Village to acquire former Clark gas station property
by Sue Serdinak
May 7 village council meeting
Richfield Village Council passed legislation to acquire property at 5153 Brecksville Road where there had been a Clark gas station several years ago. Law Director Bill Hanna said the village would receive the property through the Land Bank program, which will remediate any hazardous material. The maximum cost to the village would be $25,000.
Hanna said this action can be taken because the property was in default, was for sale twice and didn’t sell.
The property is listed with Summit County as being owned by Millennium Property Holdings LLC of Romulus, Mich.
According to the legislation, the village can use the property for public use “which may include green space, public roadway or other public purposes.”
The property could serve as access to the industrial properties off Columbia Road and the JEDD. Traffic on Columbia Road has been congested because of truck traffic to FedEx and the Pilot Travel Center.
Town Hall security operational
Police Chief Keith Morgan reported that total replacement of the town hall locking system has been averted, and the existing system is again functioning. He said technicians were able to run a line from the sally port in the police department to the existing panel, making it operational.
Morgan said in March that the control boards for the jail and the town hall locking system were not operating, and the original supplier of the system estimated it could cost up to $175,000 to replace it.
“A big thank you to the chief. That is fantastic,” said Councilperson Barbara Lanford.
Morgan said the system still needs to be replaced at some point, and he recommended the cost be included in future budgets.
He also recommended that council pass legislation to use the Macedonia jail as a backup in case there is a need in the future.
Olesia’s liquor license
Morgan made no objection to approving the transfer of a liquor license for Olesia’s Place in North Royalton to the building that was the Taverne of Richfield.
Council President Rick Hudak said this would make an additional liquor license available in Richfield. He said he wanted to be sure this wouldn’t set a precedent.
Mayor Bobbie Beshara said the transfer was done rather than using the liquor license associated with the Taverne building, because that license is not yet free to transfer, according to the Ohio Liquor Control Board.
Hanna said he didn’t believe this would set a precedent.
Fire Chief Phil McLean reported that he and Lt. Jason Purkey have been reviewing a new set of plans for Olesia’s restaurant in the Taverne building.
McLean also said that an 11-year-old girl was pulled from the bottom of the swimming pool at the Days Inn Hotel. Police were the first to arrive on the scene and Morgan said a family member was already performing CPR.
According to the police report, the incident happened at 10:10 p.m. on April 29. A group of nine children, one adult and one infant were at the hotel for a birthday party. The victim, who could not swim, lost touch with the wall and went underwater. One of the children pulled the victim from the water while another ran to get help from the adult who was breast- feeding in a hotel room. That woman started chest compressions and the child started to breath. No adult was poolside when the incident occurred.
The rescue squad transported the child to Akron Children’s Hospital.
Elected officials compensation
Lanford asked why legislation to reduce the compensation for the mayor and councilmembers was dropped from the agenda. Councilmember Gary Domanick said at the April 17 meeting that council should act on Ordinance 44-2018, and Lanford said she has asked several times that it be included in council’s work session.
Beshara said that time had elapsed for the ordinance to remain on the agenda and the law director approved removing it.
“I would like to make a request that a new resolution be added to the agenda,’’ Lanford said. “It is disappointing that this occurred.’’
Said Hudak, “Why don’t you get together with the law director and prepare legislation for the next meeting.”
Financing energy projects
At the work session, Hanna and Service Director Chris Papp explained how to set up an Energy Special Improvement District. If the village establishes an ESID, businesses in the village could finance energy efficiency projects through special assessments on the real estate tax bill with terms up to 20 years.
NOPEC, a non-profit energy supplier, is providing the financing for projects from $100,000 to $500,000.
Richfield Village would join Bath, Copley, Barberton and Fairlawn in the Akron/Summit County ESID district. The village would use the ESID as an economic development tool.
Heinle building
Council also discussed what to do with the small office building that the village purchased from Dr. Randolph Heinle on Grant Street and Broadview Road. Some of the property would be used to create an improved entrance to the library.
Councilmembers Mike Lyons, Mike Wheeler and Domanick favored razing the building.
Lanford said she would oppose creating a municipal parking lot on the property.
Councilmember Ralph Waszak said he felt the building could be saved, and the back of the property could be still be used to expand the library entrance.
Featured image photo caption: Richfield Village is taking steps to acquire the property (at bottom, left of photo) where a Clark gas station once sat. Photo from Summit County website