[00:00:04]
CAN'T. IT'S A GOOD THING, RIGHT? GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 4TH. I WOULD INVITE EVERYONE TO STAND AND PLEASE RECITE OUR NATIONAL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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. CLERK. MASON. THE ROLL, PLEASE. AND IF COUNCIL WILL TURN ON THEIR MICROPHONES. MAYOR. SPALDING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. BRISK HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DETRICK HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. FELLOWS HERE. SO WE'LL CALL YOU IN THE MEETING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HERE, COUNCILMEMBER HERE. AND NOT UNDER THE TABLE. AND I WILL SHARE. OKAY. WE HAVE TO GET SOMEONE OUT TO CHECK THAT I GUESS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE EXTRA QUIET TONIGHT. I HAVE SEVEN PRESENT FOR THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 REGULAR COUNCIL
[ 4. ACTION ON MINUTES]
MEETING. ALL RIGHT. ACTION ON THE MINUTES FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. A COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 21ST MEETING WERE DISTRIBUTED TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? I RECEIVED NO NOTES. I MOVE FOR ADOPTION BY CONSENSUS ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA. WOULD ANYONE FROM STAFFORD COUNCIL LIKE TO MAKE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA? I RECEIVED NO REQUESTS. HEARING OF VISITORS. IS THERE[ 7. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS]
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNCIL REGARDING SOMETHING NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA? BOARD. COMMISSION REPORTS. PLANNING COMMISSION. ANY UPDATE? NO. NO UPDATE. SORRY, MAYBE I AM UNDER THE TABLE. NO UPDATES. PARKS AND TRAILS. NO. COME ON, GUYS, LET'S LET'S TRY. WE GOT A RECORD. WE GOT ARB. NO MEETING. BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS. WE HAD A MEETING. THERE WAS ONE CASE THAT THEY LOOKED AT. IT WAS A FULL SETBACK. VARIANCE. AND VARIANCE WAS TABLED. AND I WILL GIVE YOU A REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING. GREAT REPORT.SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD, NO MEETING IDEA. IMPLEMENTATION PANEL. NO MEETING. CEMETERY RESTORATION ADVISORY BOARD. NO MEETING, NO MEETING. THE PUBLIC RECORDS COMMISSION, ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR COMMUNICATIONS SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES. PUBLIC HEARING. NONE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. INTRODUCTION. FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES. NONE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. RESOLUTIONS
[ 13. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES]
ON PUBLIC HEARING. NONE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. WE HAVE NO COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS.THAT TAKES US TO REPORTS TO REPRESENTATIVES. JO, ANY UPDATE FROM NO MEETING, ANY UPDATE FROM THE JOINT PARKS? THERE WAS A MEETING OR THERE WAS A MEETING. I JUST WANT TO UPDATE YOU. THE LARGEST ATTENDED TRUNK AND TREAT THAT THEY'VE EVER HAD IN THE HISTORY. I THINK THEY SAID OVER 2000 PEOPLE AND I WAS OUT THERE. IT WAS VERY BUSY. GREAT WEATHER, GREAT WEATHER IS NICE. YEP. ALTHOUGH THE ONLY ISSUE THAT THEY HAD IS A LOT OF PARKING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
THEY WERE DOUBLE PARKED ON SEVELAMER, WHICH WAS SOMEWHAT OF A CONCERN. SO I THINK A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE ROUNDABOUT BEING, YOU KNOW, NOT IN COMMISSION AND THE WHOLE THING, BUT JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON FOR NEXT YEAR. YEAH. NEXT YEAR, IF THEY HAVE THAT CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD TRY TO FIND AN ALTERNATE LOCATION JUST TO BE SAFE.
ALRIGHT. PLAIN TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS, ANY UPDATE? NO MEETING. ALL RIGHT. PLAIN TOWNSHIP MEETING
[ 14. REPORTS OF CITY OFFICIALS]
REPORTS CITY OFFICIALS. AGAIN, JUST THANKS TO OUR TEAM FOR HELPING OUT ON HALLOWEEN. I SAW LOTS OF OFFICERS OUT THERE HANDING OUT CANDY, HAVING A GOOD TIME. SO I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S EFFORTS. I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE BLUSTERY, BUT THE WEATHER HELD JUST FINE FOR HALLOWEEN. CLERK OF COUNCIL. ANY UPDATE? I HAVE STUFF. FIRST OFF, SEE YOUR EMAILS AND REGISTER FOR ED FOR ONE ONE. THE EARLY REGISTRATION, WHICH SAVE US LIKE 15 BUCKS, ENDS NOVEMBER 6TH. SO IF YOU'RE GOING, PLEASE SIGN UP. THAT'S ON DECEMBER 5TH. LET'S SEE. OH, I EMAILED YOU A REQUEST FROM 7-ELEVEN FOR LIQUOR PERMITS FOR CARRYOUT AT THEIR SPEEDWAY LOCATION ON CAMPUS WAY. DID ANYONE WANT TO HEAR ON THAT? YEAH. GOOD. OH. BUDGET WORKSHOP NEXT THURSDAY. ARRIVE AT NOON FOR LUNCH, BUT WE'RE DOING IT QUICK. JUST 30 MINUTES AND THEN WE GET OFF WITH THE PROGRAM. SO TORCHY'S TACOS HERE. AND FINALLY. OH, I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF THE OFFICE WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ON VACATION. I'M GOING TO BE CURLING IN OREGON, BUT FEEL FREE TO SEND ME EMAILS. AND CHRISTINA'S GOT ME COVERED. GOOD CURLING ALL. THAT'S IT FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY FROM THE FINANCE DIRECTOR? YOUR BUDGETS ARE FINISHED. EXCEPT FOR. WE'RE PRINTING TWO PAGES FOR YOU GUYS. YOU'RE GOING TOO FAST TONIGHT. I HAVE SOMETHING. WHEN I GOT[00:05:06]
HERE, I KNOW, REPRINT AND PICK THEM BACK UP. I'M LIKE, AM I CRAZY? YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM ME ENOUGH NEXT WEEK, I'M SURE. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL LET YOUR VOICE REST UP SO YOU'LL BE READY TO ROLL. ANY UPDATE FROM THE CITY MANAGER? JUST A QUICK REPORT ON THE BAKER TILLY REPORT. I PROVIDED AN EMAIL YESTERDAY EVENING WITH THE FULL 100 PAGE REPORT. I'VE ALSO GIVEN YOU HARD COPIES OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN FRONT OF YOU. I THOUGHT I'D JUST TAKE A QUICK COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO GO OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD WE HIRED MANAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP TO DO THE INITIAL ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THIS WORK BY BAKER TILLY BUILT ON THAT. ON THAT WORK, THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS TO EVALUATE THE CITY'S CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, STAFFING LEVELS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY SERVICE NOT ONLY NOW, BUT INTO THE FUTURE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT IS, YOU KNOW, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION, HOW WE'RE SITUATED TO RESPOND TO THAT EFFECTIVELY, AND HOW WE MIGHT WANT TO MODIFY THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO TO ADAPT TO THAT THEY USE FOUR DIFFERENT TOOLS TO OBTAIN DATA ON THE CITY AND PROVIDE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. THE FIRST WAS THE ACTUAL DATA, OPERATING DATA THAT WE COLLECT AS A AS A CITY. SO WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM. THEY ALSO DID EMPLOYEE SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS, AND THEN THEY BENCHMARKED US AGAINST OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS IS ATTACHED IN THE IN THE DOCUMENT, BASICALLY WHAT THEY WANTED TO TRY AND DO IS IDENTIFY ANY GAPS IN THE WAY THE CITY MANAGES ITS PROCESSES AND STRUCTURES. THE RESULT WAS THAT THEY CAME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR 16 ADDITIONAL FTES. WHEN YOU SEE THE BUDGET IN THE COMING WEEKS, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE TRIED TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT ALL OF THEM. THEY'VE ALSO RECOMMENDED 21 STRUCTURAL OR FUNCTIONAL CHANGES OR OR. STRATEGIES TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE THE INCREASED WORKLOAD AND THE THE INCREASED SERVICE LEVELS THAT THAT WE ARE PROVIDING AS A COMMUNITY. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY IDENTIFIED AS SIGNIFICANT STRENGTHS, AND THOSE ARE THE THE DEDICATION OF THE STAFF, THE RESPONSIVENESS, THE THE. THE, THE INTEREST IN IN QUICK TURNAROUND AND SPEED TO MARKET IN TERMS OF RESPONDING TO DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE LONGEVITY OF THE STAFF WERE WERE RECOGNIZED. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY THEY THOUGHT COULD BE IMPROVED. AND SOME OF THOSE HAVE TO DO WITH THINGS THAT I GUESS I WOULD DESCRIBE AS TRANSITIONAL TYPE ITEMS. YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE GONE FROM OPERATING MORE LIKE A STARTUP IN A LOT OF WAYS AND AS A SMALL BUSINESS. SO A LOT OF OUR PROCEDURES ARE MORE ORALLY BASED INSTEAD OF PAPER BASED. SO THERE'S SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THERE TO, AS WE GET OLDER TO, TO TRY TO, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, CODIFY OUR, OUR PROCEDURES AND ALSO UTILIZE ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY. WE ARE HEAVILY IN THE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE'S THERE'S ALWAYS POTENTIALLY ROOM FOR MORE DEPENDING ON YOUR DEPENDING ON YOUR OUTLOOK ON THAT. AND I SPEAK OF THAT AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN WITHOUT A CELL PHONE FOR FOUR DAYS. SO BUT ANYWAY, IT'S LIBERATING, ISN'T IT? IT IS. SO THERE'S AGAIN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS. AS I SAID ON PAGE FOUR OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THERE'S A LIST OF 21 ITEMS. AGAIN, THERE ARE YOU KNOW, IT'S A PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING IN THE SAME WAY FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S GOOD TO GET A FRESH PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK BETWEEN THE BAKER TILLY REPORT AND THE REPORT THAT WE GOT FROM DANA MCDANIEL AND, AND DAVE COLLINSWORTH, IT PROVIDES US WITH SOME ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN USE MOVING FORWARD. SO IN THE IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, YOU'LL SEE SOME REFERENCES TO SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE IN MORE DETAIL.ONE OF THE BIG ONES WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WE BRING ON A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER SOONER
[00:10:03]
THAN LATER. AND IT ACTUALLY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SEARCH FOR A NEW CITY MANAGER. AND PART OF THE REASON OR JUSTIFICATION, JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT IS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THAT POSITION WITH THE RIGHT PERSON IN IT COULD PROVIDE STABILITY AND FACILITATE THE FACILITATE THE ONBOARDING OF THE NEW MANAGER, AND ENABLE THAT PERSON TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON A SMALLER SPAN OF CONTROL AND THEN FOCUS MORE ON STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. SO THAT'S AGAIN, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WE'LL DISCUSS WITH YOU AS WE REVIEW THE BUDGET IN MORE DETAIL.THERE ARE ALSO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT REORGANIZING WHEN WE YEARS AGO WHEN WE DECIDED TO WHEN WHEN THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER LEFT, WE DECIDED TO STAND UP AN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT. WE TOOK. DIVISIONS OR OPERATIONS THAT WERE RELATIVELY SMALL AND NEEDED A PLACE TO, TO, TO, TO EXIST. SO WE CREATED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND WE PUT ALL OF THEM TOGETHER. AS WE'VE GROWN, THOSE FUNCTIONS HAVE GROWN, WE'VE ADDED EVENTS AND, YOU KNOW, SO NOW THE, THE SIZE OF OF THOSE DIVISIONS UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES HAVE INCREASED. SO THERE'S, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECONFIGURE THOSE, REALIGN THEM IN ORDER TO GREAT TO GET GREATER EFFICIENCIES. SO THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY ALIGN COMMUNICATIONS WITH EVENTS. SO AGAIN WE'LL FOCUS ON THAT IF WE ARE TO START OR STAND UP A NEW DEPARTMENT THAT REQUIRES THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL. WE CAN'T JUST DO THAT JUST AS A MATTER OF COURSE. SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE ASKING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF. AND THEN THERE WERE SOME ITEMS THAT WE THINK ARE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT READY FOR YET. THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT BRINGING LEGAL IN-HOUSE. AND I THINK THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU POTENTIALLY WOULD CONSIDER MAYBE IN FUTURE YEARS. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE READY TO TO TAKE THAT ON RIGHT NOW. SO AND BEN, BEN AND I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE TO HIM. BUT ANYWAY, I WANT TO THANK LINDSAY AND ADRIAN FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS. THEY REALLY THEY TOOK THE LEAD IN WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT. AND FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF, THERE WERE A LOT OF STAFF HOURS. THERE WAS, I THINK, SOME VERY, VERY FORTHRIGHT DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR OPERATIONS.
SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S TRUST AND AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO, YOU KNOW, OFFER THEIR FEEDBACK. VERY CANDIDLY. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER. YOU HAD MENTIONED IN THE EMAIL THAT THERE WAS AN INCLUSION IN THE BUDGET FOR THOSE STAFF POSITIONS. YOU WANTED TO FILL THIS NEXT YEAR? YES. OKAY. AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT MORE OF THAT DURING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE REPORT? CITY ATTORNEY? ANY
[ 16. POLL FOR COUNCIL COMMENT]
UPDATE? HOLD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. RUBY, HOLD FOR COUNCIL COMMENT. ANY COUNCIL COMMENT? I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO. OH, SORRY. FOLKS ARE READY TO KNOCK THOSE OUT BEFORE EXECUTIVE SESSION. YEAH. PARTING GIFT. AND WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT AS OF 530 TONIGHT, WE ARE THE OWNERS OF THE DISCOVER SITE.YEAH. NICE JOB. CAN I REQUEST THAT WE CAN READ THROUGH THIS TONIGHT? YEAH, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
YOU WANT TO GO? YOU CAN MAKE ALL THE REQUESTS YOU WANT. THIS LOOKS GREAT. ALL YOURS. DID YOU AUTOGRAPH IT FOR ME? THAT'S MY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THIS IS THE. I DID INCLUDE A COPY OF THE PROPOSAL. I DID INCLUDE A COPY OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WITH IT, BUT IT WON'T BE READ UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME, WITH POTENTIAL UPDATES AS WE GO ALONG. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS? I WANTED TO SHARE? I WENT TO A STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD BRIDGES AND THEY ARE JUST KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK.
NEW ALBANY NEIGHBORHOOD BRIDGES. THEY HAVE NOW 65 COMMUNITIES, AND WE ARE THE FOURTH IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND PEOPLE THAT WE ASSIST, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ONE OF THE
[00:15:03]
SMALLEST COMMUNITIES, FOURTH OUT OF 65, WHICH IS REALLY INCREDIBLE. WE'VE RAISED IN SIX YEARS OVER $655,000 WORTH OF BENEFITS TO FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE HAD 89 KIDS THAT GOT WAIVED REGISTRATION FOR PARK AND RECS. THIS PAST YEAR. I JUST WROTE DOWN SOME OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE I THOUGHT EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW. IT'S IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE. IT'S ALL JUST VOLUNTEERS. THEY GET ALL THEIR REFERRALS THROUGH THE FOOD PANTRY OR THROUGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS ABOUT NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY DISTRICT. AND IT'S IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND SIGN UP TO GET THEIR EMAIL THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE. YOU MAY JUST HAVE SOMETHING AROUND THE HOUSE THAT FITS A NEED ONE DAY, AND IT MAKES IT REALLY EASY. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST PRETTY INCREDIBLE. THEY SAID THEY'VE SERVED OVER 1100 KIDS THIS YEAR. WOW. SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST THEY'RE THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING THINGS. THEY ALSO SAID IF ANYBODY WANT TO ASK IF ANYBODY HAPPENS TO FEEL LIKE DONATING MONTHLY RENT FOR A STORAGE UNIT, THEY COULD REALLY USE IT. SO I'LL THROW THAT OUT THERE. SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAKES ME REALLY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN, AND THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. THANKS. YEAH, GREAT. GREAT. I REMEMBER WHEN JOE AND I FIRST MET WITH THAT GROUP AND THEY STARTED IN LIKE WESTERVILLE AND THEY WERE DOING GAHANNA. I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST IT WAS LIKE A DREAM. AND NOW THEY'RE 60, WOULD YOU SAY FOR 65 COMMUNITIES. AMAZING. YEAH.[ 17. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO NEW ALBANY CHARTER SECTION 4.03 E FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES. AND WE'RE GOING TO INVITE IN DIRECTOR CHRYSLER. WHO ELSE? LET'S GO. THOSE TWO SECONDS. IS THERE A SECOND, MAYOR SPALDING. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES.COUNCILMEMBER. YES. COUNCILMEMBER. SCHULTZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER. FALLOWS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. I HAVE SEVEN YES VOTES TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 6:49 P.M. FOR THOSE WATCHING THE STREAM, WE WILL LEAVE THE CAMERAS OKAY, BIG BUCKS ROLLING IN, I MOVE, WE COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION SECOND. THAT IS. THERE WE GO. ONE AND TWO. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULTZ. YES, MAYOR. SPALDING.
YES. COUNCILMEMBER. BRISK. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. DETRICK. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. KISS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. SEVEN. YES. VOTES TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 7:34 P.M. ANY OTHER BUSINESS FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION? CAN I MOVE THAT? WE ADJOURN. SECOND. THIRD, FOURTH. AND THAT'S EVERYONE I
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.