Senior van program gets rolling as short-term rental regulations stall

by Judy Stringer

June 2 city council meeting

Hudson senior citizens will soon have a new way to get to doctors, grocery stores and community events. City council officially cleared the way for a local senior transportation program, voting 6-1 to accept a vehicle donation and launch the reservation-only transit service.

According to city manager Thom Sheridan, Hudson Senior Network and Hudson Community Foundation began raising funds for a passenger van in 2025 and have collected $58,000 to cover the vehicle’s purchase. The city is responsible for operating costs, including salary for two part-time drivers estimated at roughly $33,000-$37,000 per year.

Hudson residents over the age of 64 can reserve a ride on the service for destinations within a six-mile radius of the city. The service will operate for eight hours a day, three days a week.

Pointing to council’s recent decision to freeze the 2026 connectivity plan due to financial strain, council member Sklyar Sutton – who voted against the measure – argued that expanding municipal services under current conditions is contradictory. Council member Kyle Brezovec pushed back, noting that infrastructure costs are fundamentally different. He suggested that while “one mile of sidewalk generally comes in at approximately $1 million,” the van’s operational costs are markedly lower.

Council member Amanda Weinstein added that she believes the transit program offers crucial “connectivity” for local seniors, helping them live independently in their own homes by ensuring they can get to vital appointments, like doctor visits.

“I view it as taking a broader and more holistic look at connectivity for all residents in Hudson,” Weinstein said.

With the resolution’s passage, the city is expected to finalize its agreement with the Hudson Community Foundation, accept the vehicle donation and begin the process of hiring two part-time drivers.

Short-term rentals

Council did not move ahead, however, with an ordinance to stiffen regulations for short-term rentals, such as homes rented via Airbnb and VRBO. If enacted, the ordinance would have established a 3% bed tax on STRs and increased the annual permit fee from $150 to $500. The proposed fee hike was intended to fund mandatory annual safety and property maintenance inspections.

The ordinance also required operators to install noise detectors, carrying an estimated monthly service fee between $5 and $20, and set a limit of six STRs per ward.

During council’s May 26 workshop, Sutton rejected the ward approach due to legal concerns and changing census boundaries. He argued that drawing a buffer radius around an applicant’s property aligns better with standard land development codes. Other council members expressed concern that elevated fees and zoning restrictions could unfairly push out responsible operators.

“I think we should take a couple months to really understand this a little bit better,” said council President Michael Bird. “Talk to stakeholders, talk to next-door neighbors of Airbnb residents and really find out what problems are there, if any, and what are some solutions that the Airbnb customers and the Airbnb owners might suggest for us.”

In that spirit, Bird moved to postpone the STR ordinance to September. Sutton was the lone vote against the motion. He stated that council could pass meaningful zoning changes that night and then study or adjust fees later, instead of delaying the entire ordinance.

City solicitor

Attorney Marshal Pitchford and his firm, DiCaudo, Pitchford & Yoder, will continue to act as Hudson’s legal backbone, per a two-year contract passed on May 19, despite a challenge presented by council member Patricia Goetz. Goetz proposed a resolution to hire a professional recruiter and source a full-time in-house solicitor, arguing it would be cheaper than the current outsourced arrangement, costing $260,000 in 2026 and $278,000 in 2027.

City Manager Sheridan, however, detailed the competitive search process and cost comparison that led to the administration’s selection of the Pitchford-DP&Y contract, including an alternate proposal from another firm priced at roughly $540,000 per year for similar work. Operationally, the contract provides an assistant city solicitor that would physically be in city hall four days a week, eight hours a day, “working exclusively on city of Hudson” matters, he said.

In the end, a majority of council backed Sheridan’s recommendation and left the May 19 resolution intact.