Written with the help of AI from the Dayton City Commission minutes, September 30, 2026.
Bond ordinances passed
This recap is based on the approved minutes of the Dayton City Commission’s regular meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, which began at 6:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. Commissioners Shaw, Fairchild and Beckham were present at roll call, and Mayor Turner-Sloss arrived at 6:15 p.m. Commissioner Joseph’s absence was excused by unanimous vote.
The commission passed eight emergency ordinances on second reading. An emergency ordinance is a city law that takes effect right away rather than after the usual waiting period. Seven of them passed on 4-0 roll call votes. Each authorizes bonds, which are a way for the city to borrow money, in an amount not to exceed the figure listed.
Ordinance 32210-26 authorizes up to $5,800,000 for motor vehicles, motorized equipment, fire department apparatus and equipment, and other equipment for city departments. Ordinance 32211-26 authorizes up to $8,925,000 for public facilities, including HVAC, elevator and roof improvements and parking lot repairs. Ordinance 32212-26 authorizes up to $2,040,000 for the transportation system, including street lighting, resurfacing of major roads, residential streets and alleys, curbs, sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure. Ordinance 32213-26 authorizes up to $4,785,000 for the city’s outdoor public facilities.
Three ordinances authorize refunding bonds, meaning new bonds issued at a lower interest cost to replace older ones. Ordinance 32214-26 covers up to $2,440,000 to refund part of the Series 2015 bonds, which trace back to improvements at the James M. Cox Dayton International Airport. Ordinance 32215-26 covers up to $6,625,000 to refund part of the Series 2016 bonds. Ordinance 32216-26 covers up to $4,815,000 to refund part of the Series 2018 bonds.
Ordinance 32217-26 authorizes up to $24,365,000 in sewer system revenue bonds to pay for improvements to the utility, along with a supplemental trust agreement and related documents for the Series 2026 bonds. Commissioner Beckham moved to declare it an emergency, and the minutes record a 5-0 roll call vote on that motion. The ordinance itself then passed 4-0.
Resolution 6955-26 also passed 4-0. It authorizes the city manager or her designee to apply for, accept and enter into a Water Pollution Control Loan Fund agreement with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for a condition assessment of the Broadway Pump Station and Force Main. A resolution is a formal statement of the commission’s decision that is not a city law. Resolution 6956-26, which approves grant applications and the acceptance of awards from the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission under the Transportation Improvement Program, had its first reading. The minutes record no vote on it.
Bond discussion and splash pad contract
Mayor Turner-Sloss asked for a high-level overview of city borrowing. City Manager Shelley Dickstein said the city uses bonds only for assets it owns, such as equipment and facilities, and weighs an asset’s lifespan and its ability to support repayment. She said five of the city’s 10 property-tax mills are dedicated to bond repayment and that the city generally goes to market every two years. A mill is one-tenth of a cent of tax per dollar of assessed property value. She said much infrastructure work is subject to prevailing wage requirements, and that facility projects over $2 million require a PLA, or project labor agreement. She also said Dayton has been recognized for conservative bond management and holds an AA+ bond rating. Commissioner Shaw said a strong rating helps lower borrowing costs.
Dickstein also highlighted Item B4, an award of contract to Arcon Builders Limited for splash pad renovations. The project covers eight splash pads: renovating and modernizing six existing ones, relocating the Washington Park splash pad to a more visible and accessible spot, and building a new one at Belmont Park near the Lohrey Recreation Center. She said Belmont was the top priority in the Recreation and Parks master plan for spreading splash pads more equitably, particularly in East Dayton. The project was rebid after the first bid came in about $2 million over budget, and the rebid brought the cost to roughly $3.4 million, funded through ARPA, the federal American Rescue Plan Act. She said the Dayton Builders Union raised no concerns about the revised bidding approach.
Commissioner Fairchild asked why the Nordale Park location in Belmont ranked lower, noting its proximity to two elementary schools, a library and a high school. Dickstein said Nordale ranked about seventh under the master plan’s criteria and offered to provide the scoring information again. Later, Fairchild asked her to confirm that the existing Washington Park splash pad would be relocated, and he said a new one was expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
Commissioners approved the City Manager’s Reports unanimously on a motion by Commissioner Shaw, seconded by Commissioner Fairchild. The minutes do not list the contents of the reports or record a separate vote on Item B4.
Demolition update
James McDaniel, Division Manager of Housing Inspection, gave the monthly Dayton Recovery Plan demolition update. In August the city completed 12 demolitions, bringing the 2026 total to 1,168, with 334 more planned. The city is at 45% of its 2026 demolition goal with 67% of the year completed. Of the August demolitions, eight were funded through ARPA, two through the General Fund and two through Community Development Block Grant money. They took place in Roosevelt, Santa Clara and Westwood, with most in Santa Clara. Demolitions this year have occurred in 27 neighborhoods, with the highest concentrations in the southern Dayton View and Santa Clara areas.
In August, 22 structures were added to the nuisance list: 15 houses, four garages and three commercial properties, primarily due to blight. The department started 145 title reports, three asbestos surveys and 17 post-asbestos inspections. McDaniel said August was slower than anticipated, that activity rose significantly in September, and that updated numbers will come in the next report.
Answering Commissioner Beckham, McDaniel said properties land on the nuisance list for reasons including storm and wind damage, fires and neglect, and that recent storms had felled trees onto garages, vehicles and some already deteriorating homes. Answering Commissioner Shaw, he said title reports generally take three to four months, and longer if a property’s ownership changes and the department must restart contact with the new owners.
What residents raised in public comment
Two residents spoke on calendar items. One described frustration over what he saw as a lack of investment on the West Side, citing fires, debris, environmental concerns, sewage backups and a closed recreation center pool. The other asked the city to publish clear information on bond costs, fees, repayment schedules and the effect of the sewer revenue bond on residential rates and low-income households. He also asked that bond-funded projects include prevailing wage, apprenticeship, responsible contractor and local hiring standards where permitted.
Thirteen residents registered for the general public comment period, and the minutes summarize eight. Topics included conditions downtown, the placement of a public toilet, drug-related concerns, homelessness and the need for civic education on voting. Several speakers returned to West Side trash and fire debris, neglected properties, contamination and sewage, and urged stronger action with the state on the recreation center pool’s inspection issues.
One resident said a deteriorating property on Conover Street, which he said he had bought for $1 and started renovating before it was taken back, had been left vacant, and he said he was injured when its garage collapsed. He said he had contacted Housing several times without a response and asked for an inspection and demolition. Another resident raised concerns about newly installed concrete curbs and lane markings that he said were hard to see. He suggested a splash pad at Washington Park and voiced support for renovating Memorial Hall for veterans’ use.
One speaker discussed a proposed Dayton Civil Liberties legislative package that would restrict the discretionary use of city resources in investigations based substantially on lawful speech, journalism, ideology, association, protest, religion, labor activity or organizing. He said it remained under Law Department review and hoped for public hearings. Two speakers raised concerns about interactions with Dayton police, including citations, and one alleged that residents who speak at commission meetings are being targeted. One of them also asked about acquiring city-owned vacant lots and suggested letting community organizations use vacant structures as community centers.
Another speaker praised the Mayor’s responsiveness and said concerns about grass, vacant properties and illegal dumping had been addressed after talks with Public Works. He called for similar improvements across the West Side and criticized spending on road and bike lane projects he said residents did not request. A further speaker voiced support for the Mayor’s Flight Plan and the diversity of the group selected to develop ideas for the city.
Commissioners’ comments
Commissioner Beckham said the recreation center pool is awaiting the state’s recertification process, and he hoped it could reopen by next summer. He listed West Side investments including the new Boys & Girls Club facility, the DeSoto Bass redevelopment, workforce housing in Five Oaks, the Greater West Dayton Incubator, new homes in Wright-Dunbar and Wolf Creek, recent demolitions and street resurfacing. He said he wanted more information on the property next to the Conover Street resident’s home. He explained that the city’s former Lot Links program was discontinued because of market changes and the County Treasurer’s collection of property taxes, and he pointed residents to the County Treasurer’s depository foreclosure program.
Commissioner Fairchild said Dayton’s stormwater and sanitary sewer systems are separate, so heavy rain should not cause sewage backups on its own. Dickstein confirmed Dayton has no combined sewer system but said backups can happen for other reasons. He noted that October 5 is the voter registration deadline and encouraged residents to attend the resource fair at Ruskin Elementary School.
Commissioner Shaw congratulated the Dayton Walk of Fame honorees and commended Wright-Dunbar Inc. for organizing the annual event. He also promoted the Miami Valley Urban League’s 2026 College and Career Youth Conference on October 3 at Central State University’s Dayton campus.
Mayor Turner-Sloss raised concerns about overgrown vegetation, untrimmed trees and litter, and highlighted the city’s Don’t Be a Litterbug campaign. She also spoke about blighted structures and limited resources resulting from state and federal funding cuts, and about the Mayor’s Flight Plan as a way to develop recommendations. She requested follow-up on reflective markers and street improvements and on the status of a property that may be on the nuisance list.
Routine items
Commissioner Shaw called the meeting to order, Commissioner Fairchild gave the invocation, and Commissioner Shaw led the Pledge of Allegiance. City staff present were Chief of Staff Verletta A. Jackson, Office Manager Jai’Shawn McClendon and City Manager Shelley Dickstein. Minutes of the September 23, 2026, meeting were approved unanimously. The agenda listed no communications and petitions, and the city manager and office manager had no comments. The commission adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Source: Dayton City Commission minutes, Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Meeting video: watch on YouTube.
Follow Dayton Report: Facebook · X
