Whitehall City Council Meeting – October 6, 2026

The Whitehall City Council held its agenda meeting at 6:31 p.m. and its regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Council approved prior meeting minutes, honored a 25-year city employee, heard financial and departmental updates, and adopted all voting legislation on the agenda, including traffic changes, supplemental appropriations, a tobacco license settlement, and a public safety grant resolution. The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m.

Administrative Items

• Roll call was taken; Councilmember Harcar was absent for portions of the meeting after the initial roll call.
• Council approved the September 15, 2026 agenda and regular meeting minutes and the September 22, 2026 committee meeting minutes. Motion by Councilmember Dixon, second by Councilmember McCann; all recorded votes were yes.
• Each council member confirmed receipt of all agenda legislation before the meeting.
• No communications, petitions, or claims were filed. The auditor's August income tax/general fund/spending summary and August financial report were filed in the council office.

Special Presentation

• Auditor Shaquille Alexander and Mayor Michael T. Bivens honored Deputy Tax Commissioner Michelle Carberry for 25 years of service from September 4, 2001 to September 4, 2026. Carberry was promoted to tax account supervisor and employee benefit specialist in 2004 and became deputy tax commissioner on February 1, 2007. Mayor Bivens proclaimed September 4 as Michelle Carberry Day in Whitehall. Resolution 041-2026, adopted later in the meeting, formally commended her service.

Standing Committee Reports

• Administration and Financial Management (Elmore): met last week; minutes on file; will meet again next week.
• Community and Elder Advocacy (Harcar absent; Adkins reported): met last week; minutes on file.
• Community Standards and Enforcement (McCann): met last week; two adoption items and one first reading on the agenda; will meet next Tuesday.
• Economic Development (Dixon): met two weeks ago; minutes on file; will meet next week after 6:30 p.m.
• Infrastructure, Maintenance, and Services (Brown): met on September 22; has legislation on the agenda; asked residents to report speeding locations and times; will meet next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
• Public Safety (Morrison): met a few weeks ago; minutes on file; will meet next week after 6:30 p.m.
• Parks and Recreation (Adkins): met two weeks ago; no agenda items; minutes on file; will meet next Tuesday.

Officials' Reports

• Mayor Bivens proclaimed October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. He noted purple flags along the Link, invited residents to the third annual domestic violence awareness 5K on Saturday, October 10, and announced the first Founders Day with the Whitehall Historical Society on Sunday, October 18. He also highlighted the September 26 Meskel celebration at Whitehall Community Park, estimated at 500 to 1,000 Whitehall residents among thousands of attendees, and an October 3 citywide prayer walk in five sectors with about 300 residents. He welcomed new twins Rowan and Oakland to Economic Development Director Jackie Russell.
• Auditor Alexander reported September income tax collections of about $2.97 million. He said collections were roughly 3.7 percent behind last year, approximately $900,000 to $1 million, largely because September 2025 had unusually high collections of almost $5 million; he expected improvement after the October 15 extended filing deadline. The general fund balance was $6.69 million at September 30 and about $7.1 million as of the meeting. The budget stabilization fund stood at $1.56 million, with a goal of about $2.2 million by year end. Spending remained controlled: police spending was $7.1 million versus $6.6 million the prior year, fire spending was up about 13 percent, and administrative and general government spending was down. He also reviewed the city's debt position, stating debt service was about 4.7 percent of general fund receipts, the city maintained an A credit rating, and $31.2 million in bonded debt was outstanding with a final maturity in 2053.
• City Attorney Nicodemus answered questions about the Fairway litigation appeal, saying the court decision had implications beyond the plat approval and that the appeal was necessary to protect the city's right to self-governance. He said costs were not immediately available and the appeal timeline would likely be six to nine months for briefing and oral argument. He also confirmed the shared-use path project remains separate from the roadway project and is still moving forward.
• Director of Public Service Rowlands said infrastructure projects are progressing but have encountered unexpected conditions because of old infrastructure; she expects to complete work before Thanksgiving. She requested favorable consideration of Ordinances 086-2026 and 087-2026 and said the Aetna Road extension is continuing as scheduled.
• Director of Neighborhoods Ridenour announced the first Taste of Whitehall on Friday, November 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the YMCA; a Veterans Day banner project for November 11; the Mobile City Hall conversion of an old ambulance; and an emergency food box program launching October 25 at Faith Lutheran's trunk-or-treat and distributing to partners October 26. He also described plans for a helping hands pilot for elderly residents and upcoming community art shows.
• Treasurer Janell Luke, Economic Development Director Jackie Russell, and Public Safety Director Van Gregg were absent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Diane Peters, a Whitehall resident, spoke in favor of Ordinance 092-2026 on minimum city contract awards to minority businesses. She recounted her husband and Frank Watson being among the first two Black members of Local 189 plumbers and pipefitters in the 1970s, said federal requirements opened economic opportunity, and urged Whitehall to continue protecting minority business participation.
• Michael Spicer, a Whitehall resident, spoke during the second public poll, saying it is his expectation as a constituent that council members research legislation, ask questions, and be knowledgeable before voting.

Discussion Items

• During the debate on Resolution 043-2026, councilmembers disagreed about whether administration officials should appear in person to explain first-reading legislation. Councilmember Morrison said last-minute first readings make advance research difficult and that public questions help everyone. Councilmember Dixon said the council deserves the respect of having the requesting department present, especially when asked to suspend rules. Councilmember Brown said council members can do due diligence before meetings and share answers publicly. Councilmember Elmore said the minority business ordinance is inclusive and will be discussed further in committee. Councilmember McCann and others also commented on process and upcoming community events.

Legislation

Third reading, adopted:

• Ordinance 086-2026: amends the traffic code to add a stop sign at East Mound Street and Bernhard Road and create an all-ways stop intersection; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 087-2026: amends Traffic Schedule IV to update parking prohibited at all times locations; declared an emergency. Passed.

Second reading, no action:

• Ordinance 089-2026: amends Chapter 195 to require financial disclosure and ethics training for office holders. Read by title only.
• Ordinance 092-2026: creates Chapter 170 contracting provisions and establishes minimum city contract awards to minority businesses. Read by title only.

First reading, rules suspended and adopted:

• Ordinance 095-2026: vacates an unused 10-foot-wide multi-use utility easement on city-owned land at Broad and Hamilton; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 096-2026: resolves a tobacco retail license appeal by granting a non-transferable license; if the owners sell, no new tobacco retail establishment may operate at that location; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 097-2026: appropriates $100,000 from the Technology Fund (314) to the IT maintenance contracts account for maintenance, licensing, and support through December 31, 2026; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 098-2026: appropriates $895,000 from the Self-Funded Insurance Trust Fund (511) for employee medical claims through December 31, 2026; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 099-2026: appropriates $40,000 from the General Fund, divided equally between the wellness expense account and HR wellness programs account; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Ordinance 100-2026: transfers $6,000 within the General Fund, $2,000 each to the deputy auditor, payroll administrator, and deputy tax commissioner salary accounts; declared an emergency. Passed.
• Resolution 041-2026: honors and commends Michelle Carberry for 25 years of city service. Passed.
• Resolution 042-2026: amends Resolution 039-2026 to conform Schedule A to the Franklin County Budget Commission certified amounts and rates for tax year 2026, collection year 2027, and authorizes certification of tax levies. Passed.
• Resolution 043-2026: authorizes the mayor to apply for, accept, and enter into a grant agreement for the FY 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant local formula. The grant amount is $19,641, requires no match, and would fund open source intelligence and cyber threat intelligence platforms. Passed.

Community Date Board

• Early voting began October 6. Residents with tax return extensions face an October 15 filing deadline.
• Whitehall's football team is 5-2; homecoming parade is Wednesday, with a pre-game band performance from 5 to 5:30 p.m.
• Founders Day will be Sunday, October 18 at Whitehall Park, featuring a car show, bounce house, food trucks, local organizations, and a beer garden.

Councilmember Comments

• Brown: congratulated Carberry; welcomed cultural events; cautioned that minority-owned business status does not guarantee a minority workforce; encouraged residents to attend community events.
• Elmore: praised the Meskel and citywide prayer events; supported Carberry; said Ordinance 092-2026 is inclusive and not exclusionary; invited questions before committee.
• Morrison: said administration should limit last-minute first readings; asked that public officials be present to explain legislation; called for dialogue in open session.
• Adkins: thanked attendees and the auditor; suggested council needs a solution for reviewing legislation.
• McCann: announced a community conversation day on November 12 at 6:30 p.m.; thanked Director Ridenour for involving him in the Veterans Day banner project; thanked Councilmember Harcar for suicide prevention and veterans work.
• Dixon: thanked attendees and congratulated Director Russell on the birth of her twins.
• Balser: encouraged councilmembers to share answers to questions they receive before meetings.

Key Outcomes

• Council adopted all 11 voting items on the agenda: Ordinances 086-2026, 087-2026, 095-2026 through 100-2026, and Resolutions 041-2026 through 043-2026. All recorded roll call votes were yes.
• Ordinance 089-2026 and Ordinance 092-2026 remain in second reading for further committee discussion.
• The city attorney will provide information on Fairway appeal costs and issues once records are pulled.
• Upcoming events include the domestic violence awareness 5K on October 10, Founders Day on October 18, Taste of Whitehall on November 6, Veterans Day banner activities on November 11, and Councilmember McCann's community conversation on November 12.