Stow Greenlights Public Arts Master Plan, Firefighter Hires and New Staff Appointments

Arts Take Center Stage in Stow The centerpiece of the June 18 committee meeting was the unveiling of Stow's first Public Arts Master Plan, developed in partnership with Sabertooth Public Art, a women-owned creative placemaking firm based in Akron. Sabertooth co-founders Marissa McClellan and Elisa Gargarella presented more than a year's worth of research, community surveys, focus groups and site assessments to the council. The plan is a guiding document for how the city invests in and manages public art going forward. It does not change any existing zoning codes or regulations. The team identified four core themes that emerged from community input: community pride, local history, arts and culture, and nature and environment. Those themes will shape the content of future public art projects across the city. A Toolkit Built for Action Beyond the master plan itself, Sabertooth delivered a comprehensive public art toolkit covering planning, implementation, evaluation and maintenance. The toolkit includes a workflow with 23 steps for moving a project from concept to completion, a fair pay practice guide based on a survey of approximately 15 Northeast Ohio public artists, and a site assessment catalog with photos and ratings for potential art locations across Stow. Site ratings range from one star (needs significant work before art can be placed) to three stars (ready for art immediately). The catalog also identifies potential art clusters in different parts of the city to build critical mass in targeted areas. Among the most practical additions is an artist pay guide built from direct feedback from working public artists. The guide addresses project tiers, budget line-item breakdowns, fair compensation standards and contract basics including payment schedules and copyright ownership. Five-Year Implementation Roadmap The plan outlines a phased approach to growing Stow's public art program. Year one focuses on adopting the plan, launching pilot projects and building administrative systems like an artist registry. Years two through five envision expanding permanent installations, developing art clusters, securing signature projects and eventually integrating public art into the city's broader capital planning. Sabertooth also identified a site near the Stow Amphitheater as the location for a case study mural project that will serve as a practical model for working through the plan's processes. The plan was funded through an Arts Forward grant from Arts Now, the county's arts advocacy organization. Council moved Resolution 2026-114 onto the evening's full council agenda. Community Energy Legislation Advances Bipartisan Bill Aims to Lower Electric Bills Council also considered a resolution calling on the Ohio General Assembly and governor to pass legislation creating a community energy pilot program. The measure is supported by cities across Ohio, and Monroe Falls recently passed an identical resolution unanimously. A resident representing a coalition of supporters explained how community solar, one form of community energy, works. Residents who cannot install rooftop solar, such as apartment dwellers or those with heavy tree canopy, could subscribe to a solar project at a nearby church, business or municipality. Participants receive a credit on their Ohio Edison bill, while the host organization receives subscription revenue to help offset project costs. The program operates in 24 states and has been shown to reduce utility bills by 5 to 20%. Supporters noted that electricity costs in Stow have climbed sharply, with the generation portion of residents' bills up 83% since 2025 and delivery costs up 63% this year alone. The legislation passed the Ohio House with broad bipartisan support and is currently before the Senate Energy Committee. The resolution, numbered 2026-11, was moved onto the council agenda. Indigent Burial Rules Updated State Law Requires Changes to City Policy The law department presented proposed updates to Stow's indigent burial ordinance, driven by a need to come into compliance with state law and recent court decisions. Under the previous code, the city limited payments to funeral homes handling indigent remains to $800. That cap is no longer permissible under Ohio law. Going forward, the city must pay the full cost charged by funeral homes, or enter into contracts with them. The city intends to pursue those contracts. The state reimburses municipalities for indigent burials through a fund capped at $250,000 statewide. That fund was exhausted five months into the current fiscal year, meaning significant reimbursements are unlikely. To manage costs, the city will move toward cremation as its default method of disposition. If family members prefer a different arrangement, they may pay for it themselves. The city also noted that if it pays for cremation, it retains discretion over the remains if families do not make arrangements for pickup. The city handles approxi