Speaker: Tom Sheridan, City Manager and Clocktower Rotarian, "2025 Charting our New Course"
Tom’s theme for this year is “Charting our New Course,” which reflects the exciting initiatives the City outlined in our Comprehensive Plan. Through a PowerPoint with tech assistance from Jody Roberts, Hudson Communications Manager, Tom reflected on our Accomplishments, Challenges and Opportunities. Tom is extremely positive about the strengths and financial outlook of our city and complimented and thanked all the people who have contributed to making our community what it is today. Thank you, Tom, for all you have done to guide our city.
Accomplishments / Highlights from 2024
● Hudson consistently ranked as one of the best cities in Ohio
● Total solar eclipse with no major traffic issues
● Celebration of 225th Anniversary
● New city flag
● 40th anniversary of having a sister city in Landsberg, Germany
● Completion of the new Peg’s Foundation House
● Restoration of the Baldwin Buss House
● Ended 2024 with a positive fund balance
● Invested $16m in Capital Projects
● $15m in new sidewalks between 2021 and 2024
Challenges
● August 8 - 2,000 year storm of historic proportions
● JoAnn is leaving ( anticipated and planned for in the 2025 budget) approximately 1,100 jobs lost in Hudson. IRG owns the current Joann site, and all buildings. They owned it for about 3 years now. They have been looking to redevelop the entire site, and we will see changes to this development area in the coming year.
Opportunities
● Financially, Hudson remains very strong
● Project revenue of $97m with anticipated expenses of $103m for 2025. Expenses are higher than revenue because of fund carryover from previous years, which allows us to invest in new infrastructure and new buildings to help serve Hudson.
● Hudson has secured over $9m in state and federal grants in the past 3 years
Our New Course - the comprehensive plan which is a roadmap for the future
● Downtown Phase 2 planning focusing on housing and community space will be presented to Council later this year
● Hines Hill Road Site - (former YDC site) meeting with developers to market this 170 acre property. The Hines Hill bridge will be an asset to attract economic growth
● Potential recreation center being explored
● 10G Fiber to the Home Initiative will come to homes in the next 4 years
● Housing expanding to include a new townhouse development on SR 91 and new open-space concept residential development on West Streetsboro St.
● Code Updates - modernizing building and zoning codes
Increase Economic Development
● Large employer moved into a large office complex on Executive Parkway and brought significant new tax revenues to the City.
● 11 new smaller businesses open in Hudson
● Several new businesses are coming in 2025
Fire and EMS Study - recommendations will be implemented
● The city is trying to reduce the response time by 6 minutes by having fire fighters in the building, instead of coming from home.
● To start, they will be doing this for daytime hours and then night time hours
Hines Hill Bridge Project moving forward
● $16.5m in state and federal funding
● Design work will begin in 2025 and the bridge will be completed in 2030
Parks Department
● Ellsworth Golf Course Clubhouse will open later this summer
● Expanding our trail network in many directions
● Inclusive park on Middleton is progressing
Milestones
● 2025 - Charter Review Committee will review our City Charter
● Hudson Community Foundation will celebrate their 25th Anniversary
● WRA celebrates their 200th Anniversary - note the beautiful tree with 75,000 bulbs
● 250th Anniversary of the USA in 2026. Hudson will have several special events.
Q & A
● The property (12 acres) used as a construction site and overlooking the turnpike has been purchased by the city.
● City has purchased land at different trail sites.
● Relating to water for Peninsula, the Hudson water line stops at the Boy Scout Camp. Water was offered to 5 neighborhoods in Hudson using well water but all declined the service. There will be no change for people getting their water from Akron.
Announcements
● There will be no meeting or social on March 12.