YOUR INFORMATION NEWSLETTER FROM
NORTHFIELD CENTER TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
PAUL G. BUESCHER
~ KEEPING NCT RESIDENTS INFORMED SINCE 2005 ~
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#548 WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019
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SOLICITOR “DO NOT KNOCK” REGISTRY PROGRAM UPDATE
Northfield Center has been working with the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs for the licensing and regulation of solicitors within the Township for many years. This has culminated in a desire to establish a “DO NOT KNOCK” registry to assist its residents in preventing unwanted solicitation.
The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) provides this registry to member communities and their residents, free of charge.
The Board of Trustees authorized the Township’s participation in this program, thereby making the program available to the Township’s residents.
Those interested in participating in this program can go to https://www.nopec.org/residents/block-the-knock/ to read all about it and register!
NORTHFIELD CENTER TO BECOME ‘RADIO-ACTIVE’
CQ CQ – CALLING ALL AREA HAMS
Our Township parks around the gazebo and Townhall are going to become ‘radio-active’ during the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd during the American Radio Relay League’s (ARRL) annual FIELD DAY.
ARRL Field Day is ham radio’s open house and is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.
There are many local active and inactive hams throughout our area and this an invitation to join in this exciting activity. Hams can bring their own equipment or operate equipment brought by others. The public is also invited to see the stations operate and can even have a chance to talk with others throughout the United States and other countries!
There will be more information on this event as June approaches. In the meantime, any hams in the area are encouraged to participate by contacting me, Paul Buescher (N8HHG). If you want to see a few photos of past Field Days in Northfield Center, check them out at AMATEUR RADIO STATION N8HHG and then scroll down under the biography tab.
MESSAGE FROM THE DITCH AVENGERS:
Dear Neighbors:
Spring is here which means the forecast calls for rain. If you have a ditch or swale that runs along your property please inspect it for branches and/or clumps of leaves and debris. These items block the flow of the ditch and contribute to the back up and flooding of the area. If you maintain your part of the ditch and other drainage areas on your property you can prevent flooding and the possible damage it can bring. Muck boots can be purchased at tractor supply and used to walk into the ditch and remove branches and debris. If you are unable to do this yourself, please call upon neighbors to assist you in this annual maintenance of the ditch. If you have any problems and live in the Wycks just ask any of the Ditch Avengers for help.
Also make sure you do not place any obstruction in your swales or ditch that could impede the flow between houses that carry the water to the ditches. This would include bridges, landscape beds, sheds, fences, and patios. If you must put something in the swale, you will need to make other arrangements to carry the water around the obstruction. (i.e. regrading or install a french drain). We have all seen swales clog up in early spring that contribute to flooding. Be sure to clear out blockages from swales on your property before heavy rains to prevent possible flooding in our yards. The more each home owner can do to help keep the ditch and swales clear the better chance we all have to avoid being flooded.
The Ditch Avengers
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q >>> – Going east on Highland Road through the RT 8 intersection, the two lanes go down to a single one. There are no arrows on the road showing that the left lane is for turning left only. The right one is for thru traffic. There is only a small sign by the closed BP station showing this. I’ve seen several close calls on my way to work when cars on the left try to go straight. I know this is in Macedonia but is there anything you can do to get Macedonia to make directions clearer? Someone is going to get hurt!!!!
A >>> – This is a real bone of contention with me as well. I’ve witnessed a good half-dozen close calls and so did my dashcam! I brought up this very subject with former Macedonia Mayors Kuchta and Migliorini with no actions and recently with current Mayor Nick Molnar. The Mayor is aware of the problem but told me that ODOT will not let them paint the arrows. I thought that Highland Road maintenance was Macedonia’s responsibility but apparently not. I’m wondering who will be sued by a victim who is injured or has their car wrecked? Would it be Macedonia or ODOT or both? If this is indeed a prohibition by ODOT then ODOT needs to make some changes! And while we’re on the subject, something needs to be done to keep motorists from blocking the entrance to KFC. This whole area is a complete and dangerous situation, especially during rush hour!
Q >>> – I take pleasure in reading your newsletters when you send them. (Very enlightening.) I read every one of them but remembering what I’ve read sometimes leaves me. Sorry to bother you about such a trivial question, “BUT.” I use the traffic information on my phone at least 4 times a week and was wondering why I cannot find our camera picture from the top of the Township Hall. I use the apps called Ohio Traffic Control and OHGO traffic. It was always there in the past. Am I looking in the wrong place or have we been shut off from the world?
A >>> – The camera on top of our Townhall is working fine and can be accessed at www.northfieldcenter.com 24/7. It is available for anyone to link to it. If you cannot access it through the apps that you’re using, it’s not our fault. I suggest that you contact your app sponsors because I strongly believe that the trouble is on their end.
Q >>> – This triggered an alert and I was able to capture this photo. Area needs to be aware, this was captured on corner olde 8 and beechwood cutting thru my drive. There is also a cat with some size on it that also has triggered an alert. Corner house has no pets so whose ever cat or raccoon someone has missing, no problem you getting them off streets.
A >>> – [This resident sent the above question with a photo of a raccoon walking in their driveway] I’m not sure what you mean by “triggered an alert.” Do you mean that it triggered the recording on your video system or did you mean something else? This appears to be a good sized and healthy raccoon photographed at night. If it was during the day then one might be concerned as to its health or any danger to the public because they are nocturnal animals. Otherwise, I see no reason to be concerned. Raccoons, cats and other creatures of the night are simply acting naturally by doing their thing.
Q >>> – I can only assume WOW cable is coming back when the weather breaks to smooth out the lawn that is in clumps. If not, then I would like to let you know they did not leave it like they found it. Let me know.
A >>> – Your assumption is correct. I checked out your complaint and you are not alone. It’s clear that WOW is not finished with their work in Charter Lake or most other areas throughout our Township. We will make sure that ALL restorations and cleanups are completed before any bond money is returned.
Q >>> – As always, thank you for your efforts and updates. Would you be able to help out with the potholes that are on the “main entrance street” to the Rolling Brooke development? Although there are some other smaller ones throughout, the ones on Brookegate Way are getting really bad. I realized that the city’s main roads are more of a focus but if time and materials allow, it would be great to see these get addressed. Thank you.
A >>> – The freezing and thawing cycles of wintertime always wreak havoc on roadways and this winter was no different. I drove in your area over this past weekend and confirmed your complaint, especially north of the intersection at Brookegate Way. Our Service Department crews have already begun pothole repairs by filling them by priority. We have approximately 21-miles of Township roads (excluding county highways) so give the crews a little time. They will repair these, weather permitting, as soon as possible.
Q >>> – In your last newsletter you stated that the cost of the new ambulance was $245,000 and then further down you stated that a “new one would cost an estimated $30,000 to $40,000.” Was this a typo or am I missing something?
A >>> – Thanks to AOL’s new ‘guidelines’, it takes me a day to send my newsletters in restrictive batches. You contacted me with this question after I already sent 6 of 19 batches. That sentence was missing the word “MORE” at the end. This was simply an error through omission. Thank you for bringing it to my attention because I was able to correct it for the remaining mailings.
YOUR GENERAL COMMENTS
NOTE – If you would like your name to appear under your
Comments, please type the word “Signed” next to your name
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Trustee Buescher: Thank you for taking the time to write. I am voting against this [Tobacco 21] legislation.
Ron Koehler, District 1
Summit County Council
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I tend to not weigh in on public policy issues that I am not being asked to vote on [Tobacco 21]. I understand that, as with most issues, this can be made into an emotional argument. I too, have lost people to decisions that they have made in life. If I were to know, that I could have changed an outcome, by voting to restrict someone’s freedom, I would still vote for freedom! I am up for reelection in November, and I will always choose the route of the most freedom. If that is not what my constituency is looking for, I would encourage them to vote me out.
We ask a lot of our newly minted adults, at the age of 18. I am still learning at 51! I will not tell another adult what they can and cannot do with their very selves. I agree with your comments in their entirety!
Shane Barker
Macedonia City Council
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Paul, I read the proposed agreement between the Township and Spitzer and I have to applaud you and Trustee Romanik for not rolling over and letting Spitzer have its way. The trustees had only two options to handle the zoning decision made in 2017. One was to overturn the Zoning Commission‘s recommendation to deny the request and let Spitzer do what they felt was best for the property, provided it met the current zoning requirements The other option was that you could deny the request, force Spitzer to sue the Township and take your chances in court.
The courts lately have been more amenable to development versus neighborhoods, so most likely the court would have ruled in Spitzer’s favor anyway. Yet by refusing their request, Spitzer indeed sued the township and the subsequent negotiation is reflected in the agreement that you posted.
According to the agreement, the property will now be placed in the Joint Economic Development District with Macedonia. This gives the township extra income on a payroll tax split with the city on the people employed by any development. The JEDD also requires developers to follow Macedonia’s zoning, which in this case is more strict than the township’s. Although unpleasant, this gives some additional protections to the residents on the west side of the property along Beachwood.
We will receive a new sidewalk along route 82 from the Beachwood intersection to the Spitzer property. On top of that, the Township will eventually receive two Ford F-750 truck chassis plus $106,000, presumably to complete the outfitting of the vehicles.
I’m sure that the landmark court case of Shemo vs. City of Mayfield Heights was foremost in the minds of the current trustees when they decided to accept this agreement and not proceed to a trial. This was a case from 2002 in which a property owner sued the City of Mayfield Heights for a zoning change to allow a Costco to be built. Mayfield lost the case and the outcome provided for millions in damages for lost income not realized by the plaintiffs during the long zoning case. Spitzer may have taken a similar stance if the case were taken to court and could have cost the township a huge award in damages.
From my viewpoint, only Trustees Romanik and Buescher had the guts to stand up to what was an inevitable outcome. Trustee Reville’s decision to recuse himself because of a supposed conflict of interest was glaringly weak. I suppose this was so he could deny involvement in any unfortunate consequences of the board’s decision.
So, my hats off to you and Trustee Romanik for sticking to your guns and making the best of the situation. Bringing Spitzer to the table to negotiate allowed the township to receive a much better deal than we would have received otherwise. That deserves my respect and gratitude.
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I believe the Township would do itself much harm to enter into the above outlined agreement with Spitzer. The Twp had zoning for the protection of its residents. Looks like the Twp Trustees do not care abut protecting residential property values. There are some things you just have to stand your ground on. Otherwise, everything begins to fall like a house of cards. I suppose if the rezoning does not approach Valley View, it might be OK. If you feel that rezoning is OK, I am going to then open a a 24 hour stop-n-go convenience store next to your home Paul. If you try to stop me, I will just file a suit and I will win since the Twp set precedence with the agreement with Spitzer. Now think about it….
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Thank you,
Paul G. Buescher
Northfield Center Twp. – Vice Chairman
330-467-9451
TrusteeBuescher@aol.com
www.northfieldcenter.com
AMATEUR RADIO STATION N8HHG
This newsletter was produced through my 5-kilowatt SOLAR power system!
