Apr 14, 2025 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

EVERYBODY TO APRIL 14TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I WANT I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO RISE AND STAND CONTINUE TO STAND FOR THE INVOCATION. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALMIGHTY GOD, WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE US THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING AS WE SEEK TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE AND ITS CITIZENS.

AMEN. AMEN. ROLL CALL. ZACH BORDNER. HERE. STEVEN. WOLF. HERE. HANK. FURBY. PRESENT.

DONALD. BURGER. HERE. SCOTT. HUNTER. HERE. MARK. REAMS. JULIE. KRAMER. HERE. IS THERE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[Additional Item]

WE RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF EACH ENTITY. HAVE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. AND IF MARYSVILLE IS GOING TO BE THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY THAT THRIVES AND WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE, STRONG SCHOOLS AND STRONG CITY GOVERNMENT ARE BOTH NECESSARY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. CERTAINLY OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY HAS REALLY BLOSSOMED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND DEDICATED EFFORTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN OPEN DIALOG, AND THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT LEADERSHIP ON BOTH SIDES WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE AND MAKE THINGS BETTER. SO THANK YOU. THIS MEANS A LOT TO THE DISTRICT AND OUR TO OUR STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE PASSED A LEVY HERE IN THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE? NEW MONEY LEVY. IT'S BEEN 17 YEARS SINCE 2008.

SO 17 YEARS THIS COMMUNITY HAS STOOD STRONG. AND WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WE'VE GONE. WE'VE GONE 17 YEARS WITHOUT PASSING A LEVY. NOW PEOPLE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHY THEY DO NOT WANT A LEVY TO PASS. BUT THE REALITY IS, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE, HAVE THE BENEFITS THAT YOU CURRENTLY BENEFIT FROM.

[00:05:01]

WAS THAT AN ENTERPRISE SOLUTION? WAS THAT A RESOLUTION READY TO GO INTO THE MINUTES? I DON'T THINK SHOULD THAT GO INTO THE MINUTES. YES OKAY. OKAY. WILL YOU IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ENTER THE RESOLUTION INTO THE MINUTES, PLEASE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU.

[ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT]

REALLY LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT NOW. POOL PASSES MAY BE PURCHASED ONLINE VIA REC DESK OR IN PERSON AT THE CITY'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS CENTER, LOCATED AT 455 NORTH MAPLE STREET. AND THAT CAN BE YOU CAN STOP THERE ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND THURSDAYS FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. TO SIGN UP FOR A POOL PASS. THE POOL OPENS FOR THE SEASON ON SATURDAY, MAY 24TH. COMING UP HERE QUICK AGAIN. THERE'S A RAIN BARREL DISTRIBUTION GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THE RAIN BARREL SALE IS NOW OPEN AND THANKS TO RAINWATER SOLUTIONS, THE 50 GALLON RAIN BARRELS ARE AVAILABLE AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $78. RAIN BARRELS MUST BE PRE-PURCHASED ONLINE BY APRIL 16TH. SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S COMING UP QUICK HERE AND DISTRIBUTION WILL BE ON SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH FROM 9 A.M. TO 11 A.M. AT THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS CENTER, AGAIN AT 455 NORTH MAPLE STREET. AND THEN LAST COMING UP REAL SOON HERE. SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH IS SHRED, RECYCLE AND DONATION DAY, AND THAT IS FROM 9 A.M. TO NOON. THE FREE EVENT IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS. PERSONAL DOCUMENTS WILL BE SECURELY TRANSPORTED BY FILE 13 AND SHREDDED AT UCO INDUSTRIES. ALL ELECTRONICS THAT PLUG INTO THE WALL OR TAKE BATTERIES WILL BE ACCEPTED, INCLUDING COMPUTERS, CAMERAS, SERVERS, VCRS, CELL PHONES, KEYBOARDS, BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEMS, SCANNERS, PRINTERS, FAX MACHINES. BUT CRT TUBE STYLE MONITORS AND TVS ARE NOT ACCEPTED. SECOND, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, SECOND CHANCES THRIFT STORE WILL ACCEPT UP TO SIX BAGS OR BOXES OF ITEMS IN LIKE NEW OR GIFTABLE CONDITION, INCLUDING CLOTHES, SHOES, ACCESSORIES, JEWELRY, SMALL APPLIANCES, HOUSEWARES, KITCHEN ITEMS, HOME DECOR, TOYS AND GAMES, OVERSIZE ITEMS AND DONATIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO UCO INDUSTRIES DONATION CENTER AT 16900 SQUARE DRIVE. SO A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON. THAT WE NEED

[00:10:06]

THAT'S OKAY. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I, I WAS JUST WONDERING. AND YOU DON'T YOU DON'T HAVE TO I'M NOT EXPECTING AN ANSWER TONIGHT BUT TWO CONCERNS. ONE CONCERN IS DELAWARE AVENUE AS YOU GO IN FRONT OF WHERE THE OLD BOB EVANS USED TO BE. SO IN THAT SECTION WHERE THE WAFFLE HOUSE IS, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE DITCH WORK WAS BEING FULFILLED. AND THEN THE WEATHER TURNED. MAYBE. BUT IT STILL THERE'S NO WORK THAT'S BEEN BEEN DONE. JUST THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEBRIS, YOU KNOW, LEVELING OUT, SEEDING, JUST HAVING SOMEBODY LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN ALSO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S US, BUT DO WE MOW THE BETWEEN ON DELAWARE AVENUE BETWEEN THE CURB AND THE YMCA AND THAT STRIP OF GRASS. I BELIEVE SO, BUT LET ME TALK TO JEREMY AND WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU. OKAY. THAT'S FINE. IT'S JUST IF THERE'S EVER A MOWING CREW JUST ENSURING THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A BUCKET AND A PICKER. YEAH, THAT IS ON THE MOWER WHEN THERE'S ALWAYS MOW. WHEN. WHEN SOMEONE'S ALWAYS MOWING. YEAH. GO AHEAD. NOW THAT WE SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE TRAFFIC UP IN THAT SAME AREA THAT MR. BURGER MENTIONED, I DID. AND WE MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE. BUT I'VE HAD SEVERAL REQUESTS FROM PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON CHERRY STREET, JUST NORTH OF THE RAILROAD, BETWEEN THE RAILROAD AND WHERE IT GETS TO BE. WELL, THOUGH, WITH REQUESTS TO POTENTIALLY REDUCE THAT TO 25. I KNOW OVER THE YEARS, EVERY OFTEN, EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE DO GET THOSE REQUESTS. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAVE INCREASED CHILDREN NOW FROM WHAT IT DID BEFORE? AND IF I ASSUME THAT THAT'S STILL PART OF THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE, SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO SET OUR OWN STANDARDS. AND THEY ARE HOPING THAT IF WE REDUCE IT TO 25, THAT TRAFFIC STAYS BELOW 35. THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME. YEAH. SO THE POLICY TO CHANGE SPEED LIMITS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT. OR WE COULD GO OUT AND DO A SPEED STUDY. AND BASICALLY HOW THE SPEED, HOWEVER FAST VEHICLES ARE GOING IS THAT COMFORTABLE SPEED. SO YOU CAN'T YOU DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY JUST PEEL IT BACK DOWN TO 25MPH. WE CAN DO A SPEED STUDY. AND IF THE SPEEDS COME IN AROUND, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 25 AND 30, THEN IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT TO LOWER IT TO 25. BUT IF THE SPEEDS ARE AROUND THAT 32, 34, FIVE, 36MPH, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE CONDUCIVE TO LOWER AT TEN MILES PER HOUR LOWER THAN WHAT THE VEHICLES ARE GOING. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO

[00:15:06]

[REPORT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT]

[00:20:04]

GREENWAYS ARE DEFINED AS LINEAR, OPEN SPACES ALONG NATURAL CORRIDORS. WE RECOMMEND GREENWAYS ALONG MILL CREEK AND BIG DARBY CREEK, WHICH WILL OFFER CONSERVATION, RECREATION, AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS. TRAIL TOWNS ARE COMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT TRAIL USAGE AMONG RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. TRAIL TOWNS HAVE CONSISTENT REGIONAL BRANDING CLEAR WAYFINDING SIGNAGE. THEY ENCOURAGE BUSINESS COLLABORATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT CATER TO TRAIL TOURISM. THEY GENERALLY HAVE WELL MAINTAINED TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND OFFER CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL FEATURES THAT BUILD INTEREST AND ENGAGEMENT WITH TRAILS. IN OUR PLAN, WE HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR TOWNS IN UNION COUNTY THAT WOULD MAKE SUCCESSFUL TRAIL TOWNS. MARYSVILLE BEING ONE OF THE STRONGEST CANDIDATES. THE MOST PROMINENT PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TRAIL LOCATION RECOMMENDATIONS. THESE CONNECT MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS CONNECTING THINGS LIKE CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS AND NATURAL ASSETS. THEY CONSIST OF GREENWAYS, SHARED USE PATHS, AND BIKE LANES AND SHOULDERS. OUR TEAM WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE GEOGRAPHIES, SO WE HAVE TRAIL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ENCOMPASS THE NORTH, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY IN NORTHERN UNION COUNTY. TRAILS ARE MEANT TO CONNECT TOWNS TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO OFFER IMPROVED ACCESS TO SCENIC RURAL AREAS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. IN OUR PLAN, WE'VE DESIGNATED SOME ROUTES AS PRIORITY PATHS, WHILE OTHERS ARE SUPPLEMENTARY. AND I'M I HAVE A MAP HERE THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO DISTRIBUTE THAT SHOWS THE PRIORITY ROUTES THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IN CENTRAL UNION COUNTY. SOME MAJOR CONNECTIONS INCLUDE CONNECTING MARYSVILLE AND RAYMOND TO THE HONDA SITE AND CONNECTING MARYSVILLE TO DUBLIN. WITHIN MARYSVILLE, WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONNECT ALL CITY SCHOOLS AND PARKS VIA TRAIL OR INNER CITY PATHS IN SOUTHERN UNION COUNTY. TRAILS ARE FOCUSED ON CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURAL FEATURES AND TO POPULATION CENTERS WITHIN AND BEYOND THE COUNTY. BY CONNECTING TO THE DUBLIN TRAIL SYSTEM THAT LEADS TO A LOT OF OTHER CONNECTIONS ACROSS FRANKLIN COUNTY AND BEYOND. SOME TOWNS THAT ARE THE FOCUS OF THIS GEOGRAPHY ARE DUBLIN PLAIN CITY, MILFORD CENTER, AND URBANA. WE'VE ALSO CREATED. OH, LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE SLIDES WAS MISSING THAT I WAS EXPECTING, BUT WE'VE CREATED AN ONLINE INTERACTIVE MAP THAT DISPLAYS ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS. OUR TEAM WILL COORDINATE WITH TAMISHA, WHO HAS BEEN OUR PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS PROJECT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MAP IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING RIGHT NOW. OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO FINISH PREPARING OUR FINAL PLAN AND SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS, AND DELIVER IT TO THE UNION COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AFTER THIS POINT, WE HOPE TO PUBLICIZE THE FINAL PLAN AND MAKE THE PLAN. OUR INTERACTIVE MAP AND OUR FINAL PRESENTATION AVAILABLE ONLINE. AFTER THIS, THE STAKEHOLDERS AND UNION COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WILL TAKE THE LEAD IN DETERMINING

[00:25:02]

YOU CAN PASS PASS THOSE OUT. IT'LL BE OKAY IF YOU GIVE EACH ONE OUT. WOULD YOU WOULD WOULD YOU TWO LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING ON PUBLIC RECORD? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF YOU. IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. AND I, TOO, HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE KNOWLTON SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE. SO IT'S. YEAH, IT'S A FUN LOT, YOU KNOW, FOR AUDIENCE THAT DOESN'T KNOW. NO.

ONE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE HAS LANDSCAPES, ARCHITECTS AND CITY PLANNERS. SO WE REALLY ARE THE VISIONARIES OF THE WORLD. SO THERE'S A LOT OF CREATIVITY THAT GOES ON IN THOSE BUILDINGS. AND IT'S A FUN ENVIRONMENT TO WORK IN, AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS A SOCIETY, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE LIKING WALKING TRAILS. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TOO LONG AGO IN THE 80S AND 90S, WHEN DUBLIN WAS BUILDING THEM, PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WHO'S EVER GOING TO USE THESE? AND NOW CITIES? WHO HAVE THEM? PEOPLE FLOCK TO THEM. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. AND THANK YOU TO UNION COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND TO EVERYBODY, TOURISM. ERIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR CONTINUE TO PUSH AND CREATE A COMMUNITY WHERE WE'RE WALKING. WE ARE WALKING TO OUR DESTINATIONS. SO THANK YOU.

NOW I KNOW THAT THE NCA HAD CLOSED. TODAY WE HAVE KAREN. OH I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY, MISS ELLEN. I'M SORRY. NOPE. I WAS GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF. OH. YOU'RE GOOD. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO LISTEN TO AN UPDATE ON TOURISM.

AND CONGRATULATIONS. THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. TAMISHA. YOUR LEADERSHIP IS SECOND TO NONE. AND I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE IN 2019 AND 2020, WE DID A FIVE YEAR DESTINATION STRATEGIC PLAN AND CONNECTIVITY AND TRAIL DEVELOPMENT WAS PART OF THAT. SO WE'RE IN 25 SO WE CAN SAY WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. SO THAT'S THAT'S EXCELLENT. GREAT JOB. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I PASSED OUT SOME PACKETS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE THAT YOU WANTED TO DIVE FURTHER YOU MISSED IT. THERE'S A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION IN YOUR PACKETS. WE'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS. EXCUSE ME, FOR SOME WHO ARE NEW TO COUNCIL, WE AS UNION COUNTY TOURISM ARE FUNDED THROUGH LODGING TAX DOLLARS. WHENEVER ANYBODY STAYS IN ANY OF OUR HOTELS, A PORTION OF THAT COMES BACK TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN BEING STEWARDS OF THAT TAXPAYER DOLLARS IS TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE ARE USING THAT TO MAKE UNION COUNTY AND MARYSVILLE AS VIBRANT AS POSSIBLE THROUGH TOURISM SPENDING. SO WE'LL GO THROUGH 2024. THIS IS A LOT TO LOOK AT, BUT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. EVERY OTHER YEAR WE PARTNER WITH TOURISM OHIO AND ECONOMIC TOURISM ECONOMICS TO DO RESEARCH AROUND EXPENDITURES AND TAX REVENUES COMING THROUGH VISITATION. AND SO BECAUSE WE DO THIS EVERY OTHER YEAR, THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS WAS IN 2023 AND THEN PREVIOUSLY IN 2021. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING WAS UP 36%. AND WE'LL SAY OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR OR PREVIOUS STUDY WITH DIRECT VISITOR SPENDING, ALMOST 160 MILLION IN UNION COUNTY FOR A TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF 267.260 5.7, UP 31%. AND THEN THAT THESE VISITORS GENERATED 32.8 MILLION, UP 21%. AND THEN THE NUMBER OF JOBS AT TOURISM SUPPORTS IS UP 8%. THE NUMBER THAT I THINK IS MOST ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR RESIDENTS IS THAT IF THESE VISITORS WERE NOT SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY, EACH HOUSEHOLD WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $744, AND THAT IS UP 16% FROM THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS STUDY. AGAIN, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR VISITORS AND OUR HOTELS. AND SO YOU'LL SEE, WE'RE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH FROM OCCUPANCY. THAT MEANS THE NUMBER OF ROOMS THAT VISITORS ARE STAYING IN, AND THE AVERAGE DAILY RATE OVER FIVE YEARS. AND SO,GH PANDEMIC AND EVERYONE WAS SAYING 2019 WAS THE HIGHEST, YOU KNOW, REALLY ACROSS THE NATION AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM SPENDING. WE'VE OUTPACED THAT IN BOTH OCCUPANCY AND AVERAGE DAILY RATE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS AT THE STAFF

[00:30:02]

WE'RE WORKING ON A NEW ONE. WE'RE JUST WAITING. THERE'S A COUPLE OF VACANCIES IN UPTOWN.

WE'RE WAITING TO SEE WHAT COMES ABOUT. BUT IF NOT, WORST CASE SCENARIO, WE'LL HAVE A NEW ONE PRODUCED BY MAY. WE SEND FIVE DIFFERENT E-NEWSLETTERS EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO ALL DIFFERENT AUDIENCES LEISURE VISITORS, OUR TOURISM PARTNERS, MEETING PLANNERS, GROUP TOUR ORGANIZERS.

OUR BLOG CONTINUES TO BRING NEW VISITORS TO OUR SITE. WE'VE GOT NEW POSTCARDS AT UNION STATION AND WE HAVE A DEALS CARD. AS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR FOLDER, SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUES TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S VERY COST EFFECTIVE. WE HAVE CLOSE TO 15,000 FOLLOWERS ACROSS FIVE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS. OUR VISIT UNION COUNTY INSTAGRAM REACH IS ABOUT WAS UP 57% YEAR OVER YEAR. SO THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE PAYING OFF AS WELL AS THE FACEBOOK REACH. WE ADVERTISE IN OHIO TRAVEL GUIDE AND OHIO HAS IT, AND WE DO ADVERTISING WITH TOURISM OHIO.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE PAST. NOW THEY ONLY RUN JULY THROUGH OCTOBER. THEY USED TO RUN YEAR ROUND. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THOSE ADS LAST YEAR. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING. SO FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ADS ARE AROUND, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THINGS THAT ARE NATURALLY CRAFTED. I MEAN, FROM ANYTHING FROM HAY RIDES TO U-PICK EXPERIENCES AND WINERIES AND BREWERIES. AND OUR CLICK THROUGH RATE IS ABOVE INDUSTRY AVERAGE AND THEN PAID SEARCHES USING KEYWORDS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR LIKE, WHERE CAN I PICK BERRIES? WHERE CAN I FIND A GREAT BREWERY IN THOSE CLICK THROUGH RATES ARE ARE 17.558%. IN THE INDUSTRY, AVERAGE IS FOUR. SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SELECTING THE WORDS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR, AND WE ARE DRIVING THEM TO OUR WEBSITE AND HOPEFULLY TO OUR COMMUNITY GROUP TOUR MARKET CONTINUES TO BE A MARKET THAT IS A VITAL MARKET TO US. WE HOSTED 14 TOURS LAST YEAR. WE'VE GOT 11 ON THE BOOKS SO FAR. WE MAY HAVE ONE MORE SINCE WE GOT A CALL TODAY. WE DEVELOPED NEW EXPERIENCES. WE NOW HAVE HOLIDAY ITINERARIES. WE'RE TRYING TO EXTEND THE TRAVEL TIME THAT THEY'RE COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, INTO THE OFF PEAK SEASON, WHICH WOULD BE DECEMBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A NATIONAL PRESENCE THANKS TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE MEMBERS OF. WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR DINE ON THE COVERED BRIDGE EVENTS. WE DID THEM LAST YEAR. WE'RE CONTINUING THEM THIS YEAR, STILL DOING TEN DIFFERENT EVENTS. LAST YEAR WE HAD GUESTS COME FROM SEVEN STATES AND 125 CITIES, AND 91% WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY WOULD THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT EXPERIENCE TO THEIR FRIENDS AND TO OTHERS. THAT CONTINUES TO BE A GREAT PR OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

WE ARE FEATURED IN OHIO MAGAZINE, COLUMBUS ON THE CHEAP, COLUMBUS COLUMBUS NAVIGATOR, AND ONLY IN YOUR STATE. WE ALSO HAD SOME REALLY GREAT BIG EVENTS LAST YEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN

[00:35:05]

UNION COUNTY ECLIPSE PAGE WAS THE HIGHEST RANKED PAGE IN ALL OF OHIO. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE ASK OUR MEMBERS, OUR PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS TO PLAN EVENTS, NOT JUST ONE BIG BLOW OUT EVENT. SO WE HAD ABC6 BROADCASTING LIVE FROM THE AIRPORT, AND IT WAS PEAK HOTEL OCCUPANCY FOR OUR FOR OUR LODGING PROPERTIES. WE TALKED ABOUT COVERED BRIDGE TRAIL AND NATURALLY CRAFTED ADVENTURE TRAIL. THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH AN EXPERIENCE THAT'S DIGITAL. THEY PUT IT ON THEIR PHONE, THEY CHECK IN TO STOP BY AND THEY WIN PRIZES. SO WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT NEW PRIZES THIS YEAR.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THOSE TWO EXPERIENCES BROUGHT VISITORS FROM 17 STATES AND THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. WE HOSTED NATIONAL, A NATIONAL EVENT CALLED C10 BREAKOUT. THAT'S A CHEVY TRUCK SHOW. AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT IS ACTUALLY FROM PLAIN CITY THAT DOES THESE SHOWS IN SALT LAKE AND DALLAS-FORT WORTH AND NASHVILLE, BROUGHT IT HERE. HE HAD 2900 VISITORS. 2000. YEAH.

AND THEN HAD 300 TRUCKS REGISTER. AND HE SAID HE COULD PROBABLY BRING IN 700 PLUS TRUCKS THIS YEAR, BUT HE HAD TO CAP IT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO HAVE IT BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE. SO THEY'RE COMING BACK WITH UPWARDS OF 500 TRUCKS IN SEPTEMBER AT OUR FAIRGROUNDS. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU AND TERRY AND YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR THE VISION AROUND OUR BMX RACETRACK. WE HOSTED OUR FIRST NATIONAL EVENT LAST YEAR. WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 8000 PLUS VISITORS, 665 ATHLETES FROM 32 STATES AND THREE COUNTRIES. WE HAD GREAT, OBVIOUSLY OCCUPANCY WITH OUR HOTELS AND IT WAS INTERESTING. WE DID OUR POST EVENT CALL WITH USA BMX. THEY SAID WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT SOMETHING AND THEY SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS DID. WE HAD GREAT WEATHER, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE COMPLAINT. SO WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR PROPOSAL FOR AN EVENT IN 2026. IT WAS DUE APRIL 1ST, AND IN THAT WE ALLUDED TO OUR DESIRE TO SIGN A MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THEM. SO OUR DESIRE WOULD BE TO HAVE IT IN 2026, 28 AND 30. SO MORE ON THAT. HOPEFULLY WHEN WE HEAR GOOD NEWS SOON. UNION STATION, OUR WELCOME CENTER AND RETAIL GIFT SHOP, HAD A LITTLE OVER 7000 VISITORS, NEARLY 60,000 IN SALES. THAT'S A GREAT NUMBER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING THE 68 VENDORS WHO SHARE THEIR TALENTS WITH US THROUGH ALL THE ALL THE DIFFERENT MERCHANDISE THAT'S IN THERE. WE STARTED A NEW HOLIDAY FACEBOOK ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN THAT WAS STRONG, AND THAT NEWSLETTER CONTINUES TO PERFORM WELL WITH A 51% OPEN RATE. WE DO OUR TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM, AND THESE ARE JUST A LIST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT. SOME OF THEM ARE EVENTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ORGANIC TO UNION COUNTY OR TO MARYSVILLE, LIKE A FARMER'S MARKET OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES. AND OUR, OUR COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS THIS LOOKS VERY JUDICIOUSLY AT THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, WE GIVE A GRANT TO THE OHIO ATHLETIC COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY BRING A CHEERLEADING TOURNAMENT AND A WRESTLING TOURNAMENT IN JANUARY.

AND THAT'S WHEN OUR HOTELS AND OUR RESTAURANTS AND OUR RETAIL ESPECIALLY NEED IT. WE ALSO SUPPORT EVENTS THAT THE GRANT IS WRITTEN THAT IF YOU'RE DRIVING ROOM NIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT THAT. AND THINGS LIKE MARYSVILLE CHORAL BOOSTERS THAT DOES THEIR SHOWCASE. WE MIGHT BE TOO CLOSE TO THINK OF IT. OH, WE KNOW MARYSVILLE IS A GREAT SHOW CHOIR, BUT IT'S BRINGING IN COMPETITION AND SHOW CHOIRS FROM ACROSS THE US AND DRIVING ROOM NIGHTS IN MARCH, WHEN IT'S ALSO A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR OUR HOTELS. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS WITH MAIN STREET MARYSVILLE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THEM TO REALLY GROW FESTIVE FAIR. PART OF WHERE WE STILL WERE LAST YEAR WAS KIND OF SHEPHERDING THAT EVENT THROUGH OVER TO MAIN STREET, MARYSVILLE. AND, YOU KNOW, AS OF JANUARY THIS YEAR, WE'VE TURNED OVER, YOU KNOW, THE CHECKBOOK TO THEM, AND IT'S HELPED TO FUNDRAISE FOR THEM. WE HAD, THANKS TO THE CITY SHARING THEIR GEOFENCING DATA. WE HAD OVER 12,000 ATTENDEES TO THE FAIR. AND THAT THAT EVENT IS, YOU KNOW, I WISH I COULD SAY IT WAS A WEEK LONG EVENT, BUT IT'S REALLY FROM 9 TO 4 AND THERE'S 12,000 PEOPLE COMING. SO WE'VE GOT PLANS FOR EXPANSION THIS YEAR. WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN APPROVAL. SO THANK YOU, CHIEFS, FOR APPROVAL ON ADDITIONAL STREET CLOSURES. AND WE'RE GETTING THERE. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE I THINK WE'RE ALREADY AT 249 VENDORS REGISTERED. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S THE BIGGEST FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY FOR MAIN STREET MARYSVILLE THAT CONTINUES TO DO EVENTS. IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE STRONGEST DAYS FOR OUR BUSINESSES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO US. IT'S CARYVILLE AND CHRISTMAS WALK ALSO HAD EXPANDED

[00:40:04]

WE'RE WORKING ON SHORT TERM RENTAL LEGISLATION. LIKE I TALKED ABOUT WAYFINDING, SIGNAGE, FABRICATION, INSTALLATION AMERICA 250 OHIO PROGRAM. SO OUR BRAND DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE WORKING ON STORYTELLING, INTERVIEWING NATURALLY CRAFTED PARTNERS AND TELLING THEIR STORIES. WE'RE DEVELOPING A MICROSITE TO REALLY DELVE DEEPLY INTO WHO ARE THESE NATURALLY CRAFTED PARTNERS AND WHO ARE THEY SUPPORTING IN OUR COMMUNITY? WE'RE WORKING ON VIDEOS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IF YOU SEE IN YOUR PACKET, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS CONTINUITY WITH OUR MARKETING MATERIALS. SO IT ALL FEELS AND LOOKS LIKE OUR BRAND, WHICH IS IMPORTANT. SO WE'RE DEVELOPING THIS MICROSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET THE MAKERS OF CRAFTERS, THE BREWERS, THE BAKERS. THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY CAN ALSO UNDERSTAND IF THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT. I'LL USE DALTON UNION WINERY AS AN EXAMPLE. IF THEY CAN'T GET THERE, THEN THIS WEBSITE WILL SHOW THEM WHERE ELSE THEY COULD BUY THEIR PRODUCT. AND SO IT MIGHT BE AT A, YOU KNOW, A RETAILER OR WHAT HAVE YOU. IT'S GOING TO HELP OUR VISITORS KNOW WHAT THE LOCALS LOVE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO SOMEWHERE, YOU WANT TO GO EXACTLY WHERE THE LOCALS ARE. SO THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY PREMIERING THIS SUMMER. WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN, THE NAME OF DANA GAYMAN, WHO IS HELPING US WITH BICYCLE BICYCLING ROUTES THROUGHOUT UNION COUNTY THAT ARE ALL THEMATIC AND TOUCHING ON POINTS OF INTEREST. WE'LL BE USING A PLATFORM CALLED RIDE WITH GPS TO HELP GUIDE THOSE RIDERS THROUGH TO ALL THOSE POINTS OF INTEREST.

WE HOPE THEY STOP AND SEE, AND THAT'S COMING THIS SUMMER AS WELL. WAYFINDING SIGNAGE UPDATE.

WE'VE COMPLETED THE MASTER PLAN. WE'VE MADE ALL THE MODIFICATIONS THAT ODOT HAS ASKED FOR. AND THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THAT, ANY ANY STATE ROUTE. WE COULD NOT PUT SIGNS. SO THINK OF ALL THE SIGNS GOING TO POTTERSBURG BRIDGE IS ON 245. WE COULDN'T. SO WE WORKED THROUGH ALL THOSE CHALLENGES. NOW WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH BEING THE ONE KEY POINT OF CONTACT FOR OUR RFP FOR SIGNS. AND WE'VE GOT ONE MORE. WE GOT JEROME TOWNSHIP TO GO TO GET APPROVAL FROM. AND I'M PRESENTING TO THEM ON MAY 7TH. SO HOPEFULLY OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE NOW THAT CAME UP LAST WEEK IS THE COST OF OUR SIGNS THROUGH. THIS PROCESS HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. PART OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION. THE TARIFFS PART OF THAT'S JUST RELATED TO THE COST OF ALUMINUM. BUT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL. SO MORE ON THAT WE'RE DOING WE HAVE A WHOLE TASK FORCE. EVERYBODY'S EACH COMMUNITY IS WORKING. I KNOW CITY OF MARYSVILLE IS A DESIGNATED COMMUNITY. WE'VE GOT EVERY OTHER MONTH WE'VE GOT A TASK FORCE MEETING. THE NEXT ONE IS MAY 6TH AT 930 AT OUR OFFICE, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US. LOTS COMING ON THAT. SO MORE ON THAT. JUST A COUPLE THINGS IN YOUR PACKET JUST IN CASE YOU AREN'T SURE WHAT THEY ARE. WE'VE GOT A WINDOW CLING THAT WE ARE PASSING OUT TO ALL OF OUR TOURISM RELATED BUSINESSES. THIS IS JUST A QR CODE THAT LEADS THEM TO OUR WEBSITE, SO THAT IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T REALIZE THAT THERE'S A COMPREHENSIVE AND ROBUST WEBSITE TO HELP THEM GUIDE THEM THROUGH OUR DESTINATION, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF NEW BROCHURES, INCLUDING A NEW WINERY AND BREWERY. WE'VE GOT AN ANNUAL REPORT IN THERE IN CASE THERE'S SOME NUMBERS THAT YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT THAT WE MAY HAVE GONE QUICKLY THROUGH. SO LOTS OF INFORMATION IN THERE. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. OUR BOARD THAT REPORTS THE CHAMBER BOARD AND ALSO THE CHAMBER BOARD ARE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ARE AND DO SO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISSUS ELLEN? WELL I JUST HAVE A COUPLE I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS.

YEAH. SO I WORK AT A COMPANY IN THE AREA. THEY BRING IN FOLKS FROM TIME TO TIME TO STAY IN HOTELS. IN THE ALMOST 20 YEARS I WORKED THERE. WHERE ARE YOU STAYING? QUESTION COMES UP. THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS EMBASSY SUITES OFF OF FRANZ ROAD. IN RECENT YEARS, I'M HEARING, WELL, I JUST STAY IN MARYSVILLE NOW. IT'S MUCH MORE CONVENIENT. THEY HAVE OFFERINGS THAT YOU KNOW ARE CONVENIENT. I DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT EXTRA 30 MINUTE HIKE IN THE MORNING. SO JUST MY OBSERVATION

[00:45:03]

I KNOW ALL RESTAURANTS ARE GREAT, BUT CHAIN RESTAURANTS SOMETIMES LIKE LIKE THE TEXAS ROADHOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PART OF THEIR THEIR KIND OF BUSINESS MODEL IS PEOPLE KNOW THEM WHEN THEY GO FROM CITY TO CITY. BUT THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK, GIVE PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE SOMETHING FAMILIAR TO THEM. THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. AND YEAH, MARYSVILLE IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE STAYING, YOU KNOW, MORE MORE THAN THEY HAD IN THE PAST. SO I'M SO PLEASED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. WE CALL IT SLIPPAGE.

SLIPPAGE TO DUBLIN FROM THE CORPORATE TRAVEL TRAVELER. WE DO HAVE HOPEFULLY TOWNEPLACE SUITES BREAKING GROUND SOON. AND YOU KNOW THAT WILL CERTAINLY HELP US AS WELL. SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS TO HEAR. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. I ON A SIMILAR VEIN, I'VE HEARD SOME EXCELLENT COMMENTS WHEN PEOPLE LODGING HERE TOO. I VOLUNTEERED AT THE MARYSVILLE SHOWCASE AND PEOPLE TELLING ME THEY'RE COMING BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN HAVE KIDS IN SHOW CHOIR ANYMORE DECIDE THEY WANT TO COME BACK STILL. AND JUST WHAT AMAZING EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD. AND I ALSO HAVE ACQUAINTANCES AND FRIENDS FROM COLUMBUS WHO DECIDE THEY WANT TO MEET HERE AND CHECK OUT OUR VENUES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COMING FROM COLUMBUS. AND I THINK THAT WAS IT'S REALLY HEARTENING FOR ME TO HEAR THAT WE'RE ATTRACTING PEOPLE FROM OTHER, OTHER PLACES AS THE DESTINATION. THAT IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. YOU'VE BEEN DOING THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. BUT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR, SOMETIMES WE'RE TOO CLOSE TO IT. SO IF THERE'S FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, COULD BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SHARE IT BECAUSE WE'RE OPEN TO IT, TO ANY WAY THAT WE CAN BE OF SERVICE AND, AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OUR BUSINESSES THROUGH THROUGH VISITORS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. YOU MENTIONED IN THE SLIDE THAT YOU HAD 53. EITHER UNITS OR INDIVIDUAL HOMES, AND THEY HAD A 46 OCCUPANCY. HOW WOULD THOSE BE MARKETED AT THIS POINT? ARE OUR SHORT TERM RENTALS RIGHT NOW ARE ONLY BEING MARKETED THROUGH THE PLATFORMS THAT THEY SUBSCRIBE TO. SO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE SWITCHING RESEARCH COMPANIES AND NOTHING AGAINST THIS ONE THAT WE CAME FROM, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION THAT THE OTHER COMPANY CAN PROVIDE, BUT SOMETIMES THEY WERE NOT SCRAPING THE DATA WELL ENOUGH TO FOR US. OR IT MIGHT BE A DOUBLE DIP LISTING. SO THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR HOME ON AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL LISTED ON VRBO AS WELL AS AIRBNB AND SO ACCOUNT THAT TWICE. BUT RIGHT NOW WE AS UNION COUNTY TOURISM ARE NOT PROMOTING THOSE WHEN AND IF ORDINANCE LANGUAGE CHANGES AND WE COLLECT SHORT TERM RENTAL, THEN THEY'LL BE JUST LIKE ON OUR TAB ON OUR WEBSITE THAT SAYS PLACES TO STAY. IT WOULD SAY HOTELS AND THEN CAMPGROUNDS OR HOTELS, SHORT TERM RENTALS. BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN'T DO THAT YET IN IMPACT OUR HOTELS IN A NEGATIVE WAY. UNTIL THEY ARE, THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PAYING LODGING TAX THE WAY THAT OUR HOTELS ARE. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S UP TO THAT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER TO MARKET HIS OR HER PROPERTY HOWEVER THEY WOULD LIKE. BUT MOST OF IT IS THROUGH THOSE THOSE THOSE PLATFORMS, THOSE SHORT TERM RENTAL PLATFORMS. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I HEARD FROM FRIENDS UP AT INDIAN LAKE HOW WELL THOSE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE BEING HANDLED AND MANAGED. YEAH, ALMOST TO THE POINT ON A DAILY. I MEAN, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE RECENTLY THE, THE SUN DISAPPEARING. ALSO IF YOU HAVE A 4TH OF JULY. YEAH. THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE BUSIER. AND IF YOU HAVE A COMMERCIAL COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN THAT, THE PRICE MAY BE $200 IN THE MORNING, BUT THEN IT MAY BE UP TO 250 AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE AVAILABILITY IS NOT AS MUCH. RIGHT. AND THAT THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE. SO WORKING WITH THE COMMERCIAL COMPANY AND OF COURSE, AND FROM FROM WHAT I GATHER AT THIS POINT, IT IS PRIVATE INITIATIVE. SO WE DON'T THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE TAXES YET AT THIS POINT. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, THAT'S CORRECT. SO UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT, RIGHT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD NEED COUNSEL WITH OR. YES. SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO BRAD. HE AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHANGING THE ORDINANCE AT THE CITY OF MARYSVILLE LEVEL AND WHAT THAT CHANGE WOULD MEAN. CURRENTLY, IT READS FIVE ROOMS OR MORE IN HOTEL OR MOTELS, AND WE JUST CHANGE THAT TO ONE ROOM IN LODGING AND MAYBE IN PARENTHESES. THAT WOULD DEFINE THAT A LITTLE FURTHER. HOTELS, MOTELS, SHORT TERM RENTALS. AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST THAT'S THE FIRST STEP ANDREA WEAVER AND I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION ABOUT YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT ORDINANCE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL. AND THEN WE COULD BEGIN COLLECTING. AND SHE'S READY. SHE'S READY. WE HAVE THIS

[00:50:03]

[PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION REPORT]

[00:55:01]

YEAH, YEAH. IN THE VICTORIAN AGE, CEMETERIES ARE ALWAYS USED, AS YOU KNOW, A SENSE OF PARK SPACE AND NATURE. GETTING BACK TO NATURE IS MORE SPIRITUAL. THIS IS I MEAN, NO ONE ELSE HAS

[HEARING OF CITIZENS]

[01:00:03]

A VOTE FOR BOTH CHARTER AMENDMENT AMENDMENTS ENSURES THAT MARYSVILLE IS A PLACE THAT WE ALL WANT TO CALL HOME FOR OURSELVES, OUR CHILDREN, AND THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. 200 YEARS FROM NOW, WE WANT FOLKS TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ENSURE MARYSVILLE IS THE PLACE WE ALL WANT TO CALL HOME. GOOD EVENING. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY ANY ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO TALK TONIGHT? OKAY. NO. SORRY. MR. SMITH'S. YOU'RE TALL.

I AM. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ROBERT SIMMONS. I RESIDE AT 18046 TIMBERLANE. IF I'M GOING TO BE PENALIZED FOR SPEAKING, THEN I RESIDE AT 18057 TIMBERLANE, WHICH IS MY NEIGHBOR. SO THERE YOU GO. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL, BEGIN BY SAYING I APPRECIATE THE AGENDA THAT YOU HAVE THIS EVENING, AND THE WORD ADJOURNED MUST BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE'RE USING ONE SHEET OF PAPER TO PUT ONE WORD ON THERE. SO I'M SURE THAT'LL COME IN HANDY ON OUR EARTH DAY. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL, THE SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE ATTENTIVELY LISTENING TO MISS POTTER AS SHE SPOKE, AND ONE THAT HAD LITTLE HAD A PROBLEM. IF THE GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK WOULD LIKE ME TO RECAP WHAT SHE SAID BECAUSE HE WAS TEXTING.

THAT'S FINE TOO. BASICALLY, I'M HERE TO SAY TO YOU, I REALLY, AS A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SCHOOLS IN THE IN THE LITTLE PRESENTATION YOU HAD HERE WAS REALLY NICE. WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE THAT BACK IN MAY OF 2023. AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE THAT BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2024. ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ARE ON BOARD WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH THAT'S GREAT. SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ON BOARD WITH THE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT FORTH. NOTICE THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS. WE HAD QUESTIONS ON THE TRAIL.

WE HAD QUESTIONS ON TOURISM. WE HAD ALL KINDS OF COMMENTS ON THINGS. AND YET HERE'S AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO BE PUT PLACED ON THE BALLOT FOR THE CITIZENS OF MARYSVILLE. AND NOBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS POTTER. THAT'S A THAT'S A LITTLE UNIQUE. SO THAT YOU MUST BE ON BOARD.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON BOARD FURTHER, YOU CAN HAVE A SIGN THAT THAT ADVOCATES FOR

[01:05:04]

AND I WILL CONTINUE TO URGE RESIDENTS THAT IF THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THEY'LL VOTE FOR IT. AND IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR IT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY TO VOTE FOR OR A COUNCIL THAT GIVES THAT CARES ENOUGH TO BE UP HERE ANYMORE, BECAUSE YOU CAN LOOK AT COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE GOOD SCHOOLS. AND SADLY, A LOT OF THOSE RESIDENTS ARE MOVING FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES TO LIVE HERE. AND THEN THEY'RE OUT THERE ON FACEBOOK SAYING, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PAY MORE TO LIVE HERE. WELL, SORRY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT'S DOWNTRODDEN EITHER. SO COUNCIL HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND I SAID ON JANUARY 1ST THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE THAT I BELIEVED WAS IMPORTANT. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOB TO DESIGN STANDARDS, OPEN SPACE, JOB GROWTH, TO INVEST IN THIS COMMUNITY, TO ENSURE WE'RE BRINGING A GROUP OF RESIDENTS HERE THAT WILL SUPPORT JOBS, WILL SUPPORT SCHOOLS, WILL SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE OTHER NECESSARY ITEMS NEEDED FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. ORDINANCE A. OH ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY STATEMENTS? I'M SORRY. I GUESS I'M OKAY. GAIL JENKINS 14242 OXFORD DRIVE. I LEFT OR I WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM WHEN THE CITY PLANNER STUDENTS LEFT, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE TRAILS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISED FOR THE MARYSVILLE EAST, AND THEN THE AREAS OUTSIDE OF OR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 36. BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HOLD THE DEVELOPERS THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS, BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T EXIST IN A VACUUM. AND THE STUDENTS DID SAY THEY KNEW ABOUT THE TRAILS THAT THE DEVELOPERS WERE GOING

[01:10:07]

I JUST THOUGHT SHE WAS VERY GRACIOUS AND SHE COULD HAVE MADE SOME, SOME STATEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE PROBABLY HOW SHE REALLY, REALLY FELT. BUT I DO THOUGHT I DO THINK SHE WAS GRACIOUS, AS WAS DICK SMITH. AND I HOPE THAT THE CITY AND THE SCHOOLS REALLY, TRULY WILL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE SCHOOLS THE BEST THEY CAN BE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

[Ord. A]

COUNCIL. STILL HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET TO THE VOTE. OKAY, GO FOR IT. SO IS THERE ANYBODY EITHER FROM ADMINISTRATION OR ANY OKAY, YOU WOULD JUST COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME FOR PUBLIC RECORD. MY NAME IS CARLTON DEAN. ADDRESS 4195 GLEN WATER LANE, HILLIARD, OHIO. SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY. I KNOW TODAY IS THE DAY TO START VOTING, BUT WE HAVE PLENTY ON OUR PLATES. THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND. AS I WAS STUDYING THE ORDER, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE REQUESTED TO PASS TONIGHT, THERE WERE STILL A FEW QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP. YEAH. I COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE AUTOCLAVING IS A FAIRLY SAFE. IT'S A FAIRLY SAFE PROCESS. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT. IT IS JUST THAT. MISS MCKENZIE LOOKED ALL THROUGH EVERYBODY'S ORDINANCE OR NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF OHIO. AND IT'S NOT A COMMON TERM. YEAH, I EVEN WENT TO THE I EVEN WENT TO THE. OVERSEE.

373401 YEAH. WHICH IS THAT WHERE YOU ARE GUIDED UNDER. YEAH. THEY ARE SILENT ON IT WHEN I PUT IN AUTOCLAVING. THEY DON'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING. BUT I DID ASK FOR A LIST OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE. THEY GAVE ME A WHOLE LIST OF WASTE. BUT. BUT NONE OF THE MATERIAL THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH. SO THE COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I DO HAVE IS WHO IS CREATING OVERSIGHT TO THE. SO IN ORDER FOR YOU TO OPERATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LICENSE. OKAY. WHO WHO PROVIDES THAT LICENSE? THE OHIO EPA. YEAH. OKAY. SO YOU YOU FALL UNDER THE OHIO EPA. AND WHAT DOES THE EPA DO? DO YOU REPORT TO THEM? DO THEY COME OUT TO THE SITE OR WHAT? WHAT WHAT EXACTLY IS THE ROLE THAT THE EPA TAKES HERE? YEAH. PERFECT. SO WE'RE UNDER THE REGULATION OF OHIO EPA, AND IT'S GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL EPA. SO IT COMES WITH INSPECTIONS. ALL OF OUR MAINTENANCE LOGS AND REPORTS.

YOU HAVE ALL YOUR DOT COMPLIANCE. SO WE ALSO HAVE TO BE REGULATED BY DOT. ALL OF OUR CONTAINERS HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED THROUGH DOT, WHICH IS GOVERNED BY OUR FEDERAL MOTOR SAFETY CARRY ADMINISTRATION. OKAY. SO EVERY ASPECT OF OUR BUSINESS FROM TRANSPORTATION OF MEDICAL WASTE TO THE OPERATION OF MEDICAL WASTE, IS GOVERNED BY SOME SORT OF FEDERAL AGENCY.

OKAY. AND I ASSUME YOU ALREADY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH IT. DO THEY DO ON SITE VISITS OR DO YOU JUST SUPPLY PAPERWORK AND, AND SAY, OKAY, WE HAVE THE PAPERWORK AND THERE IS THERE IS A PRETTY STIFF PENALTY BETWEEN 20 AND, SORRY, BETWEEN 10 AND $25,000 FINE FOR INCORRECT PAPERWORK. SO I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE PENALTIES THAT COME WITH THAT. YEAH. SO YOU HAVE TO YOU

[01:15:02]

HYPOTHETICALLY, IT'S A YES VOTE. THEN WE START A SIX MONTH PROCESS WITH THE FEDERAL EPA AND OHIO EPA FOR THEM TO SAY YES, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SAY NO UNTIL THAT PLAN IS DESIGNED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH US HAVING OPERATIONS. OKAY. SO NOT NONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU DO WILL FALL UNDER OUR LOCAL UNION COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ALL DIRECTED BY THE OHIO EPA. YEAH, WE'LL BE A PART OF IT. SO ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY SIGNED THE UNION COUNTY. SO ACTUALLY MANAGING UNION COUNTY'S MEDICAL WASTE NOW ALONG WITH OTHER CLIENTS FOR US. YOU KNOW, THIS PROCESS, AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF STEP ONE OF THE PROCESS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT FALL IN REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE. BUT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THERE ARE CERTAIN WHEN YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT CLASSES OF MEDICAL WASTE, THEY ALL CAN'T BE TREATED BY AUTOCLAVES. SO CERTAIN CLASSES LIKE CHEMO AND PATHOGEN, WE CAN'T TREAT IT. YOU LEGALLY, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE CANNOT TREAT THAT THROUGH AUTOCLAVE. IT HAS TO BE INCINERATED. OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THIS IS NOT INCINERATION THAT HAS TO GO TO A DIFFERENT FACILITY. WE DON'T TOUCH THAT KIND OF WASTE.

THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE DO ARE MORE OF THE PPE, GLOVES, MASK WE WILL DO, NEEDLES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF IS UNDER OUR PURVIEW TO TREAT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF CLASSIFICATIONS THAT ARE NOT UNDER OUR PURVIEW TO TREAT.

YEAH. THE CLOSEST AND I DID GET A LIST OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE FROM THEM. THERE WERE ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT KINDS. AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THE ONES THAT COME CLOSEST TO THE SO-CALLED AUTOCLAVING IS WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS SOILED WASTE. YEAH, THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE TERM BECAUSE THE OTHER ONES WOULD BE THE DRUGS, WHICH YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE TUBING, CATHETERS, IVS, LIQUID WASTE, ANY OF THE SHARPS. YEAH, YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO THOSE. THE BIOTECHNOLOGY WASTE, ANIMAL WASTE OR HUMAN ANATOMICAL WASTE. THOSE THOSE ARE ALL OKAY. SO TO KEEP GOING ON THIS FOR JUST A SECOND. SO SAY BUSINESS IS GOING WELL, WHICH WE OF COURSE ALL HOPE FOR. SO THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ON ONE OF THOSE OTHER TYPES OF WASTE.

WHAT WOULD BE THE PROCESS? IS IT THEN THE PROCESS TO GO TO THE EPA, OR IS IT THEN THE PROCESS TO COME BACK AGAIN TO A FUTURE COUNCIL AND SAY, OH, BY THE WAY, AUTOCLAVING IS ONE, BUT WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE CONTROLLED THE TAKE ON SOME OF THE OTHER, WHETHER IT BE THE SOLID WASTE THAT WOULD BE THE EASIEST THING, OR SOME OF THE OTHER BIOMEDICAL WASTE THAT WOULD FIT INTO YOUR PROGRAM. WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE STEPS? THAT'S ONE QUESTION. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, SAY ANOTHER COMPANY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR BUSINESS. AND 6 OR 7 YEARS FROM NOW, MEMORIES RUN SHORT AND WE WOULD HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE AN AUTOCLAVING AGREEMENT. WHERE DO WE WHERE DO WE GO WITH THAT POINT? WHAT WHAT WHAT PROTECTION WILL THE CITIZENS OF MARYSVILLE HAVE WHEN THE DECISION IS BEING MADE? YEAH, PERFECT. SO IN FIVE YEARS, YES, WE CONTINUE TO SCALE THE BUSINESS FOR US. THE NEXT THING WOULD BE HOW DO WE PUT AN ADDITIONAL AUTOCLAVE IN SO WE'RE NOT CHANGING IT, JUST A MATTER OF VOLUME. SO WE WOULD WANT TO TREAT MORE VOLUME IF WE'RE EXPANDING OUR BUSINESS AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE DO, NOT NECESSARILY SWITCHING THE TYPE OF STYLE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO TREAT WASTE. AGAIN, I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING. THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR BUSINESS POLICY IS, IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DESIGNING TO DO. I WILL GIVE YOU THIS ASSURANCE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE WASTE STREAMS, ESPECIALLY ON THE HAZARDOUS SIDE, WHICH AGAIN, WE DON'T DO, THERE ARE ONLY FOUR HAZARDOUS WASTE COMPANIES IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA VEOLIA HERITAGE, ROSS AND CLEAN HARBORS. THAT'S IT. THEY OWN THE NINE INCINERATION PLANTS IN AMERICA. THERE. THAT IS IT. THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESSES THAT OWN IT. THEY CONTROL IT AND THEY ARE HIGHLY GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO YOU CAN LOOK UP THEIR FACILITIES. ALL

[01:20:05]

OKAY. AND INNOVATION PARK WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE GOAL OF FOSTERING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ATTRACTING HIGH TECH BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, ESPECIALLY IN FIELDS RELATED TO AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SMART MOBILITY, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TESTING, AND ETC. AND WE HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF GOALS THAT WERE OUTLINED AND THOSE WERE GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WE, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US THAT WERE SO EXCITED AND WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND WE HAD ALL THIS HIGH HOPES. YEAH. AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A CONDITIONAL USE. YEAH, THE, THE BIOMEDICAL IN THE 200 ACRES THAT WE OBTAINED, JUST DOES NOT FIT. YEAH. WE HAVE TO DO IT IN ORDER TO BLANKET ALL OF THAT RESIDENTIAL, SORRY, ALL OF THAT COMMERCIAL AREA. BUT TO ME IT DEGRADES THE INNOVATION PARK JUST TREMENDOUSLY. AND I, I OTHER THAN SAYING IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE. YEAH. IT'S NOT WHAT WE HAD INTENDED. YEAH. SO ARE WE AS A COUNCIL GIVING UP THE FEET AND SAY THIS OKAY. WE WERE GOING TO BE AND IN SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WE MADE AT THAT TIME. YEAH.

MARYSVILLE IS I'M SORRY, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE ASKING TO PUT THIS IN INNOVATION PARK. YES IT IS.

IT IS PART OF IT. YEAH. IT IS INNOVATION PARK AS WELL AS OTHER COMMERCIAL. NO. THE PROPOSED NO, NO, THEIRS WOULD BE ACROSS THE STREET. BUT WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR INNOVATION PARK AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER. THAT'S THAT'S PART OF THE ORDINANCE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE, THE ORDINANCE DOES CALL INNOVATION PARK COUNCIL PRESIDENT. JUST TO CLARIFY, IT IS IN THE MI DISTRICT. THEY'RE ASKING TO BE A CONDITIONAL USE IN THE MI DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES INNOVATION PARK AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO IN ALONG INDUSTRIAL PARKWAY. AND I DO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT IT IS CONDITIONAL USE. EXACTLY. YEAH. SO BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS NEVER THE INTENT FOR US FOR INNOVATION. RIGHT. SO THE CONDITIONAL USE WOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR ANY PROPERTY WITHIN THE MI ZONING DISTRICT. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. EAMES? WELL, I GUESS THE THING IS, IN INNOVATION PARK, THERE ARE CERTAIN USES THAT WE'RE GOING TO SAY DON'T FIT RIGHT. THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED CONDITIONAL. AND SO IF A CONDITIONAL USE REQUEST CAME IN FOR A PROPERTY IN INNOVATION PARK, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT MAY NOT PASS. I WE HAD A SIMILAR REQUEST FOR THIS. BUT WHAT PUT THIS BACK IN NOVEMBER AND IT DIDN'T PASS. AND THEN SOMEHOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE WERE EDUCATED ON WHAT AUTOCLAVING MEANS. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NOW COMING BACK AGAIN TO US. SO THE PREVIOUS REQUEST WAS FOR A PERMITTED USE. AND THIS IS NOT A PERMITTED USE. THIS IS ONLY CONDITIONAL. SO THEY HAVE TO MAKE A REQUEST ON ANY PARTICULAR PARCEL THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO PUT THIS. IF IT WAS A PERMITTED USE THAT STEP WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED. IT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN INNOVATION PARK. THIS DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ALLOW IT WOULD TAKE IT EXTRA STEPS TO GET THERE, SURE, BUT IT IS STILL RIGHT ON TOP OF THE LIST. YEAH, HAZARDOUS WASTE IS A CONDITIONAL

[01:25:03]

RIGHT. YOU TALK ABOUT INNOVATION. WE TALK ABOUT THE ATTRACTING BUSINESSES TO MARYSVILLE, OBVIOUSLY TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, REVENUE TO THE CITY, PROVIDING JOBS THAT ARE ABOVE MEDIAN WAGES. RIGHT. SO TWO THINGS FOR US. WE GOT MONEY FROM ENHANCED CAPITAL, WHICH IS A STATE TARGETED FUND, TO ONE WE KNOW ABOUT LEE FRANKLIN COUNTY TO COME TO MARYSVILLE SO WE CAN GROW. SO THE GOAL BEHIND THAT MONEY WAS ONE THE CHANGE OF COUNTY NUMBER TWO TO CREATE TEN JOBS IN FIVE YEARS. WE'VE CREATED SIX JOBS IN SIX MONTHS. OUR AVERAGE SALARY IS OVER $73,000 PER EMPLOYEE. EVERY DRIVER MAKES AT LEAST $29 AN HOUR. RIGHT. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO FROM A FROM A JOB CREATION PERSPECTIVE TO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BUSINESS LIKE OURS THAT SUPPORTS ALL THE BIOTECH COMPANIES. SO WE'VE BEEN APPROVED. WE ARE THE ONLY PARTNER FOR WASTE FOR THE OHIO LIFE SCIENCES. WE'VE BECOME THE OFFICIAL PARTNER ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. SO THAT'S SUPPORTING COMPANIES LIKE ANDELIN AND AMGEN AND ALL THE BIG BIOSCIENCE COMPANIES THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO TRY TO RECRUIT TO COME HERE.

THEY'RE GOING TO GENERATE PRODUCTS, DO TESTING. SOMEBODY HAS TO PROPERLY TREAT THE WASTE THAT THEY WOULD DO FROM ALL THEIR R&D PEOPLE LIKE HONDA. THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM US.

PEOPLE LIKE SCOTTS CAN BENEFIT FROM US. SO THERE'S A PART OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION THAT COMES WITH HELPING, SUPPORTING THE BUSINESSES THAT DO TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. SO THAT'S ONE PART. THE OTHER THING FROM A, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BE MORE INNOVATIVE? WE CREATED A PILOT PROGRAM FOR OHIO HEALTH FOR A PRODUCT CALLED POLYPROPYLENE. SO IT'S BLUE WRAP. WHEN YOU GO TO SURGERY, THEY TAKE ALL YOUR INSTRUMENTS. THEY PUT THEM THROUGH AN AUTOCLAVE AT THE HOSPITAL. AND THEN THAT IS DEEMED STERILE. AND THEY WRAP THAT IN BLUE POLYPROPYLENE KIND OF LIKE A WRAP HISTORICALLY, ALL THAT'S GONE TO TRASH. IT'S JUST THROWN AWAY TONS AND TONS OF POUNDS AT EVERY FACILITY. SO WE LOOKED AT MARION HOSPITALS, THE FIRST PILOT PROGRAM. WE DID A YEAR PILOT. WE GATHERED ALMOST SEVEN TONS OF BLUE WRAP THAT WAS STERILE, SO IT WASN'T SOILED AT ALL. IT WAS CLEAN. AND WE'VE CREATED THE FIRST BLUE WRAP RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR OHIO HEALTH. WE JUST GOT ON BOARDED. WE'RE STARTING THEIR THEY STARTED THEIR FISCAL YEAR, JULY. WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING THE REST OF THE SYSTEM. WE PITCHED THAT PROGRAM. YOU CAN PROBABLY GOOGLE BLUE WRAP OHIO HEALTH AND SEE THAT STERILE WASTE SOLUTIONS DID THAT PILOT DID THAT PROJECT. SINCE THERE WE'VE BEEN PITCHED NOW TO THE OHIO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, AND THEY WANT US TO SUPPORT EVERY SINGLE HOSPITAL IN CENTRAL OHIO. THAT'S OHIO STATE, THAT'S CHILDREN'S, THAT'S NATIONWIDE, AND THE REST OF OHIO HEALTH. SO YOU MAY THINK THEY WERE NOT DOING THINGS INNOVATIVE. YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR MAIN THAT IS OUR MAIN BUSINESS IS TREATING REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE. BUT WE CONTINUE TO FIND ANCILLARY WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR SYSTEMS AND OUR CLIENTS. MR. PRESIDENT, HOLD ON. THAT WAS ALL THE NIGHT. OKAY, JUST ONE SECOND. WE CAN EITHER JUST VOTE ON THIS ISSUE AND NOT SPEAK ON THE TOPIC ANY FURTHER.

OR IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC, I'M NEVER GOING TO TELL A COUNCIL MEMBER THEY CAN'T SPEAK.

BUT YOU WE CAN JUST VOTE. OR IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT, YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT. BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF I, IF I GO AHEAD. LOOK, I WASN'T SURE HOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO RESPOND THERE, SO. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS TOPIC IS ABOUT FIT FOR INNOVATION PARK. THE CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN NOVEMBER, OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT RISK. RISK, NOT FIT RISK. AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THE TEST, WE HAD TO DO OUR HOMEWORK, GO SEEK, SEE, TOUCH, FEEL. WE MET MULTIPLE TIMES TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, THE METHOD. RIGHT? BECAUSE THE CONCERN FROM THE BROADER COMMUNITY WAS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS FIT THE MOLD OF INNOVATION PARK, BUT ABOUT THE RISK THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY EXPOSE OUR RESIDENTS TO. AND IN MY OPINION, WE'VE NULLIFIED THOSE RISKS. THIS IS A, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERM, STEAM BATH FOR CLOTHING AND SYRINGES THAT'S CURRENTLY

[01:30:06]

ANYBODY ELSE OKAY. YES. OH YES. AND TO THAT POINT, AS FAR AS THE DIVERSIFICATION AND POINTING OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY REGULATED AND CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE SO THAN PROBABLY MANY OF THE OTHER FACILITIES THAT MIGHT BE PRESENT IN THAT AREA. I THINK WASTE IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR NOT JUST THIS FACILITY, BUT ALL THE INDUSTRIES IN MARYSVILLE, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO INNOVATE AS WE LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO TREAT THOSE WASTES. AS I UNDERSTAND THIS, ALSO, NONE OF NONE OF THE WASTE THAT YOU'RE TREATING WILL STAY IN THIS AREA. IT WILL BE TRANSPORTED. IT'S NOT GOING TO STAY IN THIS AREA. AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, THIS IS A NEED HERE IN UNION COUNTY THAT WE WILL BE SERVING OUR, YOU KNOW, LOCAL, LOCAL FACILITIES. SO AND LASTLY, THIS IS A MANUFACTURING AND INNOVATION DISTRICT. IS THAT CORRECT KYLE. SO WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IN FRONT OF ME ARE MULTIPLE PERMITTED USES AND MULTIPLE CONDITIONAL USES, WHICH SEEM IN LINE WITH WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING HERE TONIGHT. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT AN INNOVATION PARK. IT'S NOT AN INNOVATION PARK WITH THE CITY. SO NOW THE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE ON IS ZONED SIMILAR TO WHAT IS IN INNOVATION PARK. BUT THIS IS NOT INNOVATION PARK. MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, JUST ONE ADDITIONAL THOUGHT THAT I MEANT TO SAY AND I FORGOT. SO I APOLOGIZE. YOU KNOW, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT GUARDRAILS AND HOW DO WE BECAUSE THE INCINERATION WAS THE MAJOR CONCERN BACK IN THE FALL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE PUT GUARDRAILS THROUGH THE ZONING TEXT THAT ELIMINATES THAT ABILITY. SO WE TALK ABOUT EXPANSION. MR. BURBY WAS ASKING ABOUT EXPANDING OR WHAT IF YOU'RE BOUGHT OUT WHAT THE ZONING TEXT DOESN'T? I MEAN, IT'S SPECIFIC TO AUTOCLAVING. IT DOESN'T PERMIT EVEN IN THE AS A CONDITIONAL USE IN THE TEXT. SO

[01:35:01]

LEGISLATION PASSES. THE ONLY THING THAT I WILL ADD TO THAT IS IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO DEREGULATE AND DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE TO BE DISMANTLED, WE HAVE TO ENSURE

[Ord. B]

COUNCIL. JUST ONE THING. MR. PRESIDENT, I DID WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE DEVELOPER HERE, BART BARRETT, FOR ATTENDING A KIND OF OPEN HOUSE MEETING. I SET UP FOR DIFFERENT RESIDENTS OF WARD ONE. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND SPENDING THE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HOURS THERE, SPEAKING WITH THEM, ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS. AND IF ANYONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, AS WE KEEP GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME. AND I KNOW MR. BARRETT WILL ALSO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, TRY AND HELP OUT ANY WAY POSSIBLE. CAN YOU JUST GIVE US WHAT'S LIKE HEADCOUNT, ROUGHLY ON HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO THAT MEETING? AND SO IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SENT OUT A COUPLE WEEKS IN ADVANCE. WE HAD I HAD TWO RESIDENTS FROM WARD ONE AND THEN A RESIDENT THAT HAS FAMILY THAT LIVES THERE AND IS OVER IN THE AREA QUITE A BIT. SO NOT AS MANY AS I HAD HOPED, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO WHOEVER WANTED TO COME. OKAY. I ALSO REACHED OUT TO SCOTT FARMS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MEET, I'M SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL LET ME KNOW ON THE TOPIC. BUT IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST YOU HAD A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE SHOW UP. SO. BUT ANYWAY, ANYBODY ELSE? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, FOR WORKING WITH ALL OF COUNCIL AND TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, TO ANSWER OUR CONCERNS THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT ABOUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT. THE ONE THING I KNOW FOR ADMINISTRATION IS IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO EXTEND UP THE ROAD FROM FRIENDSHIP KITCHEN ALL THE WAY UP TO EXTEND A RIGHT HAND LANE UP THERE ON 31, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, SHOULD TAKE IN CONSIDERATION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU KNOW SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO TO. SO THIS WOULD BE BACK FOR THIRD READING AND VOTE ON APRIL 28TH,

[Ord. C]

TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ADMINISTRATION. NOTHING FURTHER.

CITIZENS. COUNCIL. THIS BE BACK FOR THIRD READING AND VOTE ON APRIL 28TH, 2025. ORDINANCE D

[Ord. D]

[01:40:08]

CITIZENS COUNCIL. LET'S BE BACK FOR THIRD READING. VOTE ON APRIL 28TH. OH, IS THERE ANYTHING? OH,

[Ord. E]

[COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL PERSONS AND GENERAL DISCUSSION]

SO I WAS ASKED BY SOME RESIDENTS, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS. I WAS ASKED ABOUT RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS? AND FROM MY POINT

[01:45:01]

WE INVOLVED THE SCHOOL. THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT EITHER COUNCIL AND CITY CITY ADMINISTRATION WAS MISREPRESENTING OR MISCHARACTERIZING. I COULDN'T RECALL THE EXACT WORD USED. I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE WITH THAT. WE'VE MISREPRESENTED ANYTHING.

WE HAVE PUT A MORATORIUM ON RESIDENTIAL TIFS COMMERCIAL TIFS INCLUDE APARTMENTS. SO FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THOSE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF WHAT AN APARTMENT IS AND HOW IT'S DEFINED IN, IN LEGAL TERMS, A COMMERCIAL OR AN APARTMENT IS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. THEY'RE TAXED DIFFERENTLY. THEY'RE CLASSIFIED DIFFERENTLY. THEY'RE A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. WE HAVE NEVER I DON'T I DON'T RECALL ANYONE UP HERE, ANYONE SITTING THERE EVER SAYING THAT WE HAVE A MORATORIUM ON COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. IT'S NEVER BEEN SAID. SO TO SUGGEST THAT WE'RE MISCHARACTERIZING OR MISREPRESENTING THAT I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO MEMBERS WHO FEEL OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, FEEL DIFFERENT THAN ME ON THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF BEING TRANSPARENT IN WHAT EXACTLY OUR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN AND WERE. FURTHER, THERE WERE COMMENTS MADE BY ANOTHER RESIDENT ABOUT BEING SUPPORTIVE OR WHERE WERE YOU AS COUNCIL IN MAY OF 23 ON THE LEVY? SO MOST OF THIS BODY UP HERE WAS NOT UP HERE IN MAY OF 23. SO IF ANYTHING THAT TELLS YOU THAT PERHAPS THE COMMUNITY THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A BODY OF COUNCIL THAT WAS IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING IN NOVEMBER OF 24, I KNOW THAT DURING CLOSING COMMENTS, I HAD PERSONALLY HAD STATED MY SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL LEVY, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT THE JOB OF COUNCIL. IT'S NOT. WE DON'T. TAKING A POSITION ON THIS TYPE OF MATTER IS BEYOND OUR AUTHORITY. WE DON'T. WE'RE NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PERSONAL OPINIONS ON MATTERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHATNOT FROM A CITY VIEWPOINT AND FROM MY PERSONAL VIEWPOINT, I DO AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT STRONG SCHOOLS BUILD A STRONG ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. SO I'M TAKING A PERSONAL POSITION IN SAYING THAT, YES, THE STRONG SCHOOLS MATTER. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE LEVY. I SUPPORTED IT IN NOVEMBER OF 24. SO IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE'RE JUST COMING BEFORE THE COMMUNITY TODAY AND BEING IN SUPPORT OTHER MEMBERS.

WE'RE IN THE SAME POSITION I WA. AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ALONG WITH THAT

[01:50:09]

THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED. I JUST WANTED TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CLEAR MYSELF WITH THE COMMUNITY AND KIND OF BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE THOUGHT PROCESS, MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON WHAT THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS ENTAIL, WHAT MY POSITION HAS BEEN ON MATTERS OF THE LEVY, WHICH ARE OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO VOTE ON. SO OTHER THAN THAT, I HAD TO MOW FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK. AND I IF I RECALL HEARING HANK IN YEARS PAST. COUNCILMAN BURBY, YOU'LL ALWAYS SAY, BLOW YOUR CLIPPINGS TOWARD YOUR YARD. AND YEAH, I THINK THAT HELPS AND VARIOUS WAYS, MAYBE IN OUR WATER TREATMENT, BUT ALSO FOR MOTORCYCLISTS. AS YOU MOW LAWNS AND BE SURE TO BE MINDFUL THAT THAT THAT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE RIDING MOTORCYCLES ON STREETS. SO AND THAT'S ALL I HAD TONIGHT.

THANKS. I'LL JUMP DOWN THERE. MR. HUNTER, I APPRECIATE YOUR SENTIMENT. I SHARE THE SAME, SO I WON'T REITERATE WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER.

THANK YOU. YEAH, JUST TWO THINGS KIND OF ALONG YOUR LINE, SCOTT THERE. BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE TO GET OUT TO VOTE EARLY. VOTING HAS STARTED AND RUNS THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH AND THE ELECTION DAY, I BELIEVE MAY 6TH IS THE ELECTION DAY. SO GET OUT AND VOTE. HOURS CHANGE AS WE GET CLOSER AND THERE'S SOME MORE EXTENDED HOURS, BUT I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO VOTE AND ALSO JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY EASTER COMING UP THIS WEEKEND. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO ON SUNDAY, THE ROCK CHURCH MARYSVILLE ON NORTH MAPLE STREET WHERE I ATTEND, WOULD MORE THAN HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE YOU. SO THANK YOU. OKAY, IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TWO PEOPLE SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CHANGES. AND ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE. AND OF COURSE, IN CHAMBERS HERE, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT FOR 6 OR 8 WEEKS IS THE RECALIBRATION OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS. AND I ACTUALLY HAD ONE PERSON THAT SAID, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? I WENT FROM FIVE POINT ALL THE WAY UP TO DAMASCUS AND EVERYTHING WAS GREEN? YEAH. SO THEY HIT IT JUST RIGHT. SO I HAD EXPLAINED TO THAT PERSON, YEAH, THAT PREVIOUSLY, AND I SHOWED IT TO HIM. I SAID, OKAY, NOW LOOK AT YOUR LIGHT SPECIFIC LIGHTS. AND THERE IS ONE AT THE OLD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I SAID, YOU COME DRIVING UP AND YOU SEE THAT RED HAND. AND IN THE PAST YOU WOULD EXPECT YOUR LIGHT TO BE RED, BUT NOW YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR VEHICLES. AND IF THERE ARE NO VEHICLES, THE LIGHT WILL STAY GREEN. AND HE SAID, YEAH. HE SAID, ACTUALLY IT MAKES SENSE. IT'S NOW BEGINNING TO HAPPEN. SO RATHER THAN SAY AND I'M JUST THROWING OUT NUMBERS HERE BUT KEEPING RED OR SORRY KEEPING GREEN EAST AND WEST ON FIFTH STREET AT 25 SECONDS. AND THEN YOU SWITCH OVER. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO CARS, BUT YOU SWITCH OVER TO 20S COMING FROM THE SIDEWAY IF THERE ARE NO CARS. WELL, THAT'S NOT TAKING PLACE AT THE MOMENT. SO. AND I ACTUALLY TIMED IT AND IT IS NOW ONE MINUTE FASTER TO GO FROM DAMASCUS ALL THE WAY UP TO FIVE POINTS, AND I DO IT THREE TIMES A DAY. SO I'M SAVING THREE MINUTES IN THE WHOLE DAY. SO ANYWAY, THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST ONE THING THAT BUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND I KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON THAT'S TRYING TO HIT IT EVERY TIME. SO I'LL SEE HIM ON WEDNESDAY AND I CAN ASK HIM, DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE LUCK ON THAT ONE? SO THE OTHER ONE THAT YESTERDAY I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO AND I NEEDED TO HAVE SOME TRINKETS. SO I DECIDED I'LL GO TO WORTHINGTON MALL. I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THE WORTHINGTON MALL RIGHT THERE AT 50. SORRY, AT 23. WELL, IT'S NOT THE WORTHINGTON MALL THAT I REMEMBER. YEAH. SO WHAT WHAT THEY DO VERY WELL IS ON SATURDAYS, THEY GET A LOT OF KUDOS FOR FARMERS MARKET IN THAT BUILDING. BUT ONE THING THAT SURPRISED ME, AND I THINK IN A WAY WE HAVE DONE THIS ALREADY FOR A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEARD KAREN,

[01:55:01]

THEY HAD JUST A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS. AND WHEN WE TALKED TO THE LADY THAT WAS OUT THERE, SHE SAID, WELL, WE ARE ACTUALLY A CO-OP AND WE ARE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE IN THE STORE, WE HAVE TO COMMIT TO THREE FOUR HOUR PERIODS TO BE HERE. YEAH. AND THAT THAT MAKES UP. SO SHE SAID, WE HAVE NO PAYROLL. WE SOMETIMES CAN CONTINUE TO DO OUR CRAFTS WHILE WE ARE IN THE STORE WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN. YEAH, BUT IT'S INTERESTING TO ME HOW PEOPLE BEGIN TO LEARN IN A DIFFERENT LEARN AND WORK IN A DIFFERENT FASHION, BECAUSE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, THE AMAZONS AND ALL THE OTHER ONES IN THE WORLD HAVE TAKEN OVER SO MUCH OF THE COMMERCE. BUT IT IS NICE TO SEE PEOPLE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO RESTRUCTURE AND LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS TO SELL THE MERCHANDISE, EVEN THOUGH THIS SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HOBBY THAN AN ACTUAL VIABLE BUSINESS. BUT STILL, PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND SAY, WHAT CAN I DO? HOW CAN I MAKE MY PRODUCT AVAILABLE? AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THEY DID IT IN THAT TYPE OF A FASHION. SO ANYWAY, IT WAS A GOOD WEEKEND. HAD A LOT OF FUN. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH, WORTHINGTON MALL HAS GONE UNDER TREMENDOUS CHANGE SINCE I WAS IN SCHOOL. AND I THINK WORTHINGTON'S FARMER'S MARKET MIGHT BE THE OLDEST, OLDEST IN THE STATE OR OLDEST IN CENTRAL OHIO. IT'S LIKE THE LONGEST RUNNING. YEAH, THERE'S SOME HISTORY WITH WORTHINGTON'S FARMER'S MARKET. SO. BUT YEAH.

AND IT'S AND IT'S ALL YEAR LONG. SO THE FARMER'S MARKET IS SO THAT'S ALSO PRETTY COOL. SO YOU CAN GO UP THERE ALL YEAR LONG AND FIND SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY IS HOW IMPORTANT THE SCHOOL LEVY IS. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE THERE'S SOCIAL MEDIA AND AT A TIME WHEN AMERICANS SAY THEY WANT FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WE HAVE NEWSPAPERS DYING ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED NEWSPAPERS DYING ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

INDEPENDENT MEDIA IS DYING. OUR NATIONAL NEWS IS FULL OF COMMENTATORS, NOT ACTUALLY JOURNALISTS. AND NOW WE HAVE FACEBOOK WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEIGHBOR CAN POST SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK AND SAY, WELL, WHY WOULD MY NEIGHBOR LIE TO ME? I KNOW HIM, OR WHY WOULD THE POLICE CHIEF LIE TO ME? I KNOW HIM, THERE IS NO REAL NEWS ANYMORE. FACEBOOK IS DEFINITELY NOT IT. FACEBOOK IS FULL OF HEADLINES. GRAB YOUR ATTENTION. 32ND READS. THE HUMAN RACE HAS BEEN ON THIS PLANET FOR. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG. MEDIA. SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BLIP ON THAT.

AND SADLY, DURING THAT TIME, THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WAS FALLING INTO ISOLATION. WE'RE FALLING INTO OUR OUR OWN SILOS. I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, INDEPENDENT, GREEN PARTY, SOCIALIST OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL YOURSELF. THEY'RE TUNNELED. THE GREATEST THING YOU CAN GIVE YOUR SOCIETY IS AN EDUCATION. IF THAT WASN'T THE TRUTH, THEN CARNEGIE WOULD NEVER HAVE DONATED HIS MONEY TO BUILD LIBRARIES IN THIS COUNTRY.

BECAUSE PEOPLE FORGET IN HISTORY. BECAUSE AS EVERY GENERATION HAS GROWN AND LIVED IN AMERICA, TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE, WE FORGET OUR ANCESTORS HAD TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR IT. EDUCATION DIDN'T COME FREE IN THIS COUNTRY. ONLY THE WEALTHY HAD MONEY. THE PEOPLE ON THE TITANIC WHO DIED, WHO DONATED THE BOOKS TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY TO CREATE THEIR FIRST EVER LIBRARY IN THIS COUNTRY. WASN'T THE AVERAGE AMERICANS. IT WAS THE WEALTHY. AND THIS COUNTRY HAD TO FIGHT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A BETTER LIFE. AND IT STARTS WITH EDUCATION. NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ROLLING BACKWARDS ON ALL TOPICS. THE REALITY IS, EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT YOU CAN GIVE TO YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR GENERATIONS. IT DOESN'T MEAN COLLEGE. IT MEANS THE ABILITY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE

[02:00:03]

AND EDUCATION DID THAT FOR US. SO WHAT I HOPE IS THAT THIS LEVY PASSES AND I HOPE THIS COUNTRY GETS OVER ITS HURDLE. AND WE CONTINUE TO FIND BRIGHTER DAYS IN THIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE IF WE SLAM THE DOOR ON EDUCATION, SLAM THE DOOR ON EDUCATION IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO NOT DO EVERYTHING ELSE THAN TO SUPPORT THIS LEVY WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

THE REALITY IS, IS PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT ME AND SAY, DONALD, YOU'RE FULL OF IT. BUT THE TRUTH IS IT WILL HAPPEN. IT ALREADY IS. SO IN THAT NOTE, GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. HAVE A GOOD EASTER, TALK TO YOUR FAMILY, HAVE OPEN DIALOG WITH THEM. AND BY GOD, IF THEY'RE SITTING AT YOUR TABLE AND IF THEY'RE RESIDENT CITY OF MAYORS, OR YOU DRIVE THEM TO THAT VOTER BOX AND YOU GET THEM TO VOTE, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.