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.
Finance & Appropriations:
B-124: An ordinance authorizing the procurement of Lake Erie Construction Company to install downtown historical signage on State Route 8. City Engineer Tony Demasi presented this to the committee, explaining it will provide the funding for the installation of six brown and white historical signs to be placed on the Route 8 expressway (three north and three south) to direct motorists to our Historic Downtown, Historic Overlook and High Bridge Glens. The project is projected to cost $71k. The committee voted to bring the measure out for a vote before all of city council next Monday.
B-125: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts for employment agency services related to seasonal and occasional employees. City HR Director Vicki Steiner stated that with its passage, this legislation would provide funds to allow the city to hire seasonal temporary help for various departments. The committee voted to bring the measure out for a vote before all of city council next Monday.
B-126: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, for the replacement of curb on Silver Lake Avenue. Demasi said this ordinance will provide funds to replace curbs along Silver Lake Ave. from 6th Street to 13th Street, and the project would start May of 2024 after school lets out; it will be completed before the end of August when school resumes. The successful bid was $109k. The committee voted to bring This ordinance out for a vote before all of city council next week.
B-127: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into the 2023 NPP Power Pool participant schedule with American Municipal Power, Inc. Electric Superintendent Rod Troxell presented this ordinance to the finance committee. In short, this is the agreement that controls the price of the electric power the city buys and the price that the city gets paid for the electricity the city sells when our generators provide a surplus. This will replace an earlier agreement established in 2011 and will remain in place until 2030. The committee voted to bring This ordinance out for a vote before all of city council next Monday.
B-128: An ordinance authorizing the mayor, as director of public safety, to sell to Source Products, Inc., certain used Fire Department equipment. Assistant Chief Jack Breese told the finance committee that this would allow the fire department to trade in unused and obsolete equipment to provide funds for new supplies used by the Fire Department. The Committee voted to bring This ordinance out for a vote before all of city council next week.
B-129: An ordinance authorizing the Park and Recreation Board to enter into a contract or contracts for the interior renovation after publicly advertising for bids, of the Brookledge Golf Club Clubhouse. Parks Director Sara Kline gave the finance committee a rundown of the outdoor improvements made to the clubhouse thus far, explaining the improvements this legislation would provide include renovation of the bar and restaurant area and the office and lockers for park employees. The project is going out for bid December 5 and bid opening is to take place December 15. The committee voted to bring this legislation will be voted on before all of city council next Monday.
B-116: 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, 2024.
More discussion on the city’s 2024 budget happened Monday night with an overview of capital projects given by Finance Director Bryan Hoffman. Items of note included the resurfacing of Hudson Drive and Bailey Road, re-sealing the city building parking lot, and the alignment of the State Road and Wyoga Lake Road intersection. Also in Hoffman’s presentation was the projected $3 million street resurfacing program for 2024. As the different department heads came to the podium. Matt Skitzki reported that collections are still up and RITA continues to be a positive thing, urging residents, should they have any questions or problems arising from their city income tax, to contact his office for assistance.
Information Services and Tech Services Director Josh Kington stated the information services department costs will remain flat as compared to 2023 and that technical will see a slight increase with the purchase of traffic count software for traffic studies and bringing some of the fiberoptics maintenance in house. Water Department supervisor Russ Kring had some capital projects planned for 2024 that include infrastructure work in the Bailey Road/Myrtle Ave.area. Oakwood Drive and the Brookpoint Subdivision. Design work on the replacement softener building to replace the structure built in 1935 will continue in 2024 with construction slated to begin in 2025. He also stated that despite not having an increase since 2005 there will be a rate increase for sewer customers of approximately 70 cents per person and water rates will increase by $2.00 per person. Electric Superintendent Rod Troxell was next with the budget for the electric department, showing the big capital item was, of course, the new building on Cochren Rd. but their 5-year plan is still in place for replacing substations. including the one at Gaylord Grove. It also includes purchases of more Critter Guards to help eliminate power outages caused by both birds and squirrels that sometimes enter substations and become a conductive path. Troxell stated that as they implement these devices it seems squirrels have been rather creative in getting around them; however, his staff has devised a way that, for now, is working. There is also a new bucket truck in the budget for the electric department and Troxell said there will not be an increase in electric rates for 2024.
On Monday November 27, the budgets for NECCO, Community Development, CBDG funds, Parks and Rec, The Rec. levy, leisure time funds (WaterWorks Park and Brookledge funds) and the City Garage will be discussed after the regular City Council meeting that begins at 6:30 pm.
