Commission Meeting August 26, 2025

All there.

**Focus
Once again, Heck "can try to get you" a report/a list/info. Rue already gave you 3 minutes. And still mispronounces Kenneth R. Seelig Jr. 's name (it's obvious now). The city is now part of Power a Clean Future Ohio but swears it has nothing to do with solar farms. Don't worry, all the NGOs in town have to submit info on spending for audits. Funnily enough, still nary a mention of Field Trips.

**Presentations/Staff Report

Clark County Solid Waste District programs and contracts

Mission is to ensure all CC has access to services. This is your trash services. Education and assistance. Recycling.
Grants.

They have a cleanup trailer for neighborhood groups.

Any questions about recycling, give us a call!

4 hearings on annexation and zoning things. Rezoning. Development. Access point, low density residential concerns.
One: Citizens and Brown have concerns about parking for a commercial building on Ludlow. Heck said we want to be careful about spot-zoning but we have a lot of legacy neighborhoods with mom and pop businesses. Are there any vacant lots we could use for parking. Heck said, "I'm not aware of any." For Culture Cafe, restaurant for East African coffee and teas and local bakeries. Owner got up and spoke. Lot of turnover. Employees have to walk to work. Lots of traffic.

Two: CNC neighborhood commercial rezoning on Broadway from low density. Tenant on upper floor wants to have a hair salon. Back half is off street parking. Melissa Skinner totally opposed. She lives there. The traffic, the parking. Kids. Rue says original ideas change. Another man complained. Kids play in the streets. Everybody parks on the street. Owner provided to Rue other examples.

**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. Trespassing if disruptive 3 times.

**Citizen Speakers

Darlene Yeely - United Senior Services booklet for $15 a year. 17 year old being tried as an adult. Had a gun She was on the jury. Talked about the case. Guilty verdict. Not isolated. Young people with guns. USS offers them services that could help them. She has a meeting with Bernie Willis. Thank you Tracy for your help and support.

Diana Daniels - It's been 2 years. Been brought to you why what's happened has happened. I realize what you could do but won't. How many times have I asked for a meeting with you and a committee or group for solutions. The last 3 months, how many buildings have been hit?

Kenneth R. Seelig Jr. (Rue almost said his name correctly "seeling") - Community Development Block Grant on the agenda. What is that? Federal, state, city funding? If you don't spend, does the money go away? haven't heard a word about the winter plan. I'd like to ask for a meeting to plan, so I don't have to do what I did last year on my own. They ran them out of Snyder, and they're traveling.

Melissa Skinner - Can we have a rep for what's on the ballot in November? It's not clear on what we're being asked to vote for.. Jail - but now it's called a public safety complex. What is the plan? What is being taxed? All the new developments, which ones have been given tax abatements and why? Is there a report about how many wrecks are young adults, and just from Haitians? Woman went up in someone's yard and knocking out a kid's library stand and were only fined $155 and they had a fake FL license? Are the places being damaged getting reimbursed? Roads are not safer at all. Barron - we keep asking what's the plan wasn't an answer. Drive down Main Street and it's just sad.

Wes Babian (see below***) - the same speech every time. He just gushes with no specifics. My thanks for allowing me to speak. Loving our neighbors.

Adam Banks - The collaboration between local police and county sheriffs is good, and so is money to the jail, the facilities need to be livable. But neither are models for justice. It's not the policing of poverty, but the prevention of poverty. And he goes racist. Brown people are considered evil here. Talking programs and employing leaders who work with... CVI programs....empowerment over imprisonment. The Amos Project - we hope to do this. Forward together.

Clara Copeland - (Warren's wife) We are blessed with a woman chief of police. When we refer to her, we need to refer to her as Chief. Not Chief Allison or Allison. Krystal Brown applauded.

**Rue's Immediate Comments

The city didn't have anything to do with what's on the ballot. It is a need, because it's in bad condition, but we didn't make decisions.

I know our Dev dept is looking at the homeless plan, just because we have no answers now doesn't mean we're working on it. I'm open to a meeting, but the staff needs to attend and be involved, not just the commissioners.

Call the Union reps to ask about the ballot. We won't create a forum.

We do not classify car accidents by nationality. So some of the stats are not available.

I do not like to see any of the accidents. I would encourage the immigrant leaders to send the message again.

Immigrant drivers are much more educated now and driving more safely. But you just said you had no data by nationality.

**Heck's Reports and Answers

Tax abatements question. Communities all over the state use this. 3/4 of the city is covered by this. Stimulates growth. We can certainly provide you with a list of current using this and those applying. This is tools and resources from the state.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - federal funds we are allotted every year. They put out RFPs and they're reviewed by staff and then awarded. Awarding one with Sheltered Inc., Nehemiah Foundation, Springfield Promise Neighborhood (family connection program with the schools.

Barron spoke on 215-25 and 215-24. The CDBG public services we're using this federal money for. It's being allotted by someone who put a bid on $89K for Sheltered Inc - what are they providing. Heck can provide you a copy for that? Can you give me the cliff=notes? Heck said - can you speak to that Steve? YES, the award goes to salaries. They are required to submit detailed information on what they worked on. Every agency has to be accountable on every dollar, says Rue. We pass audits based on this.

The award was specifically $89K, but the annual grant is $2 million. And the city puts out all the RFPs for things. These are reimbursement grants - have to prove they spent it on...HUD restricts public services to 15% of the 2 million. Tthere's an entire staff handling this.

Unfortunately you have to have all these qualifiers for the red tape - Barron can't compete. Rob's fed up, as usual. and snapping at him. We need to move on. Rob's mad when he says that Sheltered, Inc, has grown into doing less and less for the problem.

Rue is giving him 3 minutes. Authorizing Rumpke. $35K That's for all the city. Lowest and best bid. Every city contract. Next year, we'll put out a new bid. Rue keeps cutting him off and off. Your time is up. DANG. Shouts over him.

1 million grant American Rescue act - amendment what? Estrop asked for more information Home ARC - a titlement home community so we got more money. We got more money to invest in affordable housing. This specific - HUD told us there was $2799 extra for us.

Vote to classify Springfield as a Power a Clean Future Community in Ohio - Diana spoke. I have no idea what this is about. Solar projects on farmland. Solar Alliance guy said thank you for allowing me to speak. Solar Alliance this will be a great thing. Read the resolution - there's nothing about solar. I would be happy to answer your questions. It can help us save to replace things. And help with street lights around the city. Estrop appreciates the timing because of all the increases and cuts on money. Ohio Edison is a monopoly. They're responsible for replacing street lights.

All were so moved.

Increase Transportation grant amount for 1 million plus for ADA activities...2023 FTA grant - each year is an "amendment" this funds our transit. Preciously, SCAT, now Field Trip. 2024, 67% was federal FTA, 21% from state, 12% local general fund, Rue said NO CITY could have transit without fed and state funding.

Airport improvements federal funds for 1.7 million. Estrop said, The airport is an asset to this town. And important for economic development. We have a National Guard unit there. Drone technology. Private business out there. Spending money with triple return." Wes Fabian spoke on econ development - "it's really important". Finding ways to open doors for the people who have not been included. He's talking Haitians. "Only if it helps everybody." There are students and families that do not understand this. Tracy made his point - My son took courses at the STEM school to start on this career path...lol.

1.6 million for a runway at the airport repairs.

Everything was so moved.

**Commission Comments

Brown
Can we get data about how many more people are enrolling in driver's education? Bryan says sure we can reach out to the BMV. And we're working with Andy Wilson to help on the education program. We've added staffing in the traffic unit. Can we have a work session? They've done this 5 times, but there's no REAL or TRUSTED information.

I'd like to see citizens working on this.. Maybe Logan can come on board? Heck said Logan is having those conversations and working on having this meeting with our resources. And I'd like to ask everyone to bring contact information for Logan.

Tackett
She asked about resolutions that often say "other services". But there was no real answer. "Personnel services" vacation and sick leave payouts at the end of the year. Increased insurance rates for employees - was 20%.

Houston
A lot of misinformation about the jail. The city has NO involvement in that levy. It's all county. It's on the county website.

Estrop
The block grants are federal money doled to local governments. Zero funding was in the President's plan. The Senate (federal) has put some money back. The house and senate are in recess so nothing is happening. They have to get together and work out the diff between the 2 amounts.

We don't know when or IF we'll receive federal funding. Trump plays a major role. He made it clear: no help for this population. Write Trump and our federal senators and reps because we can't run without the federal money.

The fed belief is that everyone will be placed - some kind of program. (homeless community) Some prefer to live outside. Feds will favor those communities who have a place for the homeless. We are monitoring this almost daily.

I want to commend Gov DeWine to bring driver's education back to schools. We wonder why there are accidents in Ohio? The general assembly overruled the governor.

Is there an escape hatch? If we don't receive federal money can we get out of the contracts? Heck says yes.

**My Thoughts

Still NOT ONE MENTION OF THE FIELD TRIPS app, which should not be running parallel anymore.

Brown suggested maybe Logan could "come on board". But isn't she in charge??? She's been saying she's working on a plan/meeting for almost two years now (since I've been listening/watching). She said she thinks it'd be good to have citizens involved. And maybe they can get contact info for resources to Logan. I don't even know how to react to that.

Brown asked Heck if there was any data about more people in the driver's education enrollment? He said he'd ask the DMV and Andy Wilson. He won't come back with any numbers, and all we need is more lies from Wilson.

The answering questions portion answered NO questions. "We don't put something on the ballot."

Heck had no idea what the Springfield Promise Neighborhood Program does. Something about families and schools.

Heck never has any answers to questions. People asked about the annexation and rezoning. "Are there any vacant lots we could use for parking?" Heck said, "I'm not aware of any."

I believe they must teach a class in how to deflect and deny responsibility for ANYthing at Wittenburg U. Heck must have a lot of free time, because he never knows/does/has information. "That's not the city's responsibility." Even Clark County does this, too. It's a thing.

Rue almost said Baron's name correctly: "Seeling". He and Heck have discussed this at length. It's just obvious now.

Rue's lying (or being misquoted LIVE) again. We don't collect traffic incidents by nationality. Immigrant drivers are much more educated now and driving more safely. Which is it?

Krystal Brown can applaud Ms. Copeland and cheer for the Amos Project neighborhood man she salivates over.

Heck "can certainly provide you with a list" of tax abatements for all the new developments. He says this a few times every meeting. I would bet my annual salary that nobody receives a report.

Rue got fed up with Kenneth R. Seelig Jr. asking specific questions about the grant money for "public services". Yes, the money for Sheltered, Inc. was intended for salaries. He snapped at him. We need to move on. Rue gave him 3 minutes. So he asked about authorizing Rumpke. $35K That's for all the city. Lowest and best bid. Every city contract. Next year, we'll put out a new bid. Rue kept cutting him off. Your time is up. Shouted over him.

Rue talked about how every agency has to submit information on how they spent money at audit time. BUT, when nothing's happened or improved, that speaks volumes about the NGO and the Auditors.

What kind of grown-ass man(or woman, but especially man) gets up and says "Thank you for allowing me to speak." I just can't imagine what that takes.

*** 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 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!

They denied that Power a Clean Future Ohio was related to solar, but the website is 99% solar: https://www.poweracleanfuture.org/newsandupdates/joint-statement-from-ohio-mayors-solar-for-all-termination

Lots of money for the airport! Is Tom Franzen busy?? Still no mention online.

The insurance costs for city employees went up 20%. So just the top five making a million, just went up up up again.

Estrop is still crying poor. He's so sad that the city might not get federal funding. Of course, still prepping us all for the property tax increase. (My assessment amount increased 40K.)