Toledo City Council Meeting - March 3, 2026

The Toledo City Council met on March 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM with all ten members present. The meeting opened with an invocation by Father Jeff Rose, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the National Anthem sung by Councilman Hobbes. The council recognized two young heroes for bravery, confirmed appointments, and voted on a series of ordinances. Notable was the failure of a lease agreement for Dutweiler Park, while most other items passed unanimously.

Recognition of Bravery

• Resolution 53-26 recognized Whitmer High School students Zachary Aubrey and Anthony Mitchell for their courageous actions in rescuing a driver from a serious car accident in West Toledo. The resolution was adopted unanimously (10-0). Councilwoman Morris and Councilwoman McPherson praised the young men for their selflessness and for inspiring hope in the community.

Appointments

• Appointment 54-26 (Toledo Arts Commission) – confirmed unanimously.
• Appointment 55-26 (Home Improvement/Remodeling Board of Control) – Lindsay Link replacing Beth Holt – confirmed unanimously.
• Appointment 56-26 (Home Improvement/Remodeling Board of Control) – reappointment of Dean Frederick – confirmed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Residents from the Point Place and North Toledo areas attended the meeting wearing green clothing to show their support for keeping parks green. Councilwoman Morris acknowledged their presence and urged colleagues to oppose the Dutweiler Park lease, arguing that the park was donated for public use and should not be rented out.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance 34-26 – Authorized a lease agreement with Toledo Edison Company for use of a parking lot at Dutweiler Park as a temporary storage lot. Councilwoman Morris spoke against the lease, citing the donors' 1925 intent for the 200-acre park to remain public space. The ordinance failed on a vote of 4-6 (Yes: Hobbes, Comeves, Meldon, Williams; No: Jones, Kramer, McPherson, Morris, Sarantu, Driscoll).
• Ordinance 51-26 – Amended the Toledo Municipal Code to repeal outdated sections of Chapter 2101 and enact new ones. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 57-26 – Authorized a substantial amendment to the HOME-ARP allocation plan to establish a preference for supportive services funding for homeless populations. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 58-26 – Authorized $100,000 for bacteria laboratory autoclave replacement at Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 59-26 – Authorized a one-year agreement with Buckeye Pumps for repair services at the spent lime water facility, not to exceed $40,000 annually. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 60-26 – Authorized $100,000 for the customer assistance grant program (first reading).
• Ordinance 61-26 – Authorized $75,000 for 2026 annual regulatory fees to the state of Ohio. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 62-26 – Authorized a three-year agreement for third-party administrator services for the city's self-funded medical insurance plan. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 63-26 – Authorized a three-year agreement for pharmacy benefit management services. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 64-26 – Amended the Municipal Code to establish an expedited appeal process. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 65-26 – Authorized up to $18,700,000 from the general fund for a shovel-ready sites fund through the Toledo Community Improvement Corporation (first reading).
• Ordinances 66-26 through 70-26 – Bond ordinances for economic development, street improvements, refunding, and fire apparatus (first readings).
• Ordinance 71-26 – 2026 sidewalk program appropriations (first reading, held at request of Councilman Driscoll pending budget passage).
• Ordinance 72-26 – Cooperative grant agreement for Parkside Boulevard multi-use path (first reading, held at request of Councilman Driscoll).
• Ordinance 73-26 – Amended previous ordinance to accept additional grant funds of $125,906 from Ohio Public Works Commission for the Sylvania Avenue Project. Passed unanimously.
• Resolution 74-26 – Expressed support for Safe Routes to School grant applications for Washington Local schools. Passed unanimously.
• Resolution 75-26 – Declared intent to vacate a portion of Jefferson Avenue. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 76-26 – Zoning map amendment for 1839 Tremainsville Road. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 77-26 – Special use permit amendment for Christ the King Church and School site expansion. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 78-26 – Map amendment to the Vistula neighborhood (first reading).
• Ordinance 79-26 – Amended use table in Municipal Code. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 80-26 – Amended review section of Municipal Code. Passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 81-26 – Enacted new section on zone changes subject to subdivision platting. Passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Failed: Ordinance 34-26 (Dutweiler Park lease) – 4 votes in favor, 6 against.
• Passed: All other ordinances and resolutions that received a final vote passed unanimously.
• Held: Transportation-related ordinances (71-26 and 72-26) were postponed to first reading, pending passage of the 2026 budget.
• Next Steps: Several bond ordinances (66-26 through 70-26) and the shovel-ready sites fund (65-26) remain on first reading. The council will continue budget discussions and take up the held items by March 31.

Council Comments

Council members made remarks on various topics: Women's History Month, the upcoming U.S. Open at Inverness in 2045, the Westgate Farmers Market relocation, a school shooting at a local school, and concerns about mail delays affecting utility customers. Councilman Williams reported that a student was shot inside a school and the suspect remains at large, urging community support and public safety partnerships.