Norton City Council adopts resurfacing, guardrail repairs, police vehicle and other measures in expedited votes
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Summary
On April 6 the Norton City Council amended the agenda and adopted multiple ordinances by roll-call votes, including increasing the city's share for State Route 261 resurfacing to about $600,714, approving $50,310 in guardrail repairs as an emergency, purchasing a police vehicle with a $5,534 city net cost, and awarding an HVAC contract to SA Communal.
Norton City Council amended its agenda and moved quickly through a slate of ordinances and resolutions at the April 6 meeting, adopting multiple items by roll-call vote and declaring emergency language where noted.
Key adoptions included ordinance 38‑2026 to increase the city's share of State Route 261 resurfacing to approximately $600,714; the motion to adopt passed on a roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting yes. Councilmember Towsley said the earlier estimate had been an estimate and the additional 1.1 miles raised the city’s share; administration said the project must be authorized so work can proceed.
Council also adopted ordinance 40‑2026 authorizing Lake Erie Construction Company to repair various guardrails across the city for $50,310, with council members stressing liability and public-safety urgency. "Once that guardrail gets damaged, we're responsible to practically get it up as fast as we can to make sure that nobody else is harmed," a service official said during discussion; council moved to waive second and third readings and adopted the ordinance by roll call.
Ordinance 39‑2026, authorizing purchase of a 2025 Jeep for the police department at a cost not to exceed $33,244, was adopted after council noted an insurance settlement of $27,710 would reduce the city’s out‑of‑pocket cost to $5,534.
The council also adopted ordinance 41‑2026 to contract HVAC preventative maintenance services with SA Communal (not to exceed $16,940), noting that the administration favored a local contractor and that the item replaced a previously proposed ordinance 31. Council said supporting a major local employer was an additional rationale for the award.
In addition to these expedited adoptions, council approved earlier-introduced items including ordinance 22‑2026 (tax-increment financing for property at 3888 South Cleveland–Massillon Road), ordinance 23‑2026 (annexation of city-owned property in Chippewa Township), ordinance 24‑2026 (zoning code update contract with OHM Advisors, not to exceed $90,000), and ordinance 27‑2026 (purchase of a front-end loader not to exceed $230,328.65). These ordinances passed on roll-call votes recorded in the meeting minutes.
Votes at a glance:
- Ordinance 38‑2026 (SR‑261 resurfacing cost increase to ~$600,714): adopted (roll-call: Towsley Yes; DeHartford Yes; Lukens Yes; Adler Yes; Lee Yes; Mowery Yes; Harper Yes). - Ordinance 39‑2026 (police vehicle, $33,244): adopted (roll-call: Ader Yes; Towsley Yes; DeHartford Yes; Lukens Yes; Lee Yes; Mowery Yes; Harbert Yes). - Ordinance 40‑2026 (guardrail repairs, $50,310): adopted (unanimous roll-call recorded). - Ordinance 41‑2026 (HVAC maintenance, SA Communal, $16,940): adopted (unanimous roll-call recorded). - Ordinance 22‑2026 (TIF at 3888 S. Cleveland–Massillon Road, Dunkin' Donuts): adopted. - Ordinance 23‑2026 (annexation of city property in Chippewa Township): adopted. - Ordinance 24‑2026 (zoning code update contract, OHM Advisors, $90,000): adopted. - Ordinance 27‑2026 (front-end loader, $230,328.65): adopted.
Council also waived the third reading and adopted Resolution 30‑2026 confirming appointments to the Charter Review Commission. For items adopted with emergency language, staff said the emergency declarations allow work to proceed quickly and, where applicable, the administration will seek reimbursement (for example, insurance reimbursement for guardrail damages when possible).
Next steps: Administration will follow up with contract documents, provide details about where Summit County inspection services will be based (for ordinance 36), and post related materials for public review. Council scheduled charter review meetings and highlighted community events such as Green Up Day on April 11.
