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.
City council started their Monday meeting with a Committee of the Whole to discuss the mayor’s appointments and re-appointments to various boards and commissions.
Art Board: three re-appointments of Rich Krochka, Danielle Dietrich, and Thomas Sullivan all with terms ending in 2030.
Library Board of Trustees: the re-appointment of Michael Bowman for a three-year term ending in 2028 and the initial appointment of Noah Spinner that will expire in 2026 to fill the unexpired term of Niki Cebula who was recently elected to city council.
Board of Zoning Appeals: the re-appointment of Jeffery Sharpe to another five-year term to expire in 2030.
Planning Commission: the re-appointment of Alicia Harris to a six-year term to expire in 2031.
Tree Board: Gayle Manning to a three-year term to expire in 2028.
Design and Historic Review Board: the re-appointments of Janet Amole and Mark Gilles to additional three-year terms expiring in 2028; the new appointment of Amy Mothersbaugh to a three-year term expiring in 2028.
Civil Service Commission: Carol Barbieri to fill an un-expired term ending in 2029, with the appointment of Jerry James for a full term starting March 1, 2026 and ending in 2031.
The committee accepted all appointments unanimously 11-0 except for the appointment of Noah Spinner who was appointed 10-0 with councilwoman Susan Spinner abstaining.
New Ordinances & Resolutions
A-1: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts for the purchase of annual requirements for certain services, materials, supplies, and equipment for use by the Electrical Division during 2026. Will be discussed by the finance committee Tuesday, January 20.
A-2: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts with Milsoft Utility Solutions for the purpose of installing and maintaining an outage management system for the Cuyahoga Falls Electric System. Will be discussed by the finance committee Tuesday, January 20.
A-3: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts for the purchase of the City’s annual requirements of certain services, materials and supplies for use by the Water, Sewer, and Storm Water Divisions during 2026. Will be discussed by the finance committee Tuesday, January 20.
A-4: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, with Power Line Supply Company, for the purchase of major equipment for the capacitor banks at Valley Substation. Will be discussed by the public and industrial improvements committee Tuesday, January 20.
A-5: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts for the sale of certain real property known as Vacant Land on Orchestra Street. Will be discussed by the Public Affairs Committee Tuesday, January 20.
A-6: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts for the sale of certain real property known as 2550 Northland Street. Will be discussed by the Community Development Committee Tuesday, January 20.
Reports of Council’s Standing Committees
Public & Industrial Improvements:
B-122: An ordinance authorizing the director of public Service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the Highpoint Road Sanitary Sewer Extension. Passed 11-0.
Public Affairs:
B-123: An ordinance amending the Traffic Control File. Passed 11-0.
Sustainability, Energy & Environment:
Committee Chair Mary Nicholes Rhodes held an educational presentation and invited several members of the Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Renewable Energy Director for the council, Jeremy Welch, discussed the training program their union provides for young people wanting to start off in the trade or others who are looking to improve their standard of life.
Their group is also responsible for installation of solar farms around the midwest. Welch explained how renewable energy applies to the Carpenters Union and the training the union requires its members to take yearly. Welch gave a rundown of the projects currently underway and what the union has accomplished over the last six years. Besides providing electricity (over 6 gigawatts) in the Tri-State area they have also provided work for its members (over 6 million work hours) and also provides a solid foundation for apprentices to sharpen their skills with concrete forms and foundations and assembly, This provides workers with a direct path to the middle class with good pay and benefits. There are 900 workers represented by the Carpenters Union in Summit County. For more information, visit the Central Midwest Carpenters union and their Renewable Energy Program.
