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.
New Ordinances & Resolutions
A-108: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with Fidelity Security Insurance Company and/or its subsidiary EyeMed Vision Care for the administration of the city’s self-insured employee vision care services insurance plans, for a period not to exceed three years. Assigned to the finance committee for discussion November 18.
A-109: 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 one year. Assigned to the finance committee for discussion November 18.
A-110: 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. Assigned to the finance committee for discussion November 18.
A-111: An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract or contracts with Benefit Resource, LLC., for the administration of the Section 125 Flexible Spending Account Plan, Health Reimbursement Account Plan, Health Savings Account Plan, Retiree Medical Reimbursement Account Plans and COBRA services, for a period not to exceed three years. Assigned to the finance committee for discussion November 18.
A-112: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the Curtis Avenue sanitary sewer replacement, and declaring an emergency. Assigned to the public and industrial improvement committee for discussion November 18.
A-113: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the Cochran Road reconstruction. Assigned to the public and industrial improvement committee for discussion November 18.
A-114: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, without competitive bidding, with AT&T for telephone service lines which support alarms, elevators and dispatch non-emergency numbers throughout the city. Assigned to the public and industrial improvement committee for discussion November 18.
A-115: A resolution opposing Enbridge Gas Ohio’s proposed 30% rate increase and requesting that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio deny Enbridge Gas Ohio’s request for the same. Assigned to the public affairs committee for discussion November 18.
Reports of Council’s Standing Committees
Finance & Appropriations:
A-102: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to amend Contract No. 8762 with CTI Engineers, Inc., for the water treatment plant improvements. Passed 11-0.
A-103: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the improvements to the Bailey Road and State Road booster pump stations. Passed 11-0.
A-104: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, without competitive bidding, with Superior Drain for emergency sanitary sewer repair assistance in the city right of way. Passed 10-0 with Susan Spinner abstaining.
A-107: An ordinance amending Ordinance No. 68-2024 for the purpose of amending the list and schedule of special assessments to be levied for the purpose of paying the costs of an Energy Special Improvement District project related to the acquisition, installation, equipping and improvement of certain public improvements in the city of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in cooperation with the Akron-Summit County Energy Special Improvement District, Inc., reapproving certain documents. Passed 11-0.
A-105: 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, 2025.
Speaking on behalf of the street department, Charles Novak addressed the committee and informed them that with a mild winter last year and our current salt reserves we will see little or no change in the department’s budget for the upcoming year. Any savings incurred due to the salt surplus will be applied to the paving or painting budget for the year. He also noted that the $375k leaf pickup will be moved from the storm water fund to the street maintenance fund and the one-man trucks are working out well.
Novak also reported the Sanitation Department budget will be pretty close to what was spent last year; however, some equipment costs have increased. Novak also mentioned that last year recycling actually had revenue entering into year 3 of a 5-year contract. The primary reason for the increase is when oil prices go up plastic makers use more recycled materials.
Will Bezbatchenko, utilities billing manager, presented his department’s budget for the upcoming year.Aside from a new printer. Bezbatchenko said his expenses will be the same as in prior years.
Police Chief Norwalk discussed the police budget and increased staffing within the department. Payroll will increase in 2025 with the addition of four more officers and one new sergeant. One of the new officers would be used in the school resources program and the other three and their sergeant would help with special situations including mental health episodes and to help quell ongoing situations in some neighborhoods. Other things under the police budget included more training and revenue derived from renting out the training center to other departments. Norwalk and Mayor Walters also discussed the new dispatch center and the city’s role. One of the biggest successes has been the communications between cities right down to the cars on the road and the new capabilities that all participating cities are enjoying, including the ability for departments to accept and answer text messages.
Fire Chief Martin went over some of the needs for his department, including replacing thermal imaging units that are nearing their lifecycle and hiring more personnel in 2025 in order to give the city an extra battalion of fire fighters to work out of Station #3. Once again training is high on his department’s budget with the department’s new training center on the horizon.
Building and Grounds Supervisor John Ball said his department expenses remain flat for the year.
The City Engineers’ office was the last department discussed and although understaffed, department head Tony Demasi said they are still working on filling the open positions and his group does take training and education seriously. Members of the committee also took some time to thank his office for all the work they put into finding state and federal funding that make so many of the city’s projects happen.
The finance committee will meet again next Monday to continue discussions over the city’s 2025 budget and the public is urged to attend.
