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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-22-2025 Council MinutesMinutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council iicaina GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, 10148 Held September 22, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Amorose Groomes called the Monday, September 22, 2025 Regular Council Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present were Vice Mayor Alutto, Mayor Amorose Groomes, Ms. De Rosa, Ms. Fox, Mr. Keeler, Ms. Kramb and Mr. Reiner. Staff members present were Ms. O'Callaghan, Mr. Hartmann, Ms. Weisenauer, Mr. Hammersmith, Mr. Rubino, Mr. Barker, Chief Paez, Ms. Nardecchia, Mr. Hendershot, Ms. Hunter, Mr. Jiang and Ms. Blake. Others present were Merijn Vanderheijden, Dublin Arts Council. ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to adjourn to executive session for the purposes of discussing the following: e Personnel Matters: Considering the Employment of a Public Employee; e Preparing for, Conducting, or Reviewing Negotiations or Bargaining Sessions with Public Employees concerning their Compensation or other Terms and Conditions of their Employment; and e Considering the Purchase of Property for Public Purposes. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes. The meeting reconvened at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Amorose Groomes invited Ms. Kramb to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. SPECIAL PRESENTATION Dublin Arts Council — Alejandro “Mono” Gonzalez Residency Merijn Vanderheijden, Executive Director of Dublin Arts Council, presented on two exciting upcoming artist residencies this fall. The presentation highlighted the Dublin Arts Council's commitment to fostering artistic expression and exchange. e Alejandro "Mono" Gonzalez Residency (October 10-18): Mono, an internationally celebrated Chilean visual artist who recently won Chile's 2025 National Visual Arts Prize, will be returning to Dublin. Known for his powerful urban murals that blend street art with traditional Chilean iconography, Mono uses large-scale works to give voice to marginalized communities. During his week-long residency, made possible through the hotel motel tax grant, Mono will collaborate with Columbus-based muralist Adam Hernandez on an interactive public mural installation in Riverside Crossing Park. The community will have opportunities to meet the artists and contribute to the work. A panel discussion with both artists will be held October 13 at the Downtown Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, with representatives from the Chilean Consular Office in Chicago attending to celebrate Mono's global impact. e Masayuki Miyajima Residency (November 15-December 19): This marks the eighth residency for the Japanese ceramic artist from Dublin's Sister City, Mashiko, Japan. Masa's work blends traditional Japanese ceramic techniques with contemporary sensibilities, exploring both artistic form and daily utility. The residency will include gallery walkthroughs, process demonstrations, and three hands-on workshops where participants can create their own ceramic pieces. This residency represents meaningful cultural exchange between the two sister cities. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS It ublin City Council _Minutes of Meeting OVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-2938 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 2 of)8 Mayor Amorose Groomes thanked Ms. Vanderheijden for the presentation, expressing excitement about these opportunities for creating art in Dublin. CITIZEN COMMENTS There were no citizen comments. CONSENT AGENDA ° Minutes of the September 8, 2025 Regular Council Meeting ° Excuse the Absence of Mayor Amorose Groomes and Council Member Fox from the September 8, 2025 Regular Council meeting. There was no request to remove an item from the Consent Agenda. Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Fox, yes. SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING — ORDINANCES Ordinance 41-25 Amending the Annual Appropriations for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Q3) Mr. Rubino presented the Ordinance amending annual appropriations for fiscal year 2025. He confirmed no changes had been made to the Ordinance since first reading, though staff had provided follow-up information on items 4 and 5 as requested by Council. There were no public comments. Ms. Kramb questioned the necessity of adding a third consultant for $120,000 to the West Bridge Street corridor study team, noting the study would continue regardless. She expressed concern about the additional expense for land use expertise when the current consultants MKSK could potentially handle the work. Ms. Fox requested clarification on the reasoning. City Manager O'Callaghan explained the consultant was requested following Council's feedback from the East Bridge Street study presentation. Staff sought assistance to reconcile policy statements in the Envision Dublin community plan and ensure comprehensive corridor analysis. She noted the consultant was identified after a presentation at a MORPC luncheon and would bring unique national perspective to the conversation. Ms. Kramb questioned whether scope would be removed from the existing consultants’ work. Ms. O'Callaghan confirmed they would be adding to, not replacing, existing team expertise. Ms. Kramb maintained her position that the addition seemed unnecessary. Vote on the Ordinance: Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING/VOTE — RESOLUTIONS Resolution 47-25 Amending the Dublin City Council Rules of Order Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Ms. Delgado presented the resolution amending Dublin City Council Rules of Order. The Administrative Committee had completed their annual review at their August meeting and brought forward proposed amendments, which were provided to Council at the September Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting SOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 3 ahs 8 meeting with no questions or feedback received. The Administrative Committee with staff, recommended approval of the Resolution. There were no public comments. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. Resolution 48-25 Accepting the Amounts and Rates as determined by the Budget Commission and Authorizing the Necessary Tax Levies and Certifying them to the County Auditor Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Rubino presented the annual resolution accepting property tax rates and amounts as determined by the budget commission. The City sought approval to levy the full unvoted property tax of 1.75 mills and the voted levy of 1.2 mills. The unvoted 1.75 mills would generate approximately $5.8 million in collections for 2026, allocated entirely to the Capital Improvements Tax Fund (Fund 401). The voted 1.2 mill levy would generate approximately $560,000 for the Safety Fund, though due to state law reduction factors, it effectively operates at about 0.125 mills. There were no public comments. Mayor Amorose Groomes raised significant concerns about the Parkland Acquisition Fund, noting she had requested historical information on this topic earlier in the day. She reminded Council that when this was last discussed, the allocation was for three years but would be revisited annually. She emphasized that Ms. Kramb had previously confirmed with Matt Stiffler (former Chief Financial Officer) that decisions would be made year by year. Mayor Amorose Groomes traced the Fund's history, noting it originally received the entire 1.75 mills collection before being reduced to 0.8 mills, then 0.35 mills, and now zero. While the memo indicated the Fund might resume in tax year 2027 (collection year 2028), she expressed concern about the difficulty of resuming savings once stopped and stated that parkland acquisition has been the hallmark of our community. Ms. Kramb supported the resolution as written for 2025 but advocated for reinstating Parkland Acquisition Fund allocations sooner than the proposed 2028-2029 timeframe. She suggested the funds should begin returning to parkland acquisition in the 2026 collection year. Ms. De Rosa agreed, connecting this to Council's recent actions on sewer and waterway funds. She emphasized the importance of setting aside funds for fundamentals like parks, water, sewer, and waterways. Mr. Rubino explained the context, noting the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as presented assumed the 1.75 mills flowing to the Capital Fund for the next three years (2026-2028). He indicated this allocation was partly related to the SportsOhio investment that closed in December of last year, with the resolution having been presented before that closing. The Parkland Acquisition Fund currently has just below $950,000. Mayor Amorose Groomes expressed concern about the City's approach to its debt ceiling and emphasized the importance of having funds available when parkland opportunities arise. Ms. Fox suggested exploring whether funds could be allocated to the capital fund but targeted specifically for uses like SportsOhio while maintaining visibility of parkland acquisition savings. She acknowledged the flexibility of using capital funds for parkland but emphasized the importance of maintaining a dedicated savings plan. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Mostine GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3500 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 4 08 Vice Mayor Alutto expressed comfort with the current resolution but supported having a more in-depth discussion about the Parkland Acquisition Fund as part of the CIP discussion. She noted the balance needed between having restricted funds that can only be used for parkland versus maintaining flexibility for other CIP projects. Mayor Amorose Groomes concluded by stating that while she supported the resolution for this year, she would not support continuing to eliminate the Parkland Acquisition Fund allocation moving forward. She maintained that the compromise had already been made through the reduction from 1.75 mills to 0.35 mills. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes. Resolution 49-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the Annual Storm Structure Maintenance Program 2025 (24-013-CIP) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Hendershot presented the Resolution to accept the lowest and best bid for the Annual Storm Structure Maintenance Program 2025. The program provides maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair of storm structures including curb and gutter inlets, catch basins, and manholes throughout the city. Twenty-eight deficient storm structures identified during routine inspections would be repaired to help route stormwater runoff properly and reduce flooding occurrences. The program is funded at $170,000 in the 2025-2029 CIP, with an engineer's estimate of $160,000. Two bids were received on September 3, 2025, with Strawser Paving Company submitting the lowest and best bid of $127,587.25. Work would commence upon contract execution and be completed by November 14, 2025. There were no public comments. Ms. Kramb noticed a cluster of failing structures in what appeared to be Wedgewood Glen or Camden Lakes and asked why so many had failed simultaneously. Mr. Hendershot explained that structures installed at the same time tend to fail at similar rates. The primary issue is mortar failure in the cinder block brick components between the precast structure and the casting, causing material behind the structures to cave in. He confirmed that The Kleingers Group, as design engineer, had conducted inspections using a 0-100 scoring system to prioritize the most critical repairs. Mr. Hendershot assured Council that the City continuously monitors infrastructure through routine inspections and resident reports, with no underlying issues like sinkholes in that area. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes. OTHER BUSINESS e Proposed 2026 Council Meeting Schedules Ms. Delgado presented proposed meeting schedules for 2026, including regular meetings, work sessions, and standing committee meetings. Staff had compiled these schedules considering various conflicts to avoid as many as possible. The schedules were being introduced to allow Council time for review, with adoption by motion planned for the October 6 meeting. Mayor Amorose Groomes encouraged Council members to review the schedules carefully and notify Ms. Delgado of any known conflicts to ensure maximum attendance at meetings. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Kéeadine GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-0000 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 5 ate Customer Service Project — Resident and Visitor Centered Services Ms. Blake and Ms. Nardecchia presented on the Resident and Visitor Centered Services project, designed to create a "one stop shop" or "no wrong door” experience at all City buildings. The project aims to provide the same services at all buildings with a focus on in-person and phone services. The project team collected front desk staff from all five city buildings to analyze services offered and utilized Six Sigma black belt staff to facilitate the process. They measured actual visitor patterns and discovered significant overlap in services. New implementations include: o Cyracom Language Translation: Available at all front desks, offering video translation for 35 languages and overall support for 250 languages. The top four languages being translated are Spanish, Japanese (showing the largest increase), Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese. o Digital Sign-In Process: Following Council's lead, all buildings now use digital sign-in providing real-time security data, evacuation information, and automated text/email notifications to staff when visitors arrive. In-Progress Initiatives: o One City, One Phone Number (410-4400): Residents will not need to know specific building numbers. The new phone system enables call rolling between buildings if receptionists are busy. o No Wrong Door Concept: Multiple services are being implemented across buildings, with ongoing evaluation of software costs and additional subscriptions. o Customer Service Standards: Updates of standards including voicemail protocols and communication expectations. o Quarterly Staff Meetings: Building team cohesion among administrative support staff across the three main buildings. o Centralized Knowledge Base: Ensuring information is readily available for all staff and temporary workers. This initiative was shared with the City’s four Advisory Committees in a joint meeting in September to garner feedback. The committees’ expressed appreciation for maintaining human interaction at front desks, valued the language translation services, and suggested broader communication about these improvements through Dublin Life magazine. Mr. Keeler inquired about the practical implementation of the one phone number system. Ms. Nardecchia confirmed that calls about issues like missed recycling could be handled by any receptionist who could enter work requests directly into the GoDublin app backend without transferring calls. Ms. Kramb confirmed that existing phone numbers, particularly the police non- emergency line, would continue to work. Ms. Fox supported increased print communication through Dublin Life magazine, noting the large senior population who may struggle with web navigation. She suggested potentially increasing the number of City initiatives that are shared in this manner. Ms. De Rosa praised the high quality of current staff interactions and suggested considering two-way communication capabilities for the GoDublin app to match the Minutes of ieneeniiel Dubin Say-caunen NGS Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 6 of8 in-person experience improvements. She noted mixed feedback about response times and communication through the current app. Vice Mayor Alutto expressed enthusiasm for the customer-centric approach and looked forward to future implementation of AI chatbot capabilities to assist with applications and other services. STAFF COMMENTS City Manager Megan O'Callaghan shared several significant awards and recognitions: o Dublin Irish Festival was named "Best of the Best" in the festivals and events category by the American Bus Association, a national endorsement from one of the most respected organizations in group travel and tourism. o IFEA World Festival and Event City Award: Dublin was selected by international judges for this honor, recognizing exceptional leadership in event planning, strong public-private partnerships, and vibrant cultural programming. Dublin last received this award in 2012 and 2014. Dublin, Ireland also received its first IFEA World Festival and Event City honor. Additional specific international awards for the festival would be announced the following day. o Communications Awards: The Dublin Communications and Marketing team earned three national awards from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association for Dublin News Now (weekly e-newsletter), the DublinRec app, and the My Dublin video series. Dublin's work was selected from over 1,100 entries from 35 states and Canada. Ms. O'Callaghan thanked staff for their hard work, creativity, innovation, and dedication to service. COUNCIL REPORTS e Committee Reports o Finance Committee: Mr. Keeler reported that the Finance Committee met on September 9, 2025 to discuss the Hotel Motel Tax Fund and annual cost of services study. For the Hotel Motel Tax Fund, which generated nearly $4 million in 2024 (2.6% of operating revenue), the Committee supported establishing a fund balance policy to include percentage-based allocations rather than flat dollar amounts, and accountability through agreements. The cost of services study proposed a 2.6% inflationary adjustment for 2026 fees, with new fees for court services and park rentals, increases to recreation and pool fees, and transition to a sticker-based DORA program. The fee schedule ordinance would come for first reading October 6. o Public Services Committee: Ms. Kramb reported that the Public Services Committee met on September 10, 2025 to discuss micro-mobility devices, specifically electric-powered vehicles on shared-use paths. They distinguished between devices under and over 20 mph, with increased concern about electric mini-motorcycles. Staff is working on code amendments addressing safety concerns and benchmarking neighboring cities' approaches. The Committee emphasized the importance of safety, signage, and education about shared path etiquette. o Administrative Committee: Ms. De Rosa reported that the Administrative Committee met on September 15, 2025 to receive the annual health insurance benefit plan update and begin planning for the annual retreat. Jennifer Miglietti provided detailed cost data and recommendations that would be included in the upcoming budget. The Committee continues working on the retreat agenda with draft materials coming to Council in the following weeks. e Liaison Reports Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Mesias GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 7 af0e o Ms. Fox reported on the Dublin Board of Education meeting with President Diana Rigby, board member Chris Valentine, and Dr. Marschhausen on August 27. They discussed high school redistricting to balance enrollment across all three high schools and ongoing statewide conversations about property tax impacts. The group also discussed the Community Health Needs Assessment Strategic Action Plan, now rebranded as the Dublin Wellness Alliance, which identifies four priority health needs. The school board was invited to designate a representative, possibly a student, for the advisory committee. o Mr. Reiner thanked Ms. Vanderheijden for the arts presentations and reminded everyone about upcoming Sundays at the Scioto concerts: September 28 featuring the Whirlybirds with Seth Daley Trio, and October 5 featuring Honey and Blue to close the season. He also noted Masa's upcoming residency from November 15-December 19. o Ms. Kramb attended the Washington Township meeting September 9 with nothing significant to report and the September 11 memorial service at the fire department, which she described as short but emotional. For Architectural Review Board, she noted an upcoming September 24 meeting featuring a second historic district home with solar panels and COhatch's Amended Final Development Plan with streetscape details based on Council's roadway recommendations. o Mayor Amorose Groomes reported on the September 16 meeting with former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood regarding rail initiative next steps and federal advocacy strategies. Ohio reached its fundraising goal for the Corridor ID Phase 2 study with Dublin's $50,000 contribution, and Indiana secured their match. Phase 2 would begin this month with the Federal Rail Administration. She also reported on the September 17 MORPC leadership visit touring Dublin's transportation and development projects, highlighting those seeking regional funding support. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Ms. Kramb announced the Dublin City Schools Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday, noting it was open to all and featured an amazing class of inductees. Ms. Fox congratulated the events and communications teams on their recent awards, noting that Council regularly celebrates staff's award-winning achievements. Mr. Reiner shared his experience at the international landscape architecture conference where he spoke about Dublin's progressive "Greener in Dublin" initiatives and environmental leadership. He congratulated Alison LeRoy and her team. Mr. Keeler thanked staff for their regular presentations to Dublin AM Rotary at 7:30 Friday mornings. Ms. De Rosa congratulated staff on festival awards, noting the tremendous behind-the- scenes work involved. She fielded resident questions about whether leaf collection would begin earlier than advertised due to dry weather causing early leaf drop. Mike Barker confirmed Jay Anderson was actively monitoring conditions and considering an earlier start. City Manager O'Callaghan added that the City routinely collects early leaf piles without advertising to get a head start on the program. Vice Mayor Alutto congratulated the events team on their consistent awards and encouraged residents to vote in the upcoming election, emphasizing that every vote counts in local elections. Mayor Amorose Groomes reported the following: Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council ideating GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held September 22, 2025 Page 8 ahs. Mr. Reiner added congratulations for the Miracle League's 20th anniversary on Saturday, noting they reached their $10 million fundraising goal for a new facility north of Dublin featuring fireplaces and cabins for expanded programs serving people with disabilities and wounded veterans. He emphasized Dublin's leadership in this area and pride in the program's impact on participants and families. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. UA AAS the Bounty at Bridge Park on September 14 celebrated Dublin Food Pantry's work, the Cardinal Health ribbon cutting in Groveport for their impressive new over-the- counter distribution facility, and a meeting with Cenovus leadership to offer City support. She also mentioned hosting 175 Kansas City Chamber of Commerce visitors at the Exchange at Bridge Park on September 16, with excellent panel facilitation by Ms. O'Callaghan, Mr. Gracia, and Brent Crawford. That same evening, she joined Muirfield Village and Memorial Tournament representatives advocating for golf course eligibility in state sports facility funding, noting golf courses were specifically excluded from current legislation. She reported on the Ohio Mayors Alliance call discussing challenges to home rule through flavored tobacco legislation and the ITC committee meeting for National League of Cities. Finally, she congratulated Sen Gao on receiving an Ohio Asian Award for excellence on September 13, apologizing for being unable to attend. Mayor — Presiding Officer Cétk of Council