Dayton City Commission Meeting - August 20, 2026

The Dayton City Commission met on August 20, 2026, with Mayor Shanice Turner Sloss presiding, Commissioners Joseph, Fairchild, and Beckham present, and Commissioner Shaw excused. The meeting opened with invocation, pledge, roll call, approval of minutes, and excused absence. The commission reviewed city manager recommendations, heard public testimony, passed legislation including an emergency zoning amendment and a resolution urging protection of health care and food access, and received a special presentation on the Academy for Thriving Communities.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner Shaw passed unanimously.
• Minutes of the August 12, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

First Round – Calendar Items (8 speakers)

• Ebony Hastings criticized the $567,952 consultant contract for a health insurance opt-out program that only enrolled three participants, calling for transparency on budget shortfalls and downtown investment disparities. She demanded a Cargill transition plan and dollar-for-dollar neighborhood investment.
• Rodney Stark opposed tax abatements that he said shortfall Dayton Public Schools, citing a three million dollar deficit, and criticized a proposed hotel utilization tax.
• Sandra Lewis (Amos BWHI Dayton) thanked the commission for the health care resolution, noting over 100,000 Montgomery County residents could be affected by federal cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP.
• India Moore supported the health care resolution, sharing her personal experience with Medicaid.
• Alexis Renner (Inspired by Dayton, Black Women's Health Initiative) asked for a unanimous yes vote on the resolution.
• Lynn Lamance raised concerns about housing code enforcement, including lack of translated yard standards, auto repair violations, and warning notices lingering for years.
• Talas Gage spoke critically of the Woe Dogs lease at $407/month for five years, calling it unfair to residents.
• Tara Fox Williams (Amos BWHI) thanked Commissioner Joseph and community partners for bringing the resolution forward.

Second Round – General Public Comments (23 speakers)

• Aaron Ship praised the Westwood Project and Academy for Thriving Communities for addressing litter, blight, and health hazards.
• Ebony Hastings returned to discuss the Cargill transition plan, ARPA spending, and police station funding versus neighborhood needs. She demanded a Tamir Rice resolution and equal investment.
• Rodney Stark criticized federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, blaming local representatives.
• Hillary Lerman connected Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to the military-industrial complex and overseas conflicts.
• Ebony Woodfork shared her positive experience with the Academy for Thriving Communities.
• Yusuf El Zayn asked about city compliance with anti-child labor ordinances and whether they apply to companies tied to governments found responsible for genocide.
• Serenity Jett, a youth participant, spoke about litter and safety issues in her neighborhood.
• Yvonne Carrington urged the commission to address poverty directly, calling it the root of many problems.
• India Moore questioned whether the commission truly cares, citing speed camera signage, the city manager selection process, flock camera transparency, and code enforcement failures.
• Stephanie Cardew detailed an unsolved shooting of her son and three other unsolved homicides in her family, asking for police accountability.
• Alec Johnson criticized capitalist exploitation and proposed worker-owned cooperatives, such as a West Dayton housing cooperative.
• Joyce Probst McAlpine requested an independent investigation into the flock camera data sharing scandal, noting no word on the investigation three and a half months after the commission committed to one.
• Mary Sue Gaminer discussed errors in ALPR technology and concerns about future surveillance expansion.
• Kathleen Kirsch (ABLE) asked each commissioner to commit to an independent flock camera investigation.
• Melissa Bertolo called for an independent investigation to determine who knew about improper data sharing and when, and to cancel the flock contract.
• Lynn Lamance criticized the dysfunction of the commission, city manager performance, and lack of progress on public safety and code enforcement.
• Sharon Screech demanded plain-language explanations of agenda items like the triple-net lease, and criticized the city manager's salary.
• Talas Gage questioned the use of $500,000+ for the Gateway shelter and complained about police harassment and jaywalking tickets.
• Raquel Lowe criticized the city manager's $321,206 salary while homelessness persists.
• Paul Manning shared his experience of a hit-and-run and police mishandling of his case.
• V. Molnar (reading ACLU of Ohio statement) urged permanent suspension and removal of flock cameras, calling them mass surveillance.
• Kelvin Hatter spoke about tenant retaliation at Park Lane Apartments and called for mold and anti-retaliation ordinances.
• Elizer Kotepuri described difficulties with a nuisance property he purchased, despite being willing to fix it up.

Discussion Items

City Manager Recommendations

• Item 2: Contract for health insurance opt-out consultant ($567,952). City Manager Dixtein clarified that the program is paid from restricted health care funds and saves money: three employees saved $400,000; projected 11-13 new enrollments could save $1 million.
• Item 3: Service agreement with Dayton Public Schools for a firefighter EMT to train students. Commissioner Fairchild highlighted the opportunity to grow future firefighters.
• Item 4: Triple-net lease with Woe Dogs LLC at 200 E. Fifth Street for $24,400 over five years ($407/month). City Manager explained the tenant is investing nearly $200,000 in improvements and is responsible for all maintenance, utilities, and exterior upkeep.
• Item B1: Purchase of five commercial mowers for vacant lot maintenance.
• The commission voted unanimously to approve the entire city manager recommendation package.

Special Presentation

• D. Wooding (Westwood Wright CDC) and Fabrizio June (Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission) presented the Academy for Thriving Communities, a seven-month program engaging 45 residents on environmental justice. The "Litterbug" campaign was rebooted, and a Neighborhood Environment Action Team (NEET) will continue efforts. Video testimony from participant Rakia Woods was shown. Commissioners thanked participants and expressed support.

Flock Camera Independent Investigation

• Multiple speakers demanded an independent investigation into the police department's data sharing violations. Mayor Turner Sloss confirmed support for an independent investigation, stating the city received four proposals and is reviewing them, with a goal of presenting recommendations to the commission soon. Commissioner Fairchild expressed support and suggested putting options in an informal resolution. Commissioner Beckham also supported it and said the process has begun.

Other Discussion Topics

• Commissioner Beckham raised concerns about nuisance properties ending up on the treasurer's foreclosure lists, asking for a process to prevent that. He also supported proposed mold and anti-retaliation ordinances from ABLE, urging the commission to work on rental protections.
• The mayor provided updates: the Cargill transition plan has not been received; the city is in constant contact. The Tamir Rice legislation (novelty gun lighter prohibition act) is under law department review and may be ready next week.
• The mayor addressed jaywalking enforcement, asking for public education and warnings before ticketing.
• Hospital board appointments: the mayor stated she will appoint the board as per the voter-approved ordinance, and said a public hearing is not required but the board could oversee a nonprofit operator.

Legislation

• Emergency Ordinance 32203-26: Amending the zoning code (Section 150.130.7). Passed 4-0.
• Second Reading Ordinance 32200-26: Vacating an alley east of South Main Street. Passed 4-0.
• Second Reading Ordinance 32201-26: Appropriating property for the Smithville Road Reconstruction Project. Passed 4-0.
• Second Reading Ordinance 3202-26: Appropriating property for the Salem Avenue Reconstruction Project (Phase 5). Passed 4-0.
• Informal Resolution 1017-26: Urging action to protect health care and food access for Dayton residents. Adopted 4-0.
• First Reading of Ordinance 32204-26: Levying special assessments for energy improvement projects was introduced (no vote taken).

Key Outcomes

• Excused absence of Commissioner Shaw; minutes approved.
• City manager recommendations approved unanimously.
• Emergency zoning ordinance and all second-reading ordinances passed 4-0.
• Informal resolution on health care and food access adopted 4-0.
• Independent investigation into flock camera data sharing remains a priority; proposals under review.
• Commission committed to follow up on specific citizen complaints (e.g., Stephanie Cardew’s investigation, nuisance property issues, code enforcement).
• Mayor will move forward with hospital board appointments and continue work on the Tamir Rice resolution.
• Commissioner Beckham directed staff to review nuisance properties on foreclosure lists and consider mold/anti-retaliation ordinances.
• A jaywalking education campaign and warning policy will be explored.