Eric Medici will remain a member of Plain City’s Design Review Board (DRB).
After a public hearing held at Monday night’s meeting, council made a motion to remove Medici from the board but failed to get the required votes to pass the measure.
Council members Kerri Ferguson, Shannon Pine and John Rucker abstained from the vote, leaving only three votes cast to remove Medici.
Council held the public hearing to discuss the fate of Medici’s position following several conversations stemming from a contentious May 2 DRB meeting.
According to an affidavit from Pine, who also serves as the council representative on the DRB, an argument occurred on May 2 between Medici and building owner, Tim Dawson, regarding the approval of a metal awning on Dawson’s Main Street building.
The affidavit stated that Medici questioned the quality of the awning’s construction and whether the board properly documented the approval process, which led to a confrontation between Medici and Dawson. The argument led to raised voices and eventually Dawson leaving the meeting.
After the incident, council considered the possibility of removing Medici citing his conduct during the exchange.
In a statement from Mayor Darrin Lane, Medici’s behavior was described as “dysfunctional and unprofessional.”
Medici, who was present at Monday’s council meeting, said that the meeting minutes from the May 2 meeting would present a different side to the story.
“This feels like an attack on my character. I requested the meeting minutes and that was eight weeks ago,” Medici said. “They still haven’t come in and I think if people would see those minutes, they would exonerate me.”
Jenny Brill, of Rummell-Brill Insurance in Plain City, was the only person who spoke at the hearing on behalf of Medici. Brill’s business is located in the Main Street building across from Dawson’s property.
“I’ve known Mr. Medici since 2011 when he purchased the building that I am a tenant in. We’ve been through a number of renovation projects and he’s always kept me informed,” Brill said. “He’s always respected me as a business owner and as a person.”
She urged the board to reconsider stating that the both the village and the DRB are in a “growing phase” and may encounter difficult decisions moving forward.
Council went into executive session after the hearing to “discuss the facts and findings” of the incident.
Steve Rice, a member of the DRB, said he was also at the May 2 meeting but wasn’t aware of any fact-finding effort.
“I was at that meeting and nobody asked me anything,” he said. “I just want that known. I’m a member of that board and no one asked me about it.”
Medici will remain on the board although under what capacity has yet to be determined.
In Pine’s initial affidavit she recommended that Medici remain part of the board but potentially in a position other than chair.
Medici is an engineer and serves on the board in that capacity.