City Council - Regular Meeting

Okay. Good evening. We're going to call the meeting for Akran City Council to order. At this time, our clerk will read the role. Balden, I Connor. Hi, Davis. Hi, Garrett. Present. Greer. Hi, Hannah. Hi Kr. Hi Lombardo. I Mkhitrich. I Somerville. I Wilson. I.

All members are present. Thank you. At this time for those who voluntarily wish to do so, would you please stand at this time? As we are led in prayer by Dr. Joan Williams. Immediately following our prayer, I'm going to ask if uh Councilwoman Davis will lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

Let us pray. Gracious and sovereign God, we come before you tonight not as partisans, not as officials, but as servants, called to steward the city and all who dwell within her. We ask for the wisdom that surpasses our own understanding. As this council navigates difficult decisions, balancing budgets, filling seats, building accountability in our public safety systems, reminds us that every dollar debated on, every vote cast carries the weight of a real life. The family in the neighborhood without sidewalks. The resident who needs to trust those sworn to protect them. the child whose future depends on whether this city invests or retreats. Lord, let integrity be the foundation of everything done in this chamber. Where there is pressure to choose expediency over righteousness, give these leaders the courage to choose what is right. Where there is disagreement, grant the grace to hear one another and to hear the voices of the poor, the overlooked, the disenfranchised, who may never sit in these seats, but whose lives are shaped by what happens in them. You have placed these men and women here for such a time as this. May they not take that lightly. bind this council together in a shaped commitment to justice, not merely as policy but as practice. And when the meeting ends and the work continues, may Akran be better because they were faithful. We ask it in your name. Amen.

Amen. Algian 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.

The minutes from our previously held meeting have been provided. Are there any additions or corrections? Is there a motion to approve? Is there a second? Second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. The motion to approve the minutes passes 13 to zero.

Okay. Before we move into our public comment period, uh we do have a guest here with us, Mr. Dan Rice, who is the CEO of the Ohio Eerie Canal. Um, this weekend was really exciting as we celebrated the ribbon cutting and opening of the Northshore. So, I know there's some information that Mr. Rice wants to share with us.

Thank you very much, uh, President Somerville, members of council, members of the administration. Um, thank you very much for the opportunity to be here with you this evening. Um, I am here just simply to, uh, say two simple words. Thank you. Uh, as many folks are aware, after 32 years, um, I'm stepping down as the president and chief executive officer of the Ohio Canaway Coalition. And over those 32 years, I've had the privilege of honor of partnering with members of city council, members of the administration on the development of the Ohio Canalway and the Topat Trail, as well as connector trails like the rubber city heritage trail and now these signature once in a generation parks, lock three park and something like Northshore Park. Uh none of this would be possible if it wasn't without your incredible vision and leadership and steadfast dedication and support of our residents to make sure that we honor our commitments to them. Um and make sure we keep our promises. Um and it's just quite frankly been an honor of my lifetime to work on these projects. Um I just want a special recognition uh to a couple members of your administration who are really instrumental in any the work that we do along the Ohio Canalway and the Topat Trail. We have an amazing service director, Mr. Chris Lutle. He is probably going to be mad at me for saying anything further than that, but I'll just keep it at that. Um, you know, you have an amazing service department, uh, Mr. Bernowski, uh, Ephry Lash. Um, you have an amazing, you know, parks maintenance department, you know, recreation department, John Mau, Scott Ryan. Um, and so these are just some of the individuals, but one I also want to specifically call out, Michelle Dior in the engineering department. None of this work would be possible if it wasn't for Michelle uh guiding me, mentoring me, helping us, you know, navigate many of the construction issues, engineering issues. I know you guys know it, but in my opinion, it's worth saying. Um, we are so blessed to have people like Michelle, Chris, you know, Euphr, John, Scott, and many, many others. And you

know that um it's like I said, it's just a privilege of a lifetime to be able to work on these iconic callshot projects. you know, lock three park project and sublike Northshore will be there for generations and it's it's going to be there because you chose to make it happen. And so both of those projects received significant city of Akran funding through the American Rescue Plan Act dollars, but they were also matched by private dollars. So together we as a community leveraged $33.5 million of which more than half of that came from the private sector, came from the corporate sector, came from individuals. And so we're just incredibly blessed and honored to be able to deliver on those. And as the council president mentioned on Saturday, we had a rather um wet uh ribbon cutting, but I really appreciate uh members of council, council, Lombardo, Councilman Balden, Boys, and Somerville for joining us out there. It was a wonderful community celebration. I look forward to spending time with you all in these beautiful parks, trails, and public spaces. But again, thank you very much for this incredible opportunity. Oops. Thank you. A

and Mr. Rice one second because we want to say thank you to you. Thank you for 32 years of service with absolute excellence for the city of Akran. The work that you have done across the city is amazing. As the war three council person, the work that you have done at Summit Lake, I'm speechless. I mean, for the very first time, you you created this concept, this idea of making sure that residents lead. It's not up to us as council members to decide, you know, what their neighborhoods and their communities should look like and making sure that residents had a seat at the table to make those decisions. And none of that would have been able to happen if it wasn't for your leadership. And so we just want to thank you. We want you to come on in because we do have a special presentation for you.

Well, thank you. It's not nec. And yes, please bring Nancy. Yes, Nancy. Yes. This is it is it is it is a team Dan and Nancy Rice for sure. And so Councilwoman Boy is going to present um a proclamation on behalf of Akran City Council. Dan, we've known each other for about 11 years, a little bit longer uh in a past life, but um I can say unequivocally that you have been the most instrumental person in bringing the communities of Kenmore and Summit Lake together. Thank you.

And there has not been a tradition of that in the past. and the fact that you have listened to residents. You've listened to all residents and you brought us together to make decisions. Working together builds that flexible civic muscle that carries over into all other things. You helped do that. So, thank you. Um, I'm not going to read the whole proclamation, but I'll summarize it. Um after more than three decades three of dedicated service to Summit County in the city of Akran as the CEO of the Erie Canalway Coalition and as one of the instrumental leaders in the AV Akran civic commons project. We mentioned two of these parks but there are others. There's the Summit Lake um park. There is the Ohio E Canal Park and now also the Summit Lake Northshore Park and also the Summit Lake Oh gosh, remind me how to say this.

Summit Lake Trail. Summit Lake Trail that goes all the way around Summit Lake. If you haven't used it yet, I encourage you all to get out. The the weather's getting great. I run it hope I try to run it once a week. Um 700 p.m. every Thursday. I mentioned the Cheml Running Club. All paces, ages, and backgrounds are welcome. But I I digress. Um, you deserve all the praise for this. You really do. And there are others and you've mentioned them, but you are the driving force be behind all of this. And after three decades of dedicated service, you are retiring. And we just want to wish you the best. I want to wish Nancy the best. Now you get him back because I know this takes weekends and late nights and early mornings. So, thank you.

Thank you so much. So, Come here. We will now move to our public comment period. I'm going to ask all those who signed up to participate, if you'll please stand at this time. so that you may be sworn in by our clerk, all those who have signed up for public comment.

Could you please I see some people still sitting that I see on my list. Pastor, you're on my list, too.

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 so much. just going to ask when you hear your name if you'll please approach the podium. And we're going to begin with Monica and Monica just press that button on the Yep. One more time so it lights up. There we go. Cool. Ready? Yes.

Good. So, I came here today to address Shamus. Um I my community who I am clearly the voice of wants to know what is going on. Why is Davon Fields back on our streets sir? You ran your entire campaign talking about police reform. I've talked to representatives in other cities who knew about you running your campaign on police reform. Our community came out Shamus and said we did not want that racist officer as our chief. We didn't want that. Our community said that you didn't care. That was the first time you looked us in our face and said you didn't care. Do you hear me? YOU DON'T CARE. THAT'S HOW IT FEELS to us. We are hurt. We are angry. Why is he running around with an AR-15 kicking INDOORS FOR HIS JOB? He just made $130,000 for shooting a child in his back. He did not announce himself as the police. He's admitted that he chased him through a field. I've been there. I've walked the steps. I'VE WALKED IT. HE CHASED THAT YOUNG MAN AND HUNTED him down and left him lay FOR 8 MINUTES WHILE THOSE OFFICERS ran a training drill. They literally stood there and ran A DRILL AND YOU LET HIM BE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, paid making $130,000. I want my money back. Let's go there. you are. He And then and then 18 months later, last Friday, here he comes with an AR-15, you gave him permission to kick indoors with the same WEAPON THAT HE KILLED A CHILD WITH.

HE CAN DO THAT UNANNOUNCED. HE GETS to chase people now. Well, not now because he's back on paid leave for A SEXUAL ASSAULT. DO YOU HEAR ME? A sexual assault. He's a predator. RELEASE THE DAVON FIELDS FILES. AT THIS POINT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? BECAUSE 8,000 SIGNATURES can change a lot. AND AS YOU SEE, MY COMMUNITY IS HERE. We are hurt. And we want change. You got as LONG TO DO THIS AS IT TAKES ME TO GET THE signatures of registered voters. And I promise you, every one of them will be registered because I'm doing it myself. Uhoh.

Do you hear me? This is not a threat. This is a promise. Sir, I want change IN MY COMMUNITY. THESE YOUNG PEOPLE STANDING BACK HERE DON'T GET IN CARS WITH CHILDREN who look like them BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED. THEY DON'T WALK AROUND IN THE DARK BECAUSE THE OFFICERS ARE ALLOWED TO CHASE THEM WITH AR-15S AND SHOOT them and get away with it in Akran. I've given you 18 months. I've been told to be quiet for 18 months. I have prepared for this minute, sir. It is BTA from this point forward. I'm on that. Do something. Do something. 8,000 signatures. I'll see you when you fire him.

Thank you, Monica, for sharing. Is Is Kathy here? Yes, Kathy. dear board members, I haven't been able to keep a personal email for 3 years. I haven't been able to hardly do anything online but watch the world go by. I carry around luggage just to hold on to paperwork because people are breaking into my home on a regular basis. Due to the mandatory email requirement, I can't file a police report or an FBI report. Nor have nor have I been able to have a proper report taken for me. The last time I tried, the report was hacked at the police station. Akan public schools board minutes missing while I was watching the meeting minutes at my desk. library suffered from a ransomware attack when I tried to use it to type up a report after the hackers blew through my tech. Seven cells hacked the eighth, an iPhone bought in person and out of state, hacked before I could get it into my hands. Then I got hit with $100 in extra turnpike toll fees because the cash and credit card lanes were closed, which forced me to have to use the easy pass lane or drive through without getting a ticket. ID and birth certificates stolen from my house. Heat backup paperwork missing from regular mail. Photo ID missing from a second birth certificate application. 2024 taxes filed by hand and sent through regular mail. No refund yet. Mail and passport application problems. I haven't received it either. They tried to force force a VoIP landline and AI electric meter and overcharge natural gas fees while also attempting to force me to use suppliers from Texas. After a property tax increase, the sighting on three sides of my house was cut and parts of it looked like it was scraped as if they

were using it as a a scratchoff lottery ticket. I had air conditioning problems and the Texas parent company would not honor the Tennessee subsidiaries contract. The parent ran interference, so I couldn't speak to the subsidiary directly. This constant distressing of a person's property to lower the value, then forcing a person out only to flip it and do it all over again five or ten years later is a foul practice. And if you think that what these houses look like after a decade is normal wear and tear, then you have lived in Akran too long. I have received landline phone calls where people are trying to force me to sell my home for cash. The break-ins are numerous. I've tried changing house locks, using key locks on bedroom doors, and even bought a monitor home security system. Nothing has worked so far. But I guess it wouldn't when the press runs pick four numbers across the bottom of the screen at 5:00 a.m. or shows a screen with all the lottery numbers 3 hours before they are picked and your alarm code is the pick four. This isn't luck, it's sabotage. I had spark plug and O2 sensors wires cut on my car while my other vehicle had no heat by the second day of purchase. The list of damages to personal property goes on. No one should have to go through this just because they bought a video game from what was supposed to be a reputable source and files were downloaded that allowed that staff to communicate through in-game and internet music. No one should have sudden death called on their livelihood. Our infrastructure is hacked. A politician said so himself. Yet no one can get through to provide any information because too many people are running interference. So, will you please provide political help from someone who has enough clout to rid me of these hackers once and for all? Thank you.

Thank you, Kathy, for sharing. Thank you, Reverend Mark Tibs.

Good evening, Akran City Council. My name is Pastor Mark Tibs. Again, I serve Centinary United Methodist Church, 1310 Super Pier Avenue, right here in River City. I didn't prepare any remarks tonight because uh trying to explain where our organization Akran can stands on the waste management development agreement. Trying to explain that in three minutes is like asking you council persons to delve through a 55page document in less than a week. What we've tried to do at Akran can is to just bring to council's attention the things that we think are lacking in the development agreement. We've pointed out the fact that the city will be entering into a 25-year service contract with Waste Management. Uh over the course of 25 years, based on the rate structure that the wonderful service director Chris Lutle laid out last Monday, that service contract will be worth $131 million. And what waste management is proposing in the development agreement is $1 million. There are a lot of other promises in the development agreement, but few of them are quantified in dollar amounts. So, it's hard to even figure uh how this could possibly be a balanced and fair document. When waste management gets 131 million, and I'll just drop this figure on you. If the current trash pickup rates in the city of Akran were to remain stable at $20 a month and that's an average over

the course of 25 years with 85,000 households in the city of Akran, Akran residents over that same 25-y year period that waste management wants the service contract, Akran residents will have paid $510 million. And so there's very little about this contract that seems fair. Even with respect to the fax group and the folks who live around the Fountain Street Station, presently for 30 years, Waste Management got away with not paying anything. And now they come with an agreement that the city administration is fully supporting and they're offering little more. So we've researched it. waste management enters into community benefits agreements all over the city. We've got some concerns about some of the environmental uh regulations that are there. We'd like to see some air quality monitors and some other things. Uh but it's up to you. You know, our organization is a network of community organizations who agree on some things and some things we don't agree on. But at this point, it's up to you. It's up to you to determine whether you'll do what's right for the residents or whether you do what's politically expedient. Thank you.

Thank you, pastor. Is Jamie Rockwell here? Hello, I'm Jamie. I also go by Aster from Ward 2. I'm here speaking as one of the co-chairs of Akran fights for trans rights campaign which is a part of the Akran DSA. The after campaign has been trying to bring a resolution to your attention to sign and make Akran a trans sanctuary city. We'd love to give you a physical copy today. Oh, sorry. Um, why is that so important? With the rise of anti-trans laws, living in the United States feels more and more hostile with each passing day. It makes it feel unsustainable to live here as a trans person. When they were debating during the government shutdown in September 2025, the House brought a HHS bill forward that would have cut federal funding to any healthcare practitioner practicing gender affirming care. If that had went through, it would have effectively so made it so only rich could access gender affirming care. And gender affirming care is the medical procedures that make life worth living for trans people. Hormones and surgeries. More conservative people often view them as real or good enough for uh trans people wouldn't be real or good enough without them. And then they try to remove access to those who want and need them. With this action, it makes it clear that those opposing will never be happy till we stop existing. If that HHS bill had passed, I would have started making plans to leave the country like many trans people already have. As a proud trans AC acronite, I don't want to leave here, let alone the country. While that didn't pass, many anti-trans laws have, and many tracking

them consider Ohio to be one of the worst states in this regard. You can only have so many rights taken from you before it feels impossible to stay somewhere. Making Akran a trans sanctuary city helps provide support and protection towards a currently scapegoated minority. If you don't want people to leave, if you want them to feel safe, you have to fight for that. Signing it and making Akran a trans sanctuary city would lead to the depp prioritization of these anti-trans laws, making here safer than surrounding areas and leading it to be a more desirable location to many. Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing. And I'm sorry if I mispronounced the first name. Is it Tequia Joyce?

Is Tequia Joyce here? Oh, okay. Uh Timothy is Timothy here. Is this Timothy right here? Okay, we have two. Thank you. Um Matany, we'll start with Timothy. That knee camera.

Hi, my name is Tim Matney. I'm speaking on behalf of the fax group and reading a letter that they've written to city council. Dear members of Akran City Council, last Monday you released the full development agreement between the city and WM and we sent you a message saying we would read it, deliberate, and then share our position. We have now done that. We, the undersigned members of Fax and neighbors of the Fountain Street Waste Transfer Station, support the agreement unanimously and urge council to approve it. This agreement successfully addresses two decadesl long objectives. First, the closure, removal, and remediation of the Fountain Street site. Second, the development of a modern, responsible factory facility in an appropriate location. Regarding the financial terms, we understand the desire to seek higher compensation from WM. However, after 30 years of enduring environmental injustice and two years of litigation and negotiation, we believe the current arrangement is both fair and sufficient. Prioritizing further financial negotiations risks delaying or derailing essential progress. We ask the council prioritize the mitigation of ongoing harm. We continue to commend the collaborative process that shaped this agreement. It provides Akran with a superior facility, ensures ongoing oversight, and establishes a new standard for resident inclusion and neighborhood development. We are proud citizens of Akran who have fought long for our community. This is a vital opportunity to advance our shared goals for a better Akran and we hope for your approval. It's signed by the following members. Fax organization members Melinda Mace, Judy Cox, Liz Kish, Vince Cox, Cindy Ha, Carolyn

Berman, Margaret Heath, Megan Dong, Sam Borick, Gary Robinson, Zack Cole, and the Reverend Ron Scholes. for the Fountain Street neighborhood. Cora McNeel, Sam Lowry, Jesse Lowry, Jennifer Robinson, Lester McIntyre, Judy Heninson, Gail Martin, Jim Martin, Craig Bennett, Ron Mace II, Hannah Plum, Ronnie Carpenter, Earl Jackson, Kevin Mates, Delmas Mates, and Jerry Bun. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Matney. Thank you, Tim Hi. Good, good evening everyone. Um, my name is Tim Haidik. I'm a representative of the National Association of Letter Carriers, the union that represents city mail carriers in Akran. And I was here about last month, about 5 weeks ago, to ask for your help in our food drive. Um, I want to say thank you to council very, very much. Uh, all you did to Facebook was a kind words for my co-workers. Um to the members I to council members Mkhitrich and Balden for thank you for inviting me to your ward meeting to speak. Lombardo for your newsletter and for the rest of you members that may have done anything whether it be in your neighborhood just word of mouth um at your meetings, your churches, wherever you did anything. But I'm happy to say that this year we raised although all the numbers aren't in because there's some monetary donations that all have to be added up. But we raised or donated nearly 15,000 lbs of food to the Akan Canton Regional Food Bank. Um that's an about a 2,000 lb increase. So I'm very happy with that and I want to thank you guys again. Um you know, as I mentioned before, this this whole hunger thing in Akran is is a horrible thing and although this is a help, you know, unfortunately that problem doesn't go away. And I would love to say that you'll never see me again and everything's all good, but we all know that's that's going to be an ongoing battle. But once again, thanks to all of you. I appreciate your help, your concerns, and your participation. Thank you very much,

William Reynolds. Good evening everyone. I stand here today not just for myself but for many people across Akran who are exhausted, frustrated and fed up with the Devon Fields situation because at some point enough is enough. Today marks 229 days since the grand jury returned a no bill. And yet the people of the city are still left with the same unanswered questions about transparency, accountability, and why clarity continues to be delayed. For months, the public was told to be patient and trust process because an internal investigation was underway. But now we are being told that no active investigation has actually been taken place. If that is true, then this is just delay. It is a breakdown in in credibility because the public cannot be expected to trust process that is not being honestly communicated. That kind of inconsistency is exactly what destroys public confidence. People can handle hard truths. What they cannot handle is being misled or left in the dark while being told they are being informed. And now additional concerns continue to surface, including reports that Devon Fields is again on paid leave tied to a separate allegation. Meanwhile, taxpayers are left carrying the burden while answers remain out of reach. And that is where frustration grows deeper because people in this city are working harder just to stay afloat, paying bills, choosing between necessities, wondering how far their paycheck will stretch, while being told that accountability requires endless

patience when it comes to those in power. This is no longer just about one person. It reflects a larger concern in this community. the belief that transparency and accountability are not applied equally. We hear hear leadership say due process matters. Brian Lucy has stated that the FOP is committed to ensuring every member receives due process just like the uh citizens. And the question really is uh this community is asking is simple. Where was that duplicis mindset when it came to cases like Jasmir Tucker, Mike Jones, Mohamad Esapon, and so many others whose cases involved force that families continue to question, including circumstances where loved ones were shot and killed in the back and where full uh transparency still feels out of reach for those families. Consistency builds trust. Inconsistency destroys it. At the same time, there is growing frustration in the city.

I'll finish it next month. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. Thank you.

That does conclude our public comment period. We do want to thank everyone who signed up, came down to participate. Council, before you is the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Is there a second? Second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. The consent agenda passes 13 to zero. We'll now move to old business and we're going to begin with planning and economic development. Councilman Kr. continue time except for I have two items I like to file. Uh file number five and six. They were both public hearings from today.

Okay. Thank you. And public service Councilman Kr. Thank you. Uh if it's possible, I'd like the clerk to read this in for the record. This is item number one under the regular business. It's an ordinance authorizing the mayor or his design to enter into a development, community benefit, and service agreement and related documents or instruments with Waste Management of Ohio Incorporated and/or any of its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates in order to provide for the redevelopment of real property and establishment of a new waste and recycling transfer station in Akran and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kamer.

Thank you, Madam President. The 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. Obviously, uh this has been a discussion in front of us for a long time. Uh this will be an agreement between the city and WM. Uh contains it contains development requirements, community benefits, and service agreements. Uh the whole plan is to close the current Fountain Street Waste Transfer Station and construct a new modern facility on East Archwood in East Akran. Uh, I also want to recognize and thank the members of the administration uh, for reaching out to us council members, but also reaching out to the community and having that community discussion and bringing everybody together. So, with that, uh, I don't have anything else to say, but we're ready to move forward with this for a full vote.

Thank you. Are there any other comments from the floor? Councilman Hannah.

Thank you, Madam President. Um, I also would like to ask one question. Why and how did you stop with a million dollars for 10 years? You're going to be giving be given $100,000 from waste management. How did you arrive at that $1 million? Number one. Number two, I do not oppose the Fountain Street facility being closed or decommissioned. The residents there have suffered for too many years. My opposition is moving it from one area in Ward 5 to another area in Ward 5. You know, I equate myself as a young man going up against a giant, which is waste management. We we may not be here to take advantage of a neighborhood community agreement, but when I saw 150 residents convene on Joy Park for a community meeting that spoke loud and clear that the area did not need another dumping station in their area. I listened. I was elected to serve the people of Ward Five and I will continue to do that. I hope that future generations will not have to endure the deplorable conditions that have been a problem for over 30 years on Fountain Street. With that being said, I am standing up for the residents of Ward Five and voting a strong no.

Thank you, Councilman Hannah.

Councilwoman Davis. Thank you. Uh, Madame President, I just want to say that, you know, I've been looking over this for what, over a month now, and we've had conversations, I've had conversations with African CAN, with uh the fax organization and things and also the administration as well. And I took a deep dive into this and I understand what Pastor Tibs is saying. I understand what the other members but my question is if we don't go through with this what's the risk what's the risk involved waste management has an opportunity to walk away if they walk away where does that put the city I would love to see a cans and um the other fax organization continue your work to work with waste management. I know it sounds like, okay, that's crazy. No, it's not. We can find other pathways to get where we need to be. I just feel that we cannot take that risk by not passing this legislation because potentially they could walk away. They walk away and Found Street is decommissioned. Where's the trash going? Who's going to get it there? that burden is going to be left on the city and ultimately on the rateayers. So, with that being said, and again, all due respect to everyone involved, I will be supporting this legislation.

Thank you. I just want to see if there's any other council members that have any comments before we move to Mayor Malik. Council person uh Fran,

thank you. Um this weekend I met uh and another council person met uh with the Betty Street neighbors. Um, and I've heard their stories for I think four four or so years now. Um, and also went to afax meeting this weekend. Um, I think I'm I I've shared with a couple people and some folks in the admin I feel a little torn about definitely parts of this agreement. Um, I think my main priority right now is to make sure that this facility is removed and nothing like it comes back to Betty Street area. Um, and so that's what this agreement in my mind, in my eyes, looks like. Um, I do think there's a lot that we can do as a body to make sure that oversight is had. um oversight that didn't exist uh with the current property. Um and so when they come every one year to city council or the city to give their presentation for the next five years and then every 5 years after that when they come back, I think we should pay attention to the finances to the complaints. I asked last week in committee about what the complaint mechanisms will look like and there's still a lot to flesh out. I hope that we're involved in that and that the Betty Street folks and Akran Kan will also be involved in that process. Um I would also love to maybe see that cottified. Um maybe there's a realm where we can institutionalize that complaint process a little further. Um I appreciate everybody sharing their stories and and Mr. Hannah for speaking boldly for his community. Um I'm going to be voting yes. Um, but I'm also going to be making sure that the oversight after the fact, the money and the complaints also have an extra eye. So, thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Malik.

Thank you, everyone. Um, I really appreciate the dialogue. I know we've had a lot of conversations in this room about this issue. Um, just a couple of things that I wanted to add. Um, when I came into office, one of the things that was clear to me was that, you know, this is something that had been worked on for several decades and there no easy answers. And, you know, I I want to thank again everyone who's worked on this over the last two and a half years to get us towards an answer um that I feel is a good answer. Uh, one of the things that we've said throughout this process is that um, there would be no long-term services agreement with WM without closure of the Fountain Street facility and the construction of a new facility. And that has really been a lot of, frankly, our leverage to be able to do that, right, is that 25-year extension agreement. Um, I just wanted to address two of the points that were raised. First, uh, Pastor Tibs raised, you know, the amounts that are going to be contributed and the amount, uh, of money that waste trans that, uh, WM stands to make. Um, I want to clarify that's not the profit that they stand to make. That's the overall amount they stand to make. It was also mentioned the amount that our rates that our rate payers, including all of us, will pay over the next 25 years. That doesn't just support the waste transfer station operations. that supports the operations of our city staff who travel our city streets every day collecting uh uh our our trash and bringing it to the waste transfer station as well as all the capital costs involved which as we know are not insignificant. Um, uh, Councilman Hannah mentioned the amounts, right? And as we had been, uh, going through the negotiation process, getting ready for the negotiation process, um, we we did look at at two things, I think, in particular. One was the, uh,

litigation that, uh, was resolved with regard to this specific facility on Archwood. Um, and that consisted of a contribution of $40,000 a year. And so, uh, we felt this was substantially greater, the 100,000. We also looked at what the tax incremented finance and tiff, uh, uh, contributions could be expected to be. Um, and, uh, we're comparing it to this, uh, number as well, the 100,000 number. Um, so, just a couple last things I want to mention. you know, this this uh closure of the Fountain Street facility uh is is is frankly a historic thing for our city government to be able to accomplish. Right? It is something that is it it is something is deeply owed to the residents who are directly adjacent to that facility. Right? In place of it, we are constructing a state-of-the-art facility which is more than a thousand feet away from from any other homes in the area, right? Um, you know, there are a lot of safeguards in this um and there are things that can continue to be worked out, right? Like the tax increment of financing which will come later when the facility is is constructed. And and I also want to just note this is the first time and this will be the first time the city has ever entered into a community benefits agreement, right? And it was important to me again that the services agreement, the development agreement for the new facility and the community community benefits all be linked, right? And uh this sets a precedent for how we are approaching large developments like this that have a lot of factors and concerns around them that are complex. Um, but it is something where we can continue to develop how our city approaches community benefits. I want to thank all of the residents who have been involved in sharing their voices and I want to thank uh the members of the

administration who have worked incredibly hard uh to negotiate uh this agreement which I feel uh is as strong of an agreement as we could negotiate. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Councilman Greer. Thank you, Madam President. Um, I wanted to just say I I had a a lot of opportunities over the past week to speak with members of the community um on both sides of this issue. Uh, Saturday I got to speak with a lot of the members of the fax group. Uh, Sunday I got to attend a meeting with Pastor Tibs. Um, and I can see the arguments on either side. I think when I when I sat down uh with the residents who live around the current Fountain Street facility and they told me that, you know, for decades now, they've been unable to have a barbecue because they literally have this facility in their backyards and not being able to sit on their porches. um you know that that was not lost on me and obviously I know that in this neighborhood of East Akran, East Akran has uh put up with a lot over the decades in our city and East Akran certainly deserves the best. when I when I looked at the issues, uh, one of the things that that became really important to to me is when we just heard about the TIFF financing, ensuring that when when that does come through to make sure that those funds uh are intentionally uh utilized for public improvements in these neighborhoods that have been so

directly impacted. and that's in both of them. Uh there are a lot of opportunities for those funds to be utilized there. And so uh my eye will certainly laser focus beyond that to making sure that these neighborhoods that it the work to to start making them whole happens. Um, and then also with the board that will be overseeing the the fund at at uh ACF to making sure that the community members of this neighborhood are the ones who are actually leading that process. I took a moment to drive down to where the new proposed facility would be. And I had also of course uh in the past drove around the fountain street. And while it may not be ideal, it is not the same surrounding there at the archwood as opposed to the fountain street. I want to make sure that uh we really focus on we cannot leave that within that neighborhood and in close proximity not only to these residents but also Mason school. We can't leave that there. Um, we have a lot of verifying to do with the new proposed facility and I am a big believer in uh trust but verify and heavy on the verify. But again, I want to thank all of the residents for coming out and letting their voices be heard. I

hear you and uh I am looking forward to making the best of this new path forward and again alleviating the burden that has been left on this neighborhood with the Fountain Street facility for decades. Thank you. Council, are there any other comments at this time?

I do just want to make one comment. Um, and just for the record, I had originally voted no on the conditional use because there was no community benefits agreement in place. And I hear mayor say that this was the very first time, you know, that we've done this. And I am just hoping before we do another community benefits agreement, we lead with that. We start with that, that we bring the community together to create the community benefits agreement before anything is approved. Before anything comes before council to be voted on, community benefits agreement should be in place at the beginning of the process, not at the end. But this is where we are. I am going to support uh this piece because again, as Councilman Kar said, we have been dealing with this for a very long time. The poor residents around the um facility on Fountain Street have been dealing with it for far too long. Um and so we need to do right by them. Um, but I'm also uh hopeful that we will also be able to do right by those in Councilman Hannah's other part of Ward Five uh Joy Park with the TIFF. You know, again, once the facility is built, the tiff will come back before council and it is my understanding that council will have the say in terms of how those funds are spent. And I am hoping that there is a priority to make sure that those funds go to Fountain Street and to the new Archwood facility neighborhoods. If there's nothing else comes, anyone else has anything else to say, we will call for our vote. Um, our chair has already said that the committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Any oppose? Nay. And we'll just do a roll call. Balden, hi boys. Hi. Connor, hi. Davis, hi. Garrett, I Greer, I Hannah, nay. Kr, I Lombardo, I Mkhitrich. I Amobian. I Somerville. I Wilson. I. This ordinance passes 12 to 1. Okay. Thank you. We'll now move to public safety. Councilman McKitrich, continued 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 Lombardo. Ordinance authorizing the director of finance or his designate to enter into a contractor contracts without the formality of publicly advertising for bids with Crane Langanger and Company for the provision of professional risk and insurance management services for the city of Akran and declaring an emergency. Councilman Lombardo. Consent agenda, please. This item will be placed on the consent agenda offered by Lombardo. Item number two offered by Lombardo. Resolution approving and confirming the appointment of Victoria Farice as a member of the human resources commission and declaring an emergency. Councilman Lombardo.

Uh the 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, Madam President. Uh this um commission has uh some members that are retiring after 15 20 years and uh this this appointment here is good for three years. Thank you. The rules have been suspended and the committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

I. Any oppose? The eyes have it. This resolution passes 13 to zero. Item number three offered by Lombardo. Resolution approving and confirming the appointment of Scott Hardway as a member of the human resources commission and declaring an emergency. Councilman Lombardo. 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. Nothing further. Thank you. The rules have been suspended. The committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Any oppose? The eyes have it.

This resolution passes 13 to zero. Item number four offered by KR, ordinance authorizing the director of the department of planning and urban development to enter into a contractor contracts after publicly advertising for bids and/or requesting and receiving requests for proposals with access family solutions for the creation of 10 affordable housing units for veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and to carry out the intent and purpose of the home American rescue plan and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kamer, consent agenda.

This item will be placed on the consent agenda. Item number five offered by KR, ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contractor contracts without the formality of publicly advertising for bids with Bell Bank equipment finance for the lease of 6 2026 Elgen Pelican NP street sweepers and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kr. time time will be granted. Item number six offered by KR, ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contractor contracts without the formality of publicly advertising for bids with precision laser and instrument incorporated for the purchase of Trimble Robotic Station Survey equipment and declaring an emergency. Councilman Kr. Uh 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 hearing none, the rules have been suspended. Thank you. This will replace the current total station that is unrepairable and is about 15 years old. So the new one is a twoin one unit with a survey component but also has laser scanning components. Uh with that we really need this and uh that's why we're asking for suspension rules. Thank you. The rules have been suspended. The committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any oppose?

The eyes have it. This ordinance passes 13 to zero. Item number seven offered by Mkhitrich. Ordinance authorizing the mayor or his designate to enter into contractor contracts after publicly advertising for bids and/or requesting and receiving requests for proposals with industrial organizational solutions to conduct police sergeant promotional examinations for the Akran Police Division and declaring an emergency. Council McKitrich. The committee's report is favorable. 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.

Uh this is a company company uh that got the bid is one we've used in the past. We are short of some of the sergeants positions and um over a period of time there may be some more retirements. So we're asking for its uh passage. Thank you. The rules have been suspended and the committee's report is favorable. All in favor signify by saying I. I abstain. and one abstension.

This ordinance passes 12 to zero with one abstension. Item number eight offered by Mkhitrich. Ordinance authorizing the mayor or his designate to accept and expend grant funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Ohio Emergency Management Agency under the fiscal year 2024 Homeland Security Grant Program authorizing the mayor or his design to enter into a contractor contracts after publicly advertising for bids with S3 Technologies LLC for the purchase, installation, and configuration of interactive smartboard systems and related equipment for the Akran Fire Department and declaring an emergency. Councilman Mkitri, the committee's report is favorable. 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. Uh, this is a great opportunity to advance our technology in the department to be able to share information, training, and so on. And one of these will also be in the mayor's office. So, uh, won't have to have a lot of people to to be able to do these presentations. 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. I. Any oppose? The eyes have it.

This ordinance passes 13 to zero. Item number nine offered by Mkhitrich. Ordinance authorizing the mayor or his designate to enter into a contract or contracts without the formality of publicly advertising for bids with Akran Assurance Hospital doing business as Suma Health to provide education and training necessary for fire division employees to achieve required paramedic certification and declaring an emergency. Council McKitrich. Uh the committee's reports favorable. 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. Uh we're asking for passage of this uh so we can uh send 14 new members of the department through paramedic training which will help alleviate uh staffing issues with paramedics. 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 ordinance passes 13 to zero. That concludes our new legislation. We'll now move into committee assignments rules. Councilman McKitrich 2 p.m. Public safety. Councilman McKitrich 2:15. Budget and finance. Councilman Lombardo 3 p.m.

Parks and Recreation. Councilwoman Connor. Planning and economic development. Councilman Kr. Housing and Neighborhood Assistance. Councilman Balden. 3:30. Public service. Councilman Kr. 2 p.m. Health and Social Services. Councilwoman Davis. Is there anything else coming before council at this time? Councilman Kr.

Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to uh rise and say well thank you to the mayor for giving me a call last week and uh notifying me about the plane crash that happened obviously in Coventry Crossings in Ward 7. So uh my heart and prayers go out to the family that uh was in that tragedy and uh passed away in that airplane. but also uh the constituents that uh suffered great loss. I also want to thank my vice president uh Brad McKitra for reaching out to me too to have that conversation. And then obviously lastly uh thanks to the men and women of the Akran fire department, police department, uh state highway patrol and all the other resources that were available that day. So and uh I appreciate it. And like I said, mayor, if you find out anything new, please let me know. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. Anything else coming before council at this time? Council McKitrich, I know there's been a lot of controversy with uh the uh the waste transfer station, but uh I it's nice to be able to move forward on this. This has been a long time coming and I just once once again I I just want to extend my thanks to everybody who worked so hard to get this taken care of. I don't think people realize I I I I I just see what little bit that I I know of, but I know it's been a great undertaking and just want to extend my thanks again. Thank you, Councilman Council Person Wilson.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to invite anybody who's watching and anybody here um to my Ward One meeting on June 3rd at 6 p.m. at Bolt Street Community Theater. The reason why I say this is because we're about to go over uh traffic studies with city engineers uh things that cross and sect ward one uh five 2 8 and four. Um so a lot of residents there will be a presentation about the road studies that are coming to these areas. So feel free to come by. Uh and information is at akran wward one.com. Thank you.

Thank you. And just as a reminder, there will be no meeting on next Monday due to Memorial Day if there's nothing else coming before council. Councilman Hannah, you have something? Yes. I just like to remind everybody since everybody's reminding everybody uh that my ward meeting is this Thursday and uh Miss Moore will be my special guest and she will be there uh explaining the development agreement. So those that do not know about the agreement, please come out at 6:00 at ENDC, 550 South Huntington Street from 6 to 7:30. I'll be looking forward to seeing you.

Okay. Thank you. If there's nothing else coming before this body, can we please have a motion for adjournment? If there are no objections, meeting adjourned. This concludes the live broadcast of Akran City Council. Marggo Somerville, president of council presiding.