Loveland, Ohio – Today at 10:26 AM, Loveland Magazine received the following email from Loveland Clerk of Council, Misty Cheshire:
The meeting(s) were advertised to be held at 3 p.m. at the Safety Center. The location or time can’t be changed without providing 24 hour notice to the public. Today’s meetings will be held at the Safety Center.
Misty Cheshire
The announcement pertains to a point meeting of City Council and the Community Improvement Corporation that was called without the advice of three council members who said they could not attend the meeting because they have jobs outside of the City that prevents them from attending mid-day meetings.
There were efforts by several of the city officials to have the meeting date and time changed to be more accommodating to those who could not attend. Those efforts failed.
There was also confusion about where the meeting was going to be held and the agenda for the meeting, however, the City has now published the agenda:
“It is disappointing that this is the direction the Mayor has chosen to go on a matter of such importance.”
– Councilwoman Kathy Bailey
Loveland, Ohio – After Loveland Councilmember Rob Weisgerber received the City Newsletter announcing that there was going to be a joint meeting of Council and the Community Improvement Corporation scheduled in the middle of a weekday afternoon, he wrote an email to City Hall staff and all of Council saying the meeting was deliberately called by Mayor Mark Fitzgerald at a time he could not attend. He also said he was told when the meeting would be held and not consulted beforehand. He said in his email, “If the meeting is maintained on this date and time it is clear not everyone’s opinion on council is being sought by intent (as usual with Mark and this majority).”
Weisgerber elaborated, “To value everyone’s opinion the meeting availability should be a request and not an ultimatum by the Mayor.”
Councilwoman Kathy Bailey also protested the time of the meeting in her own email to Council and staff. She said, “It appears this meeting time was chosen for the express purpose of, at the very least, making it difficult for us to attend, at worst, to make sure our voices were not heard.
Bailey said that herself, Weisgerber, and Councilmember Ted Phelps all have full-time jobs outside the City, and cannot attend a meeting held at 3 PM in the afternoon.
Public also in the shadow
As of the time of this story, it is not clear where the meeting will be held, nor the agenda. In an email to Loveland Magazine from the Clerk of Council on March 16, the calendar for City meetings says the special joint meeting will be at the Loveland Safety Center on Lebanon Road. However, the Straight from the Heart newsletter issued from the City on March 15 says the meeting will be at City Hall. The City website only says there will be a meeting on March 20 at 3 PM, but does not say where the meeting will be held. None of these notices issued by City Hall lists the agenda of the meeting – which is a requirement of Ohio’s open meeting laws.
Rob Weisgerber wrote on March 15 at 7:54 PM to City Hall staff and all of Council:
I can not attend as I am scheduled to be in New York all week. While there is a chance the trip may be canceled, I have other commitments I am required to manage at work during the work week and specifically on this day and time.
To be inclusive and transparent the meeting must be after hours or on the weekend when all are available. If the meeting is maintained on this date and time it is clear not everyone’s opinion on council is being sought by intent (as usual with Mark and this majority).
To value everyone’s opinion the meeting availability should be a request and not an ultimatum by the Mayor.
Rob Weisgerber wrote on March 15 at 8:02 PM to City Hall staff and all of Council:
I just saw the posting in the news letter announcing the joint meeting a good number of us can not attend.
I can not express how upset I am at the continued disregard for all of City council as equal members being elected by OUR residents.
This is nothing short of intentionally neutering of some members of council not in the group of 4, no independent thought, no inclusiveness or transparency majority.
This behavior will only result in a very vocal response and probable delays due to us not all being on the same page.
Kathy Bailey wrote on Mar 15 at 2:20 PM to City Hall staff and all of Council:
I am curious as to the reason this particular time was chosen for the meeting. As the Mayor is well aware, Council Members Phelps, Weisgerber, and myself have full time jobs, not located in the City of Loveland. It appears this meeting time was chosen for the express purpose of, at the very least, making it difficult for us to attend, at worst, to make sure our voices were not heard. While I understand the desire to move forward, there is no emergency that would justify choosing a meeting time in the middle of a workday. It is disappointing that this is the direction the Mayor has chosen to go on a matter of such importance. I cannot attend the meeting, as I will be at work.
I would like to thank Dave Kennedy and staff for reviewing the current fee ordinance for events held within the City.
While it seems we may have come to a solution that is amicable to everyone, I think it’s important to review how we have gotten to this current point. We need to acknowledge how this issue could have been handled better.
I am dismayed that this entire conversation regarding the special events policy and fee structure has veered so far away from the real issue that the administration and council were attempting to address.
All of us bear some responsibility for this misdirection – the administration for not effectively communicating to those most affected by the new policies and fees, council for not communicating the big picture behind the necessity of such a policy and fees, certain council members, who have apologized for not being prepared for a discussion on the issue and not fully understanding the effects of the policy and ordinance. Hopefully all of us have learned from this and we will do a better job next time difficult decisions must be made.
To the many supporters of the Loveland Amazing Race, Farmers Market and the LMRCA, while this policy and fee structure affects you it was not targeted at you. I want you to take a step back and look at this from a different point of view.
As you all acknowledge our city is a growing, vibrant community and events are an important part of this vibrancy. The Loveland Amazing Race and the Farmers Market have been here for many years, and hopefully for many more. The city expends considerable time and resources hosting the events. Some are direct costs, most are indirect costs. For instance, our police chief spends 40 hours and public works spends 20 hours planning and coordinating the Loveland Amazing Race. The Farmers Market is located in the heart of our city and uses a public financed property. Because of the success and beauty of our community, many other groups are discovering what we have to offer. The city gets calls regularly from organizations who want to host various events in our city. It now becomes crucial for city officials to start asking important questions:
Does the city have the resources to accommodate everyone?
Do we have the infrastructure?
Is our staff able to handle all the logistics of the various events and also take care of regular city responsibilities and residence concerns?
Do we have policies and procedures in place to assess the events?
Do we know if the event costs more than the city can sustain?
If we don’t address these questions, than the events become more and more expensive to the city because there is no economic engine attached to it. It becomes more and more attended but what does it mean to the city without a revenue piece attached to it. As it becomes more and more expensive it’s no longer an investment, it’s a cost. So, yes it brings people into the city but it doesn’t bring dollars in for the city.
I recognize any organization that has a sustainable path of growth has to have a solid foundation which isn’t just operational but is also financial. If we invest in all of these activities but don’t have a way to recoup the cost of investment what ends up happening is that Loveland has a more and more expensive liability.
For me, that is what this entire discussion should have been about. I believe we must have a structure and plans for the future. Fees cannot be zero or some other random number, they must be based on cost vs. benefits. Our city will not be a vibrant and financially sustainable city without this analysis.
Loveland is different from 10 years ago, it’s different from 5 years ago. My responsibility as an elected representative is not only to handle matters of today but to have an eye on tomorrow. That is good governance.
Loveland, Ohio – The public showed up and overflowed into the hallways at the January 24 Loveland council meeting to show displeasure with new fees and terms for holding “Public Events” on private or public property in the city of Loveland.
These three videos are excerpts and highlights of both the public showing displeasure with the fees and policy and City Council’s sometimes acrimonious debate that followed.
Because of this discussion, City Manager Dave Kennedy has proposed amendments to the fee structure and has recommended that City Council vote on them as “Emergency” legislation at the next meeting on February, 14. The meeting begins at 7 PM. View the meeting agenda HERE. Read and download the proposed amendment: Event Fees. Read what the current fees are: Previous Fees.
This first video is excerpts of the public urging that the fees be lower.
This second video is more excerpts of the public urging that the fees be lower.
This third video is excerpts and highlights of the sometimes acrimonious debate among council members.
Loveland Magazine is a sponsor of the Amazing Charity Race. This video below was produced by LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV highlighting the 2016 race.
“In its 11th year, 500 volunteers and a dedicated board of directors, guided about 1,400 racers on a 15-mile labyrinth of mental and physical challenges on June 18 in the Amazing Charity Race. From Loveland, through Miami Township, and into Milford, each team member must be physically fit, but also master the mental challenges of goofy brain games all along the course. Nearly all of the physical challenges are most easily handled by problem solving team mates as well. Think, Navy Seals teamwork – – sort of.”
Tossed around like pinballs while inside giant balloons
They were challenged to games of Donkey Kong at the Boy Scout’s Camp Friedlander, being tossed around like pinballs while inside giant balloons, reciting movie lines at the Loveland Stage Company, shooting a giant sling shot using their legs, and much, much more. Teams come from all over the country to race in the Fathers Day Weekend event.
You can watch all of the other people opposing the public event fees at the Council meeting on LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV
![EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] Highlights of council debate on public event policy and fees](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/maxresdefault-1-100x65.jpg)
![[Exclusive Video] Farmers' Friends are foes of new fees](https://i1.wp.com/lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/maxresdefault-10.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200)
