AKRON, Ohio — As Akron Mayor Shammas Malik revealed his administration's 100-day plan Wednesday morning, he also shared the city has launched a tracker online for residents to see what progress has been made.
“This is our commitment to really holding ourselves accountable," Mayor Malik said. "You can talk about transparency and accountability a lot, but it’s important to actually live out that value.”
You can see the 100-day plan tracker HERE. Mayor Malik says it will be updated each week with the latest progress.
“This document will morph into more of a long-term strategic plan beyond the 100 days so that we have an ongoing map for where we’re going as an administration," Mayor Malik said.
So what's in the plan? Here's an outline from Mayor Malik's office:
- Safer Together / Public Safety
- Undertake planning for future of the police station with a final decision by end of June 2024.
- Continue and expand Akron Police-based violence intervention efforts in partnership with community-based efforts and other law enforcement agencies.
- Launch and evaluate co-responder pilot program with Akron Police, Akron Fire, and ADM Board staff responding to some mental health-related calls.
- Prioritize police and fire engagement, recruitment and retention.
- Working Together / Economic Development
- Select contractor for Innerbelt / Reconnecting Communities planning process and consider interim community use of the property focused on youth opportunity.
- Facilitate launch of downtown Community Development Corporation.
- Explore partnerships with private providers and Summit County around affordable access to fiber.
- Living Together / Health, Housing, and the Environment
- Develop and launch Right to Counsel pilot program to provide legal representation to tenants facing eviction.
- Review and revise residential property tax abatement policy.
- Join and begin work with the statewide Power a Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) coalition.
- Review and reset Akron Home Repair Program.
- Learning Together / Education
- Support youth out of school time opportunities as a key partner with Youth Success Summit.
- Support a community-based effort to establish universal pre-K for Akron.
- Continue partnership with Akron Public Schools around improving access to Community Learning Centers (CLCs).
- Build the Team
- Hire and onboard mayor's cabinet, strategy team and other appointed roles.
- Build out Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
- Establish regular communication with all city employees from mayor's office.
- Modernize City Operations
- Improve and streamline current city mowing program.
- Plan and pilot permanent speed tables and other speeding interventions.
- Clarify and enhance internal contracting procedures to ensure competitive processes where appropriate.
- Engage federal government stakeholders around funding and policy.
- Prioritize Communications and Public Engagement
- Share weekly mayoral email newsletter.
- Conduct regular, live-streamed press conferences with Q&A from media.
- Prioritize youth engagement, particularly around co-creating safe, exciting recreational and extra-curricular opportunities and third spaces.
- Prioritize engagement around longstanding community reports and plans – including LGBTQ+ needs assessment, racial equity and social justice taskforce, Age Friendly Akron, Elevate Greater Akron and more.
We streamed the entire press conference, which you can watch in the video below:
“The beginning of any administration helps set the tone for the rest of the work to follow," Mayor Malik said. "We’re halfway through the first 100 days, and we’re excited at the progress being made both in accomplishing operational tasks for the city but also beginning the work of broader objectives such as violence intervention, universal pre-K and better engagement with residents.”
You can explore the full 100-day plan in the document below:
This 100-day plan comes just days after Mayor Malik's office announced that Akron City Council had unanimously approved the 2024 capital budget. The plan includes $356.7 million "in new investment in our water and sewer infrastructure, parks and green spaces, public safety institutions, service equipment, housing and neighborhoods and more."
Mayor Malik began his first term in office last month after winning the November election.
"We are going to do three things," he said at his ceremonial swearing-in back on Jan. 6. "We are going to build a team, we are going to deliver high-quality, consistent city services and we are going to begin to make real progress on the entrenched challenges that our community faces."
At 32 years old, Mayor Malik is the youngest person to hold the office in Akron.
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