Barberton City Council approves multiple charter amendments, parking study and appropriations; hears paving update

Barberton City Council on July 13 adopted a package of ordinances that will change parts of the city charter, fund police records work and clear the way for testing and design work on a downtown parking lot, while also receiving a detailed update on the city paving program.

President Rebecca Gearhart opened the meeting and presided as the council moved quickly through committee reports and the consent agenda. Taylor Thompson was sworn in as councilperson for Ward 6 at the start of the evening.

Council approved Ordinance 81-20-26, an $87,000 appropriation from the law-enforcement trust fund to the police operating budget, which the council said will be used to digitize files. The ordinance was placed on the consent agenda, the council suspended the rules and adopted it by roll call.

Mrs. Beck presented three charter-related ordinances that the council adopted and sent toward the ballot with emergency language: Ordinance 82-20-26 would place the Parks and Recreation department under the service director and make the parks commission advisory; Ordinance 83-20-26 removes the requirement that six public places must be designated for physical public notice posting when posting is chosen; and Ordinance 84-20-26 replaces Article 7 on elections with new, nonpartisan nominations-and-elections language. Council members debated emergency wording to ensure the measures reach the ballot on schedule before voting to adopt.

Council also adopted Ordinance 86-20-26 to authorize the mayor to enter a contract for geotechnical testing and redesign of Block 7 (the “purple lot”) parking improvements. Council members raised concerns about underlying soil stability and total project cost; staff described the contract as phased work that begins with five borings and field analysis to determine feasibility and next steps. Mrs. Beck noted that some community-development block grant (CDBG) and tax-increment financing (TIF) funds will offset part of the cost.

In finance and personnel business, the council debated a classified position for an Assistant Director of Public Safety. The position will be posted and filled following standard classified hiring procedures. The council also approved a reappropriation to the fire department to account for reimbursements from an Assistance to Firefighters grant; the reappropriation was described to be in the millions and tied to grant reimbursements for personnel physicals.

During communications, city official John Shreve (filling in for the mayor) briefed council on the city’s multi-step paving program, calling on residents to wait until final work is complete before judging surface quality. “They’re grinding the ******* out,” he said, describing the current temporary “leveling course” and warning that the leveling coat “is not the final pavement. It’s going to be hideous” until final paving and sealing are applied. Shreve outlined outreach steps—contractor door notices, a revised form letter for residents, social media postings and the possibility of ward-level meetings—to inform the public about timing and temporary impacts.

Before adjourning, President Gearhart moved the council into executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(g)(1)(a) to consider matters related to appointment, employment or compensation of a public employee; roll call confirmed the executive session began at 7:34 p.m.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance 81-20-26 (police appropriation) — adopted (consent agenda); Ordinance 82-20-26 (parks charter amendment) — suspended rules and adopted; Ordinance 83-20-26 (public notice) — suspended rules and adopted; Ordinance 84-20-26 (nonpartisan elections) — suspended rules and adopted; Ordinance 86-20-26 (Block 7 testing/design) — adopted; Ordinance 77-2026 (certify special assessments) — adopted on second reading. (All adoptions recorded by roll call; full roll-call records are in the city clerk’s minutes.)

Next steps: The charter amendments will proceed to the ballot as directed by the emergency language; staff will move forward with the Block 7 geotechnical work and the city will continue outreach on the paving program. The council entered executive session and did not conduct further public business that evening.