Meeting in special session July 22, and with no discussion or debate, Kent City Council unanimously tweaked the city’s noise ordinance to keep the downtown music playing.
Effective 120 days from council’s action, private property that is included in the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) may not object to amplified or unamplified radios, stereos, musical equipment or instruments, loudspeakers, television sets or other sound-producing devices being played outdoors from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m, Sundays through Thursdays, and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m, Fridays and Saturdays.
Residents who live near Kent’s downtown entertainment district have voiced complaints about late-night noise, but council’s latest amendment to the city’s ordinance leaves them little choice but to listen.
Ruller gets a raise
Adjusting his salary package, council also unanimously authorized a 4% cost of living raise and a 1% merit raise for City Manager Dave Ruller. He will also receive a 5% increase in money the city provides for his deferred compensation (supplemental retirement) fund.
Prior to the raise, Ruller’s salary was $203,722, including 4% COLA and 1% merit pay. His annual deferred compensation was $10,186. With council’s authorization of his new compensation package, Ruller’s salary is $213,908, along with $10,695 in annual deferred compensation.
The city, school district and Davey Tree: Who will do what?
Council also authorized a joint use agreement between the city, the Davey Tree Expert Company and Kent schools regarding the existing John Davey arboretum and the new Davey SEED Campus.
There are no parking facilities at the arboretum, which is located at 1499 N. Mantua St.
Under the terms of the agreement, the SEED Arboretum parking lot will be available to the public seasonally, at times roughly corresponding to the times the public restroom is open: from dawn to dusk.
Davey Tree will own, maintain and operate the parking lot and will not “unreasonably withhold” access to it from the public, JDA visitors, guests and users.The city will own and maintain the restrooms.
Should the parking lot be closed, Davey Tree will approve the city’s "reasonable requests” to use it for special events at the JDA. Should the restrooms be closed, the city will approve Davey Tree’s “reasonable requests” to use them for events at the SEED arboretum.
Both parties retain their right to “reasonably” use and close the areas under their control for “events, maintenance or other short duration needs.”
Additionally, the city, Davey Tree and the school district will construct a new sidewalk connecting the John Davey Arboretum cabin and public restroom on North Mantua Street to the new SEED Campus Arboretum parking lot.
The cost of constructing the sidewalk is included in the North Mantua Improvement Project budget, so no new payments are required, the agreement states.
Wendy DiAlesandro
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.