YOUR INFORMATION NEWSLETTER FROM NORTHFIELD CENTER TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
PAUL G. BUESCHER
~ KEEPING NCT RESIDENTS INFORMED SINCE 2005 ~
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#509 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 03, 2017
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LEAF PICKUP EQUIPMENT SHARING
Next Tuesday (Election Day) Personnel from Macedonia will be bringing a leaf vac into our community. We will be Picking up leaves in some of the heavier areas to see if a self-contained vac could be more beneficial to our pickup program. This equipment and the Macedonia personnel are being ‘loaned’ to us to see if the equipment suits our needs for future leaf pickups. If the equipment works to our satisfaction, then we might contemplate purchasing similar equipment in the future.
MACEDONIA COUNCIL NOT AWARE OF MAYOR’S PLANS FOR NCT?
“The Mayor’s proposal and this letter have not even been discussed in Council”
From: Sylvia Hanneken
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2017 4:30 PM
To: Nick Molnar
Cc: Jan Tulley; Dave Engle; Sylvia Hanneken; Kevin Bilkie; Joseph Migliorini; Rhonda Hall
Subject: Discussion Concerning Northfield Center, Sagamore Hills and other Nordonia Hills Communities Relationship to Macedonia at Our Last Council Meeting
Importance: High
Mr. Molnar:
During our last Council meeting, I was surprised by your comments concerning whether Macedonia could ‘annex” other Nordonia Hills communities. (You ridiculed the idea). When you made that statement, were you aware of the attached document that discusses an administration proposal to “merge” Northfield Center Twp and Sagamore Hills Twp into a merged political entity? The Mayor’s proposal and this letter have not even been discussed in Council, let alone discussed with our residents. Now we see via the internet a laydown of a project by Dave Hartt among others.
I am not sure what role you and other Council members think our role as Council is, but if you were aware of this and did not share it, I am extremely concerned and disappointed. We need to have a work session soon to discuss this letter and what else has been not shared with us or our residents.
Sylvia Hanneken
Council Member
FIRST FIRE DISTRICT CHIEF COMMENTS ON “FIRE MERGER”
BY: David Enzman
Remember when the FIRE MERGER study was done and paid for by our community? The end result was made by the company paid to do this. The merging of the fire departments was NOT recommended. One of the reasons was that it would create a problem with the services and the municipal accountabilities as well as structures…especially financially.
This is why contracting a fire service is a short term answer to a big issue. The fire service of a community is only as strong as it is politically and financially backed by its own community both politicians and residents. Contracting with another community clearly begins to open the door to other departments being contracted out The service department is an example of this. In some communities there is even an issue of the electric department for those communities that have their own.
The study done was good because it was a surprise to everyone that worked on it. It used solid data.Its end result was NO MERGER. The Fire Department issue is not over. If Northfield Center is to remain a township unto itself and its residents, the issue will need to be addressed again and it will be regardless of what anyone thinks. …especially as the cost of operating the fire service continues to rise….CONTRACTED OR NOT CONTRACTED.
I have been on a number of fire departments in 4 counties over the years. I was the first Fire Chief of the Fire District. I was Assistant Chief and Acting Chief for the Northfield Center Fire Department. I had to resign for the sake of my full time job commitment. The issue of a fire service can create a serious identity in a community .. We do not have a large number of residents compared to the surrounding township. If we are to maintain an identity and maintain fiscal solubility, the fire issue will need to be revisited in the very near future.
The levy that failed does not mean the people of Northfield Center did not want a fire service. The people wanted a fire service that can be afforded. Dissolving the fire district did not end the townships fire service. It only changed the way it is provided both professionally and financially. The fire Service is not cheap. It will continue to be an added expenditure CONTRACTED OR NOT CONTRACTED.
So I ask the question…Do we want to face a levy to continue paying our neighbors for fire protection or do we want to do it in our own township’s governmental structure? The facts are out. Our neighboring community would like to take us over by offering more community services. The fire department contract with Macedonia opened the door wide.
Its time to start thinking about what is fiscally possible and how important is it to remain Northfield Center Township. Our identity is being confronted by a neighboring community that has both residents and finances to take us over. What are we really doing by allowing a contract with fire services from that community to exist?
Think about it!
David L. Enzman B.A., M.Div. EMSI,.NRP, FFII.
Northfield Center Resident
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q >>> – Please keep informing the residents of NTC. I personally don’t mind how the joint fire district has worked out but have no desire to merge municipalities with Macedonia. If I wanted to live in a city, I would have moved there. Do you feel this sudden drive to merge might be related to the attempt to purchase the Spitzer property and the upcoming zoning meeting?
A >>> – I don’t believe so. However, the Mayor has inferred publicly that the Meijer Store IS coming when, in fact, they aren’t even in the equation until and if the Spitzer property is rezoned.
YOUR GENERAL COMMENTS
NOTE – If you would like your name to appear under your
Comments, please type the word “Signed” next to your name
Macedonia has always had a opinion that they were predominate in the area. We struggled with them in 1979 while setting up the Rotary club. They would not cooperate on many of the issues required for forming a 5 community club. They wanted the club to be called Macedonia Rotary Club. To us that was unacceptable and, just me, it was a struggle. We almost excluded them from the club. They finally agreed to the name Nordonia Hills Rotary club. This was a real challenge with Rotary International as they wanted a city name. You can see who won and it was not easy. Our charter says Nordonia Hills Rotary Club and underneath that name is (Northfield).
If Macedonia wants to merge, suggest to Mayor Migliorini it be called Nordonia Hills. I would like to hear his answer to that.
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I do not want to be part of Macedonia. I moved to Northfield Center and not Macedonia. I am tired of Macedonia wanting build something on every piece of available land! I don’t want Northfield Center to be paved over with concrete. Keep up the good fight!
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To any of the misled activists who are working toward Sagamore Hills Township and Northfield Center Township voluntarily being eaten up by Macedonia:
1) If such a nightmare were to take place, the first negative result would be that both
Sagamore Hills and Northfield Center residents would immediately start paying the
Macedonia city income tax. Ohio townships are currently prohibited from levying
an income tax.
2) Decisions that are currently made by township voters and trustees would then be
made by the Macedonia City Council and their frequently absentee Mayor. As a
result, because of the disproportion of voters, the former township voters would
become the proverbial disenfranchised.
3) We have all seen and been affected by the run-away development encouraged by
the past and current Macedonia Administrations.
4) Our respective trustees have had and will continue to have differences of opinion,
but not to the extent as in Macedonia where there seems to be continuous
harassment between the Mayor, Council, Department Heads and property owners.
In 1972 my wife and I moved to Northfield Center Township because of its semi-rural nature, lack of big city government, the excellent schools and it’s a great place to raise a family.
We have been extremely pleased with our decision to move here 45 years ago.
Paul, please keep up your excellent representation of all township residents.
Signed, Henry Harff
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Thank you,
Paul G. Buescher
Northfield Center Twp. Trustee – Chairman
330-467-9451
