Lakewood City Council | The City of Lakewood, Ohio

Lakewood City Council


Lakewood City Council

What we do: Lakewood City Council is a one-stop link to your local government. As the legislative branch of City government, City Council monitors and oversees city finances and operations and initiates changes in response to new information and resident feedback. City Councilmembers are ambassadors for the City, liaisons to City Hall and experienced problem solvers who can help you navigate questions or concerns about neighborhood issues and city services.

Who we are: Lakewood City Council is comprised of seven Councilmembers; Three who represent the city at-large, and four who represent each of the city’s wards. Councilmembers are elected in non-partisan elections and serve four-year staggered terms.

Get involved: General Meetings of City Council are held the first and third Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at Lakewood City Hall – 12650 Detroit Ave. Committee meetings are held on Monday evenings as needed. All meetings are open to the public and livestreamed. Public comment is welcome at all meetings. Council also accepts written public comment, called eComment, in advance of public meetings.

Contact City Council: Click on the Council Members page to email or call Council members directly or call 216-529-6055 to reach the Clerk of Council’s Office.

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Mon 25

Finance Committee Budget Hearing

November 25 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Your city council in action

  • Council Members+-

  • What's My Ward?/Who Is My Council Person?+-

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Click here for find your Ward/Council Person.
    Map is best viewed through Google Chrome

  • Council Committees+-

    Lakewood City Council has seven standing committees whose members are assigned by the President of Council. Committees meet on an as-needed basis.

    Committee meeting minutes can be viewed here.

    Links to Council Committee Pages:

    Committee of the Whole

    Finance Committee

    Health & Human Services Committee

    Housing, Planning and Development Committee

    Public Safety

    Public Works and Sustainability Committee

    Rules & Ordinances Committee

  • Agendas & Minutes+-

    Click here for Council’s minutes and agendas.

  • Public Notice E-Mail Sign-Up+-

  • Council Videos+-

    Click here to see City Council videos.

  • eComment+-

    Click here for instructions on using eComment.

  • Legislation Library+-

    Click here to view the codified ordinances of the City of Lakewood

    The below links contain City Council’s adopted legislation spanning from to present day to over 100 years ago. These links are updated regularly, following adoption of new legislation.

    Resolutions

    Ordinances

  • Legislative Process+-

    The legislative powers of the City, except as limited by the Charter, are vested in City Council. As the legislative body, Council makes and passes the laws governing the city. The legislative process comprises a number of steps, and includes committee action during which the most intense consideration is given to the proposed measures; this is also the time when citizens are given their opportunity to be heard. Each piece of legislation is referred to the committee that has jurisdiction over the area affected by the measure. Council members serve on at least two committees and all serve on the Committee of the Whole. Most committee meetings are held in the Court’s jury room or in the Council Chambers.

    Legislation is introduced in the following manner:

    1. Legislation is proposed by Council members, the Mayor or administration or by citizen initiative (petition). Under Article III, Section 8 of the City Charter, “each proposed ordinance shall be introduced in written or printed form and shall not contain more than one subject, which shall be clearly stated in the title,” with the exception of general appropriation ordinances.
    2. Proposed legislation is introduced to Council during a regularly scheduled public Council meeting and referred to the appropriate committee.
    3. A committee hearing is held, during which Council members consider the proposed legislation and public commentary.
    4. If necessary, the proposed legislation is amended.
    5. The committee votes on the legislation.
    6. If passed, the legislation is sent to full Council for discussion and a final vote.
    7. If passed, the legislation is sent to the Mayor.
    8. The Mayor signs the legislation.
    9. The proposed legislation becomes a local law.

    If the Mayor disapproves and vetoes it, the legislation comes back to Council with the Mayor’s written objections. Council can override the Mayor’s veto by a two-thirds vote. If the Mayor does not sign or veto the legislation within ten days after receiving it from Council, it is considered approved.

    Click here to view 100 years of historic ordinances and resolutions – new legislation added twice monthly.

  • City Council News+-

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    November 7, 2024

    Lakewood City Council Seeks Applicants for At-Large Council Seat

    LAKEWOOD, OHIO – Lakewood City Council is seeking applicants for the at-large council seat soon to be vacated by Councilmember Tristan Rader. Councilmember Rader will resign his council seat to assume the office of State Representative to which he was elected in the November 5, 2024 General Election. The candidate appointed to this position will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends December 31, 2025.

    Qualifications
    An applicant must be a registered voter of the city and a resident of the city for at least one year to qualify for consideration. A comprehensive account of the position’s legal requirements, responsibilities, expectations, skills, and knowledge are outlined in the attached job description.

    How To Apply

    • Interested and qualified individuals should submit a cover letter, resume, and any other supporting materials in PDF format to the Clerk of Council at council@lakewoodoh.gov. Paper applications will not be accepted.
    • Applications will be accepted until Sunday November 24, 2024.
    • Interviews will be scheduled January 6th and January 13th in recorded open sessions of Committee of the Whole. Applicants should hold these dates. Submission of an application does not guarantee an interview.

    Disclaimer
    Pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act, your application will be considered a public record that may be posted on the City of Lakewood’s website and/or shared upon receipt of a public records request.

    About Lakewood City Council
    Lakewood operates under a City Charter that provides for a Mayor/Council form of government and designates City Council as the legislative branch of Lakewood’s City government. Lakewood City Council is comprised of seven councilmembers. Three represent the city at-large and four represent each of the city’s wards. Councilmembers are elected in non-partisan elections and serve staggered four-year terms.

    City Council monitors and oversees city finances and operations and initiates changes in response to new information and resident feedback. In addition, Council members serve as their constituents’ links to their local wards. City Councilmembers are ambassadors for the City, liaisons to City Hall and experienced problem solvers who help residents navigate questions and concerns about neighborhood issues and city services.


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 18, 2024

    Lakewood City Council Seeks Applicants for Architectural Board of Review

    LAKEWOOD, OHIO – Lakewood City Council is seeking a design professional to join the City’s Architectural Board of Review (ABR) for a five-year term starting January 1, 2025. This exciting volunteer opportunity is well-suited for someone looking to engage with their community and advise their local government.

    The Architectural Board of Review meets twice monthly at City Hall to consider and take action on a variety of proposals from homeowners and businesses regarding changes to the exterior of their properties. Applicants must reside in Lakewood and demonstrate competency in design, architecture, planning, building trades, landscape architecture, or another related field.

    How To Apply
    Interested and qualified individuals may submit a cover letter, resume, and any other supporting materials via the weblink below or email PDF files of the same to the Clerk of Council at council@lakewoodoh.gov.

    Click here to apply through the online application portal.

    This is a position appointed by Lakewood City Council and subject to a vote of Council. Applications will be accepted until December 1, 2024.

    Disclaimer
    Pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act, your application will be considered a public record that may be posted on the City of Lakewood’s website and/or shared upon receipt of a public records request.

  • Office of the Clerk of Council+-

    Maureen M. Bach

    Maureen McHugh Bach was appointed Clerk of Council in 2018 after serving six years as the Legislative Liaison to Lakewood City Council.

    Immediately prior to her work in the Council office, Maureen spent over three years as a legislative aide in the Connecticut General Assembly running the office of a state senator and her successful re-election campaign. Maureen first became inspired to understand the political process while working in the administrative offices of a reproductive health services organization in Northampton, MA. In that position she tracked and advocated for legislation related to federal and state funding for those services.

    Maureen holds a Bachelor of Arts in women’s studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Public Health from the Northwest Ohio Consortium for Public Health – a joint program of Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo. Maureen is an active member of the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association, the Northeast Ohio Municipal Clerks Association, and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. She is a notary public and can provide notary services upon request.

    Maureen, her husband Ted, and their two young children love living in Lakewood and being part of the Lakewood community.

     

    Danielle Cariglio

    Danielle Cariglio took on the role of Deputy Clerk of Council in September 2023. She assists the Clerk of Council in managing the daily operations of the Council office and Council meetings. She also has experience working in the City of Lakewood Human Services Department, where she helped residents navigate community-based resources.

    Danielle grew up in Northeast Ohio, where she developed a passion for volunteerism through her involvement with an international youth leadership program in high school.  She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in international relations at Kent State University, taking advantage of various study abroad and service-learning opportunities. She discovered her enthusiasm for local governance while interning at the ACLU of Ohio during her senior year, eventually going on to earn a Master of Public Administration at the University of Arizona. She has a variety of experiences working in the fields of public advocacy and program management both in the non-profit and local government sector.

    She has lived in Lakewood for the past four years with her husband and their two young daughters. In her free time she enjoys outdoor family excursions, cooking, and volunteering with her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop.

  • City Charter+-

    • Click here to view the current Charter of the City of Lakewood
  • City Council FAQs+-

    Q:        When does Lakewood City Council meet? 

     A:        At seven-thirty (7:30) p.m. on the first and third Monday of every month, or, if such Monday falls on a Holiday, on the Tuesday following. Only Special Council Meetings or committee meetings are held in the month of August. All regular City Council meetings are held in the Council Chambers at City Hall. In addition, there are seven (7) standing committees of Council that meet at the discretion of the appointed chair.

    Q:        How long is a Council Member’s term? Are they full time? How much do they get paid? 

    A:        Each council member serves a four-year term. They work part-time. In 2014, Council voted to increase their salary from $7,000 to $13,000. This was the first increase in 32 years. This increase is phased in:  Four (4) Ward Council members began receiving the new salary in 2016.  Three (3) At-Large council members began receiving the new salary in 2018. Council members also have the option to receive full health care benefits through the city.