MIN 03-02-26

1 MINUTES OF A MEETING OF LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL AUDITORIUM MARCH 2, 2026 Regular meeting of the Lakewood City Council called to order at 7:32pm by President Kepple. Present: Councilmembers Kepple, Evans, Baker, Bixenstine, Bullock, Strebig, Hamilton Steiner Also present: Mayor George, Police Chief Fischer, Fire Chief Fairbanks, Planning Director Byington, Finance Director Mahoney, Law Director Vargo, Public Works Director Gordon, Council staff and members of the public. Motion made by President Kepple to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held February 17, 2026 without the necessity of a reading, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Minutes approved. Without objection, President Kepple moved item 27 to the top of the agenda. OLD BUSINESS*** Without objection, President Kepple moved items 1, 2 and 4 to the end of the agenda. 1. Report from Committee of the Whole held February 23, 2026. Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the report. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 2. S. ORDINANCE 33-2025B - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, to establish appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Lakewood, State of Ohio, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) President Kepple provided an explanation of S. Ordinance 33-2025B noting that the version referred out of Committee of the Whole does not include the $16.5 million intended for City Hall facility expenditures. She said Council needs to decide if they want to amend Ordinance 07- 2026 to include any funding for City Hall facility expenditures, as discussed in the Committee of the Whole, then they would need to amend S. Ordinance 33-2025B accordingly, so the amended figures are the same. She added that when they get to S. Ordinance 07-2026, they will need to substitute regardless because some pages were inadvertently left off the docketed version. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

2 Discussion: In response to a clarifying question from Vice President Baker, President Kepple explained how the bond legislation corresponds to the appropriations legislation. She reviewed information that was shared with Council from Planning Director Byington, reviewing estimates of different budget scenarios for City Hall. Director Byington then provided some clarifications on the numbers that President Kepple reviewed, and the scope of work that the various scenarios would cover. President Kepple and Planning Director Byington briefly reviewed the options that were discussed in Committee of the Whole. Mayor George suggested that if Council was not ready to appropriate the full $16.5M, they could consider purchasing 1470 Warren Rd as an intermediate step to provide site control while Council continues to consider next steps. She added that this option would signal to staff that movement is being made on this process. Mayor George stated that if Council were to approve funds to purchase the building, the Administration would begin work on a purchase agreement to present to Council. President Kepple reiterated the urgency of the Police Department’ s need for expanded space. She stated that while she was open to hearing more about the proposed Warren Rd. building renovation and purchase, she was not ready to commit to that path at this time. She stated that appropriating some funds for design of the Police Department renovations is an appropriate next step. Vice President Baker voiced support for amending S. Ordinance 33-2025B to appropriate funding for design to begin on the Police Department’ s renovations. Councilmember Evans agreed that it is critical to move forward on the Police Department portion of this project and voiced his support for appropriating funds for that purpose. Councilmember Strebig voiced support for moving forward with this step of the process. In response to a question, Vice President Baker clarified that the discussion is currently focused on appropriating funds for design, in an amount between $ 1.5 M and $4 M, to begin Phase 1 of design for Police Department renovations. In response to a question from Councilmember Bullock, Dir. Byington shared that the priorities for resolving the City Hall space issue remain consistent with those presented by Assistant Planning Director Baas at the February 23, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting. Councilmember Bullock and Planning Director Byington discussed how the proposed design money could be spent, with Dir. Mahoney adding that unused money allocated for design could also be used for another phase, such as planning or construction. Dir. Byington reiterated that Phase 1 includes the garden- level renovation of the Police Department and the women’ s locker room. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

3 Councilmember Bullock stated his interest in continuing to evaluate the option of purchasing 1470 Warren Rd. He voiced his support for appropriating $ 4M for design and Phase 1 for the Police Department. Mayor George requested more direction from Council on what the Administration is designing for, since there is not a clear plan on where to permanently relocate staff that might be displaced by the renovations of the Police Department. President Kepple explained the necessity of acting upon this legislation for the bond counsel and the rationale for funding the design portion of the Police Dept. renovations now. She said they need to decide sooner or later whether to move forward with the purchase of the Warren Rd building, but said she thinks they can still move forward with the design portion of the Police Department in the meantime. Vice President Baker voiced his belief that the purchase and renovation of the Warren Rd. building is not the only solution for the Police Department’ s lack of space. There is currently not enough outside analysis to determine if that is the correct solution. Regarding the legislation before Council, Vice President Baker asserted that he supports an additional $ 4M for the design and Phase 1 of Police Dept. renovations. Mayor George stated that her Administration could create a purchase agreement for the building to present to Council. President Kepple stated that she is not currently ready to say yes to the Warren Rd. building project. She spoke about what a productive process could look like to solve the bigger picture issue of City Hall and the Police Department’ s space constraints. She described a collaborative process that would include a variety of stakeholders, including staff and members of the public and Council, working with the Administration and a criteria architect to determine the best way to move forward. Councilmember Hamilton Steiner stated that she is not currently ready to say yes to the purchase and renovation of the Warren Rd. building. She spoke about the more inclusive process that she would have preferred, which could have involved Councilmembers and the public. She spoke about Council’ s responsibility to both city employees and residents of Lakewood and financial considerations. She voiced her support to approve $ 4M to start with design for the Police Dept as a starting point. Mayor George responded that the City Hall space issues have been discussed for a number of years and that meetings have been available to the public. President Kepple pointed out the distinction between a public meeting and a stakeholder meeting. She added that when Liberty Development conducted interviews with city staff to determine their space needs, they did not include City Council. She also advocated for the need to speak to the public about this issue. She stated that some of the appropriated funds could potentially be used to support a strategic process to solve the City Hall space issue. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

4 Councilmember Evans voiced support for focusing on the Police Dept. design and renovation first, which would inform the needs for City Hall moving forward. He stated that he is not currently ready to support the Warren Rd. building purchase and renovation project. Councilmember Strebig stated that she was interested in learning more about the proposed Warren Rd. building project, specifically the purchase of the building, and supports more discussion on that option. Motion made by President Kepple to amend S. Ordinance 33-2025B to add $4.M to the Capital Improvement Fund amount, seconded by Vice President Baker. Motion made by President Kepple to amend that motion to increase the amount by $4M in both places where it is listed on the ordinance. Discussion: In response to a question from Councilmember Bullock, Dir. Mahoney stated that all amounts fall under the designation of capital. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. S. Ordinance 33-2025B amended. Motin made by President Kepple to adopt S. Ordinance 33-2025B as amended. All members voted in favor. S. Ordinance 33-2025B adopted as amended. Motion made by President Kepple to suspend the rules to read items 3 and 5 - 11 together, seconded by Vice President Baker. Clerk Bach administered a roll call. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 3. ORDINANCE 06-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 4,900,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of improving Bunts Road, Lake Road, Clifton Road and other streets located within the city, between certain termini, by resurfacing and replacing concrete, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; and approving related matters. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 4. S. ORDINANCE 07-2026 – AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 18,300,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of improving Winterhurst ice arena and city hall and other public buildings, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; and approving related matters. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) (pg. 28) Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

5 Motion made by President Kepple to substitute S. Ordinance 07-2026 with the new version in Granicus. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Motion made by President Kepple to amend S. Ordinance 07-2026 to change $ 1.8M where listed in the Ordinance to $5.8M. Discussion: In response to a question, President Kepple explained that because the Ordinance refers to public buildings, the language does not need to be changed to add City Hall but that it could be added for the purposes of specificity. Councilmembers and members of the Administration discussed the merits of changing the language of the ordinance to be more specific. Motion made by Councilmember Bullock to insert the words “ City Hall” after “ Winterhurst Ice Arena” and on p.9, Section 1, seconded by Vice President Kepple. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. S. Ordinance 07-2026 amended. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt S. Ordinance 07-2026 as amended. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. S. Ordinance 07-2026 adopted. Motion made by President Kepple to suspend the rules to read items 3 and 5 - 11 together, seconded by Vice President Baker. Clerk Bach administered a roll call. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 5. ORDINANCE 08-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 850,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of designing, engineering and constructing water improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto. 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 6. ORDINANCE 09-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 500,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of improving sidewalks within the city; and approving related matters. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 7. ORDINANCE 10-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 125,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of providing new traffic Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

6 signalization, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; and approving related matters. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 8. ORDINANCE 11-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 2,370,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of designing, engineering and constructing sewer improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; and approving related matters. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 9. ORDINANCE 12-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of notes in the amount of not to exceed $ 32,695,000 in anticipation of the issuance of bonds to pay costs of (i) constructing a refuse recycling facility; renovating refuse truck parking facility; replacing or improving the roofs of public buildings, including the municipal facilities garage; improving the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at the fire station; improving parks, including pavement and sidewalk resurfacing and construction, lighting and landscaping; together with all necessary site work, infrastructure improvements and appurtenances thereto, ( ii) improving sidewalks within the city, (iii) improving Bunts Road, Crest Lane, Giel Avenue, Onondaga Avenue, Wayne Avenue and Webb Road and other streets located within the city, between certain termini, by resurfacing and replacing concrete, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, (iv) improving City Hall, Winterhurst Ice Arena, Fire Station # 3, public works garage and other city facilities, including renovating City facilities, improving the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, constructing a storage facility, (v) improving parks within the City, including Lakewood Park, Kaufmann Park and other park improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, ( vi) improving sidewalks within the city, (vii) improving Edgewater Drive, Summit Avenue and other streets located within the City, between certain termini, by resurfacing and replacing concrete, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; ( viii) designing, engineering and constructing water improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, and (ix) designing, engineering and constructing sewer improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, and retiring notes previously issued for such purpose; and approving related matters. (1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 10. ORDINANCE 13-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of not to exceed $ 15,845,000 of bonds for the purpose of currently refunding all or a portion of the City’ s various purpose improvement and refunding bonds, series 2016A, dated April 5, 2016 to (i) refund a portion of the City’ s Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

7 21,210,000 various purpose general obligation bonds, series 2005 ( limited tax obligation), dated May 26, 2005, ( ii) refund a portion of the City’ s $ 14,320,000 sewer system revenue bonds, series 2006, dated August 30, 2006, ( iii) refund a portion of the City’ s $ 10,285,000 water system revenue bonds, series 2006, dated August 30, 2006; and ( iv) retire the city’ s $ 17,375,000 various purpose improvement notes issued on April 9, 2015; and approving related matters in connection with the issuance of the bonds. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) 11. ORDINANCE 14-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the issuance of not to exceed $ 32,695,000 of bonds for the purpose of retiring notes issued for the purpose of (i) constructing a refuse recycling facility; renovating refuse truck parking facility; replacing or improving the roofs of public buildings, including the municipal facilities garage; improving the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at the fire station; improving parks, including pavement and sidewalk resurfacing and construction, lighting and landscaping; together with all necessary site work, infrastructure improvements and appurtenances thereto, ( ii) improving sidewalks within the city, (iii) improving Bunts Road, Crest Lane, Giel Avenue, Onondaga Avenue, Wayne Avenue and Webb Road and other streets located within the city, between certain termini, by resurfacing and replacing concrete, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; ( iv) improving City Hall, Winterhurst Ice Arena, Fire Station # 3, Public Works Garage and other City facilities, including renovating City facilities, improving the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, constructing a storage facility; ( v) improving parks within the city, including Lakewood Park, Kaufmann Park and other park improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, ( vi) improving sidewalks within the city, (vii) improving Edgewater Drive, Summit Avenue and other streets located within the City, between certain termini, by resurfacing and replacing concrete, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, ( viii) designing, engineering and constructing water improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto, ( ix) designing, engineering and constructing sewer improvements, together with all necessary appurtenances thereto; approving related matters in connection with the issuance of the bonds. ( 1st read and referred to COW 1/20/26; 2nd reading 2/2/26) Motion made by President Kepple to adopt items 3 and 5-11, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinances 06-2026, 08-2026, 09-2026, 10-2026, 11 -2026, 12-2026, 13-2026 and 14-2026 adopted. 12. Report from Rules & Ordinances Committee meeting held February 23, 2026. Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the report, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

8 13. RESOLUTION 2025- 71 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect at the earliest period allowed by law, to establish the Master Fee Schedule by incorporating fees from Part One, Title Five-Administrative Code and Part Seven- Business Regulation Code of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances and superseding all prior fees established that are included in this Resolution. ( referred to R& O 11/17/25) Motion by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2025- 71, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Councilmember Bullock acknowledged Councilmember Bixenstine for chairing the Rules & Ordinances Committee meeting at which the Resolution was discussed and thanked the Administration’ s Law Department for their work on the Master Fee Schedule. Law Director Vargo shared that Assistant Law Director Swallow took initiative on this project and credited her for her hard work on the Master Fee Schedule. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2025- 71 adopted. 14. ORDINANCE 30-2025 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, amending various sections of Part One, Administrative Code and Part Seven, Business Regulation Code of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood to move all fees identified within those provisions to the Master Fee Schedule. ( 1st read & referred to R& O 11/17/25; 2nd reading 12/1/25) Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Ordinance 30-2025, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinance 30-2025 adopted. 15. Report from Finance Committee held March 2, 2026. Vice President Baker delivered the following oral report: Thank you, colleagues. Finance Committee met this evening before this meeting to discuss four docket items, but particularly two ordinances. The first is Ordinance 15-2026, which seeks to establish the Host Community Cannabis Fund and then direct purposes associated with that. Those that are unfamiliar, the state of Ohio approved adult use cannabis and within the initiated statute there was a certain percentage of money that went to host communities, which Lakewood is one of them with our two adult use dispensaries. However, there were some issues in the state government, and they didn't appropriate those funds to the host communities until earlier this year. So, we wanted to start a conversation about how to best direct those funds to serve the needs of Lakewood but also associated with cannabis use. There was some discussion of- initially it was Public Safety, which would include Complete Streets, ADA accessibility, equity, social issues. There was some Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

9 conversation about broadening some of the allowed uses of those funds to include community health needs assessments, health related issues as the funds are from cannabis use. We deferred the action to allow our colleagues to suggest some more refinement to that language to better direct those funds. That was deferred and we will seek to bring that up again and hopefully finalize the creation of the fund in the coming weeks. The second issue is the Audit Committee. Finance Director Mahoney put together Ordinance 27-2025 to repeal the Audit Committee. Essentially the Audit Committee was created roughly in 2007 as a recommendation from the Auditor of State to have an independent community- based Audit Committee that would review the City's audit reports. It was something that the State Auditor was pushing statewide. It has somewhat fallen out of use a little bit. The State Auditor no longer requires it. We had some really interesting discussion in committee about how we take that function, have the audit report come to the Finance Committee, have the Finance Committee serve the role of the Audit Committee so that Council and the public still have an opportunity to interact with the independent auditor to see how we're doing, what we're doing well, what we can improve upon. Once again, there were some suggestions in Committee about not fully repealing it and modifying the language to still have that function served, but maybe have it served in a different way. We also deferred that action for a little bit more refinement and in the coming weeks we'll consider both of these ordinances and report them out to full Council.” Motion made by Vice President Baker to receive and file the report, seconded by President Kepple. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 16. ORDINANCE 15-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law to enact Section 129.65 of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances entitled Host Community Cannabis Fund, to provide guidance regarding the use of new tax revenues related to the sale of cannabis. ( 1st read & referred to Finance 2/2/26; 2nd reading 2/17/26) Motion made by President Kepple to defer Ordinance 15-2026, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinance 15-2026 deferred. 17. ORDINANCE 27-2025 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, repealing Chapter 160, Audit Committee of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood. 1st read & referred to Finance 9/2/25; 2nd reading 9/15/25) Motion made by President Kepple to defer Ordinance 27-2025. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinance 27-2025 deferred. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

10 18. Report from Housing, Planning, & Development Committee held March 2, 2026. Councilmember Evans delivered the following oral report: The Housing, Planning and Development Committee met earlier today, March 2nd, to discuss definitions and regulations in regard to pet grooming services within the city of Lakewood. This is basically a little bit of a zoning cleanup, making it a little easier for these services to locate in the city. It also made some differentiation between pet grooming services and pet boarding services, daycares and animal clinics. Again, this is just something the Planning Department flagged as having been an issue with putting up some roadblocks for some folks looking to locate within the city. I want to thank the Assistant Director Baas for flagging this and cleaning it up. The issue was referred back favorably to all of Council. Thank you.” Motion made by Councilmember Evans to receive and file the report, seconded by President Kepple. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 19. ORDINANCE 39-2025 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect at the earliest period allowed by law, amending or repealing various sections of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances to update definitions and regulations related to pet grooming services within the City of Lakewood. ( 1st read and referred to HPD 11/17/25; 2nd reading 12/1/25) Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Ordinance 39-2025. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinance 39-2025 adopted. Motion made by President Kepple to suspend the rules to read items 20-25 together, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 20. ORDINANCE 16-2026 – AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to change the frequency with which the Civil Service Commission reviews elected official salaries. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) 21. ORDINANCE 17-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to add additional requirements to the process by which Council appoints new members to fill a vacancy. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

11 22. ORDINANCE 18-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to change the manner in which legislation is amended and to remove the requirement that the entire ordinance or resolution be repealed then a new ordinance or resolution be enacted. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) 23. ORDINANCE 19-2026 – AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to establish a process and requirement for ward redistricting in the City of Lakewood. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) 24. ORDINANCE 20-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to clarify the various paths in which the Charter can be amended. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) 25. ORDINANCE 21-2026 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force at the earliest period allowed by law, submitting to the electors of the City of Lakewood an amendment to the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood in order to allow Council the option of implementing Ranked Choice Voting. ( 1st read & referred to COW 2/17/26) Public Comment: Chris Bindel, 1212 Hathaway, Lakewood – Mr. Bindel stated that he was pleased overall with the proposed Charter ordinances, though he had a question regarding SB 63 that he would address at another time. He stated that he looked forward to these ordinances moving forward. President Kepple noted that in the time since these ordinances were submitted, SB 63 was passed by the state legislature. She stated that the Committee of the Whole is scheduled to review the Charter Amendments on March 16th at 6:00 pm. Motion made by President Kepple to defer items 20-25. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Ordinances 16-2026 – 21-2026 deferred. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

12 NEW BUSINESS*** 26. Communication from President Kepple regarding Public Art Master Plan. Motion made by President Kepple to refer the communication to Committee of the Whole, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Councilmember Evans spoke about his experience as Council liaison to the Public Art Master Plan project. He spoke favorably about the project and thanked the Planning Department for spearheading the effort. Councilmember Strebig noted that the Lakewood Youth Council is interested in performing arts, to which President Kepple suggested inviting them to Committee of the Whole at which the master plan will be discussed. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 27. RESOLUTION 2026-08 – A RESOLUTION to join with states, municipalities, and other jurisdictions around the country to designate March as Women’ s History Month in the City of Lakewood, Ohio by recognizing the struggles and celebrating the achievements of American women throughout the history of the United States. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-08, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Councilmember Strebig spoke about a recent personal experience that inspired her to consider the ways that entitlement, in all its definitions, presents itself regarding the visibility and rights of women. She spoke about entitlement to Constitutional rights and the ways that women in the past have responded to their perceived invisibility and encouraged everyone to remember the rights and dignity of others. Councilmember Hamilton Steiner quoted trailblazing politician Shirley Chisholm and spoke briefly about her legacy. She spoke about the way that patriarchy pits women against one another and extolled the strength that is found in the matriarchal tenants of empathy, cooperation and egalitarianism. She pointed out that in Lakewood, women hold positions of leadership in all branches of local government, including the School District. She spoke about the work that is still ahead of women who seek liberty and equality and reiterated her support for Resolution 2026- 08. President Kepple spoke about the strong legacy of women’ s suffrage in Lakewood. President Kepple acknowledged the members of the League of Women Voters in the audience as well as past and present members of City Council. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

13 28. Communication from Vice President Baker regarding Report from Complete and Active Streets Education & Advisory (“ CASE”) Board Meeting held February 24, 2026. Motion made by Vice President Baker to receive and file the report, seconded by President Kepple. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 29. Communication from Councilmember Hamilton Steiner regarding Council Liaison Report, LASWAB. Motion made by Councilmember Hamilton Steiner to receive and file the communication, seconded by President Kepple. Discussion: Kepple thanked Councilmember Hamilton Steiner for being flexible with scheduling, as meeting times had to be moved to make time for the City Hall facilities discussion during Committee of the Whole. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 30. Communication from Fire Chief Fairbanks regarding Request for Resolution: Purchase of 2020 Fire Engine ( Inclusive of Trade- In and Upgrades) Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the communication, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 31. RESOLUTION 2026-09 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, authorizing the Director of Finance to sell, through trade- in, a 2010 Pierce Velocity Fire Engine toward the purchase of a 2020 E-One Typhoon Fire Engine. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-09. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026-09 adopted. 32. Communication from Fire Chief Fairbanks Regarding Severe Weather Awareness Week – March 15 – 21, 2026. Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the communication, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 33. RESOLUTION 2026- 10 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, proclaiming March 15th through March 21rd, 2026 “ Severe Weather Awareness Week.” Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

14 Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-10. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026-10 adopted. 34. Communication from Law Director Vargo regarding Submerged Lands Lease 17818 Lake Avenue. Law Director Vargo noted that City Engineer Papke was in attendance to answer questions if Council were to act on the resolutions tonight. Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the communication, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: President Kepple inquired whether Councilmembers preferred to refer the resolutions to Committee or discuss tonight. Vice President Baker stated that because Resolution 2026- 11 did not involve City-owned property, he would be comfortable adopting it without objection but clarified that each Resolution should be evaluated separately. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 35. RESOLUTION 2026- 11 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for property located at 17818 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 311-09-005 ( a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “ A”), in order to permit the owners the opportunity to construct the proposed shore structure. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-11 , seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Vice President Baker reiterated that Resolution 2026-11 allows a resident to invest in their property and prevent erosion. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026-11 adopted. 36. Communication from Public Works Director Gordon regarding Nicholson & Wilbert Outfalls Rehabilitation Projects, Submerged Land Lease & Proposed Easement 1015 Nicholson Ave (PPN 312-08-001). Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the communication. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 37. RESOLUTION 2026- 12 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for the property located at and abutting 1015 Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

15 Nicholson Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 312-08-001 ( a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “ A” of the attached Deed of Easement), in order to permit the property owners the opportunity to undertake lakeshore protection measures. Councilmember Bullock voiced his support for discussing and voting on Resolution 2026-12 on the floor rather than referring to Committee. Vice President Baker asked City Engineer Papke to describe the project. Mr. Papke explained that this is regarding the Nicholson and Wilbert Outfall Rehabilitation Project, involving an extension of a right-of-way. It is also an improvement to private property and a Submerged Land Lease required by ODNR to protect the outfall and complete the project. Mr. Papke and Vice President Baker discuss the details in the image of the parcels. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-12, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026- 12 adopted. 38. Communication from Public Works Director Gordon regarding Nicholson & Wilbert Outfalls Rehabilitation Projects Submerged Land Lease PPN 312-07-031. Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the report, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Mr. Papke provided an explanation of the Submerged Land Lease that detailed the locations of Parcels One and Two. These are both part of the Nicholson and Wilbert Outfall Rehabilitation Project. In response to a question, Mr. Papke explained that the City is seeking a Submerged Land Lease over the property owners’ littoral rights. In response to a question, Mr. Papke explained that an outfall is where stormwater drains into Lake Erie. He explained that in this case, erosion has occurred that will need to be remediated. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 39. RESOLUTION 2026- 13 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for the property located at and abutting to the West of the northern terminus of Wilbert and Nicholson Avenues, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 312-07-031 (a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “ A” of the attached Deed of Easement), in order to permit the property owners the opportunity to undertake lakeshore protection measures. Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-13. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026-13 adopted. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

16 40. Communication from Public Works Director Gordon regarding Nicholson & Wilbert Outfalls Rehabilitation Projects Submerged Land Lease Nicholson Ave Right- Of-Way. (pg. 225) Motion made by President Kepple to receive and file the communication, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Mr. Papke explained that Parcel One is within the Nicholson Avenue right-of-way that extends into Lake Erie and is therefore under the City’s littoral rights. Vice President Baker voiced his support for the passage of Resolution 2026- 14. On motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 41. RESOLUTION 2026-14 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for property located at and abutting the Northern terminus of Nicholson Avenue Right-of-Way, Lakewood, Ohio ( a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “ A”), in order to permit the owners the opportunity to undertake lakeshore protection measures. ( pg. 226) Motion made by President Kepple to adopt Resolution 2026-14, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2026- 14 adopted. PUBLIC COMMENT**** Jared Clark, 16300 Hilliard – Mr. Clark spoke about his concerns regarding Lakewood Police Department’ s use of Flock safety cameras. He cited a case of Flock’ s data being accessed by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement without a warrant, and Flock’ s ability to release data at will. He cited experts’ findings of flaws in security standards and brought up concerns around access and security. He advocated for an evaluation of Flock cameras from the principles of democracy, accountability and transparency. President Kepple acknowledged that it was a good question to look into and around which to ensure tight policies are maintained. ANNOUNCEMENTS**** Vice President Baker stated that the Lakewood boys’ basketball team beat Mentor and won a conference title. They will have a playoff game against Amherst next week. Angelina Hamilton Steiner announced the Fire & Ice community fundraiser at the Hamilton Ice Arena. Funds raised support the Bridges and Miles program at Lakewood City Schools. Councilmember Strebig announced Women’ s History Month, the upcoming “ full worm moon,” and International Women’ s Day on March 8th. Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

17 Regular Meeting of City Council adjourned at 9:27 p.m. by President Kepple. Approved: Sarah Kepple, President of Council Maureen M. Bach, Clerk of Council March 16, 2026 Docusign Envelope ID: 292958E1- 8EF2-824E-812A-5B559640B63F

Regular Council Meeting Meeting Time: 03-16-26 19:30 eComments Report Meetings Meeting Time Agenda Items Comments Support Oppose Neutral Regular Council Meeting 03-16-26 19:30 28 4 1 2 1 Sentiments for All Meetings The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment

Regular Council Meeting 03- 16- 26 19: 30 Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral 16. RESOLUTION 2026- 16 - A RESOLUTION endorsing Issue 2, the new 6.9 mill tax levy proposed by Lakewood City School District to maintain the District' s existing standards of excellence in programming, teaching, technology, and security. 1 0 1 0 17. RESOLUTION 2016- 17 - RESOLUTION to declare March 31, 2026 Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Lakewood, where we celebrate the lives and contributions of transgender people, while also drawing attention to the difficulties facing this community. 1 1 0 0 VI. Public Comment 2 0 1 1 Sentiments for All Agenda Items The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment

Agenda Item: eComments for 16. RESOLUTION 2026- 16 - A RESOLUTION endorsing Issue 2, the new 6.9 mill tax levy proposed by Lakewood City School District to maintain the District' s existing standards of excellence in programming, teaching, technology, and security. Overall Sentiment Bill Locke Location: Submitted At: 6:43pm 03-16-26 Why is city council taking a position now on the levy? It refused to make a comment when the board of education was looking to repurpose one of the schools. The city has REFUSED to work with the schools to take over the recreation department and help restructure the expenses, thus saving the district close to $1 million annually. The city has acted irresponsibly over the last several years to protect the community from the continued decline in population and public school enrollment by not actively working with Lakewood City Schools. This resolution is a farce as the district itself is unable to manage its own finances and given away a decade's worth of tax abatements. City council's support of this levy is just another proponent of allowing the district to make the same poor financial decisions at the hands of taxpayers. You cannot keep spending money if you never slash expenses somewhere. Lakewood has the second highest operating expenses per student in the state - this needs to be addressed now and cannot be left to continue.

Agenda Item: eComments for 17. RESOLUTION 2016- 17 - RESOLUTION to declare March 31, 2026 Transgender Day of Visibility in the City of Lakewood, where we celebrate the lives and contributions of transgender people, while also drawing attention to the difficulties facing this community. Overall Sentiment Christine McIntosh Location: Submitted At: 4:36pm 03-16-26 I am writing to urge Lakewood City Council to approve Resolution 2026-17 recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility. Passing this resolution is a critical step in affirming that transgender people deserve to be respected, supported, and safe in our communities. At a time when transgender individuals face increasing discrimination and violence across the country, it is essential for local communities to stand firmly in support of dignity and inclusion. Being transgender can involve significant social, emotional, and physical challenges. Our responsibility as community members and civic leaders is not to create additional barriers, but to ensure that all people have the opportunity to live openly and safely. This resolution celebrates the profound contributions that the transgender community makes while highlighting its resilience. By adopting it, we send a strong message of solidarity, and we help build a more inclusive, just, and equitable future where everyone can live authentically without fear. Thank you very much for your consideration of my comments. Sincerely, Christine McIntosh Candidate, Cuyahoga County Council – District 11

Agenda Item: eComments for VI. Public Comment Overall Sentiment Amy Herberger Location: Submitted At: 5:24pm 03-16-26 Resident Concerns Regarding Reviews of Terrace Construction – Bunts Road Project Dear Members of City Council, I recently received the city correspondence indicating that Terrace Construction has been selected for the upcoming Bunts Road project. I respectfully ask that the City take a moment to review the contractor’s recent performance and community feedback before moving forward. Several Lakewood residents have shared concerns in public reviews regarding project management, communication with residents, safety issues, traffic control, and road conditions during past work. While I recognize that infrastructure projects can present challenges, these comments raise questions that may be worth considering. The Bunts Road project will directly impact many residents and businesses, and it is important that the selected contractor demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, communication, and quality workmanship. I appreciate the City’s attention to these concerns and its continued efforts to serve the community. Thank you for your time and consideration. Emily Lindberg Location: Submitted At: 1:38pm 03-15-26 Today I would like to share concerns about how parking is managed throughout our city. Everyday parking behavior often creates real safety problems. Delivery drivers and service vehicles routinely stop in bike lanes, near intersections, and sometimes even facing the wrong direction in the roadway. On residential streets, drivers regularly park right up against driveways despite the three-foot setback required by ordinance.

I experience these issues almost every day. I live on the parking side of the street, and when a car parks tight to my driveway I cannot see approaching traffic when backing out or pedestrians on the sidewalk when pulling in. I also regularly encounter vehicles stopped in bike lanes while traveling by bike. These situations create real visibility and safety problems. These issues are also connected to Safe Routes to School. When vehicles park too close to driveways or intersections, they block sight lines between drivers and children walking or biking to school. Drivers also frequently stop in clearly marked “No Parking” or “No Stopping” zones around schools simply for convenience. When this goes unenforced, it sends the message that driver convenience takes priority over safety. Part of the challenge is that curb space in our city is largely unmanaged. Parking is free in most areas, which can discourage the use of off-street parking like garages and driveways. Many cities address this through curb management — actively managing curb space to improve safety and access. Our city could consider several practical steps: protecting sight-line areas near intersections; marking the three- foot driveway setback; creating designated loading zones so delivery vehicles have legal places to stop; improving enforcement on residential streets; and aligning parking prices with demand, including evenings and weekends. Even small changes in how we manage parking can improve safety at intersections, driveways, and school routes.