Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2024 Issue #15

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Akron City Council

Weekly Legislative Spotlight

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

Welcome to our new subscribers. We are so excited that you are joining us! To our regular subscribers, thank you for your commitment to staying informed and engaged through your continued subscribership to Akron City Council's Legislative Spotlight.

We hope you are enjoying the wealth of information shared with you each week.

We share highlights from the Council's legislative agenda from the previous Monday's Committee and Council meetings. Definitions and information about commonly used terms and council-related facts are also featured.

We want you to stay connected and abreast of the issues before Akron City Council.

The information shared in each week's Legislative Spotlight will continue to educate, empower, and liberate you to become increasingly engaged with your City Council in making Akron a better place for all its residents.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, May 6, 2024

RESOLUTION NO. 167-2024 declaring it necessary to improve certain streets in the City, between certain termini, by providing street-cleaning services and street lighting; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Hardy absent).

ORDINANCE NO. 170-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts with Akron 200 Inc., to support the preparation and planning of events and programs for Akron’s bicentennial celebration in 2025; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Hardy absent). Learn more from Bicentennial Executive Secretary Dave Lieberth and Executive Director Mark Greer here.

ORDINANCE NO. 173-2024 authorizing the Director of Public Service, or his designee, to apply for and, if awarded, accept and expend grant funds for the Safe Streets 4 All Federal funding program; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Hardy absent).

ORDINANCE NO. 176-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts, without the formality of publicly advertising for bids, with Tuesday Musical Association to provide professional services for the management of the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Hardy absent). Learn more about the Dance Festival here.

Remember...

You can see all the legislation discussed during the meeting at: https://onlinedocs.akronohio.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

Ring Doorbells

Due to the tremendous response, applications are on hold to allow staff to process those which have been already submitted.

If you applied, you will be notified by email as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience.

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Every second Saturday in May, letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America collect the goodness and compassion of their postal customers, who participate in the NALC Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive — the largest one-day food drive in the nation.

To donate, just place a box or can of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before your letter carrier delivers mail on May 11th. The carrier will do the rest. The food is sorted and delivered to an area food bank or pantry, where it is available for needy families.

Your Council Representative

Is Available to Serve You!

There are several ways to reach your Ward Representative:

View their information on the Council's website .
Attend their ward meeting .
Call or email them.

Upcoming Open Comment Public Hearings

***

Notices are posted on our website at least 15 days before the meeting.

Suppose the Ordinance is a Conditional Use (Zoning measure). In that case, a notice is also mailed to the owners and residents of property within, contiguous to, and directly across the street from the property involved in the Ordinance (per Charter Section 34). Notices are also published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

You do not need to fill out any forms to participate. You're able to attend in person in Council Chambers or remotely via videoconference.

Those wishing to attend remotely need to notify the Clerk of Council as outlined in the meeting notice in order to receive the information to join remotely.

Please Help Us Get The Word Out!

Enjoying the Legislative Spotlight?

Why not share it with your friends and neighbors? The QR code will take them directly to the sign-up page on our website.

311- Akron's One Call to City Hall

If you have a specific city issue that you'd like to see resolved (a pothole, water leak, tree down, missed trash collection, etc.), you can enter it in the online system, call 311, or download

the new "MyAkron311" app.

The app is available for free on all Apple or Android devices in the app store.

After downloading, residents can create a profile, enter a service request, look up timely city information, and set up notifications specific to their address such as trash/recycling collection reminders.

Public Comment Period

A public comment period is held at each regularly scheduled Council meeting, where up to ten (10) members of the public may address Council on matters within Council's authority. No member of the public shall be permitted to address Council during the public comment period more than once every 30 days.

Those who wish to participate in the public comment period of a regular Council meeting need to submit a public comment form by 4:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting.

The sign-up form is available here.

For those that do not have a mobile device/computer to utilize, or need additional assistance, Council staff is available to help.

Signing up is a requirement of Council Rules, similar to other bodies.

Resolution:

A formal expression of the opinion or will of Council. Examples of resolution topics include congratulating a local high school that has won a state championship, supporting or opposing a bill pending before the Ohio General Assembly, or approving the appointment of members of a board or commission.

You can view the Rules of Procedure

for Akron City Council here.

Check out this glossary of terms from Signal Akron.