Council-at-Large· 2026-01-01–2029-12-01 (month-level start: January 2026 per Lorain County BOE 2026 Elected City Officials list showing 2025 election and January 5, 2026 organization meeting minutes roll call seating him; month-level end: December 2029 per same list)
Paul Wolanski
North Ridgeville
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 25
- Total speaking time
- 58:20
- Avg per meeting
- 2:20
- Segments
- 951
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Top issues during term (20)
Unified Development Ordinance and zoning map update
The denied applicant may need to spend money relocating the shed to his rear yard.
Resolution 2026-75 referendum dispute and special counsel
The dispute concerns a HUD cooperation agreement whose funding terms were not detailed at the meeting.
Property maintenance code enforcement
Could cost homeowners from a few hundred dollars for spot coverage to thousands for a full repaint, depending on which standard is adopted.
Truck traffic on Sugar Ridge Road
Mills Road resurfacing agreement with Avon
Construction came in roughly $175,000 below the estimate.
Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement
Property taxes abated for 12 years; officials say minimal valuation impact and schools made whole via income tax sharing.
Lorain County Urban County CDBG designation
No cost to the city, but potential grant funding could grow from roughly $324,000 countywide annually to about $780,000 a year for three years.
Urban/rural designation and HUD funding transparency
More HUD grant money available, with roughly 30% skimmed off for county grant administration.
Mid-year 2026 appropriations amendment
Roughly $795,000 in total adjustments, driven largely by the fire truck and salt.
Ultrasonic water meter funding
$1.3 million saved versus the projected cost.
Race Road fill site and imported dirt
Sugar Ridge Road sidewalk/path project opposition
The project is federally funded (residents estimate the path alone near $2 million) with residents asking the city to scale it back or decline the grant.
Transparency of the residential TIF ordinance (2026-73)
The TIF redirects future residential property tax revenue growth away from other local taxing authorities.
Water meter bond refinancing
About $115,000 in combined interest and fee savings for taxpayers.
Shady Drive telecommunications monopole tower
The tower brings co-location lease revenue to the city, and TowerCo will pay the value of required landscape screening to Parks and Rec instead of planting it on-site.
Police and fire workplace climate
Stoney Ridge Road sanitary sewer extension
No city cost for interior neighborhood extensions, but affected homeowners would each pay connection fees.
Root Road Park Fixes for Landscaping Damage and Access
About $260,000 extra, coming from the capital projects fund on top of the original $763,000 budget.
Patrol Officer Entrance Eligibility List Re-certification
Paid part-time position funded through the remainder of 2026.
Ridgefield Subdivision TIF district
If property taxes are eliminated at the state level, TIF revenue expected to fund infrastructure could shrink or disappear.
Decisions during term (273)
Recorded while Wolanski was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Approval of October 19, 2026 meeting minutes
Enter executive session
Appointment of Matthew Murphy as Parks and Recreation Director
Support for releasing outside legal opinion on referendum
O 2026-112 — Fortune & Dickson Ditch payment (adopted, emergency)
O 2026-113 — 2026 appropriations amendment (adopted, emergency)
R 2026-104 — Tax abatement for 4915 Mills Industrial LLC / Rudolph Libbe (adopted, emergency)
Approval of October 5 Regular Meeting Minutes and September 28 Committee of the Whole Minutes
Planning Commission action: MDP-26-0007 Jaffa Juice & Smoothies, 38790 Center Ridge Rd
Referendum petition concerning Resolution 2026-75
O 2026-110 — Amendment of 2026 appropriations
R 2026-109 — Accepting Budget Commission rates and tax levies
R 2026-95 — ODOT Transit Funding application
O 2026-96 — $1.5 million water meter bond anticipation notes
Appointment of Kevin Byrne to the BZBA
Reappointments to boards and commissions
Executive session on property at Ranger Way and Center Ridge Road
Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of September 15, 2026
MDP-26-0006 Webber Electronics, 38887 Taylor Pkwy — tabled
MDP-26-0007 Jaffa Juice & Smoothies, 38790 Center Ridge Rd — approved with conditions
Voting record (146)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.
Enter executive session
Support for releasing outside legal opinion on referendum
Believes taxpayers paid for the opinion and deserve to see it
O 2026-112 — Fortune & Dickson Ditch payment (adopted, emergency)
O 2026-113 — 2026 appropriations amendment (adopted, emergency)
R 2026-104 — Tax abatement for 4915 Mills Industrial LLC / Rudolph Libbe (adopted, emergency)
Planning Commission action: MDP-26-0007 Jaffa Juice & Smoothies, 38790 Center Ridge Rd
Referendum petition concerning Resolution 2026-75
Followed the outside election counsel's opinion that validity is Council's sole decision and the petition is invalid.
O 2026-110 — Amendment of 2026 appropriations
R 2026-109 — Accepting Budget Commission rates and tax levies
R 2026-95 — ODOT Transit Funding application
O 2026-96 — $1.5 million water meter bond anticipation notes
Amendment to O 2026-71 (paint-color language)
Believes the replacement wording is more vague than the original
Adoption of O 2026-71 (Property Maintenance Code)
Ordinances balance one resident's rights against neighbors' rights
Adoption of O 2026-103 (Sale of surplus personal property)
Adoption of O 2026-106 (Appropriations amendment)
Adoption of R 2026-107 (Fund advances for traffic safety grant)
Adoption of R 2026-108 (Then-and-now certificates)
Adoption of O 2026-97 (Appropriations amendment)
Adoption of R 2026-98 (Fund transfers)
Adoption of R 2026-100 (Fund advances for water meters)
Adoption of O 2026-69 (Bicycles and motorcycles)
Adoption of O 2026-73 (Ridgefield Subdivision TIF)
Adoption of O 2026-89 (North Ridge Pointe No. 1 streets)
Adoption of O 2026-90 (Harvest Pointe No. 1 streets)
Adoption of O 2026-91 (North Ridge Pointe No. 4 streets)
Adopt O 2026-94 amending 2026 appropriations with emergency clause
Adopt Resolution 2026-101 — traffic safety grant, with emergency
Adopt Ordinance 2026-82 (surplus property sale, emergency)
Adopt Ordinance 2026-83 (surplus property sale, emergency)
Adopt Ordinance 2026-84 (surplus property sale, emergency)
Adopt Ordinance 2026-85 (surplus property sale, emergency)
Adoption of Ordinance 2026-93 (emergency appropriations)
Adoption of Ordinance 2026-78 (extended assisted living moratorium)
Ordinance 2026-86 — 2026 Appropriations Amendment (adopted with emergency clause)
add the emergency clause in order to meet the Lorain County deadline to complete the project before the end of the year
Ordinance 2026-87 — Stryker fire equipment purchase (adopted with emergency clause)
Resolution 2026-88 — Fund advances for SR 83/Chestnut Ridge project (adopted with emergency clause)
Resolution 2026-77 — ODOT State Route 10 overhead sign consent (adopted)
Resolution 2026-79 — OPWC application for Sugar Ridge/Bender Road roundabout (adopted with emergency clause)
Ordinance 2026-80 — CDBG funds for Behm Road watermain replacement (adopted with emergency clause)
Ordinance 2026-64 — Enhanced penalties for through truck traffic (adopted)
Appoint Jeff Rogerson to Board of Drainage and Flood Control
Resolution 2026-75 — Urban County CDBG participation adopted
He judged it best for the city; nothing is guaranteed if the city does not opt in.