Candidates at a Medina town hall said improving sidewalks and pedestrian safety around Medina Square should be a near‑term priority.

John Coyne said the city should assume responsibility for maintaining sidewalks rather than requiring homeowners to pay, citing fairness for corner lots with more sidewalk footage. "I think it's important that the government take that responsibility over from the residents to make sure that we have this accessible sidewalks," Coyne said. He suggested an intake system (Coyne proposed AI assistance during the forum) to identify dangerous segments and a program that could use city funds or Section 108–style funds to repair priority sections.

Jim Shields said Medina has an existing sidewalk plan through 2028 but that implementation slipped because of competing priorities and a lean engineering staff. He proposed city assistance options such as payment plans or grant assistance for residents and said the city should invest more staff and resources in sidewalk repair. "Walkability is the number one issue that I hear when people take a walk in the city," Shields said.

Around Medina Square specifically, both candidates pointed to a recently obtained but unspecified grant for crosswalk improvements that will add bump‑outs to increase pedestrian visibility. Coyne suggested removing on‑street parking on the west side of the square to eliminate conflicts where vehicles back into Route 42 traffic; Shields opposed removing parking and said parking is important for downtown businesses. "I would not agree necessarily at this point of taking parking away because I think it's important to those businesses," Shields said.

Both candidates said traffic‑signal timing and enforcement, added police presence and cameras are part of improving safety. Both said a DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) could benefit downtown businesses if implemented carefully; Shields said the city should research other municipalities and consult the police and businesses before moving forward.

No formal city policy changes or funding commitments were made at the forum; candidates urged studies and coordination with the police, engineering and business stakeholders.