OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Dayton City Commission Meeting – January 22, 2026

City Commission — Thursday, January 22, 2026
BodyDayton, Ohio
SessionCity Commission
DateThursday, January 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:07:39

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Good evening.

0:06

The Dayton City Commission meeting will now come to order.

0:10

This evening's invocation will be given by Commissioner Joseph.

0:14

Thank you, Mayor.

0:17

Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings.

0:20

Please guide us in our focus on the humble things of life.

0:23

Please grant us wisdom and humility to carry out your will.

0:27

Please help us to continue to reach residents in all parts of the city and to provide encouragement for the days to come.

0:33

Amen.

0:34

Amen.

0:36

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God.

0:56

Ms.

0:57

McClendon, may we please have a roll call?

1:00

Mayor Turner Sloss.

1:01

Aye.

1:02

Commissioners Joseph.

1:03

Aye.

1:04

Shaw.

1:05

Fairchild.

1:06

Aye.

1:06

Beckham.

1:07

Aye.

1:10

May I please have a motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner Shaw?

1:15

So moved, Your Honor.

1:16

Second the motion, Your Honor.

1:19

It has been properly moved and seconded to excuse the absence of Commissioner Shaw.

1:24

All in favor say aye.

1:26

Aye.

1:26

All opposed say no.

1:28

May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the January the 14th, 2026 meeting?

1:34

So move your Honor.

1:35

Second the motion, Your Honor.

1:37

It has been properly moved and second to approve the minutes of the January the 14th, 2026 meeting.

1:42

All in favor say aye.

1:43

Aye.

1:44

All opposed say no.

1:46

Ms.

1:47

McClendon, are there any communications or petitions?

1:50

There are none, Your Honor.

1:53

There are no presentations this evening.

1:56

Ms.

1:56

McClendon, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this evening?

2:02

There are none, Your Honor.

2:04

Thank you, Ms.

2:04

McClendon.

2:06

Ms.

2:06

Lofton, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this evening?

2:12

Your Honor, uh, while I have no additions or deletions to uh this evening's calendar, I would like to highlight items A3 and B4, which are two important agreements that demonstrate our commitment to supporting the professional and personal well-being of our city employees.

2:29

A three is a professional service agreement with Spee Space Creator LLC for $105,000 or $52,000 and $500 annually for two years.

2:41

Um 1231 2027.

2:45

And the purpose of this agreement is to provide consulting services that improve organizational culture within the police department.

2:53

This includes leadership development programming, curriculum design, cohort facilitation, and continuing education under the From Line to Leader program that has been instituted in the police department.

3:04

And of course, these efforts aim to strengthen the leadership skills, primarily of the supervisors in the police department, enhance retention, and foster a positive work environment.

3:15

And item B4 is with Premier Community Health.

3:19

Uh it's our employee assistance program and substance abuse uh services.

3:24

And this is for a $350,000 or $75,000 annually over five years.

3:32

Uh and the term ends December 31st, 2030.

3:35

And again, this is to continue providing confidential counseling, critical incident response, and substance abuse professional services for our employees and their families.

3:47

These resources help address personal challenges, promote mental health, and ensure compliance with all of our federal standards.

3:54

And why does this all matter?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████████████████26%
Public Safety███████████████████19%
Procedural██████████10%
Community Engagement████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Immigration Policy███████7%
International Relations█████5%
Racial Equity█████5%
Workforce Development████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Dayton City Commission Meeting – January 22, 2026

The Dayton City Commission convened on the evening of January 21, 2026 (continuing into January 22) to address routine approvals, hold a public hearing on the 2026 budget, and hear from eight citizens. The meeting included the appointment of a member to the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority and highlighted investments in employee wellness and police culture.

Consent Calendar

  • The absence of Commissioner Shaw was excused. Minutes of the January 14, 2026 meeting were approved.
  • City Manager Lofton presented two agreements: (A3) a professional service agreement with Spee Space Creator LLC for $105,000 ($52,500 annually for two years) to provide consulting for police department leadership development under the From Line to Leader program; and (B4) an agreement with Premier Community Health for the Employee Assistance Program and substance abuse services at $350,000 ($75,000 annually for five years). Both were approved as part of the city manager's recommendation.

Board Appointment

  • Resolution 6915-26: Appointing a member to the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority. First reading declared an emergency; second reading passed unanimously (Mayor Turner Sloss, Commissioners Joseph, Fairchild, Beckham all ayes). Mayor moved to appoint Colle Ryan (also referred to as Colleen Hunt in the transcript – name discrepancy) for a term ending December 31, 2029. Motion approved.

Public Hearing on the 2026 Budget

  • City Manager Lofton and Budget Director Abby Patel Jones presented the proposed 2026 budget, built on a policy budget framework. The general fund relies on $14.8 million in one-time sources: health insurance holiday ($1.5M), FEMA tornado reimbursement ($1.3M), ARPA interest earnings ($5M), use of cash reserve ($4M), budget cuts ($800K), reduced investments ($450K), fringe rate savings ($600K), unclaimed funds ($300K), and new revenue ($900K). The total appropriation exceeds $1 billion (governmental funds $370M plus special revenue, debt service, capital projects, and permanent funds). The budget supports youth activities, housing stability, violence prevention, public safety, and neighborhood revitalization.
  • No citizens registered to speak on the budget. The appropriation will be published in the Dayton Daily News on February 8, with first reading on February 18 and second reading on February 25; effective 30 days after second reading (March 27).
  • Commissioner Fairchild asked about evaluation of policy outcomes relative to spending. Staff noted that the annual performance measures report for 2025 will be finalized in March. Fairchild requested improvement in linking spending to outcomes.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kevin Moore (1442 Philadelphia Dr.) – Veteran; urged the city to repurpose the former military base at 14 Gettysburg for veteran services such as an incubator or VA center. Mayor requested staff follow-up.
  • Kathleen Galt (5066 Safeway Dr.) – Celebrated passage of hospital Issue 9; asked commissioners to meet with former and current leaders of Concerned Citizens of the CC (CCC) to discuss governing board recommendations. Expressed concern that safety initiatives should be directed at highest-crime neighborhoods, not just downtown.
  • Cairo Wood – Delivered lengthy, disjointed remarks claiming supernatural abilities to control world events. No actionable item.
  • Paul Carrigan (1525 Pershing Blvd.) – Presented traffic data from a city black box showing 9,520 vehicles in two weeks on Pershing Blvd. and threshold violations of 10 mph over the 25 mph limit. Requested traffic calming measures, noting a flawed prior petition process. Mayor stated staff recommendations would be revisited.
  • Paula Humphrey (201 West Fairview Ave.) – Represented elderly residents of the North Main Street corridor; described decades of blight, crime, and lack of response. Urged continued attention and accountability.
  • (Speaker Mr. Wattenza) – Expressed fear of ICE agents targeting individuals with African names; asked what police will do to protect Fourth Amendment rights. Lt. Col. Henderson responded that federal agents are outside city control but Dayton police protect all victims regardless of status and do not ask citizenship. Mayor thanked the speaker.
  • Greg West (1320 Kingsley Ave.) – Announced recruitment for apprenticeship programs (CEMA Masons) and a partnership with Felons What the Future and Wesley Community Center for construction training. Provided contact information.
  • Veronica White (250 Allen St., Apt. W119) – Reported repeated unlawful entries by landlord and theft; police failed to file reports. Requested investigation. Lt. Col. Henderson and Ms. Lofton promised follow-up.

Discussion Items

  • Commissioner Beckham expressed support for violence intervention funding in the proposed budget and clarified that Congressman Turner’s downtown safety recommendations are unfunded proposals, not yet allocated.
  • Commissioner Fairchild encouraged attendance at the Silos event (Jan 22) and reflected on Martin Luther King Jr. legacy, expressing concerns about threats to constitutional rights (Fourth and First Amendments) nationally and urging accountability for elected officials.
  • Commissioner Joseph congratulated the city on achieving silver-level Bloomberg What Works Cities Certification, citing the Mediation Response Unit’s 98% resolution rate for over 7,200 nonviolent 911 calls since 2022. He thanked city employees and acknowledged Paula Humphrey’s advocacy for North Main Street, noting demolition and street improvements in that corridor.
  • Mayor echoed colleagues, thanked city staff, and announced upcoming programs: Back to Basics for Teens (Jan 22–Feb 26), Local Food Tuesday (Feb 17), and VITA free tax preparation (starting Jan 24).

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar and city manager’s recommendations approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 6915-26 (Convention Facilities Authority appointment) approved; Colle Ryan/Colleen Hunt appointed.
  • 2026 budget public hearing held; formal adoption schedule set: publication Feb 8, readings Feb 18 and 25, effective Mar 27.
  • Staff will follow up on veteran property (14 Gettysburg), Pershing Blvd. traffic concerns, and Veronica White’s housing complaint.
  • Lt. Col. Henderson confirmed that Dayton police do not inquire about citizenship when responding to incidents.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. The Dayton City Commission meeting will now come to order. This evening's invocation will be given by Commissioner Joseph. Thank you, Mayor. Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings. Please guide us in our focus on the humble things of life. Please grant us wisdom and humility to carry out your will. Please help us to continue to reach residents in all parts of the city and to provide encouragement for the days to come. Amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God. Ms. McClendon, may we please have a roll call? Mayor Turner Sloss. Aye. Commissioners Joseph. Aye. Shaw. Fairchild. Aye. Beckham. Aye. May I please have a motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner Shaw? So moved, Your Honor. Second the motion, Your Honor. It has been properly moved and seconded to excuse the absence of Commissioner Shaw. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say no. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the January the 14th, 2026 meeting? So move your Honor. Second the motion, Your Honor. It has been properly moved and second to approve the minutes of the January the 14th, 2026 meeting. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say no. Ms. McClendon, are there any communications or petitions? There are none, Your Honor. There are no presentations this evening. Ms. McClendon, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this evening? There are none, Your Honor. Thank you, Ms. McClendon. Ms. Lofton, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this evening? Your Honor, uh, while I have no additions or deletions to uh this evening's calendar, I would like to highlight items A3 and B4, which are two important agreements that demonstrate our commitment to supporting the professional and personal well-being of our city employees. A three is a professional service agreement with Spee Space Creator LLC for $105,000 or $52,000 and $500 annually for two years. Um 1231 2027.

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