Macedonia buying 4 police vehicles, seeking grant for multi-use trails
MACEDONIA – The city is moving ahead with the purchase of four Chevrolet Tahoes to replace aging police cruisers at a pricetag of $248,000.
Council on April 28 approved an ordinance to declare an emergency and contract with Tim Lally Chevrolet for the purchase without the necessity of formal bidding.
Police Chief Jon Golden said four Ford Explorers in the department’s fleet are at or near their end of life and are rapidly deteriorating because of high mileage/idle hours, and need to be replaced.
He added the current COVID-19 pandemic has caused supply chain shortages, resulting in some manufacturers canceling participation in government cooperative purchasing programs and causing delays when ordering new vehicles.
“We have a limited opportunity to purchase these vehicles through Tim Lally Chevrolet that will allow our current vehicles to be replaced as expeditiously as possible,” Golden said, adding the Tahoes will have 5.3-liter V-8 engines.
In other action, Council authorized the parks/recreation director and mayor to prepare plans and advertise for bids for new flooring at the Family Recreation Center and a new fire alarm/jail door control system at City Hall.
Flooring will be upgraded in the lobby, front desk area, halls, activity room, stairwells and bridge at the rec center. Contracts for both of the projects will be awarded in the coming weeks.
OTHER BUSINESS
The mayor was authorized to apply for $500,000 in funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for creating 1.73 miles of multi-use trails at Longwood Park at an estimated cost of $1.13 million.
The money would come from the “recreational trails” and/or “Clean Ohio trails” programs. Parks-Rec director Jason Chadock said word on whether the city gets the money should come in about six months.
Chadock said the looping trail would begin and end at the rec center, be a 10-foot wide ADA-compliant, non-motorized trail for walking, bicycling and jogging, and link parking lots with various park amenities.
Council OK’d selling a 2015 Ford Explorer K-9 SUV at online auction on govdeals.com, and confirmed the appointment of Dr. Kenneth D. Varian as the city’s representative on the Summit County Board of Health, replacing Dr. Michele Krysinski.
Authorization to cooperate with the Ohio Department of Transportation in the Valley View/Highland roads intersection improvements was granted.
City engineer Joe Gigliotti said the project is targeted for 2025 and will include addition of dedicated left- and right-turn lanes in all four directions. Estimated cost is $2.45 million, with the state/federal share being up to $2.11 million.
Council granted a raise to $25 per hour for its clerk Jon Hoover, who has completed his one-year probationary period. His previous rate was $22 per hour.
A public hearing took place on the issue of the city purchasing a 3.85-acre parcel at Valley View Road and Park Avenue, and two residents said they favor the purchase. The pricetag is $625,000, plus closing costs.
The city hopes to find a developer to provide retail space which can generate tax revenue, and create a sort of “downtown atmosphere.” Council action on the purchase is expected at the May 12 meeting.
Mayor Nick Molnar presented a proclamation to the Nordonia High wrestling team in recognition of its successful 2021-22 season, and introduced three NHS students who are part of the newly established Nordonia Junior Council.
He also announced plans are under way for the erection of a 300,000-square-foot warehouse on the former Bedford Anodizing site. It would be the first of a handful of buildings planned there.
Gigliotti announced the East Highland Road repaving project between Valley View and Chamberlin roads is slated to begin May 23. Ronyak Brothers Paving Inc. landed the contract at $624,715.
Contact the newspaper at newsleader@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Macedonia buying 4 police vehicles, seeking grant for multi-use trails
