Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2026 Issue #22

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From the Desk of

Akron City Council President

Greetings!

Akron is moving — and you deserve a front-row seat.

Welcome to the Akron City Council Legislative Spotlight, your direct line to the decisions, debates, and developments happening right now at City Hall. No fluff. No runaround. Just the real work your Council is doing — for you, your block, and this city we all call home.

What’s Inside This Issue

Every Spotlight is packed with what matters most:

Legislative Updates — The ordinances and resolutions on the table, and what they mean for your daily life.

Council in Action — Your representatives, ward by ward, fighting for the neighborhoods that make Akron great.

Akron Community Hub — Local events, community news, and ways to make your voice heard.

Why It Matters

City Hall shouldn’t feel like a mystery. When you know what’s happening, you can shape what comes next. Informed neighbors become engaged neighbors — and engaged neighbors build stronger communities.

Whether we’re talking infrastructure, public safety, housing, or economic opportunity, the Spotlight keeps you plugged in and ready to act.

One Small Ask

If this newsletter speaks to you, share it. Forward it to a neighbor. Post it on your block’s Facebook group. Tag a friend who needs to know what’s happening in Akron. And if someone shared this with you — subscribe here so you never miss an issue.

Now — let’s get into it. Here’s what your Council has been up to.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, June 22, 2026

Ordinance No. 190-2026 authorizing the Director of Public Service, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts, without the formality of advertising for bids, with Keep Akron Beautiful for the provision of litter control and recycling activities in the City of Akron; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. Earlier this month, the City of Akron, in partnership with Keep Akron Beautiful, kicked off the next round of the Recycle Right campaign across Akron. The Recycle Right campaign is a communitywide initiative to improve the quality of recycling in curbside carts by providing residents personalized and real-time curbside recycling education and feedback. To learn more about the city’s recycling program, what can and can’t be recycled, and locations of the glass drop off recycling bins, visit akronohio.gov/recycle.

Ordinance No. 191-2026 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, if awarded, to accept and expend grant funding from FEMA for Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&S), which will be used to purchase fire safety education materials; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The FP&S Grant will provide funding for the Akron Fire Department to acquire a new fire safety education trailer, inflatable safety house and printed safety literature. The funds will promote the Akron Fire Department’s educational outreach initiatives to educate children and young adults about the importance of fire safety. Learn more about Akron Fire Department's Community Services here .

Ordinance No. 194-2026 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, if awarded, to accept and expend an award from the State of Ohio Attorney General under the Law Enforcement Diversion Grant for the funding of a Quick Response Team (QRT); and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. Grant funds are available from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Law Enforcement Diversion program to support the local collaborative Quick Response Team (QRT) to address opioid overdoses. The QRT – comprised of a medic of the Akron Fire Department, an officer of the Akron Police Department, and an intervention specialist of Summit County Public Health – provides encouragement, information, and a resource packet to an individual and/or their family who has recently experienced an overdose and been revived with Narcan.

Remember...

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

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Upcoming Open Comment

Public Hearings

July 13, 2026

5:00 p.m.

Ordinance approving the 2026 Consolidated Plan Annual Action Plan for the City’s Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership and Emergency Solutions Grant Programs.

Ordinance amending/supplementing Title 15, Chapter 153, “Zoning Code”, Article 17 “Unified Planned Development District-Class UPD” of the Code of Ordinances, City of Akron, 2004, to amend developmental standards.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to install additional signage at 1960 W. Market Street; and declaring an emergency.

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.

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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.

Open Comment Public Hearing:

When a hearing is held before Council or a committee of Council on a particular piece of legislation. Members of the public wishing to testify before Council at a public hearing are asked to first take an oath to swear or affirm that the testimony they will provide is the truth.

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