Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2025 Issue #5

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

Welcome to our new subscribers. We are glad you joined us! To our regular subscribers, welcome back! Thank you for continuing to receive our newsletter and your commitment to staying informed and engaged through your Akron City Council's Legislative Spotlight subscription.

We hope you enjoy the information shared each week, including highlights from the Council's legislative agenda from the previous Monday's Committee and Council meetings. Definitions, information about commonly used terms, and council-related facts are also featured.

The information shared in each week's Legislative Spotlight will continue to educate, empower, and liberate you to become increasingly engaged with your City Council in making Akron a better place for all its residents.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, February 10, 2025

RESOLUTION NO. 45-2025 adopting the 2025 Capital Investment and Community Development Program, legally referred to as the Capital Investment Budget; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. This legislation was originally introduced on January 6, 2025. Capital Budget Review Sessions were held on January 6th and January 13th. A Substitute Offered as an Amendment was introduced February 3, 2025 and a second Substitute offered as an Amendment was introduced February 10, 2025. View the finalized budget here. The Capital Budget outlines investments in the City's physical infrastructure. The Operating Budget, which outlines spending on City services and operating expenses, will need to be passed by City Council before the end of March.

RESOLUTION NO. 48-2025 declaring it necessary to improve certain streets between certain termini (2025 Arterial/Collector Resurfacing Program) by resurfacing such streets with asphaltic concrete 402/404, and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0.

RESOLUTION NO. 49-2025 declaring it necessary to improve certain streets between certain termini (2025 Residential Resurfacing Program) by resurfacing such streets with asphaltic concrete 402/404, and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0.

RESOLUTION NO. 51-2025 declaring it necessary to improve certain streets between certain termini (2025 Unimproved Street Resurfacing Program) by treating the surface thereof with substances designed to preserve the surface, and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0.

A portion of the costs of these improvements are paid by the City and a portion are assessed. Property owners will receive an estimate via certified mail. The estimate will include information on how property owners can object to the amount or apportionment of the estimate. Objections will be heard by an Assessment Equalization Board. Please note that the jurisdiction of the board is limited to determining (1) whether the property has been benefited by the improvement(s), and (2) whether the amount of the assessment is a proper apportionment of those benefits. The board cannot consider whether the project is necessary or revise the nature or the scope of the project, because City Council has already conclusively decided those matters. After the objection period is over and any necessary hearings are conducted, Council will pass an Ordinance to proceed with the improvements. Once the project is complete, property owners will receive their bill and can pay their portion in full or choose to pay in semi-annual installments with their property taxes. Visit the City Assessor's website for more information.

Remember...

You can see all the legislation discussed during the meeting at: https://onlinedocs.akronohio.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/

Happy Presidents Day Concept with the US national Flag against a collage of four American Presidents portraits cut of Dollar bills.

There will not be a Council meeting on Monday, February 17th in observance of Presidents' Day.

Municipal Offices will be closed. There will not be a delay in trash pickup.

You can view the 2025 Trash/Recycling Holiday Schedule here.

Ring Doorbell Cameras

Each ward was allotted 300 cameras. The staff has worked hard to distribute these at ward meetings, before Council meetings, and during office hours. We're continually working through waitlists, so please make sure you check your email if you applied!

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

All month long, there will be events throughout the city to celebrate and honor Black History Month. See this Press Release for a list of some of those events.

Your Council Representative

Is Available to Serve You!

There are several ways to reach your Ward Representative:

View their information on the Council's website .
Attend their ward meeting .
Call or email them.

Each week, we will feature a different

City Council Member.

Be sure to check out upcoming issues of our legislative spotlight for more!

Councilwoman Boyes prepares a monthly Ward 9 e-newsletter. You can subscribe here.

Upcoming Open Comment

Public Hearings

Notices are posted on our website at least 15 days before the meeting.

Suppose the Ordinance is a Conditional Use (Zoning measure). In that case, a notice is also mailed to the owners and residents of property within, contiguous to, and directly across the street from the property involved in the Ordinance (per Charter Section 34). Notices are also published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

You do not need to fill out any forms to participate. You can attend in-person in Council Chambers or remotely via videoconference.

Those wishing to attend remotely need to notify the Clerk of Council, as outlined in the meeting notice, to receive the information to join remotely.

Please Help Us Get The Word Out!

Enjoying the Legislative Spotlight?

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our website.

311- Akron's One Call to City Hall

If you have a specific city issue that you'd like to see resolved (a pothole, water leak, tree down, missed trash collection, etc.), you can enter it in the online system, call 311, or download

the "MyAkron311" app.

The app is available for free on all Apple or Android devices in the app store.

After downloading, residents can create a profile, enter a service request, look up timely city information, and set up notifications specific to their address such as trash/recycling collection reminders.

Public Comment Period

A public comment period is held at each regularly scheduled Council meeting, where up to ten (10) members of the public may address Council on matters within Council's authority. No member of the public shall be permitted to address Council during the public comment period more than once every 30 days.

Those who wish to participate in the public comment period of a regular Council meeting need to submit a public comment form by 4:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting.

The sign-up form is available here.

This brief video demonstrates how to fill out the form.

For those that do not have a mobile device/computer to utilize, or need additional assistance, Council staff is available to help.

Signing up is a requirement of Council Rules, similar to other bodies.

Special Assessments

Special Assessments for improvements are addressed in the Charter and Akron Municipal Code. Learn more by viewing the Charter here and Title 5, Chapter 53 of the Municipal Code here.

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You can view the Rules of Procedure for Akron City Council here.