Council adopts resolution backing Ohio Municipal League challenge to AT&T tariff; confirms five appointments

The Brooklyn City Council on Jan. 13 unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the Ohio Municipal League’s challenge to AT&T’s tariff application at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and confirmed five mayoral appointments to city boards and commissions.

The council voted to adopt Resolution 2025-1 — a resolution asking the Public Utilities Commission to reject provisions in AT&T’s tariff that would shift relocation costs to municipalities — after a motion to suspend the usual rules and adopt the resolution under emergency provisions. The council approved the suspension and the resolution by roll call vote.

In separate votes, the council approved the minutes of its Dec. 9 meeting and confirmed the mayor’s nominations: Megan Barrow (reappointment) to the Civil Service Commission, Karen Frato (reappointment) to the Fair Housing Review Board, Amber May and Jennifer Earhart to the Domestic Relations Commission, and Karen Kistemaker (reappointment) to the Domestic Relations Commission. All confirmations passed on voice/roll-call votes with no votes recorded against them.

Nut graf: The adopted resolution aligns Brooklyn with the Ohio Municipal League’s position opposing tariff language that, if approved, could require cities to bear some costs for utility relocations. The confirmations refill volunteer commissions the mayor had nominated and restore the council’s roster for routine municipal business.

Council action and votes (selected)

- Approval of minutes, Dec. 9, 2024 — motion to approve: moved and seconded; roll call vote recorded as unanimous. (Roll calls present in the record: Kevin Tanski — yes; Sue Grodick — yes; Kathy Pucci — yes; Steven Coil/Coyle — yes; Andy Sellhertz — yes; Matt Mosley/Moseley — yes; Erin Borowski — yes.)

- Resolution 2025-1: “A resolution of the City of Brooklyn supporting the Ohio Municipal League's challenge of AT&T's tariff application at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio” — motion to suspend the rules and adopt by emergency: moved and seconded; roll call vote recorded as unanimous; outcome: adopted.

- Confirmations (each moved and seconded; each approved by roll call): - Megan Barrow — reappointment to the Civil Service Commission (term expiring 01/24/2031) — outcome: confirmed. - Karen Frato — reappointment to the Fair Housing Review Board (term expiring 12/31/2027) — outcome: confirmed. - Amber May — appointment to the Domestic Relations Commission (term expiring 01/01/2027) — outcome: confirmed. - Jennifer Earhart — appointment to the Domestic Relations Commission (term expiring 01/01/2027) — outcome: confirmed. - Karen Kistemaker — reappointment to the Domestic Relations Commission (term expiring 01/01/2027) — outcome: confirmed.

The meeting record shows no recorded nay votes, abstentions, or recusals on the motions above.

Background and context

The AT&T tariff item responds to a filed tariff at the state Public Utilities Commission. According to the council discussion recorded at the meeting, the tariff language, as initially filed, could have shifted costs to local governments when telecommunication lines must be moved, including when a project requires burying lines. The Ohio Municipal League had asked member municipalities to endorse a challenge to that tariff language; Brooklyn’s resolution places the city in that cohort.

The confirmations restore membership on multiple boards and commissions that advise or execute municipal programs, including civil service and housing/fairness review. The nominations were presented by Mayor Ron Van Kirk and individually moved and seconded for council confirmation.

Ending: The council closed the legislative portion of its meeting after the votes and moved to a second public session before adjourning. Additional items on the agenda — including a second-reading ordinance on cannabis zoning and a first-reading youth engagement resolution — were discussed but not adopted at this meeting.