Lakemore council approves routine financial items; reads resolutions on officer hire, lighting and grants

Lakemore council members approved routine financial measures and heard readings of several resolutions and ordinances during their March meeting, while local school representatives warned of projected state funding cuts and village staff described grant and infrastructure work underway.

The council voted to excuse two members from the meeting and approved minutes, purchase orders, bills and the February 2025 bank reconciliation. Council also heard staff read Resolution 7441-2025, a resolution to hire Charles Sailor as a part-time patrol officer for the Lakemore Police Department, Resolution 7442-2025 accepting Ohio Edison agreements for street lighting in Hidden Lake Estates Phase 9, Ordinance 1884-2025 authorizing acceptance of a Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) 2025 energized community grant, and Ordinance 1885-2025 amending appropriations for the 2025 fiscal year.

Why it matters: The routine approvals keep municipal operations funded and moving; the grant and appropriation items, if enacted, fund local infrastructure and public-safety projects. School leaders used the meeting to urge residents to engage on a May levy that they say will affect classroom and program funding.

Council actions and votes

- A motion to excuse Council Member Laura Cochran was made, seconded and carried by roll call (Miss Anderson, Mr. Reitner, Mr. Stripmatter and Ms. Coontz voting yes). The transcript records the motion and the affirmative roll call but does not name the mover or seconder in the record.

- A motion to excuse Council Member Sam Ray was made, seconded and carried; the council noted Sam Ray was absent for illness. The roll call showed the same four members voting yes.

- The council approved the minutes from its March 3, 2025 meeting, purchase orders dated March 1–14, 2025 totaling $28,704.23, and bills dated March 1–14, 2025 totaling $223,905.41; each item was moved, seconded and carried by roll call with the members recorded as voting yes. The February 2025 bank reconciliation was also accepted on motion, second and roll call.

Readings of resolutions and ordinances

Village Administrator Tracy Sayers read the text of four legislative items into the record. The transcript records the full readings but does not show final motions or vote tallies for those specific ordinances or resolutions in the portion provided.

- Resolution 7441-2025: approves hiring Charles Sailor as a part-time patrol officer with a one-year probationary period; the resolution is presented as an emergency measure intended to take effect immediately. (Outcome: not specified in the transcript.)

- Resolution 7442-2025: accepts Ohio Edison agreements for street lighting in Hidden Lake Estates Phase 9 and is presented as an emergency measure. (Outcome: not specified in the transcript.)

- Ordinance 1884-2025: authorizes acceptance of one or more NOPEC 2025 Energized Community Grants and authorizes the village administrator to execute the grant agreement. (Outcome: not specified in the transcript.)

- Ordinance 1885-2025: amends 2025 appropriations, including increases described in the reading (see clarifying details). The ordinance is presented as an emergency measure. (Outcome: not specified in the transcript.)

Staff and community updates

Tracy Sayers, village administrator, reported the village received a $50,000 Ohio EPA award toward replacing a water-system generator but said the needed unit will cost about $135,000, leaving an unresolved funding gap. "They did award us 50,000. Unfortunately, the ... generator that we need is gonna be a hundred and 35,000. So we still have to come up with the other 80 some thousand dollars," Sayers said.

Sayers also described ongoing public-works work: H.M. Miller is replacing a water line on Danforth and related roadway work is blocking several local accesses; a bid opening for resurfacing Meadow, Chelsea and the remaining portion of Danforth is scheduled for April 11 at 11 a.m. She said the village applied for a NOPEC grant to upgrade building panels and lighting at Dodge Park and has applied with state partners for a sidewalk from Lake Road to the high school and for environmental sampling for Springfield Lake.

School officials urged residents to engage ahead of the May election. Donnie Furlong, a Springfield Local School Board member and community member, asked residents to attend an informational levy meeting this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the junior/senior high auditorium and encouraged turnout on election day, May 6. Dave Holter, representing Springfield Local Schools, summarized testimony he provided to the Ohio House education committee and said the district faces projected state funding losses. "Springfield Schools is projected to lose, $420,040 for 04/2526, and another $420,040 in 04/2627," Holter said, adding that residents should contact legislators and consider handwritten letters to committee members.

Other items

- Mayor's announcements included confirmation that the Rock the Docks event is planned for the weekend of June 27–29 (organizers had not yet finalized a possible Thursday soft start) and that the village paid about $88,000 to the City of Akron for one month of sewer charges.

- Resident John Yergin raised a safety concern on Britney Boulevard and asked council to consider a no-parking restriction similar to measures used in Hidden Lakes; council agreed to add the item for future agenda discussion.

- Council member and community reminders covered upcoming events including an April 19 Easter egg hunt, a June 28 children's fishing derby, an invasive plant pull at Springfield Lake on June 11 and local volunteer projects with Habitat for Humanity scheduled May 30–31.

The meeting concluded with a roll-call vote to adjourn.

Ending

Council members gave dates for upcoming workshops and meetings and reiterated a call for public participation on the school levy and the village's fire-levy renewal. The transcript shows multiple items are still awaiting formal votes or follow-up (noted above), including the readings of the resolutions and ordinances for which final action was not recorded in the provided segment.