Parma Heights council approves 2026 budget, employee pay plan and cybersecurity program

Parma Heights City Council on Dec. 8 approved the city's 2026 appropriations ordinance, adopted a revised employee compensation ordinance and voted to adopt a cybersecurity program required under state law.

The meeting, called to order by Council President Rounds at 7:05 p.m., included routine departmental reports and several roll-call votes. Safety Director Bova reported the Fire Department "provided mutual aid on 6 separate occasions" this year and said, "As of today's date, the Fire Department has responded to approximately 4,000 calls for service this year," figures the council received as part of the public-safety update. Mayor Gallo announced the city had been awarded a Cuyahoga County Supplemental Grant of "$50K" for improvements to the Greenbrier Commons tennis and pickleball courts.

Why it matters: passing the annual appropriations ordinance gives city departments legal authority to spend in 2026, the compensation ordinance sets pay and benefits for city employees, and the cybersecurity ordinance implements a program the city said is being adopted pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64.

Council action and other highlights The council held over Ordinance No. 2025-84 (employee benefits amendment) for another reading. By roll call, council passed Ordinance No. 2025-92, which "establishe[s] appropriations for the current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Parma Heights" for Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2026. Council also approved three separate amendments to the Parma Heights codified ordinances (Ordinance Nos. 2025-93, 2025-94, 2025-95) and a resolution authorizing a consulting agreement with McCaulley & Company LLC.

Council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-98, which "establishes compensation paid to various employees of the City of Parma Heights," after accepting an amendment, suspending the rules and passing it by roll call. Council then moved to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-100, "to adopt a cybersecurity program pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64," and suspended the rules to pass the ordinance at the same meeting.

The council also approved Resolution No. 2025-103 to enter a construction consulting on-call agreement with Quality Control Inspection, Inc., and passed Resolution No. 2025-105 directing the Cuyahoga County fiscal officer to make advances of property taxes levied on the 2025 tax list and duplicate.

Department notes and community items Recreation Director Sedlak promoted a resident-only Story Time with Santa event on Dec. 13, saying the program has two seatings and that registration will close this Wednesday; Sedlak noted 47 and 31 registrants for the two seatings and that Old Brook High School will provide breakfast. Service Director Sepik explained that collected leaves are composted into top soil ("44 trucks filled" last year) and reminded residents that Republic Service picks up yard waste year-round. Mayor Gallo thanked staff and noted Senior Center meal service: "the Senior Center served and/or delivered 1,109 meals over the past two weeks."

Votes at a glance - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-84: "Amending Section 179.01 'Employee Benefits'" ' Motion to hold over; mover: Councilwoman DeSouza; second: Councilwoman Maruschak; outcome: held over for another reading (roll call aye: Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-92: 2026 appropriations ordinance ' Passed (roll call aye: Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-93: Amend Chapter 619 ' Passed (roll call aye: Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-94: Amend Section 660.14 (Fences) ' Passed (roll call aye: Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-95: Amend Chapter 703 (Advertising and signs) ' Passed (roll call aye: DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, Rounds). - RESOLUTION NO. 2025-97: Consulting agreement with McCaulley & Company LLC ' Passed (roll call aye: Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-98: Establishing employee compensation (as amended) ' Rules suspended and passed (roll call aye: Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-100: Adopt cybersecurity program (pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 9.64) ' Rules suspended and passed (roll call aye: DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-101: Appropriating funds for 2025 (repeal of ordinance 2025-38) ' Held over to next meeting (motion pursuant to Council Rule #31; roll call aye: Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Rounds). - RESOLUTION NO. 2025-103: On-call construction consulting agreement with QCI ' Passed (roll call aye: Palmisano, DeSouza, Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Rounds). - ORDINANCE NO. 2025-104: Cooperative agreement with the City of Parma for public safety dispatch services ' First reading; no final vote recorded. - RESOLUTION NO. 2025-105: Direct advances of property taxes to be made by the county fiscal officer ' Rules suspended and passed (roll call aye: Durichko, Maruschak, Vanek, Palmisano, DeSouza, Rounds).

The council adjourned at 7:56 p.m. after moving and seconding a motion to adjourn. Several items were held over for further consideration. The next regularly scheduled meeting was not specified in the minutes.