Geneva council approves outdoor refreshment area

Warren Dillaway, Star Beacon, Ashtabula, Ohio
·2 min read

Apr. 25—GENEVA — City Council approved plans for a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area on Monday during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Plans have been in the works for many months to create an area where people could walk in the downtown area with cups of alcohol purchased at downtown businesses.

A public meeting was held in March for residents to learn more about the project. Participating downtown businesses would pour the drinks into plastic cups that people could carry.

The idea was to bring more people to downtown Geneva, city leaders said.

Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said the plans will now be sent to Columbus for potential approval by the Ohio Department of Commerce.

In other business:

—Council also approved the Ashtabula County Solid Waste Management Plan and the Ohio Department of Transportation Road Salt Contract for 2024.

—Varckette said the West Main infrastructure project is moving along, but a couple of adjustments are needed. He said the city is looking to fine-tune the large truck detour eastbound on West Main Road and make sure the contractors are able to place resident's garbage cans in places where they can be picked up during the 18-month project.

—Varckette said a pre-application to the Ohio Public Works Commission for a Lawn Street waterline replacement is underway.

"The estimated cost of the project is $671,200. The city will put up 50 percent as our local match (335,600) with an OPWC grant of $185,600 and a zero percent interest loan of $150,000," he stated in the manager's report.

—Geneva Police Chief John Camper provided a written and verbal report to city council.

"We responded to 7,135 calls for service, conducted 1,121 traffic stops, issued 327 citations and arrested 247 persons," Camper said.

He said calls for service were up 5.7 percent and traffic stops were down 21 percent.

Camper said he is especially concerned about keeping the department staffed properly.

"Although we have made some headway in hiring, personnel continued to be a struggle for our department, just as it was for other agencies across the state and nation," Camper stated in a written report.

"I hired three [police officers] and lost four," Camper said of hiring patterns in the last year.

Camper said he has one possible retiring officer this year and the possibility of three more next year. He said two dispatchers also resigned and a captain left the department.