Windham Village Council Weighs Grants, Towing Contract, Park Rules

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WINDHAM, Ohio – The Windham Village Council worked through a long list of financial, legal, and quality-of-life issues at its recent regular meeting, from hiring a new village solicitor and renewing its public defender contract to tightening park rules and responding to resident complaints about nuisance properties and infrastructure.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call, with council members Scott Garrett, Sherri Pennington, Cheryl Belknap, David Belknap, Angela DeSalvo and Terrie Altiere present. Mayor Lawrence Cunningham, whose term runs from 2024 to 2028, was noted as absent when the mayor’s communication portion of the agenda was reached.

Budget and Fiscal Updates

The fiscal officer reported updated year-to-date figures:

• Income and property taxes collected: about $580,622
• Total revenue collected year-to-date: approximately $1.73 million
• Expenditures year-to-date: approximately $1.65 million

A detailed fund status report was attached in council’s packets. The fiscal officer also noted that the village’s long-running effort to complete an inventory of village assets is “still moving forward,” with staff having been emailed and given a deadline to finish their portions.

Council later voted to:

• Approve the fiscal officer’s expenditures and payment of bills.
• Approve the fund status report ending Nov. 18, 2025.

President’s Report: Flowers, Farmers Market and Summer Fest

Council President Sherri Pennington reported on several community-focused efforts:

• Village flowers: Council agreed with the flower plan discussed at a prior meeting, and Pennington said she will place the order.
• Farmers market: Flyers for the upcoming farmers market have been posted, and the village has already received a few inquiries.
• Home decorating contest: Two homes in the village have signed up so far for a holiday decorating contest. Pennington said she has not yet confirmed whether any township residents have registered.
• Cookie donations: Churches have been contacted to provide cookies for an upcoming village event, with reminders planned closer to the date.
• Summer Fest: Council briefly discussed the possibility of holding a Summer Fest in 2025. Members agreed that if the event is going to happen, they need to start looking at dates and begin planning. A question about progress toward forming a 501(c)(3) to support such events drew a “no” for now; council expects to revisit the topic at a future meeting.

Safety Services and New Village Solicitor

Council unanimously accepted the latest police, fire, rescue and dispatch reports for October 2025.

With Mayor Cunningham absent, council handled several legal and administrative measures:

New Solicitor Contract

• Ordinance 2025‑7
  Council approved an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Bricker & Graydon LLP to serve as solicitor for the Village of Windham.
  • Council suspended the three-reading rule.
  • The measure was passed as an emergency, taking effect immediately upon passage.

Copier Lease

• Resolution 2025‑21
  Council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and fiscal officer to contract with Ohio Business Machines for the lease and service of a photocopier for village offices, and ratifying prior related actions.
  • The three-reading rule was suspended.
  • The resolution was passed as an emergency.

Village App Live, Bringing News and Alerts to Residents’ Phones

The Village of Windham’s new mobile app, powered by GOGov, has officially launched, giving residents a modern way to stay connected with village news and services.

The app, available now in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, serves as a centralized hub for:

• News and updates
• Ongoing village events
• Job opportunities
• Service interruptions and emergency alerts
• Quick links to the village website and contact forms

Village staff say the app is already helping streamline community communications, allowing important notices to be pushed directly to residents’ phones. It also provides a convenient path for residents to reach zoning and other departments, including submitting concerns about nuisance properties and other local issues.

Utilities: Water Testing and Caustic Soda

In the utilities report, a council member described a recent visit with the Garrettsville water department superintendent, saying it was “really cool” and informative in terms of what to look for in Windham’s own water operations.

The council also heard that:

• The village’s caustic soda supplier has already taken water samples for testing without needing to schedule a separate visit.
• Test results are expected within about a week.
• The supplier plans to sit down with the water system’s operator(s) to go over operator records and offer ideas for improvements. A council member asked to sit in on that meeting to learn more about the system.

Separately, the village administrator reported that an engineer is preparing an itemized cost estimate for relocating caustic equipment, potentially in stages so the project can be done as funds allow.

Eyes Towing Contract Still Under Discussion

Council returned to a long-running discussion about a proposed towing contract with Eyes Towing.

• The proposed Resolution 2025‑9 would authorize the mayor and fiscal officer to enter into an agreement with Eyes Towing for towing services and declare an emergency.
• A prior work session involved the solicitor, police chief, mayor and others reviewing the contract language.

The central unresolved issue is how and when the village pays the towing company:

• Some discussion centered on whether the village should pay at the end of each month or wait until it has been reimbursed by the vehicle owner.
• The chief and solicitor explained that state law allows the village to send a letter within 45 days of a vehicle being towed. If the owner doesn’t reclaim the vehicle, the village can begin the process to take ownership and sell or scrap the vehicle, recouping some or all of the costs.

Officials emphasized that the draft contract is non-exclusive, so it would not prevent the village from later seeking bids from additional towing firms.

Because the contract language is not yet finalized and some concerns remain about payment timing, council opted to leave the matter at discussion only and asked that it be placed on a future committee agenda. Members noted the need to bring the issue to a close after months of debate.

Public Defender Contract Renewed

Council approved:

• Resolution 2025‑20
  A resolution authorizing a contract with the Portage County Public Defender to provide legal defense services for indigent persons charged with criminal offenses under village ordinances.

This is an annual contract that must be renewed each year. Council suspended the three-reading rule and passed it as an emergency, making it effective immediately.

Park Hours, Enforcement and Safety Concerns

The Parks and Recreation discussion focused on the village park’s hours and rules after complaints about people lingering in the park after dark and at least one tense confrontation.

Council and the police chief noted a conflict between the posted sign and the written ordinance:

• The sign at the park entrance states that the park is:
  • Open: a half hour after sunrise
  • Closed: a half hour before sunset
• The ordinance, however, reads the opposite, creating confusion and undermining enforcement.

The police chief recommended that council align the ordinance with the sign so officers can consistently enforce the rules.

• Council members expressed concern about after-dark activity in the park, particularly because the park does not have lights and games typically end by dusk.
• They discussed the possibility of a permit system for after-hours events, such as Summer Fest, so the village can still host special evening events while enforcing its general curfew for everyone else.

Council members agreed on the need to update the rules so they are clear and enforceable, rather than having different standards for different people.

Zoning, Nuisance Properties and Storage Uses

The village’s zoning official reported on multiple fronts:

Grants and Regional Planning

• The official attended a regional planning meeting, where a $7,500 parks-related grant from a realtors’ organization was discussed.
• The deadline for this round had likely already passed, but the village hopes to apply in the spring if the program is offered again.
• The zoning official and staff are also working to build relationships with regional and state contacts to draw more attention and resources toward Windham.

Business Registry Plan

Council was told that the village is planning to create a business registry:

• The concept has been under discussion and is now targeted to begin after the first of the year, once year-end work is completed.
• Even a small registration fee could help the village keep better track of who is operating what businesses and where.

Nuisance Properties and Resident Complaints

Residents have begun submitting addresses for problem or nuisance properties:

• A list is being compiled, and the zoning official encouraged residents to continue sending locations over the next few weeks.
• Through the new BillGov app and the village website, residents can use contact forms and zoning email to report issues.

Council discussed the idea of highlighting these complaint channels more prominently—possibly through additional information on the app—so people know exactly how to submit concerns.

One long-standing issue, an RV that had been parked and lived in within the village, has now been removed. Officials noted that it had to have been “cold back there” and expressed hope that the occupant is now in a safer and warmer situation.

Storage Facilities and Zoning Districts

Council also confronted a complicated question about storage uses in commercial districts:

• The zoning official had initially believed that a storage business was regulated under C‑2 commercial zoning.
• After review, the solicitor explained that:
  • Warehousing and storage facilities are governed under the village’s industrial zoning code, not C‑2.
  • The C‑2 code language about “automobile, truck, trailer, farm implement sales, service and storage” applies to storage incidental to a sales or service operation, not to a stand-alone vehicle storage yard.
• Because of this, at least one established storage facility’s plan to add open vehicle storage on an additional lot may not comply with current zoning.

The solicitor suggested treating these as potential code violations, sending letters to affected property owners, and then determining whether variances should be considered if council chooses to go that route later.

Planning Commission: Annette Drive Change of Use

Council briefly addressed a requested change of use for a property on Annette Drive.

• The zoning official asked that council set a date for a Planning Commission hearing, allowing enough time for public notices.
• Council discussed a date about three weeks out, tentatively around Dec. 10 at 5 p.m., with final details to be confirmed and placed on the calendar.

Infrastructure: Noisy Road Plate and OPWC Grant Limits

The village administrator updated council on the temporary steel road plate covering a repair on a state route where a water main was fixed.

• A large steel plate was initially installed; after noise complaints, it was swapped for a smaller plate, but residents say it is still loud.
• The administrator has been in contact with the contractor to schedule a permanent repair, ideally before winter weather arrives.

A quote from Gibbs Construction for the concrete repair was discussed:

• Original estimate: around $3,150
• Additional slag cost (if supplied by the contractor): about $1,000
• With extra thickness and lap concrete suitable for a busy state route, the administrator estimated the final cost could reach around $5,000.

The administrator and council had explored possible outside funding:

• The Portage County Engineer’s Office referred the village to ODOT.
• ODOT indicated it could only address the repair when the route is resurfaced in 2028, far too long to wait.
• The idea of an OPWC (Ohio Public Works Commission) grant/loan was discussed, but officials said:
  • Each jurisdiction can only obtain so many points and allocations within a given year or funding cycle.
  • It would not be strategic to pursue an OPWC package for a small, $5,000 fix when those points might be needed for a larger future project.

Council leaned toward paying for the repair directly to ensure it is done properly and permanently.

Police Department: Impound Fees and Video Records

The police chief noted a few emerging issues:

• The village has a fee schedule for impounded vehicles, but the chief wants to update the fees for larger vehicles that take additional storage space.
• He plans to verify whether previous fee schedules were formally passed and then bring an updated schedule to a future agenda.
• The chief also mentioned that charging for video records, including police video, is “moving forward” in other jurisdictions and might need to be addressed in Windham sooner rather than later.

He added that police hiring is ongoing, with a couple of applicants set for initial interviews before involving the mayor.

Housing and Assessments

Under Housing, council was told that housing assessments are being finalized and should be available for review at the next meeting.

Community Events: Parade, Toy Drive and Christmas Dinner and Auction

Council and local organizations also promoted three key December events:

• Annual Parade of Lights
  The Village of Windham Annual Parade of Lights is set for Sunday, Dec. 7.

  • Line-up: 5:00 p.m. at the old hardware store on North Main Street
  • Parade start: 5:30 p.m.
  • The parade ends at the Community Center, where festivities continue until 8:00 p.m.
    Organizers emphasize that all are welcome.

• 2025 Fill-a-Cruiser Toy Drive
  The Windham Police Department will host its 2025 Fill-a-Cruiser toy drive on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, from 2–4 p.m. at Windham Dollar General, 9132 N. Main St., Windham, OH 44288.
  Officers will be accepting new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations to help local families this holiday season.

• Renaissance in Lights Christmas Dinner and Auction
  The Renaissance Family Center of Windham, Ohio, Inc. is hosting its Renaissance in Lights Christmas dinner and live auction at 9005 Wilverne Drive, Windham, OH 44288.
  The evening will feature a full meal, a live auction with auctioneer Darryl McGuire, basket raffles and a 50/50 raffle.
  Tickets are $25 per person and the event is open to the public.

Public Comment and Executive Session

During public comment:

• A resident asked about how the village will handle additional towing companies now that Eyes Towing has been discussed as a primary provider. Officials reiterated that the contract is non-exclusive, and that once the system is in place, the village expects to take bids for towing services.
• Another resident questioned why the village would not seek an OPWC grant for the $5,000 road repair, prompting further explanation about the limited points and county-wide allocations available for such funding.
• A resident raised concerns about large rocks left in the road after a water main break repair. The administrator said a public works employee would be sent the following day to remove the debris and also address a curb box issue at that resident’s property.

Council ended the public portion of the meeting by moving into executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22 to discuss employment and compensation matters, including street department applications and the water/wastewater superintendent’s resignation.