Special Council Meeting: Council Leadership Votes, Surplus Items, Executive Session

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ORANGE VILLAGE, Ohio – Orange Village Council opened its Jan. 7, 2026 Orange Village Council special meeting by seating new and returning members, electing 2026 leadership, and taking several procedural votes before moving into a wide-ranging set of updates touching on village services, community programs, and a pending Planning & Zoning matter at Pinecrest.

Leadership Votes and Early Actions

After roll call, council voted to select Lisa Perry as Council President for 2026 and Staci Adelman Vincent as Council President Pro Tempore.

Council then approved:

• Special meeting minutes from Dec. 3, 2025
• Council meeting minutes from Dec. 10, 2025 (with Ryan Bilsky abstaining, per the transcript)

Council also approved a motion declaring as surplus:

• A 2017 Ford Explorer (described as a former police cruiser later used by the fire department, with more than 107,000 miles)
• A Step Right Up stair climber (Model ST-9000)

During discussion, the administration indicated a replacement vehicle is in the 2026 budget.

Ordinance 2025-26 Tabled

Council moved to table Ordinance 2025-26 (regarding legal services and confirming Stephen L. Byron as law director) until the following week, with no objection stated in the transcript.

Mayor’s Comments: Service Updates and Regional Issues

In comments during the meeting, the mayor shared updates including:

• Holiday light drop-off dates and ongoing tree collection through late January (with a holiday exception noted)
• Work underway on a “first calls program” with neighboring communities, with potential county support
• Status notes related to Orange Place relocation and activity around the former Beachwood Inn site
• Progress at the Canyons development, including first unit openings and sales activity
• Ongoing waterline/pressure issues involving the Cleveland Water Department, including valve work and impacts along the Miles Road corridor

Committee Reports and Comments by Council Members

Council members used the comment period to preview committee work, encourage community involvement, and highlight several topics.

Arts and Culture / Schools 
Vincent said the Arts and Culture Committee would not meet in January due to the holiday timing and expected to announce the first 2026 meeting date the following week. She also shared school-related updates discussed at the district level and noted safety improvements planned around the schools, including additional cameras and barricades funded by a grant.

Water System Follow-Up
After remarks about recent disruptions, the administration elaborated that Cleveland Water crews had been in town cycling valves and investigating pressure drops affecting multiple areas, with additional work and coordination continuing.

Economic Development
Bilsky announced an upcoming Economic Development Committee meeting and said he planned to arrange resident-focused sessions around three “pillars” he described as financial wellness, physical wellness, and mental wellness, with details to be shared through village communications.

Orange Cares / Youth Activities / Community Facilities (Ullner)
Ullner highlighted an upcoming Orange Cares meeting and spoke about youth-facing community needs, encouraging the village to think about what it offers teens and families and to keep an eye out for opportunities to improve activities and gathering options.

Orange Village Council Special Meeting: Planning and Zoning Update

Ullner also delivered the Planning & Zoning Commission update from the prior meeting. She said Pinecrest (which she noted is now owned by Tanger) is seeking a change to the site layout that would convert an existing grass/green-space area into additional parking.

Key points from her summary:

• She said she values maintaining green space, but Planning & Zoning also heard arguments that adequate parking is important for restaurant and store success.
• Planning & Zoning asked the applicant to redraw/return with revised plans.
• The concept being discussed includes making the area multi-functional—usable for parking when needed, but able to be closed off for events (such as a farmers market) at other times—while trying to preserve as much “character” and pedestrian feel as possible.

Ullner encouraged residents to share thoughts with her or attend an upcoming Planning & Zoning meeting when the item returns.

Sustainability / New Resident Packets
During council comments, members discussed outside lighting for safety and visibility, concerns about freeway noise, and committee updates including Sustainability programming. Council also discussed potentially returning new resident welcome packets to a council-led rotation, pending coordination with the existing committee process.

Executive Session

Council voted to enter executive session for the stated purpose of discussing the appointment, compensation, and discipline of village employees, noting no action would be taken that evening.