By Emily Chesnic
When it comes to the current, collective state of the City of Macedonia’s roadways, it is “all good news,” says City Engineer Joe Gigliotti.
At the Feb. 25 regular meeting, he presented City Council with Macedonia’s latest Paving Condition Ratings (PCR) report.
“We like to do this on an annual basis to keep Council and the community informed on how we are proceeding on maintaining roads,” said Gigliotti.
Macedonia began using the rating system in 2015 to indicate the general condition of each section of roadway in the community, he said.
Gigliotti explained the system was formulated by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to provide uniformity. He said roads are graded by visual inspection for pavement distress, with a road receiving a rating on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the worst.
In May 2015, Macedonia’s first PCR report indicated 73.2 percent of the city’s roads were in” fair condition,” with the city going on to address the roads most in need of repair, said Gigliotti. All the roads in 2015 not up to par have been paved, the latest PCR report shows.
The latest PCR report, compiled at the end of 2020, shows 88 percent of the city’s roads now are in “good condition,” with 44 percent of all roadways being in “very good” condition, he said.
“That is a heck of an increase and we are very happy about that,” he said. “This shows an investment is being made in the community.”
Since 2015, about 24 miles have been paved in Macedonia, with $12.4 million spent on the city’s road program, said Gigliotti.
This year, the city plans to resurface Iroquois Run, from Apache Run to Shoshone Trail; Iroquois Run, from Shoshone Trail to Shepherd Hills Boulevard, which includes a concrete curb component; Red Bush Lane; and Atterbury Drive.
Macedonia officials said the newest PCR report soon would be added to the city’s website for residents to view.
The PCP report excludes state routes and highways.
Joint Improvement Agreement
At the meeting, Council authorized a joint improvement agreement between the villages of Glenwillow and Oakwood and the City of Twinsburg regarding upcoming roadwork at the intersection of Richmond, Broadway, Ravenna, and Shepard roads. Gigliotti said one additional turn lane in each of the four directions will be added.
He said the total project cost is $2.8 million, with a $2.1 million grant secured to fund a large portion of the project. Each community’s share for the work is $188,000, said Gigliotti.
“There have been some accidents, and this will alleviate that, hopefully,” he said.
Construction on the project is scheduled for 2025, said Gigliotti.
Dog Waste Ordinance
At the meeting, Council also heard the first reading of legislation concerning the proper disposal of dog waste in the community.
At the Feb. 11 regular meeting, Council introduced the ordinance – a recommendation made by the police department’s prosecutor – addressing dog waste deposited on private property.
Law Director Mark Guidetti has said the legislation would require a pet owner, when off his or her own property, to remove droppings from private properties, public streets, sidewalks, pathways, parks, and public facilities.
If found in violation of the ordinance, if approved by Council next month, someone could be charged with a minor misdemeanor and a fine of up to $150.
Mayor’s Report
In his report, Mayor Nick Molnar announced a vacancy now exists on Macedonia’s Board of Health, as Dr. Amy Arnold has resigned. Anyone interested in assuming the role should contact the city for more information.
He also reminded the public anyone can access Macedonia’s virtual meetings by using the city’s website. Molnar said an individual can access the site’s meeting portal to view meetings live.
Additionally, Molnar discussed the city’s “no knock” list. This helps protect residents from unwanted solicitation. However, the program does not disallow nonprofit and religious groups from knocking on doors, he said. To sign up to be included on the list, visit the city’s website. Stickers are provided by the city to notify individuals a home is on the “no knock” list, said Molnar.
Other Meeting News:
• Fire Chief Brian Ripley said the number of calls the fire department is receiving to respond to COVID-19 emergencies is going down. He said 92 percent of the department’s personnel received both doses of the vaccine.
• Council President Jan Tulley announced scanning efforts remain ongoing to provide records on the cemetery’s website, www.northfieldcemetery.com. She said the Cemetery Board would like to paint the fences on the property by Memorial Day. Additionally, she said consideration is being given to how best to address aging headstones in the oldest section of the cemetery.
• Recreation Director Jason Chadock said the hot tubs at the Recreation Center are fully in operation, following needed repairs. He reminds patrons to keep masks on in the hot tub area since active swimming is not taking place. He additionally reported a lighting evaluation is going on at the facility to obtain LED lighting to cut down on electrical costs.
• Service Director John Hnottavange announced four additional war memorials would be added to Veterans Memorial Park soon, with more additional walkways to be added, as well, using donated materials.
• Humans Resources Director Annette Smith said her department has been working on new contracts for the city’s unions, as well implementing new software programs and updating the city’s procedures manual.
• An executive session to discuss “pending or threatened” litigation took place at the close of the meeting.