200 South Hamilton Road  
Gahanna, Ohio 43230  
City of Gahanna  
Meeting Minutes  
Committee of the Whole  
Trenton I. Weaver, Chair  
Merisa K. Bowers  
Jamille Jones  
Nancy R. McGregor  
Kaylee Padova  
Stephen A. Renner  
Michael Schnetzer  
Jeremy A. VanMeter, Clerk of Council  
Monday, August 11, 2025  
City Hall, Council Chambers  
Immediately following City Council - special meeting at 7:00 PM on August 11, 2025  
CALL TO ORDER:  
A.  
Gahanna City Council met for Committee of the Whole on Monday, August  
11, 2025, in Council Chambers. Vice President of Council Trenton I. Weaver,  
Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:28 p.m. The agenda was published on  
August 8, 2025. Councilmember Michael Schnetzer was absent from the  
meeting. All other members were present. There were no additions or  
corrections to the agenda.  
B.  
ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:  
ORD-0035-2025  
AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING, APPROVING, AND RATIFYING THE  
SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA TAX  
INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL FOR TAX YEAR 2023  
Jeff Gottke, Director of Economic Development, reported on the Tax Incentive  
Review Council (TIRC) recommendations for tax year 2023. He reminded  
councilmembers that they had received the minutes from the TIRC meeting  
held last August and explained that the City Council would decide whether to  
continue, modify, or cancel the recommendations that TIRC made last  
August. He clarified that the review operated on a tax-year basis rather than a  
calendar-year basis, which accounted for the one-year lag. Gottke explained  
that the TIRC, existed by statute wherever a community reinvestment area  
(CRA), enterprise zone, or TIF area operated within the state. He described  
TIRC’s role as making recommendations to the City Council about the viability  
of abatement projects and recommending whether to continue, modify, or  
cancel any property tax abatements in the city. He added that TIRC also  
received reports on pre-1994 projects and TIF activity, although TIRC did not  
make recommendations on those items. He outlined TIRC’s composition and  
observed that the county auditor served as chair. He said TIRC included two  
commissioners’ representatives, two township representatives (for the two  
impacted townships, Mifflin and Jefferson), school board representatives,  
career center representatives, and city representatives, and he noted that he  
had listed the members’ names in the materials. He emphasized that TIRC  
represented all of the taxing entities within the area rather than favoring any  
single entity. Gottke stated that Rachel Zarick, Economic Development  
Coordinator, performed the lion’s share of the staff work for the annual  
reporting process. He said the city had to report the status of abatements  
each year to the Ohio Department of Development by March 31. He  
described the staff process: the department began mailing reporting forms at  
the end of the prior year, set deadlines for returns, and followed up by phone,  
email, or in person if companies failed to return the forms. He cautioned that  
failing to return the forms by March 31 could factor into TIRC’s  
recommendations. He also said the CRA Housing Council met in recent  
years at the end of the year but that he wanted to reverse that schedule next  
year so the Housing Council would meet before TIRC; he said Ms. Zarick  
prepared the reports that she would present to TIRC, which was scheduled to  
meet a week from that day.  
Director Gottke summarized the procedural flow: companies submitted  
reports, staff prepared and submitted the reports to the Department of  
Development, the Housing Council reviewed projects and made unofficial  
recommendations, and TIRC then met and made formal recommendations to  
the City Council shortly after its summer meeting. He concluded with TIRC’s  
findings: TIRC had found all abatements to be complying and had  
recommended the continuation of all post-1994 abatements in effect. Gottke  
reported quick compiled data from Ms. Zarick. He said new job creation  
exceeded the agreement amounts by 22 jobs. He said the retained jobs target  
of 710 jobs matched the number of jobs actually retained. He reported that  
retained payroll exceeded the committed amount by $9.7 million and that new  
payroll exceeded the committed amount by $15.7 million. He said those  
results produced projected income tax collections that exceeded the  
agreement amounts by approximately $640,000. He said that, based on these  
results, TIRC recommended that all abatements continue exactly as they  
were in place, and he then invited questions.  
Councilmember McGregor asked what difference existed between retained  
payroll and new payroll. Director Gottke explained that companies committed  
either to retaining jobs or to creating additional jobs. He said, for example, a  
company that outgrew its space could agree to expand and retain the number  
of jobs on site or to create more jobs, and he added that the choice depended  
on what fit best for the company and the project.  
President Bowers asked Gottke to repeat his proposal to reverse the order in  
which reports came forward to Council. Gottke explained that the CRA  
Housing Council had met in October or November after the TIRC meeting in  
previous years and that the Housing Council lacked binding authority,  
because it only reviewed and accepted reports. He said moving the CRA  
Housing Council meeting before TIRC would provide an opportunity to  
practice the presentation to TIRC, allow the CRA Housing Council to ask  
questions and vet the information, and produce an unofficial recommendation  
the staff could take to TIRC to show that an external review body supported  
continuing the abatements.  
Councilmember Padova thanked Gottke for the presentation and asked  
whether Ms. Zarick would appear next week before the TIRC for tax year  
2024. Gottke confirmed that Zarick would present for tax year 2024.  
Vice President Weaver thanked the director and asked two questions. First,  
he asked generally about the process for documenting follow-up when TIRC  
members requested additional information, because the minutes did not  
show subsequent documentation of that follow-up. Second, he asked  
specifically about Premier Holdings and whether payroll taxes from home  
health care aides remitted to the city of Gahanna or to the locations where the  
aides performed their work. Gottke answered the specific question first. He  
said staff had queried the company and learned that ninety percent of the  
positions worked in the city of Gahanna, so ninety percent of the jobs counted  
as retained by the city. He then referred to a chart, noting that Premier  
Holdings reported 165 existing jobs, committed 12 new jobs, and created 55  
jobs, and he said he believed those figures would fall within the ninety percent  
range. In response to Weaver’s broader question, Gottke said that because  
TIRC had not conditioned its recommendation on the additional information,  
staff retained that information and then would report it at the next TIRC  
meeting; he said Ms. Zarick would deliver the information to TIRC the  
following Monday.  
Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 8/18/2025;  
Second Reading/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 9/2/2025.  
C.  
PRESENTATIONS:  
Council Office Internship Presentation - Nathan Graves  
2025-0154  
Local Government Internship Program Presentation 8.11.2025 & Charter  
Review Commission Files Project - Nathan Graves, Council Office Intern  
Nathan Graves, Council Office Intern, addressed the Council, the City  
Attorney, and the Mayor and summarized his summer internship. He said the  
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) placed him in the local  
government internship at the City of Gahanna. He described two major  
projects he focused on. The primary project that consumed most of his time  
was preparing a comprehensive overview of the Charter Review Commission  
(CRC) to support the 2026 review process. He said he analyzed and archived  
the city’s records and digitized 959 files. He also created an operational  
framework to guide the CRC in 2026 and developed a professional  
development opportunity document for City Council. Graves listed his core  
deliverables. He said he organized and digitized the file system, updated the  
list of charter amendments and resolved several inconsistencies, and  
produced analyses that included the pass-fail rate of amendments and a  
breakdown of who had initiated past charter amendments. In this process, he  
reviewed historical newspaper clippings, resolutions, minutes, and  
correspondence. Graves said he drafted a formal rules of procedure  
document with the City Attorney, the first such document in the city’s records  
to his knowledge, and he prepared a procedural guide for the City Attorney  
and the Clerk of Council. He also created an onboarding packet, timetable  
templates, and a resource folder for the upcoming CRC to increase  
efficiency. Graves said the internship gave him a deep understanding of  
municipal and legislative processes and allowed him to compare procedures  
in Gahanna with those in the City of Columbus. He said he sat in on internal  
city planning meetings, became familiar with public records law, and  
developed professional connections through the city and MORPC. He said he  
attended the MORPC Transformation & Innovation Forum and participated in  
intern networking events. Graves thanked city staff, Council Office, and  
MORPC for its support of the internship program. He then asked whether  
anyone had questions.  
Vice President Weaver thanked Mr. Graves for his service to the city,  
expressed the Council’s gratitude, and asked what Graves planned to do  
next. Graves said he was entering the second year of his Master of Public  
Administration program and that he would spend the second year interning in  
Washington, D.C. for a fellowship with the American Maritime Congress in  
about a week and a half and that he was preparing to move and pack.  
Councilmember McGregor wished Graves good luck in Washington, D.C.  
President Bowers commended Graves for his work for the city, including his  
roles as a camp counselor with Parks and Recreation and in seasonal  
employment, described him as an incredible asset, and expressed hope that  
the Council would see him return to Gahanna.  
Councilmember Jones echoed those remarks, thanked Graves for his  
contributions, and said the community supported him.  
Mayor Jadwin congratulated Graves, thanked him for his work over the  
summer, noted that the city had seven interns overall and that the interns had  
presented the prior week, described the intern class as exceptional, and  
asked Graves to keep in touch and share stories from Washington, D.C.  
D.  
ITEMS FROM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES:  
2025-0158  
Our Gahanna - Strategic Plan Update 8.11.2025  
Miranda Vollmer, Senior Director of Administrative Services, provided a brief  
update on the Our Gahanna strategic planning process. She stated that the  
City had entered Round Three engagement in August 2025 and that she  
would review the process timeline, Round Three engagement activities, and  
the adoption schedule. Round Three would allow citizens, Councilmembers,  
the City Attorney, the Mayor, the steering committee, directors, and staff to  
review the latest draft of the strategic plan and to test the initiatives the  
consultants had identified based on Round One and Round Two input.  
Vollmer reported that the City had mailed postcards to all residents inviting  
them to the Sweet Celebration on August 26, 2025, and to participate in the  
online survey. She said the City had also promoted the engagement through  
the Uniquely Gahanna ad, social media, community gateway signs, posters,  
flyers, the steering committee, and assistance from staff, and she thanked  
Clerk VanMeter for distributing information to boards and commissions. She  
offered to provide flyers to Councilmembers for posting. Vollmer described  
the Round Three engagement opportunities. She said the Sweet Celebration  
would take place at Creekside on August 26, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., that  
participants who completed a passport through the engagement boards  
would receive free sweet treats from local businesses, and that Planning  
NEXT would host the engagement stations. She said the Our Gahanna Road  
Show would run August 27 through September 20, 2025, at various  
community locations, including schools, libraries, the senior center, and the  
YMCA, and that the public could participate online from August 26 through  
September 20. She stated that the City would send Council a survey and that  
Council would have August 26 through September 7, 2025 to respond. She  
added that a Planning NEXT consultant would contact Clerk VanMeter to  
schedule calls with Councilmembers who wished to review the draft  
recommendations. She noted that steering committee members  
Councilmember Merisa Bowers, Councilmember Michael Schnetzer, and  
Mayor Jadwin had participated in the last steering committee meeting.  
Vollmer outlined the adoption schedule. She said engagement would end on  
September 20, 2025, that the consultants would incorporate feedback into the  
final draft during September and October, and that the City planned to  
introduce the plan to Committee of the Whole on October 13, 2025, hold a  
first reading on October 20, 2025, return for discussion on October 27, 2025,  
if needed, and conduct a second reading and vote on November 3, 2025. She  
closed by asking whether anyone had questions.  
President Bowers asked Vollmer to explain the staff work discussed at the  
last steering committee meeting and how staff participation would show up in  
the final recommendations. Vollmer replied that all city directors had joined  
the last steering committee meeting and that she had assigned directors to  
five groups based on their specialties. She said directors had worked with  
steering committee members to review draft recommendations that resulted  
from public engagement, to flesh out meanings, and to provide supporting  
data. She said Planning NEXT had received that information and had edited  
the draft recommendations accordingly. She said Council would see draft  
recommendations at Round Three that Planning NEXT had derived from  
Rounds One and Two and from steering committee and director review, and  
she added that Kelsey Bartholomew and Rachel Zarick would host staff  
sessions in this building and at the parks and service garage. She said  
Planning NEXT would aggregate Round Three feedback, adjust  
recommendations as needed, and produce the final document for delivery on  
October 13, 2025. Bowers asked whether Vollmer could preview what  
Council should expect in the plan document and whether the plan would  
include specific criteria that staff could use to gauge progress. Vollmer  
explained that Planning NEXT had structured the work in two phases: the  
current phase produced draft recommendations, and the subsequent phase  
would produce the plan document, including an introduction, instructions on  
how to use the plan, and cross-references to other City plans. She said that  
document would explain how the strategic plan would function as a  
framework and how the City would use it in conjunction with the Capital  
Improvement Plan (CIP), the parks master plan, and the comprehensive  
transportation and mobility plan, and she reiterated that the plan document  
would appear on October 13, 2025. Bowers asked whether the strategic plan  
would give direction on prioritization. Vollmer said she would check on that  
specifically because the plan would include an implementation piece for staff  
that described how to implement the plan. Bowers observed that the plan  
should direct action rather than remain a lofty vision. Vollmer affirmed that the  
plan would provide guidance and noted that, in the next budget process for  
2027, the City would tie each budget item to a strategic priority or objective in  
the plan. Bowers asked about the status of the economic development  
strategy. Vollmer said the economic development recommendations would  
follow the same process and that Director Jeff Gottke had taken responsibility  
for much of that work. She said Planning NEXT included an economic  
development adviser, that the team had consulted additional resources, and  
that staff planned to check in with the Community Improvement Corporation  
(CIC); she said the economic development recommendations would appear  
during the public engagement. Bowers asked whether the economic  
development strategy would integrate fully into the strategic plan or appear as  
a subdocument. Vollmer said the City would include it as its own chapter and  
that the team also would prepare a pull-out chapter for Creekside.  
Councilmember Jones asked whether the Sweet Celebration engagement  
would ask residents to review the draft and respond rather than propose new  
ideas. Vollmer said the event would focus on reviewing the draft but that staff  
would accept new ideas if attendees offered them. She said Planning NEXT  
planned engagement boards similar to prior rounds, that the consultants  
designed the stations to engage participants rather than display long task  
lists, and that she expected six to twelve engagement stations. Jones asked  
how the in-person boards would duplicate through the survey. Vollmer said  
staff would mirror the board questions in the online survey, that Round Two  
had used the same approach, and that attendees at the Sweet Celebration  
would not need to complete the online survey if they completed the in-person  
engagement.  
2025-0159  
Staffing Update - Network Analyst Presentation 8.11.2025  
Miranda Vollmer, Senior Director of Administrative Services, presented a  
2026 staffing request and asked the Council to approve advancing the  
network analyst position ahead of the 2026 budget cycle. She said the  
position would sit in the Information Technology Department under the  
network administrator and noted that the City had hired a systems analyst  
earlier that summer. Vollmer said she requested the advance hire because  
the City had many concurrent projects and because House Bill 96 would take  
effect in September with an implementation date of January 1, 2026. She  
explained that the bill established a cybersecurity program with six required  
elements: assess critical systems and risks, understand breach impacts,  
detect threats early, define incident response procedures, plan for recovery,  
and train all staff. She said the law required the City to have a plan available  
for audit and that the City already performed many of the required activities  
but could enhance its work. Vollmer explained that Director of IT René Carter,  
and the network administrator, Brandon McCorkle, had developed strategic  
priorities for the City’s network. She described the proposed network analyst’s  
duties, which corresponded to the cybersecurity elements: assist with annual  
penetration tests, threat monitoring, and role-based access controls; monitor  
real-time alerts and system baselines; support structured escalation  
protocols; participate in lifecycle planning, network redundancy, and proactive  
upgrades; and assist with asset tracking, disaster recovery drills, and  
alignment with CJIS requirements for police information. She added that the  
position would cross-train with systems staff and the network administrator,  
produce standard operating procedure documentation, and reduce the City’s  
dependency on the single existing network FTE. Vollmer said the City could  
post the position in August if the Council approved advancing the hire. She  
outlined the hiring timeline: a ten-day posting period followed by application  
review; interviews within roughly 30 days; a candidate selection within about  
45 days; and the background investigation, conducted by the Division of  
Police, would take 30 to 60 days. She said the City expected to hire an  
analyst by late November or early December with an advanced hire, which  
would allow the analyst to support the January 1, 2026 implementation date  
and help stand up networks for the City’s new facility. Vollmer described the  
near and mid-term implementation steps. She said the IT team would  
onboard the network analyst, deploy monitoring dashboards, and begin  
infrastructure documentation and SOP rollout by the end of 2026. She said  
the City would expand analytics, automate scanning, and cross-train staff to  
support redundancy in 2027. Vollmer emphasized that the request required  
no change to the salary ordinance and requested no supplemental  
appropriation because savings in the IT salary and benefit lines, resulting from  
the systems analyst hire and earlier vacancies, would cover the position. She  
summarized that adding a network analyst would distribute operational load,  
reduce response times, and help the City maintain operations during  
absences, turnover, or increased demand. Vollmer said the position would  
rank as a priority one staffing request and noted that the City continued to  
finalize the full 2026 staffing list. She concluded by stating the role’s vital  
importance to security and infrastructure and offered to answer questions.  
President Bowers asked whether Vollmer felt optimistic that the City would fill  
the network analyst role within the timeline she had identified. Vollmer replied  
that staff had used different recruiting strategies, that the systems analyst hire  
had produced a good candidate pool and that the team had interviewed more  
candidates than typical, and that the staffing study consultant had conducted  
market research when it recommended the position. She said the position’s  
placement in the salary ordinance proved competitive with similar government  
roles. Bowers asked for the classification tier for the position and said Vollmer  
could follow up by email if she did not have it handy. Vollmer said she would  
follow up and stated that the position appeared in the ordinance as IT Analyst  
II; she added that she believed the classification to be C17 and that she would  
send the confirmation. Vollmer sought feedback from Council. She said she  
would return in October for the budget workshop and that the staffing request  
would appear on that agenda, stated that staff would like to advance hiring,  
and observed that most people were shaking their heads with proceeding.  
Vice President Weaver confirmed that he was in agreement. Bowers noted  
that the requirement derived from state law, described it as an unfunded  
mandate, and said the City had to respond to that mandate.  
E.  
ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION:  
ORD-0036-2025  
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO AWARD AND  
ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH HGC CONSTRUCTION CO. FOR THE  
RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRICE ROAD HOUSE  
FACILITY; AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS; AND  
WAIVING SECOND READING  
Stephania Ferrell, Director of Parks and Recreation, provided an overview of  
the Price Road project, also referred to as the Exploration Center. She said  
the City acquired the property off James Road, south of the Gahanna  
swimming pool, in 2010 because of its adjacency to existing parkland. She  
reported that the property included an outbuilding used for storage and a  
residential property. Ferrell said the 2006 Parks Master Plan identified indoor  
recreation space as a deficiency and that the 2023 Parks Master Plan  
reaffirmed that need. She explained that the City evaluated the site to  
determine the feasibility of renovating the residential property into recreational  
space. She said the building measured 5,500 square feet, that the  
programmable area measured approximately 2,700 square feet, and that the  
design included three recreational spaces (the images shown depicted two of  
the three). The design also featured an outdoor deck and that the site sat  
directly adjacent to the Big Walnut Trail, Big Walnut Creek, and more than 50  
acres of parkland, which provided an opportunity to “bring outdoors indoors.”  
Ferrell said community partners such as churches and schools offered  
programming but still faced limitations and funding constraints. The Price  
Road facility would allow the City to provide after-school programming  
(including STEM, arts and crafts, and learning activities), adult programming  
for health and wellness, and other community-based programs. She added  
that the space would offer rentable space for community groups (for example,  
Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops) and for private events such as baby  
showers and birthday parties, providing an alternative location to the  
clubhouse.  
Director Ferrell recounted the project history and funding. She said the City  
completed an evaluation in 2021 and submitted a state capital grant  
application that the City received in 2022 in the amount of $100,000 for  
renovation. She reported that bidders responded in 2023 but that the City  
received only one bid and that the bid exceeded the engineer’s estimate,  
making that round nonviable. She said the City reevaluated and rescoped the  
design throughout 2024 to prepare a better project for bid and to incorporate  
the parking lot. Ferrell noted the City received five viable bids for the revised  
project. She said the apparent low bid (the bid contract award) came in under  
the engineer’s estimate. She said prior CIP cycles had appropriated funds  
and that the project retained contingencies, but a funding gap of $335,547  
remained. She said the administration respectfully requested an ordinance to  
enter into a contract with HGC Construction for the renovation of the Price  
Road project and a supplemental appropriation to fully fund construction. She  
offered to answer questions.  
Councilmember Renner thanked Director Ferrell and said he had awaited the  
Price Road renovation for nearly the entire time he had served on Council. He  
noted the home’s unique character and charm, encouraged Councilmembers  
to visit the site before construction began, and requested that staff research  
the home’s history to incorporate that information into future materials. He  
recalled the Rapid5 initiative and asked Ferrell to describe any synergy  
between that effort and the Price Road project. Director Ferrell confirmed that  
the corridor had the City’s designation in response to the Rapid5 project. She  
said the site offered a confluence of natural resources, including the Big  
Walnut Trail, Big Walnut Creek, and adjacent parkland, and that the location  
provided an opportunity to present a natural, walkable space near heavily  
trafficked areas. She said the Rapid5 work had celebrated the corridor’s  
natural elements and that the project’s location aligned purposefully with  
those elements. Renner asked Ferrell to elaborate on environmental and  
ecological programming, noting the site’s riparian setting along the Big  
Walnut. Ferrell said the Parks and Recreation Department had incorporated  
programs with the “mad scientists,” including recent hands-on events at  
Gahanna Woods where participants handled salamanders and learned about  
the ecosystem. She said the programming would emphasize the adjacent  
property’s ecosystems, local plants, and animals, and she reiterated the  
project’s goal of bringing outdoor experiences indoors. Renner expressed his  
appreciation and excitement for the project.  
Vice President Weaver added his excitement and said the project presented  
a great opportunity for the community. He noted the administration had  
requested a waiver of second reading and said the item would appear on the  
regular agenda. President Bowers asked whether the report had indicated  
that the Council did not require an emergency clause. Ferrell confirmed that  
the project did not require an emergency clause for construction but that the  
administration sought a waiver of second reading. Weaver recommended the  
item be placed the item on the regular agenda for the August 18, 2025,  
meeting and stated his general discomfort with waivers while acknowledging  
that he found the waiver appropriate in this case.  
Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading with Waiver of Second Reading  
and Adoption on Regular Agenda on 8/18/2025.  
F.  
ITEMS FROM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS:  
2025-0160  
Gahanna Civic Center (825 Tech Center Drive) Construction Update  
8.11.2025  
Kevin Schultz, Senior Director of Operations, delivered a status update on the  
825 Tech Center Drive project covering June and July. He said he missed the  
July Committee meeting and offered tours of the site by appointment. Schultz  
reported rapid progress on the site. He said the construction crews had  
removed the construction fences and had converted the rear parking lot into  
the front lot. He said contractors had placed coarse asphalt at the front of the  
building to provide parking for construction workers while they completed  
work on the rear lot. He noted that the front parking lot provided a clear sense  
of circulation, although crews had not yet paved some areas adjacent to the  
Police Department. He said heavy rains had limited paving activity over the  
prior days. Schultz said the crews had completed the front curbs and the  
police egress and that the security fence for the cruiser lot would be a  
remaining feature. He reported that contractors had installed solar carport  
footers on both the west side (next to the AEP building) and the east side of  
the facility and that the teams expected to erect the carport structures in the  
coming weeks. He said the project had completed the bioswale stormwater  
facility at the front of the building and had begun site work on the rear parking  
lot. He added that the crews had advanced pedestrian improvements,  
including a multi-use trail along the front of the property and enhanced  
pedestrian movements within the site.  
Director Schultz said interior work progressed alongside exterior work. He  
said contractors had begun casework and bathroom finishes primarily on the  
third floor and that contractors had installed carpet and luxury vinyl tile mainly  
on the third floor. He said the construction team had worked from the top of  
the building toward the bottom; he described the first floor as an active,  
dustier construction environment than the third floor. Schultz said the  
building’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) occupied its designated room  
but had not yet received full electrical connection. He said the UPS would  
bridge the brief interruption between a power outage and generator startup for  
critical systems; he said the UPS would support the entire dispatch center  
and a large portion of the police department’s HVAC systems. Schultz  
reported that the project had reached seventy-three percent completion and  
had logged thirty-four weather days; he estimated that June and July had  
accounted for five to seven of those weather days due to rain.  
Director Schultz displayed photographs and summarized visible site  
elements. He contrasted the July 2025 photos with images from earlier in the  
month and from one year prior to show the site’s progression. He identified  
the multi-use trail under construction, the bioswale, and the parking-lot  
circulation patterns that would serve police ingress and egress, general public  
access to the front lot, and staff and senior-center access to the rear lot. He  
described interior photo details: nearly complete ceramic tile in a third-floor  
restroom awaiting fixtures, casework and carpet installed in office areas  
(including the finance department), and a glass wall and doorway system for  
private offices with decorative frosting for privacy. He said the project had  
installed security mounds in the front parking area as passive security  
features to prevent vehicle access to the structure. He concluded by noting  
pedestrian-access improvements that extended along the entire rear  
elevation from the far sallyport to the building’s south elevation.  
Financial Updates  
Director Schultz reported on project invoicing and allowances. He first said  
the project had invoiced 61 percent. He then corrected the slide, stating that  
the slide reflected June financials and that, as of June 31, the project had  
invoiced 31 percent. He said he had received the July pay application that day  
but had not had time to incorporate it into the materials. He noted that pay  
applications generally ran about $3 to $4 million, and he estimated that the  
project was probably closer to 65 percent invoiced for the month of July.  
Schultz reviewed allowance and contingency figures. He said the  
percentages on the slide were correct but that the dollar figure on the slide  
was not, and he clarified that the City had not spent $1 million in allowance.  
He said the City had obligated 52 percent of the allowance budget and 53  
percent of the contingency budget. He reported that staff had approved  
approximately $2.5 million to date in allowance and contingency, which he  
said amounted to about 53 percent. He concluded his remarks and invited  
questions.  
Vice President Weaver thanked Director Schultz for the update, asked  
whether anyone had questions or discussion, and, seeing none, thanked him  
for the tour. Weaver said he appreciated the in-chambers update but noted  
that seeing the project in person showed how quickly it was moving. He  
commended Schultz, city staff, and the project team, and he acknowledged  
the many staff members who supported the effort but were not present in the  
room.  
ORD-0033-2025  
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN  
AGREEMENT WITH WINSTED COMPANY, LLC, FOR FURNITURE  
PROCUREMENT AND INSTALLATION SERVICES RELATED TO THE  
RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF 825 TECH CENTER DRIVE;  
WAIVING SECOND READING AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY  
Kevin Schultz, Senior Director of Operations, acknowledged an oversight and  
presented a cleanup item related to the Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment  
(FF&E) budget. He said the City maintained a total FF&E budget of $2.3  
million and that the presentation reconfigured line items for this discussion.  
He reported that the Capital Improvement Program included Equipment  
Project EQ-25-02 for 911 dispatcher workstations with an allocation of  
$160,000 and that staff proposed to use $25,000 of the remaining FF&E  
budget to complete the contract. He said the total contract for Winsted  
Company LLC for 911 dispatcher consoles totaled $185,000, which included  
a $12,000 contingency. He stated that the Administration requested authority  
for the Mayor to sign the contract and then invited questions.  
Councilmember McGregor asked whether the equipment at 400 West  
Johnstown could be reused at the new site. Schultz replied that the consoles  
at 400 West Johnstown measured smaller than the new consoles, he  
estimated twelve to fifteen inches narrower, and that the City planned to keep  
400 West Johnstown as a backup facility. He said the City had six consoles  
at 400 West Johnstown and intended to retain three of them there as a  
backup.  
President Bowers asked whether the City faced a threat of cost increases  
before contract execution. Schultz replied that the price would remain fixed  
only after the Mayor signed the contract. Bowers observed that the contract  
execution therefore required emergency approval. Schultz confirmed that the  
Mayor could not sign the contract until the waiver or referendum period  
expired.  
Vice President Weaver asked whether the Administration needed a waiver  
request as well. Schultz answered yes. Weaver noted that the Administration  
requested a waiver and emergency declaration and said the item would  
appear on the regular agenda on August 18, 2025.  
Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading with Waiver of Second Reading  
and Emergency Adoption on Regular Agenda on 8/18/2025.  
2025-0161  
Creekside Update - Flood Mitigation and Plaza Improvements 8.11.2025  
Mayor Jadwin provided an update on the Creekside Flood Mitigation Project.  
She said the Council first began discussing the project publicly in 2020, but  
that work on the issue had started many years earlier. She recalled that on  
her first day in office, at her first meeting as mayor in January 2020, staff  
advised her that questions had arisen regarding the floodproofing certificate  
for the Creekside garage and other areas of the development. Mayor Jadwin  
said the City engaged an outside engineering and environmental firm to  
conduct a thorough evaluation and investigation of the Creekside area over a  
several-month period. She reported that the firm confirmed the need to  
perform floodproofing work along the embankment that extended from the  
northern portion of Building A, past Building B, to the southern portion of  
Building C, adjacent to the alleyway that separated Mr. Griffin’s parking lot  
from Creekside. She said the City had worked with FEMA and that the City  
currently operated under a FEMA directive to perform the critical and  
necessary floodproofing work. While assessing the mandatory floodproofing  
work, Mayor Jadwin said staff recognized that Creekside required an overall  
refresh, construction had begun in 2005, and that the flood mitigation work  
presented an opportunity to address other critical needs at Creekside. Mayor  
Jadwin recalled that in September of the prior year the City had shared  
renderings at the Mill Street Market to gauge community interest in potential  
Creekside improvements and that the community response had been  
overwhelmingly positive. She said the Our Gahanna strategic planning  
engagement had reaffirmed the community’s desire to see Creekside  
become more vibrant and healthy. She added that Planning NEXT had visited  
the City several times and that community priorities included business vitality,  
connectivity, accessibility with park amenities, and creek activation at  
Creekside. Mayor Jadwin concluded by saying staff had identified both the  
flood mitigation work and preliminary concepts for Creekside and then turned  
the presentation over to Director Schultz to walk the Council through the  
proposed flood mitigation project and the preliminary design concepts.  
Director Schultz introduced the Creekside project presentation and noted he  
had presented other projects at 825 Tech Center Drive. He identified  
Directors Komlanc, Ferrell, and Blackford, Mr. Guthrie, and the Mayor among  
the audience and said many staff had worked on the project before he  
assumed his current position. Schultz described the project as a collection of  
related workstreams and said the design team consisted of Fishbeck  
Engineering and POD Design. He listed the primary components as  
floodproofing, trail improvements, plaza improvements (upper and lower),  
streetscape improvements, and roadway work. He noted an error on his slide  
and corrected the labels for the upper and lower plazas. Schultz explained the  
design approach and cost tracking. He said the team had framed each  
component so the City could separate and sequence work as needed rather  
than obligate the City to a single designer-driven solution. He displayed  
renderings and described the overall site: Mill Street on the right, the creek on  
the left, and an altered lagoon that reduced its size to create a more functional  
lower bowl and a programmable area that would reduce the need to close Mill  
Street for events. He described proposed amphitheater-style seating, a  
refurbished pedestrian bridge, and creek-side improvements on the opposite  
side of the bridge.  
Director Schultz emphasized that the project primarily addressed flood  
mitigation. He described water infiltration and flooding in the Creekside garage  
during major events and explained that the FEMA floodproofing requirements  
would require a clay liner and sealing along the bank that extended the length  
of Buildings A, B, and C and across the central plaza. He said the City would  
implement creek-bank erosion control to protect bank stability and create a  
barrier to reduce flood impacts on the garage. He added that a temporary  
flood wall system would allow Parks staff to protect the lower bowl and the  
garage when predictable flood events occur. Schultz described several plaza  
and accessibility improvements that would coincide with floodproofing. He  
said the upper-plaza ramp did not meet ADA standards and required updates,  
and the pedestrian bridge would receive structural changes, including  
removal of a nonstructural middle column to improve views. He described a  
redesigned lower waterfall, trail access to the creek, lighting and landscaping  
upgrades, and improved street furniture. Schultz detailed the trail  
improvements. He said the design would create a formal staircase from the  
lower trail area to the upper plaza and an ADA-accessible ramp that would  
provide direct access from the lower trail to the upper plaza, opening the  
backside of the plaza to the trail system. He noted the design would remove  
an existing cantilever and replace it with a retaining-wall system with planting  
beds and seating.  
Director Schultz described the lower plaza improvements. He said the team  
would significantly reduce the lagoon to create a programmable area greater  
than 5,000 square feet, add amphitheater seating and two stages, and  
provide flexible activation for events, winter activities, and performances. He  
said the design would increase green space and add landscaping, interactive  
water features (splash-pad style), enhanced lighting, and upgraded plaza  
utilities for irrigation, electrical, and natural gas. Schultz also described  
upper-plaza work. He said floodproofing would require removal and  
reconstruction of the upper plaza surface, including removal and replacement  
of red pavers, waterproofing the surface, and reinstalling or upgrading the  
paving materials. He said the City could use the reconstruction opportunity to  
improve the plaza beyond FEMA requirements because dry floodproofing  
remained advantageous for extending the garage structure’s life even though  
FEMA did not require it. Schultz discussed activation and program elements  
between Buildings B and C and said POD would develop additional  
renderings for a street-market-style activation with shade structures, planting  
beds that double as seating, and a potential fire feature. Schultz  
characterized the streetscape as the project’s front door and said the design  
would coordinate plaza and streetscape elements, add vegetation and  
planting beds, install accessible ramps and reduced-step profiles via a  
“tabletop” geometry, retain the valet area, and create on-street bistro seating  
opportunities. He noted that the current cost figures considered only  
streetscape improvements on the west side of the street and that the team  
would develop design standards for the east side. Schultz reviewed  
cost-estimate methodology and contingencies. He said the team had pressed  
designers for clarity about “all-in” numbers and that the project included an 8  
percent escalation allowance. He said construction-manager (CM) services  
historically run about 12 percent but that the team estimated 18 percent for  
this project. He affirmed that contingencies and escalation assumptions  
reflected current industry variability and said staff would continue to present  
itemized cost breakdowns and retain the ability to phase the work. Schultz  
concluded his presentation and invited the Mayor and Council to ask  
questions or return to additional renderings.  
Questions from Council  
Councilmember McGregor asked whether reducing the front steps along Mill  
Street from three to two would still provide flood protection. Director Kevin  
Schultz replied that the elevation would not change and that the top step  
would remain at the same height as it is today.  
President Bowers thanked Director Schultz, Mayor Jadwin, and staff for the  
presentation and observed that the plaza had existed for nearly twenty years  
and the project offered an opportunity to correct earlier omissions. She asked  
whether the City could obtain an economic-impact analysis and whether staff  
had a timeline and plan to coordinate construction with events and to assess  
impacts on businesses during construction. Schultz said Montrose Group  
was working on the economic-impact analysis. He explained that the City had  
discussed construction impacts at every meeting and that some areas, the  
lower bowl and certain creek-bank work, would likely present lower impacts  
and would be easier to construct. He said the upper plaza, trail  
improvements, and other logistical areas would pose the greatest  
construction challenges and would require careful planning to avoid constant  
disruption to businesses. He added that the City had engaged  
construction-management services to confirm budgets and develop logistical  
plans and that staff would remain mindful of and work to mitigate business  
impacts.  
Councilmember Padova said she had seen the renderings at Mill Street  
Market, praised the design, and asked whether patios such as those for  
Cantina and Barrel & Boar formed part of the plaza or part of the buildings.  
Schultz replied that, by agreement and easement, the patio areas fell within  
the City’s responsibility under the Creekside agreement and that the City  
would reconstruct those patio areas. He noted that some project costs would  
fall to the property owner, for example, utilities in the garage that service the  
buildings and require relocation out of the flood zone, and that his cost  
estimates accounted for a fair and equitable division of those costs. Padova  
asked whether the redesigned front door area would still accommodate large  
delivery trucks. Schultz explained that the valet/loading area would remain  
essentially the same size as it is today and that the design preserved the  
necessary vehicle access. Padova asked how long the renovation could take.  
Schultz said project-duration estimates varied. He stated the project would be  
no less than an 18-month effort and that it could extend to 24-30 months  
depending on phasing and logistics. He reiterated the value of preconstruction  
services from a construction manager to verify budgets and refine logistics.  
Mayor Jadwin agreed that the City needed to understand the project scope  
before finalizing construction strategies. She said staff had discussed  
whether to complete the work all at once or phase it, and she emphasized  
that the City would engage businesses and stakeholders as staff refined  
timing and mitigation plans. President Bowers asked whether staff planned a  
presentation to the Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Jadwin said staff were  
scheduling community engagement events, would tie outreach to the planned  
ice-cream social, and would follow up with venue options and focus groups  
that would include Creekside businesses, the Chamber, Visit Gahanna, and  
other stakeholders. Schultz added that project staff would maintain a  
presence at community events to gather feedback and that the team would  
coordinate engagement alongside the budget process. Padova asked  
whether the floodproofing estimate included removal and replacement of the  
red brick surface. Schultz clarified that the floodproofing estimate covered the  
creek bank and related measures to prevent water from entering the garage.  
He said the dry-floodproofing work that required removing and reconstructing  
the upper-plaza brick surface appeared in the upper-plaza budget line (not the  
creek-bank floodproofing line). He confirmed that the City would reinstall new  
pavers when it reconstructed the upper plaza and that the cost figures  
reflected that work.  
Councilmember McGregor said she liked that the water wall would be  
removed because it had cut off the view from Mill Street to the plaza and  
creek. She compared the proposed amphitheater seating to La Villita in San  
Antonio and asked whether the City would correct existing flood-protection  
issues along Mill Street in the meantime, citing a cracked planter in front of  
Old Bag of Nails. Director Schultz replied that the project stopped at the alley  
and the end of Building A. Councilmember McGregor acknowledged that  
response and said the damaged planter should be repaired. Schultz  
responded that the planter and similar issues rested on private property and  
that the property owners should address them. McGregor agreed that the  
owners should repair the planter. Schultz said he had pulled up a perspective  
image showing the sightline from Mill Street through the plaza to the bridge  
and creek. He recalled his first visit to Creekside and said the proposed  
changes would open the view to the bridge and creek beyond. McGregor said  
the redesign would open the vista as originally intended. Schultz agreed and  
said the redesign would improve the space’s functionality because current  
conditions sometimes hid events from visitors.  
Vice President Weaver asked what the next steps would be. Schultz said  
staff would create a Creekside project webpage similar to the 825 Tech  
Center Drive project page to house presentations, livestreams, and other  
materials. He said staff would schedule public engagement outside the formal  
chambers, develop a complete public engagement schedule, and attend  
events such as Touch a Truck and Mill Street Market to gather feedback. Vice  
President Weaver thanked Director Schultz, Mayor Jadwin, and the project  
team for the presentation and the thorough work.  
G.  
ITEMS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS:  
Councilmember Bowers:  
RES-0034-2025  
A
JOINT  
RESOLUTION  
AND  
PROCLAMATION  
DESIGNATING  
AUGUST 2025 AS SHARE THE ROAD AND DISTRACTED DRIVING  
AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF GAHANNA  
President Bowers presented a joint resolution and proclamation for August  
2025 as Share the Road and Distracted Driving Awareness Month. She  
stated that Gahanna maintained an active transportation community with a  
vibrant cyclist community and introduced Patricia Kovacs, who was in the  
audience, from the Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee. Bowers said she  
and Kovacs had compiled statistics on cyclists and pedestrians impacted by  
vehicle crashes in Gahanna, Franklin County, and the state, and she thanked  
Mayor Jadwin for verifying and correcting some numbers in the resolution.  
She noted the recent death of a triathlete in northwest Ohio when a distracted  
driver crossed the center lane, and she said the triathlete’s mentee, Nicole  
Reece, would speak the following week about Roseann Peiffer’s zest for life  
and the family’s hopes to drive awareness about sharing the road. Bowers  
added that Kovacs asked the Council to highlight a leading cause of crashes:  
drivers turning right who focus on traffic to the left and fail to see pedestrians  
or cyclists entering or already in an intersection. She said the City expected  
cyclists, triathletes, and Peiffer’s loved ones to join next week.  
Councilmember McGregor asked whether the Police Department could  
present information at a later time about which bicycles and devices qualify  
as roadworthy, noting the variety of e-bikes, different classes, small mopeds,  
and electric scooters. She described observing a child on an electric scooter  
riding in a traffic lane while looking at a phone and asked for a handout or  
website information for parents.  
Chief Spence said the Police Department had seen a flood of these devices  
this year and had taken a deep dive into the code in recent months. He told  
the Council that the issue had become complicated and that the department  
had consulted the City Attorney and adjusted its approach. He said electric  
motorcycles qualify as motorcycles by definition under the code and therefore  
require a licensed driver to operate, yet he had observed riders as young as  
11, 12, and 13. Chief Spence added that he had reviewed a checklist another  
agency compiled that categorized different types of bikes and that the  
department had begun compiling guidance to address the recent flood of  
complaints.  
H.  
ADJOURNMENT:  
With no further business before the Committee of the Whole, the Chair  
adjourned the meeting at 9:32 p.m.