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Council sends DORA ordinance to second reading after safety, timing concerns
Summary
After lengthy discussion and public comment, Amherst council voted 7–0 to send an ordinance creating an outdoor refreshment area (DORA) to second reading and requested staff and council refine hours, signage and safety staffing, with the mayor urging a weekend pilot to limit overtime costs.
The Amherst City Council voted unanimously on May 26 to send an ordinance that would authorize an outdoor refreshment area (DORA) in downtown Amherst to second reading and to return it to committee for further revisions.
The ordinance as read by the clerk would amend City of Amherst Ordinance 023-29 and implement an outdoor refreshment area under the Ohio Revised Code. The mayor told council the administration and the police chief opposed the full-time hours proposed in the mayor’s application because the city cannot staff the area safely without extra overtime or new hires. "Even even if we only made 30 extra hours of coverage...30 hours of overtime is somewhere upwards of a $150,000 that that we would be spending throughout the year," the mayor said, urging a more limited pilot such as weekends only so the city could test the program without immediately committing to daily coverage.
Council members raised related concerns about the ordinance language and intent. One councilmember said the draft appeared to convert a temporary, seasonal DORA (which had been discussed as May 15–Sept. 27) into an ongoing annual authorization and asked that the end date and role of exceptions be clarified. The law department said the draft provided by council could be modified through committee and that revisions could be made before the second reading.
Members of the public who spoke during the agenda item expressed support for a limited pilot. "I'm all about baby steps," said Peggy Sonovaldi of 5 Points Tavern, adding downtown businesses already work to keep properties clean. Robert Cuff, owner of American Outlaw Tattoo and a Main Street board member, said a DORA would help community events such as the Amherst Art Fest but warned that officer costs for events are significant, citing roughly $1,000 as an example of an event staffing expense.
After discussion, Council amended and approved a motion to send the item to second reading and to continue committee work on a revised safety, signage and hours plan. The motion passed on a roll-call vote of 7–0. The ordinance will return in second reading with proposed modifications from committee.
