[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6083737,"mediaKeyId","2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c","parentId",2927694,"title","Akron council approves consent agenda and unanimously urges Ohio House to restore public library fund","audioSeconds",1179,"startMs",953000,"endMs",2132000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c&start=953&end=2132","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c/thumbnail_953000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083737/Akron/Summit-County/Ohio/Akron-council-approves-consent-agenda-and-unanimously-urges-Ohio-House-to-restore-public-library-fund","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083737-bcf857c6956317954f46a0f0b4dc8004/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186596&Signature=cAs-miLEOKQ1b~Tiut~gtnDQ3XHL5m6gjtODeCsfp2ujNTZjB6pWll040wOXcBJ~fK89A9aDH2r0ySuNw3d7YKrQUS1RSUJuyqltoLjzfjXGp3u5XndZQjr92si4dIY7IDWR8mVWPZrK9T2XmpS~RSlduIJrFmB3TwzNvLZ3RTU5-U4Rnr33lHayJaa7h8GGfcbVA4GE9dv-RAFrRhOQDIF1CbVMocQ7SEAv1bA19WS0IzN4oz33OvjBn0Sxmj8zc6IwJnCl~3NQ4g0P8xWR1iUPMO70BZ2XRjYnIQBd3zzfQ3sgE-Jc2VmTtie3yM6eGmVwJeXlp2F7lIMREgyMig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Akron, OH ","date","2025-04-08T11:01:57Z","article","Akron City Council approved its consent agenda and unanimously passed a resolution urging the Ohio House of Representatives to restore the public library fund to the level in the governor’s proposed budget.

At the start of the meeting the council voted to approve the minutes from its prior meeting; the clerk recorded the vote as 12 to 0 in favor. Later, after public comment, the council moved multiple ordinance and resolution items onto the consent agenda and approved the consent agenda 12 to 0.

One separately read item, Resolution 15 (offered by President Somerville, Vice President Fusco, President Pro Tem McKittrick, Councilman Kammer and Councilwoman Connor), urges the Ohio House to take immediate action to restore public-library funding that House Bill 96 would reduce. Councilman Kammer spoke in support of the resolution, telling council that House Bill 96 “proposes reduction of approximately $100,000,000 to Ohio's public libraries over the next 2 years.” The resolution passed by a 12-to-0 roll call.

Nut graf: The session’s formal actions were routine: approval of minutes, placement of several procurement and parks rehabilitation ordinances on the consent agenda, and a unanimous resolution asking state lawmakers to restore library funding. The consent agenda bundled multiple technical and procurement ordinances; none of those ordinances generated separate debate on the council floor during this meeting beyond being placed on consent.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve previous meeting minutes — outcome: approved, tally: 12 yes, 0 no.

- Consent agenda — outcome: approved, tally: 12 yes, 0 no. Items placed on the consent agenda included (as read into the record):
• Item 1 (offered by Fusco) — agreement with Woodsy's Music Inc. for sound and lighting services for Lock 3 (placed on consent)
• Item 2 (Kammer) — contract with A and H Equipment Company for maintenance of street-sweeping equipment (placed on consent)
• Item 3 (Kammer) — procurement of snow removal equipment for Akron Fulton Airport (placed on consent)
• Item 4 (Kammer) — Cascade parking deck rehabilitation (placed on consent)
• Item 5 (Kammer, Fusco, Connor) — design and consulting services for Rubber City Heritage Trail phase 3 (placed on consent)
• Item 6 (Kammer) — purchase of Groundmaster 4500 lawn mower for J.E. Goode Park Golf Course (placed on consent)
• Item 7 (Kammer) — purchase of SGXL multifunction applicator for J.E. Goode Park Golf Course (placed on consent)
• Item 8 (Kammer) — resolution declaring necessity to improve several streets by concrete pavement repair (placed on consent)
• Item 9 — withdrawn (no action taken)
• Item 10 (McKittrick) — contract with Oriana House Inc. for confinement and rehabilitation services (placed on consent)
• Item 11 (McKittrick) — accept and expend VAWA grant administered by the Office of Criminal Justice Services and agreements with Oriana House Inc. to fund investigators for the domestic violence unit (placed on consent)
• Item 12 (Connor) — contract with Akron Parks Collaborative for professional and supplemental services for park improvements (placed on consent)
• Item 13 (Connor) — rehabilitation of Prentice Park (placed on consent)
• Item 14 (Connor) — rehabilitation of Sherbondi Hill Park (placed on consent)

- Item 15 — Resolution urging the Ohio House to restore the public library fund (offered by Somerville, Fusco, McKittrick, Kammer, Connor) — outcome: approved, tally: 12 yes, 0 no.

Other formal actions

- Motion to suspend the rules so legislation could be considered without first being referred to committee — outcome: approved (ayes), recorded as passed with no roll-call tally in the transcript.

- Item 9 — withdrawn by the sponsor and not considered.

- Motion to adjourn — no objection was recorded after a motion to adjourn was made; the meeting was declared adjourned.

Context and next steps: Councilman Kammer asked that the library-resolution letter be sent to the state elected officials who represent Akron; the transcript records council leadership agreeing to do so. Several procurement and public-works ordinances were placed on consent for future contract execution; specific contract dollar amounts were not read into the record during this meeting.

Ending: The council concluded the meeting after the consent vote and routine committee assignments. The clerk announced the live broadcast had ended with President Margot Somerville presiding.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Akron Council Meeting - 04.07.25","oneSentenceSummary","The Akron City Council approved its consent agenda and passed a resolution asking the Ohio House to restore the public library fund proposed in the governor’s budget; votes on the minutes and the resolution were unanimous (12-0). Multiple ordinances and contracts were moved to the consent agenda.","taxTitle","Akron, Summit County, Ohio","taxId",2666,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6083742,"Speaker criticizes Akron Police Department after fatal Feb. 17 shooting of Marcus Leonard Smith",78,1458000,1536000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c&start=1458&end=1536","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c/thumbnail_1458000.jpg","/articles/6083742/Akron/Summit-County/Ohio/Speaker-criticizes-Akron-Police-Department-after-fatal-Feb-17-shooting-of-Marcus-Leonard-Smith","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083742-5a57f0bc301bd5411f644b5226036fc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186596&Signature=nyFv6XUr7xIVx23GyRSbKTYv9Vbo5prrD0Iy0daUvKQANJFCHjyNm-SNW82kTbSHnuzlwc6mOL0tpzDsQOoHQwOTmATyobPJgee5dHqEil8NO9fUn7PUuPcrYFwhwgM5kq0n02Aizh28hnffiFLtnlwaxgN6bCCxe4jNPocCbBsCUPwLQ23thfYr4NAgHOEyyBR~nUi7TKtaiADD7qqV0WDYY9zbrPU4lJZHMysdUrt82MmGpkGdj7t3n5Mp2FBMbT8yR8tbuIXJYmeSIckXTcqeRMhLk3d4yKERSg8S20HuTI8kMYxjpkn5XNyKG5-TJNHP7OFav7yrGaCIQJGMLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A speaker in the public-comment period condemned the Akron Police Department’s actions and called for accountability after the Feb. 17 fatal shooting of Marcus Leonard Smith.

“They shot another black man ... Marcus Leonard Smith, who was shot on February 17 at the age of 40, the PD took his life in Summit Lake near Ira Avenue before 9AM,” said Janos during the meeting’s public-comment period. Janos said Smith was accused of stealing a car and a gun and urged council to consider Smith’s life beyond those allegations.

Janos recounted Smith’s studies and employment, saying he “was studying for his PhD in sociology and taught at the University of Cincinnati.” The commenter framed the shooting as part of a pattern of police violence and said the community will continue to press elected officials and council members for change.

Nut graf: The comments were delivered during the public-comment portion of the council meeting, where residents may address council but no formal action on the shooting was taken at this meeting. The transcript records Janos’s criticism and calls for political accountability but does not show council members proposing specific measures or votes in response.

Context and claims: Janos named other recent killings and said local officials who have not acted “will be voted out.” The speaker expressed personal experience with mental-health struggles and contrasted surviving their own struggles with what they described as the city treating Black lives as expendable. The speaker’s statements are localized allegations and calls for accountability; the council record shows only that the comments were heard during the public-comment period.

Ending: The public-comment period concluded after Janos’s remarks and the meeting proceeded to the consent agenda. The council did not discuss or vote on any policing measures during this session according to the transcript.","A public commenter condemned the Akron Police Department’s use of force after the Feb. 17 shooting death of Marcus Leonard Smith and called for accountability, saying the department treats Black residents as less than human.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6083746,"Residents urge protected bike lanes on North Main Street as council hears public comment",348,1001000,1349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c&start=1001&end=1349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2927694-e47fa1e2d850fa67aa8624d526f83f0c/thumbnail_1001000.jpg","/articles/6083746/Akron/Summit-County/Ohio/Residents-urge-protected-bike-lanes-on-North-Main-Street-as-council-hears-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083746-bdef7c73ce8764c3bdbd88f99344910c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186596&Signature=iM4sxIerPyDnms6dZ0ECYYcQAbGF-gNQIxn12CBJQNjXJXx-SAzGClnKkeNzlpIy~y9-LOODRsIWdQnuVtpPVKm8suKZrI8fCIcWRulErCovbHZ7IKWFaj3eZdcbiRmbQ~0yo0DG9zjMDnlWcaOfv2ms2rhpYrp1EBuO-49xiOJKnIP1BGEyKQ8pE0u4iQynJq-6os4pHeObYPRlpMrvOV562zxiI8ODDa03qO6blaDq5FXkTrbWoes9wGxG8DPip0dGkJQzFb7xrffBShR3LR68dbNM~6VTRLg9wdGhBTE9M8PvfFSZDz9B-o-WhGB5FpyyBhqCbFPLvNIfWCvVvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Akron residents used the public-comment period at the Akron City Council meeting to urge the council to preserve grant-funded plans to resurface North Main Street with three travel lanes and two bike lanes.

Advocates said the project would close gaps in the city’s bicycle network and improve safety for commuters and recreational riders. “As a cyclist, I myself fully appreciate and understand the importance of this,” said Ben Lee, who gave his address and said he supports the North Main Street project and the three-lane, two-bike-lane configuration.

The public comments underscored safety and neighborhood benefits as the central arguments for the project. “I run many groups called Rawr. So on Wednesday, we go on rides around the city. The main component is keeping people safe,” said Catherine Novak, who identified herself as a Ward 1 resident and an avid cyclist. She said she does not feel safe having family members travel North Main Street alone because of traffic.

Another speaker, Stephanie Baker, who said she lives outside the city in Green, Ohio, urged council to consider the corridor’s effect on neighborhood safety and walkability. Baker referenced prior temporary demonstrations of a more pedestrian-friendly North Main, saying “This is what a thriving community looks like and a place people want to be.” She warned that losing the grant money to improve North Main Street would mean forfeiting secured funds and could force cuts elsewhere; the specific grant source and amount were not specified in the comments.

Elizabeth Conroy, who said she lives in Highland Square and cycles both for recreation and commuting, said dedicated lanes can reduce car traffic and make neighborhoods more attractive to potential homeowners. “One of my top factors is how easy is it for me to get around without a car,” Conroy said, adding that the bike lane would make North Hill more attractive to her.

Nut graf: The comments focused on a single agenda matter the council will consider as part of street-resurfacing and grant decisions—whether to proceed with a design that includes two bike lanes on North Main Street. Speakers argued the project would improve safety, connect neighborhoods and support local businesses; they repeatedly urged the council to protect the grant funding, though the commenters did not provide detailed grant names or dollar amounts.

Details and context: Commenters cited earlier planning studies and local projects when urging a permanent change. Ben Lee referenced a 1976 feasibility study, a 1986 land-use guide goal to provide bicycle paths, and a 2015 city-commissioned study recommending bike lanes on North Main. Baker cited the 2015 North Main Street Better Block Project as an example of the corridor’s potential.

Council response and next steps: The public-comment segment concluded without a direct council reply to the commenters on record. The transcript records the public comments and subsequent movement into the consent agenda; no formal motion or vote specifically about the North Main Street design was recorded during the meeting.

Ending: The council later moved numerous related public-works and parks ordinances onto the consent agenda to be voted as a group; whether any of those items include the North Main Street grant or final design decisions was not specified during the public-comment period.","Several Akron residents told City Council they support using secured grant funds to add protected bike lanes on North Main Street, saying the change would improve safety, connect neighborhoods and help local businesses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Akron council approves consent agenda and unanimously urges Ohio House to restore public library fund

Speaker criticizes Akron Police Department after fatal Feb. 17 shooting of Marcus Leonard Smith

Residents urge protected bike lanes on North Main Street as council hears public comment