Toledo City Council approves settlements, contracts, grant and zoning changes

The Toledo City Council on Jan. 14, 2024, voted to adopt a series of ordinances that included three settlement payments, emergency contracting for public-works needs, a consulting services contract for the utilities department, acceptance of a $25,000 park grant and several zoning and code changes.

The council approved settlements authorizing payments from the city's risk management fund for pending claims: $800,000 in Pratt v. City of Toledo; $145,000 to settle Fuel Outdoor of Toledo LLC's federal claim; and $60,000 to resolve claims by David Sanders, including a pending union grievance. Each settlement ordinance was declared an emergency and passed by roll call during the meeting.

Council members also approved emergency and noncompetitive contracts: a waiver of formal bidding to allow Edward Kelly & Sons to perform emergency sanitary sewer repairs at Arlington and Francis; and a three-year professional services contract with Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc., for ongoing rate and financial modeling and strategic planning for the Department of Public Utilities, with an authorized expenditure up to $350,000 from the Utility Administration Fund. The council declared emergency status for several of those measures to speed implementation.

The council accepted a $25,000 grant from the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation to add visitor amenities at Birmingham Park and authorized appropriation and contracting for the project. The council also approved a one-year software-as-a-service agreement for website chatbot software, authorizing up to $18,000 for one-time implementation costs and up to $25,000 annually for subscription costs from the information and communications technology fund; that ordinance passed with one recorded no vote.

Zoning and planning actions included a map change for property on Tremainsville Road and a special-use permit for a school at West Bancroft Street, both adopted and declared emergency. The council also adopted amendments to Toledo Municipal Code sections on penalties, enforcement and corrected cross-references to the Ohio Revised Code.

Most measures were adopted after motions to suspend the rules and declare emergencies, a frequent practice during this meeting. Roll-call votes were recorded on the record for each ordinance and are listed below.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 004-25 (renumbered 004-25) ' Authorize one-year SaaS chatbot contract (implementation not to exceed $18,000; subscription up to $25,000/year). Declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed. Vote (recorded): Yes ' Driscoll, Hartman, Jones, Comives, Martinez, McPherson, Melden, Morris, Serrante, Williams; No ' Gattis. - Ordinance 005-25 ' Create seven-member Salary Review and Recommendation Commission as provided in charter sections referenced in the ordinance; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (unanimous roll call as recorded). - Ordinance 006-25 ' Approving petition and project plan for Northwest Ohio Advanced Energy Improvement District under Chapter 1710 (special assessments). Declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 007-25 ' Authorize full-and-final settlement of David Sanders claims including a pending union grievance; authorize $60,000 from risk management fund; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed. Vote (recorded): Yes ' Driscoll, Gaddis, Hartman, Jones, Comives, McPherson, Melden, Morris, Serrante, Williams; No ' Martinez. - Ordinance 008-25 ' Authorize settlement with Fuel Outdoor of Toledo LLC in federal case (N.D. Ohio) for $145,000; authorize expenditure from risk management fund; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 009-25 ' Authorize partial settlement in Pratt v. City of Toledo; authorize $800,000 from risk management fund; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 010-25 ' Authorize mayor to contract with Edward Kelly & Sons for emergency sanitary sewer repairs at Arlington and Francis; waive competitive bidding under TMC Chapter 187; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 011-25 ' Authorize professional services contract with Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc., for three years for rate and financial modeling and strategic planning; authorize up to $350,000 from Utility Administration Fund; waive competitive bidding; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 012-25 ' Authorize agreement with Mercy Health Occupational Health Services for employment-related medical services; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 013-25 ' Accept $25,000 grant from the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation to support visitor amenities at Birmingham Park; authorize appropriation/expenditure and contracting; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 014-25 ' Amend zoning maps (property on Tremainsville Road); declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 015-25 ' Grant special-use permit for a school at West Bancroft Street (address recorded in the ordinance text); declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 016-25 ' Amend TMC Part 11 subsections on penalties and enforcement; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded). - Ordinance 017-25 ' Amend TMC Part 11 subsection correcting references to the Ohio Revised Code; declared an emergency. Outcome: Passed (roll call recorded).

Context and next steps The settlements will be paid from the city's risk management fund as authorized by the ordinances. Multiple emergency declarations and motions to suspend the rules were used to accelerate approvals during the meeting; those actions allow immediate implementation but do not alter substantive terms recorded in the ordinances themselves. Several items (contracts and park work) authorize staff to accept bids and award contracts as permitted by law and the city code. The council also scheduled a committee-of-the-whole budget discussion for 3 p.m. the following day.

No substantive public debate or extended discussion on the merits of the settlements or most contracts is recorded in the meeting transcript; votes were taken after roll-call motions to suspend rules and declare emergency status.