Cuyahoga Falls City Council holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Council committee meetings are held on the first and third Mondays in order to allow councilmembers to publicly discuss pending legislation that will be voted on at regular meetings. The public is free to comment on pending legislation during the allowed time set aside as part of committee meetings.
Legislation scheduled for discussion
Finance & Appropriations:
B-89: An ordinance establishing annual appropriations of money for the current expenses, capital expenditures and other expenses of the City of Cuyahoga Falls for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, and declaring an emergency. With no further questions or comments since the last four meetings concerning the 2026 budget, the committee voted to have full council vote on it next Monday.
B-100: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Medical Mutual of Ohio for the city’s group life insurance for employees and retirees for a period not to exceed two years. Finance Director Bryan Hoffman let the committee know that this is a benefit offered to all city employees and retirees. The cost for the duration of the contract is $142k.
B-101: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Medical Mutual Services, LLC for the administration of the city’s self-insured employee medical plans for a period not to exceed three years. The rates will initially increase by 7% the first year and then 3% for the next two years with a final cost of $258k.
B-102: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Medical Mutual of Ohio for stop-loss insurance coverage for the city’s self-insured medical and prescription drug plans, for a period not to exceed one year. Hoffman explained how this benefit helps employees when their prescriptions should they go over the insurers limit. The cost for 2026 will be $980k.
B-103: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Principal Life Insurance Company for the administration of the city’s fully insured employee dental insurance plan, for a period not to exceed one year. Cost to city will be $373k.
B-104: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Truescripts for the administration of the city’s self-insured employee prescription drug plans for a period not to exceed one year. The cost for 2026 will be $1.5 million, however, that cost is $200k less than the cost last year.
The finance committee took these four ordinances as companion ordinances and all of the legislation was vetted by the administration and health care committee. All of the contracts have different time frames and costs associated with them. Hoffman also mentioned that the city does gain a savings by bundling three of the policies with the same vendor.
B-105: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, after publicly advertising for bids, for the replacement or adjustment of concrete sidewalks, drive approaches and curbs at various locations in the City of Cuyahoga Falls. City Engineer Tony Demasi explained this is the first of three ordinances pertaining to the sidewalk program. This one gives the administration the permission to go out for bids, to be opened in March, for the 2026 sidewalk program.
B-106: An ordinance levying special assessments for the repair or replacement of sidewalks and drive approaches in the Sidewalk and Drive Approach Repair and Replacement District, for the year 2025. Per Demasi, this legislation gives the administration permission to take any unpaid balances from the 2025 program and apply them to the tax balances of the property owners who have opted to use the payment plan.
B-107: A resolution creating for the year 2026, a Sidewalk and Drive Approach Repair or Replacement District containing such streets, alleys, or public roadways within the corporate limits of the City of Cuyahoga Falls, declaring the necessity of repairing or replacing the sidewalks and drive approaches abutting on such streets, alleys or public roadways within said corporate limits and providing the method for levying special assessments. The third piece of legislation for the program, it will begin awarding the contracts and getting the program started for the year, and Demasi estimates work will begin when school lets out. Last year 256 sidewalks were repaired all over the city, 36 approach aprons replaced and one quarter of a mile of sidewalk was leveled. This year’s budget is $575k. If a resident feels they qualify, Demasi urges that they call the engineering office and they will be happy to send someone out to evaluate. The committee voted to bring all three of these out for a vote before full council next Monday.
B-108: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the purchase of natural gas. This measure will put the city back on the state contract and will be split between all departments who use natural gas. The cost estimate is $360k. The committee voted to bring this legislation out for a vote before full council next Monday.
B-109: An ordinance amending Ordinance 110-2024 to create the position of Office Manager. Presented by Mayor Walters and Chief Norfolk, this will change the staffing ordinance to create the position of Office Manager within the police department and has been in discussion for the last few years according to Walters. The committee voted to bring this legislation out for a vote before full council next Monday.
B-110: An ordinance amending Chapter 933 “Electricity” of Title 5 “Public Utilities” of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio relating to electric rates. On hand was Chris Lund from Utility Financial Systems, who stated the purpose of his company is international consulting, providing cost of service, financial plans, and rate design services to utilities across the country. The last rate study with the city was in 2019, which resulted in an increase for 2022. Lund shared that the city continues to look for ways to keep electric rates down, such as the upcoming solar array planned for the former Hardy Road landfill. Even with the increase planned over the next five years though, Cuyahoga Falls electric rates will still be lower than those of First Energy customers. After Lund made his presentation to the committee he deduced the rate increase to one line stating the residential increase would be the equivalent to the cost of a bottle of water. The current customer charge of $13.55 will increase to $16.04 for residential service. The committee voted to bring this legislation out for a vote before full council next Monday.
Temp. Ord. B-111: An ordinance amending the Codified Ordinances of the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Title 7, Chapter 941, Refuse Collection Disposal, establishing definitions, rates, and regulations for the collection and disposal of solid waste in the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Sanitation Superintendent Charles Novak listed all services provided to residents by the sanitation department, including bulk pickups, yard waste bins and making sure three of his trucks pass each customer’s home once a week year-round to name a few. Novak also explained to the committee that the increase is to help facilitate vehicle upkeep. Disposal costs have gone from $45 to $51 per ton. Just a few years ago the city made $22 per ton in revenue; with the current market the city now pays $15 per ton to recycle. Also included, the last time a rate study was performed it cost a dollar per yard for disposal; now we pay $4.36 per yard. The proposed rate increase would bring a current sanitation customer from $22.40 to $25.40 per month in 2026, up to $27.90 per month in 2027, and eventually level off at $29.90 in 2028. The committee voted to bring this legislation out for a vote before full council next Monday.
Public & Industrial Improvements:
B-112: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, for the stabilization of approximately 190 linear feet of stream bank along Akron-Peninsula Road North of Ira Road. This is part of an ongoing shoreline restoration and the city has a very good history with the contractor, River Reach, who worked with the city for the removal of two dams several years ago. The project will utilize both shoreline and channel restoration and stabilization and rock channel protection to mitigate erosion in the future. The project came in at $200k and they plan on starting in February and take approximately four weeks to complete. The committee voted to bring this legislation out for a vote before full council next Monday.
