Kettering City Council approves street renamings, grants, contracts and supplemental appropriations

Kettering City Council approved a slate of ordinances, resolutions and contracts at its Feb. 24 meeting, taking votes on street‑name changes, grants, contracts for capital and maintenance work, and supplemental budget appropriations.

Ordinances and street names: Vice Mayor Lisa Duval moved and council adopted an ordinance to amend section 905.01 to explicitly authorize the city engineer to amend the official house‑numbering map, a clarification requested by the law department. Council also approved a second ordinance to rename Smithville Road (to South Smithville Road) and to add directional prefixes to Sh Avenue and Patterson Boulevard to avoid duplicate street names that would conflict with a new electronic 911 mapping system; staff said the changes are intended to reduce emergency‑response confusion.

Grants and social‑service support: Council accepted a $15,000 grant from the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services Board of Montgomery County to fund a first‑responder mental‑health program in partnership with Pinpoint Behavioral Health Services. City staff said the program will provide at least one confidential counseling hour per employee per year for sworn officers and dispatchers.

Intergovernmental and capital projects: The council authorized a cost‑participation agreement with the city of Dayton for a $125,000 King Business Park ped/bike connector project with Dayton contributing $30,000. Contracts and competitive‑bidding authorizations cleared the Rosewood Arts Center water‑heater replacement and asbestos abatement (estimated $50,000), relocation and reinstallation of the Rockwave sculpture at Doka Park ($40,000), and playground equipment and surfacing projects (estimated $75,000 and $150,000 respectively).

Procurement and operations: Because of a heavy winter, council approved an amendment to spend more on the Blade Cutters snow‑and‑ice removal contract (estimated additional $150,000) after staff said incurred and projected services exceeded 25% of the original contract amount.

Budget action: Finance presented a supplemental appropriation package to carry forward grant and project balances from 2025 into 2026 (staff cited an itemized carryover total in the agenda packet and read a composite figure during the meeting). The package included grant carryovers, equipment upfits, and a $15,000 appropriation tied to the first‑responder mental‑health grant; council adopted the supplemental appropriations by roll call.

Solid‑waste ordinance first reading: Council introduced a first reading to update Chapter 943 (garbage and recycling) to reflect the city’s current single‑hauler automated curbside service and to set permitting and enforcement provisions; the item will return for second reading.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Amend sec. 905.01 (house‑numbering authority): adopted (unanimous roll call). - Street renamings (Smithville → South Smithville; directional clarifications to Sh Avenue and Patterson Boulevard): adopted (unanimous roll call). - Accept ADMH grant for first‑responder mental‑health services ($15,000): adopted (unanimous roll call). - Cost‑participation with Dayton for bike/ped connector (project 01‑504Z; Dayton $30,000 contribution toward $125,000): adopted (unanimous roll call). - Rosewood water‑heater replacement and asbestos abatement (CIP): authorized (unanimous roll call). - Blade Cutters contract increase for snow/ice removal: authorized (unanimous roll call). - Relocation of Rockwave sculpture (Doka Park): authorized (unanimous roll call). - Supplemental appropriations (carryovers and reclassifications; composite figure read aloud): adopted (unanimous roll call).

What’s next: The solid‑waste ordinance returns for a second reading at a future meeting; several projects identified in the approvals (playground surfacing, Rockwave relocation) were described by staff as summer‑timed activities pending coordination and weather.

Key quote: "This ordinance will officially clarify or change the name of Smithville Road to South Smithville Road…so this will be a positive change for residents, especially for emergency response," said a staff member explaining the street‑name changes.

Council adjourned with its next regular meeting set for March 10, 2026.