Trustees commit remainder of ARPA funds

by Dan Holland

June 22 township trustees special meeting

Richfield Township Trustees voted to amend a previous purchase order by committing the remaining $65,886 in federal funds received in 2021-2022 through the American Rescue Plan Act toward the township’s roads program. The action will expedite work on a multi-year paving project begun this year in the Glencairn Forest subdivision. The project entails the resurfacing of 4.6 miles of roadway.

“I’d like to see the remainder of ARPA funds go there … since we don’t have any other pressing needs for those funds,” said Trustee Vice-Chair Don Laubacher prior to the vote. “By adding that to the roads fund, we’ll be able to do more paving at Glencairn at an accelerated rate.”

Trustees had committed $400,000 to the project at their Jan. 12 meeting, with $100,000 coming from ARPA funds. A their Feb. 2 meeting they committed an additional $300,000 to the project.

Allocating the additional money from ARPA will reduce the amount coming from the township’s roads fund.

Parks

Laubacher, who is liaison to Richfield Joint Recreation District, shared that a .5 mill levy passed in November 2014 to operate Richfield Heritage Preserve will be up for renewal on the November ballot. The levy expires in 2024. “At the last [RJRD] meeting, the board agreed to proceed with a replacement levy of .5 mills,” he said. “The current levy gives them about $188,000 a year to operate the park; the replacement would give them about $219,000. In my opinion, .5 mills for that park is a great deal.”

Finance

Fiscal Officer Laurie Pinney said the township recently received $424.73 from the National Opioid Settlement Fund, that she anticipates being applied to the police fund. She said she expects a replacement Fire/EMS levy to be placed on the ballot next year. The 2.85-mill levy expires in 2023 with collection continuing through 2024.

Announcements

In other business, the trustees:

  • Approved payment of $2,538 to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Lifestyles for renewal of the township wellness program, with $2,059 coming from the general fund and $479 from the roads fund. The program is available to elected officials, township employees and their families.
  • Approved final payment to Revize for design of the new township website and first year maintenance and hosting at a cost of $5,900, with $4,600 coming from ARPA funds and $1,300 from the general fund. Township Administrator Mindy Lott said she expects to have the website up and running by late July.
  • Approved renewal of the township’s health insurance plan with Medical Mutual through Burnham & Flowers Insurance Group.
  • Approved replacement of township signage that will feature the new logo at a total cost of $6,000 payable to Becker Signs. The order is to include 30 flat metal signs, three molded composite signs and township vehicle identification stickers. The molded signs will be installed on Route 303, at the Peninsula and Hinckley borders, and on Broadview Road at the Broadview Heights border. ∞