Dayton City Commission Meeting March 5, 2026: Budget, Transparency, and Amy Walbridge Honor
Dayton City Commission Meeting - March 5, 2026
The Dayton City Commission met on March 5, 2026, to conduct routine business, including approving minutes and ordinances, appointing members to the Dayton Sister City Committee, and hearing public comments. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a detailed presentation by Deputy City Manager Shea Lofton on the use of the city manager's increased spending authority ($50,000), which had been raised from $10,000 in 2024. Multiple residents spoke, urging greater transparency, a formal performance evaluation for the city manager, and the passage of a resolution condemning U.S. military actions in Venezuela and Iran. The commission also honorarily renamed a section of Madison Street after the late Amy C. Walbridge.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approved: The minutes from the February 25, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.
- City Manager's Recommendations: Approved unanimously (voice vote).
- Legislation (Second Reading): Emergency ordinance 32178-26 authorizing the purchase of real estate (parcels R72-00806-0001, R72-0806-0002, R720806-0003, and R72-00806-0009) passed with four votes in favor (Mayor Turner Sloss, Commissioners Joseph and Beckham) and one abstention (Commissioner Shaw).
- First Readings: Ordinance 32179-26 (vacating an alley south of St. Charles Avenue), Resolution 6920-26 (authorizing up to $4 million in EPA grants for water quality upgrades), and Resolution 6921-26 (honorarily naming Madison Street between First and Third Streets as Amy C. Walbridge Way for two years) were introduced.
- Board Appointments: Kathleen Caffrey and Aldean Fafulovich were appointed to the Dayton Sister City Committee for a term ending December 31, 2028 (vote: unanimous voice vote).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Logan Martinez (Greater Dayton Peace Coalition) urged the commission to pass a resolution condemning U.S. airstrikes in Venezuela and Iran, arguing that Dayton has a history of speaking out for peace (e.g., anti-apartheid resolution). He stated the attacks are "making war" and called for the release of President Maduro.
- Christina Cowan (Attorney, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality / ABLE) called for increased transparency regarding contracts approved under the city manager's $50,000 spending authority, and for a formal performance evaluation of the city manager by an independent third party. She argued that "silence can be interpreted as opposition."
- Yusef Hazin spoke about the human cost of war globally and locally, linking billions spent on military action to local needs like housing, healthcare, and food insecurity.
- Destiny Brown echoed calls for transparency and an independent evaluation, noting that Commissioner Fairchild and Mayor Sloss have expressed support, while Commissioner Shaw and Joseph were silent. She asked for a clear stance from Commissioner Beckham.
- Alice Wood (domestic violence survivor) also requested an independent third-party facilitator for the city manager's evaluation and that all contracts be made publicly visible.
- Azale Fitz (student, social welfare policy class) recommended funding for arts and art therapy programs in schools and corrections to address underlying causes of crime, citing recidivism rates dropping from 60% to 3% with art-based rehabilitation.
- Kevin Moore urged the city to repurpose the building at 14 Gettysburg Ave. into a veteran center, incubator, or community anchor, calling it a cost-effective opportunity and a "soldier being left behind."
- Sue Sutton (Greater Dayton Peace Coalition) read a letter asking the commission to adopt a resolution condemning the U.S. kidnapping of President Maduro and calling for diplomatic de-escalation.
- Hilary Lerman also spoke in support of the peace resolution, citing the bombing of a school in Iran and the broader pattern of war.
- Bishop Richard Cox (Clergy Community Coalition) demanded immediate, public evaluation of the city manager and disclosure of minority contracts: "Cut us in or cut it out."
- Kiana Bickham (Committee Village) supported independent evaluation and public disclosure of all manager-approved contracts.
- Rochelle Hewlin raised safety concerns about snow removal at bus stops near Ponitz High School on Edwin C. Moses Blvd, the condition of the Northwest Shopping Center parking lot, and potholes on Gettysburg and Little Richmond Road.
Discussion Items
- Amy C. Walbridge Way Renaming: City Manager Dixtein introduced Resolution 6921-26 to rename a section of Madison Street after Amy C. Walbridge, a longtime city employee who passed away nearly a year ago. Commissioners Beckham, Fairchild, Shaw, Joseph, and Mayor Sloss each gave personal tributes, highlighting her collaboration, community building, and impact on Dayton.
- City Manager's Spending Authority: Deputy City Manager Shea Lofton presented an analysis of 223 contracts approved under the new $50,000 spending authority from May 2024 to September 2025. Key data: total value $3.4 million, median $10,000, average $15,000; 179 unique vendors; 80% under $25,000. No contracts were for pet projects; all fell within commission-approved priorities (Justice, Economic Development, Infrastructure, Governance). Oversight layers include competitive bidding (for contracts over $2,500), finance director certification, law department review, anti-splitting rules, annual audits, and bond rating agency scrutiny. Lofton concluded that the data does not support any impropriety.
- Commissioner Discussion: Commissioner Fairchild noted that his request was for transparency, not suspicion, and asked how professional (non-bid) services are handled. Lofton clarified that while not all professional services are bid out, they follow appropriate procurement criteria. Commissioners Joseph, Beckham, Shaw, and Mayor Sloss praised the report's thoroughness, affirmed the policy as a best practice, and requested a regular reporting cadence (e.g., quarterly) and posting the data on the city website. The system upgrade (ERP) was noted to improve future reporting.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Resolution 6921-26 (Amy C. Walbridge Way) passed on first reading.
- Approved: Emergency ordinance 32178-26 (real estate purchase) passed (4-1-0, Shaw abstaining).
- Approved: Board appointments to Dayton Sister City Committee (unanimous).
- No Formal Action: The commission did not vote on a peace resolution regarding Venezuela or Iran. However, Commissioner Joseph suggested exploring a model resolution that could be adaptable, and Commissioner Fairchild indicated the commission is considering the idea.
- No Formal Action on City Manager Evaluation: Instead, Commissioner Fairchild clarified that the commission did complete an evaluation of the city manager in December 2025 for fiscal years 2022–2024 (not for 2025). He and other commissioners acknowledged the need for more structured, regular evaluations with clear expectations, and that the process is under review.
- Next Steps: The city manager's office was asked to establish a regular cadence (e.g., quarterly) for reporting contracts over $50,000 (or all manager-approved contracts) and to post this data on the city website. The commission committed to improving communication about future evaluations.
- Recognition: The commission acknowledged and thanked the many residents who spoke, promising to follow up on specific concerns (e.g., snow removal at Ponitz High School, Northwest Shopping Center conditions, potholes).
Meeting Transcript
The Dayton City Commission meeting will now come to order. Would you all please join me in the invocation as well as the Pledge of Allegiance? And this evening's invocation will be given by Commissioner Beckham. Dear Lord, thank you for this evening. Thank you for uh keeping us and uh protecting us as we came to this meeting today. Continue to lead and guide us as we make uh progress and make decisions for the betterment of this community and continue to protect us all as we do your work in your name we pray. I'm in the United States of America. And to the Republic for which you stand under God, invisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, my dear. Thank you. All right. Ms. Blackshare, may we please have a roll call this evening? Mayor Turner Slaus. Aye. Commissioner Joseph. Aye. Shaw. Aye. Beckham. Aye. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the uh February 25th, 2026 meeting? So moved, second the motion. It has been properly moved and seconded to approve the minutes of the February 25th, 2026 meeting. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say no. Ms. Blackshare, are there any communications or petitions this evening? There are none, Your Honor. Thank you, Ms. Blackshare. Ms. Blackshare, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar? I have none, Your Honor. Thank you. Ms. Dixtein, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this evening? Your Honor, I have no additions or deletions to this evening's calendar. I do have one item to highlight, which is the first reading of resolution number 6921-26. Honorarily naming Madison Street between First Street and Third Street as Amy C. Walbridge Way for a two-year period. Madison Street is the street where the AC Hotel sits. And it was one of the streets that one of the many projects that Amy helped facilitate and get across the finish line in her over 30 years of public service to the city of Dayton. We are coming up close on her one-year anniversary of her death and losing her both in the organization as well as in the community. She worked in neighborhood housing, community, and economic development in those 30 years at the city. She was a staunch collaborator, community builder, and what I always refer to as a professional dot connector. When I needed to know anybody that was connected to anything or anyone, Amy was my go-to girl. So it is with great honor and um bittersweetness that I bring that we bring this forward. As well as Jen Hanauer who helped with this application to bring this forward to you this evening.
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