Committees approve personnel pay adjustments, jail mental‑health posts and multi‑agency bridge agreement

Summit County committees on Thursday approved a slate of personnel and public‑works measures, including salary adjustments for Child Support Enforcement staff, two new mental‑health coordinator positions for the jail, and a cooperative agreement to study and redesign a frequently flooded bridge on the Summit–Cuyahoga county line.

The personnel committee approved Resolution 2026‑124 after Caitlin Croft, representing the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, said the Child Support Enforcement Agency seeks salary adjustments for 14 non‑bargaining employees. "The Child Support Enforcement Agency is requesting salary adjustments for 14 non bargaining staff," Croft said, adding that the proposal "gives us a savings of $108,000" and that "there will be no budgetary increase or additional funding needed for these adjustments." The motion was made by Councilman Donna Frio and carried with one abstention.

Also in personnel, the committee approved Resolution 2026‑142 to establish a new classification and salary schedule for two non‑bargaining mental‑health coordinator positions in the sheriff’s office. Carrie Hill of the Department of Human Resources told the committee the positions were approved by the county’s human resources commission and will be placed in the jail intake area. The sheriff said the coordinators will add a mental‑health screening at intake: "These 2 positions are going to be placed in the intake area... Every person coming to the jail will have not only a medical evaluation, but a mental health preliminary evaluation," he said, describing the change as a step to identify and address mental‑health needs earlier.

Job qualifications in the posted description list a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or behavioral science as preferred, though the county noted extensive correctional mental‑health experience may be considered.

The Public Works committee approved three engineering change orders and a cooperative agreement. Summit County Engineer Heidi Swindell described Resolution 2026‑125, a cooperative agreement with Cuyahoga County, Brecksville and other agencies to design and repair a low‑profile bridge that frequently floods the roadway on the Brecksville side. "Right on the border between us and the city of Brecksville... there is a bridge going over the Cuyahoga River. It has too low of a profile. The road in the city of Brecksville floods pretty much every time it rains and they have to close the road down," Swindell said. Summit County would cover 50% of the bridge design costs and plans to use surface water management district funds and Norstead dollars.

The committee also confirmed change order No. 3 to a design services agreement with Burgess & Niple for additional stormwater work in Northfield Center Township (Resolution 2026‑126). The change order adds up to $65,551, for a cumulative engineer contract total not to exceed $369,539. Swindell said residents and township trustees asked for extra study of neighborhood easements but staff determined including some backyard easements would be cost‑prohibitive and would require extensive negotiations.

A separate change order to Verdantus LLC for the Springfield Lake Watershed Study (Resolution 2026‑127) increased the engineer’s not‑to‑exceed amount by $19,760 to a cumulative $271,685.12. Staff said portions of an existing pipe under buildings appear damaged and the additional work will evaluate replacement, relocation or hydraulic modifications.

Votes at a glance

• Res. 2026‑124 — Approve salary adjustments for 14 Child Support Enforcement positions; motion by Councilman Donna Frio; passed with one abstention.

• Res. 2026‑142 — Create classification and salary schedule for two mental‑health coordinators (sheriff’s office); passed.

• Res. 2026‑125 — Authorize cooperative agreement and emergency declaration for bridge design and improvements in Sagamore Hills (estimated county cost $2,300,000); passed.

• Res. 2026‑126 — Approve change order No. 3 to Burgess & Niple for Northfield Center Township drainage study (increase up to $65,551; cumulative not to exceed $369,539); passed.

• Res. 2026‑127 — Approve change order to Verdantus LLC for Springfield Lake Watershed Study (increase up to $19,760; cumulative not to exceed $271,685.12); passed.

What’s next

The personnel committee closed and the public works committee continued with the listed emergency declarations and change orders; no further public hearings on the listed items were announced during the meeting. Further steps will follow standard contracting and procurement reviews before construction or hiring occurs.