Point of order called on Streetsboro mayor during council meeting
Words by Ashton Vogelhuber
Streetsboro’s mayor had a point of order called on him during a heated argument at city council meeting.
The argument began on Monday evening when Carmen Laudato, the finance committee chair, made a speech about her thoughts regarding the tax increment financing, TIF, agreement with Streetsboro City Schools.
Laudato stated that in the last meeting, she directly asked Mayor Glenn Broska if they had met with the schools and if there was an answer yet.
“The mayor denied there had been an answer given,” Laudato said. “I have since learned from the school officials there was a meeting that took place before the last council meeting where the city leadership was informed there would be no TIF agreement until the lawsuit was resolved.”
The lawsuit refers to Streetsboro City Schools suing the city over income tax sharing or lack thereof.
The debate happened to take place when the audience was filled with a record number of students, all from Streetsboro High School fulfilling a class requirement to attend.
Laudato proposed a motion to ask the law director to prepare an ordinance for the council to pay the schools $774,303. She said that is the amount they’ve not been paid since 2014 and the legal costs.
Julie Field, council vice president, respectfully disagreed with Laudato and felt it was inappropriate to discuss a pending lawsuit on the council floor.
“I’m very uncomfortable talking about this because it does belong in executive session,” she said. “To make this motion and second it, I think is extremely irresponsible and I think it’s extremely out of place this evening.”
After Laudato stated that they had been lied to, Mayor Broska spoke up out of turn.
“I beg to differ,” he said. “I did not lie to you. Nobody lied to you.”
His comment was said over Laudato and earned him a point of order.
Laudato repeated that she was told specifically that there hadn’t been an answer from the schools yet.
“Mr. Mayor, I’ll call on you if you can keep your comments within reason and not yell at me like that,” she said.
After the council calmed down, they went into executive session for over 45 minutes. Upon returning a decision had been made.
A motion was created to ask the law director to draft an ordinance to pay the schools $774,303. The motion was passed and moved out of the committee to Dec. 10.
Packed room tonight at the Streetsboro City Council meeting! pic.twitter.com/62qNTTNVY6
— ashton vogelhuber (@ashtonvogel) November 27, 2018
Carmen Laudato Streetsboro’s Finance Committee Chair and Julie Field the Council Vice President are in a rebuttal battle about settling school lawsuit
— ashton vogelhuber (@ashtonvogel) November 27, 2018
Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska is demanding his voice be heard to the degree a point of order had to be called on him until it was his turn to speak
— ashton vogelhuber (@ashtonvogel) November 27, 2018
Council members have gone into executive session behind closed doors to discuss the lawsuit
— ashton vogelhuber (@ashtonvogel) November 27, 2018
After 45 minutes, Council reconvened and decided to create a motion to draft an ordinance for the lawsuit, which will be discussed on December 10
— ashton vogelhuber (@ashtonvogel) November 27, 2018
