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Citizen Portal News Ohio
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A proposed ordinance for temporary housing sparked a heated debate among council members, revealing deep divides over its vague language and potential implications for the community.

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#OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #CommunityInvolvement #HousingAccess
Council split on temporary‑housing zoning change after lengthy public testimony
The planning and development committee debated a proposed conditional‑use ordinance to allow temporary housing in R‑3 and B‑3 zones. Supporters urged moving the measure forward to protect options for shelters; critics and several council members raised concerns about vague language (duration, oversight, licensing), potential for spot‑zoning and the
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:26 AM
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Athens City Council is considering a crucial 0.2% income tax levy that could boost the general fund by over $1 million—will voters support this change?

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#OH #PublicFunding #CitizenPortal #FiscalTransparency #CommunityEngagement
Mayor and treasurer push 0.2% income tax levy for May 2026 to shore up general fund
Mayor and Treasurer Thomas told council the administration plans to ask voters to consider a 0.2 percentage‑point city income tax levy in the May 2026 primary to shore up the general fund. Treasurer estimates that, using 2024 revenue as a baseline, the change could generate roughly $1.8 million in additional income‑tax receipts before allocations —
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:21 AM
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Athens County is on the brink of economic transformation with a new 60,000-square-foot spec building and ambitious plans for 2025, but will it find a tenant?

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#OH #CitizenPortal #BrownfieldsRemediation #CommunityDevelopment #SmallBusinessSupport
EDC outlines 2025 wins and jobs push as spec building waits for tenant
The Athens County Economic Development Council reported on 2025 activity — completing a 60,000‑square‑foot spec building, brownfields remediation and small business grants — and flagged funding and approval steps still pending, including EDA clearance for the spec building floor slab and a $1.5 million community project allocation not yet received.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:18 AM
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Hamilton County is stepping up to help Golf Manor create a vibrant mixed-use space on North Weade, turning a $35,000 grant bid into an exciting opportunity for local vendors and events!

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#OH #CitizenPortal #LocalPlanning #CommunityEngagement #UrbanDevelopment
Hamilton County to provide in‑kind planning help after Golf Manor’s $35,000 grant bid for North Weade project
Staff told the Community Engagement Committee that Hamilton County planning agreed to provide in-kind planning services for a proposed North Weade mixed-use event and vendor space after Golf Manor’s $35,000 grant application ranked fourth among 11 applicants; county assistance could help the village advance design and vendor recruitment.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:10 AM
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Mount Vernon is exploring revolutionary upgrades to its water treatment system, including modern lime handling and a new storage tank to boost service and fire safety!

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#OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #WaterQuality #InfrastructureModernization
Mount Vernon considers studies for lime slakers, a southern water tower and changing disinfection chemistry
City staff presented a study/design request for qualifications to assess modern lime slakers/silos, a southern water tower to relieve pressure and improve fire flow, and an evaluation of converting from a chlorine dioxide disinfection system to sodium hypochlorite. The RFQ (Resolution 2025‑109) received a second reading; staff emphasized the RFQ is
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:08 AM
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Akron residents are demanding urgent action on short-term rental regulations after a tragic Airbnb incident nearby raised serious safety concerns.

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#AkronSummitCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #HousingRegulation #AkronShortTermRentals #CommunitySafety
Residents press Akron council for short‑term rental limits after nearby Airbnb tragedy
Public commenters and a council member urged Akron leaders to act on short‑term rentals after a recent deadly Airbnb party in nearby Bath; council members asked which departments enforce code and collect taxes on short‑term rentals and urged a coordinated review across departments.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:06 AM
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Residents in Akron are demanding urgent police accountability and transparency from city leaders as violence escalates and petitions remain unanswered.

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#AkronSummitCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #PoliceAccountability #AkronNeighborhoods #CommunityTransparency
Residents press Akron council for police accountability, petition actions and neighborhood safety
Multiple public commenters urged the Akron City Council to pursue police accountability, answer petitions seeking termination of city staff, explain alleged officer harassment, and act on rising violent crime in specific wards. Speakers asked for responses from the mayor and for transparency about funds distributed to protest groups.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:04 AM
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Mount Vernon is taking major strides in its ambitious multi-facility municipal buildings program, with expert advisers outlining crucial financing options and project oversight strategies.

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#OH #CitizenPortal #PublicFinancing #CommunityPlanning #UrbanDevelopment
Mount Vernon council hears owner's‑rep and financing advisers as municipal building plans advance
Council heard presentations from Pizzuti Solutions (owner's representative) and Bradley Payne (municipal advisors) on advancing multi‑facility projects including a police station, justice center expansion, municipal center and fire station. Pizzuti outlined its role in cost control and the Owner's Program of Requirements; Bradley Payne described a
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 8:03 AM
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Garfield Heights Board of Education is considering joining a statewide lawsuit to challenge the controversial expansion of school vouchers that could mean millions in lost funding for public education.

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#OH #PublicFunding #CitizenPortal #CivicAction #GarfieldHeightsEducation
Garfield Heights board weighs joining statewide lawsuit challenging expanded school vouchers
Board members discussed joining a multi-district lawsuit over Ohios expanded voucher program after staff reported about 500to600 Garfield Heights students attend nonpublic schools using vouchers and estimated the boards participation fee at about $5,000.
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November 11, 2025 at 7:55 AM
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Elyria's finance committee has approved a 3% pay increase for municipal court employees, but a push for a higher raise sparks heated debate!

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#ElyriaLorainCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #CompensationReform #LocalGovernance #ElyriaMunicipalCourt #PublicAccountability
Elyria approves 3% pay increase for municipal court employees pending salary study
Following debate and a request for 5%, the finance committee approved a 3% pay increase for certain Elyria Municipal Court employees effective the first pay period of 2026; staff and council members noted a pending Gallagher salary study and discussed how the interim increase will integrate with its results.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 7:54 AM
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Elyria's Community Development committee just approved significant changes to the CRA-1 boundaries, enhancing local flexibility and potentially boosting nearby housing projects!

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#ElyriaLorainCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #HousingPolicy #CommunityDevelopment #ElyriaCommunity
Elyria committee approves amended CRA‑1 boundaries and policy changes to reflect Senate Bill 33
Community Development committee approved amendments to Community Reinvestment Area No. 1 to align local procedures with Senate Bill 33, remove state pre‑approval and housing survey requirements, and slightly expand boundaries toward I‑90 and Ford Road.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 7:54 AM
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Sandusky City Commissioners have approved a controversial design-build contract to rehabilitate a crucial water treatment digester, but questions linger about skyrocketing costs and limited competition.

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#OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #CivicAccountability
Sandusky commissioners approve design-build rehab for Plant Digester No. 2 after debate over cost and procurement
The Sandusky City Commission on Nov. 10 approved a design-build contract for rehabilitation of Digester No. 2 at the Sandusky Water Pollution Control plant. Commissioners questioned why early staff estimates of about $1 million rose substantially, pressed staff on single-bid procurement and heard that completion is expected in 12–18 months.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 7:24 AM
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Sandusky City Commission steps up with $25,000 in immediate aid for local hunger relief as SNAP benefits face disruption.

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#OH #CitizenPortal #FoodSecurity #LocalSupport #CommunityAid
Sandusky approves immediate aid for local food providers amid SNAP disruption
Citing interruptions in federal SNAP benefits, the commission approved making $20,000 available to Victory Kitchen (at $5,000 per week as needed) and separately approved a $5,000 immediate donation to Father's Heart Church to help feed residents.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 7:23 AM
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Baberton City Council just passed a controversial temporary measure to limit data-center development, sparking debate over its vague definitions and potential impacts on local businesses.

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#OH #CitizenPortal #CommunityEngagement #UrbanDevelopment #BusinessRegulation
Baberton council adopts temporary rules on data‑center projects; critics say ordinance lacks definition
On Nov. 10, 2025 the Baberton City Council adopted Resolution 157, a stopgap measure targeting data‑center development while the city completes a multiyear rewrite of its development code. A public commenter warned the resolution lacks a clear definition of “data center,” and supporters said the measure is intended to protect residents until the re
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November 11, 2025 at 7:16 AM
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The Ohio House has just approved a groundbreaking partnership with Israel aimed at boosting trade and innovation without committing taxpayer dollars!

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#OH #InternationalPartnership #CitizenPortal #EconomicCollaboration #InnovationExchange
Ohio House creates trade and innovation partnership with Israel
House members voted to pass amended House Bill 188 to establish an Ohio–Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership. Sponsors said the partnership will foster trade, academic exchanges and technology collaboration and emphasized it would not send state tax dollars to Israel nor endorse foreign policy.
citizenportal.ai
November 11, 2025 at 1:48 AM
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Ohio just took a major step into the future by approving House Bill 195, which recognizes digital assets and sets clear rules for their use in commercial transactions.

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#OH #FinancialInnovation #CitizenPortal #DigitalSecurity #LegalReform
Ohio updates Uniform Commercial Code to recognize digital assets and crypto
The House passed House Bill 195 to revise Ohio’s Uniform Commercial Code to address digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and NFTs, with sponsors saying the changes align Ohio with other states and provide clearer rules for secured lending and ownership of electronic records.
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November 11, 2025 at 1:47 AM
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The Ohio House just passed a controversial bill that could allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work later on school nights, sparking fierce debates about child labor protections.

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#OH #YouthEmpowerment #CitizenPortal #WorkforceDevelopment #ChildLaborProtect
Ohio House approves measure to let 14- and 15-year-olds work later on school nights amid fierce debate
The Ohio House on Nov. 4 approved Senate Bill 50, which would permit 14- and 15-year-olds to work between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the school year if federal law is changed to allow it. Supporters said the change would provide opportunities for youth; opponents called it an erosion of child-labor protections.
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November 11, 2025 at 1:46 AM
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Ohio's Senate Committee just approved a significant change to voter registration, introducing a stringent citizenship verification process that could reshape the electoral landscape!

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#OH #DataVerification #CitizenPortal #ElectionIntegrity #CivicAccountability
Committee adopts substitute for bill creating front‑end citizenship checks for voter rolls
The Senate General Government Committee adopted a substitute to Senate Bill 153 that narrows acceptable proof of citizenship, requires the Secretary of State to consult BMV and SAVE databases, delays implementation 18 months, and changes referral of suspected noncitizen registrants to an election integrity unit.
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 9:55 PM
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The Ohio Senate just advanced a bill that could disenfranchise thousands of voters by eliminating the grace period for mail-in ballots, sparking fierce opposition from voting-rights advocates.

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#OH #CivicEngagement #CitizenPortal #ElectionAccess #VotingSecurity
Senate committee advances bill to eliminate post‑election mail‑in ballot grace period over voting‑rights objections
After extensive opposition testimony from voting‑rights groups and local election officials, the Senate General Government Committee voted 4–2 to report Senate Bill 293 to Rules and Reference. Opponents said the bill would discard thousands of lawfully mailed ballots that arrived in the four‑day window used in recent elections.
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 9:39 PM
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Hocking County's recent workshop on short-term rental safety sparked heated debates over emergency response measures, but no changes were adopted—what's next for the proposed regulations?

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#HockingCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #CommunityEngagement
Hocking County workshop focuses on safety, enforcement and clarifications in proposed short-term rental rules
At a county workshop, stakeholders and county representatives discussed a proposed short-term rental ordinance centered on safety: local contact requirements, signage and address clarity, ingress/egress and emergency egress, inspections and enforcement, background checks, and grandfathering. No vote was taken; staff and the consultant will redraft.
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November 10, 2025 at 4:15 AM
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Hocking County Commissioners made key decisions at their Nov. 6 meeting, including new road bids and significant departmental appropriations!

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#HockingCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #HockingCountyCommissioners #CivicAccountability #InfrastructureDevelopment
Commissioners approve transfers, permits and a township road acceptance; multiple motions passed by voice vote
At the Nov. 6 meeting the Hocking County Board of Commissioners approved a series of appropriation transfers and additional appropriations across county departments, authorized advertising a county road bid, approved right‑of‑way/utility permits, accepted the dog‑warden and lodging‑tax reports and adopted a resolution accepting Huggins Road as a de
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 AM
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Hocking County residents affected by this summer's flooding could be eligible for up to $500,000 in disaster loans, but time is running out with the application deadline fast approaching!

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#HockingCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #EconomicInjury #DisasterRecovery #CommunitySupport
SBA official: Fairfield-area agency declaration makes contiguous counties eligible for disaster loans; Nov. 12 physical‑damage deadline noted
DJ Jakala, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s disaster recovery and resiliency team, told commissioners that the agency declaration for July flooding names Fairfield as the primary county and makes contiguous counties eligible for SBA physical‑damage and economic‑injury loans. He said physical‑damage loan aid,
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 AM
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Hocking County Commissioners just approved key funding measures, including a $42,400 boost for sheriff operations and a $10,000 revenue deposit from Ohio CASA, all while reappointing a vital board member!

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#HockingCounty #OH #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #FiscalTransparency
Hocking County commissioners approve small appropriations, reappoint DD board member and recommend land bank as HB 96 lead entity
On Oct. 30, 2025, the Hocking County Board of Commissioners approved several fiscal items including a $42,400 sheriff's appropriation, accepted a $10,000 Ohio CASA Gal Association revenue deposit, and approved returning $3,906.25 in remaining CDBG funds. The board reappointed Kara Sterner to the board of developmental disabilities and voted to name
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 AM
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Hocking County is taking action to support workers after SMEAD's plant closure, promising collaboration for redevelopment and new job opportunities.

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#HockingCounty #OH #CommunityInvestment #CitizenPortal #WorkforceSupport #EconomicDevelopment
Hocking County pledges workforce and redevelopment outreach after SMEAD announces plant closure
The commissioners read and approved a letter expressing support for workers affected by SMEAD manufacturing's planned closure and said they are coordinating with regional partners to pursue redevelopment opportunities for the facility.
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 AM
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Destination Toledo is making waves with a remarkable $43.1 million economic impact in 2025 while requesting no additional funding for 2026!

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#LucasCounty #OH #EventRecruitment #CitizenPortal #EconomicImpact #MarketingAchievements #LucasCountyTourism
Destination Toledo reports growth, seeks flat county funding for 2026
Destination Toledo told commissioners it expects no county funding increase for 2026 and highlighted a year of expanded group sales and marketing gains, including estimated $43.1 million in economic impact from 2025 group bookings and new events secured for 2026.
citizenportal.ai
November 10, 2025 at 3:26 AM