The Stow City Council held its organizational meeting on Jan. 2 and elected new leadership for 2026. Council members approved Kyle Harmon as council president, John Baranek as vice president and Kyle Feldman as president pro tempore by roll-call votes.

The elections began after the council recognized a local speech-and-debate champion. Speaker 1 moved to nominate Kyle Harmon for council president; Speaker 4 seconded the nomination and Speaker 5 moved to close nominations. The clerk conducted a roll-call vote that recorded six votes in favor and one opposed, carrying the motion to elect the nominee recorded in the transcript as Kyle Harmon.

After the vote, the newly elected council president (Speaker 4) thanked colleagues and outlined priorities. “I am committed to being an authentic and results driven leader who collaborates with others to improve our quality of life,” the president said, and urged steps to make council meetings more accessible and to encourage public participation.

For vice president, Speaker 4 nominated John Baranek, citing his service as finance director and finance committee chair; the nomination was seconded and approved by roll call. The transcript records the clerk conducting that vote with a predominant yes majority.

The council also elected Kyle Feldman as president pro tem after a nomination citing his prior service as immediate past president. That vote passed by roll call. Speaker 4 asked council members to communicate committee preferences to him for upcoming committee appointments; no committee assignments were announced at the meeting.

All three leadership elections were completed by formal motions and roll-call votes during the meeting. The council adjourned after completing the brief organizational agenda.

Votes at a glance: president — nominee (transcript spelling: Kyle Harmon) elected by roll call (6 yes, 1 no); vice president — John Baranek elected by roll call (majority yes); president pro tem — Kyle Feldman elected by roll call (5 yes, 1 no recorded in the transcript).

Next steps: committee appointments will be set after council members communicate their preferences to the council president.