Wadsworth City Council - October 20, 2026

The Wadsworth City Council and Committee of the Whole Finance met on October 20, 2026. Procurement-related items included a proposed five-year fire protection, EMS, and dispatch services agreement with Wadsworth Township for 2027–2031 (Ordinance 26-119), advanced to second reading. Negotiated terms provide for 2% annual contract increases, ending the city’s return of 80% of EMS billing receipts to the Township, and matching Township residents’ billing rates to city residents. The presentation estimated about $265,000 in savings over the contract term, while noting an effective increase of roughly 12% in year one. An Aspen Smart Networks contract for fiber-to-the-home network and operational support (Ordinance 26-120) also advanced to second reading; the amount was increased by $24,000 to cover 12 months of service rather than the 10 months originally budgeted. A proposed $83,000 supplemental appropriation included that telecom cost, utility-bill printing and postage, and an outside kilowatt tax payment.

Council also considered capital and utility-related measures. A NOACA opportunity could provide a $1.2 million grant for a trail connection from Tri-Line Park to the Brickyard Trail; the city requested a 0% match instead of the stated 20%, and the match remained subject to agreement. Brickyard Pond Loop reimbursement-grant funding and a construction contract with awarded contractor Protective Coating were also discussed, with no contract amount stated. An ordinance authorizing construction management and field inspection services for downtown infrastructure projects, Ordinance 26-108, was adopted unanimously; no amount was provided. Proposed 2027 utility rates included increases of 30% for water, 8.5% for sewer, and 5% for electric, plus a $0.50 monthly stormwater increase for a typical household; the related measures were advanced for further readings. The meeting also advanced financing for the 2025 sidewalk program, including about $24,000 in remaining property-owner assessments to be collected through property taxes over five years.