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Oberlin city council Regular city council Minutes November 17, 202 5 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting Held November 17, 2025 7:00 PM. A regular meeting of the Oberlin City Council was held on November 17, 2025, in the Council Chambers of the Oberlin City Hall, located at 85 S. Main Street, Oberlin, Ohio. President of council Eboni Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Roll Call was taken as follows: 1. COUNCIL BUSINESS (a) Call Regular city council Meeting to order and Roll call -7:00 PM. Council Members: Joseph Waltzer Jessa D. New Michael MCFarlin, Vice President Ray English Libni Lopez Kristin Peterson Eboni A. Johnson, President Present Appointees: Greg Holcomb, City Manager Jon Clark, Law Director Marin Fowler, Interim Finance Director Belinda Anderson, Clerk of council (b) Approval of Minutes -Regular city council Meeting -November 3, 2025 The minutes were approved as submitted. (c) Hear a Report from the City Council Liaison to the Public Utilities Commission on the Commission' s Recommendations Regarding Utility Budgets and Rates for 2026 Councilmember Peterson gave an update regarding the recommended utility budgets and rate for 2026. (d) Hear an update from oberlin community services City Of Oberlin Printed on 12/2/2025 Oberlin city counch Regular city council Minutes I November 17, 2025 Members of Council heard from Margie Flood, Executive Director and Jason Hawk, Communications and Development Coordinator of oberlin Community Services (OC S) as they gave an update. A copy Of the presentation is attached to the minutes. MCFarlin asked about those that need to reapply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and if there is any impact on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) orders that Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio gets. Flood replied that in order to get SNAP benefits someone has to reapply every year anyway and there are hoops to always jump. She couldn't answer the question on whether they are adding additional barrier at this time. Hawk continues by stating that SNAP is already set to have some major changes coming at the beginning of next year that will be a hardship for some as there will be work requirements for recipients. Johnson asked if there were any more ways to help OCS help the community. Hawk answered that the community is already helping and they were always open to more assistance. Peterson asked in addition to food, is there a need for diapers. Flood replied they need diapers, toiletries, laundry detergent, and really anything. Flood continued to say that lt's an honor that people can tnist OCS as a community resource. If someone would like to give back to the community, please reach out to OCS as we're always happy to direct you in the right direction. Johnson asked if pet food was an acceptable donation. Hawk responded that OCS get a bulk order through Second Harvest Food Bank approximately twice a year. We focus on people, but the request people have asked for pet food in the past. We usually direct them to Saint Andrews Episcopal Church in Elyria as they have the Lorain County Pet Food Pantry. However, if anyone has pet food and they want to donate it, we will take it. 2. ANY CONCERNS NOT 0N TIIE AGENDA MAY BE BROUGHT T0 THE ATTENTION 0F THE COUNCIL AT TIIIS TIME Johnson read the proclamation from the Ohio Senate for honoring the City of Oberlin for Tremendous Attainment and presenting the City for the 2025 Norman Krumholz Equity Award by the American Planning Association Ohio Chapter. She thanked Terri Rirchardson-Sanders, Community Liaison and the Social Equity Committee for leading the City in the effort to approve the social equity plan. 3. OPPORTUNITY FOR A REPORT FROM A CITY BOARD 0R COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE N/A 4. OPPORTUNITY FOR A REPORT FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE N/A 5. OI.D BUSINESS: A. ORDINANCE No. 25-55 AC CMS: An Ordinance Adopting the Recommendation of the Planning Commission to Approve the Final Development Plan for the Oberlin Place Senior Housing Project. City Of Oberlin 2 Printed on 12/2/2025 Oberlin city council Regular city council Minutes I November 17, 2025 The Clerk read the Ordinance by number and title only. Peterson, seconded by English, moved for passage on the third reading of the Ordinance. Member of Council heard from Carrie Porter, Planning and Development Director as she discussed the final steps of the approval process for this development that will be located in a Planned Development Overlay District. It is a sixty-two-unit affordable senior housing complex located at 450 West College Street. There will be one large apartment building that will have fifty units and there will be twelve cottage units that will be one story and have attached garages. There will be seventyreight parking spaces and staff comments have been addressed about the plan. Roll call: 7 Ayes 0 Nays Motion carried (Final Reading) Porter noted that the plan is to begin construction in the spring. 8. ORDINANCE No. 25-56 AC CMS: An Ordinance Declaring 8.6994 Acres of Real Property Located at on U.S. Route 20 to be Surplus and Authorizing the City Manager to Sell Said Property to GPH Holdings, LLC to Go into Immediate Effect The Clerk read the Ordinance by number and title only. Members of Council heard from Clark as he asked that this ordinance be postponed until the next Council meeting due to pending discussion with the GPH Holdings' attorney. Waltzer, seconded by MCFarlin, moved to postpone the ordinance until the next Council meeting on December 1 st. Roll Call: (Postponement) 7 Ayes 0 Nays Motion Carried 6. NEW BUSINESS: N/A 5. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS: (A). Referrals (8). Advocacy (C). Correspondence (D). Reports Council members provided updates on board and commission meetings, initiatives, community events, and announced upcoming meeting dates. 6. CITY IVIANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Greg Holcomb reported on the following: • Noted that the Edgemeer Place and the Multi-Use projects will be in the budget process under the capital improvement plan. Part of the timeline is dependent on how Council votes to move those projects forward. City Of Oberlin 3 Printed on 12/2/2025 Oberlin city council Regular city council Minutes November 17, 2025 7. OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHHR APPOINTEHS TO REPORT: Marin Fowler, Finance Director • Announced that the city received its audit report from the Auditor of state for 2024. There is a copy available to look at in the finance office and its available online on the City's website. Announced the budget work sessions are Monday, November 24th and Tuesday, November 25th, from 1 :00 pin to 5:00 pin at the Oberlin Eurichment and Activities Center located at 36 South Prospect Street. o Johnson sought clarification on the time of the meeting. Holcomb commented that the initial plan was to go until 6:30 pin, but we're trying to condense the presentations. o English asked if there was a chance to receive the budget powerpoint presentation in advance. Holcomb responded in the affirmative. Belinda Anderson, Clerk of Council • Noted the budget book is also located at the Oberlin Public Library for members of the public. 8. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: r"nEN 9. ADJOURNMHNT: Being that there was no additional business before Council, the regular meeting adjourned at 7:51 pin. Prepared by: Briana Reynolds Clerk of Council's Assistant AINfst.uldrdfl`tw BELINDA 8. ANDERSON, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL APPROVED: 12/01/2025 PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL POSTED: 12/02/2025 City Of Oberlin 4 Printed on 12/2/2025 OBERLIN COMMUNITY SERVICES “— > U 9 v Ww) eB) ce Sustainability THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN HALTED: ¢ PAY FOR FEDERAL WORKERS I » SNAP BENEFITS FOR y_N‘ 44 MILLION AMERICANS SA *FOOD BANK ORDERS ‘NTT, * MANY VETERANS PROGRAMS —_ ~~ Goes (‘R$REEEE N — SINCE SEPT. 1— THE OCS FOOD PANTRY HAS SERVED WELCOMED BEEN 1390 286 VISITED UNIQUE NEW 4,382 FAMILIES FAMILIES TIMES* WHAT CLIENTS TOLD US PANTRY VISITS AND DELIVERIES @ 2023 @2024 @ 2025 ZOOM IN ON OCTOBER @ 2023 @ 2024 2025 FOOD PANTRY USE WAS UP 23 PERCENT THIS OCTOBER COMPARED TO OCTOBER 22) INCLUDING 130 NEW FAMILIES THANK YOU TO SECOND HARVEST EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE + PROVIDED TO 98 SOUTHERN LORAIN CO. FAMILIES IN OCTOBER ¢ OF THOSE, 60 ARE OBERLIN FAMILIES ¢ $14,199 WAS USED FOR UTILITIES ¢ $12,331 WAS USED FOR HOUSING ¢ TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE FUNDS WERE USED FOR OBERLIN FAMILIES WE'LL BE HERE WE HAVE SO MANY THROUGH THE TREMENDOUS PEOPLE WANT CHALLENGING DONOR TO VOLUNTEER TIMES SUPPORT AT OCS = ae = Pees So ce QUESTIONS?