city of oberlin

What city of oberlin does

The City of Oberlin is a municipal government entity headquartered at 85 South Main Street in Oberlin, Ohio (Lorain County), founded in 1833 by John Shipherd and Philo Stewart alongside Oberlin College. It serves approximately 8,000 residents through a comprehensive portfolio of municipal services: water and sewer utilities (Ordinance 911.11 and 915.04), refuse and recycling collection, electric power via the city-owned Oberlin Municipal Light & Power System (OMLPS), police and fire protection, recreation programs, public transportation (Oberlin Connector bus, EV CarShare, EBus), planning and economic development, and community assistance programs. The cityofoberlin.com website functions as the unified digital portal for accessing these services, including online utility payment processing via the SmartPayWorks gateway and live-streamed Council meetings through the Swagit platform.

The City operates as a publicly-owned government under Ohio state law, governed by an elected City Council and an appointed City Manager. Revenue is generated primarily through monthly subscription-style utility billing (water minimum $35.55/month inside city, sewer minimum $22.83/month, refuse $7.50/month), property and income taxes (1.5% local income tax typical of Ohio), and grant funding from state, federal, and philanthropic sources. Outside-city water and sewer customers are billed at 150% of inside-city rates. Department heads span Finance (Marin Fowler), Public Works (Jeff Baumann), Sustainability (Linda Arbogast), Planning, Police, Fire, Recreation, and Human Resources.

Beyond essential services, the City operates a distinctive set of community programs: the Bloomberg Philanthropies-backed Youth Climate Action Fund (micro-grants of $1,000-$5,000 to youth ages 15-24 across Lorain County, with $50,000 initial Phase 1 funding engaging 200+ youth across 8 projects), a Glass Recovery Program that crushes drop-off glass for use as road base, community events (Tunes on Tappan, Walkin' In a Winter Oberlin, Road to Freedom 5K), and the multi-phase Oberlin Underground Railroad Center project housed in the restored 1889 Gasholder Building. No AI/ML capabilities, public APIs, or external developer platforms are evidenced; the technology footprint is operational (payment portal, video streaming, Wireless Emergency Notification System) rather than productized.

Name

city of oberlin

Legal name

City of Oberlin

Website

https://cityofoberlin.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1833

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The City of Oberlin is a municipal government in Lorain County, Ohio, serving approximately 8,000 residents with utilities (water, sewer, electric via OMLPS), refuse/recycling, public safety, recreation, transportation, and community programs delivered through City Hall and the cityofoberlin.com portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Administration of Housing Programs (92511)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Refuse Systems (4953), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sewer Pump/Lift Stations & Wet Wells (EUANACAC), Public Transit Bus Operator Authorities & Agencies (Planning/Fare/Admin) (TLAFAGAL), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public utility services
• Waste management services
• Public recreation programs
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Utility Services Revenue: Revenue from water, sewer, and refuse collection services provided to residential and commercial customers within city limits
2. Property and Income Taxes: Property taxes and income taxes collected from residents and businesses to fund general municipal operations
3. Utility Services - Outside City Limits: Higher rates charged for water and sewer services provided to customers outside city limits (150% of inside-city rates)

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Oberlin is a municipal government providing essential city services to residents and businesses of Oberlin, Ohio. Core offerings include water, sewer, and electric utility services (via OMLPS); refuse and recycling collection; public recreation programs and parks; public transportation (Oberlin Connector, EV CarShare, EBus); public safety (police, fire); and community assistance programs. The city website functions as the unified portal connecting residents to these municipal services.

Product overview

The City of Oberlin operates a municipal government website serving as an information and services portal for residents. The primary offering is the city website itself, which provides access to core municipal services including: utility management (water, sewer, electric) through OMLPS with online payment processing; recreation programs including sports leagues, after-school enrichment, summer camps, and facility rentals; public transportation via the Oberlin Connector, EV CarShare, and EBus; refuse and recycling services including a glass recovery program; and community assistance programs. Additional services include permit and planning services, parks and outdoor facilities, a Youth Climate Action Fund micro-grant program, and public safety services. The city website functions as a unified portal connecting residents to all these municipal services rather than a single commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Municipal Utility Services City-managed water, sewer, and electric utility services for Oberlin residents, including billing, payment processing, meter management, and assistance programs.
• Refuse and Recycling Services
• Recreation Programs
• Public Transportation
• Oberlin Municipal Light & Power System (OMLPS)
• Parks and Outdoor Facilities
• Community Assistance Programs
• Glass Recovery Program A drop-off recycling program where residents bring glass bottles and jars which are crushed and mixed with limestone for use as road base and trench backfill in public works projects.
• Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF) A micro-grant program supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies that provides $1,000-$5,000 grants to youth-led climate initiatives benefiting Lorain County residents ages 15-24.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 youth climate projects funded with $50,000 initial Bloomberg funding
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Foundation of Lorain CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner in Youth Climate Action Fund program, supporting youth climate initiatives in Lorain County. Part of steering committee for program governance.
• GPD GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and architectural firm working with the City on improvements to the Oberlin Enrichment and Activity Center (OEAC), including conducting community vision surveys and planning.
• Hermes Sports & EventsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent management company handling logistics for the Road to Freedom 5K Run/1 Mile Walk event benefitting the Underground Railroad Center.
• Oberlin College & ConservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor institutional partner in the community; co-sponsor of Walkin' In a Winter Oberlin event and various community programs; historic relationship as founding institution alongside the city.
• Oberlin Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit providing emergency assistance, food distribution, and utility bill assistance programs. Partnered with City for the Oberlin Caring Fund and community support services.
• Oberlin Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partnered with Police Department for School Resource Officer program and Police Explorers Program; co-hosts community events.
• Lorain County Community Action AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency administering State of Ohio Home Relief Grant for rent, mortgage, and utility assistance programs.
• Oberlin Underground Railroad Center Implementation Team (OURCIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board established by City Council to oversee planning, fundraising, and organizational phases of the Underground Railroad Center project.
• Heritage OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide historic preservation organization that conducted stakeholder interviews and provided recommendations for governance structure of the OURC project.
• Lorain CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partnered for Youth Climate Action Fund micro-grants targeting youth ages 15-24 across Lorain County.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Municipal Power (AMP): Nonprofit wholesale power supplier for municipal electric systems like Oberlin's OMLPS. Comparable as an ecosystem participant — Oberlin could partner with or benchmark against AMP for power supply, renewables procurement, and grid services.

Direct peers

• City of Yellow Springs, Ohio: Small Ohio village (~3,700 residents) with municipal utilities, sustainability focus, and a college-town character. Directly comparable in scale, progressive civic culture, and operating model.
• City of Wooster, Ohio: Small Ohio college town (College of Wooster) with municipal water, sewer, electric, and refuse services. Comparable population scale (~27,000) and similarly diversified utility revenue model.
• City of Bowling Green, Ohio: Ohio university town home to Bowling Green State University. Operates municipal water, sewer, electric, and transit services — a very close operating analog with similar Ohio municipal code framework.
• City of Kent, Ohio: Northeast Ohio college town (Kent State University). Comparable in operating municipal utilities, public transit, and historic preservation programs in a similar Ohio regulatory and demographic context.
• City of Delaware, Ohio: Ohio university town (Ohio Wesleyan University) operating municipal utilities, recreation, and public works. Similar charter/manager-council governance model and revenue mix.
• City of Berea, Ohio: Small Ohio college town (Baldwin Wallace University). Operates municipal utilities and recreation in a comparable scale and regulatory environment to Oberlin.
• City of Granville, Ohio: Small Ohio village anchored by Denison University. Closely comparable in population (~5,800), college-town civic culture, and historic preservation focus including the Underground Railroad heritage that Oberlin also markets.
• City of Athens, Ohio: Similar-sized Ohio college town anchored by Ohio University (~24,000 residents). Operates municipal utilities, transit, and recreation services with comparable budget structure and revenue mix.

Regional players

• City of Northfield, Minnesota: Twin-college town (Carleton + St. Olaf) of comparable size (~20,000) with municipal utilities and a sustainability profile similar to Oberlin. Comparable across most operating dimensions but in a different state regulatory environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeoberlinoh.swagit.com/live
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofoberlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-oberlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about city of oberlin