Note to readers:

The following item is a written record of the Akron City Council Ward 8 meeting from March 18, compiled by Akron Documenter Rick Bohan. 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

  • Ward 8 Council Member Bruce Bolden devoted a section of the meeting to the Akron City Council budget hearings, emphasizing the review of the operating budget and the vote that must be taken by the end of March. He specifically highlighted concerns over proposed overtime cuts to the fire department (half of last year’s) and potential service reductions like “combining some units” and staffing with fewer people during non-high incident hours. Full staffing is planned for high-incident hours (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.)
  • Aaron Brown, the Akron Police Department’s community engagement officer, presented detailed citywide crime statistics. Comparing the first two months of this year to the same period in 2025, he shared that:
    • Homicides are up 400% 
    • Robberies are up 71%. 
    • Felonious assaults are up 100%
    • Rapes are up 11%
    • Overdose deaths are down 11%
  • Bolden spent significant time discussing the response to recent storms, including power outages and coordination with FirstEnergy. He said that FirstEnergy crews were delayed because they needed forestry crews to cut down trees first.

Documenter follow-up questions

  • Can the administration provide an analysis of how “combining units” during non-peak hours (11 p.m. to 11 a.m.) will affect average emergency response times in Ward 8?
  • The city is funding a $20 million medical debt relief program with ARPA funds. An agency was selected to manage this program. What criteria were used in the selection process?
  • What were the causes of the significant increases in several areas of crime data, e.g., homicides up 400% and robberies up 71%?

Ward 8 Council Member Bruce Bolden started the Ward 8 meeting at 6:07 p.m. on March 18. The meeting took place at the Northwest Family Recreation Center, 1730 Shatto Ave.

Keep Akron Beautiful celebrates 45 years

Emma Segedy, director of development and community outreach for Keep Akron Beautiful, spoke about the group’s history and mission.

  • KAB mission and cleanups
    • Keep Akron Beautiful is a nonprofit focused on beautification and environmental management (flower scapes and litter pickup on public land).
    • April is “Cleanup Akron Month,” a large cleanup initiative coinciding with KAB’s 45th birthday.
    • Volunteers can participate in community cleanups or organize their own and receive free Akron Zoo admission. KAB provides necessary supplies (grabbers, bags, gloves, safety vests) and picks up collected trash.
    • KAB manages an adopt-a-site program for flower beds on city property, requiring a three-year commitment and a location within 100 feet of a fire hydrant. Volunteers receive plant discounts.

Council member talks storm response, budget, infrastructure

  • Storm response and power outages
    • Bolden addressed the March 13 storm and power outages, noting he was in contact with a local FirstEnergy/Ohio Edison representative.
    • FirstEnergy crews were delayed because they needed forestry crews to cut down trees first.

Stay up to date: Read our recent coverage about the March storms that knocked out power to 34,000 FirstEnergy Summit County customers.

  • City Council business and budget
    • Bolden said City Council has been holding hearings to review the city’s 2026 operating budget proposal, which is seeking cuts while maintaining service levels. Council must vote on the budget by March 31.
    • Bolden questioned the budget for the fire department’s scheduled overtime, which is half of last year’s. Potential service cuts may involve “combining some units” (staffing with fewer people), but full staffing is planned for high-incident hours (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.).
    • The city plans to cut back across various divisions through attrition (by not replacing retirees).
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Homeowners responsible for most sidewalk repairs

  • Council technology and efficiency
    • Bolden discussed a new system for trash trucks that uses an iPad with cellular service, allowing workers to quickly report issues such as potholes or traffic lights. 
    • Bolden recommended residents use the 311 app to report issues like potholes. He said the “request handled” notification means it has been routed to the correct department.
  • Appointments and resignations
    • Bolden announced At-Large Council Member Jeff Fusco will resign at the end of the month. City Council will appoint a replacement at-large member within 30 days, after advertising the position.
  • Infrastructure and homeowner responsibility
    • Akron is the first city in Ohio to have lead-free water lines in all occupied homes using copper lines.
    • Bolden recommended the HomeServe insurance program (advertised by the mayor’s office) for water and sewer lines, which costs about $7/month and covers up to $8,500 in repairs.
    • Bolden said if a resident has a private company clear a sewer line, they can call the city to send a free “television crew” to check for breaks. If a city tree caused the break on private property, the city is responsible for fixing it.
    • Bolden said the homeowner is responsible for sidewalk repair, but the city will replace up to three slabs for free if damage is caused by a city tree. Repair costs can be spread over five years and be paid along with property taxes.
This cracked sidewalk along Hillier Street in North Akron is an example of one that would be eligible for the Akron Sidewalks Repair Program.
This cracked sidewalk along Hillier Street in North Akron is an example of one that would be eligible for the Akron City Sidewalk Program. (Kevin Dilley / Signal Akron)
  • Community updates
    • Bolden said the BP station in the Merriman Valley is coming back, noting they are working on the pumps.
    • The city is pursuing a medical debt relief program, funded by ARPA funds, that is expected to cover up to $20 million in debt for those who qualify (e.g., those at or below 400% of the federal poverty line, which is approximately $100,000+ for a family of three).
    • The former CVS on West Portage Trail was approved to become a marijuana dispensary, noting it meets all city stipulations.
  • Future meetings
    • Next month’s meeting will feature a speaker on family law.
    • A future meeting may include the director of the International Institute of Akron to discuss immigration and ICE.

City crime stats show rise in homicides, robberies

Aaron Brown, community engagement officer for the Akron Police Department, shared the following information:

  • APD and crime statistics
    • Citywide crime trends (January/February of this year vs. last year): Homicides are up 400%, robberies are up 71%, felonious assault is up 100%, and rapes are up 11%. Overdose deaths are down 11%.
    • Encouraged sign-ups for the quarterly APD newsletter.
  • Hiring
    • The APD is hiring, with an age range of 21 to 45 years old.

Q&A and public comment

  • A resident asked about the homeowner’s responsibility for water leaks and sidewalk cracks. 
  • Another resident reported an issue with streets being blocked off without proper signage.

Bolden adjourned the meeting at 7:03 p.m.

Akron Documenters trains and pays residents to document local government meetings with notes and live-tweet threads. We then make those meeting summaries available as a new public record.