Displaying items by tag: City of Akron

(City of Akron) Today (Wednesday), Mayor Horrigan is pleased to announce that work on Main Street has flipped from the west side of the street to the east side, marking the completion of a vast majority of the major underground utility work on the project. This milestone moves the project one important step closer to completion which is scheduled for July 2020.

"This critical indicator of progress is a reminder that the finish line is in sight,” said Mayor Dan Horrigan. “I am excited to see the ultimate result of all the work that has gone into completely renovating our Main Street Corridor. I continue to encourage residents to support the wonderful businesses that call Main Street 'home’ as we push forward with the last stretch of Phase I construction.”

All northbound traffic, between W. State St. and just south of W. Bowery St., has now been flipped over onto the newly paved west side of the street as contractors begin work along the east side. With this shift of traffic, on-street parking will not be available within these limits. On street parking is available on University Ave., State St. and S. High St. This portion of the project (State St. to Bowery St.) is expected to be complete by June 30.

Free two hour parking will be available in the Summit County parking deck located at 200 S. High St., for those visiting Main Street businesses impacted by this phase of construction. Click here for a parking map. Vouchers are good for up to two hours. Vouchers are available with a purchase from any of the following businesses: Indulge, Key Bank, El Gato, Lockview, Baxter’s, The Peanut Shoppe, US Bank, Barley House, and the Civic Box Office. Patrons should take a ticket upon entering the deck, and then when leaving, should insert their ticket (at the High Street exit) and when prompted to pay, scan their voucher.

In addition to the work associated with the Main Street Corridor Project, private vault work on several of the historic buildings will also be ongoing. Pedestrian access and northbound traffic will be maintained for the entirety of the project.

“I extend my gratitude to all our businesses, workers, residents, and visitors for their continued patience as we completely recreate Main Street into a more beautiful, functional, and inviting corridor for all users, while also making needed upgrades to the underground utilities,” Mayor Horrigan continued. “The inconveniences of construction will be temporary, but the infrastructure investment being made along Main Street will last for generations.”

For the most up-to-date information about the project please visit www.driveakron.com.

(City of Akron) (Monday), Mayor Dan Horrigan is proud to release the Five-Year Strategic Framework for the Office of Integrated Development (OID) created this year under the direction of Deputy Mayor James Hardy.  Through this plan, the City will better focus its resources and relationships, advance equitable outcomes, and deliver improved services for all Akron residents.  OID is responsible for business attraction and retention, entrepreneurship, downtown development, recreation and public space, land use and zoning, as well as long range planning and City real estate. OID’s portfolio of projects will build upon existing strategies including Elevate Greater Akron, the Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan, and Planning to Grow Akron.  The OID Five-Year Strategic Framework details the bold actions and bold measures of accountability needed to transform Akron’s neighborhoods and improve the lives of Akron residents in meaningful ways.

“OID is not about doing something different for difference’s sake.  It’s about working smarter together to build and sustain an Akron that is healthy, equitable, beautiful, and resilient,” Mayor Horrigan said. “Vision-driven, community-focused development is not just the right thing to do, it’s also good business. My hope in the coming years, as we take this more inclusive approach to development, is that our residents find increased economic opportunity for themselves and their families and an overall improved quality of life.”

The Framework comes after more than a year of strategic planning, facilitated by Lynn Ross, Founder and Principal of Spirit for Change Consulting, LLC, and supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which made a grant of $139,020 to help develop and launch OID.

“This process and the resulting OID Five-Year Strategic Framework were born, in part, out of our local experience with Reimagining the Civic Commons initiative,” said Knight Foundation Akron Director Kyle Kutuchief. “The implementation of this plan is an extension of that new way of working focused on co-design, co-creation and co-stewardship.”

The 10 core values outlined in the OID Five-Year Strategic Framework will drive the attitudes, choices and actions of the OID team as they advance five overarching goals: Destination for All, Economic Opportunity, Placemaking and Placekeeping, Learning and Creativity, and More Equitable Akron.  “Equity is foundational to every aspect of the OID Five-Year Strategic Framework” Ross said. “What’s clear in this framework is that the OID team recognizes that to advance equity there must be increased fairness within its own systems, processes and procedures as well as justice in the distribution of resources.”

The Framework also details specific indicators designed to measure progress. The indicators—which will be reported annually—establish accountability for the OID team to the Akron community.  Indicators cover everything from Black/White Disparity in Median Household Income and Geographic Equity (elimination of concentrated poverty), to Private Investment in Real Estate per $1 of City Investment and Laborforce Participation, to Acres of Parkland per 1,000 Residents and Akron’s Transit Score®.  

Due to reductions in state and federal tax-sharing, the City’s total staff devoted to development and planning has been reduced by more than 45% over the last two decades. OID leverages an existing team of highly-trained and experienced city employees into a new organizational structure, proposes minimal new positions, and supports improved transparency and cross-team coordination and learning.

“In Akron, we are working to build a city that is resilient in the face of an ever-changing world.  As we step out of the Rust Belt shadow to reclaim and renew our own future, the OID Strategic Framework defines both the pathway to and measures of progress,” Deputy Mayor Hardy said. “It charts a course toward a more transparent and accountable method of urban development in order to achieve measurable outcomes for real people.”

With the support of the Knight Foundation, the OID Five-Year Strategic Framework document was designed by the Original Champions of Design, with original photography by Shane Wynn Photography. The framework is available at www.akronohio.gov/OID.

The City of Akron is getting residents in the holiday spirit with the 16th annual Winterblast at Lock 3. 

The season of outdoor, wintry fun for both adults and kids kicks off Friday, November 29th, Black Friday, and runs through February 17th. 

“Winterblast is a hallmark of the Akron holiday season,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “It’s well worth the effort to navigate the downtown construction and stop by Lock 3 for a truly unique and enjoyable experience—whether that’s skating on the ice rink, strolling past the magical, animated window displays, or attending one of the many unique seasonal events. There truly is something for everyone during Winterblast.” 

Winterblast at Lock 3 Featured Events:

OPENING CELEBRATION:  Fri. Nov. 29^th | Festivities begin at 6:30 pm. Tree lighting at 7:30 pm.  Join us for free hot chocolate and cookie decorating, lighting of the City of Akron’s official tree, fireworks, make-n-take crafts, COSI – Center of Science and Industry with cool science spots, write a letter to Santa, and visit with Rudolph and friends, and more! Opening day hours: 11 am-11 pm.

CANDY CANE LANE - Presented by Cardinal Group and Signet Jewelers: Nov. 29^th – Jan. 1^st | 8 animated cottage windows will delight young and old.

WELCOME SANTA PARADE - Presented by Bridgestone: Sat. Nov. 30^th | 10 am – On Bowery from Exchange to Main St. Welcome Santa to Town! (Visit lock3live.com for route)

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA - Presented by Akron Community Foundation: Sat. Dec. 14^th and 21^st | 9:30 am –11:30 am. AND Sun. Dec. 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd | 9:30 am –11:30 am.  Event includes breakfast, entrance to the Akron Children's Museum, ice skating, skate rental, Polar Putt-Putt and photo opportunities with Santa and costumed characters. $15 Children | $10 Adult

A VERY GRINCHY NIGHT- Presented by HM Miller Construction: Sat. Dec. 14^th | 5 pm – 9pm. Menu includes Roast Beast, Who Pudding and More. The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who will be there for photos. Children $10 (12 and under), Adults $15. Price includes Dinner, Photos, Putt-Putt and Skating Coupon. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Movie, starring Jim Carrey – Free Admission – Movie starts at 7:30 pm.

5TH ANNUAL COTTAGE CRAWL - Presented by Thirsty Dog Brewing Company:  Sat. Jan. 11^th | 1 pm – 6 pm. Fire Pits, Food and All Akron Beer.

NINJA PIZZA PARTY - Presented by The First Tee of Greater Akron: Fri. Jan. 18^th | 5 pm – 8pm. Pizza, Drinks, Ice Skating, Putt-Putt and Ninja Training! 

TOY TIME WEEKEND - Presented by Akron Community Foundation: Sat. Jan. 25^th AND Sun. Jan. 26^th | 9:30 am – 11:30 am. Event includes breakfast, entrance to the Akron Children's Museum, ice skating, skate rental, Polar Putt-Putt and photo opportunities with costumed characters. $15 Children | $10 Adult.

PJ HEROES EVENT- Presented by Akron Community Foundation: Sat. Feb. 8^th | 9:30 am – 11:30 am. Event includes breakfast, entrance to the Akron Children's Museum, ice skating, skate rental, Polar Putt-Putt, and photo opportunities with costumed characters. $15 Children | $10 Adult.

THE MOUSE AND HIS FRIENDS - Presented by Akron Community Foundation: Sun. Feb. 9^th | 9:30 am – 11:30 am. Event includes breakfast, entrance to the Akron Children's Museum, ice skating, skate rental, Polar Putt-Putt, and photo opportunities with costumed characters. $15 Children | $10 Adult.

Also This Year:

AKRON ZIP CARD NIGHT - Presented by the University of Akron: University of Akron students and faculty receive free skating & hot chocolate with their zip card on Thursdays from 6-11 pm.

FUNDRAISER NIGHT: Print out the flyer from our website and share with your organization.  Bring to Lock 3 any Wednesday night and your organization will receive $1 for every paid skate rental.   

For a full calendar, click here. For tickets, visit www.lock3live.com

Akron, Ohio, October 21, 2019 – City of Akron leaf removal will begin Monday, November 4 in Ward 3. Signs will be posted in wards prior to pick-up dates. We remind residents not to rake leaves into the street until the day before scheduled leaf pickup. 

For residents wishing to have leaves removed prior to or after their scheduled pick-up date, the City offers three annual free curb service bulk pick-ups. Leaves must be bagged for early pick-up. To schedule, please contact the Mayor’s Action Center at 3-1-1 or (330) 375-2311.

We ask residents to comply with the following guidelines to make leaf removal safe and effective:

• Do not allow children to play in leaves on or near the street
• Do not place branches or any other debris in the street - only leaves
• Do not rake leaves into the street after leaves have been removed from your street or you may be subject to a fine
• Do not park vehicles on the street the day before your scheduled pick-up, until your leaves have been removed
• Do not park vehicles over leaves - heat from the underside of the vehicle may cause a fire

Each of the wards will take more than one day to complete. Leaves must be on the street by the dates listed – if they are not out, they may not get picked up.  This schedule is subject to change in the event of adverse weather conditions. Changes to the schedule will be posted on the akronohio.gov homepage. For more information, visit the Leaf Removal page on the City website or call the Mayor’s Action Center at 3-1-1 or (330) 375-2311.

Last winter the City of Akron received a lot of blowback from citizens upset with the lack of response to a January storm that left several people stuck in the snow, some for days.

Mayor Dan Horrigan issued an apology to residents of Akron, saying they were re-evaluating their snow and ice removal process. 

Fast forward to Wednesday, and it appears the City has revamped the winter-weather response, as Mayor Horrigan announced the new "aggressive snow and ice removal plan" ahead of the 2019-2020 winter season.

"We will have more plows and equipment and those trucks will have better access to the salt," the Mayor told the Jasen Sokol Show on Wednesday, shortly after rolling out the plan to the public. "There is also a route revision; we've reworked it so that it's more responsive to neighborhood needs." 

One of the biggest changes to the winter strategy is that the City has ended their contract with ODOT that previously required the city to plow 150 miles of Akron highways. That responsibility now lies solely on ODOT, freeing up more resources to focus on city streets.

See more from the City of Akron below: 

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan was joined by City Council leadership and Public Works staff this morning as he unveiled his aggressive plan to overhaul the City’s approach to snow and ice removal for the upcoming winter season.  The new 5-point strategy includes significant improvements to equipment, technology, logistics, and training.

“Last winter we experienced a once-in-a-decade snow storm, which ended up revealing some unacceptable weaknesses in our system,” Director of Public Service John Moore said. “After that event, we immediately got to work critically evaluating every aspect of our strategy, with a commitment to being better prepared, across the board.”

“I am proud to say that today is a new day in terms of Akron’s snow and ice response,” Mayor Horrigan said. “For the 2019-2020 winter season, we will have more plow trucks, better access to salt, new routes, enhanced training, and better policies and technology to ensure we are maximizing our available resources and manpower. The singular goal is to get our streets cleared as soon as possible to reduce the dangers and hassle for residents and drivers.”  

One important change was the decision not to renew the ODOT maintenance agreement, which has been in place for over 50 years, in which the City maintained state interstates within its borders. By concluding that agreement, the City will have additional trucks, materials and manpower to dedicate to Akron streets.  The City will make up for the lost revenue from that agreement with a portion of the new, additional gas tax revenue from the State of Ohio, estimated at an additional $3.2 million annually. 

The full 5-point improvement strategy is summarized below. 

1.     More Plow Trucks and Equipment

·        Ended ODOT maintenance contract for highways, allowing 5 more 15-ton plow trucks to be available for plowing City streets

·        3 new replacement 5-ton trucks allowing additional backup equipment in major events

·        13 additional smaller 1-ton trucks outfitted with plows and/or salt spreaders which will be used for complaint-response in every City ward.

·        More aggressive maintenance schedules and opening additional City facilities (including the Copley Road facility) for maintenance work to reduce plows being out of service when they’re needed most

2.     Better Access to Salt

·        Market is recovering from extreme salt supply shortage last winter with more materials available nationwide

·        Already secured commitment on our full quantity of salt at approx. 25,000 tons

·        More salt available for City streets without ODOT maintenance agreement.

3.     Route Revisions

·        Recrafting of routes on City street allowing quicker completion, and minimize travel times between routes, materials and service locations.

·        Continuing work with logistics experts to maximize effectiveness and efficiency

·        Outside contractors will have access to pre-assigned areas for emergency assistance

4.     Enhanced Training

·        Providing additional in-truck training of new plow drivers by experienced operators

·        Working with simulator vendors and partners to provide enhanced classroom training

5.     Improved Policies & Technology

·        Working with City Council to adopt improvements to the Parking Ban procedure including earlier notification

·        Supervisors in the field will have better access to Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system, 3-1-1 service requests, work order management in real time. 

·        Internal Constant Improvement Team established to review responses to events and make changes and improvements before the next event. 

“While we do still live in Northeast Ohio where Mother Nature ultimately wins—this is about delivering the services that residents expect and deserve—effectively and efficiently,” Mayor Horrigan remarked, “I want to thank City Council, our residents who shared their thoughts and input, and especially the hardworking City crews that work long, challenging shifts during major storms.  With these important enhancements, I’m confident we are appropriately prepared for the coming winter season.” 

“This is truly an aggressive new strategy, and I am pleased with the investment and dedication it demonstrates,” Council President Margo Sommerville said.  “I want to thank the citizens of the Snow and Ice Task Force for their assistance.  City Council looks forward to partnering with the administration to deploy these new policies and strategies to improve our ability to effectively clear city streets of snow and ice this winter.” 

Additional information about the new and improved strategy, along with a detailed “Snow and Ice FAQ” is available on the City’s website and also on the City Council website.  As always, residents with concerns or complaints should contact the Mayor’s Action Center by dialing 3-1-1 or (330) 375-2311 or submitting online at www.akronohio.gov/311.

Calling all photogs! 

The City of Akron is looking for your best pictures of city-managed parks, one of which will be featured on the cover of the city's "Hey Akron!" magazine. 

"The (Parks Photo Contest) is about celebrating our beautiful parks and encouraging residents to get out and enjoy these public spaces. It will also allow us to showcase a park, and what makes it great, through a citizen's eyes. This is a chance to have a photo featured in a publication with a robust Akron audience, so I'm hoping a lot of people take advantage of the opportunity, "Mayor Dan Horrigan said." 

The submission deadline is now Monday, October 7th. 

Contest Rules:

• Any photo submitted must be a recent photo (within the last 12 months), taken in a City of Akron Park. A full list of City of Akron parks can be found here.
• You may submit up to 2 photos.
• Photos will be judged by a panel consisting of City of Akron Mayor's Office staff.
• Contest is for Akron residents only.
• All photos must be original work of the contestant and never been the subject of a copyright.
• Photos including people must include written consent of subject or of subject’s guardian.
• Winner must have a high-res version of the photo. Must be able to provide the name of the park that the photo was taken in, name of the photographer, and a home address for the winner to verify that all rules have been complied with.
• All photos submitted shall become the property of the City of Akron upon submission and may be used in future publications including but not limited to the Hey Akron! Magazine and City of Akron’s website and social media pages. Photographer credit will be noted alongside all published photo(s).

To enter, residents can send their photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The winner will be announced via the City of Akron Mayor’s Office social media pages by the end of October. Follow here for updates, or for more ways to submit photos online: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

On this shortened edition of The Jasen Sokol Show, Mark Moore from the City of Akron chats with Jasen (00:21).

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning and an Air Quality Warning ahead of the heatwave that is going to cover the Akron area, and most of Northeast Ohio this weekend. Heat index values are expected to reach 107 degrees by Friday and 110 degrees by Saturday. 

Below is the release from Mayor Dan Horrigan's office and also the Salvation Army regarding the extended hours for all of our area cooling centers throughout the sweltering heat: 

Due to forecasted high temperatures, Mayor Dan Horrigan has announced that the City of Akron will extend hours at four community “cooling centers” this week.  The community centers will be open for extended hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (July 18-20), from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM. 

“During this heat wave, families in need are invited to stop by and cool down in any of our community centers,” Mayor Horrigan said.  “We are extending hours at four locations to ensure residents of all ages can escape the heat, even in the evening.  We also encourage all our residents to check in on their neighbors and family members who may be vulnerable to these high temperatures, and take steps to keep children and pets well hydrated, rested, and out of the sun.” 

Cooling Centers open from 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM (July 18, 19 and 20):

Lawton Street Community Center

1225 Lawton Street

Akron, OH 44320

330-375-2825

Mason Park Community Center

700 E. Exchange Street

Akron, OH 44306

330-375-2821

Patterson Park Community Center

800 Patterson Avenue

Akron, OH 44310

330-375-2819

Summit Lake Community Center

380 W. Crosier Street

Akron, OH 44311

330-375-2826

--

The Salvation Army of Summit County and the Barberton Corps will be opening their doors to serve as cooling centers and a place to provide shelter from the 90+ degree temperatures throughout the area.With excessive temperatures expected over the next week, The Salvation Army offers a safe place for community members looking to get out of the heat.

Days and Times for Cooling Centers

Akron Citadel, 190 South Maple Street, 330-762-8481

Thursday, July 18^th, 2019 12pm-3pm
Friday, July 19^th, 2019 10am-3pm

Barberton Corps, 560 Wooster Road West, Barberton, 330-745-2836

Thursday, July 18^th, 2019 12:30pm-3:30pm
Friday, July 19^th, 2019 12:30pm-3:30pm

For more information on relief from high temperatures, or to make a donation to help The Salvation Army serve affected families, call Major Steven Stoops at the Akron Citadel at 330-762-8481 or visit www.SalvationArmyAkron.org.

For Barberton inquiries, call 330-745-2836 or visit https://oh.salvationarmy.org/Akron-Summit/barberton

Haven of Rest

With the extremely high temperatures expected for the next few days, Haven of Rest Ministries wants to remind our neighbors who may be experiencing homelessness, and/or without adequate water, that our Men’s and Women’s dayrooms are open and give a break from the heat.  Haven of Rest is located at 175 E. Market Street, downtown Akron.  

(City of Akron) – As another school year comes to an end, Mayor Dan Horrigan is proud to announce that the City of Akron Recreation Bureau, in partnership with Akron Public Schools Child Nutrition Services, will once again be participating in the federally-funded Summer Food Service Program this year.

“There is nothing more important than making sure our young people have the nutrition they need to grow, learn, and live healthy, productive lives,” Mayor Horrigan said.  “Research tells us that children who are hungry or food insecure are less likely be in good health, to form friendships, to be curious, and to learn. Through the Summer Food Service Program, we are able to continue to offer our children these essential meals at no cost throughout the summer, so that our students can return to class in the fall healthy and ready to learn.”

All children ages 1 through 18 are eligible to receive free meals during the summer months. A list of participating program sites is attached. 

The City of Akron will once again be partnering with the Akron Public Schools (APS) and Summit Education Initiative (SEI), to host its successful summer reading program, starting June 10^th and continuing through August 8^th.  All children are eligible to participate, but the program is targeted at helping Akron students in kindergarten through second grade practice their reading with support from a community volunteer. For the convenience of families, all twelve summer reading sites are also sites offering free lunch. 

“Our Summer Reading Program, which includes one-on-one sessions with volunteer tutors, helps stem the tide of reading loss and sends students back to school in the Fall, prepared to start the new school year off right. This also aligns with the work of the United Way of Summit County’s ‘bold goal’ around third grade reading readiness,” Mayor Horrigan added. “I thank our partners at Akron Public Schools, Summit Education Initiative and The EX[L] Center at The University of Akron for supporting these critically important programs for Akron’s future leaders.” 

The Summer Reading Program partners are also seeking volunteers to read to students. “This is a great opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of a young person,” Akron City Councilman-at-large Jeff Fuso said of the program. “We encourage everyone to consider volunteering to read with a student—whether for just one hour or throughout the summer.”

"Learning and good nutrition can’t take the summer off, but for quite a few of our students, one or both really do," added David W. James, superintendent Akron Public Schools. “We’re grateful for the community team that’s looking out for students when they’re on an extended break.  We must make sure kids keep up with learning and have healthy meals so they can have energy and enjoy every day.”

Parents interested in registering their children for the Summer Reading Program and community members interested in volunteering should contact Roberta Rogers, Summer Reading Program Coordinator, at (330) 812-7878 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Volunteers can register for a location and a time slot at bit.ly/akrontutor19. 

For information or about summer meal program sites or details, please contact: Robert Dowdell, City of Akron Food Service Program Coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (330) 375-2832.

Acceptance and participation requirements for the food service program and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

CITY OF AKRON: Today (Monday), Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Health Commissioner Donna Skoda joined together with community partners to mark the public release of Akron’s Youth Violence Prevention Strategic Plan.  The plan—which was developed after more than two years of research, data collection and community conversations with neighborhood stakeholders—calls for a 20%+ reduction in youth violent crime in Akron by 2023. The Youth Violence Prevention Steering Committee is comprised of leaders from government, public health, recreation, education, law enforcement, corrections, and non-profit community organizations.                           

“We cannot allow violent crime among our youth to continue to devastate lives, families and neighborhoods,” Mayor Horrigan said. “Our young people are in crisis.  While we have dedicated non-profits, advocates, and law enforcement agencies in our community, we must do more to coordinate all our efforts around specific, shared goals and action steps if we are going to make real progress.” 

The Youth Violence Prevention Strategic Plan targets older youth, ages 15 to 24. The plan is intended to remedy the weaknesses in Akron’s continuum of comprehensive services for all at-risk youth by plugging the service gaps for youth in the targeted age range.

The Plan identifies key risk factors that lead youth to commit acts of violence, along with important protective factors that can diminish the likelihood of violent activity.  These findings were used, along with crime statistics and mapping, to develop specific action steps related to the following eight Recommended Approaches:

• Mentoring
• Recreation and Discretionary Time
• Re-entry Support
• Police-Youth Relations
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Supports and Treatment
• Gun Access Reduction
• Community Awareness and Involvement
• Capacity and Infrastructure Development

Each approach will require the commitment of various community partners. Summit County Public Health will be the lead agency on coordinating implementation of the plan among all the partners.

Health Commissioner Donna Skoda says, “Youth violence is a public health issue. It comes in all forms, from bullying, to assault, to gun violence. It deeply affects the mental, emotional and physical health of our youth, causing a wide variety of issues that Summit County Public Health works to combat every day. Many organizations and community groups have a hand in reducing youth violence, and this strategic plan offers us a chance for true and meaningful coordination. This will be a living document, one that can be updated and adjusted to best fit the needs of the community, as our work progresses.”

The City of Akron will be leading the charge on several approaches, including reducing access to guns, increasing positive recreational opportunities, and enhancing police youth relations and community awareness

“It is essential that we continue to get guns off our streets, provide neighborhood services like Midnight Basketball, and build trust between our youth and law enforcement by creating opportunities for positive interaction and open dialogue,” Mayor Horrigan continued. “As the African proverb states, ‘it takes a village to save a child.’ Likewise, it will take our entire community to save our children from heading down a path of violence. Through true coordination and real action, I believe we can accomplish a meaningful reduction in violent crime and provide Akron’s next generation with the tools and opportunities to thrive.”

A full copy of the Youth Violence Prevention Strategic Plan—including Steering Committee and Workgroup members, data graphs and maps, and a list of resources currently serving local youth—can be found at www.akronohio.gov/preventyouthviolence.

(City of Akron) As a result of work being performed by a contractor of the City of Fairlawn, an Akron water line at the intersection of Waltham and Wyant Roads was inadvertently damaged.  The City of Akron Water Division has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for certain customers located in Fairlawn Heights.  The limits of the advisory are shown in red on the enclosed map and listed below by street name. As a precaution, and in accordance with EPA regulations, all customers within this area are advised to boil their water until further notice.   Water used for drinking or cooking should be brought to a full boil for a minimum of 2 minutes and returned to the proper temperature before use.  This advisory will be in effect until further notice, but for a minimum of 24 hours.   Be advised that Akron water customers in the vicinity of this advisory may experience water discoloration because of this water main break.  A release will be issued when the boil water advisory is lifted.  Please contact the Akron Water Distribution Dispatch at 330-375-2420 for further updates.

Customers on the following streets are under a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice:

All Customers on Juno Place, Waltham Rd., Wyant Rd., Addyston Rd., Holgate Rd., Worthington Rd., Kimberly Rd., Brice Rd., Inverness Rd., Somerset Rd, Tinkham Rd., Quaker Ridge Dr., Halifax Rd., Amesbury Rd., Barnstable Rd., Yarmouth Rd., West Fairlawn Blvd., East Fairlawn Blvd., Stockbridge Rd., Sagamore Rd., Wembly Rd., Dow Dr., Lancaster Rd., Audubon Rd. and Audubon Spur.

1. Miller Rd. from Juno Place to Ridgewood Rd

Ridgewood Rd from S. Miller to Halifax

Schocalog Rd from Hampshire Rd to Stone Creek

Hampshire Rd from Ely Rd to Covington Rd

Wolcott Rd from Hampshire to Ridgewood Rd

Ely Rd. from Hampshire Rd to S. Frank Blvd.

S Frank Blvd from Schocalog Rd. to 417 S. Frank Blvd

Kibler Rd. from Stone Creek Allotment to 2657 Kibler Rd

The entire Stone Creek Allotment 

The Ohio Department of Transportation announced Friday that the recently scheduled repair work on the East Avenue Bridge has been delayed due to weather as temperatures are expected to hit single digits, not factoring in windchill. 

Brent Kovacs with ODOT District 4 tells the WAKR Newsroom that all of the scheduled work needs to be started and completed at the same time, so even if there were a window to get a portion of the repairs underway, they couldn't. 

Below is the updated schedule and affected traffic patterns for the scheduled work:  

Winter Storm Harper dumped more than a foot of snow across most of Akron Saturday and into Sunday, leaving a lot of residents stuck over the weekend. 

It's understandable, especially when it comes all at once as the snow did over the weekend. 

Monday was the Martin Luther King holiday for Akron Public Schools and Tuesday was declared a "snow day" by Superintendent David James. By Wednesday, students were ready to head back to school, but the city wasn't. By the end of the day Wednesday, a report from APS spokesman Mark Williamson was that a total of 19 school buses wound up stuck in snow and needed assistance getting out. (Update: Thursday morning 8 more school buses were stuck, according to Williamson.) Williamson said not only is it up to the city to clear the streets, but it's also up to Akron residents to clear their sidewalks, to help the students who walk to school get their safely. Otherwise, Williamson tells us, there are students walking in the streets, which is obviously dangerous. 

Back to the roads, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan spoke with the Ray Horner Morning Show on 1590 WAKR, saying there is no excuse for the excess snow that remained through the holiday and into Wednesday, and that the city is doing everything to prevent a repeat. 

Read the full statement from the City of Akron below: 

First, an apology. We have failed to provide a timely level of service to all City streets in response to this storm, and we are sorry.

We apologize to the Akron community for the inconvenience and frustration our response has caused. The level of service we provided has fallen short of what our residents rightly expect. While we have devoted 100% of our available City resources 24/7 to plow and salt all primary, secondary and residential streets following Winter Storm Harper, the results of these efforts have been unacceptable. We appreciate the patience the Akron community has extended this week. We have heard your concerns and we will do better in the future.

Mayor Horrigan has directed the City to immediately reassess every policy, procedure, agreement and route and to make necessary changes to our approach to ensure that future snow events are addressed effectively and efficiently from day one.

What we are doing right now:

The City has deployed every single vehicle and piece of City equipment capable of removing snow and ice to work to clear City streets and plow every residential neighborhood as soon as possible. The City has deployed 7 private contractors to augment the City’s efforts and plow residential streets in tandem with our crews. They will use graders, backhoes, plow trucks and bobcats to increase our snow removal capabilities. We have established emergency mandatory overtime with the ultimate goal of opening every street in Akron before the next weather event. The County of Summit is also assisting with available truck and equipment. Public Service has called in all city workers from Sewer, Water and Public Works that are not in plow trucks to start the process of cleaning storm inlets. All together there are more than 100 vehicles currently activated within Akron to remove snow and ice from city streets.

The City will be enforcing the parking ban when necessary to clear streets. Some cars will be towed. Residents are reminded not to park on the street until the ban is lifted and all streets are clear. Due to rainfall and melting snow, there are areas of standing water. Drivers are reminded to drive slowly and cautiously in these areas.

The City has been experiencing intermittent failure of both the online 3-1-1 portal and our 3-1-1 phone line. However, every City street is on the list to be plowed, whether a 3-1-1 request is received or not. Streets are prioritized based on traffic patterns, and all streets will be plowed as soon as possible.

What is coming next:

Winter Strom Indra and freezing temperatures are on the way. Icy streets are expected in the coming days. Residents are urged to prepare accordingly. The parking ban on primary streets will likely remain in place until the accumulation from Winter Storm Indra has been cleared. The City’s all-hands-on-deck approach, including the use of private contractors will continue through the next storm event.

The 13^th Annual Firefighters’ Chili Challenge, sponsored by the City of Akron, will take place inside the Lock 3 dining area on Friday, January 18^th from 11AM until 1PM (or earlier, if the chili runs out)!

Each year, Akron firefighters issue the challenge to see who can create the best chili, served to Downtown employees and visitors. Some chili variations are traditional, while other teams set themselves apart with distinct flavors and ingredients. Tickets for six samples of chili and a beverage are $10. Individual chili samples are available for $1.50.  Beverages are also available for $2. All proceeds benefit Akron Children’s Hospital Burn Institute.

“I look forward to the Chili Challenge every year and tasting the newest flavor combinations and tried and true traditional recipes cooked up by our various competitors,” Mayor Horrigan said. “I encourage everyone to come to Lock 3, enjoy some delicious home-cooked food, and join in the friendly competition in support of Akron Children’s Hospital. May the best chili win!”

The 2019 competitors include the Akron Fire Department, The Akron Police Department, the City of Akron Human Resources Department, ARCADIS, Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital and the City of Akron Office of Integrated Development.  Teams will be competing for Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice, and the Joe Smith Spirit Award. The Joe Smith Spirit Award was created in honor of Detective Joe Smith, an active supporter and participant in previous chili challenges, who passed away in 2014.

(City of Akron)  On Monday, Mayor Horrigan has released the findings of the Community Needs Survey which collected community sentiment and preferences related to the Akron Recreation Bureau.  The survey was conducted between July 28 and September 19, 2018 and reached 1,500 households representing more than 3,100 people.  The survey will form the basis of strategic changes in the Recreation Bureau that will include an enhanced focus on aquatics, community events and effective communication. 

The survey is part of a comprehensive strategic planning process for the Recreation Bureau, announced by Mayor Horrigan during his 2018 State of the City address.  This is the first time the City of Akron has taken a comprehensive look at Recreation services since the 1969 report commissioned by then-Mayor John Ballard in response to civil unrest. 

“The 1969 report validated a universal truth, which remains true today: providing adequate public space and recreation is and will continue to be an essential service in the City of Akron,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “The results of this new community needs assessment revealed that our community centers and pools continue to be important drivers of connection, safety, and quality of life in our neighborhoods. We will be focusing our capital investments and programming on those services the community values most, including aquatics and community events.” 

A summary of the survey results is available here.  Key findings include:

• The more aware residents were of programming and services, the more likely they were to view the Akron Recreation Bureau as highly valuable. 
• The Bureau was generally perceived as affordable, fun, and safe. 
• Aquatics (pools and splash pads) are important neighborhood anchors.
• Different demographic groups and neighborhoods experience the Recreation Bureau differently.
• More effective communication – including increased use of social media – could improve the use of facilities and programs and increase satisfaction among users. 

“This assessment reveals that we are doing very well serving the residents who already utilize our centers and programs,” Recreation Bureau Manager Brittany Schmoekel said.  “Our goal is to use this data to reach a wider segment of the community and better communicate with our existing users about programs, events, and ways to engage with our centers.”

The Bureau will launch a rebranding campaign, including a new mission and vision statements, later this year.  New or improved programming and offerings will begin this year based on the community feedback related to each of the individual community centers.

“I thank Mayor Horrigan and the Recreation staff for reaching out to our residents to assess what they need and want from their City Recreation Bureau,” Council President Margo Sommerville added. “I am thrilled to see that we will be making investments in our pools, new splash pads, and more community events that will improve quality of life and foster community pride.  As the ward representative for Perkins pool, I look forward to working with the City administration to create something truly special for the neighborhood.” 

(City of Akron) Effective Wednesday, January 2, 2019, continuing through Monday, January 6, the City of Akron Sanitation/Curb Service Division will permit residents to place extra trash, in the form of wrapping paper and boxes alongside their trash carts, on their normal collection day. 

"Each year we provide this extra service to our residents after the holidays, most of whom have additional items to discard or recycle,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. "This particular pickup is intended for extra holiday items, like wrappings and boxes, which we realize won't all fit in one or maybe even two trash carts." 

Following the holidays, the City will also collect residents' holiday trees left alongside trash carts on their normal collection day. As always, customers who wish to put out a larger volume of other household trash are asked to contact the Mayor’s Action Center at 3-1-1, (330) 375-2311 or www.akronohio.gov/311 to pre-schedule one of the three special bulk pickups allotted to each household, each year.

Please note, there will be no curb service on Tuesday, December 25 (in observance of Christmas Day) or Tuesday, January 1 (in observance of New Year’s Day). Curb service will resume Wednesday through Saturday, on a one-day delay.

The City of Akron says they've finished their road repaving project that was funded by the passage of Issue 1, the quarter-percent income tax increase, voted in by Akron voters back in November of last year.

More than 41 miles of city streets have been repaved over the course of the past year, the majority of which was done on residential streets, according to the city.

See the full press release below: 

(CIty of Akron) The City of Akron has completed the 2018 repaving schedule as projected and on budget. A dedicated stream of funding, which came from the quarter percent income tax increase that was passed by voters in November of 2017, was allotted specifically for roads. As projected, the increased funding allowed the City to repave an additional 37.5 miles of roadway, on top of the 17 miles previously designated in the City budget.

Of the completed work, 41.5 were residential streets and 13 miles were arterial/collector streets. The 2018 repaving work was split approximately evenly among Akron’s 10 wards, and was planned based on both the 2015 State of the Streets study and an annual street survey that determines the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of Akron’s roads.

While the City is pleased with the first year of completed work, there is still much to be done. Mayor Horrigan states, “This is the first year of many that it will take to truly restore Akron’s streets. Years of disinvestment, due to lack of proper revenue, cannot be righted in a single year. But I truly hope Akronites can see a difference in the caliber of the roads so far, and it will only become more apparent as we continue this pace with each repaving season.”

In addition to the streets that were scheduled for repaving in 2018, several streets were improved in conjunction with other projects, such as Aqueduct Street as part of the Green Improvements project, Main Street for the ODOT Main Broadway Interchange project and Cedar and Exchange Streets for the Cedar/Exchange Street safety enhancement project.

The ¼% income tax increase took effect January 1, 2018, and raised approximately $13 million in 2018. These additional funds helped to replace lost revenue from the State of Ohio, and allowed the City to begin making long-awaited and much-needed improvements to the City’s public safety and roadway infrastructure. As promised, Mayor Horrigan will continue to divide these new funds roughly equally between police, fire/EMS, and streets each year.

(City of Akron) As part of the Main Street Corridor project, Dominion Gas line repair and replacement work will begin on Main Street in front of Lock 3 on Nov. 26, resulting in some closures and impacts between State Street and Bowery Street. One lane of north and south bound traffic will be maintained, and on-street parking will remain on the east side of the street.

The City of Akron and coordinating partners are working hard to continuously maintain proper pedestrian access to Main Street businesses and entertainment. Patrons are asked to use the sidewalk on the east side of the road and cross at the mid-street crossings that will be set up. Pedestrians can access Lock 3, Lock Next and the businesses directly across from Lock 3 via a mid-street crossing at University Avenue. Access to the Civic theatre will also be maintained with a mid-street crossing in front of the entrance by the Peanut Shoppe.

In order to best support activity downtown during construction, the City of Akron and Downtown Akron Partnership will begin to work with the Main Street businesses to both promote current delivery service options and implement delivery services for more businesses, as well offer walking tours meant to help patrons navigate the downtown closures. 

Shortly after the completed of Dominion Gas work, which is anticipated to be completed the week of December 24, section 3A of the Main Street Corridor Project will begin in that same area.

The Main Street Corridor work is a two-phase project made possible through two federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants. Work on Phase 1 began July 9 and is expected to be completed in 2020. Throughout construction, the City will continue to host various stakeholder engagement activities in collaboration with the Downtown Akron Partnership, to ensure sustained dialogue about the project and its impact on the downtown community.

Phase 1 is a $31 million effort to reconstruct all infrastructure from building face to building face along the South Main corridor width, between Cedar and Mill Streets, including: new pavement with a lane dedicated to parking/buses/delivery vehicles,  new sidewalks, a permanent bicycle track, upgraded underground utilities, upgraded traffic signal equipment, smart LED lighting, a roundabout at Main and Mill Streets, storm water management improvements, and a complete rebuild of the State Street bridge.  Also included in the scope are all the amenities needed to make this an attractive corridor including landscaping and public benches. 

The City of Akron was awarded a second, $8 million TIGER grant in 2018 to help fund Phase 2 of the Main Street Corridor Project. Phase 2 will extend improvements to an additional segment of Main Street from Mill Street to Perkins Street/Route 59. It is the second phase of a 1.4-mile green corridor through the heart of the city. The stretch is designed to connect people to centers of education, employment, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, entertainment and recreation.

On the Tuesday edition of the Jasen Sokol Show podcast Jasen and Bobbi spoke with Jon Hartz of Valiant Comics  to talk about the death of Stan Lee.

City of Akron Chief of Staff James Hardy also stopped by at 10:36 to talk about the new CitiCenter project 

and Dawn Spriggs discussed record expungement and related topics in the studio around 25:35. 

The City of Akron has delayed the 2018 leaf pick up schedule by one week as a result of the extended warm weather and leaves falling later this year.

The printed leaf removal schedule that was included in October’s water bill shows the original dates and will now be delayed by one week. Residents may use any of their three annual free curb service bulk pick-ups for leaves if they choose to schedule for an earlier date. For early pick up, the leaves must be bagged.

Below are the new start dates for each Ward:

Ward 5                 November 5
Ward 3                 November 7
Ward 9                 November 9
Ward 7                 November 14
Ward 6                 November 17
Ward 2                 November 21
Ward 1                 November 27
Ward 8                 November 30
Ward 4                 December 7
Ward 10               December 12

Leaf  removal services are more efficient and economical to residents if the following guidelines are followed:

• Do not allow children to play in leaves on or near the street
• Do not place branches or any other debris in the street- only leaves
• Do not rake leaves into the street after leaves have been removed from your street or you will be subject to a fine
• Do not park vehicles on the street the day before your scheduled pick-up, until your leaves have been removed
• Do not park vehicles over leaves - heat from the underside of the vehicle may cause a fire

We remind residents not to rake leaves into the street until the day before scheduled leaf pickup. Each of the wards will take more than one day to complete. Leaves must be on the street by the dates listed – if they are not out, they may not get picked up. The City will make one round through each ward, and the schedule is subject to change in the event of adverse weather conditions. After one round of City-wide leaf removal has been completed, leaf crews will work to fulfill as many additional pick up requests as possible before winter. For more information, visit the City website or call 3-1-1 (375-2311).

(City of Akron) The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, awarded  the City of Akron a 3-year Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant. The purpose of the grant is to develop a multidisciplinary working group that will be trained in a victim centered, trauma informed approach to review, prioritize, investigate, and prosecute sexual assault cold cases.

The grant will provide for:

• Personnel to support a 3-year program including 3 investigators and partial funding for an administrative assistant, a victim advocate, and a prosecutor
• A case management system database specifically designed for cold case SAK investigations and compatible with those used in the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the City of Akron Prosecutor’s Office
• Technology and supplies to increase the efficiency of investigations 

Chief Kenneth Ball, Akron Police Chief, states, “The Akron Police Department is thrilled to receive this grant. The process was very competitive.  Our selection represents an organizational goal of providing the very best services for crime victims and our community.  There are still challenges ahead, but this is a very positive step toward securing justice in these cases.”

Currently, APD doesn’t have adequate staffing to support a comprehensive response to cold case sexual assault cases. Beginning in 2012, the Akron Police Department began assessing every sexual assault kit collected since 1993 in order to submit or re-submit the kits for DNA testing under the 2011 Ohio Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Kit (SAK) Testing Initiative. All SAKs in APD’s inventory were submitted and returned.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) has tested and returned 1,822 tested sexual assault kits (SAKs) to the Akron Police Department (APD)—847 of which returned a CODIS eligible profile—from cases 1 year or older. 975 kits did not return a DNA profile, but additional evidence (clothing, linens, etc.) may exist that could be tested. There is a great need to provide follow up investigation for all kits and—where possible and desired by the victim—prosecution.

Mayor Dan Horrigan added, “This is an amazing accomplishment for our Akron Police Department. This will allow us to better meet the needs of victims of sexual assault and truly hold their abusers accountable.”

Akron voters will decide in November whether or not the city's primary election will be held in September, as it has been, or move to May, as the Mayor's Office is proposing.

City Council held a special meeting Tuesday, approving the ballot measure, after the Board of Elections verified more than 6,100 signatures that Mayor Dan Horrigan's Office collected. The Mayor's efforts exceeded the requirement per the Board of Election, as he actually collected nearly 9,200, and only needed a little more than 4,200 valid, Akron resident's signatures.

See the full press release from the City of Akron below: 

Akron, Ohio, September 5, 2018 – A ballot measure to move the local primary election from September to May—to better comply with state law regarding overseas and military ballots, increase voter turnout and save taxpayer money—will come before Akron voters this November. More than 6,100 Akron voters signed petitions submitted to Council, requesting the opportunity to vote on the issue. The grassroots petition effort spearheaded by Mayor Horrigan, Council President Sommerville and Vice President Fusco well exceeded the number of signatures required to place the issue on the ballot. Council approved the petition-initiated measure at a special meeting held yesterday evening. 

The May primary proposal was first announced in early July as a joint effort by several Summit County communities that currently hold primaries in September. September primaries, which predate early voting laws, now conflict with state law intended to ensure overseas voters, including active duty military, can participate fully in local elections. This change would provide ample time for the Board of Elections to certify results before the general election. For Akron, a May primary would save taxpayers more than $80,000 each election and could increase voter turnout by about 46%. Cities in 85 out of 88 Ohio counties and the State of Ohio already hold primaries in May.

A majority of Akron City Council supported the ballot measure. However, five Council members (Sims, Omobien, Neal, Kilby, and Milkovich) opposed placing the issue before Akron voters. Therefore, the petition process was initiated and successfully completed to enable Akron voters to decide when their local primary should be held. Pleased with an efficient and effective petition drive, Mayor Horrigan added, “This is democracy at work. City and Council leadership felt strongly that this is exactly the type of issue that should be put before voters. Our petition signers agreed, and helped us put this common-sense measure where it belongs, which is on the ballot.”

More information about the May primary proposal is available here. The ballot measure will be assigned an issue number by the Board of Elections next week. It will be presented to Akron voters on the upcoming November ballot as provided below:

Shall Section 4 of the Charter of the City of Akron be amended to move the primary election date for municipal elections to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May consistent with the primary election date established by state law?

YES

NO

(City of Akron) Today, Mayor Dan Horrigan joined the members of the new Akron Fulton Airport Advisory Board to announce the City of Akron’s recommitment to the future of the airport as an economic development driver for the city and region. The Akron Fulton Airport Advisory Board was formed earlier this year to make recommendations to City leadership and provide insight into how to best channel resources to catalyze business development.


“I established the Advisory Board because I have witnessed, first-hand, that in most thriving cities the regional general aviation airport plays a critical role in fostering and supporting economic development activities,” Mayor Horrigan said. “In light of market trends, we all must be more intentional and aligned in our pursuit of growth—and investing in the Akron Fulton Airport is a key part of our strategy to set Akron apart and attract new job-creating businesses.”

The Advisory Board has been busy developing a strategic plan for the airport’s future use and development to achieve the Mayor Horrigan’s vision. Included in this plan are efforts to enhance service to customers and rebrand and market the airport. The City’s Office of Integrated Development stands poised to assist and support the attraction of new airport customers and development in and around the airport.

The City is making important capital investments in the airport as well, including flight obstruction clearing, which is nearly complete. These improvements will allow for flight operations at night and during low visibility conditions. The resurfacing of main runway 7-25 will take place in 2020, followed by the removal of the north-south runway 1-19. Both projects are funded 90% by the Federal Aviation Administration, 5% by the Ohio Department of Transportation, and 5% by local City funds. These improvements, along with the demolition of the Rubber Bowl, will open up new opportunities for development that can complement flight operations.

“I’m really excited about the possibilities and opportunities at Akron Fulton,” Phil Maynard, chair of the Akron Fulton Airport Advisory Board said. “The sky’s the limit!”

“I appreciate the ground work the Board has done thus far, and I urge them to continue to solicit input from diverse enterprises to determine how we best strengthen the airport together,” Mayor Horrigan continued. “I am encouraged by the immense potential for growth, and I have full confidence in Phil Maynard and the other leaders who have agreed to serve on the Advisory Board. I look forward to collaborating with them and our business community to drive a new, successful chapter in the history of the Akron Fulton Airport.”

Akron City Council was one vote shy of passing a measure that would have moved the City's primary election from September to May. 

But Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan says the fight isn't over. 

Mayor Horrigan's office has been a vocal proponent of moving the Primaries, and for a number of reasons, as the Mayor tells the 1590 WAKR Newsroom. Those reasons being that the city would save roughly $84,000 per year, that voter turnout would be higher, and that the city, by aligning the primary with the statewide primary, would be in compliance with a state law regarding the timing of when absentee ballots are sent to overseas voters and military voters. 

Opponents within City Council claim that the primary move is of a political nature and favors incumbents, adding that minority candidates are hurt by a shorter primary season as they're unable to raise enough money to give themselves a fighting chance in the eleciton. 

To his opponents, Mayor Horrigan says, "I'll do a serious debate with anybody across the City to be able to convince people to be able to do this, and if there's a real opposition to this, let the voter's decide... and we'll live with the results just like everybody else." 

The Mayor is committed to getting the necessary 4,200 signatures from Akron residents to get the measure on the November ballot, saying it should be up to the voters to decide. 

Former Akron Police Chief James Nice is suing the City of Akron, Mayor Dan Horrigan, and current Police Chief Ken Ball for defamation of character according to the suit that was filed in U.S. District Court in Akron Tuesday.

In addition the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office is looking to get Nice's guilty plea that was filed in February, tossed out. In the lawsuit, Nice said that he only pleaded guilty attempted unlawful use of property to avoid prosecution for more serious meritless offenses.

The City of Akron released a statement, pointing out that Jim Nice voluntarily resigned his position last August after "serious allegations" of conduct unbecoming an officer. The statement went on to say that "at no point did the City misrepresent any information or mislead the public" regarding those allegations.

Read the full text from the lawsuit and the full response from the City of Akron below: 

James Nice Complaint Filed

City of Akron Response: 

James Nice voluntarily resigned from the City of Akron on August 27, 2017, following serious allegations that he engaged in conduct unbecoming of a member of the Akron Police Department.  When asked to respond to the allegations against him, James Nice chose to resign rather than face disciplinary action. James Nice later pled guilty to a misdemeanor offense related to his criminal misuse of a police database and surrendered his Ohio Peace Officer Training Certification. Throughout this period, the various allegations against James Nice caused the City of Akron and the men and women of the Akron Police Department significant unwanted disruption and embarrassment.  At no point did the City misrepresent any information or mislead the public in any way regarding the former Chief’s apparent misconduct.

In 2018, the City of Akron and the Akron Police Department have moved on from that unfortunate chapter and are rightly focused on doing the critically important work of the Department – making Akron’s neighborhoods safer, protecting Akron homes and businesses, and improving the lives of Akron residents through engaged community policing.  While it is unfortunate that any additional taxpayer resources will be spent responding to a frivolous lawsuit by the former Chief, the City and Akron Police Department will not be distracted from fulfilling the work the community expects and deserves - responding to the pressing needs and concerns of our citizens and pursuing meaningful solutions to those truly important issues facing our city.

Sean Michael Blackburn. 33, of Akron has been charged with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide for allegedly killing a 21-year-old Cuyahoga Falls man in a drunk driving accident back on April 7th.

According to the police report, Blackburn, who was driving while intoxicated, crossed North Main Street into oncoming traffic and hit Thomas Leslein's car head on.

Leslein died, two others in his car were seriously injured.

Blackburn denied being the driver, telling police that he was "too drunk to drive" and that another patron he was with at a local bar was driving his car. Blackburn reportedly even claimed at one point he didn't know who he was. Police say they found the keys to his car in his pants pocket. The police report shows that Blackburn blew a 0.119 in a BAC field test. 

The City of Akron has released details, including maps and the budget breakdown, for this year's multi-million-dollar road resurfacing project.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Kenmore Construction secured the contract for the work, at nearly $6.4 Million; they'll begin work in mid-May. 

Watch your speed along Akron City streets in the coming months, as APD is starting to crack down on speeders. 

The request is coming from Akron City Council, who will be working with the Police Department's Traffic Commander to decide which areas to target. 

Akron Police Chief Ken Ball tells the Akron Beacon Journal that the department is adding three, four-hour patrols each weekday, to rotate between Akron's 10 wards. Typically, shifts will run late afternoon, which is a high-volume time around the city. 

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan has released the full budget plan for the funds the city raised through the successful passage of Issue 4 on the November ballot. 

Below is the full release and budget from the Mayor's office. 

-- 

Today, Mayor Dan Horrigan released the City’s plan for spending “Issue 4” funds in 2018. The budget outlines a plan for more than $13 Million in increased investment in police and fire protection and roadway improvements in Akron.

On November 7, 2017, Akron voters overwhelmingly supported Issue 4, a charter amendment that levied an additional .25% income tax to support police, fire, and roadway improvements in Akron. The tax took effect on January 1, 2018 and the City will receive additional revenue starting in February.

“This budget is a reflection of promises kept,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “While my administration continues to tackle difficult financial challenges resulting from cuts in state and federal funding, I am proud to budget for $13 million in new investment in our core city services that will keep our neighborhoods safe and strong. As pledged, these new funds will be split roughly equally between police, fire, and roadway improvements, depending on the most pressing needs of each department each year.”

“We are incredibly thankful that the community came together to raise this critically important and much-needed revenue,” Fire Chief Clarence Tucker said. “I’m proud to say that, thanks to these new funds, we expect to break ground on a new Station 2 this year—our first new fire station in several decades. Additionally, this year we will be able to purchase the recommended second set of fire gear for all our firefighters and extractor machines for every fire station, to ensure our front line personnel always have access to a clean, safe set of protective gear.”

“In the Akron Police Department, we will be purchasing 50 new vehicles to replace deteriorating cruisers, investing in our body-worn camera program, and making important updates to our 9-1-1 operating software to improve our service to the public,” Akron Police Chief Ken Ball said.  “Without these funds, much of this simply would not be possible.”

You can see the full budget here.  

The following is a press release from the City of Akron: 

The City of Akron has partnered with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) to offer homeowners optional residential external water service line warranties. The coverage is voluntary and available at affordable monthly or annual prices. Founded in 2003, SLWA has partnered with over 400 leading cities and municipalities in the U.S. to provide repair service plans that offer peace of mind and convenience.

“Far too many homeowners are unaware that they are responsible for any repairs needed as a result of damage to the water service lines on their property,” said John O. Moore, Akron’s Director of Public Service. “This means that homeowners can be stuck with the hassle and expense of the repair – from identifying a good contractor and scheduling time for the repair to be done to finding extra money in the budget to cover the cost of the repair. As Akron homes age along with the infrastructure serving them, SLWA repair plans provide homeowners with an optional peace of mind solution so they can be better prepared in the event of these unexpected repairs.”

The SLWA Service Line Warranty Program protects against damage to pipes on homeowners’ property. Repairs to these pipes are not covered by basic homeowners insurance or by the City of Akron. If a customer’s line is in need of repair, a simple call to the SLWA 24-hour hotline will dispatch a local, licensed contractor familiar with local code. The coverage features include:

• ·Up $8,500 per covered incident with no deductibles or annual caps
• ·Hotline access 24 hours per day, 365 days a year
• ·Normal 30-day waiting period waived for immediate coverage
• ·All for $3.47 per month

Many factors contribute to the life expectancy of a service line including the age, type of piping material, soil conditions and installation quality – all factors which are covered through the SLWA protection program. This program is voluntary for residents and provided at no cost to the City of Akron and no public funds are used to promote or administer the program.

“Our service plans not only cover the cost of the repair, they also provide homeowners with reputable, local contractors who will do the best possible job,” said Tom Rusin, CEO of SLWA parent HomeServe USA. “We’re thrilled to partner with the City of Akron and look forward to the opportunity to provide Akron homeowners with the assistance they need when faced with a home repair emergency.”

SLWA has been recognized as the nation's largest and most trusted source of utility line plans endorsed by the National League of Cities (NLC). The company is committed to customer service, ethical marketing practices and maintaining an A+ accredited rating with the Better Business Bureau. For questions about this service, or to enroll, please contact SLWA at 866-922-9006 or visit www.slwofa.com.

About Service Line Warranties of America

Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) is part of HomeServe USA Corp (HomeServe), a leading provider of home repair solutions serving over 3.4 million customers across the US and Canada. Founded in 2003, SLWA is the trusted source of utility line protection programs endorsed by the National League of Cities. Together with HomeServe, SLWA is dedicated to supplying best-in-class repair plans and delivering superior customer service to consumers through over 500 leading city, municipal and utility partners.

The cold isn't going anywhere, so the City of Akron has extended hours for four local community centers throughout the city that have been converted into "Warming Centers" for those stuck outside in the dangerous cold. 

Below is the press release from the City of Akron, including a statement from Mayor Dan Horrigan: 

Akron is in store for more bitter cold temps as we make are way toward the New Year, with overnight lows in the single, even negative digits Saturday and Sunday. In response, the City of Akron has extended cold shelter hours at various community centers throughout the city.. Mayor Horrigan said, in a press release, "The City of Akron would like to do our part in making sure we provide a warm place to drop in and escape the cold." 

Meanwhile, Haven of Rest Ministries is under a "Code Zero", reminding Akron area residents who may be looking for a break from the cold, that their doors are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Haven is located at 175 E. Market Street in Downtown Akron. 

See the full press release and list of community centers below: 

(CITY OF AKRON) Akron, Ohio, December 28, 2017 –

Effective Saturday, December 30, 2017 and continuing through Monday, January 1, the City of Akron will be extending hours in three community centers to double as warming centers for those residents who are in need.

“As temperatures are slated to drop significantly, and some citizens may not have adequate access to a properly heated facility throughout the day, the City of Akron would like to do our part in making sure we provide a warm place to drop in and escape the cold,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “Specific centers will now be open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, when many other public spaces may be closed.”

The following centers will be open Saturday, Dec 30 – Monday, Jan 1, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.:

Mason Park Community Center 700 E. Exchange Street Akron, OH 44306 330-375-2821

Patterson Park Community Center 800 Patterson Avenue Akron, OH 44310 330-375-2819

Summit Lake Community Center 380 W. Crosier Street Akron, OH 44311 330-375-2826

The City will continue to monitor for continuous frigid temperatures. Unless otherwise specified, the centers will return to their normal business hours starting January 2, 2018. 

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan has officially named Ken Ball the 16th Police Chief for the City of Akron's police department Wednesday. 

Ball, who has been with Akron Police for 26 years, has been serving as interim chief since the abrupt resignation of former Police Chief James Nice back in August. Nice was asked to resign by Mayor Horrigan after allegations of professional misconduct and was said to be criminally involved with his nephew's car dealership in the city. Nice's attorney has denied any criminal wrongdoing. 

During the press conference, Mayor Horrigan said that when deciding to promote within, he knew that he needed someone who understood that while the Akron Police Department is an outstanding law enforcement agency, wouldn't accept the status quo and would always be looking to move the department in a forward direction. 

Of the appointment, Chief Ball said that he will approach the office with "quiet disconent," meaning he will not be the chief that is banging on doors, demanding change. Instead, Chief Ball says he will be someone who, "internally, not satisfied with where they're at," and always seeking improvement and to get better. 

The initial term for Chief Ken Ball's office is four years. 

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan says it's a criminal investigation that led to his surprise call Sunday to Chief of Police James Nice to resign -- and not the death of a teenager Friday in the backseat of a police cruiser of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Nice delivered a terse 30 word resignation letter around 4:00 yesterday afternoon. Mayor Horrigan told reporters this afternoon he had been informed by police higher-ups that the Chief was part of an investigation involving his nephew, Joseph Nice of Uniontown, who is under indictment relating to his auto sales business. The case involved possible criminal misconduct by Nice, city officials said, including making derogatory comments and inappropriate conduct with city employees.

The City says it will turn the information over to the Summit County Prosecutor, but wouldn't provide more information or a timeline.

Joseph Nice of Uniontown was indicted for grand theft and forgery in March of this year. His criminal case is being heard by Judge Jason Wells in Summit County Common Pleas Court. The nephew Nice is also listed in numerous civil lawsuits in Summit County, including lawsuits alleging fraud and breach of contract for the sale of automobiles through Metro ACC Car Sales on Waterloo Road. 

Below is the statement released from the Office of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan regarding the resignation of former Chief James Nice: 

Akron, Ohio, August 28, 2017 – Mayor Horrigan formally asked for, and accepted, the resignation of City of Akron Police Chief James Nice effective Sunday, August 27th, 2017. Evidence of conduct unbecoming of an officer, inappropriate contact with a city employee and potential criminal misconduct led him to make this immediate decision. The City will be referring any and all information regarding potential criminal conduct to the County Prosecutor.

Mayor Horrigan stated, “These actions violate the mission, vision and values of the Akron Police Department and the City of Akron and they will not be tolerated. All of us who serve the public must hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. It is clear to me, that in this instance, Jim Nice’s conduct violated that standard, and he lost his ability to lead the department. I will not let anyone impugn the integrity and confidence of our City organization, and I will fiercely uphold that standard as long as I am Mayor of this City.”

Mayor added, “What is also clear to me, is that the men and women of the Akron Police Department acted appropriately and swiftly upon receiving information of misconduct. At every step of the way, investigators put what was right above all else. I have full faith and confidence in the department going forward.”

Mayor Horrigan appointed Major Kenneth Ball as acting Chief of the Akron Police Department, effective August 27th. Ball, an Akron resident, has more than 26 years of service to the Akron Police Department. He joined the Akron Police Department in 1991, was promoted to sergeant in 1997; lieutenant in 2000; captain in 2006; and major in March of 2015. He graduated from the Police Executive Leadership College in 2001, and from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 2013.

Mayor Horrigan will work closely with Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Charles Brown and Director of Human Resources Don Rice to select a permanent police chief, in accordance with the Charter of the City of Akron.

Akron's City Prosecutor's office is moving out from the dark ages into the digital era. The partnership with the Summit County Prosecutor's Office means city prosecutors will be able to use electronic case filing for the first time -- eveything up to this point was still pen and paper. Municipal Courts across the county have long used electronic filing.

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(City of Akron) The Akron City Prosecutor's Office is preparing to improve the efficiency and consistency of its case management system by partnering with the County of Summit and surrounding communities to implement case management software, enabling the use of electronic case files for the first time.

Currently, the City of Akron Prosecutor's Office utilizes an outdated case management system that relies entirely on physical paper files. This inefficient system creates substantial storage issues and results in unnecessary work in copying, moving, and organizing tens of thousands of active files.

"The goal of this agreement is to bring our system into the digital age, in the most costeffective way possible," Mayor Horrigan said. "This new software will improve our responsiveness to the attorneys, judges, and others who need access to these criminal case files to ensure the effective administration of justice."

"By cooperating together with the County and other communities, we are able to defer the costs of this case management system and acquire this valuable software at a fraction of the cost," Mayor Horrigan continued. "I would like to thank the leadership of Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Tallmadge and Summit County for combining resources to purchase a universal case management system that will improve prosecutorial efficiencies system-wide." Monday, Akron City Council authorized the Intergovernmental Agreement with Summit County and neighboring jurisdictions for the shared purchase, implementation and use of MATRIX case management software. The secure system will allow defense attorneys and other authorized personnel access to court records in compliance with the law. The new system will enhance public confidence in the integrity of case files by eliminating manual processes and creating a record of when evidence is provided and reviewed in the course of a criminal prosecution.

"This software will allow for better management of criminal caseloads, it will reduce staff time spent on time-consuming administrative tasks like copying, and allow us to automate and integrate internal process as cases move through the system," Chief Akron Prosecutor Gertrude Wilms said. Recognizing the benefits and need for a comprehensive case management software system, Summit County engaged in a review of various case management systems and determined that the MATRIX Case Management system was the best combination of functionality and value.

"We are very pleased to soon begin using the MATRIX case management system which replaces our current outdated and obsolete system that was first installed 20 years ago," Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said. "MATRIX will make tracking information about cases much easier for our prosecutors, staff, and victims, and make the office more efficient. I would like to thank the City and County for their efforts in making this happen."

During the Akron City Council committee discussion, it was reported that Cuyahoga County experienced a cost savings of over $6 million within the first 9 months of switching to the MATRIX case management system, while also reducing the time it took cases to move through the system.

You can't fight City Hall -- but Mayor Horrigan would at least like to have one you can talk with. The Mayor unveiling what he's calling the Akron Citizens Institute to give up to 25 citizens regular opportunities to meet with department heads to learn more about how city government works -- and give department heads more direct feedback, too.

Applications are now being taken online at the City's website.

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(City of Akron) The City of Akron is committed to directly empowering residents and educating the public about how their city government works for them. That's why Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan is proud to announce that applications are now being accepted for the inaugural class of the City of Akron Citizens Institute.

The Citizens Institute will provide Akron residents with an opportunity to gain an inside view of the operations of City government while engaging directly with City of Akron leaders. "If residents don't know or understand what is going on in the halls of their government, it can leave them feeling disconnected and disheartened," Mayor Horrigan said of the inspiration for this program. "It's our responsibility as government officials to engage residents by inviting them to the table, educating them about our rules and processes, and empowering them to give feedback."

Mayor Horrigan asked his staff to design a diverse City-government curriculum and turn City Hall into a "community classroom" where residents can learn and ask questions of City leaders, department directors, and front-line staff.

The City of Akron Citizens Institute will be a free, 10-week experience in which a group of approximately 25 Akron residents will meet once a week to engage with City departments and leaders and learn more about city programs and services. Residents will engage in discussions about the City's charter form of government, its responsibilities and duties, and its accountability to the public.

Applicants must be 18 years of age, or older, and must be current residents of Akron. The Institute will run from late August through early November, 2017.

The City of Akron is saving $17 million dollars on the cost of its sewer improvement project, through a reduced interest rate on a loan from the Ohio EPA.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan says the city is committed to meeting environmental obligations and improving water quality, while also finding ways to reduce the cost of sewer projects for Akron rate payers.

Meanwhile, work has begun on Cuyahoga Street, for the Carpenter Sewer Separation project.

The $2.3 million dollar project is part of the city's massive, federally-mandated effort to separate sanitary sewers from storm sewers.

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, during a speech at Akron's Fire Station #2 Thursday morning, announced that he is proposing a quarter-percent income tax increase to be put on the November ballot. 

Mayor Horrigan cited several reasons for the "necessary increase," including deteriorating roads and Akron Police Department and Fire Department needs. "The City of Akron continues to lose about $15 Million every year from the elimination of fair tax sharing in the state of Ohio," the Mayor said. Since the Recession of 2008, Horrigan added, the city has lost a total of $80 Million in unrealized income tax revenue. 

If approved by City Council, the issue would be placed on the November ballot for Akron residents to vote on. The proposed increase would raise the current income tax rate of 2.25% to 2.5%. 

The City of Akron hasn't had a general income tax increase (see next paragraph) since 1981 for "essential city services", Horrigan said in a prepared release. He says the city desperately needs this proposed increase for new, updated police cruisers and fire trucks; to support the APD body camera database; and to improve roughly 45 miles worth of Akron roadways, just to name a few things.

Akron voters approved a boost in the municipal income tax by .25 percent in 2003 dedicated to fund an $800 million dollar, 15 year plan to rebuild local schools as Community Learning Centers by the Akron Public School district. That project has been underway but has been scaled back with the loss of student enrollment across the district. State funds are used as well as local funding generated by the Akron income tax percentage taken for the school rebuilding project.

Mayor Horrigan touted his adminstration's efforts to continually do "more with less," but says the increase is necessary to maintain safety efforts and keep up with regular road maintenance and repaving efforts. Akron Police Chief James Nice and Fire Chief Clarence Tucker were on hand for the Mayor's announcement Thursday, and they both expressed their full support for the tax increase.  

The Mayor will officially present his proposal to Akron City Council this coming Monday, June 26th. 

Below is the press release from the Mayor's office regarding the proposed increase: 

Akron, Ohio, June 22, 2017– Today, Mayor Horrigan announced his proposal for a ¼% earned income tax increase to fund capital and operating needs for police, fire/EMS, public service and roads in the City of Akron. The income tax proposal, if passed by City Council, would be placed on the November 7, 2017 ballot for approval by Akron voters.

“Over the last several years, the City of Akron has continued to do more with less. We have made cuts across the board, reduced personnel, and consolidated services to reflect the City’s revenue challenges. However, we simply cannot cut our way to prosperity,” Mayor Horrigan said of the proposal. “It has been 36 years since our last income tax increase for essential city services, and as we seek to grow our population and revitalize our neighborhoods, our city needs and deserves this funding. The time is now.”

On average, the funds would be spent between police (1/3), fire/EMS (1/3), and streets (1/3). “It is essential that we provide our police and fire/EMS personnel with the equipment and facilities they need to protect our neighborhoods and keep us safe. And, we simply cannot allow our roads to deteriorate further if we expect our neighborhoods and business districts to thrive,” Mayor Horrigan said.

The City of Akron has lost $15 million per year in fair tax-sharing from the State of Ohio and lost an estimated $80 million in unrealized income tax revenue since 2008, as a result of the recession. Without replacement funding, the City would be forced to make difficult budgeting decisions that would impact City services across the board.

“As promised, I’ve listened closely to the Akron community over the past two years, and the feedback I’ve received is clear—we must invest in the long-term vitality of our neighborhoods. This fair and reasonable increase will allow us to significantly improve streets across the city by paving an average of 43 more miles of roadway each year. It will provide the funding needed to maintain current public safety staffing levels and replace deteriorating equipment and facilities for our Police and Fire Departments.”

Police Chief James Nice and Fire Chief Clarence Tucker joined Mayor Horrigan to express their full support for the proposal and detail the dire needs of their departments—including the need to launch a body-worn camera data storage program, replace two aging fire stations, at least one pumper truck, and 63 police cruisers in poor condition.

The additional ¼% income tax only applies to income earned at a job and will not affect retirement/pension income, social security, or other government benefits. Two-thirds of the funding raised through income tax collection is paid by commuters who work in Akron but live in other communities. If successful, this proposal would raise Akron’s income tax to 2.5% – consistent with cities like Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton. The cost of the additional ¼% tax is $1.68/week, for a resident earning Akron’s median income of $35,000.

Council President Marilyn Keith joined the Mayor in making today’s announcement. “I am proud to stand with Mayor Horrigan in support of this reasonable and much-needed income tax proposal,” President Keith said. “These funds will support the core services we provide as a City, and address the issues most important to our residents – public safety, the quality of our roads and neighborhoods.”

The Mayor concluded by renewing his commitment to continue to control spending. “Even with an income tax increase, we must continue to explore ways to spend smarter, and prioritize funds where they’re needed most.” The legislation authorizing the ¼% income tax increase will be introduced to City Council on Monday, June 26th .

Columbus-based Huntington Bank is adding more jobs to the footprint it took over with the addition of the former First Merit Bank. The addition of 100 more jobs to the already-existing Akron workforce of 1,100 will bring to 1,200 the Huntington employment based around the company's downtown headquarters off Cascade Plaza. The announcement was made by Huntington CEO Steve Steinour, local regional President Nick Browning and Mayor Dan Horrigan and includes more details of the package the City is using to not only help spur more investment by Huntington, but also to help improve the infrastructure around the bank. That includes improvements to Cascade Plaza and continued support by Huntington of it's operations center and work on the Cascade Hotel project, 

The State of Ohio is also kicking in $225,000 to be used for employee training. Hiring is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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(Huntington Bank) Huntington Bank today renewed its commitment to Akron announcing plans for workforce employment of 1,200 by the end of 2017 and a path to sustained and new local employment through 2022. 

Akron’s Mayor, Daniel Horrigan joined Huntington’s CEO, Steve Steinour, and Akron Regional President, Nick Browning, today at Huntington’s downtown office complex at Cascade Plaza for the company’s announcement of its local employment plans. As part of the merger with FirstMerit in 2016, Huntington committed to prioritize sustained levels of Akron employment. In doing so, Huntington has retained a current Akron workforce of more than 1,100 employees, will increase overall employment within the city to 1,200 by the end of the year, and is incentivized to continue employment expansion in Akron.

“From day one, the city of Akron provided a warm welcome to Huntington. We couldn’t succeed here without the community’s trust and support, and we’re proud to meet our commitment to grow jobs in Akron,” said Steinour. “The Mayor, the city and JobsOhio are outstanding partners who helped us deliver job growth in an important operations hub for Huntington. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to finding meaningful ways to demonstrate our passion for helping people and making lives better in Northeast Ohio.” 

“Today marks a key milestone in our partnership with Huntington. With this agreement, Huntington has proven its commitment to the ongoing stability and economic success of the Akron community, and has demonstrated that Akron plays a key role in its future,” Mayor Horrigan said of the announcement. “By growing jobs here, Huntington will support our citywide goals of increasing our population and ensuring robust employment opportunities for our residents. I thank Huntington for being a valued corporate citizen and look forward to working together toward our shared growth and success.”

As further support for Huntington’s employment growth in Akron, JobsOhio is also providing $225,000 in grant funding in support of new employee training and onboarding costs. “Huntington had many options on where to place a new regional headquarters, and Huntington chose Akron,” said Valentina Isakina, JobsOhio managing director for financial services. “This commitment demonstrates the growing recognition of the talent quality in Northeast Ohio, and JobsOhio is pleased to support another project that helps grow this talent in the state.”  

Building improvements 

As part of the agreement, Huntington and the city have undertaken and plan many improvements to Cascade Plaza and its buildings complex. The city will replace and upgrade Cascade Plaza parking deck lighting and improve directional parking signage. The city also will restore Cascade Plaza’s back stairs overlooking Quaker Street as part of overall restoration plans for Cascade Plaza Hotel, which also may include construction of an access road from Bowery Street to the hotel. 

Huntington has invested more than $5 million in completed or ongoing improvements at its operations center at 295 FirstMerit Circle, 3 Cascade Plaza and Huntington Tower. Improvements include temporary call center expansion at 3 Cascade Plaza and long-term call center expansion at 295 FirstMerit Circle. Huntington also installed building signage atop Huntington Tower and on 3 Cascade Plaza in May. 

”Partnering with local government, supporting a robust and talented local workforce and maintaining vibrant buildings where we our colleagues and customers live and work are among the many ways Huntington invests in our local Akron community,” said Browning.  

The City of Akron is looking to hire 15 new police officers and is accepting applications from now through May 26. 

Candidates must meet the following requirements; 

- Have a high school diploma or GED

- Have a valid drivers license

- Be between 21 and 35 at the time the candidate takes the exam

Candidates must also be able to pass a written exam, a physical fitness test, background investigation, and be able to pass a polygraph. 

Find more information at www.akronohio.gov/personnel. 

The City of Akron is teaming up with the Salvation Army for another extension of their Community Table. 

Summit Lake will play host to the latest effort to feed more Akron-area individuals and families that need help. 

“This program demonstrates what is possible when we work together,” Mayor Horrigan said in a press release. “The City is investing significant energy and resources into lifting up the Summit Lake neighborhood, and we are happy to open our doors to host a hot lunch every day of the week at our Summit Lake Community Center. We thank the Salvation Army for their contribution to improving the lives of our residents and look forward to expanding this partnership to other community locations." 

The Summit Lake meals will be offered Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition, the Salvation Army of the Akron area continues to offer daily meals at their Barberton and downtown locations. 

Anyone looking for more information on the meals or volunteer opportunities can check SalvationArmyAkron.org for details. 

Akron has a new fire chief, and Chief Clarence Tucker will be the second African-American to hold the post inthe Department's history.

Mayor Dan Horrigan made the announcement today following several months of interviews; he fills the void left open when Chief Edward Hiltbrand retired in September. Retired Akron Fire Department Chief Larry Bunner served as Interim Chief during the selection progcess.

Tucker becomes the AFD's 19th chief and has 28 years of service with the department.

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(City of Akron) Today Mayor Dan Horrigan announced his selection of Clarence I. Tucker to serve as Akron's next Fire Chief. This announcement comes after a months-long competitive selection process and several rounds of interviews. Tucker currently serves as a District Fire Chief, where he manages the City's Fire Prevention Bureau, which oversees fire inspection, public education, and arson units. Mayor Horrigan administered the oath of office to Tucker this morning at Akron Fire Station No. 7 on Tallmadge Avenue—the firehouse where Tucker was first stationed when he joined the Department nearly three decades ago.

Tucker will be the City's 19th Fire Chief and the second African American to hold this top post in the 180 year history of the Department. Charles R. Gladman served as the City's first African American Fire Chief from 1997 to 2007. Tucker's promotion was prompted by the retirement of Chief Edward Hiltbrand in September of this year. Retired Akron Fire Chief Larry Bunner temporarily returned to the City to serve as Interim Chief while the Mayor selected a permanent successor.

Clarence Tucker will enter the position with 28 years of dedicated service and experience with the Akron Fire Department. He will lead a Department of 326 uniform personnel and 24 support personnel beginning Monday, December 5, 2016. Tucker joined the Akron Fire Department on September 12, 1988 as a firefighter/medic. He was promoted to the position of Lieutenant in 2000, Captain in 2005, and officially promoted to District Chief in 2015 (having served provisionally prior to that). Among many other leadership roles he has undertaken during his career, Tucker has managed the City's hazardous materials response team and chaired the Summit County Local Emergency Planning Committee.In 2005, Tucker completed a five-year program of Executive Fire Service

Management training from the Executive Development Institute through the International Institute of Black Professional Firefighters. He went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Malone University in 2009, and this month he completed the program to receive his Executive Fire Officer certification from the National Fire Academy, where he was exposed to a cutting-edge curriculum designed to teach leading fire officers how to address difficult and unique challenges
facing modern communities.

"I was fortunate to be presented with several highly qualified and exemplary public servants as candidates for this position," Mayor Horrigan said of his selection. "In Clarence, I found an immensely prepared and well-respected leader with an enormous heart for this community."

"My vision for the future of the Akron Fire Department is to forge new, innovative partnerships, develop creative solutions to deep-rooted challenges like the opiate epidemic, and to continue our honored tradition of running a prepared, professional, and compassionate Fire Department. I have full confidence that Clarence will bring strong, steady leadership and a commitment to excellent customer service and patient care to this position."

Of his promotion Tucker said, "It is my honor and privilege to continue my service to this City and this Department as Fire Chief. I join the Mayor in thanking all of the hardworking men and women of this Department for everything they do, both on the
front lines and behind the scenes, every day, to keep us safe. I look forward to working together to continuously improve our performance and our service to the citizens of Akron."

Akron's focusing on a new plan to freshen up downtown -- and much centers on Lock 3 and 4 as well as Main and Exchange Streets. Planners hope to have the new blueprints for their redevelopment program fleshed out more over the next year.

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(City of Akron) Today, Mayor Horrigan joined with DAP and Downtown stakeholders to announce the completion of Phase I of the Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan.

One of Mayor Horrigan's first long-term projects upon taking office this year was to partner with Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) to embark on the development of a plan for Downtown. Last year, both the Blue Ribbon Task Force and DAP's strategic planning process identified the development of a Downtown Plan as a primary recommendation. A multidisciplinary group of 37 representatives from small and corporate business, development, city and county government, health systems, non-profits, finance, education, housing, tourism, real estate and philanthropy was assembled to populate the steering committee that led the effort. 

DAP contracted with nationally-recognized consultants MKSK of Columbus to lead the planning process, which was funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and GAR Foundation.

"To compete regionally and nationally, Akron must have a thriving and prosperous urban core. We have remarkable potential for growth in Akron, but we need a long-term vision for our Downtown and a deliberate, realistic plan to create conditions that will spur catalytic private sector investment," Mayor Horrigan said.

He adds, "Today we celebrate the completion of the first phase of the plan – a comprehensive review of the current conditions and the recognition of broad-based planning principles and key opportunity sites – and we look forward to the next phase, which will engage the community in setting priorities for fostering a revitalized Downtown that belongs to, serves, and connects all of Akron."

Phase I of the Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan involved key stakeholder interviews and evaluating existing conditions as well as plans and processes that have been undertaken that intersect with the Downtown neighborhood. Phase II of the plan, which will involve further market studies, policy and implementation strategies and a broad community engagement effort to involve all Akron citizens, is already being discussed, with hopes to begin this process early in 2017.

Through the Phase I process, ten planning principles were identified to be prioritized and integrated into new public or private developments. Some of the key principles include: focusing development on Main Street, prioritizing residential development, addressing business vacancy, creating a coordinated incentive package for development, expanding on successful nodes of activity, focusing on accessible, livable street design and prioritizing connecting downtown with Akron neighborhoods and institutions. Five key opportunity sites for development were identified as well as recommendations for each to activate growth. Of the five sites identified, The Lock 3 & 4 area and Main & Exchange were prioritized as the most critical and catalytic areas to focus development.

Suzie Graham, President of DAP adds, "Downtown Akron Partnership is thrilled to see the fruition of this important first phase of work. The Downtown Akron Vision and Redevelopment Plan – Phase 1 sets the trajectory for Akron's next stage of growth as a competitive, beautiful, balanced, right-sized city. This work will strengthen the performance of the downtown
neighborhood as a place to attract businesses, talent, visitors and residents and as a resource to benefit all of the residents of Akron. We are honored to have the trust of city leadership, downtown stakeholders and our philanthropic partners as we continue this partnership into its next phase and look forward to building our future together."

Rolling Acres Mall is coming down.

The Beacon Journal reports that demolition of the interior part of the long-closed mall has gotten underway, with the area between the former Sears and Dillard's stores the first target of the demolition crews.

The city of Akron took over the mall property after a long foreclosure process ended earlier this year.

Most of Rolling Acres' former department stores are not coming down - they're owned by private businesses now.

But the former JC Penney store was donated to the city of Akron, and will be torn down separately.

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On the Web: Akron Beacon Journal, www.ohio.com

As expected, the City of Akron is looking to rein-in it's so-called "legacy costs" -- otherwise known as health care for retirees. It doesn't impact the state-funded main health care but it does impact supplemental health care now provided at no cost for retirees and their benefits. Under proposed changes City Council approved the changes: supplemental costs would go from free to $30 monthly for single, $60 monthly for families. The changes also hit those who have spouses already eligible for health coverage from their own employee with a surcharge if the other coverage is declined.

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(City of Akron) Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and City Council President Marilyn Keith introduced four pieces of legislation in early September aimed at controlling legacy costs related to the City's supplemental retiree health care benefit. While City of Akron retirees' primary health care is provided through OPERS, OP&F and/or Medicare, the City of Akron has for many years provided additional, supplemental health care benefits, at no cost to the retirees or their dependents. However, as health care costs continue to escalate, the City was and is unable continue to provide this supplemental benefit at no cost. The City has investigated this matter and has determined that no other major city in Ohio provides this type of retiree benefit.

The Mayor's Blue Ribbon Panel identified legacy costs, the majority of which relate to this benefit, to be at $9 million in 2014. This burden on taxpayers was expected to steeply increase in the next several years if changes were not implemented. Panel members recommended that the City reform this supplemental retiree benefit to protect itself and City employees from significant long-term financial risk.

Mayor Horrigan diligently worked with his administration to investigate options for effectively reducing these costs while remaining fair to retirees, and partnered with President Keith to introduce legislation proposing the following changes:

- Determining to provide a supplemental benefit for employees who are hired on or before December 31, 2016;

- Requiring eligible retirees to contribute toward supplemental benefits at the same rate active, full-time, permanent employees contribute toward their health care benefits—$30 per month for singles and $60 per month for families;

- Providing for changes to the supplemental benefit plan that align with changes made to the benefit plan provided to active, full-time, permanent employees; and

- Providing for a spousal surcharge where an eligible retiree whose spouse qualifies for health insurance benefits from his/her own employer and chooses to decline that plan, the City of Akron retiree is required to pay a spousal surcharge to elect to include the spouse on the City's supplemental health care benefits.

After this initial legislation was introduced, Mayor Horrigan listened to feedback from the City's union leadership and responded by introducing alternative legislation, based on a union concept, that would have provided retirees with a stipend in lieu of any supplemental retiree health care benefit. The stipend option, which was withdrawn, would have provided similar financial savings to the City, but would have required retirees to seek out and acquire their own supplemental coverage.

On October 17, City Council passed the first phase of the plan—offering this supplemental benefit to only persons hired on or before December 31, 2016. Tonight, City Council passed the remaining three ordinances to implement Mayor Horrigan and President Keith's original proposal to reign in legacy costs. "This was the most responsible course of action the City could take," Council President Keith said Monday. "Retirees will not be losing any benefits with these changes. Instead, these reasonable cost-saving measures will reduce costs to taxpayers and put retirees on fair footing with current employees. It made perfect sense to me."

"It is one of our greatest responsibilities as City leaders to ensure that our City will be on solid financial footing, now and into the future," Mayor Horrigan said. "I deeply value the service of our current and retired employees and weigh that against the needs and costs placed on all City residents. Based on the findings of the Blue Ribbon Panel and the data provided by our consultants, I knew that doing nothing was not an option. I'm pleased that the members of City Council appreciated the reasonableness and necessity of these changes, and investigated and implemented them with due diligence. As we move forward, I will continue to find responsible, resourceful, and efficient ways to update our policies and practices in order to safeguard taxpayer dollars while ensuring the ongoing financial health and welfare of our City for this and future generations."

City retirees should look for detailed communication from the City's Human Resources Department in the coming weeks with additional information on the how these changes will be implemented, and should contact the Employee Benefits Office of the Human Resources Department at (330) 375-2700 with any questions.

The city of Akron is trying to jumpstart Lock 4 development, by suing property owners of two vacant Main Street buildings.

The city filed suit against Main Street Partners and BTE Enterprises hoping to get the buildings back.

The suit was filed late last month, and first reported by the Beacon Journal on Friday.

James Hardy, chief of staff to Akron mayor Dan Horrigan, says the properties are part of a larger plan to develop the area near the old Landmark Hotel...

"Unfortunately, this particular development has languished for some time," Hardy tells WAKR.net, "and as such, that has a ripple effect throughout downtown."

Hardy says it's not just development that concerns the city.

He says the buildings are historic landmarks as well.

A state probe into alleged bid-rigging involving sales of a popular water treatment chemical is getting Akron's attention.

The Ohio Attorney General's office says they're putting out the word to Ohio communities that used aluminum sulfate or "alum" in water treatment between 1997 and 2010.

City water supply manager Jeff Bronowski says that definitely includes Akron.

"In Akron, we purchase about 1.5 million gallons of the aluminum sulfate every year, and it generally costs us about a million dollars a year for that purchase," Bronowski tells WAKR.net, "which is one-third of our chemical budget.

Bronowski says Akron would definitely cooperate with the probe.

"We would fully cooperate with any investigation that would be there, we'd be involved with," Bronkowski says, "it's something we'd be definitely be interested in, and would provide any information that's needed in regards to this."

Attorney General Mike DeWine cites three indictments of chemical manufacturing executives in a New Jersey court, charging illegal bid agreements between the companies to sell alum to purchasers - and shutting out fair competition.

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(Ohio Attorney General's office, news release) Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced that his office is investigating an alleged bid-rigging scheme involving sales of aluminum sulfate, or "alum," a chemical used to treat drinking water and waste water.

Municipalities are urged to contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office if they purchased alum or ferric acid between 1997 and 2010 for their wastewater or drinking water treatment.

"Many of Ohio's local communities use alum to treat drinking water and waste water," said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. "We need information from local governments that have purchased alum to determine if they got a fair price or if the market was manipulated."

Aluminum sulfate, otherwise known as "alum," is a chemical used to treat both waste water and drinking water. It's a coagulant (binding agent) that also is used by pulp and paper manufacturing companies.

Three executives of chemical manufacturing companies have been indicted in federal court in New Jersey for their alleged roles in a scheme to reduce competition in sales of alum. The alleged scheme involved competitors agreeing among themselves who would win a bid or who would submit the lowest bid (and thus be most likely to win) to sell alum to the purchaser.

Generally, bid-rigging schemes can cause taxpayers and government entities to pay artificially higher prices, because they don't get the benefit of fair competition among vendors.

The Ohio Attorney General is authorized by law to represent municipalities and public entities in antitrust matters such as this one.

Municipalities and other public entities should contact the Ohio Attorney General's Antitrust Section at 614-466-4328 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more about the investigation and to provide information about their aluminum sulfate or ferric acid purchases.

A threat of possible legal action brought Akron City Council to a special meeting on Monday, over the constitutionality of the city's pandhandling laws.

City council member at large Jeff Fusco would only say the city will look at the issue, brought up in a letter to the city by the ACLU of Ohio...

"It's gonna take a little bit of time obviously to review that," Fusco tells WAKR.net, "and to go out and seek what's best in terms of the city of Akron moving forward."

Attorney Joseph Mead in Akron wrote the letter for the ACLU of Ohio, which says the city's had time to review it already.

"We sent them a letter outlining all of the legal cases that I could find for years and years back in January," Mead tells WAKR.net, "and so, they've had a while to look at this, and I think they need to move quickly or we're going to ask a court to decide."

Mead says a number of courts have struck down similar pandhandling laws elsewhere on first amendment grounds.

With the opening of county offices in the Firestone Triangle building, the city of Akron is looking at the future of the main Firestone building.

Akron deputy mayor for intergovernmental affairs Marco Sommerville says that there's one goal in mind for reuse of the Firestone building: jobs.

"Of course, our first priority there, if we could get some type of manufacturing there, some type of office use, those are probably our first choices" Sommerville tells WAKR's Jasen Sokol, "but we'll entertain anything."

Sommerville says given the condition of the Firestone building, it will probably be torn down for a new use at the site.

"It is probably an older building, it probably is not energy efficient," Sommerville says, "and it probably would serve a better purpose if it was torn down and the land was redeveloped.

But he says the city has a history of reusing existing property, like with Canal Place and the East End development at the former Goodyear headquarters, so that's not being ruled out either.

The county offices at the nearby Firestone Triangle building are there for the long term.