Council approves six resolutions on grants, budget and property; several items moved for additional readings

New Franklin City Council adopted a package of routine and time-sensitive measures at its June 15 meeting, approving resolutions on grant acceptance, tax levies, fund transfers and appropriations and authorizing applications for transportation funding. Several ordinance matters were moved to future readings for further review.

Key outcomes

- Assistance to Firefighters Grant (Resolution 25-R-56): Council approved acceptance of an FY2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant to fund replacement cardiac monitors for the fire department. The grant award was described in committee as roughly $203,000 in total, with the federal portion identified as $190,004.76 and the city share reported in the meeting discussion as $12,606.08. Council adopted the resolution 6–0.

- Summit County budget certification (Resolution 25-R-57): Council accepted amounts and rates as determined by the Summit County Budget Commission and certified required tax levies to the Summit County fiscal officer; adopted 6–0.

- Transfer to fire district fund (Resolution 25-R-58): Council authorized a transfer from the general fund into the fire district fund to cover anticipated shortfalls in the levy-funded salary line; adopted 6–0.

- Additional appropriations (Resolution 25-R-59): Council authorized additional appropriations to the 2025 annual operating appropriation budget (including to ensure budgeted appropriations are available for the proposed grant-funded equipment); adopted 6–0.

- STBG grant application for State Route 619 (Resolution 25-R-60): Council authorized staff to apply for the FY2026 Surface Transportation Block Grant program administered by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study for improvements to the State Route 619 corridor; adopted 6–0.

- Disposal of unneeded property (Resolution 25-R-61): Council authorized disposal of unneeded or unfit personal property pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 721.15(a), allowing advertised sale procedures for items with value over $1,000; adopted 6–0.

Other procedural actions

- Ordinance 25-0005 (abandoned/discontinued facilities): The ordinance regulating discontinuance of operations, abandoned and unused facilities was referred for three readings; no final action taken at this meeting.

- Developer performance and maintenance agreement (Resolution 25-R-55): Council placed the proposed agreement with Atkins PLS Holdings LLC (related to public improvements and a tax-increment financing district) on the agenda but requested additional clarification and answers to council questions; no final vote was taken and the item was scheduled for further review.

Votes at a glance (selected roll calls)

Resolution 25-R-56 — Assistance to Firefighters Grant Motion to adopt: Motion/second on record. Vote: Powell: yes; Stiles: yes; Ahmed: yes; Katz: yes; Schaefer: yes; Jones: yes. Tally: 6–0. Outcome: approved.

Resolution 25-R-57 — Summit County budget certification Vote: Stiles: yes; Almond: yes; Katz: yes; Schaefer: yes; Jones: yes; Cott/Cobb: yes. Tally: 6–0. Outcome: approved.

Resolution 25-R-58 — Transfer of funds to fire district fund Vote: Ahmad: yes; Katz: yes; Schaefer: yes; Jones: yes; Powell: yes; Scott: yes. Tally: 6–0. Outcome: approved.

Resolution 25-R-59 — Additional appropriations to 2025 budget Vote: recorded; tally 6–0. Outcome: approved.

Resolution 25-R-60 — Apply for STBG grant (SR 619) Vote: recorded; tally 6–0. Outcome: approved.

Resolution 25-R-61 — Disposal of unneeded property (ORC 721.15a) Vote: recorded; tally 6–0. Outcome: approved.

What council instructed next

Council asked staff to finalize items where emergency appropriations were requested so the departments can proceed, and to return with additional details on the developer agreement and the ordinance on abandoned facilities. Several measures were passed as emergency resolutions to allow immediate implementation where time-sensitive procurement or statutory advertising was required.