OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting - September 9, 2026

Council Meetings — Wednesday, September 9, 2026
BodyLakewood, Ohio
SessionCouncil Meetings
DateWednesday, September 9, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:27:55

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

All right, we will call to order the regular meeting of City Council.

0:03

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

0:22

Now pause for a moment of silence.

0:31

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

0:34

Vice President Baker.

0:35

Here.

0:35

Councilmember Bixenstein.

0:37

Here.

0:37

Councilmember Bullock.

0:39

Here.

0:39

Councilmember Evans.

0:40

Here.

0:41

President Keppel.

0:42

Here.

0:42

Councilmember Hamilton Steiner.

0:44

Here.

0:44

Councilmember Streebig.

0:46

Here.

0:47

Reading and disposal of the minutes of the regular meeting of council held July 20th, 2026.

0:53

Move to approve without the necessity of a reading.

0:55

Second.

0:56

Motion's been made and seconded.

0:58

Any discussion?

0:59

Hearing none.

1:00

All those in favor?

1:01

Aye.

1:02

And that motion passes.

1:03

Reading and disposal of the minutes of the August 5th, 2026 community conversation.

1:08

Move to approve without the necessity of a reading.

1:10

Second.

1:11

Motion's been made and seconded.

1:12

Discussion.

1:13

Hearing none.

1:14

All those in favor?

1:15

Aye.

1:16

And that motion passes.

1:20

Without objection, I'd like to move the first item to the end of the docket.

1:28

We'll start with item two.

1:29

Item two.

1:30

Communication from Councilmember Hamilton Steiner, Council President Keppel and Vice President Baker regarding City of Lakewood Flock contract.

1:38

Councilwoman Hamilton Steiner.

1:39

Yes, thank you.

1:40

One second to hello.

1:42

Okay.

1:42

Dear colleagues, the City of Lakewood is in year four of a five-year contract with FLOC Safety.

1:48

Flock for Lakewood citywide surveillance camera program.

1:52

At the August 5th, 2026 Board of Control meeting, the administration approved an amount of 125,000 for a payment on the contract with FLOC.

2:01

Initially, in April 2021, the city entered into a contract with FLOC for 40 cameras at an amount of 110,000.

2:09

Additional cameras were added in February of 2023, bringing the total number of cameras to 50.

2:14

In July 2023, the contract was amended for the current five-year agreement, in which we are in year four.

2:21

There is growing concern amongst our residents over the city's use of FLOC, the company, and use of the ALPR automatic license plate reader in general.

2:30

Communities throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond are examining specific policies surrounding use of this technology and determining what guardrails, if any, are needed for its responsible and ethical use.

2:41

There are members of the state legislator working on bipartisan legislation to either ban the technology outright or at least put some guardrails on the system.

2:49

We all can appreciate technology and how it can make our lives easier and safer.

2:53

Police officers have benefited from technological advances which have kept them and subsequently our communities safer.

3:00

Bullet resistant vest, body cams, and enhanced on-the-job communication tools and devices.

3:06

Technology used responsibly and how it is supposed to be can be a good thing.

3:10

We are, however, hearing from residents that they are concerned about the use of FLOC.

3:14

In particular, we have heard privacy concerns, questions about what data and information is being shared with other agencies and with which outside agencies the city has shared information.

3:24

Additional questions include how much crime has been solved and or deterred as a result of this technology.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Active Transportation█████████████13%
Technology and Innovation███████7%
Public Safety███████7%
Public Engagement████4%
Community Engagement████4%
Water And Wastewater Management███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Public Works██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting - September 9, 2026

The Lakewood City Council held its regular meeting on September 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including a contract with Flock Safety for license plate readers, updates from the Complete and Active Streets Education & Advisory Board (CASE), a report on the Block Club program, First Energy's infrastructure failures and rate case, and multiple routine items. Public comment was heard on several topics. Several items were referred to committees, and a resolution authorizing grant applications was adopted. Council also entered executive session to discuss legal matters related to First Energy.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes of the July 20, 2026 regular meeting and the August 5, 2026 Community Conversation.
  • Received and filed the communication from Vice President Baker regarding the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the City of Lakewood for the audit period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Referred to Finance Committee.
  • Received and filed the report from Vice President Baker regarding the September 1, 2026 meeting of the Complete & Active Streets Education & Advisory Board.
  • Received and filed the communication from Councilmembers Evans, Strebig, and Bixenstine regarding an update on the block club program initiative.
  • Received and filed the report from Councilmember Hamilton Steiner regarding the July and August 2026 meetings of the Animal Safety & Welfare Advisory Board.
  • Received and filed the communication from Public Works Director Gordon regarding the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) Grant Program Year 2028.
  • Adopted Resolution 2026-39 authorizing the City Engineer to prepare and submit applications to participate in OPWC and Local Transportation Improvement Programs.
  • Received and filed the communication from Fire Chief Fairbanks regarding a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Training Grant (confined space rescue technician training for up to nine firefighters, $6,606.25 reimbursable grant).
  • Received and filed the communication from Planning Commission Chair LaPointe regarding the appointment of Kyle Reisz to the Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council (CRAHC).
  • Received and filed the July & August 2026 Finance Department vendor reports.
  • Filed with no objection the liquor permit for Bijou Hospitality LLC (Amazonia, 12012 Madison Ave) and the liquor permit for Karam Petroleum (16016 Hilliard Rd).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Flock Safety/ALPR cameras: Several residents spoke against the use of Flock cameras, citing privacy concerns, potential for abuse, lack of transparency on data sharing, and questionable effectiveness. Speakers asked the city to discontinue the contract. One resident requested access to audit logs, which had been denied under ORC exemption.
  • CASE Board / Shared Use Path Code Amendments: Residents spoke on the proposed regulations for e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-motos. Jeff Titzik (Bunts Road resident) expressed concern about safety on the shared use path, advocating for a speed limit. Emily Lindbergh (CASE Board member) changed her position after attending a conference and now recommends prohibiting e-motos on city streets entirely. Another speaker supported age 18 minimum for e-motos and allowing e-bikes on shared use paths.
  • First Energy: A resident expressed anger over First Energy's request to avoid a $3 million fine and highlighted the company's collection of grid modernization fees without delivering promised upgrades.
  • Lakewood City Schools / Elementary restructuring: Zach Roebuck (parent, Elementary Transition Committee member) urged council to press the school board for collaboration on transportation, crossing guards, snow clearing, and walkability impacts of the plan to repurpose Lincoln Elementary and create a centralized early learning center. He noted the school board was voting that night.
  • Bunts Road shared use path construction: Matt Herberger criticized the quality of the path installed near the high school, citing poor grading, edging, and asphalt issues, and asked for accountability from the contractor.

Discussion Items

  • Flock Contract (Item 2): Councilmember Hamilton Steiner presented a communication about the city's contract with Flock Safety (year 4 of 5, $125,000 payment, 50 cameras). She noted resident concerns about privacy, data sharing, and effectiveness. The communication was referred to the Public Safety Committee after a motion and second.
  • CASE Board Report (Item 4): Vice President Baker reported on the CASE Board's September 1 meeting. Key topics: (1) proposed Shared Use Path Code Amendments to distinguish among e-bikes, low-speed micromobility devices, and e-motos; CASE Board favorably referred the amended legislation back to council with comments. (2) Proposed improvements to the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program, including purchasing two additional radar units and procuring a StreetLight data subscription. Public comments were heard, and the report was received and filed.
  • Block Club Program (Item 5): Councilmember Evans reported on three focus groups held in July, where residents requested a starter toolkit, a city webpage with a single point of contact, and more inclusive outreach to renters and immigrants. The communication was received and filed.
  • Animal Safety & Welfare Advisory Board (Item 6): Councilmember Hamilton Steiner reported on July and August meetings, including public comment on shelter procedures, a new online cat registration platform, and a deep dive on the Shelter Pro monthly report. The report noted a hoarding situation where 40 cats were euthanized and a dog euthanized after a biting incident. Received and filed.
  • OPWC Grant (Item 7 & 8): Public Works Director Gordon presented the 2028 Watermain Replacement Project (four street segments). A resolution authorizing grant applications was adopted after discussion about coordination with the school district on Delaware Ave. improvements.
  • Community Care Response Team (Item 9): Fire Chief Fairbanks requested council refer the matter to a committee for a presentation on the first year of the joint crisis response program. Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
  • PUCO Training Grant (Item 10): Fire Chief Fairbanks notified council of a $6,606.25 grant for confined space rescue technician training. Received and filed.
  • CRAHC Appointment (Item 11): Assistant Director Baas explained the planning commission's appointment of Kyle Reisz to the Housing Council. Received and filed.
  • First Energy (Item 1, taken out of order): President Kepple reported that First Energy had agreed to appear before the Committee of the Whole on September 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM to discuss infrastructure reliability and corrective action plans. She noted the city filed a motion to intervene in the PUCO rate case (First Energy seeking rate increases of $5/month initially, escalating to $15/month by year three). Council then entered executive session to consult with legal counsel regarding pending disputes. After executive session, the communication was referred to the Committee of the Whole.

Key Outcomes

  • Flock contract: Referred to Public Safety Committee for further discussion.
  • Resolution 2026-39: Adopted (OPWC grant applications).
  • Community Care Response Team: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
  • First Energy: Communication referred to Committee of the Whole; executive session held for legal consultation.
  • Liquor permits (Bijou Hospitality and Karam Petroleum): Filed with no objection.
  • All other communications: Received and filed as noted in the consent calendar.
  • Upcoming meeting: Finance Committee on September 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM to review the annual audit; Committee of the Whole with First Energy on September 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM; CASE Board code amendments scheduled for council discussion on September 21, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

All right, we will call to order the regular meeting of City Council. 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 Keppel. Here. Councilmember Hamilton Steiner. Here. Councilmember Streebig. Here. Reading and disposal of the minutes of the regular meeting of council held July 20th, 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. Reading and disposal of the minutes of the August 5th, 2026 community conversation. Move to approve without the necessity of a reading. Second. Motion's been made and seconded. Discussion. Hearing none. All those in favor? Aye. And that motion passes. Without objection, I'd like to move the first item to the end of the docket. We'll start with item two. Item two. Communication from Councilmember Hamilton Steiner, Council President Keppel and Vice President Baker regarding City of Lakewood Flock contract. Councilwoman Hamilton Steiner. Yes, thank you. One second to hello. Okay. Dear colleagues, the City of Lakewood is in year four of a five-year contract with FLOC Safety. Flock for Lakewood citywide surveillance camera program. At the August 5th, 2026 Board of Control meeting, the administration approved an amount of 125,000 for a payment on the contract with FLOC. Initially, in April 2021, the city entered into a contract with FLOC for 40 cameras at an amount of 110,000. Additional cameras were added in February of 2023, bringing the total number of cameras to 50. In July 2023, the contract was amended for the current five-year agreement, in which we are in year four.

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