By Julie Erickson

Attendees:  

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. With the pledge of allegiance and roll call completed, Council Members Patricia Goetz and Michael Bird were both not in attendance.

The minutes were unanimously approved for the July 15 and July 22 council meetings and workshops.

25-92: An ordinance to revise the districts that permit boarding kennels and veterinary facilities and to incorporate a 500-foot setback to adjacent residential uses for boarding kennels and veterinary facilities.

Public comments were heard regarding 25-92, with several citizens expressing concern regarding the amount of additional car traffic at these kennels for drop offs and pickups, especially during school bus operational hours.

In addition, citizens were concerned about the 500-foot drop back not being enough of a buffer between these businesses and the residential homes, along with the smell from the kennels and the effect of these businesses on residential property values.

Foster stated he understood their concerns. Banweg stated the traffic issues were also a concern not considered prior.

Citizen Bill Phipps requested that the council investigate the issue of curbside parking in the Historic District and at the triangle of Aurora, College and Hudson streets. He requested that an ad hoc committee be put together to do this review.

Josh Zelensky provided an update on the baseball players from Hudson’s German sister city that will be spending a week in Hudson to play baseball with the city’s youth, and the events planned for them to attend during their stay with nine Hudson host families.

Kowalski read a letter into the record from a citizen, regarding their concern with agenda item 18, ordinance 25-91. 

25-91 would amend existing codified ordinance section 672.02 to update the concealed weapons ordinance to be in compliance with Ohio law. The citizen’s concern is that one individual, the president of city council, would have the total authority to issue a policy to permit an adult to carry a concealed weapon into a government building.

Sutton commented that traffic on Aurora is already under study and asked the city manager to reach out to Phipps regarding his concerns on curbside parking. Banweg stated he would attend an offline meeting to discuss Phipps’ concerns. 

The city arborist is also concerned about beech leaf disease that does not show up for years in the death of a tree even though present in the soil. If citizens see a beech tree turning yellow and dropping leaves out of season, they should contact the arborist.

Kowalski then gave an update on EAC. On Aug. 23, the EAC will be at the Farmers Market and will be holding a car show at Johnny’s Diner on Aug. 13.

Anzevino advised City Council will be on recess next week. And on Aug. 15, there will be an event open to the public at the Hudson Community Living building.

There is a park survey for the public to fill out on the city website prior to Aug. 15. The community calendar that was discussed previously is being worked on and will be reported to the council this fall. 

25-112: A resolution authorizing the city manager to advertise for bids and to enter a contract for fiber construction material and procurement services for the fiber to the home first year build out product with the lowest bid and best bidder and declaring an emergency. This was passed, five in favor and zero against.

25-92 Second reading: An ordinance amending chapter 1205 and 1206 of the land development code relevant to regulations applicable to boarding kennels and veterinary facilities.

25-96 Third reading: A resolution conducting a 5-year review of the designated outdoor refreshment area and approving continued operation in specified public areas of downtown Hudson and enacting regulations. This passed, five in favor and zero opposed.

25-111 Third reading: An ordinance submitting to the electors of Hudson a proposal by the 2025 Hudson Charter Review Commission to amend the preamble and sections 2.01, 3.01, 3.02, 3.08, 3.11, 4.01, 4.03, 5,02, 6.03, 6.04, 7.01, 8.04, 8.05, 8.07, 9.01, 9.04, 9.06, 11.01, 12.01, 12.02 and 12.03. To repeal sections 6.05, 7.05 and 8.09 of the charter of Hudson and declaring an emergency.

Kowalski criticized the final output of the Charter Committee’s work in that she felt the council was not given ample time to give input toward the recommendations made by the committee. She then listed the sections that she did not approve of going forward to the ballot. 

Sutton said the process is not a council-led process, but a “we the people process.” Banweg said that throughout the process of charter review, it was community-led, open to the public and not a council-led initiative.

Foster said it is patently false that people were not allowed to give input throughout the process at the 11 meetings held. Council does have the ability to put competing charter amendments on the ballot. If council had wanted to do this, they needed to start the process to do so earlier.

Kowalski spoke again, and then a vote was held with four votes in favor and one vote by Kowalski against. It passed, but without five votes in favor, it removed the emergency language. That would be an issue, as the deadline was Aug. 5 to deliver to the Board of Elections to be on the ballot.

There was further discussion regarding not delivering to the board of elections by the deadline, which per the charter is the council’s legal obligation and if not done could open the city to a lawsuit.

Banweg said that it sounded like Kowalski did not like or approve of the outcome from the charter review, so she wanted to vote against it, which could cause a lawsuit and additional costs to hold a special election.

There was more discussion with the city solicitor weighing in on the risks if the council does not deliver to the Board of Elections by Aug. 5. The councilwoman’s no vote removed the emergency language, which then invoked a 30-day pause to go into effect. The risk is the Board of Elections would not accept it with the emergency language removed, delaying it going into effect. 

At this point, without notice to council members, Kowalski stood up and left the meeting. A meeting recess was called. Twenty minutes later at 9 p.m., Kowalski returned and a vote to reconsider was taken and another motion to pass was held. Kowalski voted abstain and the four other council members voted yes. The motion passed with four in favor, zero against and one abstain vote. The motion now passed with emergency language in place.

The meeting adjourned and was moved to executive session.