Gahanna Charter Review Commission Meeting - March 17, 2026

Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript list the meeting date as March 12, 2026, but the summary uses the date provided in the instruction (March 17, 2026). The meeting was originally scheduled for March 12, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The commission discussed a workplan framework, heard presentations from Mayor Jadwin and staff on proposed charter amendments, and addressed procedural matters regarding proposal inventory management.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the February 26, 2026, regular meeting were approved unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke. Chair Barnhardt opened and closed public comment after no speaker slips were submitted.

Discussion Items

• Workplan and Prioritization Framework: Chair Barnhardt presented an updated draft framework that included a scoring criterion for strategic plan alignment. Commissioner Mularski recommended the commission not wait until the end to address all issues, suggesting earlier evaluation. Vice Chair Wester asked if the framework would allow evaluation as early as April; Chair Barnhardt explained that the commission needed to complete public engagement first. City Attorney Tamilarasan confirmed that if deliberation and prioritization concluded by April 23, she could provide draft language by May 7, with final language by May 21. Commissioner Belisle supported the timeline. The motion to adopt the framework carried 6-1, with Commissioner Mularski opposed.
• Upcoming Meeting Calendar: Chair Barnhardt reviewed the schedule: March 26 invited guests include Councilmember Schnetzer, Ken Shepard (Parks and Recreation), Heyna Deepa Patel (CRA Housing Council), and Sarah Pollyea (Planning Commission). April 9 guests include Councilmember Bowers and Heyna Deepa Patel. Commissioners were invited to suggest additional guests.
• Public Engagement Process: Chair Barnhardt reported that Director Vollmer is arranging video promotions, and city staff have posted social media content. He invited additional ideas to strengthen engagement.
• Presentation from Mayor Jadwin and Staff: The administration presented four charter amendment proposals. Senior Director Miranda Vollmer led the presentation, supported by Planning Director Michael Blackford and Mayor Jadwin.
  • Strategic Plan Requirement (Article III, Section 3.04): The administration proposed requiring the Mayor to prepare a strategic plan with public comment, an annual progress report, and periodic updates submitted to Council. Example language from Bexley was referenced. Mayor Jadwin noted that the plan would be separate from the State of the City address but could incorporate its reporting. Discussion covered timing, cost (estimated $100,000 to $250,000+), and the need to avoid requiring a full rewrite every five years. City Attorney Tamilarasan cautioned that language should acknowledge the existing plan to avoid forcing recreation. Chair Barnhardt suggested a five-year update requirement with flexibility for extenuating circumstances.
  • Public Notice Cleanup (Article IV, Section 4.13): The administration recommended removing the requirement to post notices in the municipal building, as the city now uses other means (e.g., website). Chair Barnhardt noted other code references to newspaper notices that might also need updating.
  • Department Cleanup (Article V): The administration proposed revising Sections 5.01 and 5.02 to better define administrative functions instead of listing specific departments, and removing Sections 5.04-5.11 (with potential retention of public safety language in Section 5.12). This continues the 2021 amendment's intent to give the Mayor flexibility. Commissioner Mularski questioned what "better define" meant; Vollmer explained the redline language would list functions (finance, HR, IT, etc.) rather than department titles. Commissioner Hill asked where department definitions would reside; Mayor Jadwin said functions would be preserved. Vice Chair Wester characterized this as administrative cleanup. The commission generally agreed it was an administrative matter.
  • Deletion of Board of Zoning and Building Appeals (BZBA) (Article XII): The administration recommended removing BZBA entirely, citing infrequent meetings, low case numbers (filed vs. heard), and the board's limited role (mainly appeals from Planning Commission). Planning Director Blackford stated that 12 reviewed communities (including Upper Arlington, which has no BZBA) do not operate like Gahanna. Vice Chair Wester confirmed the board is paid per meeting and that cases filed are lower than heard. Commissioner Hill asked for actual heard cases data. City Attorney Tamilarasan noted that BZBA's charter jurisdiction covers exceptions to zoning, building, and landscaping ordinances, not just Planning Commission appeals. She recommended that if BZBA is removed, the Planning Commission's scope be broadened to handle those rare exceptions. Planning Director Blackford agreed that the Planning Commission could absorb that authority easily.
• Proposal Inventory Review: Chair Barnhardt led a discussion on how to manage correspondence and proposals in the shared drive. Commissioner Mularski raised a concern about an email from Council President Trenton Weaver that was added to the proposal file. Vice Chair Wester felt it was more of a public comment. City Attorney Tamilarasan cautioned against rigid categorization, noting that proposals can come in many forms. The commission agreed to maintain two folders: one for actual proposals (e.g., amendment language, redlines, presentations) and one for correspondence offering substantive input. Clerk VanMeter will implement this going forward.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Workplan and Prioritization Framework (6-1): The framework was approved, with Commissioner Mularski voting no. The timeline allows for deliberation and prioritization after the April 9 meeting, with drafting by May 7 and final language by May 21.
• Administration Proposals to be Documented: Chair Barnhardt requested that the administration's PowerPoint be uploaded to the proposal drive. Redline language for the Article V cleanup and other proposals will be provided by Senior Director Vollmer early the following week.
• BZBA Discussion Continues: Staff will provide data on actual BZBA cases heard. The commission will consider the City Attorney's recommendation to broaden Planning Commission authority if BZBA is removed.
• Correspondence Management: The commission directed the Clerk to create separate Legistar files for proposals and correspondence to improve transparency and organization.
• Future Agenda Items: Commissioner Mularski asked the City Attorney to review Section 10.03 regarding the City Attorney's role in preparing contracts, suggesting it should say "review" instead of "prepare." Commissioner Reynolds requested timely distribution of redlines.