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Lakewood Residents,
As we bid the Summer of 2026 a fond farewell, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful season in our community. I hope you and your family had a memorable summer with Lakewood's lineup of festivals, concerts and events, evenings shared with friends on a front porch or restaurant patio, and sunsets on the Solstice Steps. And, with school back in session, I wish all of our school-aged kids and their families a successful, safe, and fun school year!
My administration has continued its work addressing FirstEnergy’s ongoing power outage issues. We have been closely reviewing communications from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) as well as FirstEnergy’s proposed plans to improve the reliability of the power grid. Last month, the City filed a legal motion to intervene in FirstEnergy’s rate-increase case before PUCO. Through its intervention, the City will ensure that the concerns and hardships of residents and businesses are presented strongly to the regulatory commission.
You can follow the actions that the City has taken on our Electricity and Power Outages webpage.
Also in this issue:
- Previewing the 38th annual Lakewood Community Festival
- Lakewood's Fall Tree Giveaway returns September 15
- Becks Pool public comment period open through September 7
- Notice to landlords about the Housing License Renewal Period
- View the open career opportunities with the City of Lakewood, including Crossing Guards!
| | September 2026 Events Calendar | |
Mon., Sept. 7
Labor Day
City Hall Closed
No Refuse Collection
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Tue., Sept. 8
City Council Meeting
7:30 PM
City Hall Auditorium
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Fri., Sept. 11
LFD September 11th Remembrance Ceremony
9:55 AM
Fire Station #1
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Sat., Sept. 12
Lakewood Community Festival
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Madison Park
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Sun., Sept. 13
Car Seat Fit Safety Check
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Fire Station #1
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Tue., Sept. 15
Tree Giveaway Registration
10:00 AM
Online Registration
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Mon., Sept. 21
City Council Meeting
7:30 PM
City Hall Auditorium
| | | | Click below to view the City of Lakewood's full events calendar. | | City of Lakewood Electricity / FirstEnergy Updates | |
City of Lakewood Intervenes in FirstEnergy Rate Hike Case
On Thursday, August 20, the City of Lakewood filed a motion to intervene in FirstEnergy’s application to increase customer rates before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
Mayor Meghan F. George commented, “It is unconscionable that the power company that cannot provide reliable consistent power to our residents and businesses of Lakewood is now asking PUCO for permission to increase rates. The City opposes this and will fight with every resource available to us.”
A timeline of all actions taken by the City of Lakewood in response to the outages experienced by our residents can be found by clicking the image to the right.
FirstEnergy Responds to PUCO's Finding of Probable Non-Compliance
On Friday, August 21, FirstEnergy submitted its response to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio after they were found to be in Probable Non-Compliance for a second consecutive year.
Key Points:
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Upgrading the Grid: FirstEnergy intends to not just replace failing parts of the grid in-kind, but rather will upgrade the system to modern equipment so that outages are greatly reduced.
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Communication and Estimated Restoration Times: FirstEnergy will no longer provide auto-generated power restoration estimates for Lakewood since they are frequently inaccurate. Instead, restoration times will be provided after a technician can evaluate the damage.
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Forfeiture: FirstEnergy expressed a desire for the $3 million forfeiture to go toward upgrades to Lakewood's power grid rather than simply going to the State of Ohio's general fund.
Visit our Electricity and Power Outages webpage to read about all the actions that the City of Lakewood has taken regarding FirstEnergy’s power outages.
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38th Annual Lakewood Community Festival To Be Held Saturday, Sept. 12
Lakewood's annual celebration of family, community, and culture will take place on Saturday, September 12 from 11 AM to 5 PM at Madison Park.
Festival Highlights
Food and Treats: Traditional ethnic dishes including pierogis, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and sauerkraut, cabbage and noodles, pizza, and assorted traditional baked goods.
Family Fun: An inflatable obstacle course, children's games, and craft and game booths.
Entertainment: Live music performances throughout the day featuring:
- 11:00 AM - 2 Guys 2 Strings
- 12:00 PM - Two Friends Polka Band
- 1:00 PM - American Ramblers
- 2:00 PM - Polka Pirates
- 3:00 PM - Jim Schafer and Friends
- 4:00 PM - Scimitars Swing Band
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Fall Tree Giveaway - Registration Opens September 15
Lakewood's Tree Giveaway Program is back for its fall distribution. On September 15, Lakewood residents can sign up to receive a free tree that can be planted on their private property (in the front or back yard). A total of 200 trees are available while supplies last.
Since 2024, hundreds of residents have received a tree through this program, which is designed to increase the city's urban tree canopy.
Available Tree Species
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Becks Pool Public Comment Period Open
The City of Lakewood Planning and Development Department is accepting public comment regarding the updated drawings and plans for Becks Pool at Madison Park.
Following this round of public input, changes will be implemented in the final designs and drawings, and then the design will go through the board, committee, and Council approval process. The pool is scheduled to begin construction following the 2027 pool season.
Visit the project webpage linked below to view the drawings and submit your feedback. This public comment period is open through September 7, 2026.
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Housing License Renewal Period Open Through November 1
The City of Lakewood's housing license renewal is now open as of September 1, 2026. All owners of rental property within the city must possess a valid housing license. Renewals are due by November 1; renewals beyond this date are subject to late fees.
Housing licenses help the Housing and Building Department protect renters by ensuring that landords are up-to-date on all requirements for owning and operating a rental property. These requirements include:
- The presence of working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
- The absence of electrical hazards
- The presence of railings on interior and exterior stairs
- A working heating system, hot and cold water in the kitchen and each bathroom, and working toilets
More information and a link to the city's CitizenServe application portal can be found on our Housing Licenses page linked below.
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Join Our Crossing Guard Team Today!
As the 2026-2027 school year approaches, now is a great time to become a Lakewood school crossing guard!
As a walking neighborhood, thousands of students in Lakewood rely on the city’s crossing guards to provide a safe route to school each morning and back home in the afternoon. Crossing guards provide a vital service to the city, and we are in need of more team members for the current school year.
If you are looking for a fun, fulfilling job that has a positive impact on your community, apply to join our team today!
Benefits of Being a Crossing Guard:
- Take an active role in improving safety for our residents and visitors
- Great pay and friendly part-time schedule (~2 hours per day) for individuals seeking supplemental income
- Work in the fresh air while getting exercise
- Get to know the neighbors and families in your neighborhood
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Requirements: High school diploma or GED, drug screening, and background check with fingerprinting.
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