REPORT CARD: Cyle Feldman - Council At-Large
Will Collaborate with Anyone to Get the People's Work Done
Although Stow elections are considered “non-partisan,” when it comes to being able to sponsor legislation or push forward specific agenda items, council members on the “wrong” side of the political spectrum oftentimes get left out of a lot of things.
That’s certainly been the case for Cyle Feldman, who is running to be elected to his third term as Council At-Large. That being said, Feldman has been persistent in representing Stow residents to the best of his abilities, pushing council on issues important to Stow residents.
Feldman votes on issues independent of any loyalty to a particular faction of our city government. He makes an effort to work with everyone on council, even when those efforts are not returned. His legislative efforts are in areas that most impact the people of Stow, for example:
He was an early proponent of Stow joining a regional dispatch center to create the most modern and efficient dispatch system for our first responders. He did his homework, communicating with various authorities in Summit County and with our own mayor, police chief, fire chief and dispatchers, to ensure this was a good fit for Stow. He continued to push reticent council members who continued to waffle long after the citizens of Stow overwhelmingly voted to join the project.
See Feldman’s questioning of the chiefs of fire and police in his advocacy for joining the regional dispatch center during Jan. 27, 2022, Committee of the Whole meeting:
Feldman views the regional dispatch center as an important step toward the city’s participation in Summit Connects, a project that will enhance countywide Internet connectivity via a fiber-optic cable ring connecting all 31 Summit County cities, townships and villages. The project is expected to improve services for the city and save taxpayer dollars.
He advocated for updating compensation plans for non-bargaining city employees, who have gone without merit raises for 15 years. In council meetings last Spring and continuing throughout the Summer, Feldman pushed council to adopt a new plan that’s been three years in the making. Read why this has been stalled.
See Feldman’s efforts to have council end its protracted discussions about the plan during the council's Aug. 3 meeting:
After receiving multiple complaints from residents, Feldman sponsored legislation to update the city’s code for Animals & Fowl, specifically regarding the feeding and care of animals. Here’s what was added to our city’s code:
Feldman supported adoption of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, a visionary plan intended to maximize use of Stow’s various recreational over the next 10 years.
He supported efforts for the city to pay for the rebuilding of SKiP Park, which council ultimately rejected, leading the Mayor to seek private donations for the project.
He co-sponsored a road maintenance program, which developed a process for rating roads to be resurfaced and legislated an annual program to ensure the city’s streets are well-maintained.
Commenting on how Stow has many “sidewalks to nowhere,” Feldman supported a connectitivity/sidewalk program sponsored by Councilman Jeremy McIntire and worked with McIntire and the service department to iron out details for the program.
At the same time, he’s not afraid to oppose legislation that he feels is unnecessary or ill-conceived. He voted against the three charter amendments that will appear on the November ballot, calling for common sense in using the charter amendment process to legislate the mayor to give a speech, for example:
Feldman seeks interactions with community members, holding nearly monthly office hours at the library with Councilman David Licate.
Unlike some other members of council, Feldman understands the importance of reaching out to other stakeholders in the community and county early in the process to get information and feedback before rendering a decision on important city business, whether it’s the city administration, school district, business owners, chamber of commerce and county officials. His opinions are enlightened by these interactions and, as a result, he’s able to vote in an informed way that truly reflects what is best for our city.
Feldman deserves a third term to help elevate common sense governance within city council.
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