The Council of the City of Oakwood, Ohio, met in a work session on Monday, June 1, 2026, in the conference room at the City Building, located at 30 Park Avenue. The Vice Mayor, Steve Byington, presided.
Council members in attendance were Vice Mayor Steve Byington, Leigh Turben, Healy Jackson, and Sam Dorf. Mayor William Duncan was excused absent. Staff members were City Manager Katie Smiddy and City Attorney Rob Jacques.
Vice Mayor Steve Byington called the work session to order at 6:30 p.m. and reviewed the agenda for the regular session this evening. Thereafter, he led a discussion on the following agenda items:
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STATUS REPORTS:
- Citizen Committee Appointments: Vice Mayor Steve Byington announced that he would call for a vote during the regular meeting to appoint members to the Beautification Committee and the Board of Zoning Appeals.
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VISITORS:
- Montgomery County Recorder’s Office: Nate Mundy, External Communications Manager for the Montgomery County Recorder’s Office, will provide an overview of the office’s programs, services, and recent initiatives.
- Oakwood Inclusion Coalition (OIC) Annual Report: Kate Furmanski, OIC member, will present the organization’s annual report, highlighting its activities, accomplishments, and community engagement efforts over the past year.
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LEGISLATION: Council discussed the following item of legislation scheduled for the regular session this evening:
- A Resolution to place a 2.72 mill renewal tax levy on the November 3, 2026 ballot, Vice Mayor Byington
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MISCELLANEOUS
- Mrs. Jackson briefly discussed the honorary brick paver that will be installed at Smith Gardens in recognition of former Councilmember Stephens.
- Mrs. Smiddy updated Council on the Oakwood Inclusion Coalition’s (OIC) Longest Table event scheduled for Thursday, June 4.
- Mrs. Smiddy informed Council that the Safety Department is launching a five-part social media series focused on e-bike safety.
- Mrs. Smiddy reported that 73 responses had been received to date for the Communications Survey and noted that a reminder campaign is planned prior to the June 30 deadline. Council discussed various methods of promoting participation in the survey.
- Mrs. Smiddy provided an update on two recent meetings with Oakwood City School District Superintendent Neil Gupta. The first meeting, which included Wright Library Director Kristi Hale, focused on coordinating messaging regarding the potential elimination of property taxes in Ohio. Council discussed the issue at length. The second meeting involved City staff and representatives of the School District regarding the planned renovation project at Smith and Harman Elementary Schools. Council discussed challenges associated with the various project options under consideration.