Dayton City Commission Meeting Summary – October 22, 2025

The Dayton City Commission convened on October 22, 2025, to conduct regular business including roll call, approval of the absence of Commissioner Shaw, ratification of prior minutes, and discussion of several grant agreements and housing initiatives. The commission heard testimony from a concerned citizen regarding traffic safety on Pershing Boulevard and subsequently agreed to review safety data. The meeting concluded with various community announcements, including updates on local festivals, cleanups, and career events.

Consent Calendar

• Absentee Motion: Unanimous approval to excuse Commissioner Shaw from the morning meeting.
• Minutes Approval: Unanimous approval of the minutes from the October 15th meeting.
• Communications: No communications or citizen comments were recorded prior to agenda items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Paul Kerrigan (Resident of 1525 Pershing Boulevard):
  • Expressed strong concern and opposition regarding the lack of traffic calming measures on Pershing Boulevard, describing the section near St. Charles and Marymount as having a steep, blind hill that creates dangerous accident risks.
  • Stated that the street is "infested" with competition quad-runners utilizing loud, high-compression mufflers and noted a perceived lack of police presence in the area.
  • Criticized the city's speed bump petition process, claiming flaws where only "yes" ballots are counted and that many residents receive petition mail but may lose it or fail to respond correctly, suggesting that the 40-41% "yes" support recorded for a nearby bump was insufficient.
  • Invited commissioners to visit the location to witness the danger firsthand.

Discussion Items

• Housing Grant Agreement (Miami Valley Housing Opportunities):

  • Speaker: Ms. Dixteen (Staff Presentation) highlighted the proposal to accept a $2.9 million grant for permanent supportive housing and tenant-based rental assistance for 248 individuals with disabilities, utilizing 2024 HUD funding.
  • Speaker: Commissioner Turner Sloss expressed full support, echoing the staff's comments and noting the city's status as a leading recipient of the continuum of care permanent supportive housing grant.
  • Speaker: Commissioner Joseph expressed full support, crediting the success of the program to years of collaborative data analysis and work between the city, nonprofits, and the county, emphasizing that the initiative has successfully kept 248 individuals and families off the street.
  • Action: Commission unanimously approved the management recommendations.

• FEMA Grant Acceptance:

  • Agenda Item: Authorization to accept a Fiscal Year 2024 Assist to Firefighters grant from FEMA in the amount of $239,971.41 and authorize matching funds of $23,997.15.
  • Action: Commission unanimously approved.

• Transportation Improvement Program:

  • Agenda Item: Second reading resolution to approve submission of grant applications and accept awards from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission under the Transportation Improvement Program.
  • Action: Commission unanimously approved.

• Pershing Boulevard Safety Inquiry (Post-Comment):

  • Speaker: Ms. Dixteen (Staff) responded to Mr. Kerrigan by confirming she would have the Police Departments review safety data for the area. She clarified that the adjacent speed bump petition required two-thirds support and only achieved approximately 40-41% "yes" votes despite door-to-door outreach, indicating adequate participation from the neighborhood.
  • Speaker: Commissioner Sloss acknowledged the safety concerns, commended the staff for the clarification, and expressed interest in reviewing the safety data once available. He also noted his intent to speak with the concerned citizen after the meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Approved unanimously:
  • Excusal of Commissioner Shaw.
  • Minutes from October 15, 2025.
  • $2.9M Grant agreement with Miami Valley Housing Opportunities for 248 housing units.
  • $239,971.41 FEMA Assist to Firefighters grant and matching funds.
  • Resolution approving submission of grant applications and acceptance of awards under the Transportation Improvement Program.
• Directives:
  • Police Department (DPD) to analyze and provide safety data regarding Pershing Boulevard traffic incidents.
• Community Announcements:
  • Commissioner Sloss highlighted Customer Service Appreciation Month and the upcoming Fall Harvest Festival (Oct 25) at Kettering Field.
  • Commissioner Sloss mentioned the 74th NAACP Hall of Freedom Award ceremony.
  • Mayor Mims echoed support for local department participation in the Fall Festival and noted early voting is available for the November 4 election.
  • Commissioner Joseph announced the Old North Dayton neighborhood cleanup for Saturday, Oct 25, at Kiwi and Valley, and highlighted Career Adventures Day (Oct 28-30) for middle school students at the Dayton Metropolitan Library.

Adjournment

• Meeting adjourned with remarks on community pride regarding local cleanups and the importance of youth career exploration.