Council moves county job-creation and tax-sharing memorandum to second reading

Councilman Donald Pavlik, chairing the finance committee, said the committee reviewed Ordinance 2025-72, an agreement authorizing the mayor to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Summit County and other political subdivisions for job creation, retention and tax revenue sharing. "This is the same memorandum of understanding for job creation, retention, and tax revenue sharing that this council passed last year. However, it did go through some revisions," Mayor Carol Cicillano Kilway told the committee. She said the redlined document shows the changes and highlighted discussion over an inflation-adjustment amount. Mayor Kilway said the city is not seeking immediate first-reading adoption but that the council should adopt the MOU by the Oct. 1 deadline because some grant funding the city receives depends on having the sharing agreement in place. Council moved the ordinance into second reading; no final adoption vote was taken at the Aug. 28 meeting. Why it matters: The MOU governs how Tallmadge and neighboring jurisdictions share tax revenue and participate in job-creation initiatives; timely adoption affects the city's eligibility for some grants tied to intergovernmental agreements. What comes next: City staff and the finance director will continue to review redlines and proposed revisions. Council members were advised they can consult the mayor or Finance Director Molly Gilbride with questions before the ordinance returns for final action.