200 South Hamilton Road

Gahanna, Ohio 43230

City of Gahanna

Meeting Minutes

Finance Committee

Stephen A. Renner, Chair

Merisa K. Bowers

Jamille Jones

Nancy R. McGregor

Kaylee Padova

Michael Schnetzer

Trenton I. Weaver

Jeremy A. VanMeter, Clerk of Council

Monday, November 17, 2025

City Hall, Council Chambers

Immediately following the Regular Council meeting at 7:00 PM on November 17, 2025

CALL TO ORDER:

Councilmember Stephen A. Renner, Chair, called the meeting to order

at 8:41 p.m. The agenda was published on November 14, 2025. All

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

corrections to the agenda.

DISCUSSIONS:

Questions on Department of Parks & Recreation and Department of Planning

ORD-0049-2025

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING APPROPRIATIONS FOR CURRENT

EXPENSES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY OF

GAHANNA DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026

Miranda Vollmer, Senior Director of Administrative Services, stated that

the Department of Planning would have some items to discuss, and then

Parks and Recreation would discuss their 2026 priorities, and finally, the

Department of Finance would discuss outstanding questions.

Planning

Director of Planning Michael Blackford introduced the 2026 priorities for

the Planning Department. The first priority is to audit and update the

Zoning Code to be in line with recommendations of the Land Use Plan

and Strategic Plan. Director Blackford noted the latter two documents

are not legal documents and the goal is not necessarily for them to match

specifications of the Zoning Code. However, he pointed out that the

documents represent an aspirational vision for the area. If the Land Use

Plan or Strategic Plan highlights mixed-use, high-intensity,

pedestrian-friendly areas, then a zoning code that focuses on agrarian

uses and large-lot residential will be in conflict with the city’s vision.

A second department priority is to create online mapping tools. He said

this goal is about creating awareness within the community about future

public hearing applications. The department receives many inquiries

about projects they see occurring in their neighborhood, or they see

information online. The goal is to create a public tool for residents to be

able to learn about what projects are happening where, so there is not

misinformation spread that needs to be corrected.

A final priority for the Planning Department is to investigate, analyze, and

modify land development processes, permits, and applications. He said

that process is one of the lesser-discussed topics of development.

Process moves a vision into reality. Director Blackford described the

goal as wanting to review processes, examine what is and is not working

well, and determine what can be made more efficient. He said it was

anticipated to be heavily staff-intensive and would cross multiple

departments. There would be no 2026 budget requested for this item

because it will be spread through many departments, and the Planning

Department’s portion was already available in the 2025 budget. He

anticipated the overall cost to be in the $60,000-75,000 range, based on

conversations with vendors. He reiterated that improving efficiency for

both internal and external customers and reducing permitting time were

primary goals of accomplishing this priority.

Parks & Recreation

Parks & Recreation Director Stephania Ferrell noted that the department

is in its third year of the implementation of the Parks Master Plan. The

priorities outlined are directly in line with the plan, along with outcomes

that are defined within the Our Gahanna Strategic Plan. An initial plan is

to continue to enhance the elevated standards of care throughout the

park system, including investing in updating existing parks, trails and

amenities. Director Ferrell explained that this could include elevating the

aesthetics of mulchings around trees to updating restroom facilities. It

would also include customer service training for seasonal staff. Director

Ferrell highlighted staff members who are a representation of what

expectations are in the way they interact with one another and with the

public.

The second item Director Ferrell highlighted as a 2026 department

priority is the transition of the Senior Center to 825 Tech Center Drive.

She expressed excitement at the Senior Center entering a new era in the

new Civic Center, adding that the department anticipated membership

growth in the new facility.

The third priority for Parks & Recreation is maximizing program options

to activate parks, increase use of existing facilities, and supporting the

launch of new facilities. Director Ferrell explained that there would be an

opportunity to increase and expand indoor spaces through the

Exploration Center and the Civic Center.

A fourth priority is improved wayfinding and signage along Big Walnut

Trail. Increased functionality and expanded trails are goals, and an

ODOT Transportation grant was secured by Project Manager Katherine

Eichel, which will specifically improve wayfinding of the Big Walnut Trail

system. She elaborated that maintenance of the existing trail system was

also a priority.

An additional priority for 2026 is to improve user function of the

recreation software and special event applications. There is an existing

software, which Ferrell described as a complex system, that handles

program registrations, facility reservations, and booking team times.

However, the software’s user experience is not to the standards the

department strives for. Included in the 2026 budget would be a new

module for mobile improvements and an expanded training course for

staff to develop and simplify processes, overall improving user

experience and guiding the confidence of staff.

A final 2026 priority is continued improvement of the existing tree canopy

and to plant more trees than are removed. Director Ferrell explained that

the Street Tree Program is a vital way to improve the city’s tree canopy.

The program was first funded in 2024 and has progressed faster than

anticipated. The replacement strategy is based in part on removals, and

2026 plans include expansion beyond removals. She said that

communication and education are also priorities, and the department

has begun highlighting the forestry division with “Forestry Fridays” on

social media.

Director Ferrell shifted to answering questions submitted by Council. She

shared that in 2025, there were 169 tree removals that were based off

either prohibited trees, invasive species, or hazard removals. She

happily shared that 340 trees will be planted by the end of 2025. She

reiterated that a goal of the department is to plant more trees than are

removed. Director Ferrell then responded to a question regarding pickle

ball facilities. There were none outlined in the Capital Improvement Plan,

but the Parks Master Plan is utilized to prioritize such improvements. She

noted many considerations must be made when planning pickleball

facilities. Acoustic impact is a major consideration, for example. Ferrell

then explained the department’s cost recovery strategy. Outlined in the

department’s pricing policy, the cost recovery strategy is reviewed

annually by the Parks & Recreation Board. Changes are then brought to

Council for recommendation and adoption, and tiers are based on

community impact. She explained that for every service, revenue is within

line of cost recovery targets.

Director Ferrell then shifted to a question regarding indoor program

spaces. In addition to 825 Tech Center becoming available in 2026, the

Exploration Center is expected to open in fall of 2026. Additionally, the

staff creates partnership opportunities with schools and special interest

groups. Regarding expanded programming, she described the

department as a feeder program to try new experiences at a reasonable

price, citing recreational soccer as an example. They hope to provide

expanded programming for multiple generations in line with the Parks

Master Plan. Regarding departmental expense increases, Director

Ferrell noted that Issue 12 identified a need for expanded services

throughout the department. An appropriate staffing model was necessary

to produce the expected outcomes of the services. Additionally, part-time

maintenance workers were transitioned to full-time and the Recreation

team became fully staffed. Prior to Issue 12, maintenance decisions

were prioritized based on safety, and improvements were halted due to

their financial impact. Now, there is an ability to do what is necessary

from a maintenance standpoint and also to increase the standard based

off of residents’ needs.

Councilmember Jones inquired about the acoustic difference between

tennis and pickleball. Director Ferrell explained that due to the type of ball

and paddle used, it creates a high decibel, an issue that has garnered

national attention.

Vice President Weaver inquired about the cost recovery model on page

88 of the budget book. He asked Director Ferrell to elaborate on the

chart shown. Director Ferrell explained that the chart breaks down full

department expenditures to revenue. The revenue is specifically charges

for services and not income revenue. She further explained this using the

golf course as a specific example. Golf maximizes the recovery at 105%,

and within the model the range should be 90-125%. But, when all

expenditures are collapsed, a different percentage is realized based on

the amount of expenditures to charges for services. The number

represented on page 88 of the budget book is tracking in line with

expectations. Director Ferrell noted that seasonal salaries needed to be

maximized to maintain competitiveness and anticipated the percent

remaining at its current level for an extended period.

Councilmember Padova asked for clarification on the staffing request

transition from part-time Recreation Coordinator to a full-time Recreation

Coordinator. Director Ferrell explained that there is an age range not

being served well. The Coordinator transition will help prioritize the

community that could be better served.

President Bowers complimented the department on the Street Tree

Program and the tree canopy as a whole. She expressed the importance

of these efforts. She shared that in her own neighborhood, there was a

grossly buckled sidewalk on a street lined with trees. She explained that

the program helped to address the structural issue while preserving the

trees that could be maintained. Director Ferrell highlighted the

experienced staff who are able to make determinations on tree care

without outsourcing it. President Bowers acknowledged how this reflects

back on residents’ quality of life. She transitioned to a question on

camps, such as summer and winter break camps that are offered by the

department. She noted the challenges of child care costs and the

importance of the camps in offering affordable childcare while layering in

other benefits of summer camp. She encouraged Director Ferrell to

continue to recognize the importance of the program and value that it

brings to the economic ecosystem of the region. Director Ferrell

highlighted the efforts of Brian Gill, Recreation Superintendent. She

remarked on the efforts to evaluate what the department can do, adding

that prior to 2023, staffing models created limitations. But, the camps are

accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA), which require a

certain ratio of caretakers to children. She explained there is an

expectation and responsibility to provide the best level of care possible.

She pointed out that staff and campers are returning year after year, and

demand is high. They continue to consider options to expand their

offerings, and the opening of the indoor space will present an alternative

option for the department. Director Ferrell noted that after-school care is

currently not a service they provide, and there is an opportunity to create

partnerships that will present opportunities for after-school care.

Additional Outstanding Questions

Director of Finance Joann Bury addressed other outstanding questions.

First, regarding the question of whether Issue 12 dollars enter the

General Fund, she said they do not, as that would not be in compliance

with the income tax code. Director Bury then addressed a question

regarding the Enterprise Capital Improvement Plan referenced on page

125. She explained that when the official Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

was created, it included proprietary funds. The budget book directs

readers back to the official CIP, which lists projects that will be funded.

Director Bury addressed a question regarding Special Revenue Funds

on page 129 of the budget book. She described the special revenue

funds as mostly stagnant, having an unreserved fund balance left and not

generating new revenue. Therefore, they cannot be used for

programming. She noted these are reviewed annually. She used the

Street Tree Fund as a specific example. The street tree program is

coming out of the General Fund. The Street Tree Fund itself is based on

some permitting codes and has not generated any revenue except for

one or two deposits. Therefore, it is difficult to create programming

around no resources. Finally, Director Bury provided the organization

numbers and descriptors that were requested.

Concluding Remarks