40-year employee remembered
by Sue Serdinak
April 1 village council meeting
Jo Ann Maupin worked in the Richfield Village finance department for over 40 years, and although she was 95 years old, she worked until the week before her death.
According to Finance Director Sandy Turk, “[Jo Ann] loved her job and looked forward to, not the weekends, but the weekdays when she could do her work and be with her village family. We are grateful for the 40 years of service and dedication Jo Ann gave this community. … This world would be a better place if folks could emulate a fraction of her qualities.”
Mayor Michael Wheeler asked for a moment of silence in her memory during the village council meeting.
Another zoning moratorium enacted
Council suspended readings and passed legislation to enforce a six-month moratorium on accepting applications for new car- or truck-washing facilities. Council took the action after Planning and Zoning Director Brian Frantz said that surrounding communities are seeing an uptick in the installation of car and truck washes.
The action follows a moratorium enacted last year on issuing zoning certificates for car and truck service stations. An analysis done with the help of the police and fire departments showed numerous calls for service are made at these facilities.
Violation letters
Frantz said his department has been performing property maintenance inspections and has issued violation letters. The violations include nuisance vegetation, yard maintenance, junk vehicles, building conditions and non-permitted uses and structures.
Frantz advised council that some of these issues may result in court citations and ultimately legal expenses.
Zoning code
Council approved a contract with TSW Tunnell, Spangler, Walsh & Associates to review and update the village zoning code at a cost of $96,200. Councilperson Sue Ann Philippbar asked if this exceeded the budgeted amount.
Turk verified the cost was over budget, but a recent service department project came in under budget, so she could transfer the saved amount to the cover the cost.
Kinross sidewalk
Council approved advertising for bids to construct sidewalks along Kinross Lakes Boulevard. The village engineer estimated the cost at $295,000. If the lowest and best bid is within 10% of the estimate, the village can immediately sign a contract with that bidder.
A few years ago, the village striped the roadway to create a walking lane on one side of the road. However, businesses along the roadway felt the traffic moved too fast to walk safely in the pedestrian lane.
A traffic signal is scheduled to be installed on Wheatley Road, at the McDonald’s restaurant, in May.
Davey Resource Group, located in Richfield, did a report on wetlands on village property on the south side of Wheatley Road in anticipation of eliminating ditches and building a sidewalk from Kinross Lake Extension to the shopping plaza on Brecksville Road.
TIF
Council passed legislation to approve a TIF (tax increment fund) for property owned by N and L Holdings on the east side of Brecksville Road, just north of I-271.
Under terms of the TIF, improvements on the property will be exempt from property taxes for 30 years. Instead, service payments will be made for construction and site development.
The building will be the headquarters for CJI Construction, which is expected to employee about 35 full-time workers with an annual payroll of $3 million.
Police
Police Chief Michael Swanson reported that the village will participate in Summit County’s traffic enforcement program. Under the program, the Summit County sheriff will provide funding for overtime to officers in traffic enforcement. The money can be used for felony arrests, speeding, distracted driving, driving under suspension, felony arrests, OVIs and other violations.
Safety Town
Swanson reminded parents of incoming kindergarten students that Safety Town will be held June 16-19 at Bath Elementary School. Signup can be found at richfieldvillageohio.org/documentcenter/view/9010.
Wheeler reported that he had received a complimentary note saying a Richfield police officer helped her son when he ran out of gas. The writer said the officer drove the teenager to get gas and was very kind, giving him an “extremely positive experience with police.”
Highway trees
Wheeler said he explored ideas regarding sound barriers near highways. He said it would be cost prohibitive to plant trees along the highway, outside of the road right-of-way, and ODOT will not allow trees to be planted in the right-of-way.
He added that it would take several years for trees to grow tall enough to absorb the sound. He said he has investigated planting different shrubs, which would also be very costly.
Philippbar suggested that a GoFundMe could be set up to help pay for the plants.
Councilperson Rick Hudak suggested that the dirt ODOT removed during the construction process, might be used for mounding near residential properties.
Resident Penny Rzonca suggested that arborvitae be planted along the highway and in front of the former CF Property. She said the shrub grows faster than trees. “The tree commission should concentrate on trying to hide that corridor [on Brecksville Road],” she said.
Sharing agreement
A Zoom caller asked the mayor why, in February, he canceled the sharing agreement with the Richfield Joint Recreation District for the park director position. “I made the decision because of complaints from a lot of residents,’’ Wheeler said. “I felt it was in the best interest of the village to allow the RJRD to stand alone. It is a separate subdivision. The last day of sharing will be May 19.”