Akron City Council is a legislative body that creates ordinances, or local laws, and resolutions that express the will of the Council. Through these legislative tools, City Council guides how the city is governed. It is the responsibility of the Mayor and his cabinet to implement and administer laws and policies based upon City Council’s ordinances and resolutions.

Council also is empowered to render advice and consent with respect to the Mayor’s appointments and policy programs, and to investigate when necessary, any branch of the municipal government.

City Council operates under a committee system with nine standing Committees. Committee members are appointed by a Committee on Committees, which is chaired by the President of Council.

There are thirteen members of Council, one member for each of the ten city wards, and three members elected at large who represent citizens citywide. Ward council members are elected to two-year terms of office, while at large council members are elected to four-year terms. Council elects its own officers from its members and establishes its rules of procedure. Click "Find Your Councilperson" at the left to search for your ward representative.

When Council Meets
Council meets each Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of the Akron Municipal Building, 166 South High Street. City Council does not meet when a national holiday falls on a Monday. City council may hold a caucus at 5:00 p.m. on Monday evenings prior to regular City Council meetings. Issues to be taken up on that evening’s regular agenda are discussed at a caucus, and presentations are made on specific issues, but no votes or formal action are taken.

A special meeting of City Council may be called by the Mayor, the President of City Council, or by two City Council members, provided 12 hours notice has been given to each Council member and to the public. An agenda for the special meeting must be provided at that time and only items on that agenda may be considered at a special meeting of City Council.

Council Leadership

The President is the presiding officer of Council.  The President maintains and keeps rules of Council, countersigns all requisitions for the purchase of miscellaneous materials for Council or the Clerk of Council’s office, and supervises the employees of Council. In the President’s absence the Vice-President shall preside.  In the Vice-President’s absence the President Pro-Tem shall preside.  In the absence of these officers, Council shall choose a temporary chairperson.

Council Committees
City Council operates under a committee system with nine standing committees and special committees, which are created as needed. Matters that come before Council are assigned by the Council President to the appropriate committee. The committee holds open meetings on the matter, and then makes a report and recommendation to the full body of City Council. The recommendations of committees usually are adopted by Council. Therefore, citizens wishing to be heard on issues are urged to voice their concerns at the appropriate committee meeting. The Committee Meeting Schedule is on the homepage, or you can learn the time and place of a committee meeting by calling the office of the Clerk of Council.

Following are the nine standing committees of Council. Click on the word "Committees" on at the left of the page to learn more about each committee's responsibilities and members.

• Rules
• Budget and Finance
• Planning
• Public Service
• Public Utilities
• Public Safety
• Parks and Recreation
• Housing
• Health and Social Services
• Economic Development and Job Creation

General Order of City Council Business

• Roll call
• Pledge of Allegiance
• All communications from Citizens and/or Administration

The Council Agenda is a list of items presented or discussed at the Council meeting of the week prior, and is always headed with the date of the previous meeting.

The Consent Agenda is composed of items that are of a routine nature and are acted upon by the City Council in one motion. If discussion is requested on any item, it is removed and considered separately.

Regular Agenda items are considered and voted on separately and include:

• Reports of standing and special committees
• Ordinances and resolutions held over from previous readings
• First reading of ordinances and resolutions, which are those submitted to the Clerk of Council by 9:30 a.m. Monday prior to the Council meeting
• Announcement of Committee Meetings
• Adjournment 

Important Terms

Consent Agenda: Legislation that can be acted on at one time under a single motion.

Requesting Time: Not taking any action on a single piece of legislation or the whole agenda in committee.

Suspension of The Rules: Eliminates the reading of legislation on three separate days so Council can act on the legislation.

Referring of Legislation: New legislation, when not acted upon, is assigned to the appropriate committee.