200 South Hamilton Road

Gahanna, Ohio 43230

City of Gahanna

Meeting Minutes

City Council

Merisa K. Bowers, President

Trenton I. Weaver, Vice President

Jamille Jones

Nancy R. McGregor

Kaylee Padova

Stephen A. Renner

Michael Schnetzer

Jeremy A. VanMeter, Clerk of Council

Monday, September 15, 2025

7:00 PM

City Hall, Council Chambers

CALL TO ORDER: Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call

Gahanna City Council met in Regular Session on Monday, September 15,

2025, in Council Chambers. President of Council Merisa K. Bowers called the

meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Vice President of Council Trenton I. Weaver

delivered an Invocation and led members in the Pledge of Allegiance. The

agenda was published on September 12, 2025.

7 -

Present

Merisa K. Bowers, Jamille Jones, Nancy R. McGregor, Kaylee Padova,

Stephen A. Renner, Michael Schnetzer, and Trenton I. Weaver

ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA:

President Bowers announced two additions to the agenda and a

rearrangement of the presentation order. She stated that Sue Villilo, of the

Franklin County Board of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH), would

provide an additional presentation. The presentation was regarding an

upcoming levy, which would appear as item three in Section C of the

evening’s agenda. She also reported that the order of items one and two

would switch, with Mayor Jadwin delivering the proclamation presentation

first, followed by the swearing-in ceremony for the new Deputy Chief of

Police.

PRESENTATIONS:

1. Proclamation Presentation by Mayor Jadwin

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

2025-0188

Mayoral Proclamation - Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2025-09

Mayor Jadwin proclaimed that September was Childhood Cancer Awareness

Month and said she recognized it every year, since 2020. She stated that the

month honored the courage of children and families affected by pediatric

cancer and raised awareness of the urgent need for better treatments and

increased research funding. She reported that each year over 17,000 children

received cancer diagnoses, that 47 children per day across the nation

received diagnoses, and that childhood cancer remained the leading cause of

disease-related death in children. She said funding and treatment options

continued to lag far behind adult cancers and that, over the last 20 years, the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved only six drugs to treat

childhood cancers. She described childhood cancer as a disease that struck

randomly and affected families across the nation, including families in

Gahanna. She recognized the Daubenmire family and their daughter Hannah,

who received a cancer diagnosis last year, faced treatment with remarkable

bravery, and was on the road to recovery. She invited the Daubenmires to

come forward to receive the proclamation and for a photograph with Council.

Mr. and Mrs. Daubenmire thanked Mayor Jadwin, the Council, and Gahanna

residents. Mrs. Daubenmire said she appreciated the opportunity to represent

the more than 500 children in Ohio who received cancer diagnoses each

year. She explained that, around this time last year, Hannah received a

diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer; the family initially

thought the injury resulted from running, and scans revealed a tumor between

Hannah’s knee and tibia. She said treatment for childhood cancer lagged far

behind adult cancers and noted that, if she received a childhood diagnosis of

osteosarcoma, she would have undergone the same treatment and

chemotherapy regimen that Hannah underwent, which included nine months

of chemotherapy. She said Hannah underwent limb reconstruction surgery

with a knee and tibia implant, rang the bell to mark the end of treatment in

April, 2025, continued with chemotherapy and other care, and happily

returned to fifth grade at High Point Elementary. She also recognized her

older daughter Lucy for supporting Hannah throughout the journey and

thanked the city for supporting childhood cancer families.

President Bowers congratulated the Daubenmire family, wished them

continued success and health, and wished Hannah a fantastic school year.

2. Swearing-in Ceremony - Division of Police

Police Officer Williams and Deputy Chief of Police Moffitt

Mayor Jadwin said the evening proved exciting because the city would swear

in two members of the Division of Police. She thanked Council for its

continued support, stated that public safety remained the city’s top priority,

and said public safety underpinned business attraction, residency, and

visitation. She introduced Director of Public Safety Tim Becker to begin the

swearing-in.

Director Becker thanked Mayor Jadwin and Council for their support and said

Chief Spence, Director Vollmer, and he proposed the Deputy Chief expansion

about a year earlier and that the proposal came to fruition. He said the

promotion represented growth for the agency, would advance a leader’s

career, and would create upward opportunities for other employees. He

emphasized the department’s priority to add officer ranks because officers

respond to every call to protect the community. He said the new officer joined

the department from Las Vegas Metro Police, that his father served as a

captain there, and that the officer relocated to Gahanna. He noted the

department recently recruited officers from Nashville and elsewhere in Ohio

and said the city’s reputation made it an appealing place for officers. Director

Becker introduced Brycyn Williams and invited him to come forward for the

oath of office, which Mayor Jadwin administered, concluding with applause

from Council and the audience.

Director Becker announced that he would bring forward Ethan Moffitt and that

Mayor Jadwin would administer the oath of office for Deputy Chief.

Mayor Jadwin said she considered the promotion of Lieutenant Ethan Moffitt

to Deputy Chief a well-earned, well-deserved step in a remarkable career that

spanned thirty-one years, including twenty-seven years of service to the City

of Gahanna. She said she knew and worked with Moffitt for close to

twenty-five years, recalled a photo of him in a bike patrol uniform from a

festival, and described him as a model of integrity, professionalism, and

commitment to every community interaction and to every officer he served

with. She said his leadership reflected a deep understanding of the Gahanna

community and a steadfast focus on safety, accountability, and compassion,

announced that she coined him “DC2,” and administered the oath of office,

which was followed with applause from Council and attendees.

Director Becker introduced the family members supporting Deputy Chief

Moffitt and asked Chief Spence to assist with the badge pinning. He noted that

Moffitt’s daughters, his mother, father, brother, sister-in-law, retired officer

Kelie Moffitt, and friend Troy Harris attended in support. Becker said Moffitt

started on the far west side of Columbus, graduated from Westland High

School, served as a Franklin County Deputy, left the county jail to join

Gahanna, and advanced his career through college education and

professional development, including attendance at Northwestern School of

Police Staff and Command and certification as a Law Enforcement

Executive. Becker said Moffitt received numerous awards, participated in the

longest pursuit in Gahanna police history, and supported regional agencies

and community events such as the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival.

Deputy Chief Moffitt thanked Mayor Jadwin, Director Becker, Chief Spence,

and Deputy Chief Lawless for their faith in him, called the appointment a

privilege and an honor, thanked the division members for their hard work,

committed to arriving each day prepared to serve as the Deputy Chief the

division deserved, and thanked the community and Council for their

continuing support.

Chief Spence said he could not improve on Mayor Jadwin’s remarks or on

Moffitt’s words, observed that the department’s future looked bright, and said

the department’s workforce and leadership positioned it well for the future and

for opportunities presented by the 825 Tech Center Drive.

President Bowers congratulated Officer Williams and Deputy Chief Moffitt,

thanked them for their willingness to educate Council and the public about

their work and resource needs, and said that the department’s outreach

helped Council make informed decisions on behalf of the community.

3. ADAMH Presentation

Sue Villilo, Vice President &Assistant System Chief Clinical Officer

Sue Villilo of the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board of Franklin

County addressed Council and guests. She explained that ADAMH

investments served as the behavioral health safety net for the community and

ensured that mental health and addiction services remained accessible for

Franklin County residents. She reported that most ADAMH-funded services

supported people who remained underinsured or uninsured, while crisis and

prevention services reached a larger portion of the community. She said

ADAMH funded 24/7 crisis services that remained available to all residents

and that ADAMH-funded mental health and addiction prevention services

operated in all sixteen public school districts in Franklin County. She stated

that more than seventy-five percent of ADAMH funds derived from a single

property tax levy that would expire in December 2026. Ms. Villilo described a

rising tide of need and uncertainty about Medicaid and other state and federal

funding streams, noting that the prevalence of mental illness and substance

use disorders escalated before the pandemic and accelerated since that

time. She stated that one in four adults in Franklin County would struggle with

mental illness that year and said Franklin County’s suicide rates were

increasing for teens, older adults, and males. She observed that overdose

rates remained at historic highs and exceeded state and national averages.

She added that Franklin County’s growth would bring more residents who

required ADAMH-funded services over the next decade. Ms. Villilo urged

support for the proposed levy renewal anticipated in November 2025,

describing the measure as the first and best opportunity to secure a local

funding stream to maintain the behavioral health safety net. She described the

proposal as a 0.5 mill increase and characterized that increase as relatively

modest in proportion to collected property taxes in Franklin County while

asserting that the impact would be great. She said, “The increase amounts to

$1.46 per month increase for each $100,000 valuation of home valuation.”

She said the proposed levy renewal with an increase balanced the need to

sustain existing services and to fund a crisis center with the least amount of

burden to taxpayers. She warned that failure of passage would cause

significant reductions to behavioral health services across the county and

concluded that support for the ADAMH levy represented a fundamental

investment in the local behavioral health safety net and offered tangible

benefits to public safety, schools, hospitals, social service partners, and

families.

Councilmember Jones requested the levy fact sheet to attach to the record

and distribute it to Council. Ms. Villilo said she would be happy to do so.

President Bowers thanked Ms. Villilo, confirmed that Council had her contact

information for follow-up, and asked where residents could learn more. Ms.

Villilo answered that residents could visit the ADAMH of Franklin County

website. President Bowers thanked Councilwoman Jones for arranging the

presentation and thanked Ms. Villilo for her presentation.

HEARING OF VISITORS:

Patricia Kovacs of Gahanna, OH, spoke on ORD-0040-2025, the Gahanna

Improvement Corporation supplemental appropriation.

Ms. Kovacs addressed Council and expressed her opposition to the

ordinance, requesting the city to repay the loan for the properties the

Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) purchased on Mill Street and

High Street. She said she attended last week’s Committee of the Whole

meeting and did not know which properties the request included. She stated

that, during that meeting, she understood that all twelve properties would be

demolished because the Ohio Department of Development grant covered

twelve properties and the grant amount per property was $500,000. She said

she felt surprised to learn that the Harry Bauer home at 120 North High Street

was slated for demolition. Ms. Kovacs said she admired Harry Bauer,

described him as an “eccentric brilliant engineer and bicycle mechanic,” and

said he touched many young Gahanna men’s lives. She said she did not

realize Brookewood Construction vacated the Bauer home. She reported that

meeting attendees were told the properties were blighted and vacant, stating

that she did not consider the 1950s-1970s era buildings blighted, “except,

according to the CIC members that were here, the Shampooch location.” Ms.

Kovacs said she used her phone flashlight one night to look into the Bauer

home’s front and back doors and found a beautiful interior with oak trim, oak

pillars, and wood floors throughout. She said she later inspected the exterior

in daylight and observed some damage, including a broken window and a

missing section of soffit; she added that both roofs appeared to need

replacement but did not appear to let water in. She reported that she looked

up the properties on the Franklin County Auditor’s website because CIC

discussions on property purchases occurred in Executive Session, and she

said she sometimes felt the public did not always know what was going on.

Ms. Kovacs said that, in most cases, the CIC paid near the auditor’s

appraised values, but she noted that the Bauer home had a $323,000

appraised value and sold for $625,000 and asked why the city paid that

difference. She said she presumed Brookewood invested additional money

restoring the Bauer home and that Brookewood held out to recoup those

expenses and the cost of moving to New Albany. She said she reviewed CIC

meeting minutes and believed the Department of Development grant covered

twelve properties and that only one of those properties in Gahanna, 135-169

Mill Street, fell within that grant. She said the grant totaled $6.9 million and

assumed each property received about $500,000. She asked whether the

grant covered just the west-side properties between Shampooch and the

fitness center or also the east-side properties between Walnut and the other

boundary.

President Bowers noted that Council had a policy limiting speaker time,

reminded Ms. Kovacs that Council received a copy of her letter, and said

Councilmembers were familiar with the additional questions she raised. Ms.

Kovacs asked whether Council could answer those questions that evening.

President Bowers replied that the item appeared on the agenda for

discussion and that she anticipated Mr. Green and Mayor Jadwin would ask

and answer many of those questions.

CONSENT AGENDA:

1. Minutes - To Approve:

2025-0177

2025-0178

Council Regular Minutes 9.2.2025

The minutes were approved on the Consent Agenda.

Committee of the Whole Minutes 9.8.2025

The minutes were approved on the Consent Agenda.

2. Resolutions:

RES-0040-2025

JOINT RESOLUTION AND PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE

SEPTEMBER 28, 2025, AS NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY IN THE

CITY OF GAHANNA

The Resolution was adopted on the Consent Agenda.

3. Ordinances for Second Reading and Adoption:

ORD-0037-2025

CORRECT THE ADDRESS FOR CENTERPOINT CHURCH FROM 670

MCCUTCHEON ROAD TO 620 MCCUTCHEON ROAD,

SUBSTITUTING EXHIBIT B WITH A CORRECTED EXHIBIT B, AND

ORDINANCE

AMENDING

ORDINANCE

NO.

0027-2025 TO

DECLARING THIS ACTION TO BE

RECORD

CORRECTION FOR THE

The Clerk read the Ordinance by title. The Ordinance was adopted on the

Consent Agenda.

ORD-0038-2025

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS

- General Fund and OCJS Grant Fund

The Clerk read the Ordinance by title. The Ordinance was adopted on the

Consent Agenda.

End of Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Schnetzer, seconded by Renner, to Pass the Consent

Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote:

7 - Bowers, Jones, McGregor, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer and Weaver

Yes:

ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION / FIRST READING:

ORD-0039-2025

AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A

TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT WITH COLUMBIA GAS

OF OHIO, INC

President Bowers introduced the Ordinance and the Clerk read it by title.

ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION, WAIVER & ADOPTION:

ORD-0040-2025

A N

O R D I N A N C E

A U T H O R I Z I N G

S U P P L E M E N T A L

General

APPROPRIATIONS; AND WAIVING SECOND READING

Fund Development Contract Services for the Gahanna Community

Improvement Corporation

Clerk note: President Bowers declared the motion to waive second reading

as carried, but subsequent discussion noted the motion failed pursuant to

Charter, requiring six affirmative votes if all members are present, prompting

a motion to reconsider and a second vote on waiver of second reading.

A motion was made by Schnetzer, seconded by Renner, that the Ordinance be

Waived for Second Reading. The motion failed by the following vote:

5 - Jones, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer and Weaver

2 - Bowers and McGregor

Yes:

No:

President Bowers opened discussion on the item and asked whether the

administration should provide an additional presentation or whether Council

should direct specific questions. Mayor Jadwin replied that Council should

direct questions specifically and noted Director Gottke’s absence. She said

Mr. Nate Green, consultant with Montrose Group, who worked extensively on

the project, would fill in for Director Gottke.

Vice President Weaver thanked Mr. Green for attending and recalled

constituent questions from the prior meeting about which CIC-owned parcels

would secure the mortgage and which parcels the Ohio Department of

Development (ODOD) grants would cover and require demolition. Mr. Green

displayed a map and explained the parcels. He said the maroon-outlined

parcels on the map represented the properties the CIC owned that served as

collateral for the CIC’s loan with Heartland Bank. He said the parcels shown in

yellow on the map, the west side of Mill Street, received an ODOD demolition

grant totaling $389,000. He said the parcels shown in green received an

ODOD Brownfield remediation grant totaling $108,000. He explained that the

CIC and the city applied for those grants through the Central Ohio CIC and

that the application thus appeared as a larger request. He identified the

properties that did not receive demolition funds as 130-140 Mill Street, the

parking lot behind 130-140 Mill Street (the former Howard Johnson site, listed

as 0 High Street), 120 North High Street, and 110 North High Street. He said

the CIC had to demolish the parcels in yellow and green by the end of the

year to spend the grant funds and avoid the risk of losing them.

Councilmember Schnetzer asked whether the grant required demolition to be

started or completed by year-end and reminded Council that the loan

obligation also matured at year-end. Mr. Green responded that the CIC must

expend the grant funds by the end of the year, which required demolition of

the buildings by year-end. He said the CIC requested a deadline extension to

February but that the loan still came due at the end of the year. He added that

the CIC engaged a contractor who believed they could start demolition in

November and complete it by year-end. Mr. Schnetzer requested a follow-up

that provided greater certainty about the grant parameters.

Mayor Jadwin said the administration sought clarification from the Central

Ohio CIC and ODOD regarding the grant requirements.

Vice President Weaver confirmed his understanding from the prior meeting

that demolition could not begin while loans remained outstanding. Mr. Green

affirmed that statement. Weaver asked whether the CIC could extend the

mortgage term as had occurred previously. Mr. Green answered that the CIC

could not extend the term further. Weaver asked why one parcel had sold at a

price substantially higher than the Franklin County auditor’s appraisal. Mr.

Green explained that the CIC negotiated the purchase price with the seller

and that market negotiations often produced sale prices above auditor

appraised values. Weaver then expressed concern about the historical value

of the Bauer House and asked about preservation or mitigation options. Mayor

Jadwin said she, Director Gottke, and Rachel Zarick explored whether the

building might be movable and that they had not reached a conclusion. She

said the administration would continue to investigate options, including

salvaging architectural elements if they could not move the building. Mayor

Jadwin noted that the Bauer House did not appear on the initial demolition

schedule and would fall into a later phase, giving the city time to pursue

preservation options.

President Bowers asked Mr. Green to place the current actions in the larger

context of the Creekside redevelopment strategy, noting prior discussions of

plaza concepts, the loan payoff for the CIC parcels, and the demolition of

certain parcels identified that evening. Mr. Green said the CIC engaged in

discussions with a developer about a mixed-use project for the east and west

sides of Mill Street and that those discussions progressed substantially. He

said the parties expected to present a development agreement to Council for

consideration relatively soon and that the development agreement would

represent one step in a process that could lead to private investment in the

area. President Bowers asked whether the administration had a tentative date

for bringing a development agreement forward. Mayor Jadwin said she hoped

to present a development agreement within the next couple of weeks.

President Bowers asked who the other decision makers would be and what

additional decision points the Council and public should expect as the

process advanced. Mr. Green said the development agreement would

address financial terms, while the developer would later pursue Planning

Commission approvals, engineering permits, building permits, and other

regulatory steps. He said the public would have opportunities for input

throughout the process. President Bowers asked whether satisfying the loan

would cede the city’s ability to participate in decision making for those

parcels. Mr. Green replied that satisfying the loan would not cede Council’s

role and that city involvement would continue. He said the CIC functions as a

component unit of the city and that the city would retain influence over future

outcomes.

Mayor Jadwin reiterated that two separate tracks existed: the immediate

matter before Council, paying off the loan to permit demolition of the

grant-funded parcels, and a separate, later matter concerning any private

development of those parcels.

President Bowers asked for a definitive demolition timeline and whether a

contractor already committed to perform the work, noting that the

administration’s waiver request sought to compress the process by roughly

four weeks. Mayor Jadwin explained that September 2025 contained a fifth

Monday, which would delay Council action and thus delay subsequent steps,

including bank transfer, contractor engagement, demolition permit issuance,

so the administration requested additional time to preserve the schedule. Mr.

Green confirmed the administration’s timeline and said the goal remained to

perform demolition in November and December 2025, contingent on Council

action, bank coordination, contractor scheduling, and issuance of the

demolition permit.

Councilmember McGregor enumerated the buildings she understood to be

scheduled for demolition: the Quonset hut-shaped building on the west side,

the Shampooch building, the house behind the Quonset hut, the old EMH&T

building on the corner, and the parcel near the former plant library. She asked

whether the former Howard Johnson site would be included. Mr. Green

confirmed those properties were slated for demolition. He said the former

Howard Johnson building did not form part of the original demolition

application, that tenants currently occupied that building, and that the building

lacked asbestos and therefore did not qualify under the same grant. He said

the CIC intended to pursue a subsequent round of ODOD funding for that

site.

Ms. McGregor asked whether demolition would clear each parcel to bare

ground and remove pavement. Mr. Green said the CIC expected demolition to

clear the parcels and leave them ready for future development, subject to

contractor discussions.

President Bowers asked which parcels the CIC intended to include in a

subsequent ODOD demolition application. Mr. Green said the CIC planned to

apply for demolition funding for 130-140 Mill Street and for the parcel listed as

0 High Street. President Bowers asked whether the CIC planned to apply for

demolition funds for 120 North High Street. Mr. Green said they did not think

so and that they had not discussed 120 North High Street as a high priority for

the next round. Mayor Jadwin added that, from a timing perspective, those

parcels were not crucial at present.

President Bowers raised a procedural matter regarding suspension of

Council rules and waiver of second reading, noting that the City Charter

prescribed specific vote requirements. City Attorney Tamilarasan advised

that, pursuant to Section 4.12 of the Charter, Council must secure six

affirmative votes to suspend the rules if all members were present, and that a

5-2 vote would therefore fail.

President Bowers said she would entertain a motion to reconsider the prior

motion to suspend the rules and waive second reading. City Attorney

Tamilarasan explained that a motion to reconsider must come from a

member who voted on the prevailing side of the original vote, limiting the

motion to President Bowers or Councilmember McGregor. President Bowers

asked Councilmember McGregor, as a courtesy, to make a motion to

reconsider the motion to suspend Council rules and waive second reading.

A motion was made by McGregor, seconded by Renner, to reconsider waiver

of second reading. The motion carried by the following vote:

6 - Bowers, Jones, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer and Weaver

1 - McGregor

Yes:

No:

President Bowers thanked Mr. Green and Mayor Jadwin for coming forward

and providing additional information that helped her understand the request for

waiver more thoroughly, and afforded her participation in the conversation

since she was absent the previous Committee of the Whole meeting.

A motion was made by Schnetzer, seconded by Renner, that the Ordinance be

Waived for Second Reading. The motion carried by the following vote:

6 - Bowers, Jones, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer and Weaver

1 - McGregor

Yes:

No:

Councilmember Schnetzer reiterated the prior conversation with Director

Gottke, noting that the Council faced two clear options: approve the funding

request to discharge the mortgage so the city could retain control of the

parcels and pursue future remarketing, or decline and allow the default

process, which would likely let the bank dispose of the parcels and remove

the city’s control. He recalled that Director Gottke described a third option,

having a developer purchase the parcels, was unlikely to occur within the next

two weeks, and Schnetzer concluded that the current request on the table

appeared to represent the appropriate course of action.

Vice President Weaver echoed Schnetzer’s remarks, thanked Mr. Green and

the administration for their comprehensive conversations, and emphasized

the magnitude of the request. He observed that community improvement

corporations operate under state statute as economic development tools for

municipalities and that the requested action would represent an investment in

the community’s future and preserve the city’s influence over those parcels.

He reminded members that numerous approvals would remain before any

finished development, including Planning Commission review, final

development plans, and permits, and noted that negotiations have required

Executive Sessions. He encouraged the CIC to work with the Historical

Society and other partners to preserve historical elements where possible,

clarified that 120 North High Street did not form part of the current grant, and

urged preservation efforts for what could be saved.

Councilmember Padova acknowledged the size of the request and stated that

she did not take the vote lightly. She affirmed her support for the project as an

investment in the heart of the downtown and expressed hope that the action

would move the district closer to becoming a thriving center.

Councilmember McGregor said she also found the request substantial and

uncomfortable but that she recognized the value of keeping control of the

properties with the city.

President Bowers thanked Councilmembers for their prior Committee of the

Whole discussion and specifically thanked Councilmember McGregor for

raising concerns and historical context. She said Council lacked perfect

foresight but consulted professionals while maintaining appropriate

skepticism and asking detailed questions. She recalled that the CIC originally

presented the parcel acquisitions in a more optimistic light regarding timing,

observed that interest rate increases and other factors intervened, and

expressed surprise that some purchase prices exceeded the auditor’s

valuations. She said that, in retrospect, Council should ask more explicitly

about worst-case scenarios in similar future decisions. She concluded by

acknowledging the present circumstances and expressing a measured

optimism for the future.

A motion was made by Schnetzer, seconded by Renner, that the Ordinance be

Adopted. The motion carried by the following vote:

7 - Bowers, Jones, McGregor, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer and Weaver

Yes:

CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS:

1. Clerk - None.

2. Council - None.

REPRESENTATIVES:

1. Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) - Renner, Padova

Councilmember Padova reported that the CIC meeting originally scheduled

for the following morning was cancelled and that the group still had not set a

new date. Mayor Jadwin replied that the meeting was scheduled for the

morning of September 24, 2025, and that attendees should have received an

email invitation the previous week. Councilmember Padova said she had not

received the invitation. Mayor Jadwin apologized and said she would resend

the invite. Councilmember Renner added that he also had not received notice.

Mayor Jadwin acknowledged seeing the email herself and said they would

investigate and resolve the issue.

Mayor Jadwin confirmed that the next CIC meeting would occur on

September 24, 2025, and said she believed the time would be 7:30 a.m.; she

stated that staff would resend the invitation with the correct time.

2. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) - Weaver

2025-0176

Councilmember Weaver's MORPC Report to City Council 9.15.2025

Vice President Weaver thanked the Council Office for its assistance in

preparing the report. He stated that the MORPC commission met on

September 11, 2025, and he congratulated Mayor Jadwin on her new role as

Secretary of the Executive Committee. He noted that the MORPC legislative

monthly report linked to the MORPC report and encouraged members to

review it. He reported that, with the state legislature returned, MORPC was

monitoring congressional redistricting and proposed legislation that could

regulate metropolitan planning organizations, including MORPC, and that

property tax reform remained a topic of interest. He added that the governor

convened a working group on property tax reform. He reported that MORPC

began its Regional Economic Development Academy and that attendees

could take individual courses rather than the whole series; he encouraged

colleagues to use Council continuing education funds if interested. He

highlighted the upcoming Summit on Sustainability, noted that Mayor Jadwin

would be a featured Pecha Kucha speaker, reminded members of the Pecha

Kucha format, and encouraged attendance. He said the “Money Mondays”

sessions had resumed now that summer had ended.

3. Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) - Padova

Councilmember Padova announced that Visit Gahanna would provide music

by Joey and Jessica at the final Gahanna Market of the season, scheduled for

next Wednesday. She stated the market hours would be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

and the music would run from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Padova said the CVB

continued to plan the Holiday Lights celebration and was accepting food,

activity, and retail vendors, as well as sponsorships, she encouraged

interested parties to contact Visit Gahanna. She added that, although the CVB

was not technically organizing the event, the organization was helping to

promote the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, which would be in Gahanna

from October 2 - October 6, 2025, noting volunteers were needed during the

five days. She directed anyone who wished to volunteer to sign up at

gahannavets.org.

4. School Board (SB) - Jones

Councilmember Jones reported that at the September 4, 2025, Board of

Education Workshop, the district shared updates on year two of its Strategic

Plan. She said the district planned a career pathways audit to ensure

graduates would be ready for college, apprenticeships, or jobs in Gahanna

and beyond. She noted a new classroom pilot would explore use of artificial

intelligence in instruction. On the staff side, she said the district would

improve onboarding and mentorship to retain teachers and would develop a

talent review and succession planning process. She stated the Business

Advisory Council would return to focus on externship and pre-apprenticeship

opportunities to connect students with local employers. She added that the

Strategic Plan also addressed the opening of the high school and that plans

were underway for the community to experience the new and old high school,

with more information forthcoming. Finally, she announced a Finance and

Facilities Committee Meeting scheduled for September 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

in Clark Hall and a Regular Board Meeting scheduled for September 18, 2025,

at 6:30 p.m. in Clark Hall.

OFFICIAL REPORTS:

1. Mayor

Mayor Jadwin congratulated Deputy Chief Ethan Moffitt and Officer Brycyn

Williams and thanked Council for its continued support of public safety. She

said the promotion and the swearing-in reflected further investment in public

safety, created professional growth opportunities, strengthened the police

leadership team, and supported succession planning. She acknowledged

Deputy Chief Moffitt’s leadership team, including Deputy Chief Jeff Lawless,

Director Tim Becker, and Chief Spence, recognizing Senior Director Miranda

Vollmer for her work on the promotional process. She recalled that the

Council discussed adding the second Deputy Chief position about a year

earlier and noted that the Administration and Council maintained those budget

conversations throughout the year.

Mayor Jadwin thanked the Parks and Recreation Foundation, vendors,

volunteers, and attendees for the 2025 Creekside Hops and Vines event,

which she said drew nearly one thousand people. She stated that the event

raised funds to support camps, aquatics, recreational programming,

community events, and other Parks and Recreation initiatives, and she noted

the favorable weather and lack of competition with the Buckeye game. She

reported that the city remained in the third phase of public engagement for the

Our Gahanna Strategic Plan and listed recent road shows at the library, the

YMCA, and the Senior Center. She said the final in-person opportunity to

comment on the draft strategic plan would occur on Saturday, September 20,

2025, at the Touch-a-Truck event at Headley Park from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00

p.m., noting that an online survey would remain available through that

Saturday at ourgahanna.com with a “Take the Survey” link on the homepage.

Mayor Jadwin announced a Community Conversation about the future of

Creekside for the following Wednesday, September 24, 2025, from 7:00 to

8:30 p.m. at the Creekside Conference and Event Center (third floor, above

Cold Stone Creamery). She described that session as a continuation of the

plaza project discussion and said the Administration would share concepts

for plaza improvements and flood mitigation as part of improving use,

accessibility, and the Creekside plaza environment. She listed additional

upcoming events: the Gahanna Market next Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00

p.m.; the Creekside Reimagined session next Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30

p.m.; the Mill Street Market the following Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.;

The Market at North and High (previously called Creekside Boutique Hop) that

Sunday in the afternoon; and Young Chefs Academy’s one-year anniversary

celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. She directed residents to the city events

calendar at gahanna.gov for more details.

Finally, Mayor Jadwin addressed national tensions and divisions over the past

week. She encouraged the community to respond with kindness and civility,

which she said constituted strength rather than weakness. She observed that

the Council’s deliberations that evening illustrated civil discourse and thanked

Councilmember McGregor for her participation. She urged the community to

rise above division and to continue working together with respect,

compassion, and purpose.

2. City Attorney

City Attorney Tamilarasan reported that, since the last Council meeting when

Council passed a resolution authorizing her to join the Purdue direct

settlement, she completed the paperwork to finalize the city’s enrollment in

that opioid settlement. She said she gathered statistics about opioid-related

incidents in Gahanna: in 2024 the city recorded 18 overdose service calls and

at least eight opioid-related deaths in the zip code; in 2025 the city recorded

about 11 overdose service calls thus far and at least two opioid-related

deaths. She stated that the issue remained significant and that she intended

to continue working with Mayor Jadwin on ways to use settlement funds to

address it. In a less somber note, she said she disseminated the Council

rules to everyone for review and that she would bring them for further

discussion to a Committee of the Whole meeting in October and invited

Councilmembers to contact her directly with any thoughts or questions.

COUNCIL COMMENT:

Councilmember McGregor reiterated details about the Vietnam Veterans

Traveling Wall, which would arrive the first weekend in October. She stated

that volunteers would staff the wall 24 hours a day and encouraged residents

who work second shift to consider serving four-hour shifts. She added that

she and her husband committed to an overnight shift. She noted additional

volunteer opportunities to help visitors find names on the wall. She announced

the Mill Street Market for the Historical Society on Saturday, September 28,

2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and reported that more than 100 booths

had registered. She explained that the Gahanna Historical Society’s red

history book, published in 1976, needed updates to cover nearly 50 years of

subsequent history. She said a group, including author Jim Schnell, began

developing topics and assigning sections for contributors, with hopes to

assemble the book this year or next. She congratulated Officer Williams and

Deputy Chief Ethan Moffitt, noting his progression from Officer to Sergeant to

Lieutenant to Deputy Chief.

Councilmember Jones referenced her constituent report attached to the

agenda for the past couple of months. She announced the resumption of her

constituent hours after the summer break, with the next session on Monday,

September 29, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Gahanna Library.

Councilmember Padova thanked her colleagues and Mayor Jadwin for the

joint resolution and proclamation recognizing Good Neighbor Day in Gahanna.

She said Daniel Tiger and Mr. Rogers inspired the effort and noted that

President Jimmy Carter established Good Neighbor Day as a national holiday.

She announced a partnership with the library for story time on Friday,

September 27, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., with coloring sheets and a small craft for

children to deliver to neighbors to meet someone new or check in on

someone they know. She observed that Good Neighbor Day coincided with

the Mill Street Market and described both as ways to meet people in the

community. She stated that the goal of the resolution was to meet neighbors

and build community, reading a 1978 quotation from President Carter

emphasizing concern for others, understanding, love, and respect as

foundations for families and communities. She asked residents to extend

kindness every day and to practice it on social media before pressing “send.”

She cited Brené Brown’s analogy that social media is like fire: it can keep the

barn warm or burn it down.

Councilmember Renner congratulated Officer Williams and Deputy Chief

Moffitt and praised the recruitment effort that brought an officer from Las

Vegas to Gahanna. He recalled serving with Mayor Jadwin when Moffitt

worked as a bicycle officer in the community policing program and described

Moffitt’s regular stops at area restaurants, including Panera, where he

interacted with patrons and fostered a community feel. He thanked

Councilwoman Padova for the National Good Neighbor Day resolution and

connected it to events that unfolded the previous week. He noted that Council

recognized National Good Neighbor Day on September 28, 2025, and said

respect for one another underpins community. He stated that the nation

reeled from another act of political violence and that empathy remained

essential. He cited historian Hannah Arendt’s warning that the death of human

empathy signals a culture’s slide into barbarism and biologist Edward O.

Wilson’s caution that humanity has paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions,

and godlike technology. He urged recommitment to simple, powerful acts,

such as introducing ourselves, lending a hand, and showing kindness, so

basic standards of respectful and fair behavior prevail. He concluded that

respect for each other strengthens neighborhoods, the city, and the nation,

and keeps both the community and democracy strong.

Councilmember Schnetzer welcomed Officer Williams and congratulated

Deputy Chief Moffitt. He joked that he would ask whether the promotion added

two inches to Moffitt’s already impressive box jump and concluded his

remarks.

Vice President Weaver added his congratulations to Officer Williams and

Deputy Chief Moffitt. He thanked Mayor Jadwin for the proclamation

recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and shared that his

sister-in-law died young after a long battle with a rare brain cancer. He

expressed support for raising awareness, improving treatment, and finding

cures and better outcomes. He reported that he enjoyed volunteering at the

Hops and Vines Festival with Councilwoman Padova and thanked the

foundation and the Department of Parks and Recreation for a wonderful

evening that supported a worthy cause. He appreciated his colleagues’

conversation about waiving a second reading as part of Council rules and the

Charter, noting that he often resists waiving the second reading and valued

the discussion and reasoning. He thanked Mr. Renner for expressing what

many felt. He thanked Ms. Villilo from ADAMH for attending and noted that the

Franklin County Auditor would soon launch a “levy estimator” tool. He

explained that residents could enter a parcel number to see how proposed

ballot levies would affect that specific property tax bill.

President Bowers made a brief remark that a joint resolution and

proclamation for the Vietnam Veterans Traveling Wall was in progress. Mayor

Jadwin responded that the news was a wonderful surprise. President Bowers

said she anticipated bringing the item to Committee of the Whole the following

week and adopting it on October 6, 2025, the final day the traveling wall would

be in Gahanna. She added that the city had not finalized plans with the

American Legion post for a ceremonial presentation but would work with them

to determine whether they could present the resolution ceremonially. She

thanked Mayor Jadwin and her colleagues for comments reflecting on horrific

events of the previous week. She referenced, in addition to the high-profile

shooting, school shootings across the United States and said Americans had

grown numb to gun violence, which other Western countries do not accept.

She urged support for common-sense gun laws and discussions around

violence and weapons and said the community must strive to do better than

current conditions in the state and country. She stated that social media and

technology contributes to dehumanization, including on local social media,

and said she appreciated that Councilmembers and officials treat one another

as neighbors who share schools and grocery stores and care about the

community. She said one of the hardest parts of her job was not feeling the

same dignity and humanity from everyone in the community and that social

media discourse fuels that problem. She described her reaction to social

media after last week’s events and criticized how people, including the

President, spoke about other Americans. She thanked Councilwoman

Padova for the Good Neighbor Resolution and thanked everyone who works

to create community. She said flags flew at half-mast and that she chose to

recognize that as honoring all victims of gun violence and school shootings,

as well as all who must live with the current state in which such tragedies

have become commonplace. She stated that she mourned for everyone and

thanked her colleagues for their indulgence.

2025-0175

Councilmember Jamille Jones' Constituent Report - July-August 2025

ADJOURNMENT:

With no further business before the Council, President Bowers adjourned the

meeting at 8:43 p.m.