Garfield Heights City Council unanimously approves package of ordinances, home‑repair grant and police contract

Garfield Heights City Council voted unanimously 7-0 to adopt a series of ordinances and resolutions that city officials said authorize purchases, update the codified ordinances and approve contracts and a grant program.

The package of items included a purchasing participation agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for sodium fluoride rock, replacement pages for the city’s codified ordinances under the Garfield Heights Charter, participation in a regional school district funding program for a medium‑duty truck, planning services for a proposed police station, a collective bargaining agreement covering sergeants and above, authorization to purchase and install a concrete facility at Frank J. Devilak Recreation Area, and a home‑repair assistance grant program. All roll calls recorded a 7‑0 vote where votes were recorded.

The measures were offered as emergency ordinances or emergency actions in most cases, allowing council to consider and adopt them at the same meeting. Sponsors named in the meeting record included Mayor Matthew Burke and Council President Avery Johnson; Council Pro Tem Stacy Collier and other council members seconded and moved consideration, suspension of the three‑reading rule and waiver of rule 24 as required for same‑day adoption.

Votes at a glance: • Ordinance No. 36‑2025 — Authorizes the mayor to enter into a purchasing participation agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the 2025–26 season to purchase sodium fluoride rock south. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke. Motion to consider by title moved by Councilwoman Tumfner; suspension of the three‑reading rule and waiver of rule 24 were approved. Roll call reads: Miss Tunson (Yes); Mister Kelly (Yes); Mister Rose (Yes); Miss Collier (Yes); Miss Mack (Yes); Mister Smith (Yes); Mister Johnson (Yes). Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Ordinance No. 37‑2025 — Revises the codified ordinances by adopting replacement pages pursuant to Section 17 of the Garfield Heights Charter. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke; co‑sponsored by Council President Avery Johnson. Motion to consider by title moved by Councilwoman Narone; suspension of three readings and waiver of rule 24 were approved. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Ordinance No. 38‑2025 — Authorizes participation in a Northeast Ohio regional school district program to secure funding for purchase of a medium‑duty truck. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke; co‑sponsored by Council President Avery Johnson and Council Pro Tem Stacy Collier. Motion steps (consider by title, suspend readings, waive rule 24) carried. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Ordinance No. 39‑2025 — Authorizes the mayor or designee to enter into an agreement with Venn Design Architecture to provide planning services for the Garfield Heights Police Station. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke; co‑sponsored by Council President Avery Johnson. Consideration, suspension of readings and waiver of rule 24 were approved. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Ordinance No. 42‑2025 (listed in the record as 42,025) — Approves a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Garfield Heights and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 67 covering sergeants and above; declares emergency. Sponsor listed as Mia McNewirth; co‑sponsored by Council President Avery Johnson and Council Pro Tem Stacy Collier. Council approved consideration, suspended readings and waived rule 24 before adoption. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Ordinance No. 41‑2025 — Authorizes the mayor or designee to enter into an agreement with CTX Incorporation for purchase and installation of a Cortez FreeCast concrete facility at the Frank J. Devilak Recreation Area. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke. Consideration, suspension of readings and waiver of rule 24 were approved. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Resolution No. 19‑2025 — Approves the Home Repair Assistance Grant Program and program guidelines, and authorizes the mayor or designee to award funding to eligible applicants; declares an emergency. Sponsor: Mayor Matthew Burke. Consideration, suspension of readings and waiver of rule 24 were approved prior to roll call. Outcome: Passed, 7–0.

• Resolution No. 22‑2025 — A ceremonial resolution honoring Matthew Thompson for receiving the Stop the Hate Teacher of the Year award. Outcome: Adopted (recorded as unanimous).

Discussion and next steps: Most items were handled under the procedural steps required to adopt emergency legislation at the same meeting: motion to consider by title, motion to suspend the three‑reading rule, and motion to waive rule 24. There was no extended debate recorded in the meeting transcript on the substance of the ordinances; the meeting record shows motions, seconds and roll‑call votes for each item. Where the ordinance text references external programs (for example, the Northeast Ohio regional school district program), the meeting record does not specify funding amounts or detailed grant terms.

Council did not record additional committee referrals or amendments on the adopted items in the transcript. Implementation responsibilities (for example, executing contracts or applying for program funding) were authorized to the mayor or the mayor’s designee as stated in the ordinance language. Council members and sponsors who moved and seconded the procedural steps are recorded in the meeting minutes.