Gahanna City Council Regular Meeting - August 11, 2025
Gahanna City Council Regular Meeting – August 11, 2025
Note: The official meeting date provided for this summary is August 11, 2025, but the agenda, minutes, and transcript all indicate the meeting actually occurred on Monday, July 21, 2025. This discrepancy is noted for accuracy.
The Gahanna City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. Vice President Trenton I. Weaver called the meeting to order, with Councilmember Stephen A. Renner delivering the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Six members were present (Jones, McGregor, Padova, Renner, Schnetzer, Weaver); President Merisa K. Bowers was absent. The meeting adjourned at 7:21 PM, after which the Council immediately proceeded into a Committee of the Whole meeting.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approved: The Council unanimously approved the minutes from the July 7, 2025 regular meeting and the July 10, 2025 special meeting. (Motion by Schnetzer, second by Renner; passed 6–0, with Bowers absent.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- Craig Clawson (566 The Noon Drive, Gahanna) spoke during the Hearing of Visitors. He thanked the Council for pausing the tax abatement for the Velocis warehouse project and commended their diligence. He expressed concern that an 80% tax abatement worth over $3.7 million over 12 years is a serious financial decision with long-term consequences. He questioned the promise of 37 jobs, citing automation and AI risks, and argued that the abatement shifts the tax burden away from businesses onto families, especially since Gahanna raised taxes on residents in 2019. He urged continued scrutiny and called for fair, transparent, and future-ready economic development policies.
Discussion Items
- Swearing-in Ceremony: Director of Public Safety Tim Becker introduced two new personnel. Amber Ramsey was sworn in as Communications Technician II (promotion approved earlier by Council), and Luke Guthrie was sworn in as a Police Officer (joining from Knox County, an experienced deputy). Mayor Jadwin administered the oaths. Both were congratulated by Council and attendees.
- Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) Report (Councilmember Padova): The CIC met July 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM. Highlights included: Uniquely Gahanna arriving in mailboxes; a strategic planning event at Creekside on August 26, 2025; Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) coming to Council in August 2025; planning staff shifting focus to code work due to slow projects; CORA (Creekside Outdoor Refreshment Area) renewal going to Committee of the Whole; and the Johnstown Road annexation moving to the county level. The CIC entered executive session and adjourned shortly after 9:00 AM. Next meeting: August 19, 2025 at 8:00 AM.
- Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) Report (Vice President Weaver): He noted his written MORPC report was attached to the agenda, including attachments from a membership services meeting with Executive Director William Murdock and Membership Services Officer Eileen Leuby, as well as a July legislative update (published before Statehouse actions that week). The MORPC commission will meet again in August 2025.
- Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) Report (Councilmember Padova): The next farmers market is Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at Creekside (4:00–7:00 PM). She also announced the Pelotonia cheering station in Gahanna on August 2, 2025 at 7:30 AM, hosted by Visit Gahanna.
- School Board Report (Councilmember Jones): No update.
- Mayor's Report (Mayor Jadwin): She welcomed the new public safety personnel and highlighted the city’s new in-house street sweeping program, which divides the city into five zones and aims to sweep all roadways three to five times a year (previously contracted at twice a year plus special events). The street sweeper has begun work; a map and projected timelines are available on Gahanna.gov. The program also improves flood prevention and water quality. Upcoming events: Uniquely Gahanna magazine in mailboxes; Gahanna Market on July 23; Pelotonia ride through Gahanna on August 2 (followed by the Capital City Corvette Car Show at Creekside and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra at Headley Park); National Night Out on August 5, 2025 at Headley Park (5:00–8:00 PM), with a dunk tank featuring Mayor Jadwin, Vice President Weaver, and Chief Spence.
- City Attorney's Report (City Attorney Tamilarasan): She reported that the Brookewood Construction v. City of Gahanna litigation in federal court, filed January 2023, has been dismissed. The court granted summary judgment in favor of the city on federal claims and declined to hear state claims. She will update on any appeals; the decision was thorough and favorable to the city.
- Council Comment: Vice President Weaver announced the first-ever Gahanna Lincoln High School (GLHS) Alumni Musical, July 25–27, 2025. He noted that over 60 years of graduating classes are represented among participants. He encouraged ticket purchases at glhsalumnimusical.com. He also reminded members that there is no meeting the following week; the next regular Council meeting is August 4, 2025.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda Approved: Unanimous (6–0).
- Litigation Resolved: The Brookewood Construction lawsuit was dismissed in the city’s favor.
- No Other Votes: No ordinances or resolutions were on the agenda; all other items were informational or reports.
- Next Steps: The Council will reconvene on August 4, 2025. The Committee of the Whole met immediately following this meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Today is Monday, July 21st, 2025. I will 7 o'clock. So I'd like to go ahead and call this meeting of the Gehana City Council to order. We will begin with the invocation and the pledge of allegiance led by Mr. Renner. Everyone can please stand, please. Let us take a moment and to pause and reflect. As we gather in service to our community, may we be guided by the wisdom, humility, and a shared commitment to a common good. Let us listen with open minds and speak with respectful hearts, mindful of the trust, the trust placed in us and those we are called to represent, including those whose voices are not always heard. May remember, may we remember the natural beauty that surrounds us from the steady flow of the big bullnut creek to the trees and the green spaces that offer peace and shelter, and may we be good stewards of these gifts, protecting them for future generations. As we weigh the needs of today with the hopes of tomorrow, may our work strengthen the bonds of trust, promote the fairness, and ensure a healthy, sustainable future for all who call this home with gratitude and opportunity to serve. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right, thank you, Mr. Renner. Mr. Clerk, would you please call the roll? Bowers is absent. Jones. Here. McGregor. Here. Pedova. Here. Renner. Here. Schnitzer. Here. Weaver. Here. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Moving on to Section B. Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda this evening? All right. Seeing none, we will proceed as published. Before we get into our presentations this evening, just a quick reminder that after uh council this evening, we will be immediately proceeding into our meeting of the committee of the whole. So stay tuned. Don't go anywhere. But next we'll move on to presentations, and for this, I will turn things over to Mayor Jadman. Thank you very much. I would invite Director Becker if you would like to kind of set the stage for what we're about to do here. We do have a couple of swearing ins to uh to participate in the good evening, Director Chief. Good evening. Um and thank you. Tonight we have a couple swearings in. So last year, last fall, Chief and I sat in front of you and asked for a new communications technician number two. We went as another supervisor in the radio room.
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