Commission Meeting February 25, 2025
Focus: Rue was misquoted AGAIN. He wants to clarify what he said (time stamps below): "The city has grown by 25% in 3 years, thanks to the Haitians. They've filled key roles and jobs, even if straining our resources. There are plenty of jobs. If you want to work, you can find a job. They were brought here for hope. And they are in pain." And The Don wants everyone to know that the 60+ people living in the Haitian flophouse is private property. So contact the homeowner.
2/26/20257 min read
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjgyaPYLlYE&list=PLgMuFaWBmSmgrs2O9qPsFOQ2M7A-AgZCi
Rue will be late.
**Presentations/Staff Report
Gun Violence Prevention Program presentation. A PowerPoint and a video from the DoJ about CVIPI.
Caleb Perkins Coordinator at OIC
Collecting data for this Initiative.
Group of community stakeholders about increase in gun violence.
1.6 million grant from the 2023 DoJ https://www.ojp.gov/archive/topics/community-violence-intervention
Who's the fiscal agent? The OIC. https://www.oicofclarkco.org/
HERA Property Registry in Florida manages our new Vacant Property Registry.
**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
Beth Donahue - domestic violence. data obtained from Clark County. The city has a reoffender problem perpetuated by you, Mayor Rue, allowing Prosecutor DiBartola to keep his job. (Drikell is Clark County prosecutor)
Glenda Bailey - why we have to give our addresses and you don't? Rue interrupted and gave his address. The Haitians flop house 802 Kenton Street - why you allowed that house that Mr Estrop - we're saving great old homes - when there were 60+ living there, using the bathroom down open sewer lines. Was that on your vacant registry? Is it now? It's been a year. It was just condemned on December 6th. Logan Cobbs - why do you need HERA to collect vacant homes? Are you not able? Do you delegate everything? We pay you to do things, not delegate.
Diana Daniels - You have underestimated our ability to undercover you and all the NGOs. We are all over social media for investigative purposes. Rue - you and your associates only have yourselves to blame. Recruiting a replacement population - modern indentured servitude. What part of TPS didn't you understand. Paths to citizenship exists. The people selected or elected in this city and county are complicit. I wouldn't put the City Manager for a toy. I wouldn't' put the mayro in charge of a fishbowl with one guppy in it.
Melissa Rexrow - I formally request you stop airing our addresses. I was physically abused from 2010-2013, I deal with today. My first amendment right has been violated by the City of Springfield. And tells her story. I will be here in 2 weeks - and Rue says she's out of time, she had another sentence but he said, you're going to have to leave.
Tina Siebold - To lighten it up, I want to thank Mayor Rue for removing the racist person last meeting. I want to thank the Commission. The majority of the citizens recognize how difficult your positions are. I wish I had a solution - primary to all but DEI is being removed from our county's vocabulary. So many bright things in this city. Black museum at the school. What amazing things the black kids are doing. I look forward to a day people aren't judged by..x, y, .the gender they identify or pronouns they use.
Darlene Yearly - Biden and DeWine and ppl in this city. Taxpayer money into the problem. Haitian man backing into my car. My cousin was hit by a car at the car wash. A Haitian man handed the policeman a folder. The insurance company called her cousin and it had expired. You can try to convince us that they've benefited this county. They have until August. If anyone aids these people, our mayor said abrupt deportations will harm our city economy. So did the influx. Lincoln ended slavery, Trump will end it again.
James Avery - I didn't want to be here. I was hoping I could do this over email. Jason Via and Legal sent info I requested, but it's not usable. The Chief said this info is on the website, but it's not there. There are no crime categories. No calls of service. The data makes no sense, and I'm a criminologist. Arrests aren't there. No information about the people. Just communication. A lot of us are concerned and want information. They really want to help and can't.
Jeffrey Allen - Here we are again. People are truly showing their colors. Been here all my life. Great great grandfather here. I know the history of this town. People better wake up. These threats - nobody wants that.
Terry Atkins - (Trump hat and camo vest - lol) Patch repair on X road was a great job. Rue in Newsweek pushing back against Trump and TPS. TPS has always been temporary and I don't think you understand that. All the citizens who've been here for generations. No focus. In 2020, hosting a homeless conference - public health crisis - Karl Rubie - town had 3 million dollars to help. Where'd that money go? Now a gentleman is doing it on his own. Exec Inn has been a topic - 1.4 Homefull got from the city with another 375 from the county - so 1.7 million to them. Half of it to Barron! Have you made any effort to help him, work with him. All the NGOs, all the picketers, no . Haitian on Derr Road - ran down 68 killed his family, then he killed himself. Many other cases....
Rue said your time is up.
Miranda Richardson - lived here all my life. the BMV issuing licenses to people I don't like. You do nothing about it. It's Ohio code. Why won't you just snatch licenses from people. She's all sarcasm. Some fat guy broke into my house leaving presents and the police won't take me seriously. Why won't the city police dept just deport people? I have main character syndrome. I demand nonsense. Why don't you just expel poor performance in schools? Only losers care for others. You're losers. Why don't we just replace you with other racists? I'm mad at the world and have nothing better to do with my time.
Yul Jackson - I don't understand how we've turned into a poverty-stricken area. Rue said something about keeping rents at a reasonable price a year or so ago, but now y'all say you have no authority to do that. The people coming are indentured servants. You can't get ahead if you're never let loose.
Barron - warming center. My two-week report. I'm not mad, I'm just worried. I have to shut down this month. 58 people came today. Work with me, I have a plan. I'll be back in a month with my presentation.
Wes Fabian - same, same, same with the gushing. Nothing reason or anything specific, just general gush. Springfield is a home city. For all kinds of people. Cultural diversity. Our immigrant neighbors are a strength in this, our home city. May we live up to that designation. Pledge of allegiance, for all.
Michael Morris - We are also the champion city. You used to not be able to find anyone here. I love that lots of people are here now. We don't know how to be champions anymore. We have a poverty mentality here - been that way for 20-30 years. NAFTA lost more jobs for us than any other city in the US. 2000-2010 - hit us hard. I challenge you to inspire us, lead us. People tend not to vote for people not taking care of them. We need more code enforcement, more "teeth". The streets.
Devon Hendricks - tall, dreads, black guy speaks every time about the youth. Says nothing but we need to help the youth. I still see the hate down in people's bones. It's sad. In the 2010s, the Asians helped us. You can find that on Netflix. Shout out to the Haitians. Black folks have been dealing with what you're dealing with now. Y'all ain't out there - no boots on the ground - you just come here and complain. What are we gonna do when they leave? Obviously, meant for Diana.
Diana - responded to him from the audience. Rue kicked her out.
**Rue's Immediate Comments
I'd like to address my statement. It was sent in whole. It was used in part. About the executive order about TPS. Grown by 25% in 3 years, thanks to them. They've filled key roles and jobs, even if straining our resources. He read his statement that he sent to Newsweek. At 1:30 to 1:37. Plenty of jobs. If you want to work, you can find a job. The TPSers were brought here for hope. They are in pain.
**Heck's Reports and Answers
Heck said - Mark Sanders brought the property to us (they didn't know). Weeds, overcrowding, they can rectify. Then issued civil fines. Then, court order, etc. This one was a multi-department agency (health dept, etc.) Owned by a private property owner out of state. Can't go in without an invite or a warrant. We eventually had to condemn the property. It's set up this way because private owners have rights. Our Registries help. We're putting tools in place to hopefully speed up the process.
We can't just give money to Barron. We have regulations about funding. Safety requirements. HUD does our homeless funds. We just did an RFP for additional something - not sure what he said. We put out a RFP and Homefull was the only one that submitted a proposal for Executive Inn.
HERA vacation registry - they're a software company.
**Commission Comments
Tackett
Some comments here are better for the Ohio reps. Things out of our control. So she shared Bernie Willis' phone number and Kyle Kohler (senator) phone number. Can the city manager update us on the homeless. Nehemiah Foundation can come here and speak, maybe. I travel for work and I see, I, I, I.....I see the opposite side of the spectrum in other city council meetings just by getting out there. How is everyone else addressing this? Go outside your silo so you can make informed decisions.
Estrop
Why we go to a private contract? It's very straightforward. Sometimes, it's cheaper and more efficient than having full-time employees. You see that now with DOGE. Less employees, more contracts. We have 115 fewer positions now than 15 years ago. A lot of frustration in our courts. The jail is too small for our community. It's operated by the Sheriff's dept - go to the County Commission meetings.
Brown
Bridget
Can Heck tell people why...
802 Kenton Street the flophouse - can you let us know? Code violation can take a long time. Homeless funding - why can't we just give money to Barron. (I put this in Heck comments section above.)
**My Thoughts
Poor Miranda Richardson. So misguided.
(People clapped and Rue let them! Because Barron is doing his job.)
Rue got misquoted again. This time by Newsweek.
OIC (Opportunities for Individual Change) is Clark County’s Community Action Agency at
https://www.oicofclarkco.org/
Since the COVID Pandemic, OIC has assisted families in Springfield and Clark County with Rent, Mortgage, Property Tax, and Utility assistance. OIC also provides Vocational Training to assist those that have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic in gaining additional marketable skills.
The grant was cancelled by the Feds in May 2025. Thank God. Only due to the corruption and where OIC spent some about half of this money - on Haitans for "assistance". This had nothing to do with gun violence.
Nehemiah Foundation provides a network for Christian churches and ministries to amplify their positive impact to build God's kingdom in Springfield and Clark County. They get funds through donations from individuals, businesses, and churches.