Commission Meeting April 8, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lura1rIgxWM&list=PLgMuFaWBmSmjVC7lj6AKm99gdLLgkPLhX

All are there.

**Focus
The Don tries to explain Home Rule, public notices in the Classified section of the paper (he thinks), Tackett attempts to actually produce tears this time, and Groupie Bridget said Restaurant Week was well-attended.

**Presentations/Staff Report

Zoning presentation

**Rue Statement
The prayer/invocation and pledge. Please give us peace in our community, Lord. (This is always directed at the citizens - we're still dangerous.)

His usual warning to citizen speakers about disruptions.

**Citizen Speakers

Only 2 comments this meeting:

Diane Daniels - I knew there was going to be chaos. I never knew how bad it was going to be. This is an admission of guilt. Karl Rubie. Quote.

Questions:
She asked these 2 weeks ago, got no answers.
Filed a lawsuit against one of four hate groups who paid Springfield a visit.
Who is funding your lawsuit?
What outcome are you expecting?
State of the City meeting at the John Legend Theater. Are you going to have one this year? Where will it be held?
Has the city every had an outside agency audit the books? If so, when was it done? Rationale has always been not enough workers, but since 2012, when has unemployment ever been zero?
Where in the newspaper are public notices published regarding government business including zoning? What about those not getting the newspaper?
Every citizen needs to look into Home Rule, because that is what's happening.

Wes Babian - He says the same speech every meeting. An exceedingly complicated set of issues, your commitment to continuous improvement is an important element that can move our community forward. It will take patience, restraint as we move through these uncertain times. I am concerned about the well-being of our immigrant neighbors. We should be kind and understanding about their circumstances. They care deeply about our community, enrich us, and contribute to our well-being. Thank you for the light you send out as our leaders.

**Rue's Immediate Comments
Rue said, thank you, Wes.

**Heck's Reports and Answers
Answers for Diane about the lawsuit:
From Jill Allen, Law Director - Anti-defamation League pro-bono on behalf against the Blood Tribe. Goal is to send a strong message. Has resulted in the collapse of the extremist group.

State of The City just hasn't been scheduled yet. Working to figure it all out and time it with our annual report.

Outside agency - Ohio requires the city annual - overseen by State Auditor - their oversight or Clark Shafer Hackett. 750K of federal funds subject to OMB annual audit, too. All is available on the state website Jill speaks to it.

Unemployment rate - he did research. newspaper - yes, public notices are in the newspaper as required by the State of Ohio - that and to put on the website as well. Brown - is it legal to post them on Facebook or our social media? Jill said yes. But revised code says still have to do newspaper. SO they say they go above and beyond.

But they don't even know where it is. Heck said he thinks it's in Classified section.

Diane said So, buried and can't find it.

Tackett asked Heck - if people don't have the newspaper...
Heck said: Dayton Daily News maybe. Constantly evaluating ways to get information out.

Home Rule Charter - City acts as our Constitution. Has been voted on by the people themselves. This is the charter that sets up the structure of our gov't. Mayors get together in the state to plead - leave us alone, don't charge us. Citizens have spoken.

**Commission Comments

Tackett
Thanks the juvenile detention center for her visit. Concerns about the youth. She learned a lot. She starts crying about Nicole Elliot, a dispatch center employee, who passed away after cancer battle. It was a rough week last week. Golden Egg Hunt downtown on Good Friday. 8th year.

Estrop
trying to work larger groups in our community about federal decisions on grants, funding, etc. We're trying to figure out what's going on in Washington and we'll continue to try to get info to the public, but it's daunting.


Brown
Is it it legal to post them on Facebook or our social media? Jill said yes. But revised code says stil have to do newspaper. SO they say they go above and beyond.

Bridget
Downtown Springfield Restaurant Week. All the new restaurants. There wasn't a parking spot available (except for the garage).

**My Thoughts

Tackett cried this time. Not about her daughter, but about a dispatcher. Go figure. She's unwell.

There is no notification to the citizens of this town at all. Period. That's how The Don wants it. He just said so.

*** Wes Babian attends every meeting to talk about how much he loves the commissioners, the city manager, the mayor. How selfless and wonderful they are, especially in such stressful and challenging times. He gushes about the love he has for "our new neighbors. He is the Board President of the Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD) and has a salary listed as zero but directly (in descending salary order) under the top two making over $360K. The CCCHD has made a literal fortune off the Haitians from other people's tax dollars. Wes Babian was Warren Copeland's pastor at the First Baptist Church for 20 years. He is now on the Board of Rocking Horse and the CCCHD, among others in the health field. He is listed as having no salary, and organizations never publish bonuses and benefits for the public. He lived in a 4 BR 4BA, 4300 square foot house on a quiet dead-end street neighboring only about a dozen houses that he sold for $370K in July 2025. According to the Interwebs, he has a net wroth of 1.375 million. These things explain why he's on the Board of everything and as he sees it, chooses to represent his god at every meeting. Thanking Rue for allowing him to speak for 3 minutes. Sanity to me!

Didn't answer the who's paying for the lawsuit, but: https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/city-springfield-ohio-files-federal-lawsuit-against-neo-nazi-group-blood