Mayors discuss NOACA appointment changes; Pamela Bobst reappointed as representative

The Westshore Council of Governments discussed proposed governance changes at the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and unanimously reappointed Rocky River Mayor Pamela Bobst as the COG’s NOACA representative.

Mayor Pamela Bobst reported that a special NOACA meeting examined appointment criteria and that “the Governance Committee has proposed allowing more flexibility in appointments,” an approach that would shift some appointment power in certain counties. She said the change would not affect Cuyahoga County directly but could alter representation rules in Medina, Lorain, Geauga and Lake counties. Bobst said Medina County officials want to retain an elected county engineer as a voting member rather than convert the seat to a county commissioner appointment.

Mayor Dennis Clough moved to reappoint Bobst as the NOACA representative; Mayor Meghan George seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. Mayor Bobst will notify County Executive Chris Ronayne of her reappointment. The council did not take a formal position on the governance language itself, and members noted the proposed criteria would need NOACA legal counsel review and input from affected counties before it could be adopted.

The discussion underscored differing county preferences over representation: Bobst framed the current proposal as administrative flexibility, while members highlighted that local political structures (for example, elected engineers) remain important to some jurisdictions. No deadline for NOACA action was stated at the meeting.