Urbana City Council Meets for First Time in 2025

SHARE NOW

In the Urbana City Council Annual Organizational Meeting Tuesday night, the city council appointed Audra Bean as President Pro Tempore, Roger Steffan as Council Clerk, and made Department Liaison Assignments for the new year.

During the meeting council members heard from resident Gavin Coleman via an email sent in December. He expressed concerns about light trespass caused by the Livingston Lights display during the Halloween and Christmas holiday seasons. Directly, he expressed concern over neighborhood lights shining into other people’s homes. He requested consideration of passing an ordinance against light trespass in the future.
Greg Livingston is the creator of the Livingston Lights display. He says his display has brought happiness to many local and out-of-town guests throughout the years.

The council was advised by Mark Feinstein, Law Director and Municipal Prosecutor for the City of Urbana, that no laws were being broken by Livingston and light trespass ordinances were left to the discretion of the community.

The council also discussed and authorized the blanket purchase order list for 2025 as seen in the 2025 budget.

Up for review in its third and final reading was Ordinance 4388-25: An ordinance authorizing the Indigent Defense Agreement with the Champaign County Commissioners to allow the City and County to receive partial reimbursement from the Ohio Public Defender Commission for the indigent expenses in the Champaign County Municipal Court. The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance.

The council will meet again on Tuesday, January 21.