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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting – May 14, 2026

Council Meetings — Thursday, May 14, 2026
BodyLakewood, Ohio
SessionCouncil Meetings
DateThursday, May 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:15:12

Original source
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0:00

Call the full meeting of council to order.

0:03

If you're able, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:23

Now pause for a moment of silence.

0:37

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

0:39

Vice President Baker.

0:40

Here.

0:41

Councilmember Bixenstein?

0:42

Here.

0:42

Councilmember Bullock.

0:44

Here.

0:44

Councilmember Evans.

0:45

Here.

0:46

President Kevill.

0:47

Here.

0:48

Councilmember Hamilton Steiner.

0:49

Here.

0:50

Councilmember Streiebig.

0:51

Here.

0:52

Reading and disposal of the minutes of the regular meeting of council held May 4th, 2026.

0:57

Move to approve without the necessity of a reading.

0:59

Second.

1:00

Motion's been made and seconded.

1:02

Any discussion?

1:03

Hearing none.

1:04

All those in favor?

1:05

Aye.

1:06

And that motion passes.

1:08

Without objection, I'd like to move items 11 and 12 to the top.

1:14

All right.

1:14

Item 11.

1:16

Communication from Mayor George regarding LGBTQIA plus Pride Month.

1:21

Mayor George.

1:26

Okay, good evening.

1:27

I'm behind in getting my laptop up.

1:29

So I will just say I am proud to yet again this year to introduce a resolution in support of Pride Month for the month of June.

1:39

And then also have the Pride flag flown right here at City Hall.

1:45

And again, I'm I this is something I've done for a number of years, and I'm proud to continue that tradition.

1:53

Thank you.

1:56

Sorry, we're having a little time.

1:57

There we go.

1:58

Technical difficulty there.

1:59

Okay.

2:00

Yeah, let's oh.

2:02

There we go.

2:03

All right.

2:04

Um, and I will first um move to receive and file that communication.

2:10

Second.

2:11

Motion's been made and seconded.

2:13

And then um I will see if Councilwoman Striebig would like to make some remarks.

2:19

Thank you.

2:21

Thank you, Mary George, for again bringing the pride resolution to Lakewood City Council.

2:27

Your leadership, when not many other mayors are brave enough to celebrate our diversity is encouraging and appreciated.

2:35

At this time in history, when the queer community is under attack, and specifically transgender children are repeatedly and maliciously attacked, it's comforting to know that we have an ally in you.

2:49

Thank you for showing our city residents and public employees that being an ally means taking action and not just uttering words.

3:00

I'd like to talk a little bit about being an ally today.

3:03

And I see we have members of PF here and probably some folks from Colors Plus and the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland and generally good citizens.

3:20

Being an ally means understanding that the fight for equality is not just a queer issue, but a human rights issue.

3:40

Being an ally means standing up to those who would joke about us or smear us when we're not there.

3:47

In the lunchroom, on the ball fields, and at family gatherings, we're depending on you to take the risk and challenge archaic thinking.

3:58

Being an ally means using the right pronouns.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Racial Equity████████████████████████████28%
Short Term Rental Regulation████████████████16%
Public Safety██████████████14%
Procedural█████████9%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Voter Engagement██████6%
Ranked Choice Voting██████6%
Youth Programs████4%
Public Engagement████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting – May 14, 2026

The Lakewood City Council met on May 14, 2026, to discuss a range of legislative and policy items, including the adoption of an LGBTQIA+ Pride Month resolution, updates on ranked choice voting charter amendments, a new HELP Foundation concession agreement, and a $6,000 recycling education grant. Council also heard public testimony opposing Flock Safety license plate readers and demanding action on a problematic short-term rental property.

Consent Calendar

  • Reading and disposal of the minutes of the May 4, 2026 regular meeting: approved unanimously.
  • Received and filed the report from the Public Works & Sustainability Committee on Ordinance 25-2026 (HELP Foundation concession).
  • Received and filed the oral report from the Committee of the Whole on charter amendments and ranked choice voting.
  • Received and filed reports from Councilmember Strebig on the April 26, 2026 Lakewood Youth Council meeting and the April 21, 2026 Community Recreation and Education Commission meeting.
  • Received and filed communication from Building Commissioner Parmelee regarding a correction to the electrical permit fee schedule.
  • Received and filed communication from Public Works Director Gordon on the 2026 Community Recycling Awareness Grant.
  • Received and filed communication from Principal Planner Nochta on the NatureWorks Grant application for Beck’s Pool renovation.
  • Deferred the liquor permit for QAJ Enterprise LLC at 14000 Detroit Avenue.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Pride Month Resolution (Items 11 & 12): Several community members spoke in support of the resolution, including Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nikki Antonio (Bell Avenue), who recalled the contentious first pride flag vote in 2002; Chuck Johnson (PFLAG Cleveland); Dr. Jess Sellers and Art Thompson (PFLAG Cleveland); and Mark Zabo (Rocky River), who noted his identity as a veteran and LGBTQ+ community member and urged continued support.
  • Flock Safety Cameras (Public Comment period): Jared Ark and Ryan Reim (1409 Marlowe Avenue) spoke against the city’s use of Flock automatic license plate readers, citing concerns about data sharing with federal agencies, potential for abuse (e.g., stalking, immigration enforcement), and instances in other Ohio cities. They urged the city to terminate its contract with Flock.
  • Short-Term Rental Nuisance (Public Comment period): Joey Artino (Delaware Avenue) and Caitlin Tuhig (Delaware Avenue) described ongoing problems at 14227 Delaware Avenue, a two-unit Airbnb owned by an out-of-state investor. Artino reported 63 police calls in five years and cited noise, parties, fights, and suspected drug activity. He asked council to designate the property as a nuisance and to pass a short-term rental ordinance requiring owner occupancy. Tuhig, a clinical mental health counselor, shared similar accounts of sex work, drug use, and late-night disturbances observed by children.

Discussion Items

  • LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Resolution (Resolution 2026-30): Mayor Meghan George introduced the resolution recognizing June 2026 as Pride Month and authorizing the pride flag to be flown at City Hall. Councilmembers Strebig, Hamilton Steiner, Baker, Bullock, Bixenstine, and Kepple spoke in support, emphasizing allyship and the importance of protecting LGBTQIA+ rights. The resolution was adopted unanimously after public testimony.
  • Ranked Choice Voting Charter Amendment (Ordinance 27-2026): President Kepple reported from the Committee of the Whole meeting held earlier that evening. Council reviewed four options: (1) direct adoption via charter amendment, (2) allowing council the option to implement ranked choice voting (the current ordinance), (3) a conditional amendment tied to repeal of Senate Bill 63, and (4) waiting until after November 2026. No decision was reached; the ordinance was deferred to allow continued committee work. Related ordinances on council salaries, appointment processes, and ward redistricting (Ordinance 19-2026) remain in committee.
  • HELP Foundation Concession Agreement (Ordinance 25-2026): Councilmember Bullock reported that the Public Works & Sustainability Committee discussed the one-year lease for food concessions at Lakewood Park and Madison Park (May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027). Committee members expressed support and requested copies of alternative proposals. The ordinance remains in committee.
  • Codification of Ordinances (Substitute Ordinance 24-2026): Council adopted the quarterly update approving the editing and inclusion of several recently passed ordinances into the Codified Ordinances, effective immediately.
  • Electrical Permit Fee Schedule (Resolution 2025-71A): Council adopted an amendment to restore a $30 base fee for electrical permits, which had been inadvertently omitted from the Master Fee Schedule. The change is a restoration, not an increase.
  • Community Recycling Awareness Grant: Director Gordon reported that the city was awarded $6,000 from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District for a 24-week billboard campaign. One full-size board at Detroit east of West Clifton and two junior posters at 12506 Detroit west of Cove Avenue will educate the public on proper recycling practices. The communication was received and filed.
  • NatureWorks Grant for Beck’s Pool Renovation (Resolution 2026-31): Principal Planner Nochta requested authorization to apply for up to $150,000 in ODNR NatureWorks grant funds (with a 25% city match) for the Beck’s Pool renovation project, estimated at $4–6 million. The grant application deadline is July 1, 2026. The resolution was adopted on first reading.

Key Outcomes

  • Adopted Resolution 2026-30 recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and authorizing the pride flag to fly at City Hall. Vote: unanimous.
  • Adopted Substitute Ordinance 24-2026 (codification update). Vote: unanimous.
  • Adopted Resolution 2025-71A amending the Master Fee Schedule to restore a $30 base fee for electrical permits. Vote: unanimous.
  • Adopted Resolution 2026-31 authorizing application for the NatureWorks Grant for Beck’s Pool renovation. Vote: unanimous.
  • Deferred Ordinance 27-2026 (ranked choice voting charter amendment) pending continued Committee of the Whole deliberations.
  • Received and filed all reports and communications as listed under Consent Calendar.
  • Deferred the liquor permit for QAJ Enterprise LLC at 14000 Detroit Avenue.
  • Council committed to advancing a short-term rental regulatory ordinance later this year, with Councilmembers Baker, Evans, and Bullock leading the effort. The administration also agreed to explore enforcement of existing nuisance property laws at 14227 Delaware Avenue.
  • Council noted upcoming meetings with the administration to discuss Flock Safety data-sharing concerns.

Meeting Transcript

Call the full meeting of council to order. If you're able, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Now pause for a moment of silence. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Vice President Baker. Here. Councilmember Bixenstein? Here. Councilmember Bullock. Here. Councilmember Evans. Here. President Kevill. Here. Councilmember Hamilton Steiner. Here. Councilmember Streiebig. Here. Reading and disposal of the minutes of the regular meeting of council held May 4th, 2026. Move to approve without the necessity of a reading. Second. Motion's been made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Aye. And that motion passes. Without objection, I'd like to move items 11 and 12 to the top. All right. Item 11. Communication from Mayor George regarding LGBTQIA plus Pride Month. Mayor George. Okay, good evening. I'm behind in getting my laptop up. So I will just say I am proud to yet again this year to introduce a resolution in support of Pride Month for the month of June. And then also have the Pride flag flown right here at City Hall. And again, I'm I this is something I've done for a number of years, and I'm proud to continue that tradition. Thank you. Sorry, we're having a little time. There we go. Technical difficulty there. Okay. Yeah, let's oh. There we go. All right. Um, and I will first um move to receive and file that communication. Second. Motion's been made and seconded. And then um I will see if Councilwoman Striebig would like to make some remarks. Thank you.

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