For over a century, Akron City Council has taken summer recesses — but just because the body isn’t meeting doesn’t mean it isn’t working.
“The reality of it is, when we talk about a recess in August, the only difference is is that we’re physically not meeting on Mondays.” said Council President Margo Sommerville. Otherwise, the council’s business of serving the people continues.
“We know that constituent services never stop,” she said. “Council members are always going to be receiving phone calls regarding issues and complaints that are happening in the neighborhood. Those things never stop. There’s no break to those things and so, council members are always constantly responding to those things.” She said she’s still holding her monthly ward meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Ed Davis Community Center.
It’s not unusual for legislative bodies to take a summer recess, Sommerville said, pointing to Summit County Council and the United States Congress as examples.
Behind the scenes, she said, City Council is working on its Sept. 8 rollout of its official social media accounts, and a notice of funding for its neighborhood partnerships to be released Oct. 1.
Ward 4 Councilwoman Jan Davis is busy keeping up with the goings on in her corner of Akron.
Davis participated in the National Night Out on Aug. 5 and is holding a noon meeting Aug. 9 for the residents of the Village at New Seasons apartments. Her constituents, she said, keep her busy, and she takes time to check in with the elderly in her ward.
“There’s probably not a day that goes by that I don’t get a call or an email from a constituent regarding the roads, regarding safety issues,” Davis said. “I just had two housing issues where I had to refer them, and an AMHA issue, all within the last two days. I have residents that call about (street) lighting.”
“I’m out here actively doing what we’d do if we were not on vacation,” she said.
Regardless of how established a tradition it is for council to recess in August, there’s always the chance council members could be called back from their hiatus.
“Historically, even when you look back, there’s been times that council has still met in August because maybe there’s some pressing things that come about,” Sommerville said. “Maybe there’s a liquor permit that is an emergency status that needs to be either voted up or voted down, and we do a special meeting in August. Those things are not unusual.”
In 1921, Mayor Carl Beck recalled City Council from its summer recess, which was in July at the time. The July 1 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal that year said Beck called the meeting so the council could pass street improvement legislation.
“According to mayor, the street improvement work of the city is being pushed by the highway department to such an extent that all authorized contracts will have been awarded within the next two weeks,” a Beacon story explained.
“Council is always prepared to do the business of the city, whether it’s August or not,” said Sommerville.
Beacon Journal staff writer Mark J. Price contributed to this story.
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413.
Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron City Council isn’t on the playground during August recess; work continues as usual
Reporting by Derek Kreider, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
