By Julie Erickson

In attendance:

Chris Foster Council President (Ward 2)

Chris Banweg Council Member (At Large)

Mike Bird Council Member (Ward 4)

Patricia Goetz Council Member (Ward 1)

Karen Heater Council Member (At Large)

Nicole Kowalski Council Member (At Large)

Skylar Sutton Council Member (Ward 3)

Jeffrey Anzevino City Mayor

Thomas Sheridan City Manager

Marshal Pitchford City Solicitor and Special Council

Aparna Wheeler Clerk of Council

There was a call to order at 8:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Foster called for approval of minutes from past meetings held on May 6, 2025, and May 13, 2025, with minutes unanimously accepted as provided.

First order of business was a resolution to honor Brian Battaglia with an award for service to the city of Hudson, after 25 years of service as part of the police force. Battaglia is retiring. The resolution was unanimously passed. 

The second resolution passed was to thank John Niemczura for his service to the city of Hudson. Niemczura was a founding member of the military and veterans committee. This committee has put in place the Hudson Memorial Day parade, along with ongoing ceremonies to honor veterans and outreach programs to veterans.

Anzevino proclaimed that Poppy Day in Hudson will be celebrated May 23. The mayor also stated that September 20 will be recognized as “Trike and Bike Hudson 2025.” Trike and Bike Day is when children in Hudson participate in a ride to raise money for pediatric cancer research, with 100% of the proceeds going to this fight. To date, over $1.5 million in donations has been raised since the inception of this race.

Public Hearing: An ordinance 25-57 to amend chapters 1205, 1206 and 1213 of the land development code to establish a permanent ban related to marijuana facilities passed unanimously.

Public Comments: A number of citizens spoke out in support of moving forward on the project to extend sidewalks on Ravenna Street. Many of those speaking were under the impression that the project was not moving forward. Kowalski stated she did not understand why the citizens speaking at tonight’s meeting had the impression that the Ravenna sidewalk project was not moving forward. After discussion, it was determined that at a previous City Council meeting, Goetz had proposed delaying the project and from this comment, citizens might have assumed that council was not moving forward on this project, which was not an accurate assumption.

Citizen Katie Matteo spoke to the council, stating that the city, if the Hudson Inclusive Park was moved from the suggested Barlow park location to Oak Grove Park, would need to provide funding to make up the cost difference.

Hudson citizen Anthony Revita once again addressed council on his ongoing challenge of the city permit previously received to install a fence on his property. The fence was installed by Revita on a city right-of-way. It was not installed in the location approved by the permit, nor with the approved materials as stated in the initial granted permit. Since January 15 of this year, Revita has appeared at every City Council meeting to challenge the city manager, the president of council and all city employees involved in the granting of his fence permit. 

Katrina Whited of Whited Concrete addressed council and Revita for statements he made about her and her concrete company at the May 13 City Council meeting. She stated that she has consulted with her attorney regarding the “false accusations defaming and slandering her and her business,” made by Revita at the meeting. 

25-0063: There was a lengthy discussion on the future location of the inclusive playground location. In March of this year, the Park Board requested the administration review locations of Hudson Springs Park and Barlow Farm Park as possible locations for the future Hudson Inclusive Park.

After the city was informed that the additional federal funding would not be allocated for the HIP project, this eliminated the previous proposed location on Middleton Road, due to cost. The focus was then on review of Barlow park and Hudson Springs Park as possible locations for review. In a May 13 workshop, the location of Oak Grove Park was included for discussion of a HIP location.

Linda O’Neil of the Hudson City Park Board then presented to the council and brought up the frustration around a funding gap. She stated it was her understanding that it would be up to the Park Board to come up with funding, if needed, to fill the funding gap. 

Foster stated that the Park Board needed to just determine the preferred location for HIP and council would make sure the funding was there. He then said it is time to decide on the park location, without any further delays, and move forward on the project prior to a June 26 grant expiration. The Park Board then stated they had voted 4 to 1 for the Oak Grove location to be the approved Hudson Inclusive Playground. 

Banweg moved to go forward with the Oak Grove recommended location and that any needed additional funds come from the general city funds. This motion passed 5 to 2 with Goetz and Kowalski voting no. O’Neil then personally thanked each City Council member and shook their hands in gratitude for the decision now made.

Appointments: City Council is accepting applications for the following boards: Architectural & Historical Board of Review, Tree Commission and Board of Zoning.

Consent Agenda: The following motions passed or approved:

25-0067: A motion to acknowledge the timely receipt of the April 2025 monthly financial reports

25-0068: A motion directing the clerk to send notice to Ohio Division of Liquor Control indicating no request for a hearing regarding the transfer of a permit to sell alcoholic beverages for Maruti Petroleum.

25-0069: A motion authorizing city staff to move forward with the design of a new sidewalk along Ravenna Street from Hayden Parkway to Stow Road.

25-82: A resolution authorizing the city manager to advertise for bids to enter into a contract for the West Streetsboro Street safety improvements to pavement striping, signage and curb ramps.

25-83: A resolution for the city manager to enter into a contract with Hall Safety Upfitters for the upfitting of three police fleet vehicles.

25-21: An order codifying the order and rules of a public hearing. This will put reasonable limits on hearings before any official city body, be it at City Council, a city board, committee or commission. Passed unanimously.

25-28: Amendment to allow the Architectural Review & Historical Board to consider consultants from recognized by the state historical preservation office in addition to licensed architects. Passed unanimously.

25-43: Proposed amendment to the Land Development Code to remove townhomes from all zoning districts, except district 5, the village core district. Passed 4 to 3 with Goetz, Kowalski and Bird voting no.

25-56: An ordinance to amend the city’s codified ordinances relating to regulations applying to use of public ways by service providers and cable television providers in the city’s public right of way. Passed unanimously.

25-57: Second reading of a proposed ordinance to establish a permanent ban on marijuana facilities. Passed unanimously.

25-69: A resolution accepting the recommendations of the tax incentive review council to continue community reinvestment area agreements and for job creation grant program agreements with the city of Hudson/county of Summit.

25-84: A resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into a job creation grant agreement with Keltic LLC. Passed unanimously.

25-85: An ordinance establishing and amending certain administrative appeal processes within the city. Passed unanimously to move forward and hand off to the planning committee.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.