Lakewood City Council Regular Meeting – October 2, 2026

Note: The timestamp supplied for this summary is 2026-10-02 14:15:00+00:00, while the agenda and transcript text reference a regular meeting on October 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM. This summary uses the supplied date and flags the discrepancy.

On October 2, 2026, Lakewood City Council held a regular meeting that included adoption of the Public Art Master Plan, a Hispanic Heritage Month resolution, board and commission appointments, committee and advisory board reports, a liquor permit filing, and public comment.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of the September 21, 2026 regular meeting were approved without a reading.
• The Committee of the Whole report from September 28, 2026, covering FirstEnergy's infrastructure plans, was received and filed.
• The oral Committee of the Whole report reviewing the Public Art Master Plan (described in the transcript as held on October 5, 2026) was received and filed.
• The September 2026 Finance Department vendor report, submitted under Lakewood Codified Ordinance 111.03, was received and filed.
• The liquor permit for Sourwood Public House at 14810 Detroit Ave. was filed without objection.
• Reports from Councilmember Strebig and Councilmember Hamilton Steiner on September boards and commissions were received and filed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Chris Carpenter, representing the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, described services for people with developmental disabilities and the board's mission to help them live, learn, work, and play in the community. He noted that a 3.9-mill levy passed in 2005 had been stretched for an additional ten years, and he urged awareness and support for a 2.25-mill levy on the November ballot, warning that if it fails, services would be reduced drastically or potentially eliminated. Councilmembers expressed strong support for the levy and the board's work.

Discussion Items

• Hispanic Heritage Month communication and Resolution 2026-48: Councilmember Hamilton Steiner read a communication co-authored with President Kepple that honored Hispanic Heritage Month and condemned targeted immigration enforcement, racial profiling, and what it called "illegal ICE detention." Councilmember Hamilton Steiner added that "no human is illegal" and that "if you're here, you belong here." Councilmember Bixenstine noted Lakewood has upwards of 2,000 Hispanic residents and that nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population is Hispanic/Latino. Councilmember Strebig voiced support. Resolution 2026-48, designating September 15–October 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month in Lakewood, was adopted. Its preamble notes that one in four U.S. children is of Hispanic or Latino origin, Ohio's Hispanic-Latino population has more than doubled since 2000, and Cuyahoga County has the largest Hispanic-Latino population in the state.
• Committee of the Whole – FirstEnergy: Council received a report on the September 28, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting with six FirstEnergy executives. The report described FirstEnergy's "fix it as we go" approach to Lakewood's infrastructure as a failure, said the PUCO's 2026 notice of probable noncompliance is still being negotiated, and noted regulators may compel additional investments over the next seven to nine years. The Lauderdale substation, central to Fourth of July electrical failures, is served by underground cables over 100 years old. The city opposes FirstEnergy's rate increase and will continue seeking restitution for residents; public comments were directed to PUCO case 26-0347-EL AIR.
• Public Art Master Plan adoption: Council adopted Resolution 2026-40 after the Committee of the Whole unanimously recommended it. The plan was developed with the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, and Lakewood was one of four applicants selected for planning services out of ten applicants. It documents more than 100 existing public art pieces and was informed by 800 community survey respondents, approximately 2,038 written comments, and about 120 engaged high school students. The plan includes goals for diverse art forms, strategic placement, equity, and sustainable funding and maintenance processes for the Public Art Advisory Board.
• Board and commission vacancies: President Kepple's communication proposed reappointing incumbents and appointing Councilmember Matt Bixenstine as Lakewood Alive's ex-officio board member. Councilmembers praised Marco Oriella and Emily Lindberg. The Public Art Advisory Board vacancy will be advertised with a preference for an architecture or landscape-architecture background. Resolution 2026-42 for that vacancy was deferred pending applicants. Resolutions 2026-43 through 2026-47 were adopted.

Reports Received

• Councilmember Strebig reported that the Community Recreation & Education Commission discussed summer youth and adult programs, pools, facilities, and fall programming, including new flag football for younger players. The Lakewood Youth Council reviewed applications and will interview candidates to fill six vacancies.
• Councilmember Hamilton Steiner reported on the September 16, 2026 Animal Safety & Welfare Advisory Board meeting. The shelter held 23 animals, four of which were available for adoption. LASWAB demonstrated a pet registration feature for reuniting lost pets and scheduled a pet food drive for November 14, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., at City Center Park (Marc's Plaza), to support 250 Lakewood families in need of monthly pet food assistance.

Key Outcomes

• Adopted Resolution 2026-48 (Hispanic Heritage Month) by voice vote, no opposition noted.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-40 (Public Art Master Plan) by voice vote, no opposition noted.
• Deferred Resolution 2026-42 (Public Art Advisory Board appointment) while the city seeks applicants.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-43, appointing Councilmember Cindy Strebig as liaison to the Community Recreation & Education Commission for a one-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-44, reappointing Emily Lindberg to the Complete and Active Streets Education & Advisory Board for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-45, reappointing Dawn Ellis and Mariah McGunigle to the Lakewood Heritage Advisory Board for four-year terms beginning January 1, 2027.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-46, reappointing Marco Oriella to the Tree Advisory & Education Board for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
• Adopted Resolution 2026-47, appointing Councilmember Matt Bixenstine as ex-officio member of Lakewood Alive's Board of Directors for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
• Announcements included Spooky Pooch on October 10 at Madison Park, "Welcome to Lakewood" on Thursday, and the fall tree giveaway outcome: 198 of 200 trees claimed, with 12 households on a waitlist.