By Noell Wolfgram Evans

Cuyahoga Falls City Council held its second regular meeting of March in the meeting space at the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium at 6:30 p.m. on March 23.

In attendance were Mayor Don Walters; Clerk of Council Dana Capriulo; Rachel Loza, Ward One council member; Susan Spinner, Ward Two council member; Nikki Cebula, Ward Three council member; Joe Siegferth, Ward Four council member; Michael Brillhart, Ward Five council member; Gary DeRemer, Ward Six council member; Frank Stams, Ward Eight council member; Russ Balthis, council president; Mary Nichols-Rhodes, at-large council member; and Brian Ashton, at-large council member. Also present were Community Development Director Mary Spaugy, Parks & Recreation Superintendent Sara Kline, Finance Director Bryan Hoffman and Director of Law Janet Ciotola.

Ward Seven Council Member Marie Willis-Guarneri was not in attendance, and her absence was unanimously excused.

Balthis called the meeting to order and then asked Spinner to lead a convocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. He then asked for a reading of new ordinances and resolutions. 

Capriulo offered an initial reading of seven ordinances into the record. Temporary Ordinance A-20 is for the final development plan for conservation efforts at Park Ridge Preserve. A-21 would approve amendments to the city's general development code, while A-22 would establish the position of power system manager. Temporary Ordinances A-23 and A-24 would amend sections of the city code, while A-25 would enable the director of public service to enter into contract for the cleaning, inspection and repair of the city’s wells. Finally, A-26 would allow for a contract for the improvement of a portion of Wyoga Lake Road.

Following these readings, Balthis requested the council enter executive session for the discussion of the purchase of real property at 6:36 p.m.

At 7:25 pm, the full council reconvened for committee reports. Ashton spoke on behalf of Temporary Ordinance A-11, which would empower the parks department to spend $194,000 on the refurbishment of six tennis courts at Thomas Court. These would allow the schools to host tournaments and be a place for the public to play. 

Ashton asked if the courts could, in time, be retrofitted for pickleball. Kline said they could be, although "pickleball players and tennis players don’t happen to get along.” Stams clarified that the new high school did not have adequate court space. Kline reminded the council that there were no tennis courts there. 

“The only reason I will vote for this is for the kids,” Stams said. 

The council then voted to bring the ordinance forward. They did the same for A-16, which would allow the Parks and Recreation Board to enter into a contract to install a splashpad at Valley Vista Park.

Nichols-Rhodes spoke for the finance committee as she offered up two ordinances for consideration. A-14 would allow the mayor to enter into a contract with the Ohio EPA for a water supply load account, and A-15 is for replacing non-copper water service lines. The council voted to bring both ordinances forward. 

The public affairs committee had three ordinances for consideration. Loza shared that A-17 expressed council’s support for the library’s May levy, A-18 would declare March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and A-19 offered up a change to the city code for temporary outdoor special events and food vendors. The council voted to bring the ordinances forward. 

 

Hoffman then presented a short financial update. The levies collected to date are “a little bit of a surprise,” he said. The state portion is up 11%, while the county is up 9%. The previously reported number from the county was 5%.

He also reported that the city has collected $518,000 in a three-cent adult use tax through the first of the year. He was quick to note that amount includes dollars that were forwarded from last year, and he does not expect to see that number trend high for the remainder of the year.

Several council members then thanked members of the service department, particularly those electrical workers who helped restore power quickly to the 6,000 residents who saw utility damage after the March 13 wind storm.

Before the meeting adjourned, a resident took a moment to address council, expressing concerns over the rental properties at 1788 - 1791 25th St. They shared a list of concerns and issues at that location and asked council to investigate. Balthis directed them to the relevant people on the dais before adjourning the meeting at 7:53 p.m.