[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6339457,"mediaKeyId","2261348-08863b2db195899a8e3cf4c973d8f1fa","parentId",2261348,"title","Bexley council approves AFSCME 2025'27 contract; passes appropriations and other measures, tables special assessments","audioSeconds",382,"startMs",2439625,"endMs",2822475,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2261348-08863b2db195899a8e3cf4c973d8f1fa&start=2439&end=2822","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2261348-08863b2db195899a8e3cf4c973d8f1fa/thumbnail_2439625.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6339457/Bexley/Franklin-County/Ohio/Bexley-council-approves-AFSCME-202527-contract-passes-appropriations-and-other-measures-tables-special-assessments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339457-b636ddce33aa0f76b2076edb0195be57/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187336&Signature=LJ6qlvCT41pGOknWlCt~IqSL-MH7MVk1jAWDxs7GoSa-EPgL7hItTaUDBUVNkieXRBlYBPnT13PJwg56PVzdHC202B9WYQSwCVevSa2WOIRG4N~q1iYE8RntODBfkw~L-jJ20GDUMPhAIfXve0JCksVCfrmSnl~RAQkDesEKgReDNlyY27wFvvLbxP-ZZgucJjaAk4PVMw5JEKSGfwJzaWai80EJMzyW7wqrGQCSiw0846W-O6J8V0RxHiSZ9RSEbGe9aJMxlMyGUNWrRw-2tra7l-Zu3rAzDIl7Iah8-7Vay4wOr45QvXi7v8XI~6JKFqFWL4yBdlZISyC~rxKKoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bexley OH","date","2025-02-11T23:42:45Z","article","BEXLEY ' The Bexley City Council on Monday adopted a three-year collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Ohio Council, Local 3838, covering 2025 through 2027 and approved several budget-related ordinances. The vote on the AFSCME contract was unanimous by those present.

The AFSCME agreement (Ordinance 01-25) was presented at third reading and carried on a roll call vote after a public comment urging rejection. Austin Fairbanks, a resident, urged council to reject the measure and said the contract \"rewards mediocrity over performance,\" criticized seniority-based layoff rules and a uniform wage schedule (\"4% in 2025, 3.5% in 2026 and 3% in 2027\"), and objected to union PAC political spending. Council members voted to adopt the ordinance despite his objections.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (minutes from 01/28/2025): adopted by roll call (Yes: Feibel, Silverman, Hurley, Marcelino, Saad, Lampe). No public opposition was recorded.
- Ordinance 01-25 (AFSCME collective bargaining agreement, 2025-2027): Motion to adopt by Councilmember Saad; second by Councilmember Marcelino. Roll call: Lampe: Yes; Hurley: Yes; Marcelino: Yes; Silverman: Yes; Feibel: Yes; Saad: Yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Ordinance 02-25 (certify special assessments for city-performed work under Bexley code sections 14.90.15(b)(4)(a) and 14.92.04(b)(1)): Tabled at third reading to allow staff to verify assessment numbers. Motion to table by Saad; second by Marcelino. Roll call: Marcelino: Yes; Silverman: Yes; Feibel: Yes; Hurley: Yes; Lampe: Yes; Saad: Yes. Outcome: tabled.
- Ordinance 04-25 (appropriations and transfers including a $1.1 million transfer from the general fund to the capital fund, water-fund transfers, and $8,500 for police records training): Amended (language changes) and adopted; motion to amend passed by roll call and subsequent vote to adopt the amended ordinance passed unanimously among those present.
- Ordinance 42-24 (incorporating findings of fact and conclusions of law): Removed from the table, amended to attach findings of fact and conclusions of law, and adopted by roll call vote.

Public comment and council response
Resident Austin Fairbanks (2810 Allegheny Ave.) urged council to reject the AFSCME contract, arguing that the agreement's seniority and automatic pay increase provisions disincentivize performance and that union PAC funds are used for partisan spending. \"This agreement shows a lack of initiative from the city,\" Fairbanks said, and he called for a renegotiation. Council members thanked him for his remarks; the council proceeded to a roll call vote and adopted the ordinance.

Council action on administrative and enforcement matters
Council also dealt with administrative items: an ordinance to certify special assessments for city-performed code-enforcement work (02-25) was tabled so staff could correct numeric entries; a separate assessment ordinance that did proceed concerned fees for specific properties where the city performed ordered work.

Context and next steps
Council President Lampe noted that several items will return for additional readings or follow-up (including the tabled assessments). Staff said they would recheck assessment calculations before bringing the ordinance back. The appropriation ordinance passed required minor language changes before adoption; staff confirmed the dollars were budgeted and the language tweak aligned the ordinance with budget authority.

Quotes in this article are drawn verbatim from the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Part 2","oneSentenceSummary","Council adopted a three-year collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 3838 and approved an amended appropriation ordinance; it tabled a special-assessment certification and adopted a separate ordinance incorporating findings of fact.","taxTitle","Bexley, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",72409,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6339462,"Bexley officials weigh May start for electricity aggregation amid likely one-month price spike",770,29250,799415,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2261348-08863b2db195899a8e3cf4c973d8f1fa&start=29&end=799","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2261348-08863b2db195899a8e3cf4c973d8f1fa/thumbnail_29250.jpg","/articles/6339462/Bexley/Franklin-County/Ohio/Bexley-officials-weigh-May-start-for-electricity-aggregation-amid-likely-one-month-price-spike","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6339462-0d78a8c5548f46d5a94990f4685cbec6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771187336&Signature=mpaqzOgSNLjNhH4WstaCKPKopqtslvkXRSjhNadYSgLYSnb~5QsNui~X-vU0midqqgSTCu5EEOqq-JUddT014n1tWpisn~sl60zTHm25hT~Pq5axdi3iI262-ATkN6S8hyfM-XNcAfvj85JAPWOPmZraqj9vKaIHcrbF~3ywU7jJxQ7MwHhjkuXWlNdKrpnuZftj~GpXi3wX6aeHNYOea-Xvid7gBYFLunxrvLmU5kiAWk6rDkLSCJPNI5d9owksXQXY4OcbzkztEAZoVqe~J9gNu28MFn5CxdzIAqBhap-7b0xtzYc055BuMroi2Pv2toNGnpPCDmQQ1yLMhwU7Pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BEXLEY ' City officials and outside energy consultants on Monday discussed the trade-offs of when to start the city's electricity aggregation program, saying a May launch could produce a single month of higher generation charges versus the regional utility AEP but likely lower prices for most of the contract term.

City staff and the consultant urged the council to consider a 13-month contract window so residents would see a brief price increase followed by lower prices for the remaining months. \"There's no fees during this whole program. It's still an opt out program,\" the consultant said, adding that customers can opt out if they prefer AEP.

The conversation focused on three practical uncertainties: AEP's upcoming auction-driven published rate (the consultant said AEP's June auction looks likely to push rates to about 10.5 to 11 cents per kilowatt-hour), the price the city could lock with a supplier such as Constellation (the consultant said, \"Constellation provided, 8 9 9 7\"), and how long to lock a fixed price. The consultant cautioned that locking in a rate would commit the city for the full term and that energy prices could decline during that period.

Why it matters: the start date and contract length affect residents' monthly bills and the city's ability to deliver cleaner generation at scale. The program is opt-out: residents are enrolled automatically and can choose to opt out with no fees, but doing nothing may produce short-term confusion when standard-choice letters arrive from the utility.

Council questions ranged from the timing of AEP's published June rate (the consultant said the official AEP June price is typically announced in mid-May) to the share of residents currently in the aggregation. The consultant estimated the program affects about \"3,000 meters\" and that \"I think it's around 70%\" participation, while noting that exact participation and meter counts would need verification.

Several council members asked whether a longer hedge (24 or 36 months) would better protect the city against volatility or pending state-level policy changes. One council member noted ongoing state legislative activity may alter market rules and urged caution when selecting contract length.

Council President Lampe told the room the item is at second reading and the third reading is scheduled in two weeks, giving the council time to review updated pricing charts and to request additional modeling from staff and the consultant.

What remained unresolved: the council did not take a final vote. Staff said alternatives under consideration include adopting a 13-month supplier contract if the council proceeds with the ordinance on the three-reading timeline, tabling the ordinance to wait for clearer market signals, or remaining on the default utility offer where AEP would serve customers.

Community context and next steps: staff offered to publish comparison charts showing the historical Bexley generation price versus AEP's published rates and to bring updated projections and a refreshed resident-survey on preferences for clean energy to the next meeting. The council will revisit the ordinance at third reading in two weeks.

Quotes in this article come from on-the-record remarks in the council meeting transcript.","City staff and energy consultants told council a May start for Bexley's community aggregation could mean one month with higher bills versus AEP but lower prices for the remainder of the contract; council left final action for a third reading scheduled in two weeks.","actionData","errors"]

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Bexley council approves AFSCME 2025'27 contract; passes appropriations and other measures, tables special assessments

Bexley officials weigh May start for electricity aggregation amid likely one-month price spike