANIE A SCHWAR ORDINANCE 10 DASH 26 IS ACQUIRING A 0.082 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6 1 1 1 HOLIDAY LANE FROM MICHAEL E. RAMSEY AND SHARON D. RAMSEY. ORDINANCE 11 DASH 26 ACQUIRING A 0.068 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6 1 1 0 HOLIDAY LANE FROM ALAN ABU HASSAN AND RACHEL ABU HASSAN. ORDINANCE 12 DASH 26 ACQUIRING A 0.0071 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY LOCATED 6 9 5 7 SHIRE RINGS ROAD FROM RONNIE C GREEN AND ORDINANCE 13 DASH 26 ACQUIRING A 0.091 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6 1 1 3 SHIRE LANE FROM BARRY MESA JUNIOR AND ANGELA MICHELLE MESA. VERY GOOD THANK YOU. OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING BY BRIAN GABLE. WELCOME, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I HAVE NO NEW OR UPDATED INFORMATION TO PRESENT REGARDING THESE ORDINANCES, UH, SINCE THE FIRST READING AND STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES OH SEVEN DASH 26 THROUGH 13 DASH 26 AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE ORDINANCES. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS DISCUSSION. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. SOLUDO? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. VERY GOOD. ORDINANCE [Ordinance 14-26] 14 DASH 26 APPROPRIATE, A 0.090 ACRE EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6 1 1 4 SHIRE LANE, IDENTIFIED AS FRANKLIN COUNTY PARCEL NUMBER 2 7 2 0 0 0 3 5 7 FROM JAMES A RAVE FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING A SHARED USE PATH, WE SHALL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT CHARGE AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL AGAIN BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY BRIAN GABLE. GABLE. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UH, ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE NO NEW OR UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE. STAFF CONTINUES TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 14 DASH 26 AND I'D BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS DISCUSSION. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE DR. LAMB? YES. MS. SALUTO? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. ORDINANCE [Ordinance 15-26] 15 DASH 26 AMENDING CHAPTER 72 AND 75 OF DUBLIN'S CODIFIED ORDINANCES TO ENHANCE SAFETY REGULATIONS FROM MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES AND OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES. VERY GOOD. OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING BY JEANNIE WILLIS. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. COUNCIL STAFF IS PLEASED TO BE BACK BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING FOR THE SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 15 DASH 26. THE DRAFT CODE PROVIDED WITH MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING ARE LARGELY UNCHANGED FROM THE INTRODUCTION AT THE FEBRUARY 23RD MEETING. THERE ARE TWO CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED CODE, HOWEVER, BASED ON COUNCIL FEEDBACK AND PUBLIC INQUIRY, THE UPDATED CODE SECTIONS ARE AS SHOWN ON THE SCREEN, INCLUDING CLARIFYING WRITING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND REINSTATING THE HELMET REQUIREMENT FOR MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE RIDER AGED UNDER 16 YEARS OLD. THE PROPOSED CODE NOW DELETES SECTION 75.06 B. THIS REVISION ENSURES THAT THE CODE IS CONSISTENT AND ALIGNS WITH, ALIGNS WITH CURRENT STATE LAW. EXCEPTIONS TO WRITING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY HAVE BEEN MOVED TO SECTION 75 0 6 A. THIS CHANGE IMPROVES CLARITY BY PLACING THE GENERAL REQUIREMENT IN THE SAME SECTION AS THE EXCEPTIONS. SO ALL THE REGULATIONS ARE IN ONE PLACE. FURTHER, THE DRAFT CODE CLARIFIES SECTION 75 0 4 RIDING BICYCLES, MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES, MOTORIZED BICYCLES AND MOTORCYCLES OF BREAST BY REMOVING THE CODE LANGUAGE THAT IS MORE RATIONALLY INCLUDED IN 75 0 6 A. AND WITH THESE CHANGES, STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE 1526 TONIGHT. UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ONE COMMENT THAT WAS SUBMITTED ONLINE. PATRICIA KOVACS HAS SIGNED IN TO SPEAK. OH, VERY GOOD. WELCOME. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD AND WE WELCOME YOUR THOUGHTS. [00:25:03] IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS A LITTLE BUTTON THERE. THERE WE WILL TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON YOU. THERE YOU GO. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR GROOMS AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. UM, MY NAME IS PATRICIA KOVAC. I LIVE IN JOHANNA, OHIO, 5 2 7 DRIVE. BUT I RIDE MY BIKE IN DUBLIN AND I LEAD BIKE TOURS FROM GA DUBLIN AND THROUGH DUBLIN WITH, UH, THE COLUMBUS OUTDOOR PURSUITS, UM, BICYCLE TOURS. AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE CHANGES TO THE DUBLIN ORDINANCES. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR REMOVING, UH, THE REQUIREMENT TO RIDE WITHIN THREE FOOT OF THE EDGE OF THE ROADWAY AND ALSO FOR THE MOVE OF THE EXCEPTIONS TO THE PROPER PLACE IN THE ORDINANCES. SO I WANNA SPECIFICALLY THANK JENNY DELGADO AND, UM, KENDALL BLAKE AND JEANNIE WILLIS FOR, UM, FOLLOWING UP WITH ME AND, AND SUPPORTING MY SUGGESTIONS. AND, UM, LET ME KNOW WHEN THE HEARINGS WOULD BE. UM, I DID READ THE LEGISLATION IN WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB LAST NIGHT. I FOUND A FEW VERY MINOR CHANGES THAT I WILL, RATHER THAN READING THEM HERE, I'LL JUST FORWARD THEM ON TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE, UM, THAT I'VE CORRESPONDED WITH. LITTLE STUFF LIKE I THINK MOTORIZED BICYCLES SHOULD BE PUT HERE. UM, AND CAN WE PARK IN A PARKING GARAGE? CAN WE RIDE IN A PARKING GARAGE TO PARK OUR BICYCLES? JUST LITTLE STUFF. UM, BUT, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I REALLY LOVE THE LEGISLATION. IT MEETS THE STATE LAW. MY MY GOAL IS TO KEEP ALL THE CITIES IN THE CENTRAL OHIO CONSISTENT SO WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE WHEN I GO TO DUBLIN, I DO THIS, I GO BACK TO, I DO THAT. UM, BUT WHAT I REALLY LOVE, I JUST WANNA SAY IS THAT YOU PROHIBIT BLOCKING A BENCH WHEN PARKING. AND THAT REALLY BUGS ME WHEN PEOPLE BLOCK BENCHES. 'CAUSE I'M AN OLD PERSON AND I LIKE TO REST SOMETIMES. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE CHANGES AND UM, I I THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB. VERY GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS. ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK WITH REGARD TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION. UH, FIRST THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, ON THIS ORDINANCE AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AMONG MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, WE OBVIOUSLY SHARE A CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUNG RIDERS. UM, WHILE I GENERALLY SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE, I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE RESERVATIONS FOR THE REST OF MY TERM ON, UM, PROVISIONS THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO REALISTICALLY ENFORCE. BUT THAT BEING BEING SAID, I RESPECT THE INTENT OF THE HELMET LAW AND I HAVE NO INTENTION ON VOTING AGAINST THE ORDINANCE THIS EVENING. UM, IT IS MY FURTHER HOPE THAT WE CARRY THE SAME SERIOUSNESS ABOUT RESIDENT SAFETY INTO DECISIONS THAT ARE AHEAD OF US AS COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. UM, PARTICULARLY AS WE CONSIDER ZONING CHANGES THAT COULD PLACE INDUSTRIAL AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO ESTABLISHED, UM, RESIDENCES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. SO IF SAFETY IS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE TONIGHT AS WE CONSIDER VOTING ON THIS ORDINANCE, IT SHOULD REMAIN OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OTHERS? GO AHEAD. SO I, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF AS WELL. UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THE CITY OF DELAWARE I THINK WAS A LITTLE LATE AND THEY LOST, UH, ONE OF THEIR TEENS IN A, AN ACCIDENT. UH, SO I MOURN HIS LOSS QUESTION ABOUT LIGHTS. UH, I HAD A RESIDENT TEXT ME, UM, I THINK IT WAS A WEEK AGO. IT WAS A VERY HAZY EVENING. IT WAS KIND OF MISTY AND THERE WERE SOME YOUNG FOLKS ON SCOOTERS TRAVELING PRETTY FAST DOWN A SIDEWALK. AND THEY MORE OR LESS PULLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM WHEN HE HAD PULLED TO A STOP AND HE ALMOST HIT THEM. SO HE ASKED ME, UM, ARE LIGHTS REQUIRED? I KNOW MOST OF THE SCOOTERS THAT ARE PURCHASED HAVE LIGHTS. UM, I THINK THE ONES THAT ARE RENTED HAVE LIGHTS, BUT IS THAT A REQUIREMENT? THANKS. YEAH. YES. YES. SO, UM, IN 75.05 A ONE THAT'S GONNA COVER LAMP MOUNTING ON THE DEVICES AT CERTAIN TIMES, BUT YES, IT IS IN THE CODE. YES, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON THE DEVICES PER OUR CODE. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AFTER AFTER DUSK OR DARK OR AT ALL TIMES, THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY COME ON LIKE WHEN YOU'RE WRITING IT. OKAY. OR THEY'RE REFLECTIVE. SO, YES. UM, SO THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. UM, UH, I, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THESE CHANGES IMPLEMENTED. SO WHAT IS THE THINKING ABOUT, UH, COMMUNICATION ROLLOUT? COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON THAT? THANK YOU. YEAH. SO THAT WAS, UM, HIGHLIGHTED IN OUR, UM, PRESENTATION, UH, ON WHATEVER DAY THAT WAS, FEBRUARY 23RD. THANK YOU. UM, AND SO THERE IS A BROAD, WE HAVE MANY COMMUNICATION [00:30:01] CHANNELS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US. UM, THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN TERMS OF THE MICRO MOBILITY MATRIX THAT SHOWS THE YES, THE NO, WHERE THINGS ARE APPLICABLE, WHERE THEY'RE NOT APPLICABLE. WE HAVE A MICRO MOBILITY ONE PAGER. UM, OUR POLICE STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A TOOL TO, UM, ROLL OUT ON OUR WEBSITE THAT SAYS, OKAY, THIS IS THE TYPE OF DEVICE I HAVE. DO I HAVE TO WEAR A HELMET? THIS IS MY AGE. THIS IS WHERE I CAN RIDE IT LEGALLY. THIS IS WHERE I CAN'T RIDE IT. UM, WE HAVE VIDEOS. WE HAVE YEAH, I THANK YOU. I I DIDN'T MEAN, I JUST SORT OF MEANT TIMING. OH, WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT RIGHT AWAY. WE ALREADY HAVE THE MICRO MOBILITY ONE PAGER READY TO GO. OKAY. LIKE WE'RE, AS SOON AS THIS BECOMES, UM, ONCE A 30 DAY PERIOD IS OVER, WE WILL START ROLLING OUT ALL OF THESE MATERIALS. OKAY. SO IT'LL BE SOONER. YEP. YEAH. UM, AND, UM, GREG AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE, UH, COUNCIL LIAISON MEETING TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE UPCOMING AND SO THERE WAS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT COORDINATING WITH THE SCHOOLS. YES. THAT THAT WOULD BE A, A GOOD CONVERSATION. SO, UH, YES, HEADS UP ON, ON THAT TIMING WITH THEM, BUT IF IT'S LIKE 30 DAYS, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF THAT AS WE HEAD INTO THIS SPRING. YEAH. WE, WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON OUR, UM, BIKE FRIENDLY COMMUNICATION OR, UM, APPLICATION AGAIN. UM, AND SO WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THE SCHOOLS BOTH ON THAT AND WITH THESE MICRO MOBILITY CODE CHANGES SO THAT ALL OF THAT, UM, COORDINATION IS HAPPENING AND ALL THE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING SO THAT THE SCHOOLS CAN ALIGN WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND, UM, THAT WORD GETS OUT THROUGH THE EMAILS THAT THE SCHOOL SENDS OUT TO THE PARENTS AND ALL OF THAT. SO YES. THANK YOU. YES, AMY? UM, MY QUESTION OR COMMENT REFERS TO MORE OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF THESE THINGS. 'CAUSE THE QUESTION I GET FROM MOST OF MY RESIDENTS ARE, HOW ARE WE GONNA ENFORCE IT? LIKE, I, I SEE PEOPLE RIDING BY ON THEIR MINI MOTORCYCLES ON OUR SERIES PASS ALL THE TIME. SO HOW ARE WE GONNA EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW WE'RE ENFORCING IT? I'M ASSUMING IT'S GONNA KIND OF BE LIKE OUR SPEEDING, RIGHT? SO MORE PEOPLE REPORT IN A CERTAIN AREA, WE'LL WATCH IT, BUT HOW DO WE LET OUR RESIDENTS KNOW TO REPORT IT? OR LIKE HOW SHOULD THEY BE RERE REPORTING IT? YES. I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT JEANNIE SAID ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT. REAL QUICK AS WELL. WE'RE GONNA USE OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TALKING TO THE KIDDOS DURING SCHOOL AND THEN PASSING THAT ME, UH, MESSAGE ON TO THE PARENTS. UM, AND ALSO, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE AN EDUCATION FIRST, UH, APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO A STRONG ENFORCEMENT APPROACH. UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO EDUCATE OUR OFFICERS 'CAUSE THESE ARE LEGAL CHANGES. AND OUR OFFICERS ARE OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES IN A PLACE OF, IS THIS LEGAL? IS THIS NOT LEGAL? AND SO WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THOSE OFFICERS AND THEN, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. AND DOES THAT HELP? IT, IT DOES. I GUESS JUST, UM, FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO ENCOUNTER AN INCIDENT, LIKE SOMEONE SPEEDING PAST A MOTOR MOTORCYCLE, LIKE WHAT WOULD THEY DO? LIKE, AND HOW ARE WE LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT TO DO? SO WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO C TO CALL US. OKAY. UH, TO CALL US ON NON-EMERGENCY LINE UNLESS THEY'RE AND JUST REPORT WITNESSING EMERGENCY. ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S LONG GONE. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LONG. SO YOU'RE JUST KIND OF, KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THESE INCIDENTS ARE OCCURRING. WE COULD ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH WHATEVER INFORMATION THEY PROVIDE. OKAY. SO THAT'S WHY WE WOULD ASK, UH, RESIDENTS TO CALL US REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SEE. THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE IS ILLEGAL OR UNSAFE, WE WOULD REQUEST THAT THEY, THEY CALL US. OUR OFFICERS CAN FOLLOW UP WITH WHATEVER INFORMATION THERE IS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. AND, AND HOPEFULLY MOST OF THESE, LIKE YOU SAID, ARE GONNA BE EDUCATION. YOU JUST LET 'EM KNOW IT'S NOT LEGAL. BUT ULTIMATELY JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, WHO'S IS THE 15-YEAR-OLD THAT'S RIDING THE THING? THE PERSON WHO'S ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE? I MEAN, OR IS THAT THE PERSON WHO GET IF THEY REPEATEDLY ARE RIDING THEIR MOTORCYCLE AND YOU CATCH THEM? YEAH. SO THERE'S A GOOD EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CHILD AND THE PARENTS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A PIECE THAT I'LL HAVE JOE COVER, UM, THAT PUTS THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PARENTS. YEAH. SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS KIND OF THE POINT OF ALSO ADDING THE PARENT RESPONSIBILITY PIECE SO THAT IT'S TWO-PRONGED. ONE, THE RIDER SAY IT'S A 17-YEAR-OLD, 18-YEAR-OLD, WHOEVER. BUT ALSO IF IT'S A KID OUT THERE RIDING IRRESPONSIBLY, THE PARENT CAN ALSO BE ON THE HOOK. OKAY. I JUST THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR EDUCATION IS HOW PEOPLE ACTUALLY ENFORCE THIS. A ABSOLUTELY. AND WE HAVE BUILT IN THAT PARENT RESPONSIBILITY PORTION OF THE CODE INTO OUR MATERIALS AND THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE SHARED, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. YEP. GREAT. THANK YOU. OTHERS? SO I KNOW WE'RE GONNA LEAN HEAVILY WITH, UM, ON THE SCHOOLS WITH THE, ON THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE. SO I NORMALLY WOULDN'T REQUEST THIS 'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BUT IT'S CLOSE TO 700 STUDENTS THAT LIVE WITHIN CITY LIMITS THAT ATTEND HILLIARD CITY SCHOOL. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THE COMMENT, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDE THEM IN [00:35:01] THE EDUCATIONAL PORTION. 'CAUSE I DO SEE THIS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TOO, SO THANK YOU. VERY GOOD POINT. THANK YOU. OTHERS. WELL, CERTAINLY IT IS APPROPRIATE TIME OF THE YEAR. TODAY IS, IS A HEALTHY REMINDER THAT SPRING MAY COME AND, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, CYCLING SEASON MAY BE UPON US. SO, UM, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK ON THAT. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. MS. CRA? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. A LUDO? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. YES. OKAY. THIS BRINGS US [Ordinance 16-26 - Ordinance 18-26] INTRODUCTION. FIRST READING ORDINANCE PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND READ ORDINANCES 16 DASH 26 THROUGH 18 DASH 26 TOGETHER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE RULE MS. A LUDO? YES. MS. KEELER? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS. YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. AND DR. LAMB? YES. ORDINANCE 16 DASH 26 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AND ACCEPT NECESSARY CONVEYANCE DOCUMENTS AND CONTRACTS TO ACQUIRE A 0.042 ACRE WARRANTY DEED FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 5 6 1 1 AVERY ROAD, IDENTIFIED AS FRANKLIN COUNTY PARCEL NUMBER 2 7 4 0 0 0 0 9 8 FROM PLE CARR FOR THE PUBLIC PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING A SHARED USE PATH, DRAINAGE AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH SHALL BE OPENED TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT CHARGE. ORDINANCE 17 DASH 26 IS REGARDING ACQUIRING A 0.116 ACRE WARRANTY DEED FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 5 6 8 9 AVERY ROAD FROM SCIOTO PROPERTIES. SP ONE SEVEN LLC AND ORDINANCE 18 DASH 26 IS ACQUIRING A 0.076 ACRE WARRANTY DEED FROM THE PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 5 6 9 5 AVERY ROAD FROM OHIO VENTURE PROPERTIES LLC. I'LL INTRODUCE IT. GREAT. AND WE WILL GO BACK TO BRIAN GABLE WITH THE STAFF REPORT. WELCOME BACK. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THE AVERY ROAD SHARED USE PATH PROJECT WILL CONSTRUCT A SHARED USE PATH ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF AVERY ROAD, CONNECTING TO EXISTING SHARED USE PATHS AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL SHARED USE PATH NETWORK CONNECTIVITY FILLING IN ONE OF THE LAST SHARED USE PATH GAPS ALONG AVERY ROAD. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY INTEREST FROM THREE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE PROJECT AREA IS NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT. THE THREE ORDINANCES BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING PROVIDE FOR THREE ACQUISITIONS OF PROPERTY. AS DETAILED IN THE STAFF MEMO, THE CITY HAS PARTICIPATED IN GOOD FAITH DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND HAVE ARRIVED AT MUTUALLY AGREEABLE TERMS. THESE THREE ORDINANCES COMPLETE THE ACQUISITIONS FOR THIS PROJECT. THE ADOPTION OF THESE ORDINANCES AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY CONVEYANCE DOCUMENTS AND CONTRACTS TO FORMALLY ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY PROPERTY INTERESTS. STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES 16 DASH 26 THROUGH 18 DASH 26 AT THE SECOND READING PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 23RD, 2026. I'LL DO MY BEST TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNSEL MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE ORDINANCES. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNSEL QUESTIONS. DISCUSSION. UM, ON THE AERIAL IS THE PARCEL TO THE NORTH THAT'S VACANT, IS THAT AN OLD AERIAL AND THERE'S SOMETHING ON THERE THAT HAS A SHARED USE PATH OR WE STILL HAVE A GAP IN THE PATH THERE. UH, THE, THE PATH WILL FIT WITHIN THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY ON THAT PARCEL. SO IT, IT IS GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED WITH THE PROJECT, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO ACQUIRE LAND FOR THAT PROJECT. OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE AN AN APPROVED DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THAT PARCEL THERE. THAT HAS A PATH ON IT. NO, THERE'S NO PATH ON THE VACANT LAND. JUST NORTH. UH, IT'S ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN HERE. YEAH, CORRECT. WE WILL BE BUILDING AGIS PATH ACROSS THAT VACANT LAND TO CONNECT TO THE SGIS PATH THAT'S JUST NORTH AND JUST OFF THE SCREEN. OH. SO BUT WE JUST DIDN'T NEED TO GET RIGHT. WE CORRECT. GOT IT. WE DIDN'T NEED TO ACQUIRE THE RIGHT AWAY. WE NEEDED. YES, WE ALREADY HAD IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. , OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 23RD, 2026. THANK YOU BRIAN. MS BRINGS [Resolution 10-26] US TO THE INTRODUCTION, PUBLIC HEARING VOTE RESOLUTION PORTION OF OUR AGENDA AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH RESOLUTION 10 DASH 26, ACCEPTING THE LOWEST AND BEST BID FOR THE SHARED USE PATH AND PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE 2026 PROJECT. I'LL REDUCE IT. AND, UH, HARDEST WORKING GUY IN THE ROOM TONIGHT. BRIAN GABLE. WE'LL BRING OUR STAFF REPORT. I GET THE GOLD STAR, I SUPPOSE. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL STAFF CONDUCTED A COMPETITIVE BID FOR THE SHARED USE PATH PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE PROJECT 20 FOR 2026, WHICH PROVIDES ANNUAL MAINTENANCE IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS ON THE SHARED USE PATH NETWORK AND CITY PARKING LOTS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED FROM THE 2026 THROUGH 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $369,000 FOR THE ANNUAL SHARED USE PATH MAINTENANCE AND $161,000 FOR THE ANNUAL PARKING LOT MAINTENANCE FOR A COMBINED TOTAL BUDGET OF $530,000. THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE FOR THIS [00:40:01] PROJECT IS $670,000. ON FEBRUARY 11TH, 2026, SEVEN BIDS WERE RECEIVED AND PUBLICLY OPENED WITH ONE NON-RESPONSIVE BID, WHICH WAS DUE TO SEVERAL MISSING BID COMPONENTS. BREX PAVING SUBMITTED THE LOWEST AND BEST BID OF $530,634 AND 37 CENTS. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN MAY AND BE COMPLETED BY OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. AVAILABLE WORK DATES WITHIN THE PARKING LOTS AND PERTINENT PATHS WERE COORDINATED WITH EVENTS AND PARKS AND REC TO ENSURE IMPACTS WILL BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM WHEREVER FEASIBLE. THESE WORK RESTRICTIONS WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROJECT BID. STAFF RECOMMENDS COUNSEL APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING AS LOW AND BEST THE BID OF BREX PAVING IN THE AMOUNT OF $530,634 AND 37 CENTS FOR THIS PROJECT. I WOULD BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS RESOLUTION. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. YOU WANNA TAKE A MOMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM GEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? THIS IS MORE OF GENERAL, UM, ABOUT OUR SHADE PATH. WHAT'S KIND OF THE LIFESPAN BEFORE WE DO THIS MAINTENANCE WORK? LIKE HOW OFTEN ARE WE DOING ON THESE VARIOUS STRETCHES? IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PATH, LOCATION AND THE CONDITIONS. UH, WETTER AREAS WE'RE USUALLY HAVING TO GO BACK TO A LITTLE MORE FREQUENTLY. UM, BUT THOSE THAT DRY AND HAVE GOOD COVER, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EITHER DRY OUT AND SEE THE SUN, WE DON'T USUALLY HAVE TO GO BACK TO REGULARLY WITH RESURFACING. UM, WE WILL GO BACK TO PATHS PROBABLY BETWEEN EVERY FIVE AND 10 YEARS TO RESEAL THEM. UH, JUST TO TRY AND KIND OF SEAL UP THE VOIDS THAT HAVE LOST OVER THE TIME. UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, SOME ROOT PRUNING, UM, YOU KNOW, REPAIRS FROM DAMAGES LIKE THAT OR SHRINK SWELL OF DIRT, BUT NOTHING TOO CRAZY. SO THIS MAINTENANCE WORK, IT, IT'S ALL THE, THE SECOND HALF OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IT'S NOT COMPLETE REDOING? OR IS THIS COMPLETE REDOING IT? IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE EXACT LOCATION. SOME OF THESE PATHS ARE GETTING RESURFACED. UH, MEANING WE JUST HAD TO TAKE THE TOP LAYER OFF. UM, THERE'S STILL A BASE THAT'S THERE THAT WE LEAVE IN PLACE. UM, UH, MOST OF THE TIME WE DON'T HAVE ANY FULL DEPTH, I DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM. OKAY. UM, SO IT'S A LOT OF JUST INCH A HALF RESURFACING, UH, PLUS CEILING PLUS, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE JUST CRACK SEAL IN GENERAL, SO. OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE RIVERSIDE CROSSING PARK ONE ON HERE. 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT OLD. AND I WAS LIKE, WHY ARE WE GOING BACK TO THERE ALREADY? I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY. YEAH, THAT ONE'S RESEALING. UH, A LOT OF THE PATHS HAVE HAVE AGED AND WORN DOWN. THEY JUST NEED A GOOD SEAL COAT AGAIN, UH, TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO STAY, UH, UH, FOR THE DURATION THAT WE'RE EXPECTING OUT OF IT. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MS. JOHNSON? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MS. SALUTO? YES. MR. KEELER? YES. RESOLUTION 11 DASH [Resolution 11-26] 26 ACCEPTING THE LOWEST AND BEST BID FOR THE ANNUAL SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. 2026. I DO SO. AND, UH, MAYBE FOR THE LAST TIME TONIGHT WE'LL STAY WITH BRIAN GABLE STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING AGAIN. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. LEMME START. THIS STAFF CONDUCTED A COMPETITIVE BID PRO, UH, EXCUSE ME, PROCESS FOR THE ANNUAL SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, UH, FOR 2026, WHICH CONSISTS OF REPLACING CONCRETE SIDEWALK IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS WITHIN THE CITY. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED FROM THE 2026 THROUGH 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $350,000 FOR THE ANNUAL SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE. REGARDING TREES. EACH SITE IS UNIQUE AND REVIEWED BY ENGINEERING AND FORESTRY STAFF FOR TREE CONFLICTS, WHICH INVOLVES ANALYZING ACTUAL ROOT IMPACTS PRIOR TO ANY CUTTING. STAFF COMMUNICATES IMPACTS TO THE RESIDENTS WHERE THE TREE IS LOCATED FOR TREES THAT MAY REQUIRE REMOVAL. STAFF IS OFFERING SIDEWALK MEANDERING TO THE AFFECTED OWNERS SHOULD THE OWNER NOT DESIRE MEANDERING. SOME TESTING CAN BE DONE, UH, BY STAFF PRIOR TO REMOVING THE TREES AND AFTER THE EFFECTIVE ROOTS HAVE BEEN TRIMMED. AS ALWAYS, OUR GOAL IS TO PRESERVE TREES WHEREVER POSSIBLE. IN 2025 AND 20 24 11, TREES WERE REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED, UH, IN EACH YEAR'S PROGRAM. AND IN 2023, ONLY FOUR STREET TREES WERE REQUIRED REMOVAL BY THE PROGRAM. IN 21 3 SIDEWALK MEANDERINGS OCCURRED. UH, SINCE THEN, NO MEANDERINGS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE PERFORMED, UH, DUE TO SITE SPECIFIC CONSTRAINTS, OR THE OWNER DECLINING THE PROPOSAL TO MEANDER THE CITY ALSO UTILIZES THE SIDEWALK SHAVING AND NOW LEVELING AS MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES PRIOR TO RECOMMENDING REPLACEMENT. WITHIN THIS PROGRAM, SIDEWALK SHAVING IS FUNDED FROM THE REMAINDER OF FUNDS WITHIN THE ANNUAL SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE CIP ACCOUNT. THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE FOR THE PROGRAM [00:45:01] IS $365,000. AND ON FEBRUARY 18TH, 2026, FIVE BIDS WERE RECEIVED AND PUBLICLY OPENED. AND COBURN'S CONCRETE LLC SUBMITTED THE LOWEST AND BEST BID OF $317,443 AND 96 CENTS. STAFF RECOMMENDS COUNSEL APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 11 DASH 26, ACCEPTING AS LOWEST AND BEST THE BID OF COBURN'S CONCRETE LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $317,000, 443, OR EXCUSE ME, $317,443 AND 96 CENTS FOR THIS PROGRAM. I'D BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS COUNSEL MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS RESOLUTION. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNSEL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON, UM, NOT REMOVING THE TREES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS MY FAVORITE SUBJECT OF EATING. UM, 11 IS, YOU KNOW, STILL A GOOD NUMBER, BUT MORE THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. SO WHERE THEY AGED OUT TREES DIDN'T WANT TO BE OR WHAT WOULD, WHY, WHY 11 VERSUS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOWN TO TWO AND THREE AND FOUR? YEAH, IT, IT DEPENDS ON, UH, EACH YEAR AND EACH YEAR. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TREE, THE TREE SPECIES, HOW THEY GROW, UM, AND HOW SHALLOW THOSE LARGER ROOTS ARE. SO, UH, SOME OF THE TREE SPECIES WILL GROW DEEPER ROOTS, UM, EVEN THOUGH THAT SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES WILL STILL DEFLECT THE SIDEWALKS. UM, AND OTHERS WERE, WERE, UH, WILL BE MORE SHALLOW AND UNFORTUNATELY CAUSE US TO HAVE TO SHIFT THOSE. SO, UM, IN 24 WE ALSO HAD 11 REMOVALS, UM, AS WELL AS 25. SO THE LAST TWO YEARS, UM, WE'VE HAD 11. UM, YOU KNOW, STAFF WORKS VERY HARD. THE FORESTRY STAFF AND OUR STAFF GOES OUT AHEAD OF TIME AND IDENTIFIES PLACES WHERE WE HAVE CONCERNS. UM, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM AND BEGUN DISCUSSIONS WITH SOME OF THE OWNERS. UM, I KNOW ONE OF THEM IS ON, UH, GOLDEN PLACE. UM, AND TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, UH, FACILITATE THAT MEANDERING AS WELL, UM, TO BE SHIFT WHEREVER WE CAN. SO, UM, UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF THE TIMES ONE OWNER'S OKAY WITH IT, THE SECOND OWNER'S NOT, UM, AND WE JUST AREN'T ABLE TO PERFORM THE MEANDERING AT THAT POINT. UM, SO WE GO THROUGH, WE'LL CUT OUR, THE ROOTS THAT WE HAVE TO, AND THEN, UH, LIKE I SAID, FORESTRY STAFF COMES BACK, CHECKS THE TREE, UH, TO SEE IF IT'S FEASIBLE TO, TO LEAVE IN PLACE. AND IF NOT, THEN WE HAVE TO REMOVE THEM. YEAH. UH, BUT THEY DO, THEY DO PLAN ANOTHER TREE AFTERWARDS, SO WE ALWAYS REPLACE THOSE. SO, SORRY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNEW, UM, DEMANDING WAS ONE OPTION AND I KNOW THERE ARE, UM, OPTIONS TO ACTUALLY, UM, IF YOU WILL ELEVATE THE SIDEWALK VERSUS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE DONE ANY OF THAT, BUT WOULD ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTING WITH THAT IF WE HAVEN'T. SO CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO DO THIS. UM, APPRECIATE IT. 'CAUSE MANY OF THOSE TREES ARE 15, 20, 20-YEAR-OLD TREES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. UM, AND CONTINUED DILIGENCE AND EXPERIMENTATION. APPRECIATE IT. OTHER THERE QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? YOU KNOW, I, I NOTICED IN MUIRFIELD, I, I REALIZED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SIDEWALKS IN MUIRFIELD. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TRAILS, BUT OFTENTIMES THERE ARE, UH, STORM UTILITY BASINS THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A MUIRFIELD OWNED WALKING PATH. HAVE WE TAKEN ACCOUNT INTO SOME OF THOSE ARE, UM, IN, IN A COMPROMISED STATE. SO HOW DO WE, UM, CHECK IN ON THOSE? AND I KNOW WE TRACK ALL OF THESE THINGS THROUGH THE GIS SYSTEMS, BUT WHERE, WHERE WOULD THOSE, WHERE WOULD ADDRESSING THOSE BODIES BE, UH, FOUND, IF NOT IN THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM? UM, SO IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION, UH, SOME OF THOSE MAY BE PRIVATE. UM, SO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS. BUT, UM, WE DO GO THROUGH AND, UH, INSPECT, YOU TRY TO INSPECT A PORTION OF THE CITY'S, UH, STORM AND SANITARY INFRASTRUCTURE EACH YEAR. AND THAT, UH, WORK WOULD BE PERFORMED UNDER OUR STORM STRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM OR A STORM, OR A SANITARY STRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. AND THOSE ANNUALLY USUALLY COME OUT, UH, CLOSER TO THE FALL. SO LAST YEAR WE HAD A STORM STRUCTURE MAINTENANCE THAT CAME OUT, UH, IN LATE 25. WELL, I, I GUESS I WOULD REQUEST THEN THAT, UM, WHEN WE DO THOSE ASSESSMENTS THIS YEAR, THAT WE INCLUDE THOSE, UM, BODIES IN, IN YOUR FIELD. YEAH. BECAUSE WHILE THEY ARE NOT IN THE STREET, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET THE ATTENTION WHEN, UM, WHEN WE DO ROAD RESURFACING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE STREETS DON'T HAVE CURB AND GUTTER IN THAT AREA AND THEY'RE USUALLY LOCATED IN OTHER PLACES. AND SOME OF THOSE LOOK TO BE, SOME ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE SIDEWALK OR THE MULTI-USE PATH, AND AS THE CASE MIGHT BE IN MEREFIELD, UM, AND SOME ARE NOT. BUT IT, IT DOES APPEAR THAT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THOSE THAT MIGHT BE, UH, RIPE FOR SOME ATTENTION. OKAY. YEAH, I'LL MAKE A NOTE TO CHECK INTO THOSE THAT ARE THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY. [00:50:01] VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION POINTS, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE DR. LAMB? YES. MAYOR AROSE GRMS? YES. MS. SOLUDO? YES. MS. CRA? YES. MS. KEELER? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. RESOLUTION 12 [Resolution 12-26] DASH 26 ACCEPTING THE LOWEST AND BEST BID FOR THE 2026 STREET TREE PRUNING CONTRACT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT. I WANNA DO THAT. VERY GOOD. AND OUR STAFF REPORT THIS EVENING WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY JAY ANDERSON. WELCOME. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS RESOLUTION 12 DASH 26 TO ACCEPT THE BID FOR THE 2026 STREET PRUNING CONTRACT. THIS CONTRACT IS EXECUTED ON A ONE YEAR TERM. THE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STREET TREE IS VISUALLY INSPECTED FOR PRUNING NEEDS ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES STREET TREE PRUNING OF 2,747 TREES ON 83 RESIDENTIAL STREETS. RESIDENTS CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM ON THE STREET TREE PRINTING LAND PA LANDING PAGE, AND ACCESS OUR INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE TREES IDENTIFIED IN THIS PROGRAM. THIS CONTRACT REQUIRES THAT A CERTIFIED ARBORIST IS ON SITE AND ACTIVELY GUIDING EACH PRINTING CREW DURING PRUNING OPERATIONS ESTABLISHED TIMEFRAMES. SO THE COMPLETION OF DESIGNATED STREET TREE GROUPINGS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED TO ENSURE THAT PRINTING PROGRESSES AT A CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE PLACE. OUR SPECIFICATIONS CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL AESTHETIC APPEARANCE. FOLLOWING ALL PRINTING ACTIVITIES, OUR CITY FORESTER AND CITY FORESTRY STAFF CLOSELY MONITOR THEIR CONTRACTOR'S PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE CONTRACT PERIOD. THERE WERE THREE BIDS RECEIVED AND SUBMITTED FOR THIS CONTRACT. THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT COMPANY WAS THE LOWEST BID AT 192 2,195. BUT DUE TO DAVEY FAILING TO SUBMIT THEIR BID BOND, THE BID WAS DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. NEXT LOWEST BID WAS JOSEPH TREE SERVICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $280,772, WHICH WAS 6.4% BELOW THE BUDGET AMOUNT FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET. SINCE HOLDING THE STREET TREE PRINTING CONTRACT IN 2024, JOSEPH TREE SERVICE HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN ITS STAFFING STRUCTURE. THEY HAVE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CERTIFIED ARBORISTS ON THEIR TEAM FROM FIVE NOW TO 10 AND HAVE ONE MASTER ARBORIST ON STAFF. AS OF NOW. SINCE 2025, THE CITY HAS SUCCESSFULLY UTILIZED JOSEPH TREE SERVICE ON THREE DIFFERENT STREET TREE PRUNING PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDED A TOTAL AMOUNT OF TREES OF 745 THAT WERE PRUNED. STAFF HAS THOROUGHLY REVIEWED THE BIDS SUBMITTED BY JOSEPH TREE SERVICE. JOSEPH TREE SERVICE HAS PERFORMED PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS PROJECTS AS DISCUSSED FOR THE CITY. AND THE CITY'S EXPERIENCE OVERALL WITH JOSEPH IS SATISFACTORY. STAFF IS RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 12 DASH 26. MYSELF AND CITY FORESTER, JEFF MEYERS, WHO IS WITH US THIS EVENING, OR HAPPEN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. YOU WANNA TAKE A MOMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? I HAVE, I HAVE ONE REQUEST. SO, UH, BEING THAT THE BIDS CAME IN UNDER BUDGET AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME ROOM IN THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF AVERY MUIRFIELD AND 33, UM, I THINK THOSE TREES ARE NOW TO THE AGE WHERE SOME STRUCTURAL APPROPRIATE PRUNING MIGHT BE, UH, MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. SO, UM, IF THERE IS ROOM IN THE BUDGET AND WE COULD ADD ANYTHING, IF SOMEONE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENTIRETY OF THAT INTERSECTION, INCLUDING ALONG AVERY MEREFIELD, UM, NEAR THE BRIDGE, UH, WHERE IT CROSSES OVER 33 AND IN, IN THE INTERSECTIONS AS WELL. SO IF, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A, A GOOD PLACE TO, TO SPEND TIME. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, I KNOW, UM, THAT IN THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF MATURE TREES, I'M LOOKING AT, AGAIN, THE MAP HERE, THERE'S, WE'RE GONNA BE COVERING THOSE AREAS WITH A LOT OF THE MATURE TREES. UM, I KNOW THE RESIDENTS, UM, UH, I WANNA SAY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT WE GIVE THAT GOES OUT ABOUT PRUNING, ABOUT THE OVERSIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. UM, I CAN'T SAY STRONGLY ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE SOME OF THAT OUT PRIOR TO THE STAFF SHOWING UP. AND I MIGHT ALSO, UM, ASK THAT WE INCLUDE IN THERE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOUR TEAM SUPERVISES AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, ET CETERA. BECAUSE, UM, [00:55:01] I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS AN OPINION ON HOW THE TREES SHOULD BE PRUNED. YEAH. INCLUDING ME, RIGHT? SO WE ALL DO AS HOMEOWNERS AND WE LOVE THOSE TREES. SO, UM, IF WE COULD INCLUDE IN THAT INFORMATION WHAT YOUR TEAM DOES TO SUPERVISE, I THINK THAT WOULD GO, THAT WOULD BE QUITE HELPFUL. SO, UM, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S APPRECIATE THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. IF THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MR. KEELER? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MS. CRAM? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. SALUTO? YES. [OTHER BUSINESS] OKAY. THIS BRINGS US TO THE OTHER BUSINESS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, AND WE WILL BEGIN THAT WITH THE COLUMBUS FOURTH WATER PLANT TRANSMISSION MAIN UPDATE. AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY MIKE BARKER, UH, STEVE NORA AND TIM HUFFMAN FROM THE CITY OF COLUMBUS. SO THE MOMENT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THERE IN THE SECOND ROW. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, TONIGHT WE'RE JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS AND THEIR CONSULTANT TEAM. THEY'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING, UH, CITY COUNCIL WITH AN UPDATE ON THE CITY'S WATER TR WATER PLANT TRANSMISSION MAINS PROJECT, UH, WHICH SUPPORTS A NEW HOME ROAD WATER PLANT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO DELIVER WATER THROUGHOUT THE REGION. AND CERTAINLY THAT INCLUDES DUBLIN. UH, SINCE THE LAST BRIEFING TO COUNCIL, UH, DUBLIN STAFF HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY COORDINATING WITH THE CITY OF COLUMBUS AND ITS CONSULTANTS, AS THE DESIGN HAS ADVANCED TO ENSURE THAT DUBLIN'S INTERESTS ARE REPRESENTED, UH, PARTICULARLY REGARDING ALIGNMENT AND REFINEMENTS, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, AND OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALONG THE CORRIDOR. THIS EVENING, THE TEAM WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE ALIGNMENT REFINEMENT EFFORTS IN DUBLIN AND CURRENT PROJECT STATUS, THE SCHEDULE, ONGOING PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, TIM HUFFMAN AND STEVE NOSER. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING US. I'D LIKE TO THANK MEGAN, MIKE, UH, BRIAN AND HIS STAFF. UH, WE'VE MET WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND YOU WILL SEE IT'S BEEN A, A VERY GOOD PROCESS SO FAR. AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS TONIGHT. OKAY. UH, OUR TEAM, UH, WILL BE INTRODUCING THEM. UH, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER, UH, AS MIKE SAID, THE REFINEMENTS FROM THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS ALREADY. UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT IN TWO YEARS. UH, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS MEREFIELD DRIVE, ARLINGTON PARKWAY. WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THE CURRENT PROJECT WHERE IT STANDS, UM, UPDATE YOU ON THE SCHEDULE FOR, UH, BIDDING AND PHASING AND, UH, OUR PLAN FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH. AND JUST GO OVER A FEW BENEFITS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF DUBLIN, UH, OUTSIDE OF A LARGE TRANSMISSION, MAINE BEING CONSTRUCTED IN, IN THE CITY. UH, AND THEN GOING OVER NEXT STEPS. UH, I'M TIM HUFFMAN. I'M THE MANAGER OF THE DISTRIBUTION ENGINEERING SECTION FOR THE DIVISION OF WATER. UH, STEVE NERA IS OUR PROJECT MANAGER. WE HAVE MATT CASEY WITH MS. CONSULTANTS. HE'S THE PROJECT MANAGER WITH KATIE NOLAN, WITH GRISHAM SMITH. SHE'S OUR CO, UH, DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER. UH, WE HAVE ME, MARIE KESTER WITH MURPHY EPSON AND NICK HOFFMAN WITH MURPHY EPSON. UH, THEY'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT TO CHEER US ON . UH, WITH THAT I WILL, UH, LET STEVE TAKE IT OVER. THANK YOU, TIM. UH, COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THIS. AND I ALSO WANNA THANK DUBLIN STAFF. UH, LIKE TIM SAID, IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO YEARS OF HARD WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF ON THIS PROJECT, SO I HOPE THAT THE GOOD WORK CONTINUES TILL PROJECT COMPLETION HERE. SO, OKAY, SO I DO WANNA GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP SINCE IT'S BEEN SO LONG AND I SEE SOME NEW FACES ON COUNCIL. SO WHAT THE DESIGN TEAM PRESENTED LAST TIME. SO WHY CENTRAL OHIO NEEDS A NEW WATER PLANT AND TRANSMISSION MEANS. SO, THE PLANT WAS FIRST CONCEIVED IN THE WATER BEYOND 2000 MASTER PLANT OF 1998, IF YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT. UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S NEWS TO ANYBODY HERE THAT CENTRAL OHIO IS GROWING. WE'RE GOING FROM ABOUT 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE TO OVER THREE BY 2050. UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT GROWTH IN OUR SYSTEM DEMAND. SO IN 2023, OUR AVERAGE DAY DEMAND WAS 145 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. AND 2025 LAST YEAR IS 156 MILLION GALLONS A DAY. SO THE NEED TO PROVIDE SAFE, CLEAN DRINKING [01:00:01] WATER FOR OHIO CENTRAL OHIO'S FUTURE IS THE NEED FOR THIS PLANT AND TRANSMISSION MAINE. SO, GOALS OF THE TRANSMISSION MAINE, THE GOAL IS TO SELECT THE, THE MOST TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE, RELIABLE, UH, RESILIENT AND CONSTRUCTIBLE ROUTE. IT'S TO COLLABORATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND TO BE OPEN WITH THE PUBLIC AND COMMUNICATE WHAT WE ARE DOING. IT'S ALSO TO MINIMIZE, UH, DISRUPTIONS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE. SO THE EVALUATION PROCESS AND CORRIDOR RECOMMENDATION. SO THIS IS KIND OF WHAT YOU SAW, UH, IF YOU WERE HERE TWO YEARS AGO. THESE ARE, UH, ALL THE CORRIDORS WE EVALUATED IS OVER A HUNDRED MILES OF, OF CORRIDORS. WE STUDIED IT. WE, UH, PERFORMED AERIAL MAPPING, IDENTIFIED EXISTING UTILITIES, UH, DID AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, UM, IDENTIFIED CONFLICTS, UM, AND COMPARED THE CORRIDORS TO EACH OTHER IN SOMETHING CALLED A PAIRWISE COMPARISON. NOT GONNA GET TOO DEEP IN THAT, DON'T WORRY. UH, BUT A PAIRWISE COMPARISON BASICALLY GIVES YOU A RUBRIC IN WHICH YOU CAN COMPARE TWO CHOICES TO MAKE A, A, A SCIENTIFICALLY BETTER CHOICE OR NOT. SO SOME OF THE, THE RUBRICS WE USED WERE EASEMENTS, TRAFFIC IMPACTS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, BUSINESS IMPACTS, UH, ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PIPE, ALONG WITH RISK AND COST. SO, UH, NOW IF YOU REALLY WANNA GET INTO IT, YOU CAN REVIEW OUR MEETING SLIDES FROM 2024. THEY ARE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, CBUS WATER.COM AND THE RESOURCES TAB. UM, IT GOES THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE ALIGNMENTS, UH, IN PRETTY, IN PRETTY DEPTH, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT HERE TODAY. SO, ALRIGHT, FROM THAT WE GOT A RECOMMENDED CORRIDOR. SO FROM UP NORTH, THE HOME ROAD WATER PLANT UP AT DUBLIN ROAD AND HOME ROAD, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, UM, CONNECT TO COLUMBUS WATER AND POWERS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ON THE SOUTH SIDE THERE. SO FROM THAT, WE BROKE IT INTO TWO DIFFERENT PHASES. ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE PHASE ONE, UM, AND ON THE RIGHT PHASE TWO. NOW I WILL SAY THAT ALL THOSE LINES ON THERE REPRESENT 2 48 INCH DIAMETER WATER PIPES IN EACH, IN EACH SECTION. YEAH, SO A TOTAL OF FOUR BETWEEN THE, OH, SO RIGHT THERE. SO THAT'S TWO. SO THE, THE, THE RED IS ONE AND THE GREEN, BLACK AND PINK IS ONE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. AND WE BROKE THOSE APART INTO TWO DIFFERENT PHASES. OKAY. NOW I WANNA TALK A A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME KEY FOCUS ITEMS. SO COMMUNICATION, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR, OUR PROJECT GOALS IS TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. TO DATE, WE'VE HAD TWO VERY LARGE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WE'RE PLANNING A THIRD ONE. WE'VE HAD OVER 20 MEETINGS WITH STAFF, DUBLIN STAFF, AND THOSE ARE ALL, UH, TOPICS OF DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, TRAFFIC IMPACTS, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT. AND THOSE MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THE PROJECT. SO, AS I SAID, THESE ARE ARE REALLY LARGE PIPES. SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE 48 INCH, THAT'S THE INTERNAL DIAMETER. SO THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE WALLS OF THE PIPE. AND THEN YOU GOTTA BUILD A TRENCH TO GET 'EM. SO THEY'RE GONNA BE SOME LARGE IMPACTS ON THESE MAINS. THERE'S NO AVOIDING IMPACTS. UM, I WOULDN'T SAY, SORRY, I KINDA MISSPOKE THERE. THE IMPACTS AREN'T LARGE, IN FACT THAT THE PIPES ARE LARGE, SO THERE'S GONNA HAVE SOME IMPACTS. UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH DUBLIN, DUBLIN STAFF AND SEEING HOW WE CAN MINIMIZE, AVOID OR DECREASE THE DURATION OF THOSE IMPACTS WHEREVER WE CAN. UM, SO THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN TWO-WAY TRAFFIC DURING THE MOST OF THE CONSTRUCTION ZONES. SO THAT'S AN EXCELLENT, UH, EXCELLENT THING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND WORK OUT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, SOME IMMEDIATE AREAS OF FOCUS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS, UH, CONTINUED OUTREACH AND MEETINGS. SO MORE GOLF TOURNAMENT, THE MEREFIELD, HOA, THE ASHERTON APARTMENTS AREA. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THOSE GROUPS, UH, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT, MEREFIELD, HOA, HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT PARTNERS. WE'VE CONVEYED, UH, THE NEEDS OF THE PROJECT WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT AND HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH. UM, WE ARE CONTINUING OUTREACH TO THE ASHERTON APARTMENTS ON BURLINGTON PARKWAY. ALRIGHT, SO ALIGNMENT, REFINEMENT. SO WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE FIRST COUPLE SLIDES, THE LARGE CORRIDORS, GETTING IT DOWN TO A SMALLER ALIGNMENT KIND OF WITHIN THE ROADWAY WHERE WE'RE PUTTING IT, THEN YOU CAN START TO REFINE THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT. SO IT'S PRETTY NATURAL THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGES FROM WHAT WE PRESENTED LAST TIME TO NOW, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE BIG ONES AND [01:05:01] YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE MADE THE CHOICES. SO, UM, SO ORIGINALLY HERE THIS IS, UH, UH, PARK CENTER AVENUE AND BLAZER PARKWAY. SO ORIGINALLY PLANNING ON CONNECTING USING THE RED LINE THERE THAT'S AT PARK CENTER AND FRANZ ROAD. INSTEAD, WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN BLAZER PARKWAY AND CONNECT RIGHT BY THE WATER TOWER AT THAT LOCATION. SO WHAT THAT WILL DO IS GREATLY MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS ON RINGS AND FRANZ ROAD, UH, AND ALSO DECREASE THE CONSTRUCTION DURATION OF THE PROJECT. OKAY, MOVING WEST ACROSS TWO 70. SO ORIGINALLY IN RED THERE, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME ACROSS TWO 70, GO DOWN WARNER TEMPLE ROAD AND UP EMAL PARKWAY INSTEAD, WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN PARKWOOD PLACE. AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IS, UH, AVOID WARNER TEMPLE ROAD AND DECREASE THE IMPACTS OF TRAFFIC ON EMERALD. WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO KEEP THOSE BUSINESSES, UH, COMPLETE ACCESS TO THEIR BUSINESSES. SO, ALL RIGHT, MOVING NORTH TO THE BRAND ROAD AREA. SO WE ARE SHIFTING FROM BRAND ROAD AND MOVING TO ARLINGTON PARKWAY. SOME KEY REASONS WHY, UH, DECREASED TRAFFIC IMPACTS DECREASED CONSTRUCTION DURATION, AS WELL AS REDUCING THE COST AND CONSTRUCTION DIFFICULTY. WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE STREETSCAPE WITHIN ARLINGTON. I KNOW THIS IS A BIG ONE, I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS, IS EAGER TO KNOW ABOUT, UH, MUIRFIELD DRIVE. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HEAVILY WITH MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT, UH, MUIRFIELD, HOA AND DUBLIN STAFF ON THIS. AND UH, THE PLAN IS TO DO ONE MAIN ON EACH SIDE OF MUIRFIELD. SO YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF WHY ONE MAIN IN EACH SIDE OF NEARFIELD. UM, MANY REASONS. SO PUT THIS WILL BE A PHASE CONSTRUCTION. SO WE'LL DO ONE MAIN ON ONE SIDE. ALLOW US US TO SHIFT TRAFFIC TO THE OTHER SIDE. SO THAT GIVES THE CONTRACTOR THAT WORK ZONE. IT IS SEPARATE FROM TRAFFIC. SO THAT'S A, A KEY SAFETY ISSUE, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CONTRACTOR TO REALLY WORK FAST AND DECREASE THAT DURATION OF CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT? SO PRESERVES LANDSCAPE OF THE MEDIAN ALSO HAS THE SHORTEST CONSTRUCTION DURATION AND LEAST IMPACT TO EXISTING UTILITIES. IT ALSO ACCOMMODATES THE MEMORIAL TO TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE THE BEST. A REALLY BIG, UH, REALLY BIG POINT FOR US. WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY WORK HARD AND BE A GOOD PARTNER THERE. SO, ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, UH, CURRENT PROJECT STATICS. ALRIGHT, EASEMENT NEGOTIATION ACQUISITION IS TO BEGIN SOON. WE ARE SEEKING FOUR EASEMENTS FROM THE CITY OF DUBLIN. SO FIRST IS THAT PARKWOOD PLACE BY TWO 70 THERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE. NEXT ONE IS WITHIN KAUFMAN PARK. AND THEN WE GO TO THE WYANDOT SCHOOL AREA, WHICH IS IN, UH, ARLINGTON PARK. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF THAT ACROSS BROWN ROAD, THE PROPERTY WITH A BARN, UH, ON ASH BAR ROAD THERE, RIGHT? SOME NEXT STEPS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UPCOMING MEETINGS WITH EFFECTIVE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE PUBLIC, UH, COORDINATING WITH PRIVATE UTILITIES. UH, AGAIN, THESE ARE LARGE PIPES AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO AVOID CONFLICTS. IT'S BETTER FOR EVERYBODY IF THERE'S NO CONFLICTS, RIGHT? UM, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME. AND THEN INCORPORATING, UH, ALL THOSE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD RECENTLY WITH DUBLIN STAFF, UH, INTO MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC INTO THAT 90% PLAN SET THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. ALL RIGHT, THIS IS WHAT I SHOWED YOU BEFORE. SO I JUST WANTED TO RECAP. SO THIS IS ORIGINALLY PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. I'M GONNA SPLIT IT UP FOR YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO NOW PHASE TWO IS JUST GONNA BE, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE MEREFIELD POST CONNECTION. SO WE'RE GONNA, UH, PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF ON PHASE ONE AND HEAD SOUTH DOWN MEREFIELD CROSS OVER ON POST AND CONNECT TO PART OF PHASE ONE IN KAUFMAN PARK THERE. SO THE BASE MAPPING, THE AERIAL SURVEY IS COMPLETE ON THAT. UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO KICK OFF DESIGN, SO YOU'LL BE SEEING SOME ADDITIONAL FIELD WORK OUT THERE, INCLUDING MORE TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, UH, GEOTECHNICAL, UH, WELL MONITORING, THAT'S FOR GROUNDWATER, UH, CATHODIC PROTECTION SURVEY THAT JUST PROTECT OUR PIPE FROM RUST, UM, ARCHEOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL SURVEY ALSO. ALL RIGHT, SO INSTEAD OF TWO PHASES NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE PHASES. SO PHASE THREE WAS WHAT WE CALL THE RIVER CROSSING. AND THIS IS STILL A, A CONCEPTUAL PHASE. SO, UH, EXPECT SOME REFINEMENTS ON THIS AS WE GET INTO DESIGN. SO [01:10:01] HERE YOU CAN SEE KAUFMAN PARK AREA AND WE'RE GOING DOWN EMERALD PARKWAY CROSSING SOUTH ON TWO 70 AND THEN HUGGING TWO 70, UH, CROSSING THE SIDE OF OUR RIVER AND UP COLOR ROAD ALL THE WAY TO SNUFFER AND SAWMILL ROAD FOR A CONNECTION POINT. ALL RIGHT, THIS IS OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE, SUBJECT TO CHANGE ALWAYS. ALL RIGHT, UM, PUBLIC OUTREACH. UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO NOTIFY JURISDICTIONS WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT IN THE FIELD. WE GIVE, UH, 48 HOUR NOTICE TO ALL JURISDICTIONS IF WE, EVEN IF WE'RE JUST WALKING THE SITE. UM, OR CONTINUE DIRECT OUTREACH TO PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE ROUTE, SCHEDULING THAT NEXT PUBLIC MEETING, PROVIDING INFORMATION AT THE DUBLIN MARKET, DUBLIN LIBRARY REC CENTER, AND OTHER LOCATIONS ALONG THE CORRIDOR. WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THE WEBSITE WITH THE LATEST ROUTE MAPS AND SCHEDULE, UH, BENEFITS TO DUBLIN. I DID WANNA TOUCH ON SOME DIRECT BENEFITS TO DUBLIN. SO, UM, THE NEW CUTTING EDGE HOME ROAD POWER PLANT WILL SERVE DUBLIN. SO YOU'LL BE GETTING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY THAT THERE THAT WE CAN PUT INTO A BRAND NEW WATER PLANT. AND THAT WATER WILL BE COMING STRAIGHT TO DUBLIN. UH, THAT WILL ALSO REINFORCE THE CITY OF DUBLIN'S WATER SYSTEM AND OVERALL RESILIENCY. AND IT SAVED DUBLIN ABOUT, UH, EIGHT TO $13 MILLION NEEDED THAT TO UPSIZE THAT POST ROAD BOOSTER STATION. THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE OUR FIRST CONNECTION TO THE MAIN RIGHT IN KAUFFMAN PARK, UH, RIGHT TO THAT SUCTION PIPE. UM, THAT'S RESTRICTED IN FLOW RIGHT NOW. AND THEN, UH, COLUMBUS WATER AND POWER WILL RE PAVE AFFECTED STREETS AND WALKING PATHS. SO JUST CONTINUING OUR NEXT STEPS, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE PHASE ONE DESIGN TO 90%. WE'RE GONNA MEET WITH DUBLIN CITY SCHOOLS, MUIRFIELD, HOA, THE MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS AND OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS. WE'RE GONNA MEET AND CONTINUE COORDINATION WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES AND BEGIN DESIGN ON PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THAT MUIRFIELD BRAND ROAD DOWN TO POST OVER TO KAUFMAN. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. YOU WANNA TAKE A MOMENT FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANYONE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS TOPIC? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, GREG? UH, MR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. AS SOMEONE WHO WASN'T HERE TWO YEARS AGO, THIS WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL. UM, I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS THAT YOU GUYS DID TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST CORRIDOR FOR THE PLETHORA OF CHOICES THAT YOU HAD. AND YOU HAD MENTIONED, AND THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I'M JUST KINDA INTERESTED IN, SO THIS IS JUST FOR MY OWN EDUCATION, BUT YOU HAD MENTIONED THE, THE PAIRWISE ANALYSIS. SO DOES THAT COMPARE ONE CHOICE TO THE OTHER? AND THEN THEN HOW DO YOU CHOOSE AMONGST THE OTHER ONES? LIKE TO COMPARE FROM THOSE AS THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE RATIONALE BEHIND THAT. SO WE, WE COMPARED 'EM ALL, WE RANK 'EM INTO SCORE IS HOW WE DID IT. SO IT WAS REALLY COMPARING ITSELF TO A LEVEL. AND I, I THINK I CAN, MATT, DO YOU WANNA COME UP HERE? DO YOU, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? BUT YEAH. BASED ON A CRITERIA METHOD AND YOU HAVE, YOU SCORE IT, UM, AND THEN BASED ON THE SCORE, IT'LL, IT'LL PUSH OUT WHICH ONE IS THE RECOMMENDED ONE. SO IT TAKES ALL THE BIAS OUT OF PICKING AN ALIGNMENT. YEAH. BUT YOU JUST COMPARE TWO BY TWO. RIGHT? SO, AND THEN ONE, YOU CAN COMPARE ALL OF THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER. SO IF YOU HAVE SIX OF 'EM, YOU COMPARE ALL SIX AGAINST EACH OTHER. I SEE. AND THEN DO YOU HAVE A HIERARCHICAL RANK AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT YOU GUYS WERE USING? MM-HMM . YEAH, IT'S FASCINATING. THAT'S ACTUALLY, UM, SOMETHING REMINISCENT TO WHAT WE USE IN MEDICINE CALLED THE WIN RATIO, WHERE IT'S THE SAME KIND OF THING WHERE INSTEAD OF JUST COMPARING JUST A BINARY THING, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A HIERARCHICAL, UM, DESIGNATION FOR THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA. YOU CAN COMPARE ONE TO THE OTHER. AND THEN DEPENDING ON HOW IT, YOU KNOW, WINS FOR EACH OF THAT, THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY DEVELOP OUR CRITERIA, A RANKING CRITERIA FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ONES. AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY SIMILAR METHOD. AND I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY ROBUST METHOD. WE LOOKED AT EASEMENTS, WE LOOKED AT BUSINESS IMPACTS, WE LOOKED AT MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC. UH, WE HAD THE COST. OBVIOUSLY COST IS EASY TO COMPARE AGAINST, UH, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES. SO I THINK WE HAD ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT WE SCORED ON EACH ALIGNMENT. AND, AND BASED ON THIS, THE, UM, QUARTERS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DETERMINED THEY WERE THE CLEAR WINNERS? YEAH, THERE'S THE CLEAR, YEAH. YEAH. AND THAT FIRST PRESENTATION DOES GO IN A LOT MORE DETAIL ON THAT, INCLUDING, UH, THE RANKINGS AND HOW WE KIND OF PULLED THAT TOGETHER. AND THE, THE RECOMMENDED QUARTERS DIDN'T NECESSARILY WIN IN EVERY CATEGORY, I WILL SAY SO MM-HMM . SO IT WAS A CHOICE. IS THAT AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE? SO, SO YOU COULD SEE IT, BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME [01:15:01] YOU PRESENTED IT, YOU WENT THROUGH ALL SIX ALIGNMENTS I THINK IT WAS, AND YOU HAD MAYBE ONE HAS A LOT OF STONE THAT YOU HAVE TO GET THROUGH, ANOTHER ONE HAS MORE TRAFFIC DISRUPTION OR WHATEVER. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR HIM TO SEE IT. YEP. YEAH, IT'S UH, CBUS WATER.COM AND THE RESOURCES TAB AND IT'S DUBLIN MEETING HAS THE DATE ON THERE. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND SHARE A LINK TO THAT PRESENTATION THAT WAS DELIVERED. 'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S NOTHING LIKE, UM, HOW THEY WALKED THROUGH. THEY DID A GREAT JOB WALKING THROUGH THAT WHOLE ANALYSIS. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO HAVE. I CAN DO THAT AFTER THIS MEETING. MM-HMM . UM, YOU GO AHEAD. THANKS. UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANKS TO TO BOTH YOU AND TO, TO STAFF FOR ENSURING THAT WE MAINTAINED THE, UM, MEDIAN, UM, ON MEREFIELD DRIVE. THOSE TREES ARE, ARE NOT REPLACEABLE, RIGHT? THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. AND, UM, WHILE I KNOW THAT YOU'LL WORK TO REPLACE ANY LANDSCAPING OR ANYTHING THAT YOU JUST ARE, THERE JUST IS NO REPLACING THAT. UM, I I, IN LOOKING AT YOUR SCHEDULE, THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BE OCCURRING DURING THE MONTHS WHERE SCHOOL IS IN SESSION. UM, THAT'S A, A HEAVILY USED CORRIDOR, PARTICULARLY FOR STUDENTS, UM, WHO LIVE UP IN THAT AREA WHO ARE GOING TO JEROME. NOW THIS IS ALL PENDING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH REDISTRICTING, BUT, UM, SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR, 'CAUSE THEY EACH HAVE THEIR NEWSLETTERS, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT INFORMATION GOES OUT SO THAT KIDS CAN HOPEFULLY GIVE THEMSELVES AN EXTRA FEW MINUTES BECAUSE IT, IT GETS PRETTY CONGESTED THERE NOW AND THIS IS REALLY GONNA IMPACT THAT HEAVILY OR EVEN HAVE THE SCHOOLS PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE. UM, JUST 'CAUSE I HAVE A TEENAGE WHO'S TEENAGER WHO'S JUST ABOUT TO DRIVE AND ALL OF HIS FRIENDS ARE DRIVING AND THEY GET A LITTLE BIT WILD OUT THERE. UM, SO IT'D BE GREAT TO BE AHEAD OF THAT WITH, WITH FAMILIES, BUT I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE THE PRESERVATION OF THAT MEETING 'CAUSE IT IS NOT REPLACEABLE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THE SCHOOLS AS STEVE PRESENTED. AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, THE ENGINEERING STAFF HAS BEEN HELPING US THROUGH ALL THAT. AND I CAN GUARANTEE THERE'LL BE MUCH, MANY MORE MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN, UH, PATHS DURING CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME DISRUPTION SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE MEREFIELD, UH, CORRIDOR THERE. YEAH. BECAUSE WITH THE BIKE PATH THERE AND EVERYTHING, RIGHT. SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT. I, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THE SCHOOL SCHEDULED FOR THE 27TH OF THIS MONTH. PERFECT. THANK YOU, AMY. YOU HAVE SOME THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT AND GIVING US AN UPDATE. AND I APPRECIATE THE MAPS. UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHANGE FROM BRAND ROAD TO GO DOWN ARLINGTON. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF AND, UM, I'M GONNA ECHO MY COLLEAGUES CONCERNED ABOUT TREES AND THERE IS A HERITAGE ASH LINING UP AND DOWN THAT IS NOT REPLACEABLE AS WELL. AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A NOD THAT THE, IT, IT WILL, IT WILL NOT BE IN THE ROADWAY AND IT WILL NOT BE ON THE TREE LINE, BUT IT WILL BE IN, IN THE ARLINGTON APARTMENT MAPPING. RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING WITH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX TO NEGOTIATE A EASEMENT TO BE ABLE TO GO ON THE OPEN SPACE ALONG, UH, KIND OF BETWEEN THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND THE, AND THE RIGHT OF WAY THERE. SO THAT IS, WAS REALLY OUR FIRST ALIGNMENT ALONG ARLINGTON. UM, AND WITH MIKE'S HELP, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD TALKS WITH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME REAL HEADWAY WITH THEM, SO I'M APPRECIATE BELIEVE. YEAH, THAT IS, THAT IS OUR PLAN. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, AND, UM, I THINK THE MOUNDING AND THE, AND THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT'S THERE WOULD LIKELY FACILITATE THAT. SO I, YEAH, I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THIS. AND, UM, MY COMMENT I GUESS IS TO THE MURPHY EPSON GROUP AS YOU'RE DOING IMPACTS, UM, YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE APARTMENTS IN ARLINGTON. I I WOULD SAY ALL THE HOUSES ON THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL, AND THAT WOULD BE THE ARLINGTON VIGIL, HOA, THEY, IT IS A, IT'S NOT A TERRIBLY ACTIVE HOA, BUT STAFF CAN HOOK YOU UP WITH THAT BECAUSE, UM, THERE'LL BE LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS AS WITH KAUFMAN, UH, THE PARK, UM, AND THE LANDS THAT ARE GONNA GET EASEMENTS FROM THE CITY. SO, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF, OF HOA INVOLVEMENT AND, UM, UP AND DOWN THAT PATH. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UM, UH, VERY MUCH THE SECOND ON POST ROAD, THE CONNECTION ON POST, HAS THERE BEEN ENGAGEMENT WITH STAFF? I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, WITH RESIDENTS ON POST ROAD? OR AM I A LITTLE TOO EARLY IN THAT CYCLE? YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT TOO EARLY ON THAT ONE. WE, THERE WILL BE ENGAGEMENT [01:20:01] ON THERE. WE'RE JUST KICKING OFF DESIGN NOW. SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST KIND OF HAVE A LINE ON A MAP. SO, UH, AS WE KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND START TALKING ABOUT THAT. SO, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ME AND SO, UM, THEY'RE VERY WELL, THEY'VE SEEN THESE AND ARE AWARE OF THAT. AND AS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO DOWN POST ROAD THERE, THERE ISN'T, THERE IS ALMOST ZERO SHOULDER ON THE ROAD. SO WHERE THAT ALIGNMENT WOULD BE. AND, AND SO I WOULD, UM, ADVOCATE AGAIN FOR COMMUNICATION AS SOON AS IT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE WITHOUT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, WHERE YEAH. AND SO I'VE AL ALREADY, UM, RECEIVED THAT, SO IF YOU COULD DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH, WE'LL HAVE THE SAME STRATEGY FOR THAT PHASE, PHASE TWO AS WE HAVE WITH PABLE AND ENDURING PUBLIC, UH, MEETINGS AND ENGAGEMENT AS WELL. MURPHY, EPSON WILL BE A PART OF THAT TEAM. AND I ONLY HAVE ONE OTHER FINAL REQUEST SLASH ASK, AND THAT IS, AS IT GETS CLOSER TO REALLY HELP, UM, THE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND SORT OF THE, I WANNA SAY THE SCOPE AND SCALE, JUST THERE'S SOME VISUALS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND. WE'RE NOT SHOCKED WHEN WE SEE, I MEAN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE BIG PIPES, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE BIG HOLES. SO YEAH, MY HOPE IS THAT'S MY TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. YEAH. THROUGH, THROUGH OUR OUTREACH TEAM, UH, THEY HAVE A GOOD PLAN TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE RESIDENTS, MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA, UH, HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE, UH, POP UP ENGAGEMENTS, POP UP ENGAGEMENTS. I'M LEARNING THINGS EVERY DAY. YEAH. BUT VISUALS ARE, ARE QUITE HELPFUL AND, UM, ABSOLUTELY. I WOULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. SO, YEP, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT LIST OF AESTHETICS AND THINGS THAT, THAT AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, WE CARE A LOT ABOUT THAT HERE AS ABSOLUTELY AS YOU DO AS WELL. AND SO WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED WORK TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU. UH, COULD YOU GO BACK TO SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN? OH, UH, YEP, THAT'S IT. GREAT, THANK YOU. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE, UM, THE, THE PATH DIVERGES FROM THE FIRST MAIN AND THE SECOND MAINE, UH, IN TWO LOCATIONS. SO ONE LOOKS AT JUST SOUTH OF COOK ROAD, UH, OVER, AND THEN THE SECOND IS WHERE IT DIVERGES, UH, ALONG POST ROAD AND COMES ACROSS THE RIVER. UH, YEAH, WE CAN SPEAK REAL QUICK TO COOK ROAD THERE. SO THAT WAS ANOTHER REFINEMENT THAT WE'VE DONE UP THERE. IT'S OUTSIDE OF DUBLIN, SO WE DIDN'T WANNA BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION, BUT BOTH MAINS WILL BE GOING DOWN, WHICH IS, UH, REFRIGERATED AS THE A EP EASEMENT. UM, AP HAS REALLY, UH, TALL, UH, TRANSMISSION MAINS THERE, SO WE'RE GONNA WORK WITHIN THAT EASEMENT TO COME DOWN THERE. SO THAT'S ANOTHER REFINEMENT. WHAT WAS THE SECOND PLACE, UH, WHERE IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT PICKS UP, UM, NORTH OF BRAND AND IT CONTINUES DOWN MUIRFIELD AND THEN IT COMES POST ROAD WHERE IT CROSSES TO THE RIVER. AND I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE GETTING TO THE TWO TOWERS OVER OFF OF BILLINGSLEY ULTIMATELY, IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE, YOU SHOW IT ON THE MAP, UH, ALL THE WAY TO SAWMILL ROAD. UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE PHASE TWO? THE, UH, OH, YOU TALKING ABOUT, SO IN THE TOP, THE, IF YOU HAVE THE FIRST MAIN AND THE SECOND MAIN IS HOW THEY'RE LABELED. SO THE FIRST MAIN IS THE ONE THERE ON THE LEFT, AND THE SECOND MAIN IS THE ONE ON THE RIGHT. SO OUR ORIGINAL GOAL, JUST TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, WAS TO KEEP TWO MAINS AS FAR APART AS POSSIBLE. AND SO IN SOME AREAS IT JUST ISN'T POSSIBLE TO KEEP 'EM FAR APART AND THEY GOTTA SHARE LIKE NEAR FUEL CORRIDOR. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER AREAS LIKE THE GREEN THAT IS ON THE, THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT, THE EXHIBIT TO THE RIGHT THAT GOES DOWN NEARFIELD AND POST. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THAT MAIN AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE THAN GOING DOWN BRAND AND KAUFMAN. SO THAT'S THE REASONS WHY WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THESE. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SHOWN AS A PART. SO IF THEY CAN COEXIST MOSTLY DOWN MEMORIAL DRIVE AND THINGS, UM, WHAT IS THE GAIN BY THEN SEPARATING THEM AND HAVING TWO BIG DIGS, IF YOU WILL, VERSUS ONE REALLY BIG DIG. SO THE PLANT, THE PLANT IS REPRESENTED BY THAT SQUARE ON THE EXHIBIT TO THE RIGHT, ALL THE WAY UP, UH, TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE SCREEN. AND THEN WHERE WE CONNECT IN, DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, THERE'S ONLY TWO LINES COMING DOWN. SO IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN, IF IT'S A CATASTROPHIC EVENT AND IT BLOWS OUT ONE OF THOSE LINES, AN EVENT LIKE THAT, IF THERE'S ANOTHER LINE CLOSE BY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE OUT THAT THAT ONE AS WELL. AND SO THERE ARE AREAS THAT WE HAVE NO CHOICE THAN TO PUT IT IN [01:25:01] THE SAME CORRIDOR. SO IT'S ABOUT REDUNDANCY, ABOUT REDUNDANCY, IT'S ABOUT RESILIENCY, REDUNDANCY, BUT RESILIENCY AND RELIABILITY SO THAT THAT PLANT CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING WATER INTO THE SYSTEM. THE PLANTS ULTIMATELY RATED FOR 80 MGD AND PART OF THAT IS SO THE CITY CAN TAKE OFFLINE SOME OF THEIR OTHER PLANTS AND DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE. IF ONE OF THOSE OTHER PLANTS IS DOWN AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS HERE, SOMEBODY MIGHT BE WITHOUT WATER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID. OKAY. AND IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PLANNING ON PASSING JUST SOUTH, UH, YOU'RE GONNA CROSS THE RIVER JUST SOUTH OF EMERALD PARKWAY? YES. THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S A, WE HAVE YET TO EVALUATE THAT SIMILAR TO THE PIECE THAT GOES TO THE WEST. UH, THIS IS BASICALLY A BEST GUESS LINE ON A, ON A PAPER. THIS IS A CORRIDOR THAT THE MS TEAM HAS EVALUATED. UM, BUT WHEN WE GET INTO THE FINER DETAILS, IT, IT COULD BE REFINED AND IT MAY NOT LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THIS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE NOT CROSSING THE RIVER AT THE EMERALD PARKWAY BRIDGE. SO WILL YOU GO UNDER THE RIVER? YES. OH YES. SO THERE WILL BE NOTHING THAT WOULD BE A ABOVE GRADE THERE, SO NO, CORRECT. NO, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A LIFT STATION STAR RIGHT THERE. AND I THOUGHT IF YOU WENT DOWN THAT GRADE, UM, YOU MIGHT NEED SOMETHING TO HELP ASSIST, GET BACK UP THE OTHER SIDE, MOST LIKELY WILL BE TUNNELING. WELL, MICRO TUNNEL WILL HAVE TO A SHAFT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, WE'LL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE LOCATION OF THOSE, UM, BUT THEY'LL JUST TUNNEL BETWEEN THOSE TWO SHAFTS. AND SO, SO THE PUMPS THAT ARE AT THE PLANT, THE, THE HOME ROAD WATER PLANT, THERE'S ENOUGH AND THEY'RE BIG ENOUGH THE PUMP WATER UNDERNEATH THE RIVER AT THIS LOCATION, 12, 13 MILES AWAY, THAT'S A LOT OF FORCE. YEAH. YEAH. 48 INCHES OF WATER OVER EIGHT MILES. YEAH, THAT'S WELL, UM, THEN, UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS WHERE ARE YOU TRYING TO GET TO ON SAWMILL? I ASSUME THAT YOU WOULD BE GOING TO THE TWO WATER TOWERS OVER OFF OF BILLINGSLEY, BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR LIKE YOU'RE HEADED THAT DIRECTION. SO JUST BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS FREQUENT BEYOND OUR BORDERS. WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU HEADED? THERE'S A 24 INCH THERE ON SAWMILL AND SNUFFER, AND THAT SNUFFER 24 INCH. WE'LL GO UP TO SMOKEY ROW TANKS, THE TANKS THAT YOU SEE RIGHT BY A TWO 70 LOOP. OKAY. THOSE WILL HELP FILL THOSE TANKS. IT'S, IT'S GONNA CONNECT INTO EXISTING WATER MAINS IN OUR SYSTEM ALREADY. SO THAT'S THE TERMINAL VISTA, IF YOU WILL, OF THIS PROJECT FOR, FOR THAT, FOR THAT, FOR THIS ARM, THE BLAZER TANK, UH, FOR THE OTHER NAME. RIGHT? YOU GOT IT. OKAY. WELL, THANKS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY HEAVILY ON ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING LIKE WE THOUGHT WE SAW A LOT OF DISRUPTION WHEN WE PUT A INCH AND A HALF PIPE INTO THE GROUND TO SERVICE EVERYONE WITH FIBER IN THE CITY. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DISRUPTIVE. AND, UH, UM, ALL I CAN SAY IS COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, AND THEN COMMUNICATE SOME MORE. AND THAT WE WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF. AND WE PLAN ON, ONCE WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD TO CONTINUE THAT COMMUNICATION, MAYBE EVEN RAMP IT UP EVEN MORE BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR IS THE ONE THAT'S GONNA BE DOING THE DIGGING. IT'S NOT A PIECE OF A LINE ON A PIECE OF PAPER ANYMORE. IT'S OKAY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BE HERE? HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO BE HERE? SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MIKE AND BRIAN AND THEIR STAFF, AND YOU MAY WANNA HAVE LUNCH WITH OUR FRIENDS OR MULTIFIER, AND THEY CAN PROBABLY GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK ON THEIR EXPERIENCE, MAYBE SOME LEARN SOME LESSONS. WE, WE ALSO HAVE A, A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT WE'VE ALREADY CONTRACTED WITH THAT'LL BE ON THE PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION. THEY'RE WORKING WITH MATT'S TEAM ON CONSTRUCTABILITY REVIEWS. UM, FOLKS, UH, ON THAT TEAM ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY OF DUBLIN. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A, I FEEL A VERY STRONG TEAM THAT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? AND, UH, THAT OUR GOAL IS, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS DIS DISRUPTIVE, BUT OUR GOAL IS TO, WHEN WE'RE ALL DONE, EVERYBODY SAYS, BOY, I'M GLAD THAT'S DONE, BUT YOU CAN'T TELL IT'S THERE. GREAT. WELL, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING AND SPENDING IT WITH US AND CERTAINLY THE, UH, THE HISTORY BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION'S. MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, THIS BRINGS US TO OUR, UH, CSAC REPORT ON DEAR MANAGEMENT. AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY EMILY GUER. AND, UH, VICKI GINTHER WILL BE REPRESENTING FROM CSAC AS THE CHAIR. SO WELCOME TO THE BOTH OF YOU. [01:30:09] GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN DISCUSSING DEAR MANAGEMENT SINCE FEBRUARY, 2022, AND WE HAVE THE CHAIR OF CSAC HERE THIS EVENING TO PROVIDE A REPORT. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF CSAC, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS REPORT ON DEAR MANAGEMENT. TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE COUNCIL WITH BACKGROUND ON THE COMMITTEE'S ONGOING WORK, SUMMARIZED REGIONAL BENCHMARKING AND DUBLIN SURVEY FINDINGS, OUTLINE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS, AND PROVIDE POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS FOR COUNCIL'S CO CONSIDERATION. AS EMILY MENTIONED, THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN ONGOING WITH CSAC SINCE FEBRUARY, 2022. IN NOVEMBER, 2023, COUNCIL ADOPTED AN OUTDOOR FEEDING ORDINANCE VIA ORDINANCE 47 23. SINCE THEN, CSAC HAS CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS, INCLUDING A PRESENTATION FROM ODNR IN NOVEMBER, 2024, AND ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE DELIBERATIONS IN EARLY 2025. CSAC RECOMMENDED THAT STAFF CONTINUE MONITORING REGIONAL DEER MANAGEMENT EFFORTS AND PROVIDE UPDATES AS NEW INFORMATION BECAME AVAILABLE. COUNSEL SUPPORTED THAT RECOMMENDATION IN MAY, 2025. IN FURTHERANCE OF THAT COMMITMENT, CSAT RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM STAFF. THIS JANUARY STAFF PROVIDED US WITH AN UPDATE ON BENCHMARKING DATA, AGGRESSIVE DEER AND OUTDOOR FEED ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT. THIS WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND ASK ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING, WE WERE GRATEFUL TO HEAR FROM LOCAL EXPERTS AT OHIO STATE AND METRO PARKS. THEY WERE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR ALL OF THE QUESTIONS WE HAD. BASED ON THE 2023 REPORT BY STUDENTS AT OOSU SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 85 DEER PER SQUARE MILE IN DUBLIN. DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS HAVE DECREASED SLIGHTLY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THOUGH REPORTS OF AGGRESSIVE DEER INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2025. WE ALSO REVIEWED DEER VEHICLE COLLISIONS AND MORTALITY. DATA ENFORCEMENT OF THE OUTDOOR FEED ORDINANCE HAS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON EDUCATION. MOST CASES WERE RESOLVED THROUGH COMMUNICATION WITH NO FINES ISSUED TO DATE. THESE DATA HELP PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR RESIDENT PERCEPTIONS AND REPORTED EXPERIENCES. WORTHINGTON CONDUCTED TWO SURVEYS IN 2024, RECEIVING OVER 5,000 RESPONSES ACROSS THE TWO. APPROXIMATELY 71% SUPPORTED DECREASING THE DEER POPULATION, AND 73%, 73% SUPPORTED A TARGETED REMOVAL PROGRAM USING PROFESSIONAL SHARP SHOOTERS. IN JANUARY, 2025, THE WORTHINGTON CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY DIRECTED STAFF TO IMPLEMENT A DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES BOTH TARGETED REMOVAL AND ARCHERY. THEIR PROGRAM OPERATES FROM JANUARY THROUGH MARCH WITH A CAP 125 DEER PROCESSED VENISON IS DOCA DONATED TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES. THE USDA CONTRACT COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $56,800 WITH AN ADDITIONAL PROCESSING COST OF ABOUT $130 PER DEAR FOR THE PICK AWAY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, COLUMBUS AND FRANKLIN COUNTY METRO PARKS HAVE OPERATED TARGETED REMOVAL PROGRAMS SINCE THE 1990S. THE CITY OF COLUMBUS CONDUCTED A 2025 SURVEY WITH 3,151 VALID RESPONSES. NEARLY 72% OF RESPONSES RESPONDENTS SAID DEAR NUMBERS HAD INCREASED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND 70% WANTED THE POPULATION. REDUCED SUPPORT FOR THE PROFESSIONAL REMOVAL WAS 57% AND 61% SUPPORTED ARCHERY. OTHER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS NEW ALBANY AND MARYSVILLE OPERATE HUNTING PROGRAMS AND GAHANA IS CONSIDERING RELAUNCHING ITS PRIOR PROGRAM. NON-LETHAL OPTIONS INCLUDE FEEDING PROHIBITIONS, WHICH DUBLIN ADOPTED IN 2023. RELOCATION IS NOT PERMITTED UNDER OHIO LAW AND IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED INEFFECTIVE AND CAN CAUSE LETHAL LEVELS OF STRESS TO THE DEER. FERTILITY CONTROL METHODS ARE TYPICALLY APPROVED ONLY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES, HAVE LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS IN OPEN HERDS AND DO NOT REDUCE THE EXISTING POPULATIONS AND MAY EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF THE DOSE. TARGETED REMOVAL INVOLVES CONTRACTING WITH TRAINED PROFESSIONALS, TYPICALLY USDA WILDLIFE SURFACES OPERATING OVERNIGHT IN COORDINATION WITH DUBLIN POLICE. THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO QUICKLY REDUCE A POPULATION. ARCHERY PROGRAMS GENERALLY HAVE LOWER CONTRACTOR COSTS, BUT REQUIRE MORE STAFF OVERSIGHT AND ARE LESS EFFECTIVE AT RAPIDLY REDUCING HERD SIZE. THEY'RE OFTEN USED AS A COMPLIMENTARY LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT TOOLS. THE PRIMARY ADVANTAGES OF LETHAL MANAGEMENT DIRECT [01:35:01] INCLUDE DIRECT AND MEASURABLE POPULATION REDUCTION, PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS IN PEER COMMUNITIES, AND THE ABILITY TO FOCUS ON SPECIFIC HIGH IMPACT AREAS. PROCESS VENISON CAN ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES. CHALLENGES INCLUDE POTENTIAL PUBLIC OPPOSITION AND ETHICAL CONCERNS, FINANCIAL COSTS, STAFFING NEEDS, AND THE REALITY THAT DEAR MANAGEMENT IS AN ONGOING COMMITMENT RATHER THAN A ONE-TIME SOLUTION. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OSU STUDENTS, THE CITY CONDUCTED A 2023 SURVEY AND RECEIVED 297 RESPONSES. PUBLIC SENTIMENT WAS SPLIT ON WHETHER THE WHITE-TAILED DEER POPULATION IN DUBLIN IS INCREASING AND NEEDS TO BE MANAGED. THAT SURVEY PROVIDED INITIAL INSIGHT INTO RESIDENT PERCEPTIONS AND INFORMED CONTINUED DISCUSSION. THIS JANUARY, 2026 SURVEY GENERATED 3,656 RESPONSES WITH NEARLY 95% FROM DUBLIN RESIDENTS. CSAC WAS PLEASED TO HEAR ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE THE SURVEY. THIS INCLUDED SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECT MAIL TO NEARLY 19,000 HOUSEHOLDS, NEWSLETTERS, AND LOCAL MEDIA TO ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO TAKE THE SURVEY. IT WAS KEPT OPEN THROUGH FEBRUARY 26TH. IN TOTAL, IT WAS AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS FOR 50 DAYS. THIS EFFORT HELPED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL DATA SET FOR ANALYSIS. EMILY IS NOW GOING TO WALK COUNCIL THROUGH THE SURVEY RESULTS. SO RESIDENT EXPERIENCES WITH DEER WERE MIXED BASED ON THE SURVEY RESULTS, ABOUT 40% OF RESPONDENTS DESCRIBED THEIR EXPERIENCE AS POSITIVE 38% AS NEGATIVE AND 22% AS NEUTRAL. HOWEVER, 55% OF RESPONDENTS BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY DEER IN DUBLIN. WHILE 41% FEEL THE CURRENT NUMBER IS ACCEPTABLE, A SMALL FRACTION OF ABOUT 4% BELIEVE THERE ARE TOO FEW DEER. AND 60% BELIEVE THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, 60% OF, UH, RESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER OF DEER IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, COMPARED TO 34% WHO BELIEVE THE POPULATION HAS REMAINED STABLE. AND FEWER THAN 6% OBSERVED A DECREASE. THIS INDICATES A PERCEPTION OF POPULATION GROWTH, EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF A CLEAR BIOLOGICAL INDICATOR OF OVERPOPULATION, THE MOST COMMON NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE REPORTED WAS PLANT AND PROPERTY DAMAGE CITED BY 49% OF SURVEY TAKERS. DEER VEHICLE COLLISIONS OR NEAR MISSES WERE REPORTED BY 14% OF RESPONDENTS. AND MOST RESPONDENTS AT 93% INDICATED THAT NO ONE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD HAD EXPERIENCED A DEER RELATED INJURY TO PEOPLE OR PETS. THE ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY WAS CITED AS THE MOST CONCERNING TO SURVEY TAKERS. THAT WOULD BE AT 38% WHILE 33% WERE SLIGHTLY CONCERNED, AND 29% WERE NOT CONCERNED. THE COST OF ADMINISTERING A PROGRAM WAS MOST CONCERNING TO 19% OF RE RESPONDENTS WHILE 80, 81% WERE SLIGHTLY CONCERNED. AND, UH, I'M SORRY, WHILE 81% WERE SLIGHTLY CONCERNED OR NOT CONCERNED WERE 37%. UM, FINALLY, THE INDIVIDUAL WELFARE OF DEER WAS SELECTED AS THE MOST CONCERNING OF 34% OF SURVEY TAKERS. WHILE 36% WERE NOT CONCERNED, AND 30% WERE SLIGHTLY CONCERNED. WHEN ASKED DIRECTLY WHETHER THE DEER POPULATION SHOULD BE MANAGED, 59% OF RESPONDENTS SAID THAT THE POPULATION IS INCREASING AND SHOULD BE MANAGED. WHILE 41% SAID THERE IS NO NEED FOR INTERVENTION REGARDING PUBLIC FUNDS BEING USED TO ADDRESS THE DEER PRESENCE IN DUBLIN, 60% WERE SUPPORTIVE WHILE 40% WERE NOT. AND SUPPORT FOR USING LETHAL METHODS TO REGULATE THE LOCAL DEER POPULATION WAS 49% IN FAVOR, 33% OPPOSED AND 18% NEUTRAL. SO NOTABLY, THIS IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS FROM 2023 TO 2026, AND NOTABLY, THE SENTIMENT REGARDING POPULATION MANAGEMENT HAS INCREASED FROM 50% IN 2023 TO 59% IN 2026. WE ALSO WANTED TO LOOK AT THIS AT A COUNCIL WARD MAP. THERE WAS A QUESTION ON THE SURVEY OF WHAT WARD THE RESIDENTS LIVED IN. SO THIS WARD LEVEL MAPPING SHOWS THE GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN WHETHER OR NOT RESIDENTS FEEL THE POPULATION SHOULD BE MANAGED OR NOT. AND THEN HERE WE SEE THE WARD LEVEL MAP OF SENTIMENT TOWARDS LETHAL MANAGEMENT. SO THESE TWO MAPS ALIGN WITH THE AREAS IN THE CITY THAT WE HEAR THE MOST QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT DEER FROM RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE AGGRESSIVE DEER ENCOUNTERS. UM, SO AN ANALYSIS OF THE NARRATIVE, THERE WAS OPEN-ENDED OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK. SO THE COMMON THEMES THAT WE HEARD HERE INCLUDED PUBLIC SAFETY, AGGRESSIVE DEER BEHAVIOR, VEHICLE COLLISIONS, AND LANDSCAPE DAMAGE. APPROXIMATELY 139 REFERENCES WERE MADE TO AGGRESSIVE DEER. AND OVER 150 REFERENCED TO THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF LANDSCAPE DAMAGE. [01:40:02] CSAC HAS BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG WITH DUBLIN'S COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE HUMAN AND WILDLIFE COEXISTENCE. THIS HAS BEEN A HEAVY INVESTMENT BANNING DECADES. EDUCATION HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO HELPING RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THE WHY BEHIND THE WHAT. THIS HAS INCLUDED REACHING RESIDENTS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING RECENTLY AT THE STATE OF THE CITY. WE WERE IMPRESSED WITH WORTHINGTON'S APPROACH TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY REGARDING DEER MANAGEMENT OPTIONS. THE WORTHINGTON DEER TASK FORCE HOSTED TWO PUBLIC EDUCATION SESSIONS. THE SPRING 2024 SURVEY IDENTIFIED SOME MISCONCEPTIONS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE EDUCATION SESSIONS WERE INTENDED TO CORRECT THIS IN MISINFORMATION, AND THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL AS INDICATED BY THE SECOND SURVEY. SOME CS A C MEMBERS WERE INTERESTED WHETHER THERE IS A A IS A SPECIFIC PERCENTAGE REDUCTION THAT DUBLIN SHOULD BE TARGETING. WE LEARN FROM LOCAL EXPERTS THAT THERE IS NO EXACT SCIENCE TO DETERMINING HOW MANY DEER SHOULD BE REMOVED EACH YEAR. IT DEPENDS ON SOCIAL TOLERANCE AND SHOULD BE EVALUATED ANNUALLY. THE DECISION SHOULD BE BASED ON WHAT IS FEASIBLE AND REALISTIC. NO MATTER WHAT RESIDENTS WILL SEE DEER. HOWEVER, IF A LETHAL PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED, IT WILL CHANGE HOW RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE DEER. ADDING A PREDATOR WILL CHANGE HOW DEER BEHAVE WITH THIS INFORMATION IN MIND. IF COUNSEL CHOOSES TO PURSUE LETHAL MANAGEMENT, POTENTIAL GOALS COULD INCLUDE REDUCING AGGRESSIVE ENCOUNTERS, LOWERING DEER VEHICLE COLLISIONS, LIMITING PROPERTY DAMAGE, DECREASING COMPLAINTS AND CARCASS PICKUPS, AND REDUCING THE DEER POPULATION IN SPECIFIC ZONES BASED ON AN ANNUAL POPULATION INDEX. MUCH OF THESE DATA COULD BE A PART OF AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY SURVEY TO TRACK PROGRESS. THESE POTENTIAL GOALS WERE DEVELOPED THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS AT CSAC, WHERE WE IDENTIFIED WHAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE IN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. AND THROUGH BENCHMARKING WITH THE WORTHINGTON DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN TO FURTHER REGIONAL COLLABORATION. SHOULD COUNCIL WANT TO ADVANCE A LETHAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, THE NEXT STEPS WOULD INCLUDE COORDINATION WITH WILDLIFE SERVICES TO IDENTIFY SITES, ESTABLISH A TARGET FOR YEAR ONE, DETERMINE AN APPROACH TO FIELD DRESSING AND LAUNCHING A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN. THE OHIO COMMUNITY WILDLIFE COOPERATIVE, WHICH DUBLIN IS A PART OF, IS HOSTING A DEAR 1 0 1 WORKSHOP AT THE REC CENTER IN APRIL, WHICH COULD BE PROMOTED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC FROM THIRD PARTY EXPERTS. SIMILAR TO THE APPROACH WORTHINGTON TOOK, I'D LIKE TO FINISH BY THANKING CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR TRUST AND GUIDANCE OVER THE PAST YEARS, FEW YEARS AS CSAC HAS WORKED THROUGH THIS TOPIC. IT'S CLEARLY A VERY COMPLEX AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO THE COUNCIL SUPPORT. EMILY AND I ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU THAT, UH, PLEASE EXTEND OUR THANKS TO YOUR CSAC MEMBERS. THAT IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT THEY TOOK THE TIME TO UNDERTAKE, UH, THAT EXERCISE. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, WITH THAT, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING THAT HA WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS TOPIC? I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT SUBMITTED ONLINE FROM SHANNON GRIM, 68 89 FALLEN TIMBERS DRIVE. LEAVE THE DEER ALONE. IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE DEER, THEY CAN MOVE. WE HAVE ALREADY REMOVED A LOT OF TREES IN OUR TREE CITY, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF PLACES TO LIVE. I HAVE THEM AT MY HOME IN DUBLIN AND MY OFFICE IN DUBLIN. DO NOT KILL THE DEER. IF YOU KILL THE DEER, I WILL EXPECT ALL SKUNKS KILLED AS WELL. THANK YOU, SHANNON. OKAY, OTHER PUBLIC, ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING? HEARING NONE. COUNCIL QUESTION DISCUSSION IS 50 TO 85 DEER PER PER SQUARE MILE? A LOT. I DON'T HAVE A REFERENCE FOR LIKE, IF THAT'S A TON. NOT A TON. IT IT, THERE'S A DIFF THE THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS THERE'S BIOLOGICAL CARRYING CAPACITY AND THEN THERE'S SOCIAL CARRYING CAPACITY. SO 50 TO 85 DEER PER SQUARE MILE. WE'RE NOT AT BIOLOGICAL CARRYING CAPACITY, MEANING THAT THE DEER AREN'T JUST STARVING AND DROPPING DEAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO FOOD AT THE MOMENT. UM, BUT IT, IT, THE PERCEPTION OF IT COULD BE THAT IT IS A LOT. AND THAT'S WHERE THE SOCIAL CARRYING CAPACITY COMES INTO PLAY, IS THAT THE DEER ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO BACKYARDS, EATING PEOPLE'S VEGETABLE GARDENS, DIFFERENT FLOWERS, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO, UM, THE, THE DETERMINATION OF A LOT WHEN YOU'RE NOT AT BIOLOGICAL CARING CAPACITY IS REALLY THE COMMUNITY'S TOLERANCE FOR IT. CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THAT? UM, I UNDERSTAND THE SOCIOLOGICAL CARE AND CAPACITY VERSUS THE BIOLOGICAL CARE AND CAPACITY, BUT JUST IN REFERENCE. SO WITH WORTHINGTON AND COLUMBUS, WHAT WAS A DEER DENSITY WHEN THEY EMBARKED ON THEIR TARGETED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM? SO WORTHINGTON, UM, THEY BASED MUCH OF THEIR WORK ON THE FACT THAT THEY WERE AT SOCIOLOGICAL CARRYING CAPACITY. UM, THEY FOCUSED ON SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE LISTED HERE. AND RATHER THAN GOING BACK AND DOING [01:45:01] ANOTHER, WE WANNA REDUCE THIS DOWN TO 20 TO 25 DEER PER SQUARE MILE AND DOING THE SQUARE MILE ANALYSIS OF IT. THEY LOOKED PARTICULARLY CLOSE AT THE RESIDENT COMPLAINTS THAT THEY HAD, AND THEY, THEY WAS IN THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OVER SEVERAL YEARS OF COMPLAINTS THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED. SO, UM, THEY FOCUSED MORE ON THE SOCIOLOGICAL CARING CAPACITY AND ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE THE COMPLAINTS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM RESIDENTS. THEY HAVE A DEDICATED FORM FOR RESIDENTS TO FILL OUT SPECIFIC TO DEER COMPLAINTS TO HELP THEM EVEN TRACK THAT BETTER. SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THEY'VE FOCUSED RATHER THAN IN ON THE, THE DENSITY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH, ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT, UM, IS THAT HOW WE ACTUALLY PORTRAY THIS TO THE RESIDENTS. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST VALUE POLICY DRIVER IS GONNA BE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF SAFETY. UM, NOT SO MUCH THE AESTHETICS, EVEN THOUGH AESTHETICS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS. BUT I, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN WAS, YOU KNOW, THE INCREASED NUMBER OF, OF NEAR COLLISIONS, UM, ATTACKS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING, UM, AND BY THE WAY, I LIVE IN WARD THREE, I REPRESENT WARD THREE WHERE THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER. UM, AND SO MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS WERE ACTUALLY IN FAVOR OF TARGETED REMOVAL, UM, OF THE LETHAL, UH, THE, THE, UH, LETHAL METHODS. UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE ACTUALLY SEE A HIGH NUMBER OF THEM. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING IS THAT, UH, UM, A LOT OF THE NEAR COLLISIONS AREN'T REPORTED. AND SO I THINK THAT NUMBER IS GONNA BE MUCH HIGHER THAN ACTUALLY WHAT WE HAVE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO DECIDE TO EMBARK ON A LETHAL REMOVAL, UM, ACTUALLY I REALLY LIKE THE, THE, UM, METRICS THAT YOU HAVE, BUT I THINK THAT WE ACTUALLY PROBABLY NEED TO SOMEHOW REDO THAT SO WE GET A BETTER BASELINE IF WE'RE THEN GOING TO, UM, QUANTITATE, YOU KNOW, HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE, UH, ABOUT THIS. UM, SO A FEW QUESTIONS, UH, FOR YOU, IF I MAY. SO IF WE DECIDE NOT TO ACT AND TO CONTINUE WITH MONITORING, ARE THERE METRICS THAT, UM, CSA WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE MONITOR TO SEE IF WE THEN CROSS THE THRESHOLD THAT WE THEN ACT? IS IT GONNA BE THE DEER DENSITY? IS IT GONNA BE WORSENING PUBLIC SENTIMENT? YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA QUANTITATE THAT? I THINK IT'S MORE PUBLIC OPINION AND THEN MONITORING THOSE DEER PER SQUARE YARD, FOOT, WHATEVER IT WAS, YARD, UM, AND SEEING HOW THAT IS INCREASING ALONG WITH THE AGGRESSIVE DEER ATTACKS. THE SAME METRICS WE HAVE BEEN MONITORING OVER THE PAST THING BECAUSE IT'S HOW MANY DEER ARE BEING KILLED IN COLLISIONS OR NEAR MISSES ON COLLISIONS? HOW MANY, UM, DEER ARE DESTROYING POP OUR PROPERTY AND THE COMPLAINTS COMING IN. THOSE WERE THE METRICS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH AND ABOUT THE ONLY METRICS THAT WERE FEASIBLE TO COLLECT REALISTICALLY. AND THEN, SO WOULD YOU BE PRO PROPOSING ANOTHER DEER SURVEY LIKE IN A YEAR OR SO TO SEE IF THAT INCREASES MM-HMM . YES. OR IS IT JUST WHAT FILTERS IN, UM, THROUGH GOLD DUBLIN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? ANOTHER DEER SURVEY, YES. OKAY. AND HOW MUCH OF THE DEER SURVEY COST THE CITY TO RUN? IT WAS DONE BY A CAPSTONE GROUP AT OHIO STATE. UM, AND SO IT COST US $0. THEY CAME IN AND THEY, THEY RAN THAT FOR US. UM, AND SO THAT WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. AND, UM, IF I COULD ALSO ADD TO THAT, BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE DRONE POPULATION INDEX THAT WE DID WAS DONE POST THE CSAC CONVERSATION. SO, UM, WE DID PUT THE THERMAL IMAGING DRONES THAT THE POLICE HAVE UP AND LOOKED AT SPECIFIC ZONES, AND THE MAPS OF THOSE WERE INCLUDED IN, UM, UH, COUNCIL'S PACKET. AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT WE CAN MEASURE FOR SUCCESS IS, UH, IF WE DIDN'T GO BACK AND DO A FULL, UH, GENERAL POPULATION ESTIMATE WITH OHIO STATE, WHICH IS ALWAYS CERTAINLY AN OPTION, WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THESE AND SAY IN THESE SPECIFIC AREAS, HOW HAS THE, THE DEER POPULATION CHANGED AND DO THOSE AS, YOU KNOW, ANNUAL OR HOWEVER, UH, FREQUENCY MAKES THE MOST SENSE. BUT, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT POPULATION IN SPECIFIC AREAS. UM, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD TO WITH THIS, THIS IS A, A SNAPSHOT OF TIME, RIGHT? AND SO, UH, WE WOULD ATTEMPT TO RECREATE KIND OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THE WE HAVE THE WIND CONDITIONS, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, FIND A TIME THAT IS THE, THE MOST APPEALING FOR THAT, THE TIMES TO PUT THEM UP BEING SIMILAR. BUT, UM, DEAR DO MOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT. SO, UH, WE CAN DO THIS AND, AND IT'S A GREAT WAY OF DOING THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT METRO PARKS DOES AS WELL. AND, AND WORTHINGTON HAS DONE THIS. UM, BUT I JUST DO WANNA SHARE THAT, THAT IT IS A SNAPSHOT OF TIME OF THAT SPECIFIC PLACE. SO, UH, IT'S JUST A GREAT TOOL TO ADD TO OUR TOOLBOX OF WHAT WE'RE TRACKING. ACTUALLY, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THE, UM, THE DRONE SURVEY BECAUSE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT AS WELL TOO. SO IS PART OF THE THOUGHT IS IF WE DO START A TARGETED DEER REMOVAL, WILL WE HAVE GEOGRAPHIC PRIORITIES? AND IF SO, IS IT BASELINE DEER DENSITY? IS IT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF AGGRESSIVE ATTACKS IN A PARTICULAR AREA? LIKE HOW ARE WE GONNA BE UTILIZING THAT TO PRIORITIZE, UM, HOW WE REMOVE OUR DEER? SO SOME OF IT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHERE WE KNOW THAT WE HEAR COMPLAINTS. SO THESE, THESE ZONES WERE CHOSEN BASED ON WHERE WE HEAR THE MOST FROM PEOPLE [01:50:01] ABOUT. UM, AND SO SOME OF IT'S GONNA BE THAT, BUT THEN A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO BE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WITH, UH, WILDLIFE SERVICES. UH, AND THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND, AND EVEN IF WE SUGGEST AN AREA, IF THEY NOTICE A SINGLE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THAT SPECIFIC AREA, THEY WON'T DO IT. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A BACKDROP. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN ANGLE TO SHOOT DOWN FROM. SO, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT WOULD GO INTO IT. WE KIND OF START THE CONVERSATION AND GET THAT GOING AND SHARE WITH THEM AREAS AND, UH, THAT'S VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WORTHINGTON DID. AND THEN THEY CAN COME IN AND SAY, YES, THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. NO, THIS ISN'T. AND WE WORK ON THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE SAFETY, IF WE'RE GONNA BE USING SAFETY AS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC POLICY DRIVERS FOR THIS, THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTER SIDE OF THAT IS GONNA BE THE SAFETY OF THE REMOVAL PROGRAM ITSELF, UH, TOO. SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT. AND JUST THE LAST POINT THAT I'LL BRING UP, UH, JUST HAS TO DO WITH THE EDUCATION. UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT CONTACTED ME, UM, WITH VERY STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT THIS ON BOTH SIDES. UM, I DO KNOW THAT PEOPLE THAT, LIKE WE HEARD FROM, UH, THE RESIDENT WHO SUBMITTED TESTIMONY, UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE SOME VERY PASSIONATE PEOPLE ABOUT NOT REMOVING THE DEER. AND I THINK THIS PRESENTS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UM, TO EXPLAIN TO THEM SOME OF THE NON-LETHAL METHODS AND WHY THEY MIGHT NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL. UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, THE STERILIZATION METHODS, I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE COST, BUT THE COST IS EXORBITANT BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE OVER NUMEROUS YEARS TO DO THAT. AND SO THE TOTAL COST, UM, FOR THE CITY WOULD BE MUCH MORE, AND IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE. UM, AND WE ALREADY KNOW THAT RESTRICTIONS DOESN'T REALLY WORK. AND ALSO, UH, RELOCATION IS ILLEGAL. MM-HMM . AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN SHOWN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE MOST, UM, THE MOST EFFICACIOUS WAY IS THE TARGETED REMOVAL. AND SO ACTUALLY I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF TARGETED REMOVAL AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, VICKI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT CSAC AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK OF THE GROUP. AND EMILY, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD A, A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION SECTION AND YOU HAD SOME EXPERTS COME SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. YEAH. I, I THINK BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH, UM, OF THE YES AND NOS MEASUREMENTS, UM, UH, HOW IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED, HOW YOU WOULD MEASURE THAT, THAT I THINK IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO TAKE THIS TO A WORK SESSION AND MAYBE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE, SOME OF THE SAME EXPERTS THAT YOU DID. UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT A, THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. YES. YOU GUYS HAVE WORKED ON THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. UM, AND I, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A USEFUL THING BECAUSE AGAIN, I HAVE A FAIR NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS REALLY BENEFITED FROM HEARING FROM SOME EXPERTS. SO, UM, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THAT MIGHT BE A POSITIVE NEXT STEP FOR THIS GROUP. SO I'LL PUT THAT OUT THERE. IS THAT A MOTION? UM, THAT IS A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO A WORK SESSION? I'LL SECOND IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 'CAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I TALKING IN A WHILE. YEAH. I'LL SECOND YOUR MOTION. THANK YOU. MS. CRAM? YES. MS. A LUDO? YES. DR. LAMB? YES. MS. JOHNSON? YES. VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES. MAYOR AROSE GROOMS. MR. KEELER? YES. OKAY. WELL WE WILL, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT ON A WORK SESSION AGENDA IN THE NEAR TERM AND, UH, STAFF CAN LINE UP THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES, UH, FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWERED. SO THIS WILL BRING US TO, UH, THE FINAL ITEM ON OUR OTHER BUSINESS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA IS INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY QUARTERLY BRIEFING. AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT TO US THIS EVENING BY BRANDON BROWN. WELCOME, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, TONIGHT, UH, IS A QUARTERLY BRIEFING AND WHAT I, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, THE PATTERN WE'VE BEEN DOING IS THESE DURING THE YEARS WITH A TECHNOLOGY TOPIC OF YOUR CHOICE OR JUST GIVING YOU A BROAD OVERVIEW BASED ON OUR, OUR DIFFERENT FOCUS AREAS THAT WE FOCUS ON. SO WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH THOSE FOCUS AREAS AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ONGOING WITHIN OUR CUSTOMER FOCUS FOCUS AREA. UH, WE, WITHIN OUR HELP DESK, WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR SUPPORT OR HELP DESK TICKETING SYSTEM. IT, IT HAS SOME BAKED IN AI TOOLS IN THERE THAT WILL HELP WITH TROUBLESHOOTING AND SEARCHING OF KNOWLEDGE BASE. AND THAT'S TO HELP OUR STAFF RESOLVE PROBLEMS QUICKER AND TO LEARN. THE SYSTEM ACTUALLY LEARNS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CONDUCT SOME CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, AND OVERALL IT LEADERSHIP TRAINING WITH THAT TEAM AS WELL. WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OFFER OUT TO A NEW SUPPORT ANALYST. WE ARE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE FROM WITHIN FOR A COUPLE OF THOSE. AND THAT LEFT US WITH ONE EMPTY SPOT AND I BELIEVE THAT OFFER IS GOING OUT TODAY. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THEN ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL IS THAT AS WE DO HELP DESK TICKETS AND TICKETS COME BACK, THEY ALL GO OUT WITH A SURVEY OR 90% OF THEM DO. AND SO OF THOSE WE [01:55:01] DO GET SOME MEANINGFUL INFORMATION BACK WHERE WE CAN GO BACK AND FOLLOW UP WITH THE CUSTOMER IF SOMETHING WASN'T COMPLETED CORRECTLY OR IF THEY'RE STILL LINGERING ISSUES. BUT OVERALL, THOSE COME BACK AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF 90% OR A HUNDRED PERCENT SATISFACTION WITH 90% OF, UM, COMPLETELY SATISFIED. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON IS WITHIN THIS QUARTER, THIS UPCOMING QUARTER, WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT A MORE FORMALIZED IT SURVEY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION JUST TO FIND OUT WHERE PEOPLE THINK WE COULD HELP THEM MORE. AND WE'RE ALSO DESIGNING AN EDUCATION SERIES BASED ON OHIO TECH CRED AND SOME OTHER RESOURCES, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TO KIND OF INCREASE AI LITERACY AND AI, UM, DIFFERENT AREAS OF FUNCTIONALITY WITHIN THE CITY. MOVING ON TO THE FOCUS AREA OF SECURITY, WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR ZERO TRUST NETWORK ARCHITECTURE. I HAD WARNED YOU THAT'S A BUZZWORD THAT'S OUT THERE AND, AND I, I'LL DISCUSS IT A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH AT SOME OF OUR SECURITY BRIEFINGS. UM, BUT THAT'S MOVING ALONG NICELY. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO, WE'VE ALSO IMPLEMENTED AN ADVANCED E EMAIL FILTERING AND SOME OF OUR OTHER SECURITY PRACTICES. YOU'LL SEE THIS EMAIL FILTERING COME UP A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S A SECURITY FEATURE, IT'S ALSO A HUGE PRODUCTIVITY FEATURE AND YOU ALL WILL GET IT AS WELL. SO YOU'LL GET SOME COMMUNICATION OUT, UH, PASS THAT THROUGH JENNY. BUT BASICALLY WITHIN YOUR EMAIL YOU WILL HAVE A PROMOTIONS BOX ALONG WITH YOUR INBOX AND THAT'S WHERE THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY SPAM OR JUNK, BUT IT'S THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF CLUTTERING YOUR VIEW OR IT MAY BE NEWSLETTERS AND VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S A VERY SMART SYSTEM, SO IF YOU DO FIND SOMETHING WITHIN THAT FOLDER THAT YOU DO WANT EYES ON ON YOUR INBOX, YOU JUST DRAG IT BACK AND IT LEARNS IMMEDIATELY AND IT STARTS DELIVERING IT THERE. SO IF ANY OF YOU HAVE GMAIL OR YAHOO OR SOME OF THE OLDER EMAILS, THOSE ALL HAVE THOSE AS WELL. AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE JUST, WE'RE WORKING ON DEPLOYING THAT. AND THEN IF PEOPLE REALLY CAN'T COME TO TERMS WITH IT, DON'T LIKE IT, FIND THAT IT'S HIDING TOO MANY THINGS, WE HAVE SOME GREAT USE CASES, LIKE SOME OF OUR FOLKS THAT GET INVOICES, THEY NEED TO SEE EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. UM, WE'LL TAKE REQUESTS TO TURN THAT OFF. SO YOU'LL BE SEEING SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT COMING SOON. OUR 2026 COMPLIANCE TRAINING HAS BEEN COMPLETED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND SOMETHING WE IMPLEMENTED TOWARD THE END OF LAST YEAR WAS WITHIN THE MONDAY MORNING UPDATE, JUST AWARENESS AND EDUCATION, BUILDING A SCAM OF THE MONTH. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST CLICKTHROUGHS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE MONDAY MORNING UPDATE, WHICH REALLY SHOWS THE SUCCESS THAT WE CONTINUE TO RELY ON OUR STAFF FOR BEING VERY ASTUTE AND VERY, A BIG PART OF OUR SECURITY PROGRAM ON THE SITE OF EXERCISES AND REVIEWS, ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY, WE'RE HOLDING AN INCIDENT RESPONSE TABLETOP WITH OUR IT TEAM AND, UH, THE VCSO. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING OUR BUSINESS CONTINUITY. THAT'LL HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT QUARTER, EXCUSE ME, WITHIN FOUNDATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO REAP BENEFITS OF THE ALTA FIBER PARTNERSHIP, WHERE WE HAVE FOUND A FEW DIFFERENT PATHS AROUND THE CITY WHERE WE CAN CONNECT TO FAR REACHING TRAFFIC CABINETS, BUILDING RADIO TOWER REDUNDANCY, AND, AND THAT'S COMING ONLINE. AND ALSO, WE'RE RECONFIGURING HOW OUR NETWORK IS ROUTED BETWEEN OUR THREE DATA CENTERS AND MOVING SOME OF THE FUNCTIONALITY AMONGST THOSE FOR BETTER RESILIENCY. WE DID DO SOME ANALYSIS WITHIN OUR COMMUNICATIONS WORLD, AND WE FOUND, UH, $42,000 ACTUAL SAVINGS. AND WE ARE THE NEXT ONE THAT WAS MORE OF THE, UH, VOICEOVER INTERNET AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNICATION. AND STARTING THIS YEAR, WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT OUR MOBILE USAGE FOR THE SAME TYPE OF SAVINGS. AND THEN ON KIND OF AN EXPERIMENTAL FRONT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ARE WORKING WITH A STARTUP THAT PROVIDES SHORT RANGE, THINK ONE TO THREE MILES, FIVE MILES OF WIRELESS BROADBAND. THAT'S DONE THROUGH A LASER. IT'S REALLY COOL. SO FIBER COMES TO THE LASER. THE LASER SHOOTS THE DISTANCE THAT THE FIBER WOULD BE HARD TO REACH, WHETHER IT'S BORING UNDER ROCK OR OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. AND CONNECTING TO ANOTHER RECEIVING LASER END THAT THEN TRANSMITS THROUGH THE FIBER. IT'S, WE WOULD BE THE FIRST COMMUNITY DOING THIS. THEY WORK WITH A LOT OF TELCOS. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF REALLY GOOD USE CASES AT SOME OF OUR PARKS AND SOME DIFFERENT AREAS. SO WE MAY DO A PROOF OF CONCEPT WITH THAT. WE DRIVE A LOT OF VALUE AND IMPACT. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PHASE TWOS COMING UP. I'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT SOME POWER BI USAGE AND ANALYTICS WITHIN OUR FINANCE AREA, AND THERE'S A SECONDARY PHASE OF THAT THAT'S KICKED OFF AND ALMOST DONE. AND THEN WORKING WITH GENIE'S TEAM IN TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY, THERE'S A SECOND PHASE OF AN ANALYTICS DASHBOARD, BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THE DIFFERENT TRAFFIC AND MOBILITY, UH, INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE BEING COLLECTED BY THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR UTILITY TEAM ON SOME AI ASSISTED VIDEO ANALYTICS FOR SEWER PIPE CLEANING. SO AS THEY, THEY, UH, GO THROUGH AND GET THAT VIDEO, IT'S RATED BY AI, IT'S QA QC BY A TEAM OF PEOPLE. AND THEN THAT GOES INTO OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF AI HERE. AND IMPORTANTLY, I'M GONNA START AT THE BOTTOM THERE BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE. SO WE DID IMPLEMENT AN AI TOOL THAT [02:00:01] IS ACTUALLY SITS ON OUR COMPUTERS AND SITS ON OUR NETWORK AND JUST MAKES SURE THAT DATA LOSS PREVENTION IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN SECURITY. SO WE'RE NOT UPLOADING INCORRECT DOCUMENTS TO SOME OF THESE TOOLS. UM, AND ALSO JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH AI. IT REALLY HELPS US GENERATE USE CASES AND FIND THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE BEEN BUILDING MICROSOFT CO-PILOT AGENTS THAT ARE USED BY OUR FRONT DESK AND SOME ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO FIND AREAS WHERE WE COMBINE AUTOMATION AND THOSE AGENTS TOGETHER TO MAKE STAFF MORE EFFICIENT WITHIN THE BUSINESS SOLUTION SIDE OF THINGS FOR DRIVING VALUE AND IMPACT, WE'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING SYSTEMS THAT WE DO HAVE. WE'RE REMOVING OLD SYSTEMS, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING NEW. SO A COUPLE OF NEW THINGS COMING UP THIS YEAR ARE A COURT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION AND AN HR AND PAYROLL SOLUTION. UH, WE'RE ALSO IMPLEMENTING AN ADVANCED AN AI DOCUMENT, SEARCH AND ASSISTANT BASED TOOL THAT'S DIRECTED DIRECTLY FOCUSED ON TWO AREAS OF THE CITY. ONE IS CITY GOVERNANCE, MEANING THIS BODY CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. UM, THIS IS AN INTERNAL STAFF BASED TOOL THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO AS WELL AS OUR STAFF. BUT THINK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO DEEP EASY, NATURAL LANGUAGE, SEARCHING ON ORDINANCES, MINUTES RESOLUTIONS, UM, ANYTHING OF THAT TYPE OF NATURE POLICY, VARIOUS POLICIES. AND THE TOOL ISN'T JUST A SEARCH TOOL. IT ALSO ASSISTS STAFF IN DRAFTING DRAFT MEMOS, UM, PULLING TOGETHER DIFFERENT TOPICS FOR PRESENTATIONS. AND IN OUR ANALYZATION AREA, WE'RE ANALYZING OUR FLEET AND FUEL. UM, THIS, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST USE THIS AS A EXAMPLE TO SHOW YOU EACH YEAR FOR BUDGETING. WE TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ANALYZE. THIS ONE CAME BACK THAT THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IS STILL TOP-NOTCH SYSTEM. THEY'RE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING IT, IT'S STILL AN INDUSTRY LEADER. SO NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE THE MONEY THAT WE HAD BUDGETED IN CASE WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THAT. AND SO WE'LL REALLOCATE THAT TO A DIFFERENT PROJECT OR, OR BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND ON THE STAFF ENABLEMENT SIDE, AGAIN, I, I MENTIONED SOME OF THE EDUCATION THAT WE'RE DOING AND THEN THE ADVANCED EMAIL FILTERING, BECAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S A HUGE PRODUCTIVE PRODUCTIVITY BOOST. AND FINALLY, ON THE INNOVATION FRONT, UH, WE HAVE AN INTERNAL WORKING GROUP THAT'S COINED DOUBLE INNOVATION. AND THIS IS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE CITY THAT COME TOGETHER TO LOOK AT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, TO LOOK AT ALL KINDS OF NEAT WAYS THE CITY CAN DO THINGS. SO THINK AUTONOMOUS MOWERS, THINK OF DRONES, THINK OF AUGMENTED REALITY, VIRTUAL REALITY, NOT JUST AI, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER ONE. SO WE'VE HELD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT EVENTS WHERE WE PULL PEOPLE TOGETHER AND EXPLORE CERTAIN OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND TRY TO GENERATE IDEAS OF WHERE THEY CAN BE APPLIED WITHIN THE CITY. THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS A SERIES OF WEARABLE DEVICES AND MEETING NOTE TAKERS FOR WHEN WE'RE NOT IN A VIRTUAL MEETING, HOW CAN WE TAKE SOME NOTES AND GET, GET OURSELVES NOTES. AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN YOUR DAY JOBS. AND THEN I, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF STAFF MEMBERS ACTUALLY THIS WEEK ATTENDING SMART CITIES CONNECT CONFERENCE IN RALEIGH DURHAM TO BRING BACK EVEN MORE IDEAS AND TO SHARE OUR IDEAS WITH OTHERS. WITH THAT UPDATE, MY COMPLETES MY UPDATE. SO THANK YOU. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCIL QUESTIONS DISCUSSION. BRANDON, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS ALWAYS FUN TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS DUBLIN IS DOING, AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE LEADERS, UH, IN THIS AREA, UM, AND REALLY SET THE EXAMPLE FOR A LOT OF OTHER CITIES. UM, ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD HAD TO DO WITH AI AND AI WAS SPRINKLED ALL THROUGHOUT YOUR PRESENTATION, AND THAT'S THE WAY EVERYONE IS GOING. THE BIGGER QUESTION THAT I HAVE HAS TO DO WITH GOVERNANCE OF IT, LIKE A GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK, AND I KNOW YOU ALLUDED TO IT MM-HMM . UM, AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S RESTED UPON BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH THEY'VE CHOSEN NOT TO DO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, WHICH THEY'VE REALLY CHOSEN NOT TO DO. AND SO IT COMES DOWN TO A LOT OF THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO DO IT. UM, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME SPECIFIC THINGS ABOUT POLICY COMPLIANCE AND DATA LOSS PREVENTION, BUT IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO THE GREATER AI GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK? BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, THAT COULD LEAD INTO SOME LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS, NOT ONLY DATA SECURITY, BUT LEGAL STUFF, UM, FOR INSTANCE WITH WEARABLE DEVICES, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RISE OF AGE AGENTIC AI. HOW DO WE PUT CONTROLS ON THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT IS THINKING ABOUT AS WE MAKE ALL THESE FORAYS, UH, INTO AI? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN, UH, OUR APPROACH TO AI IN GENERAL HAS BEEN AN UNDERSTANDING APPROACH AND A NOT OVER LEGISLATING APPROACH FROM INTERNAL SAFETY TOP OF MIND. UM, SO WE DO HAVE, ONE OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS IS FOCUSED AROUND AI USAGE, SO AN AI USE POLICY THAT, THAT COMBINES WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER SECURITY AND TECHNICAL USE POLICIES. BUT WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING AN OVERALL FRAMEWORK, WHICH INCLUDES KIND OF A PLAN OF WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE WORK CONSTANTLY WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM TO UNDERSTAND, I JUST HAD A CALL TODAY ABOUT THE WEARABLE DEVICES AND SOME OF THE MEETING RECORDING DEVICES. AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE BONES ROUND OVER WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE, WITHIN THE NEXT QUARTER, I THINK IS IS OUR TARGET [02:05:01] FOR THAT. SO, SO THAT WE ARE, WE'RE THINKING OF IT MORE IN TERMS OF AS SOLUTIONS COME TO US BECAUSE WE DO UTILIZE A LOT OF SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS. AND SO EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS BAKING AI INTO THEIR PRODUCT. SO THAT GETS PULLED IN AS PART OF OUR SECURITY REVIEW WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING A NEW SOLUTION, UM, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ALONG THAT LINE. SO YES, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. THANKS, BRANDON. I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT INFORMATION. UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL AI, PARTICULARLY AGE AGENTIC AI, UM, REGARDING TAXES. UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN GO TO OTHER SITES AND UPLOAD MY W2 AND BAM, IT FILLS IT OUT FOR ME. UM, THAT'S NOT A PRESSING ISSUE. HOWEVER, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO DO FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, LOG INTO A CHAT BOT AND SAY, HEY, I NEED MY TAXES. I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT. SURE. YOU KNOW, DROP YOUR W2 RIGHT HERE AND IT SUCKS IT IN AND HELPS YOU UPLOAD IT. UM, THE OTHER PLACE THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IT WOULD BE, UM, RELATIVE TO OUR REC TRACK SYSTEM, RIGHT? AND LIKE, HEY, I'D REALLY LIKE TO TAKE A CLASS ON HOT YOGA. I DON'T KNOW. RIGHT? AND THEN IT, IT CAN HELP YOU NOT ONLY FIND THE CLASS, BUT THEN REGISTER FOR THE CLASS. UM, THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK OF JUST FROM A DAY-TO-DAY PERSPECTIVE AS JUST A RESIDENT, UM, THAT, THAT I KNOW I WOULD FIND VERY, VERY USEFUL. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WITH GOLD DOUBLE, AND I, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY THAT, THAT EVENTUALLY WILL NEED TO GO AS WELL AS FROM AN AGENTIC AI PERSPECTIVE. LIKE, I NEED TO ORDER THE CHIPPER SHREDDER. SURE. LET ME HELP YOU DO THAT. RIGHT. SO THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS AS FAR AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR ON THE RESIDENT SIDE OF THINGS. UM, BUT TH THIS IS REALLY GOOD INFORMATION. THANKS FOR PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE IT IN ONE PLACE. GREAT. YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT FEEDBACK AND I CAN UPDATE YOU ON A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. ONE, ONE ASPECT IS THAT WE DO PUSH ON OUR VENDOR COMMUNITY QUITE A BIT, AND WHEN WE DO DO THOSE LIFECYCLE REVIEWS, THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR CONSIDERATIONS AND PART OF OUR RUBRIC IS THAT, IS THAT FUNCTIONALITY OFFERED AND THEN IS IT OFFERED IN A SECURE AND STABLE AND RESILIENT WAY? UM, SO, SO THAT JUST, IS IT GOING TO GET INTO THE PIPELINE A LITTLE BIT MORE? JUST UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS SOMETIMES WE'RE AT THE BEHEST OF OUR VENDORS, BUT WE CAN KNOCK ON THEIR DOORS QUITE A BIT AND WE'RE TYPICALLY PRETTY PESKY WITH THEM. UM, THE TAXES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACTIVELY BEING WORKED ON AND HOPEFULLY BEING ROLLED OUT NEXT YEAR FOR TAX SEASON, WHERE THERE WILL BE SOME OF THOSE TOOLS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES ON THE TAXPAYER SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ALSO HIGHLY CREATE HIGH EFFICIENCY WITH OUR TAX TEAM SO THEY CAN DO MORE ANALYSIS AND GREAT THINGS. YEAH. JUST TO FOLLOW UP, MATT AND I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION TODAY ABOUT THE TAX INITIATIVE AND WE PLAN TO BRING THAT FORWARD AS AN OTHER ITEM NEXT MEETING, COUPLE MEETINGS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. THAT'S GREAT. BUT I, THAT'S EXCITING. I, I ALSO WANNA STRESS VERY, VERY HIGHLY THAT WHILE WE KNOW THAT AGENTIC AI CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS, WE HAVE TO ALSO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE THINK OF THE, THE MOMENT WHEN IT'S TIME TO HAND OFF SOMEONE WARM HANDOFF FROM AN, UH, AN AGENT TO A HUMAN BEING. 'CAUSE I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE TAX STAFF THAT WE HAVE PROVIDES AN ENORMOUS VALUE. THEY'RE WONDERFUL. THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT JUST GOOD AT TAXES, THEY'RE INCREDIBLY GOOD WITH PEOPLE. AND I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND 'CAUSE I HAD A COUPLE ISSUES, BUT THEY WERE, I MEAN, THEY WERE THERE, THEY SOLVED THEM. THEY, THEY WERE PLEASANT TO WORK WITH. THEY'RE LIKE, NO PROBLEM. AND LEMME FIX THIS FOR YOU. SO I, I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR, LIKE, THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION TO SAY WE NEED TO REPLACE PEOPLE. IT IS THAT WE NEED TO HELP PEOPLE BE MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT THEY CAN TRULY HELP THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY, REALLY NEED THAT DEEP HELP SOMETIMES. LIKE ME, YOU KNOW, I I I WOULD JUST GO BACK TO, UM, WE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR WEBSITE, GENERALLY SPEAKING AS A CITY. AND I, I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE BIG TASKS AHEAD WILL BE, I, I I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE ABLE TO USE THESE TOOLS AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COMMIT TO DEVELOPING A, A WEBSITE TOOL THAT WILL FUNCTION IN, UM, IN LIGHT OF THE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT. SO, UM, I KNOW THAT IS A, A MAJOR UNDERTAKING, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ON OUR HORIZON. BUT THANK YOU. THIS IS ALL, ALL GOOD NEWS AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, GREAT INFORMATION FOR US. SO APPRECIATE YOU TONIGHT, BRANDON. THANK YOU. OKAY, THIS BRINGS [STAFF COMMENTS] US TO THE STAFF COMMENTS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. AND ON THAT IS THE GOLF CLUB OF DUBLIN, ANNUAL REVIEW OF OPERATIONS. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I HAVE JUST A FEW ITEMS, UM, AND THEN I WILL WRAP UP WITH A HIGHLIGHT ON THAT. UM, FIRST BEAN ST. PATRICK'S DAY IS HERE. UH, SO THIS WEEKEND WE WILL KICK OFF ST. PATRICK'S DAY WITH OUR GREENEST GRANDEST PARADE STARTING AT THE METRO CENTER AT 11:00 AM [02:10:01] WE HOPE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME OUT TO THIS FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT THAT IS THE KICKOFF OF SPRING, THE 2026 GRAND. UM, LEPRECHAUN JOE FOX NOMINATED FOR HIS ROLE WITH THE MIRACLE LEAGUE, WILL LEAD THE PARADE ALONG WITH TOP SPONSOR OHIO HEALTH. AFTER THE PARADE VISIT, DUBLIN WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO BUILD THE WORLD'S LARGEST, UM, SHAMROCK IN RIVERSIDE CROSSING PARK AT ONE 30. SO THEY'RE HOPING TO GET APPROXIMATELY 18 815 PEOPLE TO JOIN IN TO BREAK THE RECORD. SO PLEASE INVITE AS MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AS YOU CAN TO PARTICIPATE. ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THAT EVENT WILL RECEIVE A GREEN PONCHO AND A KEY CHAIN. AND THEN LATER IN THE EVENING, THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC ALLIANCE HAS ORGANIZED THE ST. PATRICK'S DAY PUB CRAWL, BOTH IN HISTORIC DUBLIN AND IN BRIDGE PARK. SO THAT'S A EVENTFUL DAY TO CELEBRATE. NEXT TOPIC. AFTER ORDINANCE ONE OF 26 TAKES EFFECT FOR THE NEW NOISE LEGISLATION, NO ENGINE BRAKE SIGNS WILL BE POSTED ALONG HARD ROAD AND RIVERSIDE DRIVE. THE SIGNS WILL INFORM DRIVERS OF THE NEW RESTRICTION, WHICH WILL BE ENFORCEABLE UPON INSTALLATION OF THE SIGNS. THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE SHOWN ON THE SCREEN WERE SELECTED BASED ON KNOWN TRUCK TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND ALSO LOCATIONS OF CONCERNS THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED. UM, INSTALLATIONS EXPECTED TO BE ON MARCH 12TH, AND THAT'S WEATHER PERMITTING, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING. WE'LL BEGIN EDUCATING RESIDENTS OF THE NOISE REGULATIONS, UPDATES THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, OUR DNNE E-NEWSLETTER TO RESIDENTS GO DUBLIN, TEXT NOTIFICATIONS AND OUR OTHER VARIOUS, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. SO I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE. SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT GET IMPLEMENTED. UM, NEXT, THE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SCHOOL SAFETY ACTION PLAN OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF IN DECEMBER, AND IT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING THE SAFETY OF WALKING AND BIKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THE PLAN WILL IDENTIFY POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS ENHANCED CROSSINGS, SIDEWALKS, BIKEWAY CONNECTIONS, SIGNS AND MARKINGS. AND IN THE COMING WEEKS, THE PROJECT WILL MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PHASE, AND THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE A TELL DUBLIN PAGE ALONG WITH AN ONLINE SURVEY, INTERACTIVE MAPPING TOOLS, AND ALSO A MIX OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SCHOOL-BASED ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GATHER FEEDBACK. SO THIS IS A GREAT, UM, ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. ALSO WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY ADJACENT TO DUBLIN ALONG HIGHLAND CROIX IN JEROME TOWNSHIP. STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH JEROME TOWNSHIP STAFF REGARDING THE PROPOSED REZONING AT HALL'S CORNER PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OR PUD, AND THAT'S LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF HIGHLAND CROIX ROAD, JUST NORTH OF POST ROAD. AS SHOWN IN THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN, THE REQUEST INVOLVES THE REZONING OF APPROXIMATELY 30 ACRES TO AMEND THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A NEARLY 160,000 SQUARE FOOT MEYER RETAIL STORE WITH MORE THAN 500 PARKING SPACES. ON FEBRUARY 12TH, THE LOGAN UNION AND CHAMPAIGN REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERED THE HALLS CORNER PUD REZONING REQUEST AND RECOMMENDED IT FOR APPROVAL. THE REQUEST PROCEEDED TO THE JEROME TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 23RD, AND THAT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL WITH MODIFICATIONS. THE REZONING APPLICATION IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR REVIEW AND DETERMINATION BY THE JEROME TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES ON MARCH 17TH. UM, THE CITY HAS FORMALLY SUBMITTED COMMENTS AND OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST TO JEROME TOWNSHIP AT EACH STEP OF THE REVIEW AND STAFF IS PREPARING ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE AHEAD OF NEXT WEEK'S TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE MEETING. CITY STAFF HAVE ALSO EMAILED, UM, DUBLIN, HOA LEADERSHIP ALONG THE HIGHLAND CROIX CORRIDOR, AND ALSO POSTED UPDATES ON NEXTDOOR TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE THE MOST UPTODATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AND THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE TIMING OF THE MEETINGS IN JEROME TOWNSHIP. AND SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATION TO THESE GROUPS, UM, THIS WEEK AHEAD OF THE TRUSTEE MEETING, AND WE WILL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL AS WELL. AND THEN LASTLY, AS COUNCIL'S AWARE, THE CITY HAS A LONG-TERM GROUND LEASE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH KEMPER THROUGH 2042 KEMPER'S RESPONSIBLE UNDER THE TERMS OF THAT AGREEMENT FOR ALL OPERATING COSTS, MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, AND STAFFING OF THE GOLF CLUB OF DUBLIN. THE AGREEMENT REQUIRES KEMPER TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN AN ANNUAL OPERATIONAL REVIEW THAT COVERS THEIR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND U UH, USAGE METRICS. AND WANTED TO MAKE, UH, COUNCIL AWARE THAT STAFF DID MEET WITH KEMPER LEADERSHIP A FEW WEEKS AGO TO REVIEW THE 2025 [02:15:02] OPERATIONS. AND KEMPER LEADERSHIP PRESENTED THE 2025 GOLF CLUB AT DUBLIN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW. AND THAT DOCUMENT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN COUNCIL'S PACKET FOR YOUR REFERENCE AND OPERATIONS, UH, SEEM TO BE GOING RATHER WELL ON THE COURSE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. VERY GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT UP [COUNCIL REPORTS] WILL BE COUNCIL REPORTS. AND WE HAVE ONE COUNCIL REPORT THIS EVENING FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE. SO VICE MAYOR DEROSA WILL DELIVER THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4TH, AND WE HAD TWO TOPICS ON OUR AGENDA. THE FIRST, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED A DRAFT COUNCIL RECOGNITION POLICY. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO ESTABLISHED PARAMETERS FOR COUNCIL RECOGNITION EVENTS ESTABLISHING THESE PARAMETERS REALLY PRO PROMOTE GREATER CONSISTENCY IN HOW THESE ARE CONDUCTED AND PLANNED. THE COMMITTEE PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON THE FIRST DRAFT AND THE REVISED DRAFT WILL RETURN TO THE ADMIN COMMITTEE AND THEN WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH COUNSEL FOR CONSIDERATION. SECONDLY, THE COMMITTEE, UM, RECEIVED AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR 2026 BOARD AND COMMISSION RECRUITMENT SEASON, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF THE TIMELINE RECRUITMENT PLANS AND ANTICIPATED, UH, VACANCY. SO LOOK FOR PROMOTION GOING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND FOR TIME ON YOUR CALENDAR, UH, THE COMMITTEE THEN CONCLUDED, UM, ADER TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF A PUBLIC OFFICIAL. OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON APRIL THE SEVENTH. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WELL, [COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE] THIS WILL BRING US TO OUR COUNCIL ROUND TABLE, AND I'LL START HERE AT MY FAR RIGHT, MS. CRA. MS. JOHNSON, MS. LUDO, I'M GOOD. I'LL SEE EVERYONE ON SATURDAY AT THE PARADE. GREG, ANDY. SO, UM, ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY THE 27TH, A LOT OF US ATTENDED THE, UM, DUBLIN EDUCATION FOUNDATION. I SAW GREG, CHRIS, UM, KATHY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT THEY DO. THEY'RE LIKE AN INCUBATOR OR ANGEL FUND FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. BASICALLY, UH, FUNDING PROJECTS THAT THESE STUDENTS COME UP WITH, REALLY INNOVATIVE PROJECTS. SO MORE POWER TO THEM FOR THAT. AND HATS OFF TO STAFF FOR SHOWCASING OUR HISTORY AND HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK, THE EFFORTS OF THE FOLKS THAT CAME BEFORE US HERE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY. THANKS. GREAT, THANKS. UM, I'LL BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING THE FINANCE TEAM. MATT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT IN THE BUDGET AND NEW CASE FOR ALL THE TROPHIES AND PLAQUES 'CAUSE YOU GUYS ARE RUNNING OUTTA ROOM. BUT YEAR AFTER YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY SET THE BAR, YOU, YOU LEAP OVER IT, NOT JUST CRAWL OVER. AND SO WE, WE APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY, THE HARD WORK, AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR THAT. UM, AND YES, ANDY, IT WAS A, A GREAT EVENT. AND THE HIGHLIGHT, OF COURSE IS TO SEE ALL OF THE STUDENTS PRESENT THEIR OWN WORK AND THEIR OWN INNOVATIONS, AND THAT WAS, WAS REALLY WONDERFUL. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF FOR THE STATE OF THE CITY. THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR YOUR WORK ON THE STATE OF THE CITY. UM, IT WAS, UM, ALWAYS A MOMENT OF PRIDE AND WE APPRECIATE ALL, ALL THE WORK. WE KNOW THERE'S TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. UM, UH, GREG, UH, CHRIS AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BREAKFAST THAT THE CHAMBER PUT ON. THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVERY YEAR. UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS THE ECONOMY IS DOING BETTER THAN I THINK ANY OF THE EXPERTS THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, UM, ACTUALLY LED BY HEALTHCARE SPENDING. UM, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UM, DO, UM, ATTEND THE GROUNDBREAKING AND I'M SURE THE MAYOR WILL HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THAT AS WELL. SO WE REPRESENT THAT GROWTH IN HIGH QUALITY, UM, UH, HEALTHCARE AS WELL. AND THEN, UM, FRIDAY, THIS FRIDAY THE 13TH IS NOT ONLY A LUCKY DAY, BUT IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE MAYOR'S BIRTHDAY. SO, UH, FRIDAY THE 13TH, YOU HEARD IT. 35. AGAIN, HERE YOU GO. ON BEHALF OF UN LUCKY, ALL YOU COUNCIL, UH, HAVE, HAVE A GOOD ONE. THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY KIND. I APPRECIATE THAT. UH, JUST WANNA RUN THROUGH A COUPLE THINGS. ON, ON FEBRUARY THE 25TH, THE OHIO MAYORS ALLIANCE HAD HAD A LUNCHEON WITH A GROUP OF, UH, MAYORS FROM THE UK. UH, WAS A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION. I WAS JOINED BY THE MAYOR OF FINLEY, OF COLUMBUS, AND OF MANSFIELD, A A HANDFUL OF MAYORS. GREAT CONVERSATION. AND IT'S REALLY A REMINDER OF WHAT A GLOBAL CITY THAT WE ARE. AND THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE HERE ARE THE SAME ONES THAT THE UK IS FACING IN MANY INSTANCES. SO, UM, THAT WAS A GREAT, UH, TRIANGULATION OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING. AGAIN, THE CHAMBER FORECAST, UH, ECONOMIC FORECAST BREAKFAST WAS THE 26TH, FOLLOWED BY THE DUBLIN METHODIST HOSPITAL. GROUNDBREAKING. AND THAT WAS REALLY A HEARTWARMING TIME OF, OF TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A HOSPITAL IN YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THE CELEBRATIONS AND THE, THE DEPARTURES WITH DIGNITY AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND SO IT WAS, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO OUR [02:20:01] HOSPITAL SYSTEMS THAT CALL THE CITY OF DUBLIN HOME, BUT MOST RECENTLY, UH, DUBLIN METHODIST FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO GROWTH AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. UM, THE DUBLIN EDUCATION FOUNDATION EVENING WAS WONDERFUL. WE HAVE ALL BEEN EXPERIENCING OUR CODE AUDIT INTERVIEWS, WHICH NOTHING SAYS FUN LIKE I THINK YOU DO. SPELL FUN CODE C-O-D-E-I THINK SO. THAT'S GREAT. UM, WE, ON THE FIFTH WE HAD THE MORSEY, UH, OFFICERS MEETING AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. UH, I'LL HAVE MORE TO ANNOUNCE ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THAT AFTER OUR COMMISSION MEETING THIS WEEK. UM, CERTAINLY, UH, WANNA THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS FOR COMING OUT TO THE STATE OF THE CITY AND, AND HAVING SUCH GREAT ATTENDANCE THERE AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT. UH, MEGAN AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE COMMA MEETING ON FRIDAY. UH, AND OUR, UH, GUEST FOR THAT DAY WAS THE COLUMBUS PARTNERSHIP TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SEE ON THEIR HORIZON. AND, AND SINCE THEN THEY HAVE NAMED THE NEW, UH, ONE COLUMBUS DIRECTOR. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS THERE AND, AND SEEING HOW WE CANNOT PARTICIPATE, UH, MORE IN THE GROWTH OF CENTRAL OHIO. AND, UH, THEN ON SATURDAY NIGHT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE DUBLIN WOMEN'S, UH, PHILANTHROPIC CLUB DINNER, UH, THEIR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER IN THIS YEAR'S HONOREE WITH SHARON ZIMMERS. UM, THEY RAISE A TERRIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY SPEND ON, UH, EDUCATION, MOST NOTABLY, MANY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR WOMEN THAT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN, AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY IN A MORE BROAD FASHION. SO THANK YOU TO THEM. CONGRATULATIONS TO, TO SHARON AS WELL. AND IF THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.