In a 7-4 decision, Akron City Council voted against legislation to place an amendment to the City Charter on the November ballot. If passed, the amendment would have allowed for the hiring of external candidates for the chief and deputy chief positions in the Akron fire and police departments.
This decision came following a recommendation for an adverse report from the council Rules Committee Monday afternoon — Council members Brad McKitrick, Jeff Fusco and Sharon Connor supported the adverse recommendation. Council members Jan Davis and Linda Omobien opposed it.Â
An adverse report is essentially a recommendation to the full council to vote against a measure.
Ward 7 Council Member Donnie Kammer was not present but stated earlier in the day during the Rules Committee meeting he would have voted in favor of the adverse report and didn’t support the amendment at this time.
Garrett: Black people intentionally excluded from top ranks
Even with the millions of dollars spent on recruitment for the city’s safety forces, Fusco said, the city has not taken the right approach toward recruitment, and more time should be spent finding ways for “developing a path with more intention to create diversity.”Â
Part of that diversity factor is the lack of Black deputy chiefs and captains in the Akron Police Department, which At-large Council Member Eric Garrett said leaves young Black men without someone to look up to.
“I think it’s so important. That optical, that visual, is so important,” Garrett said.
Although there is so much more that could be done, he said, the time for making the amendment is now.
“It was intentionally excluding a lot of Black folks from being in the top ranks, and we have to do something to correct that at some point in time,” Garrett said of the existing hiring protocols.
At the July 22 City Council meeting, Kevin Gostkowski, president of the Akron Fire Fighters Local 330, shared that the union is “all in for the conversation” about diversity, although he did not support the amendment.
During Monday’s public comment period, Fraternal Order of Police Akron Lodge 7 President Brian Lucey urged council not to support the charter amendment and accused Mayor Shammas Malik and his administration of not addressing low retention rates.
“If a department the size of Akron must go outside to find a chief, then current leaders have failed,” Lucey said. “They’ve failed to develop, mentor and provide passion in the potential leaders of an organization, and shame on them for this failure.”
Omobien: Amendment’s passage would not exclude current employees from promotions
Opening the candidate pool would not exclude current members from the positions, Council Member Omobien said.
“I think we’re being short sighted if we’re saying that we’re too afraid to have our well-trained, well-respected safety forces to compare against external candidates,” Omobien said. “What we’re saying is that we really don’t believe that they will match up.”
She added that the opportunity to vote on the amendment should be given to Akron citizens. Malik agreed.
“I respect the role of City Council and, despite the outcome, I am grateful for the many conversations we’ve had over the past several weeks,” Malik said in an email to Signal Akron. “I strongly believe in the merit of this proposed amendment as well as the voters’ right to decide on this change.”
Council President Margo Sommerville said that City Council needs to take the time to do things right and not engage in “piecemeal reform.”
“If we’re serious about it, let’s take some time, let’s expand our committee — less of us and more community,” Sommerville said, “so that come next November 2025, we can really present something to the community that’s gonna bring about real change. Not something that’s gonna give false hope.”
In the full meeting, the council members in favor of the adverse report (opposed to the amendment appearing on the ballot) were:
- Sharon Connor, Ward 10
- Samuel DeShazior, Ward 1
- Vice President Jeff Fusco, At-large
- Johnnie Hannah, Ward 5
- Phil Lombardo, Ward 2
- Brad McKitrick, Ward 6
- President Margo Sommerville, Ward 3
Council members opposed to the adverse report (in favor of the amendment appearing on the ballot) were:
- Tina Boyes, Ward 9
- Jan Davis, Ward 4
- Eric Garrett, At-large
- Linda Omobien, At-large
Akron City Council recesses for the month of August. Its next meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 9.
