During recent Ward meetings in Akron, residents expressed ongoing concerns about widespread streetlight outages. Utilities Coordinator Joe Kunzler attributed the issues to a combination of aging infrastructure, theft of underground wiring, and construction-related disruptions. He highlighted that the transition to LED lighting has been slow due to high initial costs and dependency on Ohio Edison for maintenance. The city has only converted about 10% of streetlights to LEDs, focusing on historic areas and major road projects. Meanwhile, theft and vandalism exacerbate the problem, prompting efforts to deter criminal activity, such as leaving lights on during the day. Despite these challenges, residents are encouraged to report outages through various channels, although the repair process remains unclear.