MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH OLMSTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2026 Council President Brossard: The Special Council Meeting of September 8, 2026, will now please come to order at 7:15 p.m. and the audience is invited to join Council in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. All: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Council President Brossard: Will the Clerk please call the roll. Council Clerk: Mr. Brossard: Present Ms. Carr: Present Ms. Gilchrist: Here Mr. Limpert: Present Mr. Madden: Here Mr. Marrie: Here Mr. Scarl: Present Mr. Shymske: Here Council President Brossard: All right, thank you. Moving into legislation. LEGISLATION Council Clerk: Legislation on Third Reading Resolution 2026-7, introduced by Mayor Jones. A Resolution approving and authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Joint Economic Development District (“JEDD”) contract by and between 09-08-26 Special Council Meeting Minutes - Page 2 the Township of Olmsted and the City of North Olmsted, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, as Twice Amended. Councilman Marrie: Mr. President. Council President Brossard: Councilman Marrie. Councilman Marrie: I move to adopt Resolution 2026-7 and ask for a second. Councilman Madden: Second. Council President Brossard: Motion to adopt Resolution 2026-7 made by Councilman Marrie, seconded by Councilman Madden. Roll call, please. Council Clerk: Mr. Marrie: Yes Mr. Madden: Yes Ms. Gilchrist: No, with comment. The proposed JEDD imposes a 2% income tax, with North Olmsted receiving 0.5% and Olmsted Township receiving 1.5%. However, North Olmsted's share will first be reduced by credits, refunds, economic development incentives, and the District's operating, administrative, and legal expenses. More concerning, the contract provides that if expenses exceed District revenues, North Olmsted and Olmsted Township are responsible for those excess costs based on the same revenue split. With no cap on those expenses, this creates an open-ended financial obligation for our City at a time when we are already facing financial challenges. I'm also concerned that the contract does not address the long-term maintenance set-aside referenced in Ohio Revised Code Section 715.72(F)(5)(d), which requires a resolution levying the income tax to establish an annual percentage to be set aside for the District's long-term maintenance. JEDDs can be valuable economic developmental tools, but I do not believe this agreement adequately protects the financial interests of North Olmsted. While I support pursuing new sources of revenue for our City, I cannot support a 25-year agreement that exposes our residents to an uncapped financial obligation. For those reasons, I will be voting no. Thank you. Ms. Carr: No 09-08-26 Special Council Meeting Minutes - Page 3 Mr. Limpert: No, with comment. While I am fully supportive of the concept of collaborating with Olmsted Township and working to build economic development together, I could not get comfortable around this expense portion of this contract, but do applaud the Administration for continuing to work for ways how we can grow economic development within North Olmsted and surrounding cities. Thank you. Mr. Scarl: No, with comment. I believe JEDDs can provide an opportunity for neighboring communities to work together in a way that benefits both parties. However, this particular JEDD Agreement is just too vague. I have reviewed other JEDD Agreements that contain significantly more detail and clearly defined parameters that limit the JEDD Board's scope of authority. Next, Council has received no supporting financial data or assumptions. The only revenue projection provided is based on two figures contained in a September 2025 memo, which I asked to be added to the minutes. Lastly and most importantly, this contract obligates the City to share in expenses for which there are no caps or maximums. Simply stating that it is in the Township's best interest to control expenses, provides no contractual protection to North Olmsted. This agreement places no limit on expenses, including reimbursable expenses submitted by the Township itself. This leaves North Olmsted residents financially vulnerable to subsidizing costs associated with economic development in another community, if the expenses exceed the revenue, and while I hope that never happens, I cannot support a 25-year contract that even allows for that possibility. Thank you. Mr. Shymske: Yes Council President Brossard: Resolution 2026-7 is not adopted by a vote of 3-4. With the agenda being completed and there being no further business to come before Council, this Special Council Meeting of September 8, 2026, is adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Beatrice Taylor, Clerk of Council Louis J. Brossard, President of Council
