[00:00:01]
AND I WILL CALL THE REGULAR DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2026 TO ORDER.JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MS. ALITO? HERE.
[ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION]
OKAY.I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF CONSIDERING THE EMPLOYMENT OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE.
JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLE MR. KEELER? YES.
I WILL REMIND THE VIEWING PUBLIC THAT WE WILL RECONVENE THIS MEETING IN THIS LOCATION AT 7:00 PM OKAY.
[RECONVENE (7 P.M.)]
IS SEVEN O'CLOCK AND WE WILL RECONVENE THE REGULAR DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 12TH, 2026.WENDY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE
[SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS/RECOGNITION]
OKAY.WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION THIS EVENING FROM THE, UH, DUBLIN YOUTH ATHLETICS 70 70TH ANNIVERSARY PROCLAMATION.
I BELIEVE THAT MITCHELL BRYANT IS HERE WITH US.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE THIS? I'LL ACTUALLY, I'LL JUST MEET YOU RIGHT DOWN HERE.
YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU COULD BE 70 YEARS OLD,
70 YEARS IS CERTAINLY A FANTASTIC MILESTONE AND TO, UM, HONOR THAT IN ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT DYA HAS PROVIDED TO DUBLIN CITY SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU, SO I WILL READ IT.
IT'S, IT STATES AS FOLLOWS, WHEREAS DUBLIN YOUTH ATHLETICS IS CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF BEING A YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION WITH THE CITY OF DUBLIN.
AND WHEREAS D'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EVERY CHILD WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, GROW, AND THRIVE THROUGH ATHLETICS, WHILE FOSTERING THE VALUES OF TEAMWORK, SPORTSMANSHIP, RESPECT, AND PERSEVERANCE.
AND WHEREAS EACH YEAR, DYA FURTHERS THAT MISSION BY SERVING CHILDREN OF ALL SKILL LEVELS IN A SAFE, INCLUSIVE, AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEIR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS IS MEASURED NOT BY WINS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUT BY THE CONFIDENCE GAINED, THE SKILLS DEVELOPED IN THE FRIENDSHIPS FORMED.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DUBLIN HAS GROWN, SO HAS DYA WHO IS PROUD OF THE HUNDREDS OF COACHES, BOARD MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO DEDICATE COUNTLESS HOURS EACH YEAR TO CREATE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES FOR THESE YOUNG ATHLETES.
WHEREAS YOUTH SPORTS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO COME TOGETHER, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES, ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERISM, AND CREATE LASTING MEMORIES THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY RE RELATIONSHIPS, ALL OF WHICH CREATE A STRONGER AND MORE CONNECTED DUBLIN.
AND WHEREAS WE APPRE, WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF D'S COMMITMENT TO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF DUBLIN PARKS AND RECREATION AND DUBLIN CITY SCHOOLS, AS THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD CONTINUES TO HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRIS AROSE GROOMS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN ON BEHALF OF DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY WISH THE DUBLIN YOUTH ATHLETICS A VERY HAPPY 70TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE CITY OF DUBLIN AND CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS OF DUBLIN TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THEIR MISSION AND GOOD WORKS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? I'M GOOD.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
OKAY.THIS BRINGS US TO THE CITIZENS' 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, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN IN.
IF YOU DID NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY THIS EVENING, WE WILL RECOGNIZE YOU WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THOSE THAT DID, UM, AND WE WILL RECOGNIZE YOU TO PROVIDE YOUR COMMENTS AT THAT TIME.
LINDSAY, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGN IN TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNSEL, NO ONE HAS SIGNED IN TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN
[00:05:01]
IN, THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL ON A TOPIC THAT IS NOT ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA MY FORWARD.UM, I'LL JUST START FROM THE LEFT AND I'LL WORK MY WAY TO THE RIGHT.
AND SO IF YOU WOULD, WE ASK THAT YOU COME FORWARD, YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD, AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNSEL ON THE TOPIC OF YOUR CHOOSING.
MY NAME IS KEVIN CASEY, AND I THINK MOST OF THE PEOPLE KNOW WHO I AM HERE.
TWO WEEKS AGO, ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, I STOOD AT THIS VERY PODIUM AND ASKED FOR ONE SENTENCE OF NOTICE.
LATER THAT NIGHT, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE NEXT PHASE OF THE DEER PROGRAM, SIX TO NOTHING.
I HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THE DEAL PROGRAM.
IF ANYTHING, I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS OF IT.
LOOK AT WHAT THE DEER GOT A SURVEY WITH 3,656 RESPONSES, A PROMINENT SPACE ON THE WEBSITE AND A 57 MINUTE PODCAST.
WHEN THE CITY COUNTED THEM, IT TOLD EVERYONE HOW A THERMAL DRONE, FOUR DAYS IN APRIL 528TH YEAR AND NEXT MONTH BEFORE THE OPERATIONS BEGIN, EVERY HOUSEHOLD IS GONNA GET A MAILING.
THE DEAR I SHOULD NOTE, NEVER HAD ASKED FOR ANY EVENT.
NOW SEARCH THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR PLACE OR AI ONE RESULT.
THE DISCLOSURE PAGE THAT EXISTS BECAUSE A RESIDENT ASKED, AND THAT RESONANT IS ME.
IT SITS IN THE FOOT OF EVERY PAGE, TWO LINKS ABOVE, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY E-NEWS, WHICH AS FAR AS I CAN FIND, HAS NEVER ONCE MENTIONED IT.
SINCE 2023, THE CITY HAS USED THAT PLATFORM TO ESTIMATE VISITORS FROM ITS PHONE DAY, FROM PHONE LOCATION DATA, INCLUDING MORE THAN 90,000 GUESTS AT THIS YEAR'S IRISH FESTIVAL.
AND THAT WAS JUST ONE WEEKEND.
THAT PLATFORM RUNS EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR ON RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
NOW IT'S FOR NOW SEARCH FOR THAT SAME WEBSITE FOR DEER, AND YOU'LL NEED TO SCROLL.
THE DEER GOT A METHOD, A DATE RANGE, A HEAD COUNT, AND A MAILING.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS GET A DAMN FOOTNOTE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE WEBPAGE.
THE CITY'S WILDLIFE PAGES ALSO COVER THE DEER'S DIET, THEIR FAWNS, THEIR TEMPERAMENT, AND THEIR TRAVEL HABITS.
WHEN DUBLIN WANTS YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING, YOU'LL KNOW IT AND IT'LL BE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
THE CITY JUST CHOOSES WHICH THINGS, AND HOWEVER, THE DEER KEEP ON MAKING THE CUT, I'VE BEEN TOLD.
BUT THE CITY WEIGHS A CAREFUL BALANCE IN HOW MUCH IT COMMUNICATES.
BUT TONIGHT, THE SCALE READS A PODCAST AND A MAILING ON ONE SIDE AND A FOOTER AND A DEFAULT ON THE OTHER.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, A BALANCE THAT ALWAYS LANDS ON SILENCE ISN'T A BALANCE.
IT'S A DEFAULT AND A DEFAULT ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS ARE BEING TOLD AND TO THE PEOPLE THEY ELECT, WHICH IS ALL OF YOU.
A RESIDENT CAN'T ASK A QUESTION ABOUT A PROGRAM NO ONE HAS TOLD THEM EXISTS.
THEY CAN'T WEIGH ITS BENEFITS, RAISE A CONCERN OR SIMPLY SHRUG AND SAY THAT IT'S FINE.
SILENCE DOESN'T JUST WITHHOLD INFORMATION.
AND PEOPLE WILL EVENTUALLY LEARN, THEY WILL LEARN FROM THE CITY.
THE STORY IS TRANSPARENCY, AND I HOPE THAT ONE DAY ALL OF YOU WILL DO WHAT I'VE ASKED.
TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO MY REQUEST STANDS.
PLEASE REFER THIS TO STAFF FOR A WRITTEN REPORT BACK ON ONE SENTENCE AND A LINK TO THE EVENT PAGES SO THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE CITY OF DUBLIN, WHO ARE ITS RESIDENTS WILL KNOW ABOUT THE FULL EFFECT OF PLACER AI.
UH, WE'LL START FROM THIS SIDE.
UM, ANYONE OVER, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD.
THERE'S A LITTLE BUTTON THERE IF YOU COULD PRESS IT.
I LIVE AT 6 9 7 2 MESQUITE COURT.
UM, I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF A, A COMMUNITY THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF INDIAN ROME MEADOWS AND THE STANDARDS THAT MIGHT MAKE DUBLIN A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
LET ME BEGIN WITH SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
MOST OF US HERE, WE SUPPORT RECOVERY.
WE SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO BE REAL, REBUILD THEIR LIVES, AND WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES DIGNITY, COMPASSION,
[00:10:01]
AND ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE SUPPORT.BUT SUPPORTING RECOVERY DOES NOT MEAN ABANDONING ZONING REGULATIONS, OVERLOOKING REQUIRED APPROVALS, OR DISREGARDING THE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS OF THE FAMILIES WHO ALREADY LIVED THERE.
OUR CONCERN IS NOT ABOUT WHO THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE, IT'S ABOUT HOW THE PROPERTY AT 6 0 8 5 TERRA HILL IS BEING USED, WHETHER THAT USE COMPLIES WITH DUBLIN'S LAWS AND WHAT PRECEDENT IT COULD ESTABLISH.
WHERE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD INDIAN RAM MEADOWS WAS EAB DEVELOPED AS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.
FAMILIES PURCHASED HOMES HERE WITH REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
NOW, A PROPERTY AT 6 0 8 5 TERRA HILL DRIVE IS REPORTEDLY BEING OPERATED AS A TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS WITH MULTIPLE RESIDENTS AND STAYS THAT CAN RANGE FROM DAYS TO WEEKS OR MONTHS.
THAT RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT O OCCUPANCY TURNOVER, PARKING, TRAFFIC, SUPERVISION, AND THE PROPERTIES COMPATIBILITY WITH THESE SURROUNDINGS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, DUBLIN'S OWN ZONING CODE ADDRESSES TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE RESIDENCES IN PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH CONDITIONAL USE REQUIREMENTS, WE ASK THE CITY TO DETERMINE CLEARLY WHETHER THIS OPERATION HAS A, HAS ALL THE APPROVALS IT NEEDS, AND WHETHER IT SATISFIES EVERY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENT.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY MUST INVESTIGATE, GATHER FACTS AND FOLLOW DUE PROCESS.
WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO BYPASS THE LAW.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ENFORCE IT FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY AND WITHOUT SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR ANY PROPERTY OWNER OR BUSINESS.
WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS OPERATING MODEL TO EXPAND TO OTHER PROPERTIES WITHIN INDIAN RAM MEADOWS.
IF THIS USE IS PERMITTED WITHOUT APPROPRIATE REVIEW, WHAT PROTECTIONS WILL EXIST FOR THE REST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR FOR OTHER SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT DUBLIN? THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE HOUSE FOLKS.
IT'S ABOUT WHETHER OUR ZONING STANDARDS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY, WHETHER RESIDENTS CAN RELY ON THEM, AND WHETHER THE CITY WILL ACT BEFORE UNCERTAINTY BECOMES A MUCH LARGER PROBLEM.
TONIGHT, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR THREE COMMITMENTS.
FIRST, A CLEAR WRITTEN DETERMINATION OF THE PROPERTY'S PERMITTED USE AND ALL REQUIRED ZONING, OCCUPANCY, AND OPERATING APPROVALS.
SECOND, A TRANSPARENT TIMELINE FOR THE CITY'S INVESTIGATION.
REGULAR UPDATES TO RESIDENTS AND PROMPT ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS ARE ESTABLISHED.
WHETHER DUBLIN'S EXISTING REGULATIONS ADEQUATELY PROTECT ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES FROM INCOMPATIBLE LAND USE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING THE CITY TO DENY ANYONE DIGNITY OR COMPASSION.
WE'RE ASKING THE CITY TO PROTECT BOTH THE PEOPLE SEEKING RECOVERY AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH HOUSING PROGRAMS OPERATE BY ENSURING THAT EVERY APPLICABLE RULE IS FOLLOWED.
COMPASSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE NOT OPPOSITES.
FAIR HOUSING AND RESPONSIBLE ZONING ZONING ARE NOT OPPOSITES.
AND PROTECTING ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER REQUIRE IGNORING THE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS OF ANOTHER.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES ANSWERS, CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT AND A FAIR PROCESS.
PLEASE PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF INDIAN RAM MEADOWS UPHOLDS DUBLIN DUBLIN ZONING STANDARDS, AND GIVE RESIDENTS THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT THEY DESERVE.
OKAY, I THINK THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE THAT WENT.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND WELCOME.
UH, MICROPHONE'S ALREADY ON FOR YOU THERE.
I BELIEVE WE ALL SIGNED IN EARLIER AND IT MUST NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, SO, UM, IT'S OKAY.
I LIVE AT, UH, 6 9 8 8 MESQUITE COURT, AND I'M ALSO REFERRING TO THE RESIDENCE AT 60 85.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE NEW TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY RESIDENCE OPERATED BY DOVE RECOVERY, WHICH OPENED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE END OF AUGUST.
I WANNA BE CLEAR, I'M NOT AGAINST ADDICTION RECOVERY EFFORTS SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS, UH, AS THEY WORK TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AS A VITAL SERVICE WE COLLECTIVELY CAN SUPPORT.
HOWEVER, PLACING A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FACILITY IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRADITIONAL RESIDE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE THAT HAS NEVER HOUSED THIS TYPE OF OPERATION BEFORE, IS SIMPLY THE WRONG LOCATION AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE POPULATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO BLEND IN.
MY PRIMARY CONCERN REVOLVES AROUND THE PREDATORY NATURE OF THE BROADER SOBER LIVING INDUSTRY.
THIS IS SECTOR KNOWN FOR ALARMING RATES OF FRAUD AND EXPLOITATION.
VULNERABLE PEOPLE ARE TOO OFTEN SUBJECTED TO PATIENT BROKERING, WHERE FACILITY OPERATORS ESSENTIALLY TRADE PATIENTS FOR KICKBACKS REFERRAL FEES OR INSURANCE PAYOUTS.
WE ALSO SEE RAMPANT REHAB HOPPING, WHICH CREATES A CONSTANT REVOLVING DOOR OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANTS RATHER THAN A STABLE HEALING ENVIRONMENT.
[00:15:01]
ARE EXPLOITIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT GENERATE REVENUE FOR OPERATORS, WHICH DOVE RECOVERY IS A FOR-PROFIT OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANTS RATHER THAN A STABLE HEALING BEST PRACTICE.FOR OPERATORS, WHILE ACTIVELY FAILING THE PATIENTS THEY CLAIM TO SERVE, WE'VE ALSO WITNESSED POOR REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF THIS HOME ALREADY IN THE SIX SHORT WEEKS IT'S BEEN OPERATING.
I BELIEVE WE'VE CALLED THE POLICE A FEW TIMES WHEN A COMMERCIAL RECOVERY OPERATION MOVES INTO RESIDENTIAL STREET, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD IS FORCED TO BEAR THE RISKS.
THESE UNDER-REGULATED PROFIT DRIVEN PRACTICES, THESE FACILITIES, THIS FACILITY IS EFFECTIVELY A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE OPERATING WHERE OUR FAMILIES LIVE IN AN AREA COMPLETELY UNEQUIPPED FOR COMPLEXITIES OF TRANSITIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THE INCREASED TRAFFIC IT REQUIRES.
THERE ARE APPROPRIATE PROPERLY ZONED LOCATIONS FOR THESE FACILITIES IN DUBLIN COMMUNITY ALREADY WHERE PATIENTS CAN RECEIVE THE PROFESSIONAL OVERSIGHT AND RESOURCES THEY ACTUALLY NEED.
WITHOUT DESTABILIZING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF THEM.
I URGE TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE OPERATIONAL MODEL OF THIS HOUSE AND PROTECT THE RESIDENTIAL INTEGRITY OF OUR STREETS.
ANYONE ELSE? WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD? SARAH O'MALLEY, 70 22 CAVALRY COURT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS IN INDIAN RED MEADOWS, AS WELL AS MY OWN INTERESTS AS A HOMEOWNER AND FORMER CITY OF DUBLIN EMPLOYEE.
FOR THE RECORD, I'VE BEEN RESIDENT OF DUBLIN FOR APPROXIMATELY 38 YEARS, SO ALMOST MY WHOLE LIFE.
UM, DURING MY TENURE WITH THE CITY OVER 10 YEARS, I WORKED IN COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WATCHING MANY OF YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR CHILDREN GROW UP.
I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MEAN TO FAMILIES.
THEY'RE WHERE WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN, WHERE WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND WHERE WE ESTABLISH ROOTS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
TONIGHT I AM ASKING THE CITY TO MAKE A TIMELY DETERMINATION REGARDING THE OPERATION OF A FOR-PROFIT TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY RESIDENCE AT 60 85 TERRA HILL WITHIN OUR SINGLE FAMILY PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN RUN MEADOWS.
THIS PROPERTY SITS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM TWO DAYCARES AND THE POPULAR HANGOUT OF UDF, WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, IT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF FALLEN TIMBERS AND TERRA HILL DRIVE.
FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, THIS PROPERTY HAS OPERATED WITHOUT AN APPLICATION TO CHANGE ITS USE FROM A SINGLE FAMILY HOME TO A TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY RESIDENCE.
I ALSO LIVE ON A COURT WITH A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS WHO PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED DISAPPROVAL OF A LOCAL BUSINESS OPERATING A PATIO BECAUSE THE ANTICIPATED NOISE AND UNPLANNED ACTIVITIES THAT COULD COME SO CLOSE TO OUR HOMES IN OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET, WE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF REVIEWING HOW PROPOSED BUSINESS USE COULD AFFECT THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHOULDN'T WE EXPECT THAT SAME LEVEL OF CONSIDERATION AND OVERSIGHT WHEN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME BEGINS OPERATING AS A FOR-PROFIT TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS OF NOW 10 TO 12 PEOPLE? ACCORDING TO DOVE'S OWN DISCLOSURE THIS WEEKEND DURING THEIR MEET THE COMMUNITY MEETING, UM, ON SATURDAY STAYS RANGED FROM LESS THAN A WEEK, WHICH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS DISCLOSED THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HAD ALREADY BEEN REMOVED FROM THE HOME, UM, TO 65 DAYS.
SO WITH THAT FREQUENCY OF TURNOVER, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORS BECOMES EXTREMELY LIMITED.
DUBLIN ALREADY HAS SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROVISIONS DESIGNED IN PART TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO EXPLAIN HOW THOSE PROTECTIONS RELATE TO THIS OPERATION AND WHICH ZONING AND OCCUPANCY REQUIREMENTS APPLY.
YOU CAN SUPPORT RECOVERY AND STILL BELIEVE A FOR-PROFIT TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY RESIDENCE IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE USE WITHIN A SINGLE FAMILY PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
OUR CONCERN ALSO EXTENDS BEYOND ONE PROPERTY, WHICH I HOPE THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND.
ON MY OWN COURT, WE HAVE TWO RENTALS, ONE BESIDE ME AND ONE ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME.
NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE OWNER, AKIKO MIATO, AND EXPAT HOMES OWNS OR HAS ACQUIRED AT LEAST FOUR ADDITIONAL RENTAL PROPERTIES WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE WE ARE NOT ASSERTING THAT THEY OPERATE SIMILARLY, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS MODEL BEING REPLICATED.
[00:20:02]
WHAT PRECEDENT WOULD THAT ESTABLISH FOR OTHER PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS DUBLIN? FOR ANYONE LISTENING TO THIS MEETING OR WHO POTENTIALLY HAS A RENTAL PROPERTY, UH, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER YOU LIVE IN COVENTRY WOODS OR BRANDON OR SHANNON PARK, OR ANY OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN DUBLIN, UM, YOU TWO ARE AT RISK OF FACING UNCERTAINTIES WITH TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY RESIDENCES.I RECOGNIZE THAT FAIR FEDERAL, UH, HOUSING PROTECTIONS MUST BE RESPECTED.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT 'EM, THAT'S WHY I'M LEANING ON THE CITY TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT DUBLIN HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO APPLY ITS ZONING REGULATIONS CONSISTENTLY.
I APPRECIATE CITY STAFF'S EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE THIS, BUT THE LACK OF CLARITY AND COMMUNICATION IS CAUSING REAL CONFUSION AND ANXIETY ACROSS THE MEMBERS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK OUR INITIAL EMAIL WAS SENT DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 22ND.
SO IT'S BEEN SOME TIME AND I KNOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I'M ASKING COUNSEL TO ENSURE A PROMPT WRITTEN DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THIS USE IS PERMITTED, WHETHER THE NECESSARY APPROVALS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED, WHAT CONSEQUENCES THERE ARE TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND TENANT IF THEY HAVE NOT.
AND WHAT STEPS WILL FOLLOW TO REINSTATE THE STABILITY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE KNOW AND LOVE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED A TIMELINE.
OUR FAMILIES DESERVE TO KNOW WHEN WE CAN EXPECT ANSWERS AND PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SUPPORTING RECOVERY ARE NOT COMPETING PRIORITIES AS A COMMUNITY IN A LEADING SUBURB IN THE COLUMBUS REGION, DUBLIN IS CAPABLE OF DOING BOTH.
IF YOU WOULD STEP FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I LIVE AT 60 75 TARA HILL WITH MARY BARROW.
UM, I, MY CONCERN, UM, TONIGHT I ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT THE TRANSITIONAL HALFWAY HOUSE NEXT DOOR.
UH, AKIKO PURCHASED THIS HOME, OR I APOLOGIZE.
MY MOM PURCHASED THIS HOME IN 1999 WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.
IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A WONDERFUL, UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A BEAUTIFUL HOME IN A QUIET SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD WITH GOOD SCHOOLS, WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 27 YEARS WITH WONDERFUL AND CONSIDERATE NEIGHBORS THAT ALL LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER AND KEEP EACH OTHER AWARE.
WHETHER IT'S A SKUNK PASSING THROUGH THE YARD FOR OUR ANIMALS OR ANY TYPE OF UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR, WE HAVE DEEP CONCERNS WITH WHAT HAS NOW TAKEN PLACE DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR AT 60 85 TERRA HILL DRIVE.
OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY, PEACE OF MIND, AND SECURITY HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN AWAY.
WE CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING AND GOING OVER THE LAST MONTH.
HOW IS THE HOME BEING MONITORED AND WHO MAY BE COMING THROUGH WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS? WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FROM THE NEW RESIDENTS RESIDING IN THE HOME.
I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD TO MAKE TWO CALLS TO THE DUBLIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DUE TO SOME OF THE ACTIVITY IN A ONE WEEK PERIOD.
WE FELT NEC WE HAVE FELT IT NECESSARY TO PURCHASE SECURITY CAMERAS BEING MONITORED 24 7 IN ORDER TO HAVE SOME PEACE OF MIND.
I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED HOW THIS WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT NOT ONLY MY MOM'S RESALE VALUE, BUT OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS PROPERTY VALUE AS WELL.
WE HAVE SPENT SO MUCH TIME, MONEY, EFFORT, ENERGY, AND LOVE INTO MAKING THIS PLACE THAT WE COME HOME TO FROM, TO GET AWAY FROM OUR DAILY STRUGGLES, BE PUT ASIDE.
WE NOW LIVE IN FEAR AND ANXIETY OF WHAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE IN THE CONSISTENT ROTATION OF PEOPLE.
I ASK YOU TONIGHT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR OWN HOME, AND IF THIS WAS PUT DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR TO YOU.
I'M ALL FOR THOSE GETTING BETTER.
I JUST DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS.
WE ALSO DO HAVE A DEEP CONCERN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES THAT KIKO HAS PURCHASED, UM, WITH THE UNKNOWING RESULT OF WHAT'S TO COME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT 6 0 9 7 TERRA HILL DRIVE, UH, DIRECTLY, UH, NEXT TO THE TRANSIENT RECOVERY HOME.
SO APPRECIATE YOU GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF REDUNDANT INFORMATION, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY IS ADDRESSING THIS.
[00:25:01]
UH, SO MY CONCERNS AS A HOMEOWNER AND NEIGHBOR, I BELIEVE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOVER AND BUILD THEIR LIVES.MY MY CONCERN IS MORE HOW THESE HOMES ARE OPERATED, UH, WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, AND THE IMPACT OF OPENING MULTIPLE HOMES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, THE RECOVERY HOME DIRECTLY NEXT TO US, UM, HOUSES UP TO 10 WOMEN.
UH, EACH RESIDENT HAS A DIFFERENT LENGTH OF STAY RESULTING IN CONTINUAL TURNOVER AND PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOME.
THIS CREATES AN ONGOING TRANSIENT LIVING ARRANGEMENT RATHER THAN A STABLE RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT.
MANY OF US EXPECTED WHEN WE PURCHASE OUR HOMES.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND EVERY RECOVERY PLANS THAT ADDITIONAL HOMES, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT DOES RAISE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT LONG-TERM IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS HOME TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN, HOMEOWNERS.
WE HAVE INVESTED IN THEIR PROPERTIES OVER AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONTINUAL RESIDENTS TURNOVER, SUPERVISION, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, THIS HITS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO HOME BECAUSE MY CHILDREN DO PLAY OUTSIDE, UM, AND EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NOT ALLOWED IN THE, THE HOME BEING OUT IN THEIR YARD, OUTSIDE STARING.
THEIR FRIENDS ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO IT IS A, IT IS A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN WHEN WE HAD, UH, PRIOR TO THIS OPENING.
THE LOCATION OF THIS HOME MAKES THESE CONCERNS EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT.
IT SITS ALONG TO BUSY SECTION OF TERRA HILL DRIVE, WHERE ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION ACTIVITIES, VEHICLE PICKUPS, AND DROP OFF AND PARKING DEMANDS DESERVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE ACTIVITIES ARE BEING MANAGED TODAY AND HOW THE IMPACT CAN GROW IN ADDITIONAL RECOVERY DAY IN, DAY OUT.
THERE'S VEHICLES PARKED OUT THERE.
THE HOUSE IS RIGHT ACROSS THE ENTRANCE INTO UDF, EVEN AS OF YESTERDAY.
CARS TRYING TO GO IN AND OUT, HONKING AND STOPPING OUT THERE.
UM, TRASH BAGS OF CLOTHES AS RESIDENTS COMING IN, SITTING OUT INSIDE, OUTSIDE THE STREET.
SO, UM, SO I ASKED YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THIS QUESTION.
HOW DOES THE CITY CLASSIFY AND REGULATE A RESIDENT HOUSE OF 10 PEOPLE WITH STRUCTURED SUPERVISION, TRANSPORTATION, AND CONTINUAL RESIDENT TURNOVER? UH, WE ASK, UH, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO ABANDON THE PEOPLE AND THE RECOVERY SUPPORT.
WE'RE ASKING FOR RESPONSIBLE PLANNING, TRANSPARENCY AND CONSIDERATION FOR EVERYONE AFFECTED, INCLUDING THOSE RECEIVING SERVICES.
UM, I GUESS, UH, I GUESS OUR FAMILIES DESERVE, UH, ANSWERS.
OUR NEIGHBORS DESERVE A VOICE AND A DECISION FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED ITS CHARACTER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HI, SHANNON GRIM AND I LIVE AT 6 8 8 9 FALLEN TIMBERS DRIVE.
I'VE LIVED IN CENTRAL OHIO FOR 33 YEARS.
MY HUSBAND AND I, 13 YEARS AGO CHOSE TO MAKE DUBLIN OUR HOME.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW WE WOULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE CHOSE TO PAY THE HIGHER TAXES BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE IN DUBLIN VERSUS CITY OF COLUMBUS, ET CETERA.
SO, JUST VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT WE CAN ALLOW THIS TYPE OF HOUSING IN THAT COMMUNITY.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE TARGETING OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY WANNA PUT SEVERAL IN THERE.
AND, SORRY, I'M REALLY HORRIBLE AT SPEAKING IN PUBLIC.
UM, SO IT'S A TRANSIENT HOME AND THEY CAN HAVE UP TO 12 PEOPLE IN THESE HOUSES.
SO I AM FAMILIAR WITH HOW THEY WORK, AND YOU JUST, THESE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BE THERE.
THESE PEOPLE ARE COURT ORDERED TO BE IN THESE HOMES, AND THAT IS NOT THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT AROUND YOUR FAMILIES.
AND THIS IS A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AS EVERYONE HAS SAID.
AND, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF THINGS HAVE BEEN REITERATED, BUT AGAIN, IT IS DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES.
AND IF DUBLIN CAN RESTRICT THE USE OF OUR HOME SO THAT IT CAN'T BE AN AIRBNB, IT SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE A TRANSIENT HOME WHERE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN WANNA BE THERE.
IF YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD.
HI, MY NAME IS ASHLEY LANDERS MCWILLIAMS, AND I LIVE AT 6 3 3 9 VALLEY STREAM DRIVE.
AND I'M HERE WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO TALK ABOUT 60 85 TARA HILL.
UM, I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.
WE LIVE IN A NO BUS ZONE, ONE MILE FROM SCOTTISH CORNERS WHERE MY FIVE AND 7-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS IMPORTANT TO ME, OF COURSE.
UM, MY NEIGHBORS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME, AND WE LIVE IN A CUL-DE-SAC WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN STILL PLAY IN THE STREET.
UH, AND IT'S REMINISCENT OF THE GIRL HOME THAT I GREW UP IN IN THE 1980S IN RURAL MINNESOTA.
UM, I WANT TO PRESERVE THAT COMMUNITY.
I CARE ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AND STABLE HOUSING.
IN FACT, I'VE BEEN A FAMILY THERAPIST FOR 20 YEARS.
I SPENT THE FIRST DECADE OF MY CAREER TREATING COURT MANDATED CLIENTS IN JUVENILE AND ADULT JUSTICE SYSTEMS. I WORKED WITH VICTIMS AND OFFENDERS OF SEXUAL
[00:30:01]
ABUSE.AND I SPENT THE LAST DECADE TRAINING FAMILY THERAPISTS TO DO COMPLEX FAMILY THERAPY WITH COURT MANDATED CLIENTS WHO DO, UM, WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES.
SO I HAVE DEVOTED MY CAREER TO CARING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
I DON'T DISPLACE OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY IS NOT RECOVERY IN ITS BEST.
I'VE SEEN IT AND I'VE PROVIDED SUCH CARE.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND I SUPPORT THAT RECOVERY WHEN IT CAN BE DONE IN A SAFE, UH, AND ZONED AND APPROPRIATE LOCATION WITH APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE ZONING AND USE.
THIS IS ABOUT THE IMPROPER USE OF A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AS A TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY.
AND IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE SEEN FOLKS IN AND OUT OF THAT HOME, I'VE HAD TO HAVE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY SEVEN AND 5-YEAR-OLD ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS HOME.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER HOME, UH, ACROSS THE STREET FROM US OWNED BY THE SAME PERSON, AND THAT THAT COULD BECOME A RECOVERY UNIT AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE UNSAFE FOR MY CHILDREN.
AND OF COURSE, THEY UNDERSTAND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
UM, THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THIS KIND OF RESIDENCE.
IT'S JUST NOT IN THAT LOCATION.
AND, UH, IT'S A SINGLE RESIDENTIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE REALLY QUESTIONING WHY A COMMUNITY RESIDENCE THAT IS TRANSITIONAL IN IN NATURE IS BEING ALLOWED TO BE PERMITTED THERE.
WE'RE ASKING FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS HERE, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THOSE ANSWERS.
UH, IT FEELS LIKE WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH THIS CASE SETS THE PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE USE.
AND SO WE ARE ASKING YOU NOT TO SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT WHERE ADDITIONAL HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GET TAKEN AWAY FROM FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEIGHBORS WITH SOME YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ENRICH THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHO ADVANCE, UH, OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE WANT TO SEE.
NOT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY BEING EXPLOITED BY A SERVICE PROVIDER THAT DOES NOT HAVE LICENSING OR CREDENTIALING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THEY ARE INDEED PROVIDING.
UM, SO I, I BEG YOU TO RECONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS ALLOWABLE AND TO REALLY GIVE US SOME ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT OUR, UH, RIGHTS AND AUTHORITIES ARE.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA BE MISCONSTRUED AS NOT CARING ABOUT RECOVERY.
ANYONE ELSE? IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD.
I'M SHANA CHAN AND I'M AT 5 7 7 5 SELLS MILL DRIVE.
UM, ALL OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE, UM, I JUST, THEY'VE SAID A LOT.
THEY PROBABLY SAID MOST OF EVERYTHING, BUT I HAVE BEEN, UM, DIRECTLY INVOLVED FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WITH THE SITUATION TALKING TO DBH AND ORH AND TALKING TO THE OPERATOR.
UM, RAY TACKETT OF DOVE RECOVERY.
DOVE RECOVERY IS LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO US, AND SO VERY CLOSE TO THIS HOUSE.
AND RAY TOLD US ON SATURDAY THAT HE HAS OPENED THREE OF THESE IN DUBLIN, BUT HE WOULDN'T TELL ME THE ADDRESSES OF THE OTHER TWO.
AND THEY ARE NOT REGISTERED, THEY ARE NOT ON THE WEBSITE FOR DBH OR ORH, SO HE IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE, UM, WITH THESE HOUSES.
THE, THIS ONE HOUSE, UM, I HAD BEEN TALKING TO HIM FOR TWO WEEKS AND HE WAS VERY EVASIVE, WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH THE DOCUMENTATION THAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE TO THE PUBLIC ON, LIKE, ON REQUEST.
HE'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT THERE, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE HOUSE.
AND HE KEPT PUTTING ME OFF AND PUTTING ME OFF.
AND HE, I WENT TO ORH AND THEY SENT THIS TO DBH AND HE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW BY DBH.
UM, BUT HE, HE DID NOT HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE, ALTHOUGH HE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT HE HAD DONE SO.
HE DID TALK TO THEM LAST WEEK.
AND SO BY THE END OF THE WEEK LAST WEEK, HE DID HAVE ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES ON THE WEBSITE, BUT HE IS NOT CERTIFIED.
HE HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
IT'S, IT'S AN ACCREDITATION THAT HE HAS TO HAVE IN ORDER TO RUN THIS HOUSE.
NOW HE IS GIVEN 18 MONTHS IN ORDER TO GET THAT ACCREDITATION, BUT HE HAS TO BE AN ACTIVE, AN ACTIVE PROCESS OF THAT.
AND SO THERE ARE STEPS THAT HE NEEDS TO TAKE THERE.
THERE'S INSPECTIONS, THERE'S ZONING THAT HE HAS TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.
AND THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THIS.
HE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS APPLICATION ON THE DAY THAT THE FIRST RESIDENT MOVED IN.
AND FROM THE RECORDS I'VE SEEN, THAT WAS AUGUST 28TH.
SO HE HAS BEEN OUT OF COMPLIANCE FOR THAT LONG AND NO ONE HAS NOTICED WHAT IS GOING ON.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
AKIKO MIATO OWNS MANY PROPERTIES, NOT JUST IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALL AROUND DUBLIN.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN USED FOR JAPANESE FAMILIES THAT WORK FOR HONDA.
THEY'RE HERE FOR LIKE THREE YEARS AT A TIME.
THEY HAVE ENRICHED OUR COMMUNITY, WE LOVE THEM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SHE MIGHT BE CHANGING, UM, HOW SHE'S USING THESE HOUSES.
AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD PLEASE ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE THIS MIGHT BECOME, THERE IS NOTHING IN LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW THAT STOPS THESE HOUSES FROM ACCUMULATING IN ONE AREA.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SHOW A NEED UNDER THE LAW RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO GET
[00:35:01]
THAT CHANGED, BUT YOU KNOW HOW FAST LEGISLATION MOVES.AND SO, AND GOVERNOR DEWINE, JUST REAL QUICK, HE DID DO AN EMERGENCY ORDER IN THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT HAS BLOWN UP IN OHIO IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THERE WAS 300 OF THESE HOUSES.
NOW THERE'S AT LEAST 1700, AND THAT'S ONLY THE ONES WE KNOW ABOUT.
SO SOMEONE IS MAKING MONEY HERE AND THAT'S WHY IT IS BLOWING UP.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT ABOUT THIS RECOVERY HOME, BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH BILLING INSURANCE INCORRECTLY BECAUSE OF DRUG TESTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, MR. CASEY, UH, I WILL INSTRUCT YOU TO MEET, UH, CHIEF PECE.
WE'LL MEET YOU OUT IN THE LOBBY AND, UH, EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND HE CAN GIVE YOU THE LATEST OF WHERE WE ARE WITH YOUR CONCERNS.
AND THEN, UM, FOR THE FOLKS ABOUT THE RECOVERY HOME, UM, THAD BOGGS IS HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, HE ATTENDED THE MEETING ON FRIDAY WITH THE FOLKS AND HE HAS, UM, BEEN IN COMMUNICATION, I BELIEVE, WITH SOME OF YOU.
SO, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET HIM OUT THERE, HE WILL GIVE YOU THE LATEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
I THINK MARA, HE MAY BE JOINED BY MARA TO HELP, UH, KEEP TRACK AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF THE PROPER EMAIL ADDRESSES SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE REGULARLY AND CLEARLY.
UM, SO HE CAN, HE CAN GIVE YOU THE BEST UPDATE THAT WE HAVE ON THAT.
AND IF YOU HAVE NOT SENT US AN EMAIL AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE DISTRIBUTION LIST ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THIS, UM, PLEASE GIVE THEM YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES AND THEN WE WILL, UM, BE COMMUNICATING THIS, BE IT, IT'S A VERY TRICKY, UM, FEDERAL, UH, LINE THAT WE HAVE TO WALK.
AND SO THA IS NAVIGATING US THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO IF YOU WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND MEET HIM IN THERE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRETY OF OUR MEETING.
UM, WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
OTHERWISE HE CAN MEET YOU OUT THERE AND, UM, GIVE YOU SOME, UH, THE UPDATE THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND COLLECT ANY INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY.
IF YOU WANNA TALK WITH HIM, YOU CAN COME BACK IN AND ENJOY THE BALANCE OF OUR MEETING IF YOU SO CHOSE.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
OKAY.THIS BRINGS US TO THE CONSENT AGENDA PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.
IS THERE A REQUEST TO REMOVE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING? NANA WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MS. CRAM? YES.
[Ordinance 52-26]
OKAY.THIS BRINGS US TO THE INTRODUCTION.
FIRST READING ORDINANCES PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH ORDINANCE 52 DASH 26, AMENDING CHAPTERS 51 AND 52, ESTABLISHING USER FEES AND CAP CAPACITY CHARGES FOR THE SANITARY SEWER AND WATER SYSTEMS. HONOR, DO THANK YOU.
OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING BY MATT RUBINO.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
SORRY, LET ME GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, REVIEWING THE RECOMMENDED RATES FOR THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM FOR THE CITY ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 52 26.
A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, A LOT OF INFORMATION YOU'LL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION WAS REVIEWED AT THE SEPTEMBER 15TH WORK SESSION.
SO I'LL BRIEFLY JUST COVER THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BY ALL MEANS ASK ME, BUT I WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THE FINANCIAL OVERVIEW SINCE IT IS REVIEW FROM THE THE WORK SESSION IN SEPTEMBER.
JUST A A QUICK NOTE, WE'RE SETTING RATES FOR THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO THE OPERATING MAINTENANCE CAPITAL AND REVENUE ARE ALL TRACKED IN INDIVIDUAL FUNDS, UM, INTENDED TO BE SELF-SUPPORTING.
AND HERE FOR THE WATER AND SEW FUNDS, THEY'RE LARGELY SELF-SUPPORTED.
UH, THEY DO RECEIVE SOME LIMITED SUPPORT, UM, FROM THE GENERAL CAPITAL TAX FUND THROUGH AN ANNUAL FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR UTILITY EXTENSIONS.
BUT RATE SETTING IS A KEY FACTOR FOR THESE UTILITY FUNDS.
IT'S THE MAIN SOURCE OF REVENUE.
AND SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DEVISING THE RATES FOR, UH, THE, THE TWO, UM, SYSTEMS. UM, SOME ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A MULTI RATE YEAR PLAN THAT CORRELATES TO THE OPERATING COST AND CAPITAL COST FOR BOTH SYSTEMS. UH, WE'RE DEVELOPING THOSE AROUND THE PROPOSED 20 27, 20 31 CAPITAL PLAN, WHICH HAS BEEN PRESENTED, UM, TO COUNCIL AT BOTH THE SEPTEMBER 15TH AND OCTOBER 5TH WORK SESSION.
AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY THE CAPITAL PLAN FOR THE SANITARY SEWER AND WATER SYSTEMS AND PRIORITIZING SYSTEM EXPANSION AND SERVING NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY THAT NEED ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE CURRENT DEBT POLICY AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL, UH, NEW DEBT COULD BE, UM, AROUND THAT CAPITAL PLAN AND HOW THAT CAN BE SUPPORTED BY BOTH FUNDS.
JUST BRIEFLY ON THESE SLIDES, YOU'VE SEEN THESE BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANNA LOOK AT THE TRENDS OVER THE PAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE WITH THE FORECAST.
SO AGAIN, WITH SUPER FUND REVENUE, YOU CAN SEE IT, IT VARIES, BUT IT RANGES BETWEEN 3 MILLION, UH, TO OVER 5 MILLION A YEAR DEPENDING ON THE REVENUE COMING IN, UH, FROM OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO RELATED TO DEBT PROCEEDS
[00:40:01]
COMING IN BASED ON PROJECT NEED EXPENDITURES ALSO VARY ALONG WITH BOTH OPERATING MAINTENANCE AND THE CAPITAL PLANS.SO YOU'LL SEE VARIATION OVER THE YEARS.
UM, FOR HISTORY FUND BALANCE, FAMILIAR STORY, YOU KNOW, IN 2023 WE HAD ALMOST 7.3 MILLION IN THE SEWER FUND BALANCE.
WE OF COURSE, UTILIZED A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THAT 4.2 MILLION AS PART OF THE 2020 4 MILLION ACQUISITION, THE SO-CALLED MANUSCRIPT DEBT TRANSACTION.
SO THE CURRENT FUND BALANCE IS LOW IN THE SHORT TERM THAT'S GONNA BEGIN TO BE REPLENISHED AS WE PAY BACK THE MANUSCRIPT PRINCIPLES STARTING THIS YEAR INTO 2030.
SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS, UH, ENDING FUND BALANCE CHART YOU SEE HERE, AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE POINTS I MADE EARLIER.
THE, THE RANGES FOR BOTH OPERATING COST AND REVENUE, WATER FUND REVENUE HISTORY, SIMILAR STORY, UM, LOWER AMOUNTS OF REVENUE RANGING BETWEEN, UH, UNDER A MILLION AND A HALF, UPWARDS OF, OF TWO AND A HALF MILLION DEPENDING ON THE YEAR.
EXPENDITURES ALSO RANGING BETWEEN, UH, JUST UNDER 2 MILLION.
IN 23 AND 24, WE HAD OTHER CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING AN INCREASE.
AND AGAIN, THE SIMILAR PATTERN, UH, ENDING BALANCE WAS JUST UNDER 13 MILLION.
WE TAPPED THAT RESERVE TO THE TUNE OF 11 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE REPAYING THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THOSE FACTORS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THE RATE STUDY, BOTH THE REVENUE TRENDS, USING THOSE TO FORECAST OUT, BUT ALSO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE PAYMENTS COMING BACK INTO BOTH FUNDS AS PLANNED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT PROPOSED DEBT FOR THE FUTURE.
WE KNOW WE HAVE OUTSTANDING DEBT RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR BOTH SYSTEMS COMBINED, OUTSTANDING.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ABOUT 23 MILLION IN OUTSTANDING DEBT THROUGH THE CIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, BOTH THE PRESENTATION AT THE UTILITY CIP WORK SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH.
AND THEN SOME OF THE UPDATES WE GAVE TO COUNCIL OCTOBER 5TH, WE NOW HAVE, AND THIS IS FOR SANITARY SEWER, IN PARTICULAR, DEBT FUNDED PROJECTS TOTALING JUST UNDER 30 MILLION PROPOSED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
UM, SO ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE WILL RANGE FROM 2.3 MILLION AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, UPWARDS TO 6.4 MILLION BASED ON PROJECTIONS.
THIS OF COURSE, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS CIPS ARE DEVELOPED AND REVISE OVER THE COMING YEARS.
BUT AGAIN, WE WANNA KEEP THESE FACTORS, UM, IN MIND WHEN WE DEVELOP THE NEW RATES.
THIS IS A FAMILIAR, UH, STRUCTURE YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
WE HAVE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPLE DECREASING OVER TIME BECAUSE WE'RE AMORTIZING OR PAYING DOWN PRINCIPLE, AND THAT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO LAYER ON ADDITIONAL DEBT THAT COINCIDES WITH THE PLANNED CIP INVESTMENTS.
SO WE'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, THAT TREND AS WELL.
SOME BACKGROUND ON UTILITY RATES.
CITY IMPOSES A WATER AND SEWER SURCHARGE BASED ON METERED CONSUMPTION OF WATER.
UM, IT'S ADDITION TO THE WATER AND SEWER USER FEES CHARGED BY THE CITY OF COLUMBUS OR DELAWARE COUNTY.
UM, PER SERVICE AGREEMENTS, THE CITY OF COLUMBUS ADMINISTERS BILLING OF DUBLIN USERS AND COLLECTS A SURCHARGE AND THAT REMITS THAT THOSE FUNDS BACK TO THE CITY ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
ONE THING I DON'T, I'D HAVE TO CHECK UP ON, I KNOW THE CITY OF COLUMBUS IS NOW IN A MONTHLY BILLING CYCLE.
I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP AND SEE IF THAT'LL BE THE SAME THING WITH REMISSION TO THE CITY, BUT I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP MORE OF THE SECOND READING ON THAT.
UM, CAPACITY CHARGES AND PERMIT FEES ARE IMPOSED BY BOTH THE CITY AND THE CITY OF COLUMBUS AS NEW USERS ADD TO THE CITY.
SO UTILITY RATES ARE DESIGNED TO RECOVER THE FULL COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE, IN THIS CASE THE CITY'S SANITARIAN WATER SYSTEM.
SO OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENTS, UM, BUT THE GOLD THEM BEING MOSTLY SELF-SUPPORTING.
UM, THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE, THE, THE SEWER AND WATER SYSTEMS ARE PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTERS, UH, 51 AND 52 OF THE DUBLIN CODE.
SO TONIGHT'S ORDINANCE IS SEEKING TO AMEND, UH, THAT THOSE SECTIONS OF THE CODE TO UPDATE THE RATES.
AND COUNCIL TYPICALLY UPDATES THE RATES, UH, ANNUALLY BY ADOPTING AMENDMENTS TO THE UTILITY RATE CODE SECTIONS AND MORE ON THAT IN A FEW MOMENTS.
AND THESE, THESE AMENDMENTS REALLY THE FINAL PRODUCT.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DERIVE FROM CIP DEVELOPMENT, THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, AND OF COURSE THE UTILITY RATE STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED THIS YEAR.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, I'M REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE GROWTH IN RATES FOR THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM HAVE FAR OUTPACED WATER.
YOU CAN SEE WATER IS, UH, BETWEEN THREE AND 1% CHANGES YEAR OVER YEAR.
RIGHT NOW THE, THE DUBLIN PORTION IS $3 AND 34 CENTS, UH, SANITARY SEWER, UM, THEY RANGE FROM FOUR TO 8%, UH, CURRENTLY AT 16.88%.
THE INCREASE FOR THIS YEAR WAS 5%.
SO THE, THE RATES HAVE BEEN INCREASING FASTER IN, IN THE SEWER SIDE OF THINGS.
THERE'S LARGER CAPITAL NEEDS, UH, TO THE SYSTEM AND CAN SEE THE OVERALL TREND FOR THE COMBINED FEE IS REALLY DRIVEN BY THE INCREASES IN THE SANITARY SEWER RATE OVER TIME.
UM, SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, RATE STUDY BACKGROUND.
THE LAST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY PRIOR TO THIS YEAR WAS IN 2020.
IT WAS CONDUCTED BY, UH, THE CITY OF NEW GEN STRATEGIES, STRATEGIES, AND SOLUTIONS FOR THIS STUDY.
THE CITY ENGAGED BAKER TILLION MUNICIPAL ADVISORS, UH, TO COMPLETE A NEW UTILITY RATE STUDY.
AND THE, UH, THE STUDY ANALYZED THE OPERATING CAPITAL NEEDS AND FUND ADEQUACY TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION EXPANSION OF THE SYSTEM.
[00:45:01]
THE RATE STUDY ITSELF THAT WE DO WITH BAKER TILLY, WE'RE USING ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH SYSTEMS, OPERATING DATA, CAPITAL DATA TRENDS, BUT IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON A LONG-TERM FORECAST.THAT LONG-TERM FORECAST PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR RATE SETTING, UM, FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND THE IDEA IS WE WANT TO WANT TO ESTABLISH A, AN ACCURATE BASIS.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT OR SET RATES FOR 10 YEARS.
HAVING A A A A WELL-ROUNDED 10 YEAR FORECAST GIVES US CONFIDENCE WHEN WE DO SET THE RATES.
UM, AGAIN, RECOMMENDING A RATE STRUCTURE FOR EACH UTILITY NECESSARY TO ADEQUATELY FUND THE SYSTEMS. UM, MINIMUM 10 YEARS.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT SETTING RATES FOR 10 YEARS, BUT WE WANNA DEMONSTRATE, UM, SOLVENCY FOR 10 YEARS.
SO CURRENT FUTURE COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE, LOOKING AT THE AGE AND CONDITION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE FACTORS, FUNDING REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING DEBT, BUT ALSO PLANNED DEBT THAT, UH, CORRELATES TO THE PROPOSED CIP FOR BOTH SYSTEMS. AND OF COURSE MAINTAINING A TARGETED FUND BALANCE IN BOTH SEWER AND WATER THAT WE WE'LL SEE LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE, THE CONSULTANT THAT PROVIDED USER FRIENDLY WATER AND SEWER RATE ANALYSIS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROVIDING A MODEL THAT WE WORKED WITH TO CONTINUE TO REFINE.
WE CAN THEN USE THAT MODEL GOING FORWARD INTO THE, INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF REFINEMENTS OR COURSE CORRECTIONS, WE CAN USE THE TOOLS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED WITH BAKER TILLY TO MAKE UPDATES.
UH, WE HAD THE, THE ENGAGEMENT KICKOFF IN JULY AFTER WE HAD SELECTED BAKER TILLY FROM AN RFP PROCESS AND BEGAN WORKING A LOT OF THE WORK IN JULY.
AUGUST WAS COMPILING INFORMATION AND DATA ON THE OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND DEBT SERVICE OF BOTH WATER AND SEWER FUNDS.
AND WE ALSO DEVELOPED AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE WRAPPING UP DEVELOPMENT OF THE, UH, UTILITY CIP FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT TO THE RATE STUDY BECAUSE A LOT OF THE EXPENDITURES OR PLANNED USE OF RESOURCES IN THAT STUDY ARE DRIVEN BY THE PROPOSED CIP SEPTEMBER 15TH.
UH, WE PRESENTED COUNCIL A PRELIMINARY RATE STUDY, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG WITH THE CIP FOR THE SYSTEM.
UH, WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM FROM COUNCIL IN OCTOBER 5TH LAST WEEK.
WE PROVIDED THE REVISED UTILITY SYSTEM, CIP IN THE UPDATED RATE STUDY THAT CORRELATES TO THE THE CIP.
AND TONIGHT WE HAVE FIRST READING AND PUBLIC HEARING OF THAT UPDATED, UH, UTILITY RATES.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE RESULTS.
THE RESULTS ARE LARGELY UNCHANGED FROM WHAT WE PRESENTED BACK IN SEPTEMBER 15TH.
AND AGAIN, WE BRIEFED, UM, COUNCIL LAST WEEK.
WE'LL START WITH SANITARY SEWER SIDE OF THINGS.
THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RATE STUDY IS AN INCREASE OF 8%, UM, THROUGH 2030.
AND WE'RE TAKING A TWO STEP APPROACH.
SO THROUGH 2030, THERE'D BE 8% INCREASES YEAR OVER YEAR, 20 31, 20 35.
THEY WOULD BE 10% INCREASES BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST.
THAT AGAIN, WILL BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE UPDATE, UH, THE FORECAST AND EVENTUALLY UNDERTAKE A RATE STUDY IN A FEW YEARS.
IT ASSUMES 2% CUSTOMER GROWTH IN THE SYSTEM AND 3% OPERATING, OPERATING COST GROWTH.
AND THEN FACTORS IN THE COMPONENTS OF THE CCIP THAT WILL REQUIRE NEW DEBT AND ASSOCIATED DEBT SERVICE.
SO THE RECOMMENDED, UH, USER FEE WOULD INCREASE FROM 1688 TO $18 AND 23 CENTS AND 27 AND $19 AND 69 CENTS, UH, PER UNIT IN 2028.
SO THOSE ARE THE BASE RATES, UH, FOR COLUMBUS BASED CUSTOMERS.
THE AVERAGE BILL, AND THIS IS WHAT WE WORKED ON BAKER TILLY WITH JUST FOR THE AVERAGE BILL.
UM, IT WOULD, THE TOTAL BILL, NOT JUST THE DUBLIN PORTION, UH, WOULD GO FROM $54 AND 27 CENTS THIS YEAR TO $58 16 CENTS NEXT YEAR, AND THEN JUST OVER $62 IN 2028.
UNDER THE CURRENT ASSUMPTIONS, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, UM, THAT WOULD BE FOR A RATE PAYER SUPPORTED ABOUT 84%.
AGAIN, THAT'S THE FIVE YEAR CIP THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN PRESENTED PLUS ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE SECOND FIVE YEARS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPOSED OR APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FULL 10 YEARS OF OPERATING CAPITAL DATA SO THAT THIS IS HIGHLIGHTED.
'CAUSE I THINK ONE POINT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED IN THE MEMO, BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR, THE PROJECTED ENDING BALANCE IN THE SEWER FUND BASED ON THIS, UH, FINAL STUDY IS PROJECTED AT 3.3 MILLION.
THAT'S $2 MILLION OVER THE MINIMUM RESERVE THAT BAKER TILLY IS RECOMMENDING.
AGAIN, A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION.
YOU CAN SEE THE TREND OF BOTH REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.
THE ORANGE LINE WOULD BE THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE ARE, WE'RE USING SOME OF THAT FUND BALANCE.
AND THEN MIDWAY THROUGH WE ARE STABILIZING AT THAT $3 MILLION, UM, RESERVE LEVEL OVER THE TERM OF THE FORECAST.
AND THIS ONE, I'M, I'M MENTIONING HERE.
SO WE GO FROM 6.7 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, ESTIMATED, UH, TO JUST BELOW, IT'S ACTUALLY 3.3 MILLION, UM, BY THE 2035 YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUNDING.
THIS IS, UH, THE TOTAL CAPITAL PLAN.
IT'S DIVIDED UP, UH, GIVES YOU AN IDEA BETWEEN MAINTENANCE OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM, IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UTILITY EXTENSIONS
[00:50:01]
TOTAL PROJECTED OVER THE LIFE OF THE FORECAST OF JUST UNDER 78 MILLION.AND AS I'D MENTIONED EARLIER, ABOUT 84% WOULD BE RATE PAYER SUPPORTED ESTIMATED FUND BALANCES PRESENTED GRAPHICALLY, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE USING, UH, RESOURCES THROUGH THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE SEEING FUNDING COME BACK INTO THE FUND AS THE MANUSCRIPT DEBT AND PRINCIPLE IS PAID BACK TO THE SEWER FUND.
AND WE'RE WELL ABOVE THE, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE THRESHOLD THAT THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDS IS TWO MONTHS OF OPERATING, UM, PLUS ENOUGH CASH FOR OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE DISBURSEMENTS.
AND WE'RE WELL ABOVE THAT IN THE FORECAST.
RESIDENTIAL BILL IMPACT, YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE, THE GREEN PORTION WOULD BE THE, THE CITY.
SO IN 2027 FOR AN AVERAGE USER WOULD BE JUST UNDER $10 ON THE TOTAL AVERAGE BILL OF 58 POINT 16.
ALRIGHT, WATER RATE STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, LOOKING FOR AN INCREASE OF 3%, UH, FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS, 27 THROUGH 2030.
AND AGAIN, A STEPPED APPROACH ONGOING TO 5% INCREASES IN 2031 THROUGH 2035.
SO DUBLIN'S SURCHARGE ALONE GOES FROM 3 34 TO 3 44 IN 27 AND 3 54 IN 2028.
SO FOR AN AVERAGE A COLUMBUS CUSTOMER, IT WOULD BE, UH, GO UP TO 56 76 NEXT YEAR.
PROJECTED ENDING BALANCE IS 5.8 MILLION BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.
AND THAT'S RIGHT AT THE RECOMMENDED LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR THE WATER FUND.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN IN A MINUTE WHAT THAT MEANS.
AGAIN, GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF THE FUND FORECAST, YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, WE HAVE RESOURCES COMING BACK INTO THE FUND AS THE MANUSCRIPT DEBT IS REPAID OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THAT ORANGE, UH, FUND BALANCE LINE REMAINS FAIRLY, UH, ELEVATED AND STARTS COMING DOWN AS ADDITIONAL CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ARE MADE.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO MAINTAIN, AND I'M GONNA JUMP AHEAD TO MAINTAIN A RESERVE FOR WATER, WATER LINE REPLACEMENT.
SO YOU CAN SEE GRAPHICALLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
THE BLUE LINE ACROSS THE BOTTOM IS THAT MINIMUM RESERVE, TWO MONTHS PLUS MAINTENANCE.
AND WE ALSO BUILT IN AN INCREASING THRESHOLD OR RECOMMEND RECOMMENDED BALANCE TO ACCOUNT FOR FUTURE WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS.
SO IN THEORY, THE END OF THE 10 YEAR PERIOD, THE FUND IS SITTING ON ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HANDLE ANY TYPE OF SIGNIFICANT WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS THAT WOULD BE PROJECTED, UH, TO BE NEEDED, UM, AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER RECOMMENDED RESERVE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IN THE WATER FUND FOR THAT REASON.
IS THE, THE WATERLINE REPLACEMENTS ARE THERE, UH, THE RESOURCES ARE THERE RATHER THE SECOND HALF OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.
AGAIN, RESIDENTIAL BILL IMPACT.
UH, FOR A DUBLIN RESIDENT THAT'S SERVED BY COLUMBUS NEXT YEAR, IT'D BE A DOLLAR 84 TOTAL BILL OF 56 POINT 76 ON AVERAGE.
SO AS FAR AS DUBLIN RATES, HOW DO THEY COMPARE WITH THE TOTAL BILL? UH, THE DUBLIN PORTION OF RATES.
THIS IS COMBINED WATER AND SEWER BILL ON AVERAGE, UH, ABOUT 10% OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD.
AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE'RE GONNA BE INCREASES NOT JUST WITH THE CITY OF DUBLIN, BUT COLUMBUS IS ALSO, UM, PROJECTING INCREASES FOR CUSTOMERS.
DUBLIN'S INCREASES ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 7% OF THE TOTAL INCREASE OF A RESIDENTIAL BILL OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD.
SO SOME ADDITIONAL SUMMARY POINTS.
UH, WE DEVELOP A LONG RANGE PLAN THAT DEMONSTRATES FINANCIAL SUFFICIENCY AND THE FUNDS ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS, CAPITAL, DEBT PAYMENTS, AND THE LIKE.
AGAIN, IT'S A 10 YEAR FORECAST PERIOD, BUT THE CITY IS NOT REQUIRED TO ADOPT RATES THROUGH THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD.
THIS IS GUIDANCE REALLY FOR THE NEAR TO MEDIUM TERM AT THIS POINT.
AND THE RECOMMENDED RATES FOR THE FUTURE YEARS, AS I MENTIONED, CAN CHANGE AS THE FORECAST AND ADDITIONAL, UM, SUBSEQUENT UTILITY RATES.
STUDIES ARE PERFORMED RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ON TRACK FOR THE NEXT STUDY WOULD BE THREE YEARS FROM NOW, 2029.
SO YOU'LL SEE IN TONIGHT'S LEGISLATION WE'RE RECOMMENDING OR REQUESTING ADOPTING RATES FOR 27 AND 28 BASED ON THE STUDY RESULTS.
WE ASSUME IN 29 WE'D HAVE A ONE YEAR RECOMMENDATION.
WE'D ALSO BE COMMENCING THE NEXT, UH, FULL UTILITY RATE STUDY THREE YEARS FROM NOW AND HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FOLLOW.
SO RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS COUNCIL APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 52 26 AMENDING USER FEES AND CAPACITY CHARGES FOR THE CITY, SANITARY SEWER AND WATER SYSTEMS AT THE SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 26TH.
AND AGAIN, JUST TO NOTE, UH, THIS ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES THE SANITARY SEWER AND WATER SYSTEM RATES FOR 27 AND 28 OF COUNCIL, UH, APPROVES THE ORDINANCE.
AND WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WANNA TAKE A MOMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? UH, MATT, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT NOT ONLY TRYING TO KEEP THE RATES AT A REASONABLE INCREASE YES, BUT TO BE SURE ALL OF THE PILOT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE SEWER, WE HAVE SOME IMMEDIATE SEWER NEEDS.
YES, WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE WATER NEEDS.
SO WE KNOW THIS WAS QUITE A COMPLEX SET OF
[00:55:01]
A RUBIK'S CUBE TO MOVE AROUND.SO SINCERELY APPRECIATE THAT AND I KNOW RESIDENTS WILL APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE IMMEDIATE SEWER NEEDS, WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE IN THE SHORT TIME.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS WAS, THANK A FULL TEAM TEAM EFFORT ON ENGINEERING AND, AND I THINK THE, THE WORK SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH WAS CONSTRUCTIVE FOR US BECAUSE I THINK THE TYPICAL APPROACH WITH CAPITAL, NOT JUST WATER AND SEWER, CAN BE, WE'LL COME UP WITH A PLAN, WE'LL HAVE PRIORITIES BLENDED IN, BUT WE'LL TRY TO SPACE THINGS OUT.
WE'LL TRY TO MAKE IT NICE AND NEAT OVER THE FIVE YEARS.
BUT I THINK WE REALIZED AFTER A FEW ITERATIONS THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO CONCENTRATE SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS, ESPECIALLY WITH SANITARY SEWERS.
SO THIS STUDY WAS REALLY TIMED WELL BECAUSE WE KNEW OF SOME SIGNIFICANT NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF RELIEF SEWER CONSTRUCTION IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
SO HAVING THIS TIMING WORKED WELL BECAUSE WE WERE DOING A FULL STUDY AT THE SAME TIME AND IT GAVE US CONFIDENCE THAT WE COULD BE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN 27 AND 28 WITH THE SEWER IMPROVEMENTS AND HAVE A RATE PLAN THAT WOULD, UM, ACCOMPLISH THAT AND PROVIDE FUNDING AND MAINTAIN ADEQUATE RESERVES.
SO WE, WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK FROM THAT MEETING.
ANY OTHERS? OKAY, WELL WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SECOND READING, PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER THE 26TH.
[Resolution 45-26]
OKAY.THIS BRINGS US TO INTRODUCTION, PUBLIC HEARING VOTE RESOLUTIONS.
AND WE, WE WILL BEGIN WITH RESOLUTION 45 DASH 26 AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH FBT GIVENS, LLP FOR LAW DIRECTOR SERVICES.
AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING BY MIKE BURKER.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL RESOLUTION 45 DASH 26 WOULD AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH FBT GIBBONS, LLP FOR LAW DIRECTOR SERVICES.
THIS AGREEMENT WOULD TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, 2027 AND WOULD CONTINUE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2028.
THE DUBLIN REVISED CHARTER ESTABLISHES THE CITY'S LAW DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDES THAT THE LAW DIRECTOR IS APPOINTED AND REMOVED BY THE CITY MANAGER SUBJECT TO THE CONSENT AND APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL.
AS PART OF THE CITY STANDARD PRACTICE STAFF CONDUCTED A COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THESE SERVICES.
A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS ADVERTISED IN JUNE, 2026.
AND WHAT, UH, BROADLY COMMUNICATED THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE DIRECT NOTIFICATION TO POTENTIAL FIRMS, THE OHIO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND THE OHIO BAR ASSOCIATION.
THE RFP WAS DOWNLOADED 23 TIMES AND THE CITY RECEIVED FOUR PROPOSALS FROM THAT.
FOLLOWING AN INITIAL REVIEW, STAFF SELECTED FPT GIVENS AND BRICKER GRAYDEN WYATT TO ADVANCE TO THE INTERVIEW PHASE.
STAFF EVALUATED EACH FIRM'S PROPOSED TEAM MUNICIPAL LAW, EXPERIENCE, SERVICE APPROACH, RESPONSIVENESS, FEE STRUCTURE, AND ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE C THE CITY'S DAY-TO-DAY, UH, LEGAL NEEDS.
BASED ON THE PROPOSALS AND INTERVIEW DISCUSSIONS, STAFF SELECTED FBT GIVENS AS THE PREFERRED FIRM.
COST WAS EVALUATED AS PART OF THE OVERALL VALUE, UH, OF EACH PROPOSAL, INCLUDING THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, STAFFING, CONTINUITY, AND ANTICIPATED TRANSAC, UH, TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS.
ALTHOUGH BRICKER OFFERED A LOWER PROPOSED BASE COST, STAFF DETERMINED THAT FPT GIVENS PROVIDES THE STRONGER OVERALL VALUE THROUGH ITS ESTABLISHED SERVICE MODEL.
ITS INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING ACTIVE CITY MATTERS WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION OR LEARNING PERIOD.
THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT LARGELY REMAINS THE, LARGELY MAINTAINS THE EXISTING SCOPE OF, UH, OF ROUTINE AND NON-ROUTINE LEGAL SERVICES.
IT ALSO INCLUDES ADDITIONAL MEETING PARTICIPATION, TRAINING, COORDINATION WITH GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE, WITH DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, AND UPDATES TO THE CITY.
STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS THE PROPOSED MONTHLY FEE OF $76,300 FOR, FOR ROUTINE LEGAL SERVICES AND $16,500 FOR MAYOR'S COURT AND MUNICIPAL COURT PROSECUTION SERVICES.
THIS REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 10% INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT RATES.
UH, THESE CURRENT RATES HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 2022 CONTRACT PERIOD.
SPECIAL MATTERS WOULD CONTINUE TO REQUIRE AUTHORIZATION BY THE CITY MANAGER, WILL BE BUILT SEPARATELY AT REDUCED HOURLY RATES.
THE T GIBBONS TEAM HAS PROVIDED LEGAL SERVICES TO DUBLIN FOR DECADES AND BRING SUBSTANTIAL HISTORICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
THE FIRM HAS MORE THAN 800 ATTORNEYS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 50 ATTORNEYS IN ITS GOVERNMENT SERVICES GROUP, PROVIDING THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE CITY ACROSS A BROAD RANGE OF MUNICIPAL AND SPECIALIZED LEGAL MATTERS.
UNDER THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT, THAD BOGGS WOULD SERVE AS LAW DIRECTOR BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2027, OVERSEEING THE FBT GIBBS TEAMS AND ASSISTING THE CITY WITH ITS DAY-TO-DAY LEGAL MATTERS.
YAZ RA, WE WOULD CLOSELY ASSIST HIM THAT HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY FOR MORE THAN NINE YEARS AND MORE THAN 40 FBT GIBBS.
ATTORNEYS AND PARALEGALS HAVE WORKED ON DUBLIN MATTERS DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
[01:00:01]
UH, BEFORE CONCLUDING, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SINCERELY THANK MR. PHIL HARTMAN FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF DUBLIN.PHIL HAS BEEN A TRUSTED LEGAL ADVISOR AND VALUED PARTNER TO THE CITY, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE EXPERIENCE, THE SOUND COUNCIL, UM, AND COMMITMENT HE HAS PROVIDED THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE.
AS PHIL PREPARES FOR HIS RETIREMENT, WE WISH HIM AND HIS FAMILY ALL THE BEST IN HIS NEXT CHAPTER.
AND WITH THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 45 DASH 26, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THIS EVENING THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS LEGISLATION? VERY GOOD.
IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS INTO THE RECORD.
I LIVE AT 32 80 LILY MAR COURT IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT, I LOOKED AT THE WEBSITE YESTERDAY.
I SAW THERE WAS THREE ATTACHMENTS, AND I WAS PLEASED TO LOOK THROUGH THOSE.
UM, I WAS INTERESTED IN THE AGREEMENT.
THERE'S A REMARK ABOUT AN ANNUAL REVIEW, AN ANNUAL REVIEW, UH, BUT THERE WASN'T AN ATTACHMENT OR ANY SUMMARY OF RECENT REVIEWS OR HOW THAT'S TRACKED.
SO I WAS JUST, UH, HOPING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME MENTION TO THAT TONIGHT AND HOW THAT WORKED.
AND IN TURN, IN THAT, UH, SECTION ABOUT THE ANNUAL REVIEW, THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY TEETH, UH, ANY TEETH SO FAR AS, UM, WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE IF THERE WAS A FAILURE TO PERFORM OR A MISHAP OR HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
SO JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THOSE TOPICS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THIS CONTRACT IS, IS ONE THAT IS WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND IT IS CONFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, I'LL ASK OUR, UM, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MIKE BARKER, TO, UM, AFTER WE'RE FINISHED HERE, TO GIVE YOU HOW THOSE, UH, PROCESSES WORK AND, UH, GIVE YOU SUPPLY ANY INFORMATION YOU MIGHT NEED.
SO, UM, ONCE WE'RE THROUGH WITH THIS, HE'LL BE GLAD TO PASS THAT INFORMATION ALONG TO YOU.
ANY OTHERS? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, HAPPY TRAILS FILL EVENTUALLY DON'T, DON'T GO ANYWHERE TOO FAST.
UH, JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MAYOR A ROSE GROOMS? YES.
[OTHER BUSINESS]
THIS BRINGS US TO THE OTHER BUSINESS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH ADOPTING THE 2027 MEETING SCHEDULES IN OUR STAFF REPORT.WE'LL BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY OUR CLERK, JENNY DELGADO.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL STAFF INTRODUCED THE PROPOSED MEETING SCHEDULES FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION AT YOUR LAST MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 28TH.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT INTRODUCTION, I DID RECEIVE A FEW COMMENTS REGARDING POTENTIAL SCHEDULING CONFLICTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I REVISED THE ATTACHMENTS IN YOUR PACKET ACCORDINGLY.
UM, STAFF REQUEST IS REQUESTS THAT YOU REACH CONSENSUS ON THE DATE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL MEETING IN MARCH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS.
SO IT'S UP TO YOU ALL, UH, ON WHERE YOU LAND ON THAT.
AND ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE JULY MEETING HAS BEEN MOVED FROM WHAT WAS PROPOSED AS JULY 6TH TO JULY 26TH.
ALSO, AS A FOLLOW UP, THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE EARLY MARCH EVENTS WAS REVIEWED BY STAFF.
AND WHILE WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THIS SCHEDULING PAT PATTERN ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED, IT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT IN RECENT YEARS AND ALIGNS WITH CURRENT COMMON PRACTICES.
HILLIARD SCHOOL SCHEDULE WILL BE CONSIDERED GOING FORWARD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEETING SCHEDULES AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.
WE NEED TO DECIDE ON THE MONDAY OR, UH, THE MARCH, THE FIRST MARCH MEETING.
SO, UM, THE 15TH WOULD PUT MEETINGS BACK TO BACK ON THE 15TH AND THE 22ND IN A MONTH.
WE HAVE, UM, THE STATE OF THE CITY AND THE ST.
PATRICK'S DAY PARADE ON THAT SATURDAY, ON THE THURSDAY AND SATURDAY PRIOR TO THAT.
SO THE 15TH MAY NOT BE THE BEST DATE.
UM, BUT WHAT ARE, WHAT IS COUNCIL'S THOUGHTS? WELL, I THOUGHT EITHER ONE WOULD PUT ME, BECAUSE IF WE MOVE IT TO THE FIRST, THEN WE HAVE BACK TO BACK.
SO, OR TO STICK WITH THE EIGHTH.
I KNOW ANDY'S NOT AVAILABLE THAT DAY.
UM, YEAH, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I, I WONDER THAT IT'S,
[01:05:01]
IT'S PRETTY HARD FOR THE PUBLIC IN THAT MONTH TO COME FOR PUBLIC FOR SECOND READING AND FOR STAFF TO GET STUFF FOR LIKE, BACK TO BACK'S PRETTY TOUGH.SO I WOULD SUGGEST WE DON'T DO BACK TO BACK.
I THINK YOU GUYS CAN FLY THIS PLANE WITHOUT ME, SO, UM, I, I'LL BE OUTTA TOWN ON THE SEVENTH, BUT GOD SPEED TO YOU.
SO WOULD WE STILL KEEP YOU THAT WORK SESSION OR WE'RE CANCELING THE FIRST NO, WE WOULD KEEP THE WORK SESSION ON THE FIRST.
AND THEN KEEP THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE EIGHTH.
MISS ANDY SORELY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL WAIT FOR YOUR RETURN.
UM, SO THEN, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE SCHEDULE? SO JUST TO CONFIRM, WE ARE GONNA SWITCH THE JULY TO THE END OF THE MONTH INSTEAD OF THE BEGINNING.
'CAUSE THAT WAS AN EASY ENOUGH SWITCH TO MAKE AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER RAMIFICATIONS, SO, OKAY.
I WILL, UH, I WILL MAKE A MOTION FOR THE 2027 PROPOSED DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULES, UM, TO PLACE THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH ON THE EIGHTH AND TO HAVE THE JULY MEETING ON THE 22ND.
JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE VICE MAYOR DEROSA? YES.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION ACCESSIBILITY PLAN, AND OUR STAFF REPORT WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING BY MATT EARMAN.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
UM, JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT THE DRAFT FOR OUR, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION ACCESSIBILITY PLAN.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.
UM, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU IN PACKET, THERE WAS SEVERAL DOCUMENTS AND, AND SEVERAL PAGES OF READING.
UM, SO MY APOLOGIES TO THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF APPENDICES THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
UM, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A TRUE EFFORT, UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO ADVANCE THE INCLUSION ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS INTO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM.
IT BUILDS ON OUR PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN FROM 2023.
IT ALSO COMPLIES WITH OUR FEDERAL LAWS, UM, AND ALSO THE, UM, ACCREDITATION STANDARDS THROUGH NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FULFILL ALL OF THOSE OBLIGATORY TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT THE, THE, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO REINFORCE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO, UH, PARKS AND FACILITIES, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING TO EVERYONE.
UM, IT ALSO IDENTIFIES ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, AS WERE, UH, IDENTIFIED IN, IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE IN YOUR PACKET.
AND PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO INCORPORATE ACCESSIBILITY INTO THE CITY'S EXISTING PLANNING AND PROJECT PROCESSES, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO THIS WAS A VERY PURPOSEFUL PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, IT BUILDS ON THE FOUNDATION BY IDENTIFYING BARRIERS RELATED TO THE PHYSICAL ACCESS TO OUR FACILITIES, UM, OUR PROGRAM ACCESS COMMUNICATION AND DIGITAL ACCESS.
UM, AND THEN THE KEY PRINCIPLES, ACCESSIBILITY INCLUSION ARE NOT SEPARATE INITIATIVES.
THERE ARE CONSIDERATIONS INCORPORATED INTO THE CITY'S PLANS.
PRIORITIZES, INVESTS AND DELIVERS PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES.
SO IT ALL BUILDS ON, ON ALL EACH OF THOSE PLATFORMS. THE PLAN, EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT, UH, THERE WAS A REVIEW OF APPROXIMATELY 130 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UH, DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR PARKS, UH, AS WELL AS OUR RECREATION CENTER, COMMUNITY CENTER AND, UH, POOL FACILITIES.
UH, THE DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY EVALUATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR WEBSITES AND, AND MARKETABILITY AND, UM, UM, THE WAYS THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION THAT IS NECESSARY.
WE ALSO HAVE CONDUCTED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLE, UM, UM, EVENTS FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN, ENGAGE WITH US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK WERE DEVELOPED AS PART OF THIS PLAN.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE THREE, UH, PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS, YOU CAN SEE THE PHYSICAL ACCESS, UH, ROOTS AND ENTRANCES, PARKING AND RESTROOMS, PLAYGROUNDS AND TRAILS, ATHLETIC AQUATICS, UH, FACILITIES, AND THEN PROGRAM ACCESS.
UH, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AND WHAT ARE WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE OFFERING AND HOW DOES IT, UH, COMPLY WITH BEING ABLE TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE ALL, ALL, ALL, UM, UM, AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE FOR OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THEN RENTALS AND REGISTRATION, ALL THOSE PROCESSES, THE ACCOMMODATIONS, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AND HOW WE
[01:10:01]
IMPLEMENT THOSE.UM, AND THEN FROM A COMMUNICATION AND DIGITAL STANDPOINT, OUR, UH, SIGNAGE AND WAY FINDING ALTERNATIVE FORMATS, WEBSITES AND DOCUMENTS.
UM, AND AS, UM, MENTIONED EARLIER, ARE DIGITAL MEDIA AS WELL.
SO HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THIS ACCESSIBILITY INTO EXISTING PROCESSES? THERE ARE, UM, A VOLUME NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND THROUGH OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PRO, UH, PLANNING, OUR FACILITY, RENOVATIONS AND REPLACEMENTS, PLAYGROUND AND TRAIL PROJECTS, ATHLETIC AQUATICS IMPROVEMENTS, MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING AND PLANNING FOR, WE ARE INTRODUCING WAYS TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE THE THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN AS PART OF THOSE PROJECTS.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE A SEPARATE PROJECT.
IT'S GOING TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THESE.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, UM, OUR RECREATION CENTER, OUR, UH, REFRESH PROJECT.
WE ARE IN INCORPORATING A LOT OF THE A DA ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN AS PART OF THE ASSESSMENT INTO, UH, THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS FOR, FOR THE DESIGN OF THAT.
AND THEN THERE IS A PRIORITIZATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF A SCORECARD BY WHICH WE CAN, UM, IDENTIFY WHICH AREAS ARE USED MOST FREQUENTLY.
UH, THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, THE TYPES OF FACILITIES, THE EXISTING, UH, ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS, THE PUBLIC INPUT WE RECEIVED.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS HERE THAT WE'RE USING TO IDENTIFY THE PRIORITIZATION SCHEDULE FOR THE LIST OF HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ITEMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN.
SO MOVING FORWARD, UM, WE WILL ROUTINELY MONITOR AND UPDATE THE PLAN AND PROVIDE UPDATES TO CITY COUNCIL AS TO HOW WE ARE PROVIDING, UM, MITIGATION TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
UH, THERE, THERE'LL BE SOME, YOU KNOW, COMPLETED ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, SOME REMAINING BARRIERS AND PRIORITIES, PROJECT SCHEDULES AND BUDGETS, UH, PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS, DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY EXPENDITURES, AND OTHER MEASURE, UH, MEASURES OF PROJECT OR, OR PROGRESS.
THESE WILL BE INCORPORATED ALSO INTO OUR CAPITAL FUNDING AND OUR OPERATIONAL FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT CITY COUNCIL IS AWARE OF HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING WITH, WITH THE PLAN.
SO WITH THAT, STAFF IS SEEKING FEEDBACK FROM CITY COUNCIL ON THE PROPOSED PLAN.
UM, FOLLOWING THE FEEDBACK, THE STAFF WILL BRING THIS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING AT THEIR PLEASURE.
SO WITH THAT, I HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THIS EVENING FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THIS TOPIC? HEARING NONE COUNCIL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION.
FIRST OF ALL, I'LL SAY THANKS TO THE CONSULTANT WHO DID THIS WORK.
'CAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY THOROUGH, PARTICULARLY LIKE EVERY CRACK AND INCLINE ON ALL OF OUR TRAILS.
IT WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE THAT THEY ACTUALLY, AND THEY HAD PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL OF IT TOO.
UM, JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL COMMENTS.
I REALLY LIKED THE CHECKLIST THAT THEY SUGGESTED USING IN HERE.
I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF HAVING A SINGLE, LIKE A DA COORDINATOR POSITION AND THEN HAVING A LIAISON TO EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS AND A DA STUFF CHANGES ALL THE TIME, SO WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF GONNA BE BEHIND THE CURVE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER FACILITIES, SO I KNOW THIS IS GONNA TAKE A WHILE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WON'T TAKE A WHILE THOUGH, ARE THE UPDATES TO OUR APPS AND OUR WEBSITES AND OUR SIGNAGE, UM, AND THE DOCUMENT MATERIAL WE PUT OUT.
I THINK THOSE ARE, UM, GREAT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO NOW.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD WEBSITES OUT THERE, LIKE ACCESSIBILITY CHECKER WEBSITES THAT ARE FREE.
UM, I TYPED IN SOME OF OUR WEBPAGES AND WE FAIL IN ALMOST ALL OF 'EM WHEN IT COMES TO LOW VISIBILITY AND COLORBLINDNESS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE EASILY CORRECTED, UM, SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S ALSO, THERE'S A GREAT, UM, DIGITAL.GOV HAS A GREAT, UH, PLAIN LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, HELPS YOU, UH, DO YOUR SIGNAGE AND YOUR DOCUMENTATION AND EVERYTHING VERY EASILY.
LOTS OF GREAT RESOURCES THAT ARE COMPLETELY FREE.
THAT I THINK WOULD BE, I WOULD SUGGEST MOVING FORWARD, UM, WITH SOME OF THOSE SOONER THAN LATER.
SO THIS WAS EXTREMELY THOROUGH.
I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH AMY.
I ALSO LIKE THE CHECKLIST A LOT.
[01:15:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT THIS.I, I BEAT THE ACCESSIBILITY DRUM A LOT.
UM, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FACETS IN HERE THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE EVER THOUGHT OF EITHER.
UM, I WOULD MAYBE RECOMMEND THAT YOU, UM, AS YOU START TO PUT TOGETHER YOUR PRIORITY LIST AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA WORK ON, UM, IS TALKING TO GROUPS, UM, LIKE FOREVER DUBLIN, UM, OR SOME OTHER ACCESSIBILITY GROUPS, UM, OR LIKE ADAPTIVE SPORTS, UM, MIRACLE LEAGUE, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, JUST TO RUN SOME OF THOSE THINGS BY THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREAT RESOURCES FOR LIKE, OH YEAH, THAT REALLY WORKS FOR SENIORS, OR THAT REALLY DOESN'T WORK, UM, AS WELL.
SO, BUT THIS IS REALLY GREAT WORK.
I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS IS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND I, I LIKE EACH OF THE DIMENSIONS THAT THE WAY THAT THEY'VE PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER, I THINK IS VERY THOROUGH AND, AND REALLY EXCELLENT.
AND I WOULD HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT FROM A MUNICIPAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, THAT THIS HAS GOTTA BE A LEADING DOCUMENT IN THIS, IN THIS REALM.
I, I DON'T, I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY OTHER MUNICIPAL DOCUMENT AS THOROUGH AS THIS ONE THAT I'VE SEEN ON OTHER CITY WEBSITES.
UM, MATT, THIS IS, I AGREE, VERY THOROUGH, VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
BUT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND A COUPLE OF FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO WHAT AMY AND CHRISTINA BROUGHT UP.
UM, SO FOR SOME OF THE, THE QUICK FIXES, SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE GONNA BE BIGGER THINGS.
SOME OF THEM ARE GONNA BE SMALLER, BUT THE WAY THAT IT'S GONNA BE PRIORITIZED, UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER THINGS TO BE FIXED MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY? SO LIKE A QUICK FIX TRACK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BECAUSE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS, IF IT'S JUST LIKE RELOCATING A, A DISPENSER OR, YOU KNOW, RELOCATING HOOKS, MIGHT THERE BE A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT SOONER INSTEAD OF HAVING EACH PARK WAIT ITS TURN IN LINE? I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIVISIONS, WORK UNITS THAT WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THE EXECUTION OF THIS OR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS, A LOT OF WHICH WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO WORK PLANS.
BUT I WANNA WORK WITH EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS AND OR SUPERVISORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE INCORPORATING INTO THEIR WORK UNIT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THEIR OTHER WORK THAT'S ALREADY PLANNED.
BUT WE WILL WORK TOGETHER ON THAT FOR SURE.
YEAH, AND I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
PART OF THE OTHER THING IS THE 88 EXPECTATION IS I THINK THE A D EIGHT DOES SPECIFY THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO IT'S JUST BALANCING THAT.
UM, GETTING BACK TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHRISTINA BROUGHT UP, UH, ABOUT THE FOCUS GROUPS.
I THINK THE SURVEY THAT WAS DONE HAD 39 RESPONDENTS.
SO NOT A VERY ROBUST RESPONSE.
AND IN THAT REGARD, I THINK FOCUS GROUPS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
NOT ONLY FOCUS GROUPS LIKE ONE DUBLIN, BUT FOCUS GROUPS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY AFFECTED, UH, BY THIS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER INSIGHTS THAT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL, UH, FOR THAT.
AND I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SCORECARD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
UM, SO FOR THE SCORECARD, WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A BUNCH OF PARKS THAT ALL SCORE THE SAME? THEN HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHICH ONE GOES FIRST IF THEY SAY LIKE THERE'S 10 THAT RECEIVE THE SAME SCORE? I THINK THERE'S MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLACE FOR THAT DECISION TO BE MADE.
UM, IT'S SIMILAR TO HOW WE DESIGN OUR PLAYGROUND RENOVATION PROJECTS.
WE LIKE TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE.
AND IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC, UM, DISABILITY NEEDS WITHIN THAT AREA THAT ARE GREATER THAN ANOTHER AREA, WE'LL TAKE THAT IN A HIGHER CONSIDERATION TO FOCUS ON THOSE FIRST, AS AN EXAMPLE.
SO I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A HIERARCHY OR WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S DELINEATED SO WE CAN FOLLOW.
SO WE KNOW LIKE HOW WE'RE GONNA PRIORIT PRIORITIZE WHICH PART, IF, FOR INSTANCE, THE SCORE 245 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT.
SO THANK YOU DR. LAMB, FOR THAT SEGUE INTO PRIORITIZATION.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE A COUPLE OF MY COMMENTS WERE.
UM, IN THE REPORT THERE WAS A PRIORITIZATION SCORE OR, UM, A CONSTRUCT USED FOR PRIORITIZATION.
AND I NOTICED THAT FACILITY USE WAS CONTRIBUTED ZERO TO THE PRIORITIZATION PER THE CONSULTANT, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, AND WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, I GUESS I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE FACILITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE LOW USAGE COULD BE DUE TO THE ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS THEMSELVES.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT IT DESERVES A ZERO WAITING IN THE OVERALL PRIORITIZATION.
SO JUST A, A COMMENT ON THAT, HOPING THAT, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN, UM, THIS I THINK LEADS BACK TO WHAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALU HAD SAID IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING WITH THE GROUPS AND MAYBE THE RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW OUR PLANS WILL HELP, UM, IMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND, AND ALSO PROVIDE US WITH SOME VALIDATION ON WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE, UM, WORKING TOWARDS AND THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE.
[01:20:03]
UM, YOU KNOW, AS TO PRIORITIZATION, I THINK IT'S, IT'S LIKE A LOT OF OUR OTHER PLANS NOW THAT WE HAVE VISIBILITY AND EYES ON IT.SO IN ADDITION TO THE PRIORITIZATION, I'M SURE STAFF AND TEAMS, WHEN THEY'RE OUT, IF THEY SEE THINGS AND WE CAN ADDRESS THEM, I KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN.
I JUST WANNA SAY IT, I THINK WE SHOULD ADDRESS THEM IF WE CAN.
AND BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE, NOW WE KNOW, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON A, WE CAN WORK ON B, UM, ALONG WITH THE GROUPS, UM, UM, IF WHERE WE ARE IN THE CYCLE MAKES SENSE, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO, UM, HAVE CSAC OR, UM, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONS LOOK AT THIS IF, IF MATT, THAT WOULDN'T IMPACT THE TIMING OF THIS.
I KNOW THEY HAVE A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE PRETTY REGULAR MEETINGS, BUT, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT PROJECT IF, IF STAFF FEELS THAT THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL, WE WILL DEFINITELY PLAN TO TAKE IT TO CSAC IF THAT IS COUNCIL'S WISH AND BRING IT BACK WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR SURE.
I THINK IT WILL TAKE A MOTION FROM THIS GROUP, BUT I, IF I THINK IT MAKES, MAKES SENSE AT THIS POINT TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, GET THEIR FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME, AND AGAIN, IT'S AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT EVEN IF WE DON'T CATCH SOME OF IT IN THE EARLY PHASES, WE'RE GONNA CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND AS ALWAYS, UM, UH, THEY PROVIDE SOME VERY USEFUL THINGS.
UM, I KNOW THE VETERANS GROUP, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD ALSO BE USEFUL TO TAKE TO THEM FOR THEIR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, BUT CERTAINLY C SAC, SO FEW MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I PARTICIPATED, MORSE DID A, UM, KIND OF A, A KIND OF A MILE IN THEIR SHOES SORT OF ASSESSMENT WHERE YOU WOULD EITHER GET IN A WHEELCHAIR OR YOU WOULD BE BLINDFOLDED OR, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT FOLKS DID, UH, NAVIGATING THESE AREAS.
MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WE VALUE SOME, EVALUATE SOME OF THOSE, WE COULD HAVE, UM, POSSIBLY SOME, UM, SOME FOLKS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO NAVIGATE THESE PLACES, UM, GIVEN DIFFERENT CONSTRAINTS.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU RECALL YOU, AND YOU AND I MIGHT BE THE ONLY ONES WHO WERE ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME, I THINK, UM, AND THIS, 'CAUSE THIS WAS BACK WHEN WE WERE IN THE OLD COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE HAD THE DEMENTIA BUS COME.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? AND IT, IT WAS A VERY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT POINT.
UM, WELL, IF WE'RE READY THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REFER, UM, THE PARKS AND RECREATION ACCESSIBILITY PLAN TO CSAC FOR FURTHER STUDY.
JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE DR. LAMB? YES.
[STAFF COMMENTS]
YOU.THIS BRINGS US TO STAFF COMMENTS AND WE'LL TURN TO CITY MANAGER MEGAN O' KELLYANN.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
I HAVE JUST ONE STAFF COMMENT THIS EVENING AND IT WILL BE MY LAST.
AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, I HAVE SUBMITTED MY RESIGNATION AS CITY MANAGER EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 13TH.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT RIDE, NEARLY 13 YEARS WITH DUBLIN.
AS PART OF MY 30 YEAR CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE, I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO PLAY A PART IN A TRANSFORMATIONAL TIME IN DUBLIN'S HISTORY.
AND I'M PROUD OF ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER.
WHAT'S MADE THIS EXPERIENCE SO SPECIAL THOUGH, IS ALL OF THE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE ENGAGED RESIDENTS, WE HAVE DEDICATED COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT I'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WORK ALONGSIDE ALL THIS TIME.
DUBLIN TRULY HAS THE BEST STAFF.
THEY'RE THE BEST OF THE BEST, HIGHLY RESPECTED IN THEIR FIELDS, HIGHLY RESPECTED BY THE RESIDENTS, DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATED TO SERVICE.
ALTHOUGH I AM STEPPING AWAY FROM MY CAREER WITH THE CITY, I WILL CONTINUE TO CALL DUBLIN HOME.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER OF MY CAREER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING DUBLIN'S CONTINUED PROGRESS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS REMARKABLE COMMUNITY.
UM, ON BEHALF OF DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, IN THE CITY OF DUBLIN, I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO EXPRESS THE CITY'S SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY.
UH, THROUGHOUT YOUR TENURE, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED GREAT THINGS FOR THE CITIZEN AND IT RESIDENTS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUING OUR WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, UH, AND ITS RESIDENTS AND CERTAINLY WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
WITH THAT, I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF MEGAN O. CALLAHAN AS CITY MANAGER, EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 13TH, 2026.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
JENNY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE RULE MS. SALUTO? YES.
[COUNCIL REPORTS]
OKAY.THIS BRINGS US TO THE COUNCIL REPORTS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA.
[01:25:01]
AND WE HAVE JUST ONE THIS EVENING WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT BOARD BY KATHY.THE ADMIN COMMITTEE MET ON OCTOBER 6TH, AND WE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF TOPICS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RETREAT COMING UP HERE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A FACILITATOR AND ALONG WITH A GUEST SPEAKER ON, UH, THE SIXTH FOR THE 6TH OF NOVEMBER.
UM, STAFF MET EARLIER TODAY, UM, WITH ME AND WITH JENNY.
UM, AND WE WORKED TO REFINE THAT AND TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS.
SO YOU WILL SEE A DRAFT OF THAT FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONTINUED REFINEMENT LATER THIS WEEK, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO A GOOD EVENT.
UM, NEXT, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED OUR BOARD, COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE AS WE DO EVERY FALL.
AND NOTICE, UM, SOME ACTIONS THAT WILL AND NEED TO BE TAKEN AND WILL BE ADDRESSED.
UH, THE COMMITTEE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED REALLY BEST PRACTICES, UH, FOR ASSIGNING PROJECTS TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THIS EVENING, WE, WE DID ONE OF THOSE, UM, STAFF WILL WORK WITH, UH, THE COMMITTEES AND WITH COUNCIL TO PUT TOGETHER A A BIT MORE STRUCTURED AND, UH, REPE, UM, UH, PREDICTABLE PROCESS SO THAT WE, UH, CONTINUE TO BE SURE WE ARE UTILIZING OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED A VACANCY THAT WE'VE HAD ON THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.
A BOARD MEMBER SUBMITTED THEIR RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE THE 18TH OF SEPTEMBER.
UM, COUNCIL HAS 60 DAYS TO APPOINT A REPLACEMENT WITH A DEADLINE, THEREFORE ON NOVEMBER 17TH, RECRUITMENT INFORMATION, UM, HAS BEEN SHARED ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON, UM, PROVIDING SOME INTERVIEWS TO, TO FILL THAT VACANCY.
[COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE]
GOOD.THIS BRINGS US TO COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE AND I WILL START DOWN AT MY FAR RIGHT.
UH, OCTOBER 1ST, UM, MAYOR MO GROOM AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OPEN UP THE VETERANS NOOK.
IT'S A JOINT INITIATIVE BETWEEN THE NATIONAL VETERANS MEMORIAL AND COSI.
IT'S A GREAT, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLACE.
HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE SOME INTERACTION WITH OUR UPCOMING VETERANS DAY ACTIVITIES AT THE PARK RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
BUT, UH, RESIDENTS CAN WRITE THANK YOU NOTES TO, IT'S IN THE CHILDREN'S SECTION AND IT TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT VETERANS AND YOU CAN WRITE THANK YOU NOTES AND IT'S A NICE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE THERE FOR A WHILE.
SO IF YOU'RE IN THE LIBRARY, CHECK IT OUT.
SO MEGAN, I'M, I'M LEFT TO WONDER WHEN I PULL INTO COUNCIL CHAMBERS OR TO THE PARKING LOT NEXT TIME, AM I GONNA HEAR YOU OVER THERE PLAYING PICKLEBALL, SAYING DINK, OR IT'S IN GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEXT ENDEAVOR.
KATHY? YES, THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK, MEGAN.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR, UM, THE WALK WITH STAFF WITH THE RESIDENTS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ONE, I'M TRYING TO THINK, I GUESS LAST WEEK.
AND, UM, IT WAS WONDERFUL AS ALWAYS, INCREDIBLE OBSERVATIONS AND GOOD FEEDBACK.
AND WHEN WE WERE OUT AT OUR WALK, A WALK WITH A DOC CAME THE OTHER DIRECTION.
AND SO WE ALL STOPPED AND TALKED TO THE DOC AND IT WAS JUST, I MEAN, IT WAS JUST AN, A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF, UM, REALLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.
SO I KNOW WITH EVERYTHING STAFF HAS ON THEIR PLATE THAT THAT'S ONE ADDITIONAL THING, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, UM, I HEARD GOOD COMMENTS, IT WAS WELL RECEIVED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.
ON THE 29TH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DEER RUN THIRD GRADERS, AND, UM, IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME, GREAT, GREAT GROUP KIDS.
ALSO ON THAT DAY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE OHIO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE WHERE WE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT AI AND PARTICULARLY ABOUT, UM, ABOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE AND WHAT A CIVIL, UH, CIVIL GOVERNANCE INTERACTION LOOKS LIKE.
SO THEY, THERE WAS SOME GREAT INFORMATION THERE ON OCTOBER 1ST, UH, WE HAD A PASSENGER RAIL COMMITTEE MEETING AND WE HAVE HIRED A, UH, A CONSULTANT THAT IS ALSO, UH, AN EMPLOYEE OF BRIGHT LINE THAT WILL HELP US NAVIGATE WHAT PRIVATE RAIL MIGHT LOOK LIKE THROUGH THE MIDWEST CONNECT CORRIDOR.
UM, SO LOOK FORWARD TO NEWS COMING THERE.
AND THEN ON THE SECOND, UH, MEGAN AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE COMMA MEETING, UH, WHERE MEGAN LAID OUT SOME OF THE, UH, INFORMATION RELATIVE TO A BYLAWS UPDATE THAT WILL BE ADOPTED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UH, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL AND THANK YOU AND BEST WISHES TO YOU IN, IN ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS.
[01:30:01]
NOTHING FURTHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED.