We noticed workshop meeting of Hudson City Council held in accordance with the sunshine laws of the state of Ohio, Section 121.22 and the City of Hudson Charter, Article 3, Section 3.02 for Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024.

Council President Foster is absent tonight, so per ordinance 220.031 titled Workshop Meetings and Item C.

I would now like to turn the meeting over to Council President Pro Temp Sutton so as to continue through the remaining workshop agenda items.

Council President Pro Temp Sutton, the floor and workshop meeting is yours.

Thank you.

So item two is correspondence and council comments.

Does anyone have anything?

I saw Karen's hand go up first.

So thank you.

BZBA met last Thursday.

There were three cases on the agenda.

Uh two of which involved non-conforming structures, additions to non-conforming structures, and so they were both requesting variances to setbacks.

And it was determined or after some actually went into an executive session to make sure they understood.

But based on code language, um if the addition or the request or the structure, you know, it has a grandfather clause.

So long as the enlargement will not interfere with the operation of conforming uses in the district or with circulation of on adjacent public streets.

And the enlarged structure will cause no greater adverse impact on surrounding properties than did the original conforming structures.

Long as those two criteria are met, they don't really need a and so both of those requests were you know, motion was made to approve them based on these two criteria.

Um the third was request for a forward facing garage on College Street, and that was passed as well.

And that is all I have.

Thank you.

I think I saw your hand too, Patricia.

Go ahead.

Um I have a letter from Mr.

Andrew Myers.

Uh it's about velocity, and he asked if I would read it into the um council comments.

So, dear council president Foster and members of the City Council.

I recently received a survey about Hudson's Velocity Internet and wanted to directly express my support for expanding the service area to more residential areas.

In July, my family and I moved into Hudson Ward 1 from Ashland.

We came here for the great schools, community values, and quality of life, and have found the change to be such an incredible and welcoming experience.

My sole disappointment and frustration has been the lack of sufficient high-speed internet options.

I work in the media and technology industry as a film producer and a distributor, and I work from home three days a week.

Much of my work involves uploading and downloading extremely large video files where connection speed is of the essence.

The fiber internet connection at my previous home in Ashland could upload files at 25 times the speed of my current maximum gigabyte plan from Spectrum.

This matters.

It means that a file I would previously spend an hour uploading now takes more than 24 hours, even if it completes in the first place.

It means that on a deadline, I need to drive 60 miles to my office in Ashland to get certain work tasks done at all.

In a city so attractive to young professionals, and in a period where tech workers need to be able to handle larger and larger data sets, Hudson's investments in internet infrastructure will significantly impact many of our lives on a daily basis.

Sincerely, Andrew Myers.

Okay.

Nicole, anything before I go left.

Thank you.

Um so this is a reminder to everyone that next Wednesday, um October 30th, starting at 6 p.m., I have a open forum at the Hudson Library and Historical Society, and that will be in the North Flood Room, which I think everybody is pretty used to, because that's typically where I do hold them.

So I'm looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Additionally, I do have something I would like to read.

So last week, this council voted six to two affirmatively to censure me.

I've spent the past two years defending my reputation, trying to clear my name of the initial false allegations that were made against me, but that is not what I want to focus on.

Chapter 220.03 rules, section F of the Hudson Codified Ordinances states the procedures and deliberations of council, except as otherwise provided by the charter or an ordinance of council shall be governed and controlled by the provisions of the most current revised edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Under Section 3.13 of the charter, it states the council shall be the judge of the qualifications of its own members as defined in Section 7.04.

The council shall also be the judge of the conduct of its own members.

This power of self-rule of our governing body combined with the directive to turn to Robert's rules of order when a process is not defined by our charter or codified ordinances, is what has been cited as the conversation of censure has come up over the past two years, as what enables this council to confer disciplinary procedures not prescribed by either of our city's two guiding documents.

And as a reminder, in those guiding documents, there is only a procedure for removal of a member, not one for censure.

There has been much talk in the days following the censure, focused on parliamentary procedure.

And since the censure, I have turned to Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised 12th edition, to fill in gaps and answer many questions I had coming out of the meeting.

In chapter 20, section 61 subsection 5, it states that cases of conduct subject to disciplinary action divide themselves into two sections, offenses occurring in a meeting, and offenses by members outside of a meeting.

Section 61 subsection 22 further elaborates on this, which I would like to read in full.

So offenses elsewhere than in a meeting, trials.

If improper conduct by a member of a society occurs elsewhere than at a meeting, the members generally have no firsthand knowledge of the case.

Therefore, if disciplinary action is to be taken, charges must be preferred and a formal trial held before the assembly of the society or before a committee, standing or special, which is then required to report its findings and recommendations to the assembly for action.

In addition, even when improper conduct occurs at a meeting, in order for disciplinary action to be taken other than promptly after the breach occurs, which by the way is one of the only instances in which a motion for censure can be made without a formal trial or hearing, charges must be preferred and a formal trial held.

Section 63 titled Investigation and Trial further elaborates on this concept.