By Emily Chesnic
Four businesses in the Russo Building, at Northfield Road, experience flooding after rain events, but to adequately correct the situation would be expensive, says Northfield Village Engineer Richard Wasosky, P.E., P.S.
Wasosky reported, at the Aug. 12 regular meeting of Northfield Village Council, he is almost finished with his study on final recommendations for “alleviating flooding” near the building located downstream from the Summit Plaza.
Those impacted by the flooding would like the problem resolved, as they pay village taxes, the engineer explained, after being questioned why the village now is seeking to rectify an issue that has been ongoing for years.
“Council has to decide if and what they want to do about this particular situation,” said Wasosky. “I am just telling you to fix it, it is going to cost a lot of money.”
He estimates his recommendations to reverse the flooding matter would cost more than $500,000.
“The construction required will be extremely expensive and there is not sufficient money in the budget to do the work now,” he said.
The final design would protect the building from a “100-year storm,” however, said the engineer.
Twice since May, of this year, the Russo building flooded, during a “two-year storm” and a “seven-year storm,” explained the engineer.
The pipe underneath Route 8, responsible for the flooding, only can handle up to a “two-year storm,” said Wasosky.
“It is undersized,” he said. “What is going out is less than half the size of what is coming in, and it just doesn’t work.”
To finance at least 50 percent of the final project cost, Wasosky recommends the village apply for Ohio Public Works Commission’s Issue 1 grants or loans.
Councilman Alan Hipps vocalized his opposition to the village using taxpayers’ money to correct an issue he believes should be the responsibility of the owners of Summit Plaza, though.
When the plaza was built, the plans were approved by governmental agencies, as current retention regulations were nonexistent, however, said Wasosky.
At the July regular meeting of Council, Department of Public Service Superintendent Jason Walters recommended the village create a landscaped mound, parallel to Route 8, to help combat the flooding that occurs. He said the mound would be 3-feet high and near Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream.
Wasosky said he is comfortable moving forward with the installation of the temporary detention area on the shopping center property, near Handel’s, to provide some additional, temporary flooding relief. He cautioned, though, the “cheap” project only would help a “little bit.”
Council went on, with Hipps voting “no,” to approve a $6,625 proposal from Stewart Landscaping for the Northfield Road stormwater detention berm project.
Council additionally authorized a lease agreement, at no cost to the village, with New Plaza Management LLC for the berm project, with Hipps again voting “no.”
ADOPTED ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
Also, at the regular meeting, Village Council approved several other pieces of legislation, including:
• A resolution confirming the appointment of Christian Bobak as a part-time firefighter/paramedic for the Northfield Village Fire Department;
• A resolution accepting Mayor Jesse Nehez’s appointment of Jesse Ferko to the Recreation Board.
Also, during the meeting, the following reports were provided by village officials:
FINANCE REPORT – JENNIFER POTVIN
Finance Director Jennifer Potvin recommends the village pay off the loan for a 2018 Ford Medic Ambulance, despite there being four years left on the loan. Potvin said the market rate the village is being charged for the loan is no longer what she considers “market price.”
“We are looking at saving $3,300 by paying it off early,” she said.
ENGINEERING REPORT – RICHARD WASOSKY, P.E., P.S.
Next week, the replacement mast arm pole for Ledge Road and Route 8 should be shipped from Union Metal to the painting contractor, he said. The pole should be delivered to Signal Service and ready for installation in early September. While the pole is being installed, two police officers, with patrol cars, will be needed to direct traffic, he said.
“Signal Service Company will alert us when the installation will take place,” he told village officials.
Additionally, during his report, Wasosky said the new Environmental Protective Agency’s (EPA) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) requirements are being reviewed and should take effect this fall. Wasosky said the new requirements likely would result in additional work to be done by the village.
FIRE DEPARTMENT– FIRE CHIEF JASON BUSS
In his report, Fire Chief Jason Buss said he was notified by Summit County Public Health that two staff members of Northfield Village Retirement Facility tested positive for COVID-19. However, he has not been notified of there being any residents diagnosed with it.
“I will keep everyone updated on that,” he said.
Buss reminds residents COVID-19 is “not the flu.” He said the fatality rate right now in Summit County is at 6.3 percent.
He also reported the siren installation and wiring project, approved last month by Council, would cost $7,000 more than originally anticipated. Council discussed repurposing an existing pole in the village to possibly lower the cost and agreed to wait to move forward with the project at this time.
AFG FEMA Grant Cardiac Monitor Initial Quote
August 2020 Fire Department Report
RECREATION BOARD – MAYOR JESSE NEHEZ
The mayor announced the Recreation Board would next gather Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 6:30 p.m. for a virtual meeting.
OTHER MEETING BUSINESS
• It was announced construction of the new Dollar General is behind schedule. The project now would be finished in late September. An official grand opening will not be scheduled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however.
• Jenn Clark, Akron Zoo Education Animal Ambassador Keeper shared a presentation on the zoo at the start of the meeting.
She said voters will see a tax levy increase for the Akron Zoo on the November General Election ballot. The zoo is asking for the renewal of an existing 0.8-mill tax levy, plus a 0.4-mill increase, for a total tax levy of 1.2 mills, for a 10-year duration, she said.
Clark also said Northfield Village residents can enjoy free admission to the zoo Sept. 12-25. Tickets will be available online at https://www.akronzoo.org/2020-
