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Mayor presses for accountability after Aug. 6 storm, criticizes FirstEnergy response
Summary
Mayor Michael Brennan thanked city staff and partner agencies for storm response after the Aug. 6 storms, urged state officials to hold FirstEnergy accountable for prolonged outages and cited recent legal settlements as inadequate; he asked council and residents to press for better grid performance.
Mayor Michael Brennan gave a detailed recap of the city’s response to severe weather on Aug. 6, saying multiple tornados touched down on the west side of the region while University Heights experienced extensive tree damage and power outages affecting more than 1,000 households.
Brennan praised the Fire, Police and Service Departments, volunteers, Heights Libraries and county and state officials for response and support. He credited the county and state emergency declarations for enabling University Heights to seek reimbursement for storm‑related costs.
Brennan criticized FirstEnergy’s preparedness and post‑storm performance, urging state officials to demand better oversight and accountability. He referenced media reporting about prior legal and financial issues involving the company and said recent enforcement was insufficient. "FirstEnergy must do better," he told council.
Council members and staff described operational steps taken locally: the Service Department collected spoiled food and provided shower access at Walter Stinson Community Park for residents without power; the city procured emergency light poles to assist Orthodox Jewish residents needing to walk to temple during Shabbos.
No formal vote followed the mayor’s remarks, but Brennan said he has urged council to weigh in on utility oversight and noted continued follow‑up with state leaders and regional partners.
