Council approves funding for new K-9 patrol

by Dan Holland

Oct. 2 city council meeting

Members of Broadview Heights City Council at their Oct. 2 meeting approved payment of $7,400 to Excel K-9 Services, Inc. of Hiram, for the attainment and training of a new K-9 officer to be trained in patrol and narcotics detection.

The 3-year-old male German Shepherd, named Zeus, will be paired with Patrolman Nick Kashi. Officer Phil Adams, who was instrumental in bringing the K-9 program to the city in 1993, recently retired along with K-9 officer Hercules, leaving Patrolman Richard Giles and his K-9 officer, Chase, as the sole K-9 patrol in the city.

The K-9 equipped patrol car utilized by Officer Adams will be utilized for the new K-9 patrol, according to Police Chief Steven Raiff.

“We went out there and looked at four dogs and picked him,” said Raiff. “We went with Officer Kashi and our existing K-9 officer, Richard Giles, to see how the officer and the dog interacted with each other. We don’t want an overly aggressive dog in Broadview Heights since we do a lot of public relations in the schools and at Home Days. He will search for drugs and do area searches, but he also has a good demeanor.

“We use [the dogs] for a lot different things and for public relations; kids and adults both love them,” Raiff added. “When we do tours of the police station, everyone wants to see the jail and the K-9. It’s a great public relations tool for us.”

Flagger crew recognized

Three members of a flagger crew that maintained traffic for a number of weeks through a construction zone along Broadview Road south of Wallings Road were honored with a resolution of appreciation for their dedication and positive work ethic.

A number of social media pages focused on the Broadview Heights/Brecksville area were inundated with a barrage of posts about the friendliness and efficiency of the crew.

“As Mayor, I go through the city often, and I have an uncle I would check on who lives right by the construction zone,” said Mayor Sam Alai. “Going through the center of town and going through there, it was actually a pleasure. You sit there in traffic for a few minutes and you could just see the three of them having fun with it. They actually made going through the construction zone enjoyable just by being nice and giving a wave, nod or salute to motorists.”

Crew member Ronnie Taylor, who was honored along with his coworkers Nicole Bryant and Antonio Ocacio of Southpointe Traffic Control said it is an honor for the crew to be recognized for all the hard work they do.

“It’s an honor, privilege and a blessing,” he said. “We go out there every day with the same intent to get the job done, keep everyone safe and make sure everyone has a great time passing through our site.”

Announcements

Alai noted that, due to petitioning efforts by a number of city officials, ODOT agreed to lower the speed limit on Broadview Road south of Valley Parkway from 45 mph to 35 mph.

In other action, council approved resolutions:

  • Authorizing an agreement between the city and The K Company, Inc. for HVAC technical support in the city for a three-year period at a cost of $11,313 per year.
  • Authorizing a resolution to enter into a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Better Business Bureau to exchange small portions of land between the two entities. According to City Engineer Gary Yelenosky, the land swap was necessary to lessen the severity of a curve on the planned Treeworth Boulevard extension. The agreement also includes a utilities easement along the stretch of roadway. The action has no incurred costs for the city beyond survey work and a new plat, he added.
  • Authorizing an agreement between Broadview Heights and North Royalton for installation and maintenance of a sanitary sewer in conjunction with the Valley Vista Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project underway in North Royalton that includes a portion along Perl Court in the Broadview Heights right-of-way.

Council also approved an ordinance amending sections of the codified ordinances regarding civil service rules to include three changes:

  1. A list of eligibility will expire upon the filling or closing of a position, and no list may be used more than one year past its expiration date.
  2. An original appointment to the police department may not be offered to anyone under 21 years of age; 18 years of age for the fire department. An original safety forces appointment cannot be offered to an applicant reaching 40 years of age. Maximum age for employment within the city’s safety forces cannot exceed 67.
  3. An additional credit of 8 points will be granted to city employees in good standing with a minimum of one year of employment as a part-time employee moving to full-time status within the same job classification in either the police or fire departments.

Service and Safety Committee

During a meeting of the city’s Service and Safety Committee, held prior to the city council meeting, members voted in favor of forwarding to the city’s planning commission Phase 1 plans by Fleet Team Inc. to renovate the vacated 38,400 square-foot Vatterott College building and proceed with exterior plans on the 2.5-acre site.

Concerns raised by the committee for the renovation project included access for fire department personnel and equipment.

Fire Chief Jeffrey Hajek said the building would be fully sprinklered and contain a fire hydrant on site. As the project consists of a renovation of an existing building, Hajek said the department has always been able to fully access the property.

Architect Charles “Andy” Gray, chief architect and owner at Mann Parsons Gray Architects Inc. of Fairlawn, said he expects site work to begin within the next couple months, with an expected completion in mid-summer 2024. Up to 80 employees are expected to work in the renovated building.

The two-phase project, which will include construction of an additional 29,500 square-foot two-story office building at the site, was approved by the city’s Growth, Planning & Zoning Committee in July. ∞