Mrs. Jackson explained that each year, the Public Works Department focuses on different areas of the City for the Sidewalk, Curb, and Driveway Apron Program. This is an annual program to replace and maintain concrete infrastructure in public rights-of-way. The City rotates through several areas over a period of years, ensuring that all areas of the City are maintained on a regular schedule.
Since the program is partly funded by assessments, there are legislative requirements that Council must meet in order to specifically identify the areas in which work will be performed. This means that each year, Council must adopt multiple pieces of legislation, repeatedly listing the many streets in which work will be performed. The process is redundant and unwieldy.
To streamline this annual legislation, and also to simplify project planning and budgeting, the City Engineer has recommended that City Council adopt a new Chapter in the Streets and Public Services Code to specifically identify the zones in which work will be done. This will simplify future legislation, as reference will only need to be made to the new Chapter and note that work will be performed in “Work Zones 1 and 2,” or “Work Zone 7,” etc.
Thereupon, it was moved by Mrs. Jackson and seconded by Mr. Dorf that the second reading be waived and that the ordinance be passed tonight.
Mayor Duncan noted that four yes votes are required to waive the second reading of the ordinance.
Upon call of the roll on the question of the motion, the following vote was recorded:
- MR. WILLIAM D. DUNCAN YEA
- MR. STEVEN BYINGTON YEA
- MRS. LEIGH TURBEN YEA
- MRS. HEALY JACKSON YEA
- MR. SAM DORF YEA
There being five (5) yea votes and no (0) nay votes thereon, said ordinance was declared duly passed and it was so ordered.
STAFF REPORT
Finance Department Presentation: Ms. Maralee Leonard, Finance Director, provided an overview of the Finance Department’s modernization initiatives, highlighting efforts to transition from manual, paper-based processes to more efficient, technology-driven operations that strengthen financial stewardship and support the department’s role as a strategic partner to the organization and community.
Current initiatives include expansion of the employee self-service portal, digitization of accounts payable processes, implementation of the CityTax system for electronic filing and payments, and development of a digital interactive budget book to improve transparency and accessibility. Planned initiatives within the 2026 budget include transitioning the City’s accounting system to a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform and implementing enhanced budgeting and analytics tools to support forecasting and data-driven decision-making.
Ms. Leonard stated that these efforts are intended to increase efficiency, improve accuracy and internal controls, enhance transparency, support staff development, and provide more timely and reliable financial information. Success will be measured through reduced processing times, improved audit outcomes, faster reporting, increased staff engagement, and expanded public access to financial information.
Vice Mayor Byington asked whether feedback has been received regarding the employee portal. Ms. Leonard reported that feedback from employees has been very positive.
Mr. Dorf asked how the City plans to communicate these changes to residents. Ms. Leonard stated that information will be shared through articles in the Register, the Oakwood Scene, and on the City’s website.
CITY MANAGER’S COMMENTS
Mrs. Smiddy announced the launch of the Blue Envelope Program, an initiative designed to support drivers with disabilities during traffic stops. She thanked the Oakwood Inclusion Coalition for bringing the idea forward, City Council for its support, the Wright Library and Oakwood City Schools for their partnership, and the Public Safety Department for researching and implementing the program. Blue envelopes are available at the Public Safety Department and the Wright Library, with additional information available on the City’s website.