Commission Meeting December 31, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17zCQHvFS9A&list=PLgMuFaWBmSmg3LYNJtkixcBNK25eE9LCg

All there.

**Presentations/Staff Report

Rue asks was a public notice issued. Yes, on Nov 22 and Dec 4. Bu they never said where it was.

The staff member presented, as no objections. One for Ohio Edison about the connections to facilities.

**Rue Statement
The prayer/invocation and pledge (no mike). Please give us peace in our community, Lord. (This is always directed at the citizens - we're still dangerous.)

The Don ordered a moment of silence for Jimmy Carter. And Deputy Summer Jenkins locally.

His usual warning to citizen speakers about disruptions. Constructive dialogue, etc., etc.

**Citizen Speakers

William Monaghan - concern over structure. public comment at the beginning and your answers at the end, but you rarely address anything. Examples - allowed Jason Pan's private videographer to cry whaa whaa at the audience, abusing us. You don't abide by your own rules. Ms. Brown used an expletive this summer and it was edited on YT, but my expletive wasn't. What legal authority do you have to edit public record? And selectively? Ms. Brown said her expletive wasn't an insult. But she said, these people don't give a shit about this city. You keep going on tv asking for more and more federal money for YOUR problems, but when WE talk about them, you mock us and call us names. And ignore us. And Dr. Estrop said Shelter Inc promised the people kicked out of Executive Inn wouldn't be homeless. You didn't do anything. You need to take responsibility for what you've done to this city.

Larry Ricketts - The People for Safe Water thank you for efforts to remediating the superfund site outside of Tremont City. This is the guy running for Nov 2025 election. He's water-focused.

Diane Daniels - Buckle up, I'm fresh as a daisy. Dialogue is a two way street. I say something, you say something back. I've waited four weeks for answers, still nothing. Instead of turning them into code enforcement, we'll be doing 77 High Street further up. We've waited a year and a half for an illegal garage to be addressed. Those won't be presented here. We're not playing anymore. January 1st, things will be different. We won't be tyrannized. You're going to see rebellion.

Beth Donahue - Domestic Violence Coalition. Would like Chief Allison to respond to me today. If not, it's a failure in the leadership of the city and entire police dept. Rapes have increased every year. We rank 6 in the state. In Dec 2024, We rank 2 in reported rapes. In 2023, we ranked first in the ages of 1-14. To the Mayor and Chief Elliot - what is the rape of 2024 and the count of ones that have been cleared?

Peg Foley - Wants to thank the entire city for the work you've done this year and we appreciate all of your work. She gushes every meeting. She's so grateful to live in Springfield. And be here in a forum where people can express opposing opinions. There are threats across our country about this freedom. We all have a common goal - a safe, prosperous city where neighbors care about each other. Again, thank you for your work and I'm happy to help however I can.

Didn't get her name - drone sightings in the news. They shut down the air space at Wright Patt. The headlines have dropped off. Feds told us they don't know where they're coming from but they're no threat. The public officials always answer this non-answer. This woman is a little out there - this isn't the city. Things have paralleled here- bomb threats, we don't know, you can follow up. Do we have paperwork that we're not in the welcoming network - the attorney said the answer is no, but doesn't have paperwork. The mayor had to give himself special powers, but no paperwork. I will see you in 2025. Posting the answers on the web page would be helpful. Her dogs died.

**Rue's Immediate Comments

Welcoming City resolution - it was not an ordinance or law - at that time nobody here was there. We voted to support that then. That's not the same as an Emergency Ordinance - start and finish. This is a non-answer and makes no sense.

Mr. Monaghan, I try to do the best I can for you. I dont' think I'll ever give you an answer you want. You get 3 minutes and that's all I can tell you.

Chief Alison Elliot is on vacation, so the rape stats will have to wait when the City Manager gets with her.

Answers are available on the main page. "Questions from Commission". If not answered here, they'll be there.

**Heck's Reports and Answers
There weren't any questions for me. 77 South High Street is the Riffe Building in Columbus. Alison is out so we will work with her to get comprehensive data.

We continue to look at the micro-transit system. We got 3 proposals that we're reviewing. Then, they had Jason Bye talk about it a little.

**Commission Comments

Estrop
Special meeting on Monday - we were asked to approve a contract with Homeful. Many people spoke against the contract. I voted no. And I think you were cheering us on to strike down the contract. Shelter Inc did promise. IF the city voted it down would save $1 million. Shelter Inc agreed to take responsibility for our homeless. So then I changed my vote. And you cheered that vote. So your comments are disingenuous. He tried to respond, Rue kicked him out. Estrop as I was saying....

When the contract was defeated, we saved the city a million, and Shelter Inc assumed responsibility. And now we have a new RFP. I encourage others to apply for this responsibility. Heck said they have until January 17th to provide services with city/governmental money. So we can together address this issue.

Rue said OIC and Shelter Inc both made promises.

Brown
Here she goes. That evening it was said that they would house them at the Executive Inn. That's what upset him. I voted against it and still stand on it - to not pay them for the full job. Estrop, Brown, and Tackett voted against it. The closing of the Executive Inn is just semantics. Instead of calling someone a liar.

**My Thoughts

The Commission meeting Q&As are posted at the link below. I had to search for the word "answers" to find the page. It is not linked in the City Commission section of the website.

Click on Quick Links in the top right corner of any page.

Go to the bottom of that page and click on "News and Announcements".

Scroll to a block that says "Community Q&A".

The link is this (hardly searchable): https://springfieldohio.gov/commission-meeting-qa/

I'm typing this on June 25th, 2025 and the last answer posted was April 8th. An example of the lack of data, cooperation, support, thought, anything is evident in that PDF. A photo of it is below. One answer with info provided by Federal Reserve Economic Data: https://fred.stlouisfed.org

Rue kicked Monoghan out during Estrop's diatribe. This is just insane. Citizens get 3 minutes and they get 15 minutes to lecture or say nothing. "This is not a dialog."

The city has no responsibility for the homeless. They contract that out.

Beth Donahue still asks for data in June 2025 and on....

Diana is this meeting's hero. It is a tyranny. And she's talking about bringing things to Columbus State Office at 77 S High Street. (Typing this in June 2025 - catching up - and I haven't seen anything yet...in fact, The Don shut down Beth Donahue's candidacy.)

And Mr. Monaghan is also this meeting's hero.

The Answers to All the Questions

Click here to open a copy of the full-page PDF.