A string of public-comment speakers urged Dayton voters to support Issue 9, a citizen-initiated ballot measure to create a Dayton public hospital. Speakers described the health-care impacts of Good Samaritan Hospital's closure and argued a locally governed hospital would restore access and build community trust.

Kathleen Galt, who said volunteers collected 10,000 signatures for the ballot initiative, cited a 2024 report by CareSource and Groundwork Ohio describing the closure's consequences in Montgomery County and said petition gatherers documented many personal stories of lost access and training pathways that had existed at Good Samaritan.

"The closure of Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton has left a deep scar on the community," Galt told commissioners, and petitioners collected thousands of testimonials about the closure's effects. She urged a "yes" vote and directed listeners to daytonissue9.org for information on the initiative.

Nancy Kiel described long waits she observed at Premier North and Miami Valley Hospital and raised concerns about lost maternity services after multiple hospital service changes. Bishop Richard Cox, president of the Clergy Community Coalition, urged residents to vote "yes" on Issue 9, framed the measure as responding to health-care needs for the poor and uninsured, and encouraged early voting and turnout.

Speakers said the proposed hospital would be community governed and would create local board representation; several speakers connected the initiative to broader local health-equity concerns and to job creation. The commission did not take formal action on the ballot initiative during the meeting; the measure will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot per speakers' remarks.