Note to readers:

The following item is a written record of the Ward 8 Akron City Council meeting from Feb. 18, 2026, compiled by Akron Documenter Joy Butch. 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

  • City updates: Ongoing water main breaks are being repaired. A new affordable housing initiative will give a local landlord a low‑interest loan to rehabilitate units on Zahn Drive in Northwest Akron.
  • Safety updates: Akron Police promoted the department’s new quarterly newsletter, warned about scam text messages, shared details on a recent hostage/fugitive situation. Officials said they are still hiring and reminded residents to call 311 for public utility/land issues or loose dog concerns.
  • Community programs and services: The City of Akron launched the new CodeRED alert system for community notifications. Officials said 311 usage helps build a database to track neighborhood issues, and Unify Akron’s Civic Assembly will engage residents in a paid, multi‑week deliberation process to tackle housing issues.

Documenter’s follow-up questions

  • How will the Ward 8 affordable housing project affect current residents and neighbors?
  • Will the city consider posting CodeRED alerts on its website or elsewhere for those who have not signed up or those who may be looking for notices in different neighborhoods, once the home-location-based notifications go into effect? 
  • What is the timeline for the Ward 8 affordable housing project?

Meeting start: 6:05 p.m.
Meeting end: 7:35 p.m.
Attendance: ~35

CodeRED mass alert system available

Darren Rozenek from the City of Akron IT Department — New critical mass alert system

  • Mayor Shammas Malik implemented a new critical mass alert system for citywide resident notifications.
  • Different from police emergency alerts that focus on community notices, such as:
    • Boil‑water advisories
    • Road closures
    • Snow/ice issues
    • City building closures
    • Heating station openings
    • Other community-focused alerts (residents may suggest additional categories)

Features and signup process

  • Alerts can be received via landline, text or phone call.
  • Not intended for high‑level emergencies like plane crashes or major threats.
  • Easy signup available on the City of Akron website, or follow pdf instructions, or  call 311 for further assistance.
  • Residents must create an account, verify identity, and select preferred alert categories.
  • Text signup option: Text AKRONOH to 24639.
    • Note: text signup automatically registers you but does not allow category customization.
  • The system is currently citywide but will eventually become home‑location-based (not geolocation).
  • Multiple phone numbers can be added per account.
  • No public list of current alerts is available without enrolling in the system.

Neighborhood requests go to 311

  • For issues such as road repairs, trash concerns or city services, call 311 or use the 311 mobile app.
  • Ward 8 Council Member Bruce Bolden noted:
    • 311 requests help build a database.
    • Council members now have some back-end visibility to track work order creation and resolutions for community members.
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Ward 8 updates

Ward 8 Council Member Bolden provided the following updates.

Water system issues

  • Multiple water main breaks have occurred recently across the city; repair work is ongoing.

Affordable housing investments in Ward 8

  • Federal funding is being directed toward affordable housing in the ward.
  • Though funding is often based on ZIP code income averages, some areas needing help fall outside those boundaries.
  • A pilot partnership with a local landlord involves a $400,000 low‑interest loan.
  • Apartment units on Zahn Drive will be rehabilitated.
  • Units will be rented below HUD maximum rates after renovations.
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Suggested Reading

Community safety updates

Officer Aaron Brown from the Akron Police Department (APD) Community Engagement Team provided the following updates.

Notifications and safety alerts

Kenilworth Dive incident update

  • An hours-long SWAT standoff at a home in the 200-block of Kenilworth Drive along the Wallhaven, Northwest Akron border ended with U.S. Marshall’s arresting a suspect.
    • He had been wanted for drug trafficking for three years.
    • He set fire to an attic during the incident and was later found hiding in a house.
    • The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force tracked him; the property belonged to his girlfriend’s father, who cooperated fully and was unaware of the situation.

Hiring updates

  • APD is hiring:
    • Minimum age to apply: 20.5 years (must be 21 at start date)
    • Maximum age: 45 years

Animal control reminder

  • If loose dogs are found and the dog warden cannot be reached, call 311 or police non-emergency line

Unify Akron civic engagement initiative

Presented by Morgan Lasher, Chief of U.S. Democracy Leagues for Unify America.

Program Overview: Akron’s First Civic Assembly

  • A democratic tool designed to help communities address complex issues.
    • Similar models were used in Ireland (constitutional changes) and France (end‑of‑life policy).
  • The process spans several weeks.
  • Participants selected through a lottery system.
  • 65 community members will be selected to collectively represent 41 demographic groups.
  • Eight local expert teams will support participant learning and deliberations.

Participation Details

  • Meetings run weekly from March through May, ranging from full‑day sessions to shorter evening sessions.
  • Participants receive a $1,000 stipend.
  • Teams will produce recommendations for city leaders, with the potential for state or federal relevance, though the primary focus is local impact.

Funding

  • Program is commissioned by the city/mayor’s office, not funded through the city budget.
  • Supported by:
    • 50 local philanthropists
    • Community foundations
    • Unify America ($1.5 million over three years)
    • Democracy Funders Network ($100,000)
  • Funding also supports:
    • Development of civic engagement technology
    • Creation of a scalable playbook for other cities
    • Majority of funds remain in Akron

Additional Information

  • Opening ceremony: March 13, 4:30 p.m. at the James A. Rhodes Arena at the University of Akron.
  • Lottery submissions are now closed.
  • Another initiative will be announced later this year.

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.