TOLEDO – In a six-to-four vote, Toledo City Council resolved not to lease part of the parking lot at Detwiler Park to The Toledo Edison Company for temporary storage.
Before being given over to a vote, District 6 Council Member Theresa Morris said, “Yes, this lighting project needs to happen over in the Regina Manor area, but if we start renting out our green spaces. It’s a very slippery slope, and I would urge my colleagues to not support this ordinance.”
Morris referenced the history of how the city of Toledo acquired the land, and used its history to support voting against Ordinance 034-26.
“All I can think of is that, you know George and Abraham Detwiler, when they donated 200 acres to the city of Toledo in 1925 that they decided that they were going to keep that as public space, not necessarily getting that or renting it out to the highest bidder.”
Voting was as follows:
John Hobbs III – Yes
Brittany Jones – No
Nick Komives – Yes
Erin Kramer – No
Cerssandra McPherson – No
Sam Melden – Yes
Theresa Morris – No
George Sarantou – No
Vanice Williams – Yes
Mac Driscoll – No
Council Members Theresa Gadus and Adam Martinez were both absent from the meeting.
At the ordinance’s defeat, about two dozen individuals wearing green quietly celebrated.
“It’s at least a small victory, in that we defeated the use of that little area to be given for usage for Toledo Edison,” said Christine Frakes, a Point Place resident and member of Save Bay View Retirees Golf Course!
Frakes and other community members have been attempting to change the City of Toledo’s direction on expanding the Bay View Water Reclamation Plant into parts of the Bay View Retirees Golf Course.
“Some years ago, there used to be 18 holes out there. It got knocked down to 11, and now they’re going to be left with four holes, which essentially kills the golf course,” Frakes said.
Voting down the lease option factors into the larger issue with the golf course, but Frakes had difficulty characterizing the defeat of the ordinance as a “small victory.”
“It’s just we don’t feel like it’s fair.”
Procession
This week the national anthem was sung by City Council Member John Hobbs III, District 1, who was complimented on his singing voice by Sam Melden, District 5, during his closing remarks. “What was not surprising to me was when the dulcet tones of Councilman Hobbs rung out through the chambers,” Melden said, starting off his waxing closing remarks.
After completing the three formal ceremonies, a prayer, the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem, Hobbs thanked Father Geoffrey Rose of St. Francis De Sales private high school, and said, “I’m so thankful he was here today, and you can always feel good when there’s another Knight in the house.”
Then two high schoolers from Whitmer, Zack Aubrey and Anthony Mitchell, were honored for demonstrating exceptional bravery while responding to a car accident.
“After witnessing the crash, they acted without hesitation, putting their own safety at risk to assist the driver trapped inside a severely damaged vehicle,” said Julie Gibbons, the clerk of Toledo City Council, announcing the recognition.
Meghan Ragle was appointed for a three-year term to the Toledo-Lucas County Commission on Disabilities.
Linzey Link replaced Beth Holt on the Home Improvement Home Remodeling Board of Control (HIHRBC), a three year appointment.
And Dean Frederick was reappointed to the HIHRBC as well.
Legislation
Ordinances 51-26, 57-26 through 64-26 all passed, and ordinances 65-26 through 70-26 were given their first read.
Council Member, At-Large, Mac Driscoll, spoke before ordinances 71 and 72, stating that they depended on the 2026 budget passing. The city’s budget has not yet passed, so Driscoll recommended holding the two ordinances. 71/72 were simply given a first reading, like the preceding ordinances.
O-73-26 to O-81-26 all passed.
Closing remarks
Hobbs was the first to finish the meeting with his remarks, and used his time to honor the late Gladys West, an African American mathematician who paved the way for GPS technologies.
Multiple members of council noted the end of Black History Month (February), and the beginning of Women’s History Month (March).
“We Buy Houses” signs were highlighted by At-Large Council Member Cerssandra McPherson, who spoke against them as corporate interests targeting low-income households.
McPherson said she turned the signs over to the city’s law department and beautification department, and closed the subject with these strong words: “We are not up for sale. Toledo is not up for sale. Not like that.”
Black History Month was another topic McPherson spoke on. “It angers me that they want to delete us from the history. The president wants to just delete us. It’s an insult to my great-grandparents who were slaves.”
McPherson didn’t cite any specific incident she was speaking against. It should be noted that Black History Month was not observed officially by federal agencies, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts against Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. A number of customary observances including “Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, LGBTQ Pride Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other ‘special observances…’” were flagged in a memo discouraging celebrations in an official capacity.
Councilwoman McPherson closed with this personal resolution: “I will not keep silent, but I will pray for those that are ignorant when it comes to this – African Americans of [the] United States that live, breathe, work, contribute, and [have] for many, many years.”
