Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council on police use of force, homelessness and billing errors during public comment
Summary
Three residents urged action: Cassandra White criticized the council’s response to recent officer‑involved injuries and deaths and called officials 'cowards'; Kim Bell raised safety and homelessness concerns and reported Hall of Fame property liens; investor Nicholas Goodnight described repeated double‑billing by the building department and urged a paperless option.
Three members of the public used the city’s public-comment period to press Canton City Council on public safety, homelessness, municipal property liabilities and administrative billing errors.
Cassandra White (4161 Arlington Road) addressed the council about multiple recent incidents involving police contact that she said left people dead or severely injured. Citing local cases and urging the council to engage with families, White asked, "When is enough?" and said to council members, "Because you all are cowards," calling on officials to show more direct concern and to consider how Akron’s council has responded to similar incidents. White also raised construction-complaint concerns at Highland Park and called for justice for named individuals.
Kim Bell (1733 Morris Avenue) thanked the council for some services but raised traffic-safety and homelessness concerns. She asked whether the city could add flashing warning lights near newly installed speed tables and described people camping near the downtown fountain and behind the Rite Aid; she also urged collaborative work to resolve "over 10 liens" reported on the Hall of Fame property and said residents should seek private investment and ideas to fix the situation.
Nicholas (Nick) Goodnight, an investor with properties in the city, said he received multiple mailed rental/billing notices for the same units and estimated mailing costs that could be saved with a paperless option. Goodnight offered to help audit processes or serve on a committee to identify and fix administrative inefficiencies.
Council members acknowledged the comments and said staff would follow up on the duplicate-billing complaint. Chief Gabbard was announced to present police year-end statistics at an upcoming committee meeting; no council action on police accountability was recorded in this session.
