Wickliffe council elects president pro tem, adopts liability and cyber insurance ordinances and reviews 2025 budget plans

Council President Levon was absent, so the Wickliffe City Council elected a council president pro tem and handled several routine and budget-related items at its Feb. 24 regular meeting.

The council voted to elect a council member as president pro tem after a nomination and second. The council also approved minutes from the Feb. 10 meeting and moved to executive session later in the meeting for discussion of pending or imminent litigation under the statutory exemption for privileged communications.

The meeting opened with communications from Mayor Saka noting that the first readings on the agenda include budget and salary ordinances and that planning for the State of the City event — to be held with the school district — will begin; the mayor said details will be released closer to the April 15 community-center event.

In administrative reports, the council heard that the Lake County Bluecoats Association will present the George Medina Distinguished Service Award on Feb. 26 to two Wickliffe officers who responded to a shooting on April 16, 2024. Fire Chief Gregory Grossman praised the officers’ lifesaving actions: "When EMS arrived ... the 2 officers were applying tourniquets, life saving measures. So it was outstanding," Grossman said. Grossman also reported completion of the fire department's annual EMS revenue-billing audit and said revenue has increased even though transports are down; he added that the city does not balance-bill residents for EMS transports and bills only what insurance covers.

A report from the service director outlined ongoing public-works projects: the Drenick Drive sewer-rehabilitation work is nearly complete, crews have performed sewer digs on Cary Lane as part of the Empire Sewer Project, and four new poles on Rush Road in Twin Lakes are now lit. Council members also raised whether recently installed lights match planned fixture styles.

Council members discussed a request from the city engineer to begin engineering work on Parkwood and Euclid avenues; council members agreed to take up the request at a future meeting after the engineer appears to present estimated costs. In committee reporting, the finance committee reviewed the proposed 2025 budget and recommended the law director draft a formal budget ordinance. The committee reported multiple line-item adjustments discussed at its Feb. 17 meeting, including street-light replacements, a $20,000 request for salt due to heavy usage, a proposed increase to planning-board and zoning-secretary pay, and possible increases to zoning-application fees. The city engineer reported that Euclid Avenue is a $7 million project and briefing materials referenced secured funding, but committee members said the state may alter commitments and the final funding mix remained uncertain.

The Architectural Review Board, meeting Feb. 12, granted a request for a new development at 29240 Euclid Avenue with several conditions, the council was told.

Ordinances: Several budget and compensation ordinances were read for the first or second time, including appropriations for 2025 and multiple compensation ordinances for appointed officials, salaried and hourly employees, part-time firefighters and special police officers. Two ordinances were advanced to final reading and adopted on emergency measures at the Feb. 24 meeting:

- Ordinance No. 2025-14, authorizing the mayor to contract with the Ohio Plan Agent Love Insurance Agency for general liability insurance, was placed on third reading and adopted after suspension of the rules.

- Ordinance No. 2025-15, authorizing the mayor to contract with Houston Casualty Company through Love Insurance Agency for cyber liability coverage, was placed on third reading and adopted after suspension of the rules.

Later in the meeting, the council voted to move into executive session under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(3) to discuss pending or imminent court action.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to elect council president pro tem: moved and seconded; roll-call responses recorded in the minutes and the motion carried.

- Approval of Feb. 10, 2025 minutes: motion carried (roll-call recorded in the minutes).

- Ordinance No. 2025-14 (liability insurance): motion to suspend rules, place on third reading and adopt; roll-call votes were taken and the ordinance passed.

- Ordinance No. 2025-15 (cyber liability insurance): motion to suspend rules, place on third reading and adopt; roll-call votes were taken and the ordinance passed.

- Motion to enter executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(G)(3): motion and second recorded; roll-call votes carried.

The council did not take further public action after moving to executive session during the published meeting time.