Nine pieces of legislation were unanimously passed during the Hillsboro City Council meeting Thursday.

Hillsboro resident Patrick Shanahan made comments to the council about the attendance of members of the Proud Boys at the Pride in the Park event held last month at Liberty Park. “I’m here tonight because I heard about all the criticism that people are throwing at our Hillsboro gay pride festival that we had last month, and I just want to put in my two cents,” said Shanahan.

“The Proud Boys claim that – they’ll tell you they are not a hate group and they don’t have any problems with the gay community,” he said. “They’ll try to tell you that they’re just concerned about the well being of minors and children, and they just think that gay pride events and drag shows should be strictly 18 and up, and no minor should ever be present at these events because, apparently, a 17-year-old is going to be irreparably scarred by seeing a man dressed up in drag.”

Shanahan said the Proud Boys are actually a fascist, violent hate group. “The ideology of the Proud Boys is actually rooted in these heinous conspiracy theories and myths about the LGBT community whereby anybody who is a drag performer is a pedophile and anybody who is affiliated with the LGBT community is some sort of child groomer, and we put on these events to try and lure in young children so that we can groom them for sexual slavery,” he said. “I stood there and watched them for five hours do nothing but threaten and bully and harass people,” said Shanahan. “They were trying to provoke somebody into taking the first swing – throwing the first punch – so that they could be justified in punching back. The real threat to public safety is when Hillsboro’s village idiot, Jeremiah Ogden, recruits 20 violent fascists from out of town to show up at our event and spend five hours trying to threaten and harass people,” he said.

During his communication at the meeting, Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha praised the success of this year’s Festival of the Bells. “The three-on-three basketball tournament was held on Saturday during the festival, and we had 30 teams and over 100 participants, so it was a great success – I think more than what it used to be,” said Harsha. “We had Pioneer Day, a car show, and free concerts, and I think it was overall a great success.”

Safety and Service Director Brianne Abbot gave the floor to Mike Burns of Robert W. Baird and Co. to speak about the details of a state infrastructure loan of up to $1.7 million to the city of Hillsboro for constructing road improvements.

In her report to the council, finance committee chair Mary Stanforth said a meeting of her committee held July 12 recommended approving the ordinance to move forward with the loan.

In his report to the council, street and safety committee chair Adam Wilkin said a citizen’s proposal to make Johnson Street a one-way street was recommended to be moved forward to possibly set a date for a public hearing during a meeting of the committee Tuesday, June 27.

A resolution authorizing the safety and service director to enter into an easement agreement with AEP on real property owned by the city was approved.

An ordinance amending section 39.35 of the codified ordinances of the city of Hillsboro pertaining to the disposition of human remains was approved.

A resolution authorizing the safety and service director to purchase a Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavator through the State of Ohio Cooperative Purchasing Program was approved.

An ordinance amending and repealing sections of the city’s codified ordinances pertaining to petty cash and change funds was moved to a third reading.

A resolution adopting a new fixed asset policy for the city was moved to a third reading.

A resolution to solicit bids and accept the lowest and best bid for paving a portion of East Beech Street, Willow Street and East and West Collins avenues was approved.

A resolution to authorize and accept community development block grant funds was approved.

An ordinance amending a section of the codified ordinances of the city pertaining to signs was moved to a second reading.

An ordinance modifying the zoning classification of a parcel of land was approved.

A resolution authorizing the safety sand service director to apply for, accept and enter into a water pollution control loan fund agreement on behalf of the city for planning, design and construction of storm water facilities, and designated a dedicated repayment source for the loan, was approved.

A resolution authorizing the safety and service director to purchase a generator for the wastewater south lift station through the Ohio Cooperative Purchasing program was approved.

An ordinance providing for a Special Obligation State Infrastructure Loan, not to exceed $1.7 million, by the city for the purpose of constructing road improvements in the city, authorizing the pledge of revenues to secure the loan and authorizing the execution of a loan agreement and a promissory note was approved.

Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.