Powell Operations Committee Meeting — January 20, 2026

The Powell Operations Committee met on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers at 47 Hall Street, Powell, Ohio. This was the committee's first meeting of the year. The agenda covered approval of the November 18, 2025, meeting minutes; a street sign policy discussion and draft policy; proposed 2026 employee handbook updates; and an operational update on Alta Fiber construction communications. No binding votes were taken; the committee discussed the items and agreed on next steps.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the November 18, 2025, Operations Committee meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• The transcript indicates public comments were taken during the street sign discussion. Committee members referenced comments by residents Patty and Nancy, who had asked the city to review a specific sign type at Barthelm. A committee member stated they agreed with the comments provided by the public. The full text of the public comments is not included in the transcript.
• Residents' ongoing phone calls about Alta Fiber construction were cited as a reason for requesting a formal project update for the record.

Discussion Items

Street Sign Policy

• Staff presented a draft policy intended to establish a uniform standard and process for regulatory and street name signs in Powell, aligned with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Key MUTCD principles cited were that signs must be conspicuous, have a clear meaning, and give road users adequate response time.
• The staff presenter reviewed the background leading to the policy, dating to October 2025, and presented several options. Option A is the city's current standard using high-intensity prismatic sign faces. Option B is a more cosmetic alternative that neighborhoods could choose. The city has not conducted a reflectivity inventory, so current sign reflectivity levels are unknown.
• Staff noted that moving away from the current city standard would involve maintaining 15 different sign types across HOAs and reaching a common agreement with each HOA. One sign inspected by staff moved probably four to five inches in each direction, north and south.
• Fiscal considerations: the cost difference between basic and cosmetic sign posts is material when extrapolated across over one hundred miles of lanes. Staff gave a hypothetical of $100,000 worth of street signage included in an annual maintenance program for 2026 and noted the city currently lacks on-hand inventory to replace signs quickly because some infrastructure is no longer produced.
• The policy would be phased in over time. Phase one would be an audit of every sign in the city, conducted by public service staff or a consulting firm. Adoption would require council ratification and supporting legislation for an appropriation or reappropriation of funds.
• Committee discussion: some members were hesitant to adopt two standards because every neighborhood would want the cosmetic option; one member stated the city should pick one standard. Another member said the next step must be a deeper diagnosis of what exists across the city before more decisions are made. Members also noted that some cosmetic standards date to the late 1990s and early 2000s and were chosen by residents who have largely moved on. The whole genesis of the policy is addressing what happens if a privately maintained subdivision signage system requests that the city take it over.
• The committee appeared to converge on proceeding with a comprehensive inventory and study before choosing an option, with a phased implementation plan to follow.

Employee Handbook Updates

• Andy presented the proposed updates to the 2026 employee handbook. The committee's recommendation was sought before presenting to council. He grouped changes into two categories: updates to current policies (such as AI and remote work) and new policies (such as one supporting employee well-being and health).
• Proposed changes included:
  • A new policy prohibiting unauthorized recordings of private and public conversations to protect confidentiality.
  • Clarified vehicle use rules, including overnight travel to trainings, safety requirements, and remote or telecommuting guidelines with cybersecurity standards.
  • A policy prohibiting confidential data from being entered into public AI platforms.
  • A rule stating city dumpsters are for city use only.
  • Updated equal employment opportunity and anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.
  • A revised marijuana policy: while recreational use is now permitted in Ohio, it remains prohibited at the federal level.
• A committee member raised concerns that the city currently does not track what data employees put into secure platforms, has no system to monitor compliance, and is highly exposed. The member also stated the city, not employees, would bear legal liability and that records retention remains a significant issue.
• Next steps: present the handbook updates to council in February for a proposed March effective date, followed by staff communication and training.

Alta Fiber Update

• A committee member requested that an update on Alta Fiber be placed into the record due to the number of resident calls. Staff had met with approximately half a dozen Alta Fiber employees on the Friday before the meeting to improve communication.
• Staff reported that Alta Fiber will provide a one-to-three-month lookahead of which neighborhoods are next in its 2026 construction program, plus a two-week lookahead closer to actual construction, along with a clearer chain of command for incidents.
• The city remains focused on preventing and addressing damage to sprinklers and other private property, with the goal of sparing the city from the expense of fixes.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes of the November 18, 2025, Operations Committee meeting were approved.
• Street sign policy: no option was selected. The committee indicated that the next step is a comprehensive audit and deeper diagnosis of existing signage before any option is chosen; any final policy would require council ratification and an appropriation. A phased implementation plan would follow.
• Employee handbook: staff will take the proposed updates to council in February, with a March 2026 effective date and staff training to follow. The committee provided feedback but took no formal vote.
• Alta Fiber: the update was entered into the record; no formal action was required.