Police Levy Going Back to Ballot with Sunset Provision

Income tax hike would only pay off debt to build new police station

City administrators and Kent City Council plan again to ask voters to approve a 0.25 percent income tax increase to pay for a new Kent Police station. Council voted in committee Wednesday to place the issue on the November ballot, but this time they included a sunset provision in the ballot language and eliminated the idea that any excess revenue would pay for streets and sidewalks repair — language that was included in the previous ballot issue. In November 2012 voters rejected Issue 11, which would have raised Kent's income tax from 2 percent to 2.25 percent to pay to build an estimated $18.36 million police building in the Day Street block. Kent residents cast 4,240 votes for the tax increase and 5,163 against the tax. Kent City Manager…

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Roger Sidoti Democrat Candidate for Kent Council

Incumbent appointee seeks to retain seat

Name : Roger Sidoti Job titles held : Principal, Theodore Roosevelt High School Employers : Retired; Kent City Schools Party affiliation : Democrat Running for a:  Local Office Running for position: At-large Kent City Council representative Chamber/district:  Citywide Incumbent: Yes
 Previous elective offices : Appointed Kent Charter Review Commission 1981, 1 year; Appointed Kent Board of Zoning Appeals, 4 years; Appointed Kent Planning Commission, 1 year; Appointed Kent Assessment Equalization Board, 1 year Unsuccessful bids for elective offices: N/A Degree(s): BA Education, University of Akron 1971; MA Educational Administration, Kent State University 1978; EdS Education Leadership, Kent State University 1992 We have called Kent our home…

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Wine Bar Liquor License Delayed

Kent council votes to re-examine trex liquor license transfer

Kent City Council voted Wednesday to reverse a decision made in committee earlier this month for a liquor license transfer request from a new wine bar. Council voted against granting a variance to the investors behind Twisted Root Cellars who are looking to transfer a liquor license from another community into Kent in order to open a wine bar at 181 E. Main St. inside the Kent Stage building. Council had voted April 3 in a committee meeting to grant the variance to the three men looking to open the small wine bar — after a lengthy discussion. That approval also came with a condition that any future sale of the liquor license needed council's approval. “I think there’s so much that has to be clarified between the last presentation we had …

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Readers React to Liquor License Cap

Council members briefly talked about limiting new liquor licenses in Kent

Should Kent Put a Cap on Liquor License Transfers?

City officials anticipate more requests for trex liquor license transfers into Kent

Kent already has 21 full-service bars either open in the city or soon to open as part of the new redevelopment downtown. That number excludes businesses that only serve beer and wine or have liquor licenses for carry-out sales only. Given the renewed interest in Kent, via the downtown redevelopment and enrollment growth at Kent State University, some members of Kent City Council are starting to ask if they should limit the number of liquor licenses that can be moved into Kent via Ohio's "Trex" liquor license transfer process.  Councilwoman Tracy Wallach flat out said during last week's council meeting she wants to see a cap on the number of trex licenses allowed to come into Kent. We want to know what you think. Do you agree with Wallach? …

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City Expects More Liquor License Transfer Requests

Numerous business entities have contacted city officials about trex liquor license transfers

Kent City Council can expect to see more requests from bar and restaurant owners for liquor license transfers — as early as next month. At least 10 different businesses or partnerships have inquired with city administrators about  Ohio's "Trex" liquor license transfer, a state-approved process that allows for the transfer of a liquor license from one community to another. "They are out there," Kent Law Director Jim Silver said. "They want to come in to town. I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding people who want to come in to Kent and sell alcohol." In Ohio, the number of liquor permits allowed per community is limited based on its population. In Kent, all of the available liquor licenses are owned or in use. Kent has some strict …

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James Thomas

1:21 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013

Hey, I'm glad I don't know Nolan and I'm happy that he doesn't know me because he has threatened violence, and I have the e-mails to prove it.   more ›

Should Kent Change Liquor License Transfer Requirements?

Kent City Council talked about changing trex transfer requirements this week. Got an opinion on it? Share it with us.

Council to Re-Examine Wells-Sherman House Loan

Terms of repayment, other details to be talked about in committee

Kent City Council will take another look at the $15,000 loan to Kent Wells Sherman House, Inc., for relocation and restoration of the historic house. Council voted recently to put the issue back in to a future committee meeting to review the details of the loan, which was originally approved in June 2012. Councilman Roger Sidoti, who suggested the review, said he wanted to see details such as when the city will release the money and the term of the loan hashed out. "I think there are two issues here," Sidoti said. "In good faith we are extending a significant portion of taxpayer money to the house. Obviously they are sitting on some issues they haven’t quite got rectified ... for the placement of the house." The Kent Wells Sherman House …

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Council Acts on Fracking Recommendations

Councilwoman urges prohibition of fracking on city, Kent State property

Kent City Council took several actions Wednesday on fracking after hearing recommendations from the Kent Sustainability Commission on the issue earlier this month. Councilwoman Heidi Shaffer made four recommendations, all of which were approved, regarding the potential for hydraulic fracturing in Kent. The actions council took Wednesday, none of which posed serious or immediate changes, were: "I would like them to continue monitoring and apprise us if there is something we need alerted to," Shaffer said of the third action. Dan Schweitzer, chairperson of the Kent Sustainability Commission, told council earlier this month that it's unlikely that Kent will see fracking operations on the scale of other communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania. …

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Matt Fredmonsky

9:55 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

It means council formally acknowledged receiving the recommendations from the sustainability commission, but other than what council voted on above they did not then take the next step and turn those recommendations into actual law.   more ›

Councilman: Put Police Station on RB&W Site

Mogadore Road property to be considered as location for new safety building

City administrators will examine the feasibility of building a new police station for the Kent Police Department on the former RB&W brown field on Mogadore Road. Kent City Councilman John Kuhar made the suggestion at Wednesday's council meeting that city officials review the idea of using part of the close to 18 acre property for a new police building. "We would not be displacing anybody," Kuhar said. "We own it, so we would not have to buy the real estate, and it’s centrally located. The savings would be tremendous." City officials have been trying to determine how to replace the aging police station after voters denied a proposed 0.25 percent income tax hike, placed on the November ballot, that would have paid to build a new police …

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