Twinsburg council approves emergency budget measures: utility certifications, equipment purchases and $2.08M pool note

Twinsburg City Council on Aug. 25 approved a package of emergency measures covering utility delinquencies, equipment purchases and short-term borrowing for facility improvements.

In a series of unanimous roll-call votes, council suspended rules and adopted ordinances and resolutions it described as time-sensitive: certification of delinquent sanitary sewer and water fund maintenance charges to the Summit County fiscal officer (Ordinance 78-20-25); adoption of emergency appropriations and amendments to current-year budgets (Ordinances 80-20-25 and 81-20-25); authorization to issue $2,075,000 in notes in anticipation of bonds to fund roof and HVAC work at the Twinsburg Fitness Center indoor pool (Ordinance 82-20-25); and a resolution approving purchase of a city bucket truck (Resolution 83-20-25). Council also adopted Resolution 79-20-25 to authorize purchase and installation of an alerting system by Bridal Incorporated as reviewed by the department.

Council members said timing drove the emergency designations. For example, council moved Ordinance 82-20-25 to final reading and adoption to meet a maturity or financing deadline; the presiding officer stated the action was needed “prior to maturity date.” For the alerting system, council adopted the measure as an emergency because the existing system is outdated, the presiding officer said.

Roll-call votes for each adopted emergency measure were unanimous (7-0). The roll calls recorded the same seven yes votes across items: Mister Post, Mister Bellin, Mister Furey, Missus Lavey, Mister Benacci, Mister Barr and Missus Walker (as called by the clerk during each vote). Councilors made and seconded the suspension and adoption motions from the dais; the presiding officer frequently moved suspension of the three-reading rule and other members seconded.

Ordinance 78-20-25 instructs the Twinsburg finance director to compile delinquent sanitary sewer rentals and water fund maintenance charges and request the Summit County fiscal officer to accept certification of those delinquencies for collection on property-tax lists. Council did not specify dollar totals for the certified amounts during the meeting; the ordinance text and finance office will hold the detailed certified lists.

Ordinance 82-20-25 authorizes issuing $2,075,000 in notes in anticipation of bonds to pay costs of constructing, reconstructing and equipping the roof and HVAC improvements for the indoor swimming pool at the Twinsburg Fitness Center. Council described the borrowing as timed to address a near-term maturity and adopted the ordinance as an emergency to permit immediate action. The ordinance language referenced funding for related building improvements.

Resolution 83-20-25 authorized acquisition of the city’s bucket truck and associated equipment as approved in the capital improvement budget; council said the purchase aligns with previously approved capital planning. The resolution was adopted as an emergency.

Resolution 79-20-25 authorized purchase and installation of an alerting system by Bridal Incorporated, described during the meeting as necessary because the city’s current system is outdated; council adopted the resolution on an emergency basis. The meeting record did not include contract dollar amounts for the alerting system or the bucket truck.

Council repeatedly emphasized that these emergency adoptions were procedural—suspending the usual three-reading rule—to meet deadlines or replace aging systems. No substantive debate or amendments to the emergency items were recorded during the meeting.

Items adopted as emergencies will be reflected in the city's ordinances and the finance director’s records; figures and vendor contract details were not provided on the council floor and will be available from the finance and service departments once processed.