Seven Hills council adopts three emergency measures, approves city contract and denies moral claim

The Seven Hills City Council on Sept. 16 adopted three emergency resolutions, passed an ordinance authorizing a city agreement with Worldwide LLC and William D. Mason, denied a moral claim and approved a resolution of accommodation recognizing a longtime city employee’s retirement.

The council approved Resolution No. 8-2025 to ceremonially rename a section of Belmont Drive “Officer Jacob Durbin Memorial Way,” adopted Resolution No. 9-2025 requesting county tax advances under Ohio law, and adopted Resolution No. 10-2025 accepting budget commission amounts and certifying tax levies for 2026. The council also passed Ordinance No. 43-2025, authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Worldwide LLC and William D. Mason; the transcript did not specify contract terms. Council members voted to deny a moral claim from Don Swazlak, and approved a resolution of accommodation honoring Kathy Hanlon’s years of service.

Why it matters: The ceremonial renaming and planned tree plantings acknowledge an officer killed in the line of duty and will be publicly recognized in a joint ceremony Sept. 26. The tax- and levy-related resolutions and the ordinance affect routine municipal finance and contracting; the moral-claim denial resolves a pending claim against the city without authorizing payment.

Resolution 8-2025: Durbin memorial naming and ceremony Mayor Villasieva introduced Resolution 8-2025 as a joint measure with the city of Brooklyn Heights to place ceremonial signage naming Belmont Drive as Officer Jacob Durbin Memorial Way. “Resolution 8-2025 is a joint resolution with the city of Brooklyn Heights,” Villasieva said, noting a ceremony scheduled for Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. at the Belmont Avenue entrance to the Beverly Nature Preserve. The mayor and council clarified the change is ceremonial: the city will install signage and plant trees at the Beverly Nature Preserve entrance, but the official street name and mailing addresses will remain Belmont. The council voted to adopt the emergency clause and then adopt the resolution; the roll call recorded unanimous yes votes from the seven council members present. The record shows the council explicitly declared the measure an emergency and approved it in one meeting.

Resolutions 9-2025 and 10-2025: tax advances and levies Council adopted Resolution 9-2025, which requests that the county fiscal officer make property tax advance payments to the city during calendar year 2026 pursuant to a cited section of the Ohio Revised Code. Council then adopted Resolution 10-2025 accepting amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing required tax levies for certification to the county fiscal officer. Both measures were read by title, the emergency clauses were approved, and both passed on unanimous roll-call votes. The transcript cites section 321.34 of the Ohio Revised Code as the authority referenced for tax advances.

Ordinance 43-2025: city agreement with Worldwide LLC and William D. Mason The council suspended rules and passed Ordinance 43-2025 as an emergency measure, authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into an agreement on behalf of the city with Worldwide LLC and William D. Mason. The text and financial terms of the agreement were not stated in the meeting record. The ordinance passed on a unanimous roll-call vote after council approved the emergency clause.

Moral claim denied; retirement accommodation approved During miscellaneous business, the council held a roll call on the Don Swazlak moral claim. A yes vote denied the claim; the roll call returned a majority of yes votes and the council denied the moral claim. Later in the meeting council members moved and seconded a resolution of accommodation honoring Kathy Hanlon on her retirement; the motion carried by unanimous voice vote, and councilmembers said a formal presentation will be scheduled.

Other business and mayor’s remarks In his remarks the mayor recounted the city’s Sept. 11 remembrance activities and said the city plans a mobile mural honoring first responders with a portion dedicated to Officer Durbin; he said the mural artist has begun work on property between the fire station and the gazebo but provided no completion date. The council received routine committee reports and approved minutes from prior meetings. The meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.

Votes (as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Resolution 8-2025 (naming Belmont Drive “Officer Jacob Durbin Memorial Way”; emergency): adopted; roll-call yes = 7, no = 0, outcome = adopted. - Resolution 9-2025 (requesting county tax advance payments under Ohio Revised Code §321.34; emergency): adopted; roll-call yes = 7, no = 0, outcome = adopted. - Resolution 10-2025 (accepting amounts/rates and certifying tax levies; emergency): adopted; roll-call yes = 7, no = 0, outcome = adopted. - Ordinance 43-2025 (authorizing agreement with Worldwide LLC and William D. Mason; emergency): passed; roll-call yes = 7, no = 0, outcome = passed. Terms not specified in the transcript. - Moral claim (Don Swazlak): denied; roll-call recorded majority yes votes; outcome = denied. - Resolution of accommodation for Kathy Hanlon (retirement): adopted by voice vote; outcome = adopted.

Council members and staff who spoke during the recorded actions included Mayor Villasieva; Council Pro Tem Castanzo; Councilperson Kelly; Councilmen Elliot, Martin, Snitsky and Morrow; Law Director Moore; Deputy Director of Finance (listed in roll call as Van Ault); City Engineer Gerson; and Building Commissioner Grassi (excused).