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Barberton council approves $50,000 transfer from rental-registration fund for demolitions
Summary
Council adopted Ordinance 43-2025 to transfer $50,000 from the rental registration fund to the Project Impact fund for demolitions after the finance director said the transfer had been included in the budget but lacked a formal authorizing line.
Barberton City Council on April 14 adopted Ordinance 43-2025, authorizing a $50,000 transfer from the rental-registration fund to the Project Impact fund to pay for property demolitions.
Councilor Emily Beck opened discussion by noting public questions about the rental-registration fee increase and said the transfer will be used for demolitions, which she and other council members said benefits neighborhoods. Finance Director Mister Flaker told council the transfer was included in the adopted budget workbook (he cited the rental-registration and project-impact pages) but was not carried into Section 5, the budget section that authorizes transfers. "I can't do the transfer without council approval," Flaker said, asking council to adopt the ordinance so he can amend the county's estimated resources and remain in compliance with Summit County budget procedures.
Flaker told council the transfer was requested with emergency language to meet the county's alternative tax-budget timetable; without the transfer, he said project-impact's estimated resources at the county would not reflect the $50,000 and the appropriation would appear underfunded. Council members said the transfer was discussed during budget deliberations and described the omission as a clerical oversight rather than a new appropriation.
Several council members and the mayor responded to residents' concerns that raised why rental-registration fees had increased. Councilor Heideck said the council had debated the budget in public for months. Beck and others emphasized the funds will support demolition work intended to improve housing stock and neighborhood safety. Council members said some landlords and residents had expressed frustration; councilors urged continued outreach and transparency about how rental-registration revenue is spent.
The ordinance passed on a roll call vote with no recorded negative votes and one absence. Council directed Finance to complete the transfer and to amend county estimates so the Project Impact fund shows the revised resources.
Ordinance 43-2025 is now effective as adopted with emergency wording to allow the finance director to complete the transfer and associated county filings.
