Road closure before DORA hearing angers councilperson

by Sue Serdinak

Oct. 6 village council meeting

Mayor Michael Wheeler was on vacation and absent from the meeting. Council President Rick Hudak was also absent. Council Vice President Sue Ann Philippbar chaired the meeting.

Council approved a date of Nov. 17 to hold a public hearing regarding the creation of a DORA, a designated outdoor refreshment area, in the central business area of Routes 303 and 176. Council will also discuss creating a Community Reinvestment Area and a Revolving Loan Fund at that meeting.

Councilperson Marty Kruszynski said that Wheeler preempted the approval of the DORA by permitting the bollards on Grant Street to be erected on Sept. 26 so that Richfield Brewing Company could hold an Oktoberfest, which flowed onto the closed street. The main event was held in the restaurant with tables also set up on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. Games were set up in the closed roadway.

The Richfield Chamber of Commerce and Bath-Richfield Kiwanis sold 50-50 raffle tickets at the event. All of the proceeds went to the organizations.

Kruszynski claimed that some people carried beer onto the closed roadway.

“What is the point of having research for a DORA, when we are just going to have stuff like this and doing it arbitrarily,” Kruszynski said. “I think this is so important [to discuss] that the mayor should have delayed his trip.”

Philippbar said council could ask the mayor to address the topic at its next regular meeting.

However, Kruszynski continued to state his position, claiming this would set a precedent so that anyone could request to close the road. “This has to do with our administration doing something like this and it is being sluffed off as not being a big deal.”

Councilperson Jeff Stoppenhagen said, “This [event] was promoted since July and August. There was plenty of time [for the administration to address this]. … This is a circle the wagons, cover my ass and hope no one says anything.”

Councilperson Bobbie Beshara said she is the incoming president of Kiwanis, and she heard about the event only when Kiwanis sent out a call for volunteers.

She added that she was most bothered by the selling of alcohol. “It needs to be better done by the mayor,” she said.

Councilperson Carol Campbell read legislation that passed in 2024 in which council unanimously approved installing the bollards on Grant Street “for public events.”

Kruszynski, Beshara and Stoppenhagen all said this would not be considered a public event.

Councilperson Jim Smith said this shows that the community is entering a new era when volunteers are scant, and organizations have found they need new ways to raise money.

When questioned after the meeting, Lytz said beer was served only on brewery property.

Tree gift

Wheeler requested that council accept the gift of four trees from the Jim Collver Celtic Club tree program. The program donates, delivers and plants trees in honor of Tuskegee veterans.

Stoppenhagen said he could not find anything about the program and didn’t want to accept the donation until he learned more.

Law Director Ben Chojnacki said the value of the donation should be noted before council accepts the gift.

House burning

Fire Chief George Seifert reported that the Richfield crew and members of four other fire departments would burn the house at 3872 Broadview Rd. He said it would provide good training on how to manage a house fire.

Also, the department conducted joint training with University Hospital Airmed recently.

Police

Police Chief Michael Swanson reported the retirement of Arlene Fassinger, who has been a dispatcher with the village for 10 years.

The department is selling at an internet auction a 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe, a 2021 Ford Interceptor with 127,000 miles and a 2022 Ford Interceptor with 133,964 miles. In addition, they are selling 32 back seats from old cruisers and other miscellaneous equipment.

New hardware

Stoppenhagen reported that the council meeting room is getting new audio equipment at a cost of $46,000. The old equipment was analog and the new equipment is digital, so feedback should be eliminated.

IT Coordinator Tim Baker reported that a new 10gb fiber line has been installed by Summit County, replacing a 5gb line.

Eastwood barn

A new barn is scheduled to be built on the Eastwood Preserve property before the end of the year.

Parking lot

Work to create a parking lot on Grant Street between two buildings began in September with a landscape buffer area on the north edge, adjacent to the Burke family home. A swale would be included for stormwater management. The anticipated cost of the project is $435,000. Additional work will be included in the 2027 budget.

Campbell questioned planting Kentucky bluegrass on the buffering area. She said her expert said another grass would be a better choice. Service Director Scott Waldemarson said they were following the recommendation of Rob Morgan, the village’s landscape architect. Contacted during the meeting, Morgan said the grass that Campbell recommended would also work for the area.

Public hearing

A public hearing was held regarding changing the zoning of a parcel at 3086 Farnham Rd. from commercial to residential. No one spoke at the hearing.