Stow · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Stow public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
2027 City Budget Appropriations
The 2027 annual appropriations ordinance got its first reading; the Finance Department just wants it on the books to start the year.
Court postage budget increase
Coffey wants to check whether another company could provide courthouse postage before the city locks in another year with Pitney Bowes — the item advanced only as a first reading.
Twinsburg Prosecution Services Contract
Stow will prosecute Munroe Falls' misdemeanor and traffic cases for $15,000 a year over five years, boosting efficiency at Stow Municipal Court.
2026 Annual Staffing Report and 2027 Positions
The city reported 239 full-time-equivalent employees and floated five new or backfill positions for 2027 — including a long-needed second engineering inspector. Council wants more detail on merit raises before the budget moves ahead.
Law Director's departure and Issue 34
Drew Reilly is leaving for the private sector after 4.5 years, and he used his final report to push a ballot issue: Issue 34 would raise the law director's pay, which he says is lower than other attorneys in his own department. Deputy Steve Hooten steps in as acting law director.
City general insurance renewal (property, casualty, cyber)
The city's insurance premium rose 4% to about $399,000 for 2026-27. This is the last year of the current three-year contract, and the city will seek bids for a new one in 2027.
2027 Employee Health and Benefit Renewals
Stow keeps its partially self-funded health plan through 2027, with MMO handling administration ($170,000 cap) and stop-loss coverage ($630,000 cap) for about 225 employees, plus Guardian life, dental, and vision coverage capped at $68,500.
2027 city budget first reading (Ordinance 2026-163)
The 2027 city budget is moving through council with a second reading and no vote yet — final passage still ahead.
Moral claim settlement rejected (Ordinance 2026-159)
Council unanimously refused to pay Yadap Sinchury $250,000 for vehicle damage from debris after a separate accident, following the administration's recommendation. The claim had already been recommended for denial by the Board of Control.
City debt maturities
Council member Cyle Feldman walked through every major city debt and when it ends — most by 2033-2035, though two water-line loans run to 2047 and 2053. It's a picture of how much borrowing capacity the city has for future projects.
Codified ordinances update
Stow's code book is being updated to match new state law, touching traffic rules, dog provisions, cannabis, fireworks, and more.
2027 Property Tax Levies
The city must certify its tax rates to Summit County every year to collect property taxes. This year's totals 9.50 mills — all within the charter's 10-mill limit, so no vote beyond the 10-mill ceiling.
City record retention and disposal
Thanks to a charter amendment, the city is updating where ordinances and resolutions get posted: the Library, City Hall, and the Community and Senior Center will replace fire stations as the official notice boards.
2027 Budget Season Begins
Finance staff are wrapping up the capital budget and meeting with department heads on 2027 operating budgets over the next two weeks.
City phone system replacement
The city is ditching its old PBX phone system for RingCentral's cloud-based VoIP service — about $50,000 a year versus $100,000 now, using existing hardware. Staff can take calls remotely and the system supports texting.
2027 Tax Levies Certified
Council adopted the routine resolution accepting Summit County Budget Commission rates and certifying next year's tax levies to the county.
City building HVAC and window replacements
Aging heating and cooling systems at City Hall, the Community Center, Fox Den Clubhouse, and the Safety Building are being replaced for about $419,000, plus $70,600 for Safety Building windows. The Safety Building boilers are the building's only heat source and parts are obsolete.
Municipal energy as a service proposal
A vendor pitched a 25-30 year deal to electrify city buildings and fleets with no upfront cost, but members want a small pilot with benchmarks before any commitment — and don't want Stow to be the first city to sign on.
Charter amendments for Acting Mayor, Finance Director and Law Director
Three separate charter amendments clarify who takes over when the mayor, finance director or law director is absent or incapacitated — prompted by Finance Director Toppin's recent incapacitation. One debate: the finance amendment references an "assistant" director title the city doesn't currently use.
Plans Examiner staffing shortage
Stow has gone two years without an in-house Plans Examiner, slowing building plan reviews and drawing complaints from businesses. The fix: regrade the job to pay grade 13, add a Plans Examiner 2 growth path, and hire Brian Ashurst as Plans Examiner I.
The AMP amphitheater budget overage
The amphitheater broke ground April 12, and the city aims to raise about $1.1 million in sponsorships to pay for the bike trail spur — keeping the whole project debt-free. Only four sponsorship packages are offered, deliberately kept limited to avoid a billboard look.
Community Facility Rental Fee Schedule Update
The council was to adopt an updated rental fee schedule for community facilities effective October 1, with allowed annual increases of up to 10 percent until rates match regional comparables. The item, continued from May 27, did not advance.
Landscaping and Lighting District Assessments for FY 2025-2026
A public hearing was set to continue levying maintenance assessments across nearly thirty landscaping and lighting districts for the coming fiscal year. The hearing did not occur because the meeting was canceled.
Tax Auditor II appointment
Out of executive session, council advanced an ordinance confirming Erin Bickar's appointment as Tax Auditor II in the Finance Department.
Senate Bill 239 police pension contribution increase
A pending state bill would raise the city's police pension employer contribution from 19% to 24% over five years — roughly a 1 to 1.5% budget increase. Finance staff saw it coming and have planned for it.
Metronet fiber for city buildings
The city is trying Metronet fiber as a backup to AT&T for City Hall, the police department, and pump stations — at a price officials called significantly cheaper. If it works out, the city may switch providers entirely in 2027.
BS&A financial software contract
The city pays nearly $100K to keep running the software that handles everyone's payroll and every department's budget and purchasing. The emergency clause means it takes effect right away rather than waiting.
Delinquent Income Tax Collection
The city hired the Ohio Attorney General's Collection Enforcement Division to go after unpaid city income taxes.
Permit fee and bonding requirement changes
Council finished its overhaul of city permit fees and bonding rules after three readings. It affects what builders and homeowners pay when pulling permits in Stow. Two council members voted no.
Municipal Court magistrate funding
Council amended the 2026 budget to pay for a Municipal Court magistrate.
Snow and Ice Equipment Replacement
Two 2008 International trucks are being replaced with new trucks fitted with snow and ice packages, funded through the 2026 capital budget. The deal skips public bidding because the vendor holds a state contract.
Personnel code changes draw dissent
Two ordinances updating the city's personnel policies passed over the objections of Coffey and Fiocca — one adding a Public Information Officer, one tied to staffing for THE AMP project.
First-quarter audit and extended tax office hours
Auditors arrive the week of March 23, and the tax department is adding hours on April 11 and April 14–15 to help residents with income tax filing deadlines.
Fox Den enterprise fund finances
Council Member Coffey probed how the golf course's money works: it's a separate enterprise fund, so course profits can't fund other parks or city needs, and the freed-up driving range payment won't go to roads.
Energy efficiency and grants
Members flagged LED retrofits for city buildings, the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority's low-interest financing, and state energy-efficiency grants — with the idea of a formal grant-pursuit process through council.
Cloud-Based Server Funding Transfer
Money moved from the capital improvements fund into the general fund to cover cloud-based server costs for city IT.
Pursuit of federal and state infrastructure funding
Staff are chasing grant and loan dollars for 2026, including congressional requests for shovel-ready projects like Safe Routes to School, Lillian Road, Echo Road, and possibly a trail spur near the amphitheater. Winning these could stretch the city's own capital dollars further.
State bill on income tax reciprocity
A Columbus House bill would require voter approval before cities could reduce or repeal reciprocity tax credits. Stow residents currently get 100% reciprocity on taxes for work done outside the city — changing that would now need to go to the ballot.
Visibility of city commissions
Members agreed many residents don't know the senior commission — or other commissions — exist, and suggested highlighting all commissions in a city newsletter and adding a senior resources link to the city website.
City Website Services Renewal
Stow is renewing its three city websites through CivicPlus for up to $23,824.76 — covering hosting, security, notification systems, and design.
Capital Project Closeout and Fund Allocations
The city closes out finished 2025 capital projects and redirects leftover money into 2026 work. The $14.2 million figure is the total 2026 capital budget, with about $6.6 million coming from the general capital Fund 799 and water projects paid from the water capital fund.
2024 State Audit Results
Stow's 2024 audit by the State of Ohio came back clean — no findings, just one recommendation for a process change. That means the city is handling your tax dollars properly on paper, and it's in line to keep earning GFOA and Auditor of State awards.
Board of Control spending thresholds
Council tightened how the city approves purchases, keeping the Board of Control in charge but sparring over whether purchases between $35,000 and $50,000 should need all seven council members instead of just the Finance Committee. The amendment failed, but the underlying ordinance passed 4-3.
Outdated city damage reimbursement cap
A resident whose mailbox was crushed by a city leaf truck found the city's maximum reimbursement is just $86 — far below what his mailbox cost. Officials agreed the cap is outdated, and the claim now goes to the Board of Control with no appeal.
Deputy Finance Director resignation and 2025 financial close-out
Deputy Finance Director Sami Wagner resigned effective December 26, 2025, and the city hopes to hire a replacement by early February. Final 2025 financial numbers are also expected around then.
Council leadership for 2026
Kyle Herman takes over as Council President for the new year, promising more collaboration and easier public access to council meetings. Kelly Coffey's lone dissenting votes spotlighted the question of whether both parties should share leadership roles.
Committee assignments pending
Who sits on which council committee affects what gets attention — roads, safety, finance, and planning work all flow through committees. Assignments wait until Herman hears each member's preferences.