A look ahead: 11 big Stow, Munroe Falls stories to come in 2022
Stow and Munroe Falls have a number of projects slated for 2022 — including a new SKiP Playground, a revamped Guise Park Lodge, and several new businesses — which will be guided by new leadership and heavily affected by the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here's a look at what's to come.
1. A change in leadership in Munroe Falls
Munroe Falls Mayor James Armstrong is stepping down in January to take a position with the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board, and Council will appoint his successor at the organizational meeting on Jan. 3.
More: Munroe Falls mayor stepping down in January
During that meeting, council will choose its president, who will then become mayor, and a vice president who will become president of council. This will create a vacancy, and so council will have to appoint a new member.
Munroe Falls Council is also welcoming two new members, Ross Widenor and John Impellizzeri, who will be sworn in just before the Jan. 3 meeting.
Impellizzeri recently announced he will be running for Ohio's 7th Congressional District as a Democrat, which could create another vacancy should he win the primary on May 3 and the general election on Nov. 8.
The new mayor will be tasked with finding a permanent police chief to replace interim Chief Steve Dunton. Dunton agreed to take the position temporarily following Jerry Hughes' retirement.
2. Stow Council, school board welcome new members
Stow City Council will swear in three new members in January.
Former Stow-Munroe Falls School Board member David A. Licate will be sworn in Jan. 2 to replace at-large member Christina Shaw, whom he unseated in the November Election.
Former Ward 3 Councilman Brian Lowdermilk was also elected in November and will be sworn in Jan. 2 to fill the seat left vacant by Steve Hailer, who did not seek reelection.
More: Five Stow council members retain seats, Shaw voted out of office per final unofficial results
Finally, at the Jan. 3 organizational meeting, council will choose a replacement for Ward 1 Councilman Dennis Altieri, who died unexpectedly on Nov. 27, shortly after winning his re-election campaign. The appointed replacement will serve Altieri's entire term, which runs through 2024.
More: 'A community icon:' Stow Councilman Dennis Altieri, former owner of Altieri's Pizza, dies
Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education will also bring on two newcomers, Pamela Wind and Jon Leissler. They are replacing board Vice President Jason Whitacre, who did not seek re-election, and Gerry Bettio, who was unsuccessful in her bid to retain her seat.
3. Who will join the Regional Dispatch Center?
Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn, Tallmadge and Summit County are slated to vote on whether to join a new regional dispatch service by the end of 2021, but Stow City Council won't vote on the matter until Jan 27.
More: Regional dispatch center charts course toward creation, with or without Stow
Stow's participation, or potential lack thereof, will have little affect on the future of the regional dispatch but could have major implications on the city's own dispatch center.
The $1.4 million Stow Communication Center services Tallmadge, whose council has already voted to join the regional dispatch center.
As a result, the Stow Communications Center will lose about $500,000 of Tallmadge's contributions, and if they chose to not join the regional dispatch center, would have to reduce the number of dispatchers from 14-16 to 10. Dispatchers' jobs are guaranteed if they move to the regional dispatch.
Stow's dispatch center also receives about $50,000 annually from the state's wireless 911 call fund because it has one of the top four volumes in the county. That money could be jeopardized by the loss of Tallmadge’s calls.
Munroe Falls is also affected by the regional dispatch center because the city currently contracts with Cuyahoga Falls for dispatch services at a cost of about $82,000 a year. Should Munroe Falls opt to start contracting with the regional dispatch center, their new cost is estimated at about $91,034 annually.
Cuyahoga Falls was scheduled to vote on the regional dispatch center on Dec. 27.
4. Stow focuses on increasing recreation
Stow has big plans to expand its recreational opportunities in 2022 with the development of the Hanson property as a recreational hub and the new SKiP Playground.
The $2 million, 36-acre Hanson property will create a "green belt" connecting Silver Springs Park to Fox Den Golf Course.
More: Stow purchases property near Fox Den to create recreational 'green belt,' new cemetery
The city is planning upgrades to the driving range, including an expanded hitting area, elevated tees and an expanded teaching area with putting green, chipping area and bunkers for sand shots. Wish list items also include a teaching facility for PGA instructors, heated stalls and a ball vending machine.
The city's in-process master plan will guide the use of about 20 acres of the property. The approved certified plan is expected to be finished in April.
Renderings of the new SKiP will be unveiled in early 2022, and the city is hoping to install the equipment in the spring. City administration has already secured $600,000 in private funds to cover the entire cost.
More: All funds in place for new SKiP playground
Stow is also planning:
Upgrades to Safety Village, to include repairs and additions
Improvements to the main large parking lot at Silver Springs Park, with the installation of outdoor lighting and paving of the entire lot.
Completion of the last phase of new siding installation at Silver Springs Lodge
Upgrades to various playgrounds throughout the city, including new equipment at Sherwood Acres Park and Northport Park.
Replacement of restrooms at Adell Durbin Park, and the addition of a shelter
5. Schools, Stow discuss athletic fieldhouse collaboration
The Stow-Munroe Falls City School District is in early discussions with Stow city officials to build a new freestanding athletic fieldhouse, to be dubbed "The Dog House."
More: Stow city, schools consider collaboration to build athletic fieldhouse near high school
The district is expecting to have about $875,000 to pay for the project, using leftover funds from a 10-year $5.5 million tax anticipation note. The bulk of the note is paying for the high school roof project, which will be completed this summer.
The city is in "exploratory" talks to contribute funds to add basketball courts that would also serve as pickleball and volleyball courts, as well as a turf field area.
6. Triple Crown reopens
One of the most anticipated restaurant openings in 2022 will be the Triple Crown on State Route 91 in Munroe Falls.
More: Here's what we know about Triple Crown's reopening: Will trademark horse plates resurface?
Owners Sandra Kanieski and Chris Kanieski, a mother-son duo, do not yet have a firm opening date, but confirmed that the restaurant will serve "middle-of-the-road, all-American type product line with steaks, chicken, pork chops and appetizers."
They also confirmed that they do still have Triple Crown's signature horse dining plates. The plates will be used as decorations throughout the restaurant and bar.
7. Munroe Falls Guise Park Lodge gets makeover
In November, Munroe Falls closed on the sale of the Lehner Community Center to Nostalgiaconventions.com LLC for $427,885.
More: Munroe Falls sells Lehner Community Center to local company
The money has been earmarked for capital improvements to Guise Park Lodge, including expanding the building to increase the capacity from 78 to 125, adding a kitchen, upgrading the bathrooms and giving them a secondary entrance for those using the park, bringing the building into ADA compliance, and creating a handicapped parking area directly behind the building.
There are also discussions of adding a pavilion behind the Historical Society.
More: Munroe Falls moves forward on potential sale of Lehner Center, earmarks profits to Guise
The project is in a standstill due to the city's leadership turnover, but officials hope to begin planning in early 2022.
8. Stow improves communication
Stow plans to launch a new website function in 2022 that has an integrated communication system, which would update residents with important information via email, text and phone messages.
More: Stow working on improved communication following boil alert challenges
The city is still determining which platform to use and how to connect it to different department's various communications systems, and so a cost has not yet been set.
Once the new system is established, the city plans to help residents sign up to receive the alerts.
9. Stow's empty spaces
While Stow has had a number of new businesses open in 2021, the city has also seen some major closures that have left large vacancies.
Bed Bath and Beyond closed in February, but a T.J. Maxx is opening there in 2022. Stow Glen Retirement Village closed in August, leaving 19 acres in receivership. Sto-Kent Family Entertainment closed in September.
OfficeMax announced its closure in September, and Economic Development Director Nathan Leppo is expecting the space to be filled "very soon." Leppo said the new tenants have been "guarded" and said he had no other information.
Macy's remains vacant, and has been used as a storage facility for the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District.
And while buildings remain vacant, developers are continuing to inquire about the available space in the city's industrial zone.
"With the economy, what we're seeing is the industrial sector is booming and that's where we're seeing growth in our northwest quadrant," Leppo said.
10. Stow roads and sidewalks improvements
Stow is continuing its streets and sidewalks programs.
The residential sidewalks program will run over the course of the next several years in staged quadrants of the city and will include sidewalks that are in need of either removal or leveling and will be repaired at no cost to the property owner.
The city is also in the process of implementing a Connecting Communities grant that will fill in the missing connections between existing trails and sidewalks.
The road improvements project has a 2022 budget of $4.2 million, including a $1.3 million carryover from the 2021 program. Roads are selected for the project based on a rating system.
The project should be completed by the end of 2022.
11. Schools continue to manage COVID-19
Like school districts in the rest of Summit County, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools saw a surge of positive COVID cases among students, resulting in the cancellation of two days of high school midterms before winter break.
The district continues to require masks, and has made no statements about changing that policy.
Like all other districts, Stow-Munroe Falls will likely continue to struggle with staffing and substitutes, officials said.
Reporter Krista S. Kano can be reached at 330-541-9416, kkano@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @KristaKanoABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: A look ahead at top 11 stories coming in 2022 in Stow, Munroe Falls
