Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting – January 5, 2026

Lakewood City Council held its regular meeting on January 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. Key actions included the election of Council President and Vice President, a report on the Ward 4 vacancy appointment process, discussion of the Administration's proposal to relocate City Hall to the historic Board of Education building, and the referral of several items to committees. Public comment raised concerns about snow removal and ranked choice voting.

Consent Calendar

• Reading and disposal of minutes of the December 15, 2025 regular meeting were approved without reading (motion passed unanimously).
• Communication from Councilmember Kepple regarding recodification of ordinances was received and filed (motion passed).
• Mayoral appointments to boards and commissions (Animal Safety & Welfare, Architectural Board of Review, Board of Zoning Appeals, Citizens Advisory Committee, Community Relations Advisory Commission) were received and filed (motion passed).
• Mayoral reappointments (Loan Approval Board, Civil Service Commission, Citizens Advisory Committee) were received and filed (motion passed).
• Mayoral appointments to the CASE Board (John Mitterholzer, Jeff McCourt, Kyle Robinson) were received and filed (motion passed).
• December 2025 Finance Department vendor report (submitted pursuant to LCO 111.03) was received and filed (motion passed).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Robert Organ (address not stated, but recognized as a regular speaker) addressed snow removal in bike lanes and on sidewalks. He argued that the current ordinance, which places responsibility on homeowners and business owners, is ineffective, particularly for people with mobility issues. He requested a new ordinance or better enforcement, noting that the city provides free salt but sidewalks often remain uncleared even days after a storm. Council President Kepple acknowledged the issue, noted that the Building Department is enforcing existing rules for commercial properties, and encouraged residents to report violations and assist neighbors.
• Chris Minder (1212 Hathaway Avenue) urged Council to act on the recommendations of the 2023 Charter Review Committee, specifically ranked choice voting. He noted that the budget season had ended and that deadlines for the November 2026 ballot are approaching (local issues by August 5, charter amendments by September 4). Council President Kepple confirmed the goal is to place charter amendments on the November general election ballot for maximum voter turnout.

Discussion Items

• Election of Council President: Councilmember Bullock nominated Sarah Kepple to serve as President of Council for the term. Kepple was elected by acclamation (voice vote).
• Election of Vice President of Council: Council President Kepple nominated Kyle Baker for Vice President. Baker was elected by acclamation (voice vote).
• Report from Committee of the Whole (January 5, 2026): Council President Kepple reported that the Committee met earlier that day to review the eight applications received for the vacant Ward 4 seat (created by the resignation of Cindy Marx effective December 31, 2025). After executive session, Council voted to invite four candidates—Jason Frederick, Matt Bixenstein, AJ Pixie Malo, and Sydney Light Leitner Canada—for live-streamed interviews to be held the week of January 12. Council will vote on the appointment at the following full Council meeting. The Committee also discussed the schedule for upcoming City Hall facility discussions. The report was received and filed (motion passed).
• Communication from Councilmember Kepple regarding updated City Hall facilities schedule: Kepple distributed an amended schedule moving Bond Counsel’s presentation to January 26, 2026, with February 2 and February 9 reserved for additional dialogue. The administration’s plan to include $16.5 million in the 2026 Bond Anticipation Notes (BANS) for the Warren Road renovation was noted; Councilmember Bullock questioned the need to debt finance 2026 costs (estimated at $1.2–1.6 million for design) when traditional capital projects finance construction. The mayor clarified that the administration’s preferred timeline accelerates the project. The communication was referred to Committee of the Whole (motion passed).
• Communication from Mayor Meghan George regarding relocation to 1470 Warren Road (old Board of Education building): The Mayor presented the Administration’s case, including a new cost analysis from Liberty Development (owner of the BOE) showing a BOE renovation cost of $16,250,700 (or $445/sq. ft.) versus the earlier WMF/PMC estimate of $24,152,848 ($662/sq. ft.). The total project (BOE renovation + City Hall renovation for police/justice center) is estimated at $31,818,797 under the Liberty proposal, compared to WMF/PMC’s $39,720,945. The Mayor cited benefits: right-sizing the police department, lower guaranteed costs, a one-stop customer service center, unified operations under one roof, flexibility for growth, transit-accessible downtown location (70% of Ohio’s 30 largest cities have downtown city halls), and adaptive reuse of a historic building. Councilmember Bullock asked whether the Administration would consider other options like expanding existing City Hall; the Mayor replied that the build-out option is not feasible and that the administration’s preference is the two-campus model. Vice President Baker requested further explanation of how the Liberty process eliminates the need for a criteria architect. The communication was referred to Committee of the Whole (motion passed).
• Communication from Director Ernest Vargo regarding submerged lands lease at 1040 Forest Cliff Drive: The property owners seek a submerged lands lease to construct erosion control measures. The City’s Division of Engineering reviewed the matter; a permanent storm sewer easement has been recorded to protect a city outfall. Director Vargo noted the residents have been waiting and time is of the essence. After discussion, Council referred the communication to the Public Works and Sustainability Committee (motion passed) so that it can be reviewed and potentially acted upon at the next full Council meeting on January 20, 2026.
• Resolution 2026-01 (submerged lands lease approval): The resolution was introduced to approve the use of submerged lands for erosion control at 1040 Forest Cliff Drive. It was referred to the Public Works and Sustainability Committee (motion passed), to be considered alongside the communication above.

Key Outcomes

• Elected Sarah Kepple as Council President and Kyle Baker as Vice President for the term.
• Ward 4 vacancy process: Four candidates selected for interviews (week of January 12); appointment vote expected at the next regular meeting.
• Resolution 2025-77 (appointing Ward 4 councilmember) was deferred.
• Ordinance 01-2026 (re-codification of ordinances) was deferred.
• City Hall relocation proposal and bond counsel schedule were referred to Committee of the Whole for continued discussion on January 26, February 2, and February 9, 2026.
• Submerged lands lease (1040 Forest Cliff Drive) and accompanying resolution were referred to Public Works and Sustainability Committee, with the goal of action at the January 20, 2026 full Council meeting.
• Public comment on snow removal and ranked choice voting was noted; Council President Kepple committed to working toward a November 2026 ballot measure for charter amendments and encouraged enforcement of existing sidewalk snow removal ordinances.