Reynoldsburg council to hold work session on backyard chickens after resident concern; approves grants, contracts and purchases in unanimous votes

A resident’s plea to discuss backyard chicken ownership prompted Reynoldsburg City Council to schedule a follow-up work session, and the council moved through several consent items and ordinances on March 10, 2025, approving grant-backed contracts, equipment purchases and a municipal insurance appropriation by unanimous vote.

The matter of residential chicken ownership drew the meeting’s most sustained public comment. A resident, identified in council remarks as Ms. Dexter, asked that the council not dismiss the topic and urged formal discussion of resident suggestions. "I just feel like it should be something anything that is presented before you should have some discussion and have an opportunity to be addressed," Ms. Dexter said during public comment.

City Attorney Shook and Council members responded that the topic could be examined in more detail. City Attorney Shook cautioned that some questions — particularly whether a particular use qualifies as a public purpose — could require outside review: "If it's untested waters, then we're probably better off seeking some type of opinion from the state auditor's office," he said. Council Member Pacquero asked for a work session; President Shannette Strickland said she would coordinate with the mayor and the city attorney to place the item on a future agenda.

On public health, Mayor (unnamed in the record) referenced regional health officials' concerns about avian influenza and urged basic precautions, saying, "please everyone wash your hands." The mayor said county and Columbus health directors had emphasized that most current detections remain concentrated in commercial bird operations…