August 21, 2026
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all healthy, happy, and staying cool. Apparently, this hot summer has been caused by a heat dome stretching across the southeast and causing dangerous temperatures. Click here to read more about it.
Citizen turnout at our commission meetings has been amazing, thank you all for supporting our city. Your participation is essential to its health and well-being, and it’s having an impact.
Election Season is upon us
First, I’d like to thank all of you for your support over the last four years. Speaking your mind has made a difference and I appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to come to the meetings. Presenting your viewpoint takes away any ambiguity that may exist between elected officials and their constituents. It leaves little-to-no room to claim a misunderstanding or lack of participation as a reason for an elected official’s actions. Participation helps to clarify your expectations and remove any doubt about what motivates your representatives. If you tell them what you want and they do something different, then you know they are not working to represent your interests. If you don’t, you’re leaving it up to them, making accountability difficult.
The same goes for your elected officials. It should be crystal clear to you that as a candidate, the promises they made to you are either honored or you have been duped. It has been my honor to represent you over the past four years and I hope that by doing so, I have earned your trust. I’m running for re-election and appreciate your support. Thank you for the hospitality and kindness you have extended to me when I visit; it’s a reflection of the quality of our community. Your feedback is valuable to help me understand my past performance and provides me with direction for the future. Click here to review my campaign flyer.
What’s happening in our city
Three things that I recently voted against…
At The Monday August 3rd special meeting, the Commission voted to adopt a higher millage rate than the “roll back” rate represents. The special meeting appears to have lacked sufficient notice. Click here to view city attorney Waugh’s assessment of the sufficiency of the notice and you decide. Click here to review emails that were sent to commissioners regarding the meeting. These emails do not constitute public notice.
At the August 10, commission meeting, the commission voted to give city manager John Barkley the option to resign effective immediately or be fired. Mr. Barkley was not present at the regularly scheduled public meeting and was not provided notice that the commission would be contemplating his termination. Certain commissioners and members of the public accused Mr. Barkley of misappropriating taxpayer money to fund his health care insurance. At the time of his employment, Mr. Barkley had waived health insurance. The commission was not provided with evidence from an official source to bolster the claim. The idea that the commission would take such dramatic action against a person, without being presented with definitive proof, all while that person was not afforded an opportunity to be heard, goes against my value system and basic human decency. Had Mr. Barkley been present at the commission meeting I could have simply asked him if he had done what he was being accused of doing. If the answer was yes, I would have voted in favor of termination. If he said no, I would have asked the commission and city staff for an explanation and documentation of the claims that were made against him. None of that was afforded to me as a commissioner or Mr. Barkley. Click here to view a video of the entire meeting.
Commissioner Werning, Mayor Taylor, and commissioner Hyatt voted in favor of appointing former City Mayor Gibson to the PLDRC board. Commissioner Drollinger and I both voted against this.
To Contact Your City Commissioners and Mayor
Taylor – [email protected], Commissioner Linda Hyatt, [email protected], Commissioner Carrie Werning, [email protected], Vice Mayor Joe Catigano, [email protected], Commissioner Mark Drollinger, [email protected].
—————————–
The next Oak Hill City Commissioner’s meeting is, August 24, 2026 at city hall. The time is 6:00 PM. click here for the agenda and here for the agenda pack.
Please come and let your voice be heard. Your presence and participation are how we hold our commission to account.
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Thanks again,
Joe Catigano
Oak Hill City Commissioner
Seat 3
