COUNCIL MEETING SUMMARY MARCH 17, 2026
Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary
• March 17, 2026 •
Ken Kary • Councilman Ward 2
These notes “are not” the official minutes for Willoughby City Council.
The views I express in these Council Meeting Summaries are my own and do not reflect any official view or position of the City of Willoughby.
The “official” Council Minutes are posted on the City of Willoughby Website
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/
Committee Meetings:
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING:
Committee: Ken Kary, Dan Anderson, Dan Garry
The purpose of the Environmental Planning Committee meeting is to review:
EAS #2-1-26 - Construction of a gas station and convenience store located at the corner of Lost Nation Road and Tamarac Boulevard (Tamarac Gas Station).
FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING:
Committee: John Tomaselli, Dan Garry, Ken Kary
**The purpose of the Finance and Audit Committee meeting is to discuss the 2026 Budget.
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 17, 2026
*Absent: Mr. Anderson
APPROVAL OF MINUTES-
Regular Council Meeting of March 3, 2026
STANDING AND REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
No major reports
CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence
PUBLIC PORTION
Council President Carr read into the record a letter from Willoughby resident Shade Green, 38470 Crossbrook Avenue, Willoughby, Ohio. (Exhibit A).
PUBLIC PORTION:
Jeffrey Malecki, 1249 South Beachview Road, Willoughby, Ohio -
Mr. Malecki expressed his sincere gratitude to several individuals for their assistance and support on March 11, 2026 acknowledging Paul Narorocki from the Service Department for providing aid during a medical emergency. He thanked the men and women of Willoughby Fire Station #2 for their immediate response and the professional care they offered. He thanked Dan Knecht for listening to his concerns regarding Two Town Creek, as well as Tim Hordinsky for his attention and support. He also recognized John Crislip and Ally Cooper in the Service Department and Ward 2 Councilman, Mr. Kary.
Mr. Malecki stated he was here tonight to raise a serious concern regarding Two Town Creek, which runs directly through his property; specifically, the increasing water flow volume, the heightened potential for flooding, and the associated life-safety risks. During the most recent rainstorm, which was not a 100-year storm event but instead produced only 3.3 inches of rain over 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service and NOAA data. The creek experienced a dramatic increase in both water volume and velocity. From his backyard, he stated he observed water levels that were significantly higher and more aggressive than what has occurred during similar rainfall events in the past. He stated the creek overflowed its banks and the floodwaters reached within five feet of his home. He has documented these conditions with photographs and videos taken in real time during the storm, and he is prepared to share with the City.
Mr. Malecki stated these conditions raise substantial concerns not only for the safety of residents and nearby properties but also for erosion, stress on infrastructure, and the long-term stability of the creek corridor. The watershed feeding Two Town Creek is now carrying more runoff than it was originally designed to handle, due largely to upstream development, alterations to stormwater systems, and other contributing changes over time. As a result, residents living along the creek are now experiencing potentially hazardous conditions that could lead to flooding, property damage, or threats to personal safety even during large storm events.
Mr. Malecki is respectfully requesting a meeting with Mayor Fiala; Ward 1 Councilwoman Kristie Sievers; Ward 2 Councilman Ken Kary; Service Director Dan Knecht; and City Engineer Tim Lannon. His goal is to review the City's 11x17 stormwater system prints, discuss current conditions, examine available data, and explore potential solutions before more serious issues occur. He is also requesting copies of the 11x17 documents for his personal records. Mr. Malecki stated his goal is to raise concerns and to work collaboratively with the City to understand what is happening within the watershed and to ensure that appropriate mitigation measures are taken to prevent future losses to property owners and the City. A meeting will be set up with Mr. Malecki.
*SEE MY COMMENT SECTION
John Skolny, 38440 Crossbrook Avenue, Willoughby, Ohio-
Mr. Skolny stated he wanted to address Council regarding the proposed gas station planned for the neighborhood adjacent to his home. Mr. Skolny thanked members of his community for organizing residents and encouraging them to attend the previous commission meeting in large numbers. Mr. Skolny was disappointed with how that meeting unfolded, explaining that despite significant community turnout and many shared concerns, residents were not given the opportunity to have their questions properly heard or addressed.
Mr. Skolny stated there was an extensive discussion at the previous meeting about outdoor dining for another establishment on the agenda, Lakeshore Lounge. He explained that City code, as discussed at that meeting, limits outdoor seating to 30% of the restaurant's indoor seating capacity because it serves food. He noted that the gas station proposal also includes outdoor seating, yet he has not heard of any indoor seating being planned for that location. He asked whether the same 30% rule applies in this case, or whether the code is being interpreted differently.
Regarding the developer's plans, Mr. Skolny expressed appreciation for the developer's willingness to work with nearby residents, such as adding additional buffer space between the gas station and homes, however, he is worried about the future of the property. He stated the owner was granted a land-separation rider, Mr. Skolny fears the parcel could later be sold to another business that may not share the current developer's consideration for the neighborhood. He emphasized that although he opposes the gas station and feels the approval may now be inevitable, residents still have legitimate concerns.
Mr. Carr asked Law Director Lucas for clarification on the seating-capacity issue Mr. Skolny raised. Mr. Lucas explained that he was the one who brought up the seating requirement at the previous meeting. He confirmed that the regulation discussed limiting outdoor seating to 30% of indoor seating is written into both the code and the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the establishment. Therefore, the same legal limitation would apply to the gas station as well.
Bill Collins, 3409 South Beachview Road, Willoughby, Ohio -
Mr. Collins expressed his strong support for Mr. Malecki's concerns regarding the conditions at Two Town Creek. He explained that his property sits directly against the creek, and although his home is positioned slightly higher on an incline, he has personally witnessed significant flooding in the area. He emphasized that the referenced "100-year flood" description is not true, noting that the creek has overflowed on multiple occasions, rising far enough up the incline to nearly reach his garage. During one such event, several nearby homes, including Mr. Malecki's, prior to his residence were heavily flooded, which Mr. Collins described as a major issue that urgently needs to be addressed.
Mr. Collins stated his primary concern is what's going on with McKinley and the property located behind it. He stated the matter has resurfaced for the third or fourth time and stressed that, since the process is just beginning again, it should be stopped as quickly as possible. After reviewing the available plans, Mr. Collins stated that the proposal does not align with the City's established details and criteria He stated he is a vocal representative of the north end community and he intends to raise awareness once again and encourage strong neighborhood involvement.
Donna Arnold, 38432 Shearwater, Willoughby, Ohio -
Ms. Arnold stated she is concerned about the proposal to add another gas station in the area. With stations already located at both ends of a corridor, placing an additional one in the middle seems unnecessary and inconsiderate of nearby residents.
She also noted the issues that arose when homes were built directly along the golf course. She stated her husband worked there during the summers, and homeowners frequently complained about property damage from golf balls; an outcome that should have been anticipated. Decisions like these make it feel as though residents' concerns are not being considered.
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-20 Motion carried 5 to 1
5 yes
1 no (Sievers)
A resolution approving EAS #2-1-26 for the construction of a gas station and convenience store located at the corner of Lost Nation Road and Tamarac Boulevard (Tamarac Gas Station).
This EAS was discussed at the Environmental Planning Committee Meeting this evening.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-21 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution expressing an intent to sell unneeded, obsolete, or unfit property by internet auction, establishing a procedure for conducting the sale, and declaring an emergency.
Service Director Knecht stated the internet auction has been done in previous years, surplus vehicles and equipment that are no longer needed will be disposed of through an advertised sale, followed by an online auction hosted on GovDeals.com. This procedure has been followed for several years and is required to be approved on an annual basis to remain in compliance.
ORDINANCE NO. 2026-22 Motion carried 6 to 0
An ordinance to provide proper clerical referencing by amending Chapters 1135, 1141, and 1145 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, titled, "Multi-Family Residential Districts", "Business Districts", and "Industrial Districts", respectively.
Law Director Lucas stated that several conditional uses have been added over the past six months. As a result, adjustments were required to the lettering of those uses within Chapter 1155 to maintain consistency. He stated that the revisions now extend through Section 1155.04(e), and will be updated as needed. These changes simply realign the alphabetical order to maintain organization within the use definitions.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-23 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of Lake County Commissioners to amend the allocation of a portion of the ARPA Funds in the agreement for the Chagrin River Riparian Storm Water Management and Water Quality Project, and declaring an emergency.
Mr. Carr stated Ms. Keller sent out a memo regarding this resolution. He stated the total funding amount remains unchanged; the adjustment is primarily a reclassification. Rather than designating all funds as construction, a portion can be allocated to engineering or design and engineering. Ms. Keller stated that was correct. As noted in the memo, the project is approximately 30% designed. Design work should be completed by early November, with construction beginning in the fall. Mr. Carr asked once construction begins, what is the estimated timeline? Ms. Keller stated approximately one to one and a half years. Mr. Tomaselli asked if the City went to the county to request approval to use a portion of the construction funds for design, or was that included originally? Ms. Keller confirmed the City did go back to the county to request approval to allocate a portion of the construction funds toward design.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-24 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Willoughby-Eastlake School District necessary to the Enhanced School Resource Officer Program Coordinator Position, and declaring an emergency.
Police Chief Schultz explained that the proposed legislation does not add a new layer of management but instead redefines existing roles. He noted that the school district initiated this position and that SROs have been assigned to the high school and middle school for more than 15 to 16 years. Currently, the City has three SROs, a number that has remained consistent for several years. He explained that approximately four years ago, to ensure a clear chain of command and effective communication among the schools, the SROs, and the Police Department, he designated the most senior SRO, Chuck Popik, as the SRO in charge. In that role, Mr. Popik has been responsible for external communications between all parties and has performed exceptionally, putting in a significant number of hours for the school system.
Chief Schultz stated that the school system recently requested that Mr. Popik’s role be redefined once again, primarily to formally recognize the responsibilities he has already been handling. He described Mr. Popik as an outstanding police officer and School Resource Officer who has completed extensive specialized training, funded by the school system, along with the other two SROs. Mr. Popik regularly works between the high school, middle school, Board of Education, and the Police Department. He emphasized that this redefinition is a credit to Mr. Popik’s performance and thanked the school system for recognizing his contributions and developing the position. He reiterated that all hours worked by the School Resource Officers continue to be paid for by the school system. Chief Schultz confirmed that the total number of SROs would remain at three.
RESOLUTlON NO. 2026-25 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution to make appropriations for the current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Willoughby, Ohio during the period ending December 31, 2026, and declaring an emergency.
Mr. Carr stated this a culmination of two discussions at Finance Committee meetings. There were no changes from the draft distributed prior to the last meeting.
ORDINANCE NO. 2026-26 Motion carried 6 to 0
An ordinance providing for the manning levels and compensation of elected and appointed officials and salaried and non-union employees of the City of Willoughby, Ohio; repealing any and all other ordinances or parts thereof which may be inconsistent herewith or which may be redundant hereto; and declaring an emergency.
Mr. Carr stated that this ordinance primarily addresses the non-union positions.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-27 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution approving an agreement between the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (Police Sergeants and Lieutenants) and the City of Willoughby, Ohio, and declaring an emergency.
Mr. Carr stated that this resolution and the next two relate to the labor discussions with the Police Department.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-28 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution approving an agreement between the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (Police Officers below the rank of Sergeant) and the City of Willoughby, Ohio, and declaring an emergency.
No discussion.
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-29 Motion carried 6 to 0
A resolution approving an agreement between the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (Communications Clerks, Communications Operators and Police Records/Communications Supervisor) and the City of Willoughby, Ohio and declaring an emergency.
No discussion.
NOTE:
For accuracy, this section has been copied from the council meeting minutes
MAYORS REPORT
Mayor Fiala reported that the City, along with five other municipalities along Route 2, have begun discussions with the county engineer regarding lighting and ongoing maintenance for that corridor. The goal is to reach a compromise that would allow for the immediate repair of the lights, followed by a long-term solution for maintenance and repair. He stated that the municipalities are hopeful for cooperation, but are also prepared to engage in difficult conversations if necessary. He stated the first meeting, which included service directors, mayors, and city managers, was held the previous week, and a second meeting is scheduled for April. The intent is to have a final agreement by July 1 identifying who will fund the lighting repairs and cover annual maintenance costs. He added that he would continue to keep Council updated.
Regarding the State of the City, Mayor Fiala stated the event would take place next Wednesday, March 25th. He noted that while the chamber has always held a State of the Cities event, no one had thought to do one for residents directly. All department directors and chiefs will be present, and the City hopes to gauge community interest. He recalled that previous attempts such as "Coffee with the Mayor" or "Mayor's Night Out" had low attendance often with more city representatives than residents, though ward meetings tend to attract larger crowds.
Regarding the Route 2 lighting issue, Mr. Tomaselli asked whether the county might ultimately require each city to maintain and fund the lighting independently if the county cannot. Mayor Fiala confirmed that such a scenario is indeed on the table. He explained that the discussions involve two main components: the cost of replacing the lights and the long-term maintenance obligations. Initially, the question was whether municipalities and the county would share replacement costs, but the collective municipal response was "no". One county commissioner had indicated that the county would pay for replacement costs; however, Mayor Fiala stated that the county may instead be shifting those costs into the proposed maintenance agreement, calling it "a bit of a shell game." He explained that all involved municipalities maintain the shared position that the lighting is the county's responsibility and that point may be the primary area of contention.
Mayor Fiala stated that the latest maintenance agreement provided by the county contains many issues, noting that the only topics the municipalities unanimously agreed on were basic facts like the names of their communities and the county they reside in. He remains hopeful for an amicable resolution but stated that the cities are prepared for a more adversarial process if required. To that end, requested records detailing the revenue the Lake County Engineer receives, how those funds are allocated, and the county's overall plan for maintaining its assets, including other county roads have been made.
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Service Director Knecht - Mr. Knecht explained that crews had collected leaves the previous day under good conditions, but overnight snow and ice required them to shift priorities to road safety. Because many people were expected in town that day, crews focused on clearing and salting roads rather than continuing leaf collection. He stated that leaf pickup would resume the following day, with the expectation that the entire City would be completed by the end of the week, concluding leaf operations until the fall season. He stated that road patching was ongoing wherever needed and expressed appreciation for residents who call in to report issues the crews may not immediately notice, as well as for Council members who do the same. Mr. Garry asked whether any large trees had fallen during the weekend windstorms. Mr. Knecht stated that one major tree had gone down and several large limbs had fallen, but given the severity of the winds, the City was fortunate the damage was limited.
Police Chief Schultz - Chief Schultz thanked Council for the passage of Resolution No. 2026-24 as well as the union contract resolutions.
Finance Director Hoffman - Ms. Hoffman thanked Council for the legislation passed pertaining to the Finance Department.
COUNCIL REPORTS
No major reports
ADJOURNMENT
The Regular Council Meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN KARY
I wanted to take a moment to share that I participated in an important meeting today, initiated by Ward 1 resident Jeff Malecki (Thursday, April 2). Mr. Malecki spoke to council during the Public Portion of this March 17th meeting. Mr. Malecki is respectfully requesting a meeting with Mayor Fiala, Ward 1 Councilwoman Kristie Sievers, Ward 2 Councilman Ken Kary, Service Director Dan Knecht, and City Engineer Tim Lannon. His goal is to review the City's 11x17 stormwater system prints, discuss current conditions, examine available data, and explore potential solutions before more serious issues occur. Mr. Malecki spoke to share concerns about the negative activity occurring at Two Town Creek. For those of you who do not know, this is a natural flow of water from East to West, traveling through Mentor and North Willoughby. Mr. Malecki has a home in the area that, along with his neighbors, has experienced serious issues with the Creek during heavier rains. Mr. Malecki shared a very informative history of the area, as well as current documentation that exposed areas of concern. These issues are being explored, and the city is taking action to determine how to reduce flooding in the area by managing the volume of stormwater flowing through this creek into Lake Erie. Right now, this will be a team effort with the residents affected by the path of Two Town Creek and its difficulty handling the volume of stormwater during heavier rains and even during normal rains.
THANK YOU to the Malecki Family for their extensive presentation on Two Town Creek.
More on this in the future.
NOTE
The views I express in these Council Meeting Summaries are my own and do not reflect any official view or position of the City of Willoughby. The “official” Council Minutes are posted on the
City of Willoughby Website
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/