City Council - Regular Meeting

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Mhm. Okay. Good evening. We're going to call the meeting for Akron City Council to order. At this time, our clerk will read the roll. Bolden Hi. Boyd

Hi. Connor Hi. Davis Garrett Greer Hi. Hannah Hi. Kamer Hi. Lombardo Hi. McKitrick Hi. Omobegian Hi. Somerville Hi. Wilson Hi. All members are present except for council members Davis and Garrett. For those who voluntarily wish to do so, would you please stand at this time as we're led in prayer by a pastor Apostle Danilia Williams from New Millennium House of Prayer. Immediately following our prayer, going to ask if Councilwoman Omobegian will lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Dear heavenly Father, tonight we bow in humble submission to your will. And we thank you, Lord, for this evening. Thank you for life. We thank you for health, and we thank you for strength. We thank you for these your people who have gathered here in this place. It is our prayer on tonight that you would dwell in our midst. It is our prayer on tonight, God, that you would touch uh the council people as you have ordained for the city of Akron to be blessed. It is our prayer that they would legislate accordingly. Let everything that's said and done be decently and in order as decisions that are so vitally important to our lives uh and the properties that we own and the businesses that we own. As those decisions are being decided on tonight, God, we pray that you would allow unity to rise, division to fall, and that the greater good of this community would be at the forefront of our minds. Father, we pray that you would allow the concerns of the residents to be on fleek tonight. That

the council people who were who represent the various communities would have in their mind to do the will of the people. Let resolutions on tonight be fair and equitable. And Father, we lay at your feet everything that plagues this city. Whether it be gun violence, whether it be poverty, whether it be a lack of civility, whether it be police brutality. God, whatever it is, we lay it at your feet on tonight and we pray, Father, that as this exposed, that we would do due diligence to those issues. We thank you and we ask you on tonight to honor your word. You said in your word that if the watchmen do not watch according to your will, you are the one who guards the city. You said, "I will guard the city and if the watchmen watch, I will be I will make sure that the city is kept." So, we thank you and we praise you. It is in your darling son's name that we pray and we do ask these things. Amen, amen, and amen. Amen. Thank you. pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. The minutes from our previously held meeting have been provided. Are there any additions or corrections? Is there a motion to approve?

to approve. Second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. The eyes have it. The motion to approve the minutes passes 11 to 0. Thank you. At this time we're going to move to our public comment period. Going to ask all those who signed up, if you'll please stand at this time so that you may be sworn in by our clerk. Could you please raise your right hand? Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you give will be the truth? If so, please say I do. Thank you. Thank you. Just going to ask when you hear your name, if you'll please approach the podium. Just as a reminder, you will have 3 minutes to speak to this body. And we're going to begin with Omari Long. Respectfully concert council of last week young son told me I didn't do it well enough to tell the story.

[sighs] So Omari, because because dad spoke last time, you you're going to have to give the comment for us, okay?

Okay, yeah. Tell them about it. Tell them about it. I know he might have, you know, went out and he asked y'all for $5,000 and y'all might not know what it was for, but we just want to let y'all know we're trying to put in a fundraiser for the uh the Pee Wee Association for the kids all across the town. We're trying to get them together at Lane Field. We're going to have live acts and concerts and all of that stuff and you know, we're hoping to get funds and and raise funds and get donations and all of that. That's what I wish he would have said last time. Well, you did good. You said it You said it today. So, thank you. Thank you. That's about it, in a nutshell.

Thank you. The name Polar Finally, you said it right. Did I get it right this time? No, no. [laughter] You did. Hey, y'all. How y'all doing? All right. [sighs]

A dog with fleas. Ooh! Say somebody called a black woman a dog with fleas. Dang, Hannah, man. Why you call that lady a dog with fleas, man? Why you do that? Out of all the gender war we got going on right here, bro, and you call a woman that? I don't think you know how strong the women empowerment is around here. What, you mad cuz I'm ended up being one of them fleas, huh? You should have known better to do that, man. And just for that simple fact by every hair of my chinny chin chin, bro, I promise you I know you won't make it through war five again. I know you won't. Careful what you say. Make sure you say it to their face, too. It's about to be ah Mekhi Trick, I don't know what type of 52 fake reverse flea flicker you just pulled by a dorsal board. I'm watching you for that one, though. I hope you did that genuinely and not as a political move because she's better qualified to be in that position. I hope that's what you did. Moving on. Hey, Marky Mark. You hanging with the funky bunch. Welcome to the party though. So, got a couple questions for you since you new to the party. You are currently employed by the city of Akron and you're also employed by the county, correct? So, yes, you work for the or you are over the DFA? You got you got to just make your comments to me, okay? Cuz I can't respond right now. You over the DFA and according to my research of the DFA, the Development Finance Authority,

according to my research, I looked to see what does the DFA do or the director of it. One of those things that I noticed was you are a nonprofit management. Which means out of I think it was Western Reserve or something like that. I'm not for sure. I don't have it all together, but I know it also says that you are responsible for providing loans to small businesses and nonprofit organizations in under basically privileged areas. Hold on. Don't say it's false. As a DFA, you are responsible for providing funding whether it's nonprofit to nonprofit organizations and small businesses. You stepped into a big role. I hope you choose the people with that. Ooh. See you later. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bowler. Is is Waymon Griffin here? Okay, Waymon. Good evening, everybody in council. I usually don't get involved in a lot of different things, but uh this is a major concern. Some years ago, my aunt was attacked by some vicious dogs alongside probably five other people. And every time I call the dog warden about dogs trying to attack people or anything that matter, they never do anything. They give you this push you along, you know, and I'm really uh offended

and uh I'm sick of it, you know. I have a neighborhood I live in East Akron. And five of my grandchildren come by every weekend. And we have kids all up and down the street. We have vicious dogs trying to attack little children and elderly people. And I'm the other night I made a probably 2 weeks ago, a phone call to the police. I had to keep calling them. I called 911 twice because they tried to attack me, a neighbor in the back, and a neighbor across the street. The police came out. They didn't even want to get out of the cars because the dog was so vicious. They didn't even want to get out to to give this guy a summons. They called the dog warden. The next day he comes out, does nothing. He comes by, he talks to me. I tell him the same thing over and over repeatedly, and he still does nothing. You can't even jog down the street nowadays. You can't run, you can't do anything because you're afraid of vicious dogs attacking people. Cane corsos, pitbulls, and all this other stuff. I think that the city should impose greater fines for people that own dog careless people because they don't know how to handle any of these animals. You know, they don't know how to house them properly or anything. Back in the day, you had to have cement, you had to have a cage, you know, a metal cage to contain these dogs. And nobody is doing anything about it. And so, that's why I'm here today because I'm really fed up with it. You know, when a police officer comes out and tells you if the dog comes at you again to shoot it, that's bad.

Because that's his job. Dog warden's job is dog warding. That means he should be dealing with it, not the police. Am I right or wrong? That's right. So, that's what I'm hearing. That's what I have to say, you know, and it really years ago, I wouldn't have said anything, but my my aunt almost died from it, so. Mr. Griffin, are you going to stay to the end of the meeting? Yes. Cuz I'll meet with you along with your councilperson, Councilman Hanna, okay? Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Russell Neil Jr. Greetings, council. Um, I'm here to speak in regards to the concern that was expressed about uh the inner-city soccer team and Lane Field. How much What value do you place on a child's life? This council, back in '21, voted to redo Lane Field and move the children down there. When that vote took place, it was 12-1. I voted against it. At that time, Councilwoman-at-Large Linda Mowbray and asked, "What about security?" Now, we should be concerned because there's children down there with South Rangers, West Akron track, but you're bringing 150 children that aren't from that neighborhood down to that. And she asked about security. I voted against it because the children have a place to play in West Akron. But, Madam President, you're quoted in the article as saying it was politics why the children were being moved. What were the politics? At that time, Tom Pickett and the greater uh Akron West Akron Soccer Association, Greater Akron Soccer Association was running Copley field. If you wanted to rent the field, you paid them. You didn't pay the city. The city was even underwriting Greater Akron Soccer. Well, now, to my understanding, Tom Pickett's no longer running it. The city is running Copley fields. So, there's no reason why the children can't

be at Copley soccer field and play. Before the politics were that someone outside of our community was making money off of the soccer field. Brother uh Inner City Soccer, when they rented that field, the uh was asked to write a check for $4,000. Not to the city, but to that organization. But, to my understanding now, the city runs that park. So, there's no reason why the children can't play there. I don't None of us want to have to come back here and say we told you so. There's been three shootings down there. You make the Pee Wee Association pay for security at their games because of their crowd. The city moved those children down here. Either pay for security down there or move the children to Coplay cuz God knows none of us want to come back here again and say we told you so when a life is lost. That's The politics should be over now. Three shootings. These children's lives are literally in your hands. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Neil. And just so before you go out, the coach came on last Monday and she shared those concerns. And thanks to Deputy Chief Miller who's going to get in contact with her and make sure that we do have police presence at their practices, okay? So, thank you. Just want to let you know that. You're welcome. Tasha. Oh, it's a different Tasha. I didn't

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Tricked me. Hello. Hello. Hello. Um I'm Tasha. Fred Hampton Gun Club. All power to the people. And y'all know the rest. Uh but we need to know uh Fred Hampton want to know why certain members can walk through the uh metal detectors with their their vests on and we can't. We've been coming down here for a little while and we never had to take our vests off. But now we got to take our vests off. What's that about? We want to We would We would like a little bit of answers from that. I mean, we can't get answers from anything else. Maybe this little small one can uh be assisted. Um it's not the uh the adhering to the rule to the rules that you have guys have provided. Um however, when other members do I've I've actually seen myself a member come through with their vest on and go behind. We don't come go behind. So, I mean it it it seems like it's a little bit of favoritism being played. Um, and of course we don't we're not respecting that. I'm just want you to know that. Um, but Thank you. Okay. Have a good day. And Tasha, after the meeting we'll we'll get you a response, okay? We'll find out what's going on, okay? Thank you. Thank you. That concludes our public comment period for this evening. We want to thank all of those who come down to participate. Council, before you is the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Is there a second? All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. The consent agenda passes 11 to zero. We'll now move to old business, planning and economic development, Councilman

Kemer. Madam President, I'd like to file items number five and six, please. Okay, thank you.

continue time. Public service, Councilman Kemer. Continue time. Thank you. Time will be granted. Public safety, Councilman McKittrick. Continue time, please. Thank you. Time will be granted. That concludes our old business. We'll now move into new legislation. Item number one offered by Kemer, resolution approving and confirming the reappointments of Floyd Easley, Renee Neid, and Scott Rowland to the vacant commercial or industrial buildings appeals board, approving and confirming the appointment of Theodore Forsberg to the vacant commercial or industrial buildings appeals board, and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kemer. Thank you, Madam President. Committee's report is favorable, and we're asking for a suspension of the rules. Are there any objections to suspension of the rules? Seeing and hearing none, the rules have been suspended. Thank you. This is basically to fill vacancies and to continue moving forward with our vacant commercial and industrial building appeals board committee. And with that, we're asking for passage. Thank you. The rules have been suspended and the committee's report is favorable. All in favor, signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. This resolution passes 11 to zero. Item number two offered by Kemer. Ordinance amending and or supplementing title 15, chapter 154, vacant commercial or industrial buildings, section 154.04, vacant commercial or industrial buildings appeals board. Subsection A of the Akron codified ordinances to remove all requirements for specific qualifications or experience for members of the vacant commercial or industrial building appeals board and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kemer. Consent agenda. This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number three offered by Kemer. Resolution expressing Akron City Council's full support for the adoption of reconnecting our community Akron Innerbelt Master Plan, the Innerbelt Master Plan, and declaring an emergency.

Councilman Kemer. Thank you, Madam President. Committee's report is favorable and we're asking for suspension of the rules. Are there any objections to suspension of the rules? Seeing and hearing none, the rules have been suspended.

Thank you. I know the city administration and us council members and numerous members of the community have been discussing this for a few years now. And uh with that, we're ready to move forward with this resolution adopting the uh internet or Innerbelt Master Plan. Thanks. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments at this time? I'm just going to ask. Oh, Councilperson Wilson. Sorry, Madam Chair. Thank you. I was just wondering if we could make a motion for council as a whole. Yes, thank you. That's what I was was ready to ask if someone would be would make that motion. So, we have a motion on the floor. Is there a second?

Second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. This resolution passes 11 to 0. Item number four offered by Kammer. Ordinance ratifying the actions of the director of public service or his designee in entering into a contract or contracts with Butcher and Sons Excavating without the formality of publicly advertising for bids for the emergency demolition of nuisance structures in the city and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kammer. Thank you, Madam President. Committee's report is favorable and we're asking for uh suspension of the rules. Are there any objections to suspension of the rules? Seeing and hearing none, the rules have been suspended.

Thank you. This is uh this legislation will allow us to move forward and pay the uh contractor for emergency demolition for uh any fire damaged or uh failing commercial and residential properties. Thank you. The rules have been suspended and the committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. This ordinance passes 11 to 0. Item number five offered by Kammer. Ordinance authorizing the director of public service or his designee to enter into a contract or contracts without the formality of publicly advertising for bids with the Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition for operations assistance and maintenance services at the Summit Lake Shore Park and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kammer. Uh cosponsor and I have a comment if possible. Yes. Uh I know our service director mentioned that there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 16th at 1:00 p.m. Okay, thank you so much.

Thanks. Item number six offered by Kammer and Bolden. Ordinance determining to proceed with the improvement of Wendling Drive from Pelee Drive to East End, Pelee Drive 60 ft north of Wendling Drive, and Arborway Drive 60 ft north of Wendling Drive by paving, grading, constructing, and reconstructing curbs, concrete sidewalks, driveway approaches, storm sewers, and sanitary sewers, installing roof drain pipes, and planting trees, all together with the necessary appurtenances, and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kammer? Consent agenda. This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number seven, offered by McKitrick. Ordinance authorizing the Director of Law or his designee to enter into a contract or contracts with the County of Summit, Ohio, and the Legal Defenders Office of Summit County, Ohio, Incorporated, to provide legal counsel to indigent defendants charged with loss of liberty offenses in the city's municipal jurisdiction, in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution of the United States with respect to the provision of legal representation to indigent defendants in the year 2026, and declaring an emergency. Councilwoman McKitrick? Consent agenda, please. Thank you. This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number eight, offered by Connor. Ordinance authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a contract or contracts after publicly advertising for bids for improvements to the tennis court and playground at Hyre Park, and declaring an emergency. Councilwoman Connor? Consent agenda, please. Thank you. This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number nine, offered by Connor. Ordinance authorizing the Mayor or his designee to apply for, and if awarded, accept and to enter into an agree- into agreements for funding of tennis court improvements under the United States Tennis Association's Tennis Venue Services Program, committing city funds for the local share of these improvements, and declaring an emergency. Councilwoman Connor? Consent agenda, please. This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number 10, offered by Bolden. Resolution approving and confirming the

reappointments of Kathy Wilkins and Barbara Waris to the Housing Appeals Board. Author- Approving and confirming the appointments of Julianne Sweet Bunton, Thomas Fuller, and Douglas Powley to the Housing Appeals Board, and declaring an emergency. Councilman Bolden? Committee's report is favorable. We ask for suspension of the rules. Are there any objections to suspension of the rules? Seeing and hearing none, the rules have been suspended. Uh this uh points uh reappoints two members and three new members to the Housing Appeals Board. Uh we need to pass this because they have a meeting coming up. We want to make sure they're all in the system as we have had issues with uh not meeting quorum. We ask for its passage. Thank you. The rules have been suspended and the committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. This resolution passes 11 to 0. Item number 11 offered by Bolden, resolution expressing support for House Bill 58 as passed by the Ohio House of Representatives February 25th, 2026 by by a 92 to 0 vote, which creates state certification of recovery housing residences as well as a state recovering housing task force and strengthens oversight of community addiction service providers, which city council finds to be desperately needed and declaring an emergency. Councilman Bolden? Time. Thank you. Time will be granted. That concludes our new legislation. We'll now move into committee assignments. Rules, Councilman McKittrick? 2:00 p.m. Public safety, Councilman McKittrick?

2:15. Budget and finance, Councilman Lombardo? 3:00 p.m. Parks and recreation, Councilwoman Connor? Planning and economic development, Councilman Kaymer? 1:00 p.m. Housing and neighborhood assistance, Councilman Bolden? 3:30. Public service, Councilman Kaymer? 2:00 p.m. Health and social services, Councilwoman Ambiobian? 2:30. Is there anything else coming before council at this time? Councilwoman Boys? Thank you. I just had a question and I may have missed it. Is item number five being placed on the consent agenda? Okay, thank you. That is correct.

Thank you. Councilperson uh Wilson? Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to I brought this up the last time I was on a call on the Zoom here and a couple residents have brought it up. I wonder if we could have more of an open dialogue about why we're not showing public comment speakers um on like their face on the video on Zoom. It is a little odd being, you know, just it not being a part of the record and not being able as a council person to see constituents um and their faces while giving public comment. So, I don't know if we could get some background at some point about when and how that decision was made and if we could, you know, revert back to showing people's faces. Um thank you. Yes, thank you so much. We can definitely have that conversation. Councilman Greer? Thank you, Madam President. First of all, I just wanted to announce uh this is small business week and so uh we are really really encouraging everyone to support our extremely uh strong small business ecosystem here in Akron. Uh we have so many great businesses out there and they are truly the the lifeblood of our economy. Um and then also this Thursday uh is the National Day of Prayer. Uh prayer will actually be happening across the street at the courthouse 11:00 a.m. and also just down High Street at the Remedy Church at 6:00 p.m. And my last thing is I just want to thank all of you for welcoming me and for making this transition as smooth as possible and a special shout-out to Sarah uh who who has to be the best clerk of courts around. So, thank you. Yes, thank thank you, Councilman Greer. Any other comments at this time? Councilman Omobien?

Uh thank you, Madam President. I rise to strongly condemn the decision by the US Supreme Court uh last week. I have asked uh our legislative aide to draft a resolution because I believe all across this country bodies like ours are developing resolutions to send to Washington and to send to the Supreme Court. Um for those of you who don't know, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 did a lot to include African-Americans in the democratic process of voting. But not just voting, but allowing districts to be created in such a way that we would have the opportunity to vote for individuals who share our interests, who share representation, and we had more people of color and of other races elected to our Congress after the Voting Rights Act was put in place. Now they're stripping away one of the major pieces of the Voting Rights Act as if we do as if we have a race-neutral society. And I think we all know that we still have discrimination in our country. And we have it and we know in all levels. We have 15 congressional seats in the state of Ohio. And we know how hard we have to fight to have our representative Emilia Strong Sykes represent us for District 13. And we know we have representation in District 11 out of Cleveland. I haven't looked at the other uh 13 individuals who represent uh the

country, but I will be looking at that. So, I plan to bring some legislation to this body next week. And I would love for you to do some research cuz I've been reading about all kinds of things this weekend trying to get a handle on what does this mean? Does it mean that we can't vote? It means that we still can vote as African Americans. But those boundaries and those districts that we were allowed to create with the protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, they're being gutted and stripped away. So, I would advise you. Hopefully, you will read about it between now and next week and lend your voices and hopefully your support of the resolution because I think it's critical that we send a clear message that this should not be allowed in our country. This kind of carrying on after we have worked so hard and so many people have died for us to have this right. So, I strongly condemned it and I will be bringing forth a resolution asking for your support so we can send it to Washington so they know that this is not right, is not fair, and we're we're not in a race neutral country. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman, for sharing. If there's nothing else coming before this body, is there a motion for adjournment? If there are no objections, meeting adjourned. This concludes the live broadcast of Atlanta