Mayor updates council on waterline projects, missed trash pickups and leased building repairs

Mayor William Judge delivered the mayor’s report during the Jan. 5 committee‑of‑the‑whole meeting, summarizing ongoing infrastructure work and community updates.

The mayor said crews completed the Wisteria Avenue waterline replacement (with yard restoration to follow in spring) and Frank Street work; 5th Street Northwest remains under construction and Stratford Avenue was expected to start the week of Jan. 5. He explained grant funding relationships and that project bids had come in below estimates, prompting a re‑ratio discussion among grant, loan and city shares; engineers and contractors are working on alignment and sequencing to avoid service interruption. The mayor warned that freezing-and‑thawing temperatures have increased water main breaks, noting crews worked longer shifts to respond and further breaks are possible with fluctuating temperatures.

On municipal services, the mayor reported about 497 missed trash/recycling stops in Ward 6 that were to be serviced the next day; residents were notified on social media and inspectors were directed not to tag those stops. The mayor also noted two new downtown businesses and promoted a Jan. 12 Summit County public forum about changes to SNAP and Medicaid benefits (doors at 5:00 p.m., start 5:30 p.m.).

Council members questioned a Dec. 16 request for Amerisil funding of up to $34,000 tied to the Boilermaker building and whether a lease obligates the lessee to reimburse such stabilization work. The mayor and staff said the city owns the building and must stabilize it after a structural issue; they will review the lease and report back on reimbursement possibilities.