Middletown council approves personnel confirmations, grants, design contract and settlements; adopts labor pact and zoning change

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — The Middletown City Council on Oct. 7 approved a slate of routine personnel confirmations, accepted two grants, authorized a $360,000 design contract for the CSO Basin Park, and adopted several pieces of legislation including a new collective-bargaining agreement and a zoning change.

The council approved all consent-agenda items by unanimous roll call, confirming civil service hires and internal promotions across multiple departments. Council also approved two motion-agenda items and five items of legislation without extended debate.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: Approved (unanimous roll call). The consent agenda confirmed the appointment of Jennifer Ridenour as administrative assistant in Community and Economic Development; conditional appointments of Kaylee Moreland (patrol officer, Division of Police), Jerry McNeal (senior account clerk, Division of Tax) and Jasmine Cobb (senior account clerk, Division of Water Administration); and promotional appointments of Andrew Turner (deputy fire chief), John Scranton (fire captain) and Joshua Lentz (fire lieutenant) in the Division of Fire. (Presentation: clerk of council; motion and second recorded; roll call recorded as unanimous.)

- Motion A: Accepted a Duke site-readiness grant, $10,000, for site readiness at Union Wren Farms on Union Road. (Motion approved by roll call.)

- Motion B: Approved a contract with Gresham Smith for up to $360,000 to design phase 2 of the CSO Basin Park above the underground storage basin on Main Street. Staff said the park design will now include a permanent ice rink, restrooms, a concession area and a skate rental facility; the total project budget for the park over the basin was described as $2 million. Council discussed accelerating the design timeline; staff said they will work with Gresham Smith to shorten the schedule. (Motion approved by roll call.)

- Ordinance O2025-56: Authorized a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 856 for the term July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. (Moved, seconded and adopted by roll call.)

- Ordinance O2025-57 (second reading): Approved rezoning three parcels at 3409–3413 Van Est Avenue from R-3 (medium-density residential) to B-1 (neighborhood business). (Second reading adopted by roll call.)

- Resolution R2025-31: Accepted amounts and rates as determined by the Butler County Budget Commission for the city’s 2026 tax levies and authorized necessary certifications to the county auditor. Staff said the commission approved the millage on Aug. 21 and the city received the determination on Sept. 29. (Adopted by roll call.)

- Resolution R2025-32: Authorized acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awarded to the Middletown Fire Division for officer training and overtime backfill. Staff described the total award as $162,776.60, with federal funds of $147,978.73 and a city match of $14,797.87 from the fire division’s travel and training budget. Council approved accepting the grant and entering the grant agreement. (Adopted by roll call.)

- Resolution R2025-33: Authorized the city manager to enter a settlement agreement with Start Skydiving LLC and Selection Management Systems Inc. to resolve pending litigation. The presentation said the city (through its insurance carrier) will pay up to $795,000 in exchange for mutual releases of all claims in the related cases. (Adopted by roll call.)

Why it matters

The package moves forward several near-term projects and obligations: personnel hiring and promotions maintain departmental staffing; the CSO Basin Park design will guide the next phase of downtown redevelopment above the sewer-storage basin; the AFG grant funds training to prepare firefighters for promotion and to backfill shifts; and the settlement resolves pending litigation that the city identified to council. The AFSCME contract sets labor terms for three years and the rezoning permits neighborhood-business uses at the identified Van Est Avenue parcels.

What council said

City Manager Ashley Combs presented the staff reports for the design contract and grant acceptances and noted timeline expectations: the downtown RFQ process tied to other planning items will close Nov. 3 and staff expects to present results to council at the second meeting in November. Council members expressed support for accelerating the CSO Basin Park design timeline where feasible.

The council voted on each item by roll call; minutes and formal ordinances/resolutions will be posted with the city clerk’s office.

Ending

Council adjourned at 6:39 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers.