Lakemore council approves tax levy certification, school safety and staffing agreements, appropriations and other measures

Lakemore — The Lakemore Village Council adopted multiple resolutions and an ordinance in a single meeting, approving tax levy certifications, school safety and staffing agreements, changes to appropriations and other routine financial items.

The council voted to adopt Resolution No. 7484-2025 certifying amounts and rates and authorizing necessary tax levies to be sent to the Summit County fiscal officer; to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Springfield Local School District for school resource officer (SRO) services (Resolution No. 7491-2025); to authorize a service agreement to provide an attendance coordinator for Springfield Local Schools through the Lakemore Police Department (Resolution No. 7492-2025); and to adopt Ordinance No. 19 O 2-2025 amending appropriations for 2025. The council also accepted the resignation of a part-time firefighter-medic, adopted a proclamation supporting the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) levy, and approved routine financial items including acceptance of purchase orders, bills and the July 2025 bank reconciliation.

Why it matters: The levy certification sets the local steps necessary to collect countywide levies if approved; the SRO MOU and the attendance-coordinator agreement formalize the village’s role in school safety and student attendance services for the 2025–26 school year; and the appropriations ordinance adjusts budgeted spending for several funds for the remainder of 2025.

Key actions and details

- Resolution No. 7484-2025 (tax levy certification): Council approved the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorized certification to the Summit County fiscal officer. The resolution states the county fiscal officer’s estimate that a proposed ADM levy would collect $46,539,037 annually at a rate not to exceed 3.45 mills (equivalent to $75 per $100,000 of appraised value), commencing in 2026 and first due in 2027. The resolution language also notes the levy renewal of 2.95 mills and an increase of 0.50 mills. The council declared the measure an emergency for immediate effect. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Resolution No. 7491-2025 (SRO MOU with Springfield Local School District): The council approved an MOU establishing terms for provision and use of school resource officer services effective July 1, 2025, through July 30, 2026, noting the agreement is required by section 3313.951 of the Ohio Revised Code. The council declared the resolution an emergency to take effect immediately. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Resolution No. 7492-2025 (police service agreement — attendance coordinator): The council approved a service agreement for the 2025–26 school year (176 days) for the Lakemore Police Department to provide an attendance coordinator to Springfield Local Schools. A copy of the agreement was attached to the resolution. The council declared the resolution an emergency to take effect immediately. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Resolution No. 7493-2025 (resignation accepted): Council accepted the resignation of Jason Donaldson as a part-time firefighter-medic with the Lakemore Fire Department and thanked him for his service; the resolution stated an effective date of Sept. 1, 2025. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Resolution No. 7494-2025 (proclamation supporting ADM levy): Council proclaimed municipal support for placing a renewal and increase of the Summit County ADM levy on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot, and declared the measure an emergency to be adopted immediately. The resolution repeats the levy details summarized under Resolution No. 7484-2025. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Ordinance No. 19 O 2-2025 (amended appropriations): Council approved amendments to the 2025 appropriations ordinance to increase appropriations in several funds (the transcript lists multiple line items including a general fund increase of $12,392.35, memorial bench funding of $17,424.09, and BGA grant expenses of $1,120; some line items in the transcript are transcribed imperfectly). The ordinance was declared an emergency for immediate effect. (Roll-call recorded as "yes" by the members present.)

- Routine financial and administrative items: The council accepted minutes from its Sept. 2, 2025 meeting; approved purchase orders dated Aug. 30–Sept. 12, 2025 totaling $40,534.57; approved bills dated Aug. 30–Sept. 12, 2025 totaling $214,404.99; and accepted the July 2025 bank reconciliation. All motions were approved by roll call.

Voting and procedure notes: Multiple items were voted after the council moved to dispense with third readings and then adopted by roll-call votes. The transcript records each item’s roll call with members responding "yes." The meeting minutes and the resolutions state that council found the actions were adopted in open meetings in compliance with Ohio law (referencing Section 121.22 of the Ohio Revised Code).

What the council did not decide: The meeting record does not include debate on the substance of the ADM levy proposal itself (the resolutions express municipal support), nor does it record any registered public-comment vote opposing the measures. Specific financial line-item wording for some appropriation adjustments was transcribed incompletely; where the transcript is unclear the article reports the amounts shown in the record or marks specific details as not specified.

Upcoming or follow-up items: The SRO MOU is effective July 1, 2025, through July 30, 2026; the attendance coordinator agreement covers the 2025–26 school year (176 days). The resolutions and ordinance state they take effect immediately as emergency measures.

Ending: The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn and a roll-call that closed the session at 6:34 p.m.