Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2025 Issue #9

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Council’s Legislative Spotlight! To our new subscribers, we’re delighted to have you join our community. To our regular readers, thank you for your continued engagement and support.

We encourage you to invite your friends, family, and neighbors to subscribe to the Council’s Legislative Spotlight. By doing so, they too can stay informed about the important work happening in our city.

In each issue, we are committed to providing:

Legislative Updates: A summary of the Council’s legislative agenda from the previous Monday’s meetings keeps you informed about decisions impacting our community.

Terminology Explained: Clear definitions of frequently used terms in Council discussions, ensuring everyone understands the language of local governance.

Council Facts: Insights into the functions and responsibilities of the Council, enhancing your knowledge of how our local government operates.

Community Events: Information about current events and activities happening in Akron, helping you stay engaged with our vibrant city.

Our goal is to educate and empower you with accurate and timely information. We believe that an informed community is a strong community, and through this newsletter, we aim to foster transparency and engagement.

Thank you for being an essential part of our city’s journey. Together, let’s continue to build a vibrant and informed community.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, March 17, 2025

Ordinance No. 87-2025 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to apply for and if awarded to accept and expend the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Pedestrian and Bicycle Special Solicitation grant for construction of the second phase of the Rubber City Heritage Trail (RCHT); and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0.

Ordinance No. 94-2025 authorizing the Director of Public Service, or his designee, to enter into an agreement or agreements and/or legislation with the Ohio Director of Transportation for certain improvements in the City of Akron on S.R. 261; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The State has identified the need for the project which includes performing bridge maintenance, patching concrete bridge deck, spall removal, expansion joint repair, spot protective coating, railing repair, fence replacement, and structural debris netting installation.

Resolution No. 96-2025 congratulating the University of Akron's Men's Basketball Team on winning the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championship; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The University of Akron's Men's Basketball Team competed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament from March 13 to March 15. The Zips tied for best conference record in the modern Mid-American Conference era with a 17-1 record in the Mid-American Conference, the best Mid-American Conference record in University of Akron history. Council wishes to commend the team on winning the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championship and wish them the best of luck in the NCAA Tournament.

Council continues to review the Operating Budget. Discussion was held during the 3:00 p.m. Budget and Finance Committee, which you can view here. Remember that the Operating Budget must pass by March 31, 2025.

Remember...

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

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.

Attention Wards 1, 2, & 3!!

There are still cameras available in these wards. If you were approved but didn't pick up, please contact our office at 330-375-2256.

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

Akron City Council celebrates the women who serve as Council representatives and staff. Thank you for your dedicated service.

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 featured a different Council member. We hope you enjoyed learning more about each member of Council.

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.

Committee:

A smaller group of members of Council that meet to consider legislation before it is considered or voted upon by all of Council. Standing committees are established by the Rules of Procedure of Council and have five members each. Special committees are appointed by the President. Committee meetings take place on Monday afternoons.

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

Declaring An Emergency