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Record of Proceedings

Hudson City Council Meeting - August 19, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, August 19, 2025
BodyHudson, Ohio
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, August 19, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:39:13

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:02

1130.

0:02

We're going to go ahead and get started.

0:06

Hello and welcome everyone.

0:08

We did start early tonight with an executive session to interview applicants for boards and commissions.

0:13

As such, we will now resume our normally scheduled public meeting.

0:16

I would like to take a moment and welcome everyone who is here in attendance tonight, as well as those who may be watching remotely via the HC TV video feed.

0:24

As such, we will resume with section three.

0:27

Would you please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance?

0:32

A pledge of allegiance to the flag.

0:36

And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice.

0:50

Thank you, everyone.

0:51

We'll move on to section four roll call.

0:53

Mrs.

0:54

Wheeler, will you please call the roll?

0:55

Mr.

0:56

Banweg.

0:56

Here.

0:57

Dr.

0:57

Bird.

0:58

Mr.

0:58

Foster.

0:58

Here.

0:59

Dr.

0:59

Getz.

1:00

Here, Mrs.

1:00

Heater.

1:01

Here.

1:01

Mrs.

1:01

Kowalski.

1:02

Here.

1:02

Mr.

1:02

Sutton.

1:03

Here.

1:04

Thank you, Mrs.

1:04

Wheeler.

1:05

We do have a quorum tonight with all seven members of council present.

1:10

As such, we will move on to Section 5, approval of the minutes.

1:15

Item A is number 25-0098, and it will include the August 5th, 2025 meeting and workshop minutes.

1:24

As such, do we have a motion to accept the minutes as provided?

1:28

Move to accept the minutes as provided.

1:30

Thank you, Councillor Banweg.

1:32

Do we have a second?

1:33

Second.

1:33

Thank you, Councillor Heater.

1:34

Is there any discussion on the minutes?

1:38

Councillor Byrd.

1:39

I was not in attendance, so I will be abstaining from the vote.

1:43

Noted.

1:44

Any additional discussion on the minutes.

1:47

Seeing none, Mrs.

1:48

Wheeler, will you please roll call the vote?

1:51

Mr.

1:51

Banweg?

1:52

Yes.

1:53

Dr.

1:53

Bird.

1:54

Mr.

1:54

Foster.

1:55

Yes.

1:56

Dr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety████████████████████████████28%
Government Structure████████████████████20%
Procedural██████████████14%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Zoning Code██████6%
Land Use Regulation██████6%
Public Service Recognition███3%
Gun Regulation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Hudson City Council Meeting - August 19, 2025

The Hudson City Council met on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, beginning with an executive session at 6:30 PM to interview applicants for boards and commissions, followed by a regular meeting at 7:30 PM. The meeting adjourned at 9:09 PM. Key actions included the passage of a controversial concealed weapons ordinance (25-91) as amended, postponement of a zoning change for veterinary facilities, and approval of several consent agenda items.

Consent Calendar

  • Resolution 25-113 (Hudson Drive Waterline Extension) was pulled from the consent agenda and postponed to September 2, 2025, to allow more time for staff review.
  • Resolution 25-114 (Brandywine Creek Watershed Study Update with GPD Group) approved.
  • Resolution 25-115 (Access and Stormwater Easement Agreement with The Country Club of Hudson) approved.
  • Resolution 25-116 (Temporary easements for Downtown Pedestrian Safety Project, declaring an emergency) approved.
  • Resolution 25-117 (Tallgrass energy schedule with American Municipal Power, Inc., declaring an emergency) approved.
  • Ordinance 25-118 (Amending authority for City Manager to set rates for Velocity Broadband residential and commercial customers, declaring an emergency) approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Linda O'Neil (7063 St. Ives Blvd., Chair of Park Board) read a letter expressing the board's displeasure with the proposed Charter amendment to combine Park Board, Tree Commission, and Cemetery Board, arguing it would dilute each body's specific purpose.
  • Dr. Dan Bestic (7608 Yennicook Way, owner of Veterinary Center of Hudson, Bed and Bark, and Dogs with Style) opposed Ordinance 25-92, stating it would prohibit his business expansion, lower property value he purchased in District 2, and urged the city to offer loans or reimbursements.
  • Tracey Mackay (5230 Knollshire Dr., President of League of Women Voters of Hudson) spoke on Ordinance 25-91, recommending that the governing body (City Council) rather than a single individual (Council President) set policy for concealed carry, and highlighted the need for transparency, stakeholder input, training, and liability considerations.
  • Inge Orendt (Hudson Common Dr., member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense) opposed Ordinance 25-91, arguing no reason exists to allow concealed weapons in city public buildings, citing national statistics on gun deaths and urging a no vote.
  • Cynthia Curtin (Judge at Stow Municipal Court) introduced herself after being appointed by Governor DeWine, noting her 35 years of litigation experience and long-time Hudson residency.
  • Dr. Mimi Becker (47 Laurel Lake Dr.) urged Council to postpone the vote on Ordinance 25-91 to consider a range of security options, and also asked city staff to encourage contractors on the Brandywine Creek study to work with large property owners regarding creek contamination.
  • Robert Kagler (65 Manor Dr., former Chair of the 2025 Charter Review Commission) criticized Council's handling of the Charter amendment submission, arguing that Council's duty under the Charter is mandatory to submit the CRC's recommendations to the ballot, and that the August 5th vote (including a no vote and abstention) violated the Charter and oath of office.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance 25-91 (Concealed weapons in government buildings): Council debated amendments. Dr. Bird proposed deleting language allowing a policy to permit concealed carry; the motion failed 3-4. Councilor Kowalski then proposed an amendment limiting concealed carry to elected City of Hudson officials who provide notice to the Chief of Police, City Manager, and Council President, with records classified as security records. That amendment passed 6-1. The final ordinance as amended passed 4-3.
  • Ordinance 25-92 (Boarding kennels and veterinary facilities zoning): Council postponed this item to September 16, 2025, after Councilor Sutton requested time to develop a more balanced amendment. Staff and the City Solicitor supported the September 16th date for legal process reasons. The postponement passed unanimously 7-0.
  • Ordinance 25-119 (Low-speed, utility vehicles, mini-trucks): First reading; no action taken.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 25-91 (Concealed weapons) passed as amended by a vote of 4-3 (Aye: Banweg, Foster, Heater, Sutton; Nay: Bird, Goetz, Kowalski). The amendment allows only elected Hudson officials to carry a concealed handgun in city government buildings after notifying the Chief of Police, City Manager, and Council President.
  • Ordinance 25-92 (Veterinary/boarding kennels zoning) postponed to September 16, 2025 unanimously (7-0) to allow further work on language balancing commercial and residential interests.
  • Resolution 25-113 (Hudson Drive Waterline) postponed to September 2, 2025 unanimously (7-0).
  • Appointments approved unanimously (7-0): George Murray and Linda O'Neil to Park Board (full terms to July 2029); Amy Manko and Andrew Brown to Architectural & Historic Board of Review (full terms to June 2029).
  • Consent Agenda items B through F approved unanimously (7-0).
  • Councilor Kowalski announced she will not seek re-election and endorsed Amanda Weinstein, Samantha Duramo, and Kyle Brezovic for At-Large Council.

Meeting Transcript

1130. We're going to go ahead and get started. Hello and welcome everyone. We did start early tonight with an executive session to interview applicants for boards and commissions. As such, we will now resume our normally scheduled public meeting. I would like to take a moment and welcome everyone who is here in attendance tonight, as well as those who may be watching remotely via the HC TV video feed. As such, we will resume with section three. Would you please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance? A pledge of allegiance to the flag. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Thank you, everyone. We'll move on to section four roll call. Mrs. Wheeler, will you please call the roll? Mr. Banweg. Here. Dr. Bird. Mr. Foster. Here. Dr. Getz. Here, Mrs. Heater. Here. Mrs. Kowalski. Here. Mr. Sutton. Here. Thank you, Mrs. Wheeler. We do have a quorum tonight with all seven members of council present. As such, we will move on to Section 5, approval of the minutes. Item A is number 25-0098, and it will include the August 5th, 2025 meeting and workshop minutes. As such, do we have a motion to accept the minutes as provided? Move to accept the minutes as provided. Thank you, Councillor Banweg. Do we have a second? Second. Thank you, Councillor Heater. Is there any discussion on the minutes? Councillor Byrd. I was not in attendance, so I will be abstaining from the vote. Noted. Any additional discussion on the minutes. Seeing none, Mrs.

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