Fairfield City Council Regular Meeting - December 8, 2025

Mayor Mitch Rhodus called the Fairfield City Council regular meeting to order at 7:00 PM on December 8, 2025, at 5350 Pleasant Avenue, Fairfield, Ohio. Councilmembers Besl, Pennington, Kraft, Meyers, Davidson, and Brill were present; Councilmember Paullus was excused on a 6-0 vote. A Council-Manager Briefing on 2026-2027 council assignments with Mayor-elect Steve Miller was held from 6:15 to 6:38 PM. No agenda modifications were offered, and Council voted 6-0 to enter Executive Session after the meeting to discuss employment or compensation of a public employee or official.

Special Presentations

• Environmental Commission chair Vivian Paul presented the 2025 Friends of the Forest Award to the Isaac Walton League for tree planting along the bike trail at Waterworks Park. Fairfield marked its 30th year as a Tree City USA, with more than 3,000 students participating and over $35,000 in urban canopy contributed.
• State Rep. Jennifer Gross presented a legislative commendation to Mayor Rhodus, and Randy Chenault from Sen. Jon Husted's office presented a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Several Council members and community members honored Mayor Rhodus at his final City Council meeting. A Mayor's Youth Commission delegate also thanked Council for the Salt Lake City National League of Cities conference.

Public Comments & Testimony

• 2026 Operating Budget Hearing: Opened at 7:35 PM and closed at 7:38 PM; no public comments were offered. Councilmember Meyers congratulated Finance Director Diana Davenport and staff for a detailed budget review. The live transcript contains a verbal reference to 2027, but the agenda and minutes confirm the hearing was for the 2026 Operating Budget.
• Joint Public Hearing - Minnicks PUD: Opened at 7:38 PM and closed at 8:36 PM with Planning Commission members present. Staff said the applicant proposes a drive-thru on 3.11 acres of the 9.12-acre parcel and 22 homes, or 11 duplexes, on 6.1 acres. Staff stated the project is below the city engineer's threshold for a traffic impact study and recommended a condition requiring residential construction within 36 months, with the residential parcel to be sold to the city for $1 if that deadline is not met. Fred Minnick said the comparable Princeton Road store sees about 38-40 peak-hour trips; John Bayer of Bayer Becker said the project is under the threshold requiring a traffic study. A petition from the owners of the neighboring gas station with 24 pages of signatures was submitted. Staff said simultaneous residential and commercial construction was not practical due to FEMA requirements and the need to partner with a home builder.
• Resident positions in the Minnicks PUD hearing:
  • Paul Calhoun, 4920 Clifford Drive, asked about traffic increases and said Marathon is already a great business there.
  • Ryan Steiner, 430 Connie Court, said the applicant could drag out the project and force the city to buy the property; he opposed the drive-thru but supported the residential portion.
  • Greg Spradling, 5314 Limestone Drive, said turning left from Dorshire Drive is already a nightmare and argued a traffic study should be done.
  • Donald Scott, 174 Cole Drive, called Marathon the neighborhood bodega and supported the deal because the city could receive the property for $1 if residential development did not proceed.
  • Philip Milillo, 5369 Limestone Drive, said a drive-thru directly across from Dorshire made no sense and would put Marathon out of business.
  • Rob Gaskins, 5227 Dee Alva Drive, opposed the Patterson Drive driveway so close to the intersection and Dollar General, questioned the value of low-wage jobs, and doubted the residential portion would be built.
• General Citizen Comments: There were no citizen comments outside the public hearings.

Council Reports & Golf Cart Discussion

• Councilmember Davidson said he would like golf cart legislation brought to Council for open discussion.
• Councilmember Meyers said he is completely opposed to golf carts on streets, citing safety concerns and police enforcement costs.
• Councilmember Pennington said she is also opposed because of safety concerns and reported that leaf pickup was delayed by snow and would continue across the city.
• Law Director Wolterman relayed that Councilmember Paullus is vehemently opposed to golf carts. Councilmember Davidson said he was very discouraged by Councilmember Paullus's email on the topic.
• Councilmember Besl said she remained open-minded to hearing possibilities for golf carts in some residential areas but did not want them on main roads.
• No vote was taken on golf carts.

Old Business

• Patterson Place PUD Ordinance: Council held the second reading of the ordinance approving the revised concept plan and final development plan for the Patterson Place Planned Unit Development pending the Planning Commission's recommendation after its December 10, 2025 meeting.

New Business - Legislation Adopted

All listed legislation was adopted by 6-0 votes after Council suspended second and third readings.

• Ordinance 143-25, Parks & Recreation: Authorized the City Manager to execute a State Capital Grant agreement for the Marsh Lake Trail extension, an 8- to 11-foot-wide asphalt trail of approximately 4,000 feet encircling Marsh Lake and linking to the future Great Miami River Trail.
• Ordinance 144-25, Public Safety: Updated the Traffic and General Offenses Codes to conform with recent state law amendments.
• Ordinance 145-25, Public Utilities: Authorized a real estate exchange agreement with the City of Hamilton and superseded Ordinance 14-25.
• Resolution 15-25, Public Works: Supported continued partnership and development of the National Railroad Partnership Program/Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail application with BCTID and the Ohio Rail Development Commission; staff noted the Sims Road Grade Separation Project would eliminate two hazardous rail crossings.
• Ordinance 146-25, Public Works: Renamed the section of Service Drive between Mack Road and Stockton Station Drive to Stockton Station Drive.
• Ordinance 147-25, Finance: Approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement with International Association of Firefighters Local 4010, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029, with 3%, 3%, and 2% base wage increases and a workweek reduction to an average 50.461 hours with one Kelly Day per month in year three.
• Resolution 16-25, Finance: Adopted a cybersecurity program under Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64; ransom payments would require Council approval.
• Ordinance 148-25, Finance: Adopted 2026 appropriations with estimated expenditures of $103,311,998 and estimated revenues of $118,593,210.
• Ordinance 149-25, Finance: Made supplemental appropriations to reconcile 2025 budget accounts.
• Ordinance 150-25, Finance: Made a $250,000 contractual appropriation for the real estate exchange agreement in Public Utilities.
• Ordinance 151-25, Finance: Made $271,780 in non-contractual appropriations, including $17,122 for traffic signal cabinet replacement, $4,225 for a gutter valve at the Aquatic Center, $22,780 for patio furniture and tables, $8,966 for golf course tree removal, $25,000 for UPS replacements, $4,100 for an awning, $40,000 for multi-factor authentication licensing, $74,900 for emergency storm sewer lining, and $74,687 for fiber optic installation.

Key Outcomes

• The Regular Meeting Minutes of November 24, 2025 were approved as written.
• Councilmember Paullus was excused on a 6-0 vote; the Executive Session request was approved 6-0.
• The Patterson Place PUD ordinance was not adopted; its second reading was held pending Planning Commission recommendation.
• All other listed ordinances and resolutions were adopted 6-0.
• Next meetings: Oath of Office on December 16 at 5:30 PM; Planning Commission will consider Minnicks PUD on December 10 at 6:00 PM; Council meetings are scheduled for January 12 and January 26, 2026. Council recessed to Executive Session at 8:58 PM and adjourned at 9:50 PM.