Willowick Council confirms law director, approves series of ordinances and accepts energy grant

Willowick City Council on the eveningconfirmed a mayoral appointment to the city—s law department, swore in the new law director and approved a package of ordinances and resolutions including a fences ordinance amendment and acceptance of an energy-efficiency grant.

The action items included unanimous votes to waive readings and adopt several ordinances and resolutions, plus a motion authorizing the purchase of a pool pump. Council also confirmed two mayoral planning-commission appointments.

The new law director took the oath during the meeting. In an on-record oath, the appointee said: "I, Mandy Gourts, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of law director of the City of Willowwick... and will to the best of my ability serve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and the Charter and Ordinance." The transcript records a separate roll-call motion to confirm a mayoral appointment using the name "Landy Burks." That discrepancy between the name used in the confirmation motion and the name recorded in the oath is reflected below in clarifying details.

Council also confirmed two planning-commission appointments: Nicole Monaco for a three-year term ending 01/21/2028, and Adam Downing for a three-year term ending 12/31/2026. Both confirmations passed by roll call.

On legislation, council approved, among other items: - Ordinance 2025-1 (submitted amendment to Article 7 of the city charter regarding classification of service) (waived readings and approved by roll call). - Ordinance 2024-67 (amendment to Chapter 1165, "Fences") (approved as amended on third reading after prior discussions and edits). - Ordinance 2025-2 (2025 Willowick Recreation Department fee schedule) (waived readings and approved). - Ordinance 2025-3 (compensation for seasonal and part-time recreation employees for 2025) (waived readings and approved). - Ordinances 2025-4, -5 and -6 (authorizing the finance director to close a set of older/unused funds including the sanitary sewer improvement fund, coronavirus relief grant fund and lakefront/downtown grant fund) (waived readings and approved). - Ordinance 2025-7 (authorize acceptance of the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) 2025 Energized Community Grant) (waived readings and approved). Separately in the mayor—s report, council was told the grant award this year totals $32,169 and must be used for energy-efficiency improvements. - Ordinance 2025-8 (establish compensation of the city law director and repeal of earlier ordinances) (waived readings and approved).

On resolutions, council approved several transfers and advances of funds, including transferring money from the general fund to the police pension fund and advancing funds to sewer improvement funds for Lakeshore Boulevard and Forest Grove sewer projects. Council also approved a $20,600 authorization relating to a certificate to the city of Willoughby (document text on the agenda).

Council approved a miscellaneous expenditure authorizing $22,865 for a pool pump for the municipal pool (listed on the agenda as the "Mannerie pool pump" purchase).

Why it matters: The votes finalize routine housekeeping and budget items, confirm leadership in the law department and planning commission, and accept a grant that is restricted to energy-efficiency improvements. Those items influence departmental budgets, capital spending and the city—s ability to draw down outside grant funds.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Motion: Confirm mayoral appointment (name in motion: "Landy Burks"); Roll call: unanimous (aye). Outcome: approved. - Motion: Oath administered to "Mandy Gourts" as law director during the meeting (oath text on record). - Ordinance 2024-67 (fences, as amended): approved (roll call: unanimous aye). - Ordinance 2025-2 (recreation fee schedule): approved (waived readings; unanimous aye). - Ordinance 2025-3 (seasonal/part-time recreation compensation 2025): approved (waived readings; unanimous aye). - Ordinance 2025-7 (accept NOPEC 2025 Energized Community Grant): approved (waived readings; unanimous aye). - Miscellaneous expenditure: pool pump $22,865: approved (unanimous aye).

Several items on the agenda were labeled emergency or housekeeping measures and were advanced with votes to waive multiple readings before final passage. The meeting record shows roll-call approvals for each item listed above; the transcript records the 'aye' votes for each roll call without a separate roll-call tally breakdown in the minutes.

Ending note: Several approved ordinances close older funds and authorize routine capital or operating expenditures; council scheduled a separate budget meeting for February 22 to continue budget deliberations and department-level reviews.