Twinsburg City Council Appoints New Fire Chief, Tackles Budget Shifts and Business Incentives

TWINSBURG, Ohio – Twinsburg City Council wrapped up a busy June 23 meeting with a new fire chief officially in place, infrastructure funding reshuffled, and several business programs renewed for another year. Council members also shed light on the city’s ongoing data center moratorium, introduced legislation headed to voters in November, and celebrated community members making an impact beyond city hall. Watch the meeting highlights on SeeGov: https://seegov.org/watch/6UYxdvkVuVf Fire Chief Wilson Takes the Helm The council’s most celebratory moment centered on the fire department. Multiple council members reported attending the ceremonial swearing-in of Fire Chief Wilson, who was joined by four newly appointed fire department members. Mayor Scaffide praised Chief Wilson’s performance during the interim period, emphasizing the importance of integrity and strong leadership for the department going forward. The appointment drew broad recognition from council as a milestone for the community. Budget Reallocated for Salt Storage Expansion On the infrastructure side, the city’s engineering department reported a pair of budget adjustments. A planned vehicle purchase was deferred in order to fund window repairs at a city facility. Those repairs are supported in part by an OPEC grant. Separately, funds originally budgeted for a leaf machine were redirected toward expanding the city’s salt storage facility. The goal is to allow Twinsburg to fully utilize its competitively bid salt allocations each season. Council clarified that the new facility is designed to be relocatable, meaning it could move if the city’s service garage location changes in the future. Verizon Data Center Clarified During Moratorium A speaker addressed questions about the local Verizon data center during the city’s ongoing data center moratorium. The facility was described as a LEED Gold certified enterprise operation using advanced energy and water conservation measures. Council members noted that the mayor and city staff are actively studying the issue during the moratorium period. Wastewater Department Earns Statewide Recognition The wastewater department also had reason to celebrate. Nate updated council on lab coordinator Corey Ugulis, who was named the 2026 Lab Analyst of the Year through a statewide water and wastewater professionals association. The recognition highlights the department’s work managing treatment operations and watershed samples across the region. Pre-construction meetings, submittal reviews, and material orders for a new equalization basin are on schedule, with a mid-August groundbreaking expected. No financial change orders have been issued on the project. Business Incentive Programs Renewed Council renewed two programs aimed at supporting local economic development. The Twinsburg Community Reinvestment Program offers property tax breaks to businesses that invest in their properties and add employees. Agreements under the program are reviewed annually by the county, the city, and the school board. The Twinsburg Occupancy Program provides three to five year income tax abatements for tenants moving into vacant buildings. The goal is to boost income tax revenue by attracting new businesses to empty commercial space. That program is also reviewed annually by the school board, county, and city. Both resolutions passed 7 to 0. CIC Land Transfers Approved Council authorized the mayor to purchase two parcels of CIC-owned land for nominal fees, returning bed tax funded properties to city ownership so Twinsburg can handle maintenance directly. Both resolutions passed 7 to 0. Garage Ordinance Fails; Sign Regulation Headed to Planning Commission Not every measure moved forward. An ordinance to amend regulations on the orientation of attached residential garages failed on a 3 to 4 vote. Council did introduce an emergency ordinance to place a rezoning question on the November 3, 2026 ballot. A separate ordinance to amend sign regulations was referred to the Planning Commission for review at its August 17 meeting, passing 7 to 0. Council also suspended the three-reading rule to expedite certification of several items and adopted Ordinance 202692 as an emergency, both passing 7 to 0. Upcoming measures on the horizon include adopting the 2027 tax budget, amending the Building Code to remove mandatory Architectural Review Board review of code changes, authorizing easements with Summit County for the Glomo Bridge Replacement project, and adding a new purchase orders section to the city’s codified ordinances. Community Highlights and Upcoming Events Council members used their reports to spotlight several community opportunities. Council Member Castillo highlighted the Senior Council’s annual Alzheimer’s picnic and fundraiser, noting that residents can still contribute to the effort. Council Member Furey promoted the McTyrion fundraising golf outing, which supports crim