North College Hill City Council adopts emergency ordinance to use ARPA funds to remove asbestos at 1500 West Galbraith Road

The North College Hill City Council on a special meeting adopted Ordinance 7-20-26 to authorize American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for asbestos abatement at the building located at 1500 West Galbraith Road and declared an emergency to allow immediate implementation.

The council's clerk read the ordinance at the outset: "This is the 1st reading of ordinance 7 dash 20 26, an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act, ARPA, funds for the asbestos abatement of the building located at 1500 West Galbraith Road, authorizing the city administrator, finance director, and other appropriate officials to take all action necessary to implement the project and declaring an emergency," the clerk said.

Council member Miss Clear raised a procedural and substantive question, saying that "abatement" can mean different approaches and asking the council to be explicit. Miss Clear moved to add a definition: "For the purposes of this ordinance, asbestos abatement means the complete removal and disposal of all asbestos containing materials from the building and does not include encapsulation or enclosure as a final project outcome," she said. The motion to add that sentence to section 1 was seconded and approved by roll call.

After adopting the amendment, Council member Miss Zorb urged expedited action to protect the city's ability to use federal funds. "The point of the ARPA funds is they have to be spent by 12/31/2026," Miss Zorb said. "In order to make sure that the money gets spent ... we have to have that work complete and invoiced by 12/01/2026 so that [the finance manager] can work her magic and get the bill paid, and we meet all of the necessary deadlines in order to use the ARPA funds." She said the ordinance's emergency clause would let the city administrator begin contracting quickly.

The council then moved to suspend the second and third readings for Ordinance 7-20-26 so the ordinance could take effect sooner; the motion to suspend readings was seconded and passed by roll call (one member recorded a reluctant yes). The council subsequently voted to adopt Ordinance 7-20-26 as amended, with the emergency clause. The roll-call votes recorded approval from Miss Zorb, Miss Gaston, Miss Alexander, Miss Cureton, Miss Clear (reluctantly in one vote), and Mister Davis.

The ordinance authorizes the expenditure of ARPA funds for asbestos abatement at 1500 West Galbraith Road, directs the city administrator, finance director and appropriate officials to take necessary actions to implement the project, and declares an emergency to allow immediate contracting and work to begin. The council adjourned after completing the business and completing closing rituals.

Details not specified in the meeting included the total ARPA allocation for this project, contract awards or selected vendors, and an exact project schedule; those matters were not included in the ordinance language presented at the special meeting and were not specified during the discussion.