Commission Meeting March 11, 2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjgyaPYLlYE&list=PLgMuFaWBmSmgrs2O9qPsFOQ2M7A-AgZCi

Brown and Houston not there.

**Presentations/Staff Report

Tobacco Retail Licensing from Clark County Combined Health District

**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
Deon Green - A child has been threatened with guns at school. Parents have gotten no response What can we do? In 2019, this happened and then 9 people got shot in Dayton.

Moses Young - Retired Sheriff's Deputy in Clark County. His daughter was shot. The teacher failed to report it to anyone. The student stayed in the room with his daughter. I dedicated my life to this city/county and I'm alone speaking about this.

Ron Hendricks - The youth, the violence, the bullying. Know whatisayin'. We have to start putting money into this. People dying at 14, 15. They're not going to listen to just anyone. We need people to speak. We can't change the old hate, but we can change the youth. He says this every meeting.

Ross McGregor - On behalf of Shelter Inc. Neil Browning is new Exec Director. Comes from OIC of Clark County. Thank you in advance for the affirmative vote on the RFP tonight. Then he sucks up to them. Proiect Woman and Nehemiah Org.

Taylor Bowsher - He's been 15 years in prison, out for 6. Working with the kids. Many people here would like to mentor these kids. This city's going real bad and these kids are hurting. The weapons they have are military style.

Douglas Carpenter - speaking on behalf of women and children. Trying to get the motel to save kids from being aborted. I'm not sure what he's saying. He wants his 5013c back.

Jessica Shaffer - What is our city's plan to address if the massive cuts to Medicaid from the GOP are going to pass? We've been blindsided by federal actions. We need to confront our GOP reps about the harm they're doing. And the pothole issue.

Beth Donahue - Domestic Violence. During your time as Mayor and City Manager, the highest ever domestic violence incidents. Percentages of incidents involving injury and arrest. Which do I believe? the lie about your data or the OIC data?

Sika Garvey - .Well water in the Limecreat area. The properties on Leffel - is that related to no well water. What about the money dedicated to the curbs and the transportation project? Where is it? What about the police scanner? Will we have that again? Where are our tax dollars for the 15K immigrants - in your Anderson Cooper interview - you said that you had to take the money from the taxpayers? What will happen when TPS to the cars, the houses - that you said would benefit our city. You all got federal funds for the Haitians - will be getting our money back? When they leave our city, we hustle, so Mr. Heck - nobody wants to work in Springfield. Insulting and you owe us an apology.

Peg Foley - The tall, gray lady - I commend the city for filing a lawsuit about the Hate parade. And thank you mayor rue for responding to the national hatred towards the city. We're not buckling under or being destroyed. We recognize dignity. Every time she speaks, she says the same thing. Old neighbors and new neighbors from abroad who have sought refuge here.

**Rue's Immediate Comments

He had Safety Director Andy Wilson speak - to reconfirm DeWine's commitment proves how much he loves this city. I know you all know we're here working with your team, but I haven't been here since the holidays. First, traffic safety. It sure looks like crashes involving Haitians are on the decrease. Haven't seen it on social media as much. Crashes overall are down. City stats. Rue went to DeWine's residence for help? Crash data doesn't give ethnicity. 267 tickets. 1595 non enforcement acts. A warning or some other help was given. Driver's education for the Haitians. the curriculum, we used a cartoon they have there in training videos, we rushed the simulators.

We're using all the data to help the Haitian community. By March 21, we're going to put a survey out in the Haitian community about health care, vocational info, worked with Wright State University. We just didn't have a lot of good information about their community. How many of them had health care here, etc. To drive our resources and response. It's anonymous and generic, so no identification (so NO DATA). A new permanent clinic - established in a bigger area so they can see patients 5 days a week - it's open to everyone, again, not just Haitians. All to relieve pressure from people who don't know not to go to the ER for everything. (this is the Haitians) Translation devices in all these places. DeWine and Mrs. DeWine were so excited to help.

Rue responded: I just want to convey our thanks to the Gov. Every other Gov could take a lesson from him about how he cares for our city

Estrop responded: Please extend our sincere thanks to the Gov in putting money where is mouth is. The money to the General Assembly specifically for driver's education.

**Heck's Reports and Answers

Rue - I was misquoted, I never said we had to give city funds in that interview. Maybe we can get together and create a group to talk about the youth.

Heck - Someone is looking at a youth center. Medicaid issue? We are meeting with our local partners - Rocking Horse - how the fed impacts them. Our Mercy Health, too.

Ohio Municipal League of City Managers has a Lobbying Day - Koehler and Willis - to talk to them about how the State will adjust the monies they receive from the Federal.

Beth brought up the stats. I want Allison to get with you about you're saying we're "underreporting".

The Limecrest well water issue - outside our city. I'll ask the city to look into this. Sycamore Ridge had to pump water. And will contact the city utilities manager.

Bechtel avenue sidewalks - Fiscal year 2027 (July 2026) is in design That's federal funds.

He introduced John Anderson with AP Development out of Indianapolis. Historic building redevelopers. The Hall Building/Fairfax Building downtown.

**Commission Comments

Estrop
Let me help you understand about the school violence. I lived with the nightmare of that possibility. Kenton Ridge - if you're not getting the answers from them, work with the Board of Education. The city has no authority over the schools at all. They meet monthly. I guess you could go to their website. Then, go to the Ohio Dept of Ed and file a complaint with the state against that District. You may want to talk to the Sheriff.

About the federal cuts, I've talked to Mike Turner's office. Asked him what he knew about the cuts and he said they didn't even know. We need to work together to see what happens and how we react. We just don't know yet. Are we going to have the money we were promised this year? We don't know.

Rue agreed. Thanks, Mr. Young for bringing it up, but we can't do anything.

Then he had to talk again. Thanks to Ross McGregor with Shelter Inc. I hope we can award them the RFP to work with us.


Tackett
When I first took this position last year, there is just so much that Commissioners do. And I went to the experts and one detective said that what keeps him up at night is gun violence among the youth. I am scheduled to go to a juvenile center to inform myself.

More positive community events need. I just want to share some things. First Friday Downtown passport. I'm the organizer for the egg hunt. Clark County OH event Facebook page.

20 people want to volunteer for the Beautification program. Thank you to the people who shared the data in your stories.

**My Thoughts

Ms. Shaffer isn't educated about Medicaid cuts. She has data from somewhere and a nice intention, but she has no idea what's going on or how the Commission works.

Safety Director Andy Wilson touted all the things they've done for the Haitians. With OUR MONEY.
The services and the survey - anonymous and general so it's safe for them to respond and help us know where to pour our resources and response. Translation devices everywhere, including the new permanent clinic. But it's for everyone, don't forget.

On DeWine's website, the first sentence on the Andy Wilson page says, "Andy Wilson has dedicated his professional life to protecting the citizens of Ohio."

Just when you think it can't be more obvious and disgusting.

Then, it's all about Tackett. She went on for 15 minutes and used "I"...I had to stop counting. I guess this is better than listening to Brown (she wasn't here, so little blessings) for 3 seconds.

Rue - I was misquoted, I never said we had to use city funds in that interview.

Here's the interview: https://www.facebook.com/AC360/videos/its-disconcerting-that-they-keep-doubling-and-tripling-down-with-what-were-askin/808311014790345/

Near the end, Cooper asks him about the funding for all the things the town needs. And Rue specifically says, we're asking for help. We're asking the state and the national level to help us pay for things. Like translation services. That's costing us a lot. We're getting 2.5 million from the Governor to help us over the next 2 years with medical services, and that's a help.

If that's not saying they've had to use city taxes, I don't know what would say it more clearly.

Everything said in this interview was a complete lie. There were no threats of violence, there were no Proud Boys, there were no bomb threats. They evacuated children as theater. It was invented by DeWine Syndicate to ilk more money from the federal taxpayer and so Rob Rue could invoke emergency powers (which he has ZERO authority to do) which would prevent Trump from coming. None of this was talked about until Trump said he would visit.

Anderson Cooper asked, "What are you hearing from constituents, including the Haitian constituents?" Again, just lies. A constituent is a member of a constituency, which is a a body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.