Ravenna Council Approves Facilities Study With TOPS Grocery Site, Sets Charter Secretary Pay and Hears Downtown Plan

Ravenna City Council approved a $25,000 facilities assessment by a 6 to 1 vote on Oct. 5. The study will weigh nine configurations for city buildings, including the TOPS grocery store site. Council also set pay for the Charter Review Commission secretary and heard a long downtown update. Facilities Study Grows to $25,000 Council passed Ordinance 2026-139, which appropriates money from the general fund for a facilities assessment. The original ordinance called for $22,000. Members first amended the title, the third whereas clause and Section 1 to reflect $25,000. The higher cost covers added work on the TOPS grocery store site as a possible location. Council Member Carmen Laudato, who chairs the planning committee, said TOPS representatives only recently showed interest. She said the study will produce nine configurations and called it a proactive step. Council Member Christina West said the study will also price a renovation of the current safety building. She said that answers residents who ask why the city cannot simply fix what it has. Council Member Tim Calfee objected to the timing. A safety building issue for police and city hall is on the ballot, he said, and he wants it to play out first. Laudato replied that the city’s numbers are nearly three years old and that officials need current figures either way. The amendment and the ordinance each passed 6 to 1, with Calfee opposed. The emergency clause passed 5 to 2. Pay and Fee Ordinances Council approved two parks and recreation pay changes. Ordinance 2026-140 renames the program supervisor job as recreation manager and moves it from pay range 14 to 16. Ordinance 2026-141 moves the program coordinator job from pay range 11 to 12. Council also approved Ordinance 2026-145, which sets the Charter Review Commission secretary’s flat fee at $7,000. Council President Rob Kairis said the charter ties the fee to the council clerk’s compensation. The secretary is paid for work from January through part of July. The clerk has first right of refusal on the job. The vote was unanimous. A water and wastewater loan ordinance, 2026-137, stays on first reading. It would let the mayor apply for money from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund or the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account. Officials said they have not yet negotiated a contract price. A second reading is expected in November. Zoning Changes and Data Center Plans Council voted 7 to 0 to send Ordinance 2026-126 to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review. The measure changes the minimum living floor area per dwelling unit. Kairis said Ohio Revised Code 713.12 requires commission review of zoning text changes that start with council. He took responsibility for missing the step. The commission has 30 days to report back. If council later passes something that differs from that report, it needs six votes. Kairis said a storage facility ordinance will also need to be redone. Council approved Ordinance 2026-127 by a 7 to 0 vote. It updates design review rules on conflicts of interest and lets an applicant appeal if a second meeting does not happen. An applicant does not have to step aside from their own application. The emergency clause failed to get five votes, so the ordinance takes effect in 30 days. Council also gave final approval, 7 to 0, to Ordinance 2026-114. It rezones library parking lot parcels to C1 commercial. Laudato said the land has served as a parking lot for more than two decades. Laudato also gave an update on data centers. A law firm is drafting a zoning text amendment before the moratorium expires. She said the plan is to send it to the Planning Commission for 30 to 60 days. Calfee said council can extend the moratorium if needed. Laudato said Bitcoin mining counts as a data center under the moratorium. She said the ban on expansion applies to the operation already in the city. Resident Asks Council to Follow Ethics Standards A resident spoke during public comment ahead of an upcoming council workshop. The resident said ethics will be one of the topics. The resident offered seven expectations for council members. The first was that members are public servants paid with taxpayer money to serve residents. The resident said they should uphold high standards of conduct, transparency and accountability. That applies in meetings, outside meetings and on social media. The resident also asked members to avoid personal topics during meetings. Examples included medical emergencies, financial hardships, leisure activities and personal greetings. On social media, the resident asked members to avoid inflammatory language and unverified rumors. The remaining requests covered objectivity and personal gain. The resident said members should not use their position for personal benefit. If an issue involves a member or their property, the resident said that member should step aside from the vote. The resident also asked for professional behavior, such as avoiding passing notes or rolling eyes, saying those a