Note to readers:

The following item is a written record of the Ward 5 meeting from July 16 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:

  • Ward 5 Council Member Johnnie Hannah shared information during the July 16 Ward 5 meeting in East Akron. He talked about four community events in July and August. He also reminded everyone that there will be no ward meeting in August.
  • Diane Reed and Angela Barnett from the Arlington Church of God discussed a program that began in March for pregnant Black women or for moms who have a child under the age of 18 months who need support. The program can provide them with food, diapers, mentorship and transportation assistance.
  • Gabe Forte with the Akron Parks Collaborative Board of Trustees said he would be leaving his role on the board and asked if anyone would be interested in applying for the position.
  • Akron Design Division Manager Christine Jonke and OHM Advisors’ Urban Designer Morgan Mackey and Principal Matt Hils spoke about a new project to reduce traffic-related fatalities in the Copley-Maple and East Akron neighborhoods and asked for input from the community.

Documenter follow-up questions:

  • Gabe Forte said he will be stepping down from his position representing Ward 5 on the Akron Parks Collaborative board. What are the qualifications to become a board member? Are board members compensated?

Ward 5 meeting notes

The meeting was held inside the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp. (EANDC) on Arlington Street. There were 36 people in attendance, and multiple stations were set up around the room for the Akron Safe Streets 4 All survey. A lectern with a microphone was set up, and the microphone was passed around the room for community members to ask questions.

The meeting began at 6:06 p.m. and was led by Ward 5 Council Member Johnnie Hannah. He began the meeting by asking if anyone had any concerns in their neighborhood. He encouraged everyone to first contact 311, and if 311 is not responsive and the issue is not resolved in a timely manner, then people can contact him directly. He said they should leave a voicemail if he does not answer.

A community member said she has noticed a reduction in police presence in the neighborhood in the last five years. Akron Police Department Captain Forrest Kappler said they do patrol the neighborhood throughout the day. The shifts are 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The city is divided into 12 districts, and one patrol car is assigned to Ward 5 with one officer during the day and two at night.

Another member asked if the police patrol the parks and do community outreach with youth. Kappler said they had a community outreach event on July 16 at Joy Park where they provided food and games for kids.

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Support group helps pregnant Black women and new mothers

Arlington Church of God: Angela Barnett and Diane Reed from the Arlington Church of God talked about the need for support for pregnant Black women. Black babies are two times more likely to die than other minorities, and the highest mortality rate is in Ward 5. In March, they received a grant and started the ACOG Church Mothers Program for women and children up to the age of 18 months. They can provide help with food, diapers, mentorship and transportation. Contact 216-369-9108 for assistance.

Upcoming Akron events include 4th Annual City Festival

Hannah then read off a list of upcoming events. The events are:

  • Sept. 6 –  4th Annual Akron City Festival: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lock 3 at 200 S. Main St. This event is hosted by the City of Akron and Night Lyfe Entertainment, which is celebrating future leaders. A parade will start at 1 p.m. from the Spaghetti Warehouse parking lot at 510 S. Main St.
  • Multiple dates in August – Connect at the Rec (Teens): Community Centers at Ed Davis, Joy Park and Patterson Park on multiple dates in July and August will be having fun activities for teens in grades 6-12. This is a lock-in type of event from 5 to 9 p.m.. To register, visit the Akron Rec Desk website.
  • Aug. 19 – Seniors & Caregivers Expo 2026: From 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp. (EANDC). Senior resource specialists and vendors will be available to answer questions about seniors and caregiving. Optional registration is on Eventbrite.
Kids play in an Akron park in this screenshot from a promotional video for the Akron Parks Collaborative promoting the Akron Parks Challenge. The Ward 5 representative seat is now open, since the current representative, Gabe Forte, no longer lives in the ward. The Akron Parks Collaborative is a nonprofit organization working to revitalize city parks. (Courtesy of Akron Parks Collaborative)

Ward 5 opening for Akron Parks Collaborative

Akron Parks Collaborative: Board of trustees member and Ward 5 representative Gabe Forte said he no longer lives in Ward 5 and that an opening is now available to  represent the ward. The Akron Parks Collaborative is a nonprofit organization working to revitalize city parks. He invited people to speak with him privately if they are interested.

Residents weigh in on street safety in East Akron

Akron Safe Streets 4 All: The meeting concluded with a presentation by Christine Jonke, who is the design division manager for the city. The city is developing a plan to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities while improving how people move throughout the community. The focus is currently on the Copley-Maple and East Akron neighborhoods.

She introduced the OHM Advisors, Matt Hils and Morgan Mackey, who are helping with the planning, and asked community members to provide their input on the areas of the neighborhood where they want to see improvements in the way the streets are designed and the issues with bad streetlights. Multiple stations with maps of the area were set up for people to add notes and colored stickers to grade the problem.

Ward 1 residents use stickers to indicate areas along Maple Street in West Hill where they have concerns. During the June 3 Ward 1 community meeting at Balch Street Community Center in West Hill, City engineers asked them to place stickers where they had concerns about traffic safety.
Ward 1 residents use stickers to indicate areas along Maple Street in West Hill where they have concerns. During the June 3 Ward 1 community meeting at Balch Street Community Center in West Hill, city engineers asked them to place stickers where they had concerns about traffic safety. (Mike Klein / Akron Documenters)

Project goals Include:

  • Refine corridor safety priorities using data-driven analysis.
  • Identify and evaluate context-sensitive safety countermeasures.
  • Establish feasibility and cost-effectiveness for implementation.
  • Develop a phased, actionable implementation plan.
  • Advance equitable safety outcomes in underserved communities.

The roadway segments for East Akron include:

  • Lovers Lane
  • East Archwood Avenue
  • East Wilbeth Road
  • Kelly Avenue
  • Arlington Road
  • Kelly Avenue and Lindsay Avenue Intersection

The rest of the community is encouraged to complete a survey to help with this effort. This activity lasted for about 30 minutes.

The meeting ended at 7:40 p.m.

A closer look at East Akron

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.