Note to readers:
The following item is a written record of the Ward 8 Akron City Council meeting from May 20, 2026, compiled by Akron Documenter Christina Zink. 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
- Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Joy Oldfield provided information on a new program to provide Summit County residents with legal help. The program will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. the first Friday of every month at the Summit County Courthouse.
- Residents appear to be very concerned about violence in Akron, especially gun violence and incidents involving residents in group homes. Just minutes before the meeting, there was a shooting at Hardesty Park in Ward 8, where a man was shot in the leg. The perpetrator is still being sought by police.
- The Akron Zoo is planning several additions, including a new animal hospital and a giraffe enclosure expected to open in late summer of 2028. There are also many events such as the Renaissance Faire, which ran May 23 to 25.
Documenter follow-up questions
- What can residents do to help police and city officials minimize violence in Akron?
- What are some of the legal issues that residents most need help with, and how can they find ongoing assistance?
Meeting notes
Ward meetings are informal and are meant to give residents a chance to connect with their city representative, ask questions, voice concerns and learn about issues affecting their ward. Council Member Bruce Bolden represents Ward 8 and holds meetings on the third Wednesday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. To find out more about Ward 8, including how to subscribe to the Ward 8 newsletter, visit their site here.
Bolden began the meeting at 6:08 p.m. and briefly introduced Nathan Jarosz, who is a member of the Akron Board of Education, and Mark Greer, who was appointed by City Council to fill the at-large seat that was left vacant by former Council Member Jeff Fusco.
There were two main speakers at the meeting, both of whom were introduced by Bolden: Summit County Common Please Court Judge Joy Malek Oldfield and Linda Criss, the chief operating officer of the Akron Zoo.
Free legal help includes child support, debt collection
Oldfield said she wanted to draw residents’ attention to a new program being held outside her courtroom that will provide free legal assistance to Summit County residents. Oldfield said that in many criminal cases, individuals are struggling with financial issues or need legal assistance but can’t afford it.
This program is modeled after one offered in Cuyahoga County and will offer support on issues such as:
- Child support
- Child custody visitation
- Debt collection
- Drivers license suspension
- Housing/evictions/foreclosures
- Garnishments
The assistance will be provided on the first Friday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. in Oldfield’s courtroom at the Summit County Courthouse. Residents who would like more information or have questions can call 330-643-8301 or email probono@summitcpcourt.com.
Oldfield said that she is here to help everybody. “My job is to make sure that they are heard and seen, even if the answer isn’t what they want,” she said. “This project is born out of seeing what the needs are.”
Middlebury waste management facility to close
Bolden then spoke about the recent vote by City Council to close the waste management facility on Fountain Street in Middlebury and replace it with a facility on Archwood Avenue in East Akron. The new facility will be on a much larger piece of land and will be 1,000 yards away from the nearest home, unlike the Fountain Street facility, which is within only a few hundred feet of residences. Money received by the city from the project will be used for public improvements.
Safety a top concern following shooting
Bolden next introduced Akron Police Officer Aaron Brown, who spoke about safety in Akron. There was a recent shooting at Hardesty Park in Wallhaven, which is near the Northwest Branch Library and the Northwest Family Recreation Center on Shatto Drive where the Ward 8 meeting was held. A man was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital. The shooter ran away on foot. Brown confirmed that police were canvassing the area looking for the suspect.
Several residents expressed concern about the level of violence in Akron and thanked the police for keeping Akron communities safe, including their response to recent gun violence. Brown thanked residents for being proactive and helping police by providing needed information to conduct investigations and locate suspects and perpetrators.
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Zoo leadership shares facility updates
Criss shared a presentation on upcoming changes and updates at the Akron Zoo and began by expressing the zoo’s commitment to enhancing community, education and conservation. She provided the following facts about the zoo:
- It is open 361 days a year and has 48 free and discounted admissions offerings and 79 events. This year’s special exhibit is DinoTrek.
- The zoo focuses on education by providing grants, the ZooMobile outreach, ZooCamp, habitat chats, animal encounters and training demonstrations.
- The zoo participates in 34 conservation initiatives, two extinct species call the Akron Zoo home, and there are 40 species survival plans.
- Komodo Kingdom was the first LEED-certified building in Summit County (acknowledging its energy efficiences). She said Komodo Cafe was the first four-star green restaurant in Ohio and in any zoo and recently learned that it is the No. 1 four-star restaurant in the country.
Future projects planned for zoo
- New animal hospital: The current animal hospital is outdated and is being replaced with a new facility that will better care for the animals that call the zoo home. This will also make it easier to keep up with preventive care for the animals.
- Giraffe habitat: The city is currently reviewing permit requests and the zoo is hoping to be able to break ground in July 2026. Due to the complexity of the enclosure, which will also offer an area where visitors can see the giraffes up close, feed the giraffes, and enjoy all-weather access and protection, the project is not expected to be completed until late summer of 2028.
Following the presentation from Criss, Bolden encouraged everyone to go to the new Summit Lake NorthShore Park. The park offers biking and hiking trails, free canoe and kayak rentals, a beautiful outdoor space and food vendors. Bolden also reminded everyone that Lock 3’s summer programming kicks off the weekend of May 23, including summer concerts and festivals.
Suggested Reading
Recent violence worries residents
Some residents expressed concerns about group homes and some violent or concerning incidents that have occurred in Ward 8 with residents of group homes. Bolden said one of the frustrating things about group homes is that it is often difficult to find out who runs them. This is made more complicated by outdated ordinances and differences in state and city requirements, and he said he is currently working with the mayor and the city law office to find a solution.
Violence in general was also raised as a concern by many residents. Bolden earlier in the meeting said that if the answer to preventing violence was known, it would be stopped, and that the solution is not clear.
Bolden said that while he will not be here next month, the meeting will still take place and be run by someone else. The meeting ended at 7:32 p.m.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the location Summit County officials used as a model for a free legal advice program. The program is modeled after a similar program in Cuyahoga County.
