From the Desk of
Akron City Council President
Greetings!
Welcome to the Akron City Council Legislative Spotlight—your essential guide to staying informed, engaged, and connected to the legislative work driving our community forward.
This publication is designed to bridge the gap between City Hall and your front door, ensuring every resident is aware of the issues shaping our city and the deliberate actions your Council is taking to improve the lives of all Akronites.
Why the Spotlight Matters
We believe that an informed community is an empowered one. Each issue is carefully curated to provide you with transparency and clarity. Inside, you will find:
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Legislative Updates: A breakdown of key ordinances, resolutions, and strategic initiatives.
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Council in Action: Highlights of how your representatives are advocating for your interests in every ward.
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Akron Community Hub: Local news, upcoming events, and direct opportunities for you to get involved.
Strong neighborhoods are built on communication and collaboration. By staying informed, you help us build a more resilient and vibrant Akron.
Looking Ahead
As we navigate the year’s challenges and opportunities, we do so with a clear vision and unwavering determination. From infrastructure and public safety to economic development and housing equity, our priority remains the same: moving Akron forward together.
Your perspective is vital to our success. We encourage you to remain an active partner in this journey—share your ideas, attend our meetings, and stay engaged with the process.
Stay Connected: Follow Akron City Council on Facebook and help us grow our reach by sharing this Spotlight with your neighbors, friends, and family.
Thank you for being a vital chapter in Akron’s ongoing story. Now, let’s dive into the latest updates from your City Council.
Sincerely,
Margo Sommerville
Council President
Ward 3 Council Member
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Legislative Highlights From Monday, March 23, 2026
Resolution No. 85-2026 congratulating City employee Melvin Blake for his selection as the recipient of the 2026 NFHS Ohio Service Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to interscholastic athletics; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The National Federation of State High School Associations State Award for Outstanding Service is a prestigious recognition presented by state high school associations to individuals who have provided extraordinary service to youth, interscholastic athletics, and activities over many years. Melvin Blake has served as the City of Akron Recreation & Parks Division's Sports and Athletics Coordinator the last 12 years of his 26-year career with the City of Akron. Melvin helped lead the recent renovations and enhancements of Firestone Stadium and played a pivotal role in securing extended partnerships with the OHSAA, the Division I Mid-American Conference and Division II Great Midwest Athletic Conference, which has ensured their continued presence and investment in the City of Akron for years to come.
Resolution No. 87-2026 approving and confirming the appointments and/or reappointments of Mayor Shammas Malik, Chris Ludle, Kyle Julien, Helen Tomic, Margo Sommerville, Tina Boyes, and Fran Wilson for the year 2026 as members of the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO), with alternates Michelle DiFiore (Mayor Malik), Jeff Bronowski (Ludle), Dylan Garritano (Julien), Kurt Mulhauser (Tomic), and Dr. Joan Williams/Sara Biviano (Sommerville); and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) was formed in 1974 as a regional council of governments by the elected officials within the counties of Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne. NEFCO was created as a voluntary organization to enable local officials to discuss problems facing the region and to develop strategies to cope with them. NEFCO also serves as a forum through which local, state and federal planning programs can be more effectively coordinated. Learn more about NEFCO here.
Ordinance No. 88-2026 authorizing the Director of Public Service, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts, after publicly advertising for bids, for the painting of fire hydrants in the City of Akron water service area; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. Periodic fire hydrant upkeep and painting is necessary to maintain efficient and reliable services.
Resolution No. 93-2026 in which City Council and the Administration commit to working together to establish a pre-activation look-back requirement for all body-worn cameras utilized by officers of the Akron Police Department; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 7, Nays: 6 (Boyes, Bolden, Connor, Fusco, Lombardo, McKitrick). Members of Akron City Council, including Council President Margo Sommerville, Councilman-at-Large Eric Garrett, and Ward 4 Councilwoman Jan Davis cohosted a series of police reform and public safety forums across the City of Akron. Residents provided consistent and substantive feedback during these forums, including the need for strengthened body-worn camera transparency policies. You can read the current policy here.
Remember...
You can see all the legislation discussed during the meeting at: https://onlinedocs.akronohio.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/
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2026 Operating Budget
The Operating Budget was introduced to the Budget & Finance Committee on Monday, March 9th. An overview was given, which you can watch here.
Council held Operating Budget Hearings on March 17th, 18th and 19th. The files for Council to review are available here.
Council must pass the legislation by March 31, 2026.
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Citizens' Police Oversight Board
Akron City Council extended the application deadline to apply for the
In anticipation of another impending vacancy, City of Akron residents from all ten wards are encouraged to apply.
Completed applications are due
via email to
citizenoversight@akronohio.gov
by
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 12:00 Noon.
See the full Press Release here.
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Follow us on Facebook to stay informed on meetings, decisions, events, and opportunities to share your voice.
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Clean Up Akron Month
There are several clean ups scheduled in collaboration with Keep Akron Beautiful.
You can sign up to volunteer here.
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Check out the calendar on
Council's website for
upcoming Ward Meetings!
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Your Council Representative
Is Available to Serve You!
There are several ways to reach your Ward Representative:
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Upcoming Open Comment
Public Hearings
April 6, 2026
5:00 Special Meeting
Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to expand parking at 839 S. Arlington Street and 1037 Wyley Avenue. (PC-2026-01-CU)
Notices are posted on our website.
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). These 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.
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Please Help Us Get The Word Out!
Enjoying the Legislative Spotlight?
Why not share it with your friends and neighbors? The QR code will take them directly to the sign-up page on
our website.
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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.
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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.
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Ordinance:
A formal act of Council. Examples of ordinance topics include: authorizing the Director of Public Service to enter into a contract for the construction of a project, approving a union agreement, approving a conditional use application, or amending the Codified Ordinances of the City.
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Are You a New Legislative Spotlight Subscriber?
You can see past issues of the
Legislative Spotlight on our website.
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Margo Sommerville, President
166 S. High Street, 3rd Floor
Akron, OH 44308
www.akroncitycouncil.org
(330) 375 - 2256
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