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, November 24, 2025

7:00 PM

City Hall, Council Chambers

CALL TO ORDER:

Gahanna City Council met for Committee of the Whole on Monday,

November 24, 2025, in Council Chambers. Vice President of Council Trenton

I. Weaver, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The agenda was

published on November 21, 2025. Councilmember Schnetzer was absent. All

other members were present for the meeting. There were no additions or

corrections to the agenda.

ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

ORD-0053-2025

ORDINANCE

DETERMINING

ISSUANCE

IMPROVEMENT

THE

AND

NECESSITY

SALE OF

REFUNDING

ECONOMIC

REVENUE

AND

AUTHORIZING

DEVELOPMENT

THE

BONDS, SERIES 2025 (THE COLUMBUS ACADEMY PROJECT) OF

THE CITY OF GAHANNA, OHIO, IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL

AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $15,000,000; AUTHORIZING THE

EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF

ASSIGNMENT OF LOAN AGREEMENT,

LOAN AGREEMENT, AN

BOND PURCHASE

AGREEMENT, A TAX EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE AND AGREEMENT

AND OTHER DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE

OF THE BONDS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

Jeff Gottke, Director of Economic Development, reported that he brought two

items that he described as mostly procedural and not very substantive

because they replicated actions the city took in previous years. He introduced

the first item as a request for a third partnership with Columbus Academy for

conduit revenue bonds. He explained that similar requests occurred in 2015

and 2019, and that the city again received a request that evening. Director

Gottke stated that the city had access to tax-exempt revenue bonds for

economic development purposes or nonprofit use and that the Ohio Revised

Code required municipalities to issue them. He explained that the city served

as the issuer, after which a financial institution purchased and handled the

bonds. Columbus Academy, as the borrower, then paid them back. He

emphasized that the capitalized statement in the documentation identified the

important point, the request involved no commitment of city resources, debt

capacity, or guarantees. He clarified that the city only approved the issuance

of the bonds before the financial institution purchased them for use by

Columbus Academy. He noted that Columbus Academy intended primarily to

refinance the existing 2019 bonds and to fund some capital projects. Director

Gottke described the request as mostly procedural and required by the Ohio

Revised Code, with the city functioning solely as a conduit. He introduced

representatives present for questions: Weston Outlaw, Chief Financial Officer

(CFO) of Columbus Academy, and Mark Kamer and his colleague from

Dinsmore, the bond counsel for the project. Gottke added two procedural

notes. He stated that the request included an emergency clause in order to

meet the January 1, 2026, closing date for the bond. He explained that the

statute required a public hearing, which created the need for emergency

passage. He noted that the public hearing could occur at the December 15,

2025, Regular Council Meeting, allowing Second Reading and passage with

the emergency clause so the legislation could take effect immediately and

allow the project to meet the January 1, 2026, deadline. He acknowledged that

this timing differed from the city’s usual process. He concluded his remarks

and invited questions for himself, Mr. Kamer, or Mr. Outlaw.

Vice President Weaver thanked Director Gottke and the guests and asked

Councilmembers if they had any discussion.

President Bowers asked a procedural question. She wondered whether any

issue would arise if the city held the required Public Hearing on December 1,

2025, instead of December 15, 2025. Mark Kamer introduced himself and

answered her question. He explained that the city had to post notice of the

meeting seven days before December 1. While they could have posted the

notice earlier, they chose not to presume Council approval before this

meeting. He added that The Dispatch required two days of lead time for the

notice. He stated that they planned to submit the notice on Wednesday of that

week for the December 15, 2025, date but could not meet the deadline for a

December 1, 2025, hearing.

Vice President Weaver asked Director Gottke to confirm that the request

involved no risk to the city. Director Gottke confirmed that the request created

no risk, remained off the city’s books, required no guarantees, used no city

financial resources, and did not count against the city’s debt capacity. Vice

President Weaver stated that he wanted to make that point very clear. He

recommended placing the item on the Regular Agenda. He noted that Council

would take a First Reading on December 1, 2025, and second reading on

December 15, 2025.

Councilmember McGregor asked whether Columbus Academy had any

exciting plans associated with the project. Weston Outlaw, CFO of Columbus

Academy, responded that Columbus Academy was renovating an existing

facilities building on campus and converting it into an academic building with

maker spaces and the IT (Information and Technology) department. He stated

that the request before Council, in addition to refinancing the current bond,

would allow the school to create a new facilities building because of the

renovation. Councilmember McGregor thanked him and commented that

while the project might not seem very exciting, it would be exciting for IT staff.

Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 12/1/2025;

Public Hearing and Second Reading/Adoption as an Emergency on Regular

Agenda on 12/15/2025.

ORD-0054-2025

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO AN

AGREEMENT

WITH

THE

COMMUNITY

IMPROVEMENT

CORPORATION OF GAHANNA FOR A TERM BEGINNING JANUARY

1, 2026, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026, TO PROMOTE AND

ENCOURAGE

ECONOMIC

ACTIVITY

FOR

THE

CITY;

AND

DECLARING AN EMERGENCY

Director Gottke introduced the second item, which he described as another

non-substantive, procedural matter, the renewal of the City of Gahanna and

Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) contract for services. He stated

that the renewal reflected the existing agreement exactly as it currently stood,

with dates as the only change. He noted that Councilmember Renner

mentioned at the previous Council meeting that the CIC would undergo a

strategic plan pursuant to a recommendation in the Our Gahanna Strategic

Plan. He stated that the CIC expected to complete that plan midyear and that

no changes to the existing agreement were necessary while that process

remained underway. Director Gottke explained that the CIC would remain

focused on matters related to the Connect and Benson Capital development

in Creekside during the first half of 2026, which created no need to modify the

contract at this time. He also noted that the amount the city contributed to the

CIC did not appear in the contract because the budget set that amount. He

stated that the amount had not changed from last year and that the CIC

completed its own budgeting at its October 2025 meeting and made the

same request to the city as the previous year. He added that the contract

included a January 1, 2026, start date and that he requested whatever

procedural mechanism Council considered appropriate to ensure continuity of

services, whether by emergency, waiver, or a combination of the two.

President Bowers asked whether the funding requested matched the

$300,000 allocated last year. Director Gottke deferred to Mayor Jadwin. Mayor

Jadwin stated that the budget again requested $300,000 and confirmed that

the contract itself did not specify a dollar amount.

President Bowers noted that she preferred a waiver rather than an

emergency. Vice President Weaver stated that he preferred the opposite. City

Attorney Tamilarasan stated that, because the appropriation was separate

from the contract, a resolution would be appropriate and would resolve the

procedural issue. President Bowers asked whether that approach fit within

the City Attorney’s flowchart analysis. Attorney Tamilarasan confirmed that it

did. Mayor Jadwin stated that she would follow that guidance. President

Bowers agreed that a resolution authorizing the contract solved the problem.

Director Gottke asked whether the item would then return as a resolution

instead of an ordinance on the December 1, 2025, agenda. Vice President

Weaver asked if Councilmembers were comfortable with that plan. Clerk

VanMeter asked for clarification, stating that he wanted to confirm that the

request was to convert the item to a resolution, eliminating the need for any

waiver or emergency. Vice President Weaver confirmed that this reflected

City Attorney Tamilarasan’s guidance. He stated that the item would return as

a resolution on December 1, 2025, without objection.

Vice President Weaver then raised a question about Section 3.1 of the

contract. He noted that the section stated that the city agreed to pay the CIC

eligible expenses related to implementing a Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

strategy and that the CIC should receive administrative expenses for those

efforts according to the Revised Code. He stated that he had not noticed that

provision before.

Mayor Jadwin stated that she had noticed the same thing and described the

contract as a historical document that was not updated. She stated that staff

could look into the issue, and she noted that Director Bury also reacted to that

section.

Vice President Weaver stated that he disliked leaving unnecessary or

irrelevant provisions in contracts and that the section stood out to him. Mayor

Jadwin asked whether he would like to see a revision. Vice President Weaver

stated that he believed a revision would be best. Mayor Jadwin agreed and

stated that staff could make the change. She stated that the revised version

would return the next week. She then clarified that, because Council planned

to use a resolution instead of an ordinance, staff could simply make the

change without additional complications.

Vice President Weaver stated that Clerk VanMeter would appreciate receiving

the revised documents by Wednesday. Mayor Jadwin agreed. Vice President

Weaver requested that the item be placed on the Regular Meeting agenda for

December 1, 2025.

Recommendation: Conversion to Resolution; Introduction/Adoption on Regular

Agenda on 12/1/2025.

ITEMS FROM COUNCIL OFFICE:

2025-0242

Support of Jessica Hilts' Candidacy as Region V Director IIMC

President Bowers stated that about a month ago, Management Analyst

Jessica Hilts requested the opportunity to seek Council’s support for her

candidacy as the Region 5 Director for the International Institute of Municipal

Clerks (IIMC). President Bowers reminded Council that the IIMC certified

clerks who achieved their professional standards and that Ms. Hilts earned

her Master Municipal Clerk designation through the organization. She stated

that Ms. Hilts explained, through the attachments provided, that the selection

process was competitive and that the Region 5 position rotated every five

years. She noted that Ohio would come up in the rotation for a term that

would begin in 2027. She stated that Ms. Hilts requested Council’s support for

her candidacy. President Bowers explained that Council had before them a

letter from Ms. Hilts, an email she sent a month earlier with additional details,

and a draft support letter that President Bowers wished to issue on Ms. Hilts’s

behalf if there were no objections.

Vice President Weaver asked if any colleagues wished to discuss the item.

Councilmember Renner stated that it sounded like a good idea and thanked

President Bowers.

Vice President Weaver thanked President Bowers for taking the lead and also

thanked Ms. Hilts and the Council Office staff for their daily efforts. He stated

that it was nice to see Gahanna possibly represented across the country on

an international stage and noted that similar recognition occurred on the

administrative side as well.

2025-0240

Ohio Division of Liquor Control

Notice to Legislative Authority

Regarding Objections - Annual Renewal for All Class C and D Permits

Expiring February 1, 2026

Clerk VanMeter stated that Council had before it a Division of Liquor Control

notice regarding the annual renewal process for Class C and D permits,

which would expire on February 1, 2026. He reported that he checked with

Chief Spence and that there were no current objections to the permits

scheduled for renewal.

Vice President Weaver asked if any colleagues had discussion. He noted that

no discussion appeared and stated that there would be no objection to the

renewals.

ADJOURNMENT:

With no further business before the Committee of the Whole, the Chair

adjourned the meeting at 7:16 p.m.