Dayton City Commission Meeting: July 23, 2025 – Hospital Ballot Initiative Fails
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Dayton City Commission Meeting: July 23, 2025
The Dayton City Commission convened on July 23, 2025, for a regular meeting that included public comments, a presentation on property fraud prevention, and several legislative actions. The most significant item was a vote on a proposed ballot initiative to create a public hospital in West Dayton, which failed to advance due to a 2-2 vote with one abstention.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Bishop Richard Cox (1453 Liskum Drive, Dayton) urged the commission to allow voters to decide on the public hospital ballot initiative, emphasizing the need for healthcare access for the disabled, indigent, and underinsured. He called on commissioners to "walk with the citizens" and pass the initiative.
- Kathleen Gauld (5066 Safeway Drive, Dayton) reported that the coalition collected 5,500 signatures (6% of registered voters, 4.5% of city residents) and noted community fear of retribution for participating in city government. She urged the commission to put the initiative on the ballot.
- Pastor Rodney Carter spoke in support of the hospital initiative, also referencing a separate project in East Dayton and commending Commissioner Shaw for calling previous healthcare disparities "discrimination." He invoked former Mayor James H. McGee as a model of conscience-driven leadership.
- Sue Sutton (10 Wilmington Place, Dayton), a retired nurse practitioner, shared her positive experience at St. Elizabeth Hospital and emphasized racial disparities in chronic illness outcomes, urging passage of the ballot measure.
- Sarah Moore (507 Ruby Throat Lane, Clayton) raised concerns about misconduct at Greater Dayton Premier Management (GDPM), alleging illegal retaliation after she reported a landlord for pesticide misuse. She stated that GDPM certified fraudulent rent increases and that the city’s Ombudsman helped reinstate her voucher, but she remains in housing limbo.
- David Woods (3230 Lake Avenue) described personal grievances against Kettering Memorial Hospital and Inglewood police, alleging mistreatment of his father. He praised the mayor and city commission for their work.
- Nancy Keel (309 Hacker, Dayton) clarified the hospital vote outcome (2-2, one abstention) and announced that the coalition will begin collecting 1,250 valid signatures over 20 days (July 24–August 11) to force the initiative onto the ballot via a second petition process.
Discussion Items
- Public Hospital Ballot Initiative: The commission considered the clerk’s amended report on the citizen initiative petition for a public hospital. After public comments, the commission voted on the report (passed 4-0-1, with Commissioner Fairchild abstaining). Then, a motion to submit the ordinance to the electors (a proposed 1-mil tax levy for building and operating a public hospital in West Dayton) failed: Mayor Mims and Commissioner Turner Sloss voted yes; Commissioners Joseph and Shaw voted no; Commissioner Fairchild abstained. The initiative will not appear on the ballot at this time.
- Presentation on Fraud Alert and Property Programs: Kate Baker, Program Coordinator for the Montgomery County Recorder’s Office, presented on deed fraud, the free Fraud Alert Notification system, Transfer on Death deeds, and a Veteran’s ID card program. She urged the city to enroll its properties and share the information.
- Dayton Energy Collaborative Grant: Leela Klein, Bloomberg Innovation Team Director, presented a $1.68 million AES disadvantaged communities grant to the Dayton Energy Collaborative over three years. The funds will double resident support staff, provide gap funding for home repairs, pilot a tenant program, and support a contractor database. The grant was part of the city manager’s recommendations.
- Special Improvement District Renewal: The city manager highlighted items 7 and 9, which renew the Downtown Dayton Special Improvement District for 2026–2030. The legislation was passed as an emergency.
Key Outcomes
- Public Hospital Ballot Initiative: The commission voted 2-2 (with one abstention) against submitting the ordinance to the electors, so the initiative failed to advance. The clerk’s amended report had been approved earlier (4-0-1). Citizens will now pursue a second petition drive requiring 1,250 valid signatures within 20 days.
- City Manager’s Recommendations: Approved unanimously, including the $75,000 WestCare grant for East End Youth Development, the $1.68 million Dayton Energy Collaborative grant, and the Special Improvement District renewal.
- Legislation:
- Emergency resolution 6876-25 (authorizing the city manager to sign the SID petition) passed unanimously on first and second readings.
- Resolution 6877-25 (honorarily naming Gettysburg Park as Joshua Dunbar Park for two years) passed.
- Resolution 6875-25 (declaring intent to appropriate property for Salem Avenue Reconstruction Phase 4) passed.
- Minutes: Minutes from the July 16, 2025, meeting were approved.
- Upcoming: A housing work session immediately after the meeting. The next petition signature collection begins July 24 and runs through August 11, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
The Dame City Commission mean we now come to order. Please rise for the location. We may stand for the place of allegiance. This morning, the uh invocation will be given by Commissioner Charles Laws. Thank you, Mayor. Could you all please bow your heads with me this morning? We thank you for this day. We ask that you continue to lead us, guide us, bless us with discernment, wisdom, and understanding. Help us to lead with your with our hearts and under your will, and your hunt holy name we pray. Amen. Okay, may have a motion then to move into uh executive session. I move that the city commission convene into an executive session to discuss pending or imminent court action. Okay, we'll probably move in second to move to executive session. Uh roll call, please. I don't think it's appropriate for me to even vote on this motion to go into executive session. Okay. Shaw. Okay. Okay. So we'll be going to executive session, and uh we'll return right back in this room when we finish. I moved that the city commission adjourned from executive session and continue with the meeting. All in favor say I'll post it no. Mayor. I've been directed. Well, the commission has asked that I call forwards uh citizens who want to speak in regard to the public hospital. That is correct. All right. Okay. I would like to state that there is a three minute time limit as you address this commission. We ask that you state your name and address for the record. At that time, I will turn on the green light. When the green light comes on, you will have three minutes to speak. After you have spoken two and a half minutes, a yellow light will come on, you will have 30 seconds remaining to speak. When the red light comes on, you will be asked to cease your comments and to take your seat. To the audience in attendance, please be mindful. This is a business meeting, and we kindly request that during this portion of the meeting you refrain from any hand clapping, finger snapping, and conversations that will prevent the city commission from hearing the speaker's comments. I call to the podium Bishop Richard Cox. Good morning. I'm here standing. Name and address 1453 Liskum Drive, Dayton, Ohio. You may begin. All right. I'm here standing before you again to urge you to take a realistic look at what the clergy community coalition has done and the citizens who signed the ballot initiative have presented to you. We trusted you enough to elect you as elected officials to represent the citizens in the Dayton community. We hope that you would trust us enough to walk with us to eradicate our presently health care situation that they currently exist here in the city of Dayton. We're coming before you representing not only disabled, not only people who are indigent, not only people who are poor, but people who have inadequate health insurance. That it is this could work in other cities with elected officials behind it. It can work here in Dayton, Ohio. We've worked hard. We love Dayton as much as you do.
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