Windham Village Council Weighs Grants, Towing Contract, Park Rules

RELATED: Windham High School Football Joins Northern 8 Conference for 2026 Season RELATED: Traffic Stop Toy Donation Program in Windham 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 administr