Huron City Council approves police cruiser cameras, legal services contract, boat-basin grant application and multiple city purchases

The Huron City Council on April 20 approved a series of ordinances and resolutions covering public-safety equipment, professional services, waterfront funding applications and municipal equipment purchases.

The council approved a purchase agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc., for three Fleet 3 in-cruiser camera systems and related software and services for the Huron Police Department in an amount not to exceed $42,650.34, to be paid over five years (about $8,500 per year). Chief Graham said the systems “are synced with everything. Automatic activations, they come out automatically when the light bar is on, they come out automatically when the rear door opens. There’s three cameras... one at the front, there’s one at the rear, and there’s one at the back, the prisoner compartment.” The purchase was budgeted and will be installed in two new cruisers and one K-9 cruiser.

Council also authorized a one-year professional services agreement with Sealy, Savage, Ebert & Gorash Co., P.A. for basic legal services from June 4, 2025, through June 3, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $154,500 (monthly flat fee $12,875). City staff noted either party may terminate with 90 days’ notice and that additional projects will be billed outside the flat-fee scope.

On waterfront funding, the council ratified submission of a fiscal year 2026 Community Project Funding request to U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur seeking up to $5,000,000 for comprehensive rehabilitation of the Huron Municipal Boat Basin. City staff described the application as covering in-water infrastructure, concrete riser repairs, concrete walkway repairs and retaining wall replacement and said the request includes the entire basin area from the city-owned property north to the Harbor House and around to the yacht club.

On land use and signage, the council adopted an ordinance amending the official zoning map to rezone multiple Erie County parcel numbers from R-2 (PUD, one- and two-family) to R-1 (single-family) (Ordinance 2025-7). The council also gave final approval to revised sign regulations (Ordinance 2025-8) that restate administrative procedures and define when legal nonconforming signs will lose that status (for example, structural change to a sign or a change in building use).

Other approvals included: awarding a purchase contract for a 2025 Mack MD 742R chassis to be outfitted with a 10-foot dump body (not to exceed $125,110) for the water distribution crew; agreements to host two summer events (the Huron Rotary Festival on June 28 and Huron Riverfest on July 11–12) including standard facility fees and permits for alcohol sales where requested; and authorization for a demolition contract for the south-end boat-basin restrooms (contractor named in the report).

City Manager Hamilton reported Parks & Recreation summer registration was up (about 250 youth registered at the time of the report), a proposed stainless-steel fish sculpture would be donated to the boat basin via an existing MOU with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the East Side water tower painting project has begun and will be out of service for about three weeks, underground work on the HPP expansion is complete and the city expects the first new HPP customer in May, and municipal bond sale results (April 17) produced a 5.55% interest rate over 15 years. Hamilton said demolition of the south-end restrooms is contracted but the schedule is being coordinated and may be delayed past Memorial Day if not completed in time.

Council members raised nonbinding concerns in the discussion period about electric bicycles and drone nuisance/privacy; the manager said the proposed “Dora” project remains in limbo largely because the city lacks capacity for the required staffing and enforcement.

Votes at a glance: all listed ordinances and resolutions above were adopted by roll call during the meeting; recorded roll calls for each item in the council minutes show unanimous or majority approval as stated at the meeting.

The council recessed into an executive session to discuss personnel matters and later adjourned; no final personnel action was announced at adjournment.