The Kent City Council held its regular May meeting on the 20th at 7 p.m. The meeting was held in council chambers.
In attendance were Mayor and President of Council Jack Amrhein, Ward 1 Council Member Melissa Celko, Ward 2 Council Member Eric Dreger, Ward 4 Council Member Chris Hook, Ward 5 Council Member Heidi Shaffer Bish, Ward 6 Council Member Jeff Clapper, Council Member Benjamin Tipton, Council Member Tracy Wallach, Council Member Sarah Wesley, Clerk of Council Kathy Coleman, City Manager Dave Ruller and Law Director Hope Jones.
The meeting was called to order promptly at 7 p.m. Following the roll call, Amrhein noted that Council Member Robin Turner was excused. Clapper then offered safe Memorial Day wishes and encouraged those who would be out celebrating it to do so by spending locally.
Next, Coleman read several pieces of correspondence into the record. Of note was an email from a resident expressing displeasure with Kent State University for its choice to install Flock cameras on campus. (Editor’s note: This decision has already been reversed.)
Resident Lee Brooker wrote council asking for a residential ban on gas-powered lawn equipment in neighborhoods.
Clapper then asked for items 1-12 of the City Manager’s Report to be moved and council did so unanimously.
The next item on docket was the Consent Agenda. Clapper asked that the approval of the April Council meeting minutes be pulled from the agenda and considered separately. All other Consent Agenda items were then read, had a suspension of the rules approved and were approved unanimously without discussion. These items included approval of the minutes of the May Council and Special Committee meetings; draft ordinance 2026-42, which would allow the finance director to approve purchase orders over $3,000; draft ordinance 2026-43, which empowers the city manager to sell surplus computer equipment; and draft ordinance 2026-44, which accepts the recommendation of the tax incentive council regarding projects with Davey Tree and Klaben Property Management.
Ordinance 2026-45 provides approval for the sale of 500 Middlebury Rd. Ordinance 2026-46 amends several sections of the city ordinance, while 2026-47 authorizes the health department to accept a $10,000 grant from the FDA.
A change in the city’s parking regulations was the focus of 2026-48, while 2026-49 amends a previous transportation improvement agreement. 2026-50 enables the city to pursue a Community Development Block Grant, and 2026-51 authorizes the city manager to work toward obtaining a loan from the Ohio EPA for the water reclamation facility project.
Council then took up the approval of the April meeting minutes. All members voted in the affirmative to approve the minutes, except for Wallach, who abstained.
Shaffer Bish had the only new business. A resident contacted her regarding a beer-pong table that has become what she called “a fixture” in her neighbor’s yard. Shaffer Bish asked council to take up the item as a potential code issue in a future committee meeting. All members voted yes to move this concern forward.
And by 7:15 p.m., the meeting was adjourned.