End of Spring Updates
Hello Hudson! HAPPY SUMMER!
The past couple of months have been jam-packed. Council has had numerous interviews for boards and commissions, Mayor, and City Manager which has kept us very busy. As many of you have heard, we appointed Jeff Anzevino to the vacant position of Mayor back in April and he has been serving our community in this capacity for a couple of months now.
Here are some noteworthy topics that have transpired in the past few months:
Council hired Marshal Pitchford of the firm DiCaudio, Pitchford & Yoder as City Solicitor, he started in this position on May 1.
An ordinance amending Ordinance 22-25 changing the policy for connection of residential and commercial solar power generation systems to Hudson’s power grid passed 7-0. The City’s current HPP interconnection policy amendment which passed with Resolution No. 22-25 this past March increased the size (kW) of privately owned solar power generation systems for residents and/or businesses to interconnect to the Hudson Public Power grid. City staff has received a request from a commercial/ Industrial customer to interconnect a 400kW system to the grid, and staff wished to amend the current policy to allow case-by-case consideration and evaluation for system interconnection requests which exceed the maximum 200kW limit.
A resolution authorizing the city manager to advertise for bids and enter into a contract for the seasons road waterline project. This work includes the installation of a 12” diameter waterline along the north side of Seasons Road from the existing end of the waterline at 695 Seasons Road to the westerly corporation line with Boston Township. This waterline project will help the City from an economic development standpoint, because having this utility available will make those properties more desirable and could help bring income taxes into Hudson. This passed 4-3.
We are moving forward with the tennis and pickleball court project. Cost was a determining factor in eliminating lighting from the project. I personally am in favor of the lighting and believe we should implement it from the beginning.
Both of the ordinances I have brought forward this year regarding campaign finance reform failed 5-2. I first brought forward an ordinance to reform it, which I worked on with two other Council members. Once that failed, I brought forward an ordinance to repeal our current campaign finance regulations. Repealing this would still have meant that candidates for Council and Mayor were bound by state and federal campaign finance laws. It is my belief that some members of Council have realized the current system, which limits donations to Council and Mayor candidates in Hudson to $100/person, benefits them in races. This prevents many candidates from raising the funds they need to win a competitive race, meanwhile people with deep pockets just go and start Clubs, PACs, or even SUPER PACs to spend independently to influence our Council and Mayor races in favor of their preferred candidates. The sad reality is that most candidates cannot compete with $75k worth of expenditures in a race when they are limited in what they can raise themselves so severely. By doing nothing, we are going to make it easier for this to continue to happen and we are perpetuating the Hudson specific PAC problem that allows people to buy elections. I have written two blogs on this topic previously, you can read the first one that introduces the issue here, and a follow up blog post here.
The resolution Councilwoman Schlademan and I introduced expressing opposition to Ohio H.B. 616 which would limit how teachers educate K-12 students about sexual orientation and gender identity, how teachers educate K-12 students about racism, and reaffirming the City’s support for the LGBTQIA+ and racial minority communities was effectively removed from the agenda when Councilman Banweg motioned to lay it on the table on it’s first reading. This motion passed 5-2. Removing it from the agenda on it’s first reading limits the ability of residents to give public comment on the resolution. Several on Council accused me of bringing this forward for selfish, political reasons, which is appalling. I think it is downright pathetic that some of my colleagues on Council view being an ally to the LGBTQIA+ and racial minority groups as being politically motivated.
An ordinance enacted pursuant to section 3.01 of the City Charter amending the ward boundaries of the city in response to receipt of the united states census data in 2020 was passed 7-0.
An ordinance amending Sections 220.03, 220.031, 220.06, and 222.02 of the Codified Ordinances to add provisions governing the introduction of Ordinances and Resolutions on regular and special City Council agendas introduced by Council President Foster was on it’s first reading. Council President Chris Foster then withdrew his version to consider Councilman Sutton’s version. These antics to take over the management of the agenda are in direct response to me bringing forward legislation to amend our ordinance regulating campaign finance, and the resolution condemning HB 616. It is an obvious attempt to censor the voices of specific members of Council. I have written a blog on the topic that you can read here. Largely, the purpose of this ordinance, even as Councilman Sutton has proposed it, is to give the Council President more power and control over the agenda and take away the ability of a Council member to place something on the agenda unless it has a certain amount of support. Each of us were duly elected to present ideas and bring issues to the table that act in the best interest of the voters we represent. Legislating that an item may never be permitted to go to first reading limits that obligation, making it less likely that the public will receive notice that Council is considering an issue. This attempted legislation would ultimately silence the voices of residents by denying them a chance to offer public comment and valuable feedback. It is a clear violation of the spirit of Council transparency and public trust, and goes against precedent. It says a lot about leadership when those in power seek to silence dissenting opinions rather than embrace them as a way to facilitate healthy discussion that could bring about progress and new ideas.
As of May, many roadway segments had been resurfaced. Check out the 2022 Asphalt Resurfacing Program here: https://www.hudson.oh.us/650/Asphalt-Resurfacing-Program
A resolution establishing a Steering Committee to update the City’s Comprehensive Plan passed 6-1. I was the dissenting vote, citing my concerns about the appointment process Council is implementing to establish the committee. If you would like to apply, you can learn more here: https://www.hudson.oh.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2732
Yesterday, before our regularly scheduled Council meeting, we all had the opportunity to take a tour of the clocktower on the green. As many of you have noticed, it is currently not working. But no worries! At our Council meeting following our tour we voted 7-0 to bid and award the clocktower repairs, which are estimated to be completed sometime this fall. It made my day to see the intricacies that keep this historic Hudson monument working up close and in person!
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Have questions? Want to share your thoughts with me on this issue or a different one? As always, I would love to have a conversation! Email me directly at nkowalski@hudson.oh.us.
