Gahanna City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - June 17, 2026
Gahanna City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting – June 17, 2026
Note on date: The meeting agenda and minutes list the meeting as Monday, June 15, 2026, but the provided instruction states the meeting took place on June 17, 2026. This summary uses the provided date while noting the discrepancy.
The Committee of the Whole of Gahanna City Council met at 7:29 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. Vice President Jamille Jones chaired the meeting. All members were present except President Trenton Weaver. The agenda was published on June 12, 2026. No additions or corrections were made. The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- RES-0023-2026 (Friendship Park Playground replacement with GameTime): Placed on the consent agenda for July 6, 2026.
- RES-0024-2026 (Ashburnham Park Playground replacement with Midstates Recreation): Placed on the consent agenda for July 6, 2026.
- RES-0022-2026 (Joint resolution and proclamation honoring KyLee Tibbs for back-to-back OHSAA state wrestling championships): Placed on the consent agenda for July 6, 2026.
Discussion Items
- Friendship Park Playground Replacement (RES-0023-2026 and ORD-0022-2026):
- Director of Parks and Recreation Stephania Ferrell presented. The playground will be the fifth replaced since 2021, consistent with the Parks Master Plan. Extensive public engagement included surveys, focus groups with Gahanna-Jefferson educators, and interviews on inclusive play. The design features wider ramps, poured-in-place surfaces, intentional colors, and ground-level play. The playground is fully fenced to prevent elopement. The project received cost reductions through the Ohio Parks and Recreation State Initiative Program and a $25,000 pledge from the Parks and Recreation Foundation (requiring supplemental appropriation ORD-0022-2026 with a waiver of second reading). The current playground was installed in 2007 and is at end of life. Council expressed strong support.
- Ashburnham Park Playground Replacement (RES-0024-2026):
- Director Ferrell explained that this neighborhood playground’s design was informed by nearby residents and adjacent nature play areas/path. The new equipment encourages imaginative play. Installation is anticipated for fall 2026, depending on equipment delivery (8–12 weeks) and weather; Friendship Park requires 50°F for poured surface, while Ashburnham uses engineered wood fiber which is more flexible.
- Community Reinvestment Area Agreement with Deffenbaugh Flex, LLC (ORD-0023-2026):
- Director of Economic Development Jeff Gottke introduced the project: a joint venture between Pioneer Development and Francis Family Investments (owner of Suburban Steel). The proposal is a 35,000 sq. ft. flex office/industrial building on a ~3.9-acre site near Eastgate Parkway and Deffenbaugh Court. The building can accommodate tenant spaces from 8,000 to 35,000 sq. ft., each with office frontage, a loading dock, and a drive-in door. Target tenants include small-scale office, R&D, light manufacturing, contractors, and startups. The project was described as the highest and best use for an overlooked, challenging site. Dave Sells of Pioneer Development noted that current vacancy for this product type is below 3%, indicating strong demand. The proposed CRA agreement offers a 75% property tax abatement for 10 years with a 2-year ramp to reach minimum payroll. The City would receive $4.9 million in new private investment, 18 projected jobs (guaranteed minimum payroll just under $10.5 million over the abatement period), an average annual salary of $55,000 (above the regional average of ~$48,000), and a $1,000 annual contribution to the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). The net positive fiscal impact is over $366,000 over the abatement life. Gottke presented a detailed risk assessment rating the project as highly likely to succeed. Council discussed assignment provisions: administrative approval allowed for mergers or if a buyer meets all original criteria; otherwise, council approval required. Councilmember Bowers and Padova raised concerns about transparency for arm’s-length sales, preferring council review. Gottke noted that the administration is open to adding reporting measures. The applicant signed a confidentiality waiver, allowing public discussion. Councilmember Bowers requested a spreadsheet showing foregone property tax allocation. The school district was notified despite no legal obligation.
- Residential Waste Collection Services Contract with Rumpke of Ohio (ORD-0021-2026):
- Senior Deputy Director Corey Wybensinger presented. The City participates in SWACO Consortium 1 with other central Ohio communities. A five-year contract (Jan. 1, 2027 – Dec. 31, 2031) was bid with no annual increases. Three responsive bids were received; Rumpke was the lowest. The cost increase is $3.68 per household per month ($44.16 annually), keeping rates about 20% below many other communities. The difference between the lowest and second-lowest bid is about $79,000/year ($400,000 over five years). Jake Heffron, Rumpke Municipal Representative, answered questions. Collection days (north of SR 62 on Monday, south on Tuesday) and containers (resident-provided trash, city-provided blue recycling carts, contractor-provided 95-gallon yard waste containers) remain unchanged. Bulk collection remains effectively unlimited with advance notice. Discussion focused on litter from recycling trucks and the contract’s penalty provisions for spills. Rumpke stated they integrate with the City’s Cityworks system to respond to complaints. Councilmember Padova asked about excluding Martin Luther King Jr. Day from collection due to historical significance; Wybensinger agreed to discuss with SWACO and Rumpke. Councilmember Bowers expressed concerns about potential anti-competitive pricing but acknowledged the savings.
- Proclamation for KyLee Tibbs (RES-0022-2026):
- Vice President Jones announced that the joint resolution and proclamation honoring KyLee Tibbs for her second consecutive OHSAA state wrestling championship will be presented at the July 6, 2026 regular meeting.
Key Outcomes
- RES-0023-2026 and RES-0024-2026 placed on the consent agenda for July 6, 2026 vote.
- ORD-0022-2026 (supplemental appropriation for Friendship Park playground) will have first reading with waiver of second reading and vote on the regular agenda on July 6, 2026.
- ORD-0023-2026 (CRA agreement) will have first reading on July 6 and second reading/adoption on July 20, 2026.
- ORD-0021-2026 (waste collection contract) will have first reading on July 6 and second reading on July 20, 2026.
- RES-0022-2026 placed on consent agenda for July 6, 2026.
- Administration will provide an Excel sheet showing foregone property tax allocation and will explore options for MLK Day collection adjustments.
Meeting Transcript
Committee of the whole officially at 729. And for me to flip my notes. All right. We are starting with Parks and Rack. Director Farrell, welcome. Thank you. Good evening. I have three items for you this evening. The first item is a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Play Corps doing business as game time. And this is for the replacement of the Friendship Park Playground. This project, this playground specifically, will be the fifth playground throughout the entire system that has been replaced since 2021. This is consistent with the outcomes that are committed within the Parks Master Plan and also referenced within the Capital Improvement Plan. Zach Guthrie, which is in the audience this evening, he is the project manager for this project and has led an extensive engagement process throughout the entire project. As you know, Friendship Park is one of our most visited parks, not only for just unscheduled visits, but it is a host for one of our largest summer camps, and we also host special events there. So the engagement for this project was necessary and also allowed us to gain some feedback through survey. We held focus groups with the Gehanna Jefferson Educators. We also hosted interviews with individuals who are experienced in inclusive and accessible play. With that feedback, we were able to gain a design that's truly reflective of intentional play for individuals of all needs and interest. Also, throughout the ref the efforts of Zach Grethrie as well as Sean Bach, the management analyst, the project was selected to receive an assistance through the Ohio Parks and Recreation State Initiative Program. And what this is, it's a partnership with GameTime, and it allows funding for large of some of our largest features within the playground to be heavily reduced at cost. The project will be utilizing a cooperative purchase agreement through Omnia for the purchase and installation of the playground. With this, the administration administration is respectfully requesting a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter an agreement with Play Corps. Happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Are there questions? Yeah, Mrs. Pedova. Thank you. Thank you so much for sending over the renderings this afternoon. It was a I was at Friendship Park for a birthday party over the weekend, and it was a hot topic of what did they ever decide? We did the survey, and so there are a lot of people excited about this. The fence does. The um the exhibits are deceiving because of it just allows you to see the imagery of the playground. Okay. Again, through the feedback that we received through focus groups, um, regardless of how old your child is or or age or ability, um there is opportunity for your children to elope. So this way it allows some can some containment and allows um parents, caregivers to enjoy their time uh a little more carefree. Um obviously still in care of their child, but um the fencing allows significant or um a decline in any type of access points. Okay, cool. So that answers my question because on the renderings it looked like there was a weird gate in there that didn't really make sense and it stopped. And so that um that answers my question. And um totally understand having the gate all the way around. I know the um Lyndon Woods inclusive part playground has been a big um hit with all of the different groups that I've been talking to, and one of the biggest reasons is because of the gate because especially if people have you know a two and a four-year-old, or um they don't have to worry so much about one of them getting away when they're turn their back. So it looking at the renderings and um the the points that you just made. I can tell you guys have put a lot of thought in taking a lot of feedback in this. So um I think it will be great and uh well used and everybody will enjoy it. So thank you so much. I think it's noteworthy. Um Blendon Woods uh coordinated with Jeremiah's Jeremiah's corner, um, which is actually um we also coordinated um through the effort to understand truly what makes an inclusive playground. Um we want it to be more than um compliant, we want it to truly be used as an inclusive playground. Yes.
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