Public commenter calls Akron’s All-America City push "propaganda," urges term limits and policing accountability

William Reynolds told Akron City Council that the city's effort to win an All-America City award diverts staff time and money from urgent local needs such as poverty, housing insecurity, police violence and youth disconnection.

Reynolds described the campaign as optics-driven and said it consumes application fees, travel expenses and staff time. “It's a marketing trophy earned through application fees, travel expenses, staff time, flashy presentations, and photo ops, all designed to make the city look good on paper while we are still suffering,” Reynolds said. He urged the city to focus on services for people in public housing, people experiencing homelessness, and other underserved groups.

Reynolds also suggested it may be time to pursue a charter amendment to add term limits for the council and mayor, and questioned the council's attention to police oversight, saying the public needs stronger use-of-force review. He referenced community gatherings and memorials for people killed in the city — Jaylen Walker, Jasmine Tucker and Muhammad Essefon — and argued city officials should prioritize accountability and reform over awards and publicity.

These remarks were made during the meeting’s public-comment period; the council did not take formal action on the criticisms during this session. The speaker framed his remarks as a call to change priorities and to seek structural reforms, but no council motion or referral on those suggestions was recorded in the meeting minutes.