Trustees Corner by Trustee John Zaccardelli

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Dave Piekarski. Dave was a retired detective (2018) with the Sagamore Hills Police Department. Dave worked for the township for 20 years and solved many criminal felony cases. Dave was a tenacious officer. On behalf of all Sagamore Hills Township personnel, we extend our deep sorrow to his family.

Don’t drink and drive

Police Chief David Hayes shared an OVI incident that occurred in early January. Officer Tim Ellis found a car in the ditch off Route 82 by the corn stand. The driver, from Berea, was unable to exit from the driver’s door as his car was on its left side in the ditch.

Ellis attempted to conduct a standardized field sobriety test. The driver had difficulty following commands when Ellis asked the driver to do the walk and turn test. The driver declined, stating he “can’t do it.” The driver was then taken to the Sagamore Hills police station where he was read his rights. The driver agreed to take a breathalyzer test. His results were .294 BAC, close to four times the legal limit.

Sagamore Hills police want everyone to realize that someone could be killed when heavy drinking is involved. If you’re lucky enough not to hurt others or yourself, the cost of making this type of bad decision is still in the thousands of dollars.

Mark your Calendars

At our March 11 meeting, we will have Natalie Schroder on our township agenda. Natalie is with Summit Soil and Water Conservation District and will give a short presentation on “backyard conservation.” Natalie will offer workable ideas, answer questions concerning Summit Soil and Water initiatives and distribute native seed packets. If you have an interest and any questions, please attend. The meeting is at 7 p.m.

In other news

The Northfield Macedonia Cemetery had another successful year. The cemetery was on budget. Two big projects are slated for 2024: complete electrical installation and camera installation at the gate. Cemetery personnel are also looking at a new cremated section and have asked the clerk/treasurer to explore this option.

In early January, there was another water main break. This one was on Meadowview. Jeff Snell, secretary/treasurer of the North Hill Water District again met with the water department response team and they had the break repaired before noon. Cleveland Water really did a great job.

We had several calls regarding the new exit at the Speedway gas station. This new exit design was created and mandated by the Summit County Engineer. Valley View Road is a county road. The engineer decided that there were too many accidents to leave the left turn lane onto Valley View Road. Sagamore Hills Township cannot overturn this action by the engineer.

Remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour on March 10. Have a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day. ∞