ONTARIO — About 90 middle and high school students in Ontario Local Schools got a crash course in local government Wednesday morning.
Ontario City Council met in the school auditorium during the school day, instead of council chambers in the evening, for students to see how their representatives conduct business.
“All the kids who are in government class were here,” said Supt. Keith Strickler. “So it’s a lot of high school juniors and some middle schoolers. The Warrior Leadership Council at the high school and middle school were also here.
“It’s really amazing what the school and the city can do when we partner together.”
Senior Nate Spencer led the Pledge of Allegiance, continuing city council’s new tradition of having veterans or military service personnel lead the pledge.
Council members started by introducing themselves and showing the students ward and zoning maps of the city.
Council also read and passed two pieces of legislation welcoming high school student involvement in the city.
The first resolution will allow high school students to submit designs for painting fire hydrants around the city. Council president Eddie Gallo said the school board and city council will establish a process for submissions and approval by both boards.
“We’ll supply the paint,” Gallo said. “I believe Mr. Rehfeldt has talked about possibly compensating our painters as well.”
At-large Councilman Dave Rehfeldt said he thought of offering students an opportunity to paint fire hydrants when he saw some paint chipping on hydrants around his neighborhood.
“Besides realizing some of the hydrants needed a paint job, I remembered the project for painting the parking lot here at the school. There must be some creative kids that can put some really great designs on them,” he said.
City & school to authorize ‘mayor for the day’ job shadows
Supt. Strickler said Ontario Middle School allows students to cash positive behavior points in the school store, or to be principal for the day if they save enough positive referral points.
“They get points for doing the right thing, being responsible and respectful — things like that,” he said. “There’s some kids who save up a lot of points because they want to be principal for the day. I thought it would be a good reward to save up points to spend the day at the city building.”
The resolution will allow students to job shadow Mayor Randy Hutchinson and future mayors if the program continues.
“It’s great for a young person to see how these systems operate and how they can get involved or give their input,” Strikler said. “I think this could be a great tie-in and learning experience to understand how our city, families and our students all interact.”
Service-safety director Kris Knapp, a retired Ontario High School teacher, also offered students the opportunity to shadow the police, water, sewer or parks departments.
Knapp also explained the process of reporting potholes to the city and the differences between public and private roads and parking lots.
Public commentary: ‘Are we going to bring a Cane’s to the area?’
Many students prepared questions for the public commentary section of council, with topics ranging from the responsibilities of different committees to the city’s plans for economic growth, or how the streets committee determines where to pave each summer.
Comprehensive plan community survey
Craig Hunt, an Ontario High School graduate and a regular audience member of Ontario council meetings, encouraged the high schoolers to attend future council sessions and ask questions if they want to address council members.
“I’ve come to every council meeting in the last 15 years except one,” he said. “This podium is very powerful. If you have anything that you’d like to speak about, they will answer your questions and treat you with respect.”
One student asked about plans for the Richland Mall, soon to become “The Ontario Center,” and whether the city will welcome a Raising Cane’s restaurant anytime soon.
“We will gently and nimbly work around the question,” Council president Gallo said with a smile. “We were hopeful that at this meeting you were going to be able to make an announcement.
“I am smiling, but we are not at this time able to reveal yes or no, or where or when. But taking the temperature of the room, I think most of you will be pleased.”
According to emails Richland Source has exchanged with the Raising Cane’s public relations team, the restaurant chain is looking at a location in Richland County that they’re not able to reveal yet.
Gallo thanked the students in attendance for their attention.
“We feel very honored and privileged we feel to have been able to do this today,” he said.
“One thing all the boards here have in common — the school board, recreation department, police department — is we all want to make Ontario great. There’s different parties, genders and races here. We are not like national government where there’s all this infighting, we work together to make Ontario great.”
Mayor honors teachers, student for recent actions
Mayor Hutchnson recognized teachers Jordyn Eckert and Doug Basham for helping to save a child from choking, who were each awarded free custard for a year at Culver’s.
Ontario Culver’s owner Chanse Meylan said the certificates are redeemable for pints of frozen custard from the restaurant’s freezer. Each student who attended the council meeting was also given a token for a free scoop of fresh, frozen custard when they left the auditorium.
Ontario sixth grader Steliana Kruer also received a certificate of achievement from the mayor for finding a diamond ring at Marshall Park and helping to return the ring to its owner.
“I received a message on Facebook about someone who lost a ring in the Marshall Park playground area,” Hutchinson said. “This young lady had the honesty and integrity to turn in the ring, and that’s what the certificate is for. The owner is very, very appreciative.”
Also in Wednesday’s meeting:
- Ontario Youth Sports director Kenn Spencer conducted the first of multiple rounds for a “Rock, Paper, Scissors” tournament with student volunteers. He said OYS plans to conduct best-two-of-three games at different recreation department events across the next few months. The winner will receive $1,000 from Spitzer Motors.
- Police Chief Tommy Hill delivered his annual update for 2023. He reported a 50% increase in mental health related calls and a 74% increase in gun-related calls from 2022. He said the Criminal Division Bureau is studying why gun-related calls increased from 43 to 75 in a year. He also recognized National Police Week from May 12 to 18.
- Council members congratulated Ontario Middle School’s Family Career and Community Leaders of America Parliamentary Procedure team on qualifying for the national competition.
- Gallo announced plans for a M42 Duster tank to become the centerpiece of a future military memorial in Marshall Park on Shelby-Ontario Road. The Ontario VFW is donating the tank to the city with a planned date for installation next month.
- Council approved an ordinance authorizing Knapp to enter the city into the Ohio Department of Transportation’s purchasing contract for road salt for the 2024-25 winter season.
- Council members completed the first reading of an ordinance that proposes to authorize the Richland County Growth Development Corporation to sign a real estate sales agreement as the city’s agency with Ontario Stumbo III, LLC for the former General Motors property. The legislation is scheduled for a vote at the June 26 council meeting.
