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.
Council started the night with a special council meeting in order to vote on dissolving to an executive session, authorized by the following Ohio Revised Code Section: 121.22(G)(4), to discuss matters relative to preparing, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment.
In the communications with city officials, part of the meeting the clerk received a notice of a liquor license transfer from BTAV inc. 1931 Bailey Road doing business as Buckeye Tavern to JD’s Eastside Tavern LLC 1931 Bailey Road. The letter was noted and filed.
Legislation scheduled for discussion:
Special Committees
Sustainability, Energy & Environment:
A-91: An ordinance authorizing Advanced Solar Products, Inc. to replace CS Energy as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner to CEP Renewables, LLC for the 20 MW AC solar array located at the Hardy Road Landfill, and to provide the required performance bond and payment bond for the solar project. Law Director Janet Ciotola began her presentation stating that CS Energy has some changes in their business and could no longer participate and CEP brings the experience and assets to continue the project. Currently CEP has projects similar to this one and have been responsible for 370 projects like this across the country. The cost and timeline remain the same. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Standing Committees
Planning & Zoning:
A-84: An ordinance accepting the planning commission’s recommendation for a conditional zoning certificate for the construction of a Clean Express car wash facility located at 581 Howe Avenue. Planning Director Rob Kurtz began his presentation by saying that this passed the planning commission October 20.. The car wash will be located where the vacant Brick House now stands. The operation will not have an entrance to Howe Avenue and will use the existing internal roads of the shopping area. The queue for the carwash will comply with the new Megan’s Way-Out law enacted earlier this year. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Temp. Ord. A-85: An ordinance accepting the planning commission’s recommendation for the vacation of a portion of Elmwood Trail right-of-way at Third Street between Parcel No. 0215287 and Parcel No. 0208109. Kurtz explained this passed the planning commission October 20. The properties affected by this vacation will be shared equally by the residents affected and will also be maintained by the residents. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Finance & Appropriations:
A-86: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an amendment of Contract No. 9127 with the Utility Workers’ Union of America, Local 399. This legislation was discussed in executive session and there were no other comments upon their return. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
A-87: An ordinance amending Ordinance No. 104-2025, authorizing the mayor, as director of public safety, to enter into a contract or contracts for the purchase of annual requirements for certain services, materials, supplies, and equipment for use by the fire department during 2026. This was presented to the committee by Fire Chief Martin. This legislation is capped at $425k and the services will be provided by Atlantic Services, covering all supplies used by our fire and EMS and maintenance on fire trucks and squads. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
A-88: 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, 2027. This is the city’s operating budget for 2027. This legislation will fund the city through the year 2027. The meetings will be held during the finance committee each Monday until December 7 and council will vote on the final budget December 14. Mayor Walters opened the discussion noting the financial status of the city is doing well with $48.7 million in private investment in the city for 2026. Housing sales remain strong, and houses listed stay on the market less than a week, sometimes even a day. This year’s street paving budget will be $4.5 million.
Finance Committee Chair Mary Nichols-Rhodes started the night’s discussion with the administrative departments, including City Council, the Mayor’s Office, Mayor’s Court, Finance Department, Service Director, Law Department, Civil Service, HR, Self Insurance Committee, and Workman’s Comp. All of the departments that spoke Monday night cited small decreases in their operating budgets over 2026 due to not having to support the 27 paydays 2026 had; 2027 will only have the normal 26 paydays. All of the department heads gave praise to their staff and all they do. All of the departments listed updates to software and some are asking for new computers and laptops. With the exception of Engineering, all of the personal staffing will remain the same. City Engineer Tony Demasi said his department is still short staffed and will have another retirement in 2027. The meeting will continue over the next few weeks and for those interested in how this process works Council President Russ Balthis will host a public meeting November 10 at the Natatorium at 6pm where residents can see the proposed budget and give feedback to their elected leaders.
Public & Industrial Improvements:
A-89: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the purpose of raising streetlight poles in the median of State Route 8. Electric Supervisor Rod Troxell stated the purpose is to start replacing the light poles in the medium on Route 8. Ruhlin was the lowest and best contractor, and the process will take approximately six months, and their winning bid was $201,400. The age of the poles and their constant exposure to the elements are the reasons for the repair. The lighting type (LED) would remain the same. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Public Affairs:
A-90: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to execute an intergovernmental agreement with the County of Summit for direct indictment services. This was presented by Law Director Janet Ciotola. Currently the city contracts with Summit County Courts for prosecution of felony cases within our city. The agreement would allow the city to continue an agreement in place since 2015. Over the last few months, the county has been reviewing that contract. One of changes in this contract would be the county would charge $75 per case and $60 additional for cases that are incomplete. The agreement is for the period of one year and will renew for three years after that. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Community Development:
A-78: An ordinance creating the Park Ridge Incentive District; declaring improvements to the parcels within the incentive district to be a public purpose and exempt from real property taxation; requiring the owners of those parcels to make service payments in lieu of taxes; establishing a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund for the deposit of those service payments; specifying the public infrastructure improvements that benefit or serve parcels in the incentive district; providing for compensation payments. Community Development Director Mary Spaugy started her presentation with a description of this particular TIFF and how it will benefit the city and residents. Since there are only 11 parcels in this instance the TIFF will not begin until 50% of the homes are completed and it will run for a 30-year period. This money will be used for the infrastructure of the allotment. It is also exempt from levy protected funds such as the school district and library; both will receive their normal amount of revenue from the development in the form of taxes on the improved lot. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
