City of Jackson

The meeting commenced with a pledge of allegiance and prayer, followed by a presentation from a member of Troop 48 of Jackson, Ohio, encouraging youth involvement in scouts. Key discussions centered on legislative actions, including the third reading and adoption of an ordinance establishing maximum wages and wage increases for various city positions. Two other ordinances concerning the chief of police salary and the creation of two manager positions were also adopted after required readings. Several financial measures were addressed, such as approving additional appropriations for the South Street Water and Wastewater mainline improvements project and the fire tax levy fund for training reimbursement. Furthermore, resolutions were adopted to authorize agreements for city legal counsel and for the use of city ball fields by the Big Red Diamond Club, as well as an agreement with the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce for First Thursday sidewalk market events, which involved providing an unmetered electrical outlet.

The meeting included recognition for an employee celebrating 25 years of service upon her recent retirement, and awards were presented to a police officer for life-saving actions performed on December 24, 2025, and to two firefighters for their courageous actions during a structure fire in Liberty Township on January 30, 2026. The council also heard presentations regarding the proposed design and preliminary layout for the new city hall, which is being funded in part by a $2.5 million grant secured with the assistance of State Representative Jason Stevens. Key offices slated for the new building include Utilities, Code Enforcement, the Mayor's office, the Auditor's office suite, and the new council chambers.

The meeting began with the swearing in of two new council members, Megan Peters (Third Ward) and Britney Hitch (At Large). Following the swearing-in ceremony for all council members, the Mayor recognized former Mayor Tom Evans for his 45 years of service as an elected official to the City of Jackson. During the visitor participation segment, Larry Kent discussed his candidacy for the Ohio 93 State Representative seat, emphasizing the need for business knowledge in Columbus and citing examples of problem-solving from his entrepreneurial career. Ryan Pelleter, Fire Chief for the City of Wilson, Ohio, spoke to honor the Jackson Fire Department staff, highlighting their dedication, unity, and the challenges faced by first responders regarding recruitment and public scrutiny. He particularly noted the strong leadership within the department.

The meeting commenced with opening ceremonies and a roll call. Key discussions included congratulations for an employee who recently married, and recognition for participants in the town's Christmas celebration, parade, and tree lighting, as well as the Jackson Firefire Association for the fireworks. The council addressed committee reports, including updates on defining a gravestone and working on ordinances for year-end closing. Major project updates covered the removal of limestone from the Moral building for use in the new building's design, demolition work, and progress on the downtown revitalization grant, which involved water line replacement on Main Street and temporary halting of curbs and sidewalks work on Broadway for the Christmas shopping season. An update was provided on a significant low voltage circuit conversion project starting the next day. The council also announced changes to garbage pickup schedules due to the Christmas holiday and discussed guidelines for garbage can placement and enforcement. Council members inquired about future planning for water line issues in other neighborhoods, with plans to seek grant funding for engineering. Several ordinances were adopted, including one to correct scrivener's errors, ordinances dealing with the transfer of interest earned from the Edwin Jones fund and trust fund to park and museum accounts (requiring amendment for accurate fund naming), an ordinance reducing appropriations in the city building project expense fund, and the adoption of a mandatory cybersecurity policy for the city, which was effective September 30th and needed to be formalized before year-end. Finally, an ordinance transferring appropriations between various utility funds for recoverable cost reimbursements based on a cost allocation study was approved.

The meeting included public comment regarding a proposed rezoning and traffic patterns concerning State Route 93, where the proposer committed to paying for a traffic study and adhering to minimum zoning requirements for architectural features and surface water runoff. Key discussions involved committee reports, with the Fire Chief reporting that the city achieved a fire protection rating of 4 (an improvement from 5) based on factors like response time, water supply, and communication upgrades, including a new computer-aided dispatch system and state radio system compatibility, which is expected to positively impact insurance rates. The Mayor provided updates on multiple projects: paving (over 5 miles completed this year using income tax money), demolition and limestone salvage for the memorial building (utilizing grant funds), and progress on the downtown project, which includes water line replacement. Additionally, a new $1.5 million ODOT grant was secured to replace a bridge on Burlington Road, and future bridge replacements on Gay Street and Bond Street were mentioned. The Service Director announced changes to garbage pickup due to the following day being a holiday and plans to reactivate the HyperReach notification system for service alerts. Council then proceeded with legislation, including the adoption of an ordinance rezoning property from Medium Density Residential to Industrial, approving the vacation of an alley, amending codified ordinances regarding contractor registration, and establishing a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA).