Stow Vape Shops Raided as Part of Countywide Investigation
- Angie Charles
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
City Addresses Complaints About Residential Fiber Installation
EDITOR’S NOTE: Over the last couple of months, I’ve had quite a few folks ask me if I’ll be continuing with Stow Sunshine Project, as I’d hit pause after the Nov. election. No worries; I’m back in the saddle. Just took an extended break for the holidays to re-charge. Thanks for your continued interest! – Angie Charles
2026-27 Stow City Council (from left to right): Mario Fiocca, John Baranek, Kelly Coffey, Kyle Herman, Kim Young, Cyle Feldman, Matt Riehl.
Stow City Council began its first business meeting of the year on Jan. 8 with updates from the police and fire chiefs, the city’s response to resident concerns about fiber cable installations and a vote to add a new volunteer commission.
Capt. Heather Prusha, appointed last November upon the retirement of former Capt. Jeff Film, updated council on a multi-agency, county-wide investigation of vape shops that led to the seizure of marijuana, other drugs, cash and firearms at three vape shops in Stow on Dec. 17 and 11 overall throughout the county.
Prusha said no arrests were made that day as the investigation continues but will likely result in charges. She said the investigation began after Law Director Drew Reilly received complaints about the sale of illicit drugs and underage sales at the vape shops.
Reilly expanded on Prusha’s comments, saying the investigation had already taken a number of months, with collaboration and coordination from law directors in Tallmadge, Cuyahoga Falls, Twinsburg, the Summit County Prosecutors Office, Summit County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and that the investigation is ongoing.
Reilly thanked Councilmen At-Large Cyle Feldman and Ward 1 Matt Riehl, who had shared with him resident concerns about vape shop activities, as well as residents who had contacted the law department directly.
Fire Dept. Calls Rise 12% in 2025
Fire Chief Mark Stone provided a report on the department’s activities last year. He said the fire department responded to 6,227 calls, a 12% increase over 2024.
Much of the increase was at extended care and medical facilities, which comprised 20% of the total calls, due to the loss of private ambulance companies, Stone said. He said he anticipates call volume to rise again once the new Evergreen facility, formerly Stow-Glen Nursing Home, opens.
The city hired two additional fire fighters to help alleviate the increased workload, he said.
Fiber Installations Generate Complaints
In response to complaints from residents about fiber cable companies installing fiber throughout the city, City Engineer Mike Jones read a lengthy statement detailing the city’s permitting process for these companies and its process for supervising and inspecting completed work.
Metronet, Omni, AT&T and Windstream have all been authorized by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to install fiber cable throughout the state, including in Stow. As such, the city has little authority to interfere with these installations, other than to ensure that the work is done correctly with as little damage to homeowner properties as possible, Jones said.
The city requires fiber cable companies to send residents two notices prior to fiber installation, and all plans are reviewed and approved by the city’s engineering department.
Companies post a surety bond that is not released until the engineering department has verified that the work has been completed properly and that properties have been returned to their original condition. However, Jones noted, contractors are not required to replace any damaged shrubs or flower beds that are located in the utility easement.
Jones said that the city issued a temporary stop work order to Metronet after receiving several complaints. The city met with the company to resolve the issues and work was allowed to continue, he said.
Reilly added that the city is currently exploring contractor registration legislation that could help with future contractor issues.
City to Add Environmental Commission
An ordinance sponsored by Council President Kyle Herman, new Councilwoman At-Large Kim Young, former Council President and Councilman At-Large Cyle Feldman and Ward 3 Councilman John Baranek will create a new volunteer Environmental Commission comprised of Stow residents.
Like the city’s other volunteer boards and commissions, the Environmental Commission would advise the administration and Council and “support informed decision-making related to land use, natural resources, sustainability initiatives and environmental initiatives.”
Ward 2 Councilwoman Kelly Coffey thanked the two residents who proposed the idea but said she was not in favor of adding a new commission.
“I think it’s something that’s very important. I’m a proponent of researching ideas so if independent ideas are brought forward, I will research them all,” she said. “I just am skeptical of another commission just because if you look back historically, even last year, even Parks & Rec, there were several times they didn’t have a quorum and couldn’t meet.
“So, my thought is to take the ideas, if it’s something to do with native plants, put it in (the) Urban Forestry (Commission). If it’s the Community Center, put it in (the) Parks & Rec (Board). I would always want experts in various fields to be a part of things, but to have them go to these commissions that are already existing with these ideas, which we would research rather than formulating a new commission,” she said.
Feldman advocated for the new commission, citing that three neighboring communities, Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls and Kent all have dedicated commissions or departments for environmental issues.
“I like it and I like how this was written,” he said. “I think we have to find experts, which we have here, and get them on that commission. They can advise Council. I know what wetlands are, but they’re gonna know it better than me. I like the idea and will be in favor of it.”
Herman also voiced his support. “There are a lot of aspects, clean energy and protecting the environment, that don’t fit neatly into the mandate of other commissions like Urban Forestry or Parks & Rec and so forth,” he said. “And, also, our city staff doesn’t necessarily have the capacity to apply for the type of grants it would take to bring in funding to the city or to implement these sorts of projects.
“Having volunteers from our community who all have that expertise and time to help would be a real asset,” Herman said.
Later, during Council’s public comments period, residents Patti Spring, a former Parks & Rec board member, and former Councilwoman Cari Orris, who together proposed the commission to the administration, were among four residents who spoke in favor of it.
Orris said the commission would serve two purposes: 1. To advise and recommend to the administration and council specific environmental proposals and 2. To help educate the community on environmental issues.
Council approved the ordinance creating the commission with a 6-1 vote. Ward 2 Councilwoman Kelly Coffey was the sole vote against the proposal.
The city currently has 13 other all-volunteer boards that meet regularly, as-needed or as required by the city's Charter.
The city has since posted an application for residents to apply for the new Environmental Commission. See application for the new commission here.
Council Adopts Public Notifications Plan
A recommendation by last year’s Charter Review Commission that was approved by voters in November’s election was formally adopted by Council.
Notices announcing public meetings will now be posted in just three locations in the city: at City Hall, the Community & Senior Center and the library. Previously, Stow’s charter required the city to post public notices in six locations. Those included the city’s three fire stations, which the Charter Review Commission noted did not generate sufficient traffic to be useful for public notices.
The measure selecting the three locations passed Council unanimously.
New Council Leadership Chosen
On Jan. 2, at its organizational meeting for the new term, Council members were sworn into office and they then elected their leadership.
Kyle Herman, re-elected in November to his second term with 4,475 votes, was elected by City Council as President of Council. He was nominated by Cyle Feldman and seconded by Matt Riehl. No other council members were nominated for president and Riehl motioned for nominations to be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for Herman. Council elected Herman with a 6-1 vote, with Coffey voting No.
Herman then nominated Ward 3 Councilman John Baranek, who was elected to his second term in November with 1,102 votes, to be Vice President and was seconded by Matt Riehl. No other council members were nominated for Vice President and Baranek was elected on a 6-1 vote, with Coffey voting No.
Former Council President and At-Large Cyle Feldman, who was re-elected in November to serve his fourth and final term as a City Council member with 4,468 votes, was elected President Pro Tem on a 6-1 vote, with Coffey voting No. There were no other nominations for President Pro Tem.
Kim Young was sworn in as Council At-Large after winning her first election in November with 4,549 votes. She replaced former Council At-Large Jeremy McIntire, who lost his re-election bid by coming in fourth place with 3,433 votes.
After his election for Council President, Kyle Herman thanked voters and his colleagues on Council.
“Thank you to all the voters who put your trust in all of us to lead your city, and thank you to all of my colleagues. As I said before, I’m committed to being an authentic and results-driven leader who collaborates with others to improve our quality of life.
“I look forward to working with all of you on behalf of our city,” he said.
After her No votes against Herman and Baranek for Council leadership, Coffey asked to make a statement:
“I’m not voting the way I want to vote tonight because I really want to vote in support of my colleagues in the way I feel about you guys and your capabilities,” she said. “Mr. Herman, you are not very experienced, like me, but you are very intelligent, went to Harvard, so you’re very capable. Mr. Baranek is my go to for municipal finance questions so I like and respect both of you.
“My votes are merely because of the process and I think you know two years ago I emphatically stated I wanted both parties included in leadership. If you look up here you know both parties are represented, which the people elected almost equally. And so I think that’s the best thing for the city and the only reason for my No votes.”
Jan. 22 Council Agenda
At its next meeting, City Council will revisit administration priorities that were denied in the last Council term and take up some new initiatives:
Board of Control Limits: Initially proposed and rejected in the last term of Council, this ordinance would increase minimum contract amounts that would require a competitive bidding process and give the administration greater spending authority to sign certain size contracts without the approval of Council. A second related proposed ordinance more clearly defines how the city should select lowest responsive and responsible bidders.
Department of Community Outreach: During the last term, the administration proposed the addition of a part-time communications specialist to help improve and facilitate the city’s communications with residents. The proposal was denied by council last August. The administration is taking a different approach this year. It wants to create a Department of Community Outreach under the direction of the city’s current Director of Public Service, utilizing assistants and employees from within the administration to develop and distribute press releases, marketing, social media posts, and programming at the planned amphitheater.
Discussion of Council Members’ Goals and Priorities this term: Initiated in 2024 by then Council President Cyle Feldman, current Council President Kyle Herman will continue the practice of initiating an open and public discussion among council members to share ideas and priorities. The discussion will take place during the Council of the Whole meeting at 6 pm.
Stow's Deer Population: New to the agenda will be a discussion about Stow's deer population and the number of car crashes caused by them. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service completed a deer population study in Stow in November. That report will be presented and discussed during Thursday's Roads & Safety Committee meeting at 5:30 pm and is open to the public in City Council Chambers.
Public Meeting on Rezoning of Marsh Rd. Property
On Thursday, Feb. 12, at 5 pm, Council will hold a public meeting for resident input on a plan to rezone a former assisted living facility at 3605 and 3625 Marsh Rd. from R-2 Residential to C-2 Limited Retail.
The C-2 district is established to restrict small retail areas that are not located at major intersections to less intense retail uses, therefore prohibiting drive-thru facilities and gas stations.
Previously, a proposal to rezone the property to C-4 General Business was rejected by City Council.
