Note to readers:
The following item is a written record of the Ward 3 meeting from March 19, compiled by Akron Documenter Jessica Rice. It is not a reported story.
Documenters are residents who are trained to observe and document local government meetings. Their notes are edited before publication for clarity and accuracy — unless quotation marks are used, all text is paraphrased.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalakron.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line.
Summary
- The March 19 Ward 3 meeting began at 6:05 p.m. and lasted for approximately one hour. The meeting was packed with information from various speakers.
- Information about legal aid and assistance for landlords and renters in the Akron area was discussed.
- Community Legal Aid discussed free legal resources available to residents.
- Akron Public Schools’ representatives discussed the district’s performance metrics, budget, violence in the schools and hiring opportunities. They also discussed the effects of the EdChoice program on the financial stability of the school system.
- A representative from VANTAGE Aging discussed the need for volunteers and the upcoming Senior Summit Expo on May 6.
- A representative with the Ed Davis Community Center discussed some of the recreational activities available and encouraged everyone to visit the Akron RecDesk website to sign up for programs.
Documenter’s follow-up questions
- The EdChoice school voucher program is draining money and students from the district. What can be done politically to improve this situation instead of litigation?
- A final decision has not been made regarding the Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts building that will be closing soon. The schools superintendent is looking for input from the community on whether the building can be used for another purpose instead of demolishing it. Could the building be opened to the public so that the community can use it?
- There were a lot of resources for housing issues shared at the meeting, but most of the programs are for seniors over the age of 60. Can the city provide more programs that will help younger homeowners and tenants?
- The Akron Public Schools is facing budget cuts of millions of dollars. What can be done to mitigate this growing issue?
The Ward 3 meeting took place at the Ed Davis Community Center in the Sherbondy Hill neighborhood. There were no microphones or speakers set up for the meeting. All speakers stood at the front of the room for their presentations. There was no printed agenda, and 22 people were in attendance.
Akron Public Schools update
Superintendent Mary Outley, along with five other APS representatives, discussed the school system’s strengths and challenges. They told the audience that the school system is the best-performing among the eight largest districts in the state. Graduation rates are near 90% from a student body of about 19,000.
Outley said the top education issue is early literacy. School officials are working to address this issue through various reading programs and are seeking volunteers to help tutor and mentor students.
The schools are hiring and people can apply here. She stressed that there are many vocational, sports and military programs available to the students.
Board open to repurposing Miller South school property
Sommerville asked about what will happen to the Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, located at 1055 East Ave. in Sherbondy Hill. The school will be moving to a new location in Kenmore and the current building is slated to be demolished. Outley said that money has been allocated in the budget for the building’s demolition, but they are open to repurposing the space.
“Exactly what’s going to happen to the property has not been finalized,” Outley said. “But everybody’s on board that we will not let it become something terrible (in the community.”
She is asking for the community’s feedback on what they want to do with the property. One idea she shared was using the buildings bricks to fundraise for scholarships.
Outley said that APS is facing major budget cuts over the next few years in the tens of millions of dollars and they recently lost a grant that provided money to teach English to immigrants because that population is low.
Resident asks for lawsuit update
An audience member asked about the EdChoice school voucher program and the ongoing lawsuit. Outley said that the program has cost the district millions of dollars and has caused a significant decline in students attending APS. Moving forward, she is working with her team to encourage students who have left the district to return and asked that the community promote the schools to their family, friends and neighbors.
Security measures at Buchtel High School discussed
Another audience member asked about violence at Buchtel High School. Outley spoke positively about the security and metal detectors that are in place to help provide a safe environment. They have added more counselors and provided a survey asking the students and faculty about how they can improve and said that they take any feedback seriously.
An APS team member interjected, saying that the school has a family atmosphere and that the violence issue is largely a misconception.
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Legal aid is available to help prevent evictions
The meeting began with Ward 3 Council Member Margo Sommerville introducing herself — she then invited Vyrone Finney to speak. He is the housing specialist for the Akron Municipal Court and discussed the availability of legal aid and help in preventing evictions. He also said that if anyone is looking for housing, they have a website that lists available properties in Summit and Medina County.
A representative from Community Legal Aid discussed the availability of free help with legal issues and said they can recommend other resources if they cannot help. He provided documentation about the program and said that the community can call or apply here. All documents provided are attached.
Volunteers needed for senior programming
Lisa Mansfield with VANTAGE Aging, a non-profit assistance program for seniors, spoke about the need for volunteers to help with the Meals-On-Wheels program and the Senior Summit Expo on May 6 at St. George Fellowship Hall. She asked that people register for the event so that they can be sure to have enough food for everyone. She passed out a flyer about the event.
Teen event planned for Ed Davis Community Center
A representative from the Ed Davis Community Center passed out a flyer about a teen event on April 3 and encouraged everyone to visit the Akron RecDesk website to sign up for various activities at this location and others across the city.
The meeting concluded at 7:08 p.m.
