Northfield Center officials budget $9.18 million in permanent appropriations

Ken Lahmers
·3 min read

Northfield Township trustees approved $9.18 million in permanent appropriations for 2023, an increase of about $1.5 million from March 2022.

Township trustees OK’d the 2023 amount at their March 6 meeting. Permanent appropriations must be sent to the Summit County fiscal office by March 31 of each year.

The general fund amounts to an even $3 million, up from $2.37 million in 2022, while the overall appropriations amount to $9.18 million, up from $7.67 million.

Overall appropriations in 2021 were $6.82 million, while the 2020 figure was $7.02 million.

The general fund appropriations include:

  • Administrative, $2.44 million;

  • Buildings and grounds, $300,000;

  • Cemetery, $30,000;

  • Lighting, $20,000;

  • Parks and recreation, $48,000;

  • Zoning, $114,000; and

  • Highway maintenance/leaves, $50,000.

Other fund totals include: Motor vehicle license tax, $65,000; gasoline tax, $600,000; roads/bridges, $1.3 million; police district, $1.2 million; fire/EMS services, $1.42 million; miscellaneous/inheritance tax/interest, $654,013; wheelchair life/ADA, $11,154. Revenue and other items in the budget includes: recycling/litter grant, $11,694; lifeline/Mobile Meals, $10,384; TIF funds, $50,000; American Rescue Plan Act, $616,607; cash performance bonds, $45,000; fire levy fund, $184; permissive motor vehicle license tags, $190,000; and unclaimed funds, $3,062.

Other business

Trustees approved the purchase of a Cat 305 mini hydraulic excavator at a cost not to exceed $95,000 under the state’s bid program. The price is based on specifications included in a quote from last October.

Trustees Rich Reville and Rick Patz said the new machine will provide versatility for important work, and it replaces older equipment that was recently sold.

Also OK’d was selling a Walker mower/fertilizer unit, a Genesis power unit and tools via online auction.

A public hearing on proposed zoning text amendments was postponed until the April 3 trustees’ meeting.

The amendments deal with box trucks, removing the transitional/commercial section from the zoning code and making it a separate chapter, short-term rental liability insurance and definitions of “construction vehicle” and “storage.”

Trustees also approved a policy to allow zoning correspondence to be sent via certified mail or FedEx to ensure receipt by intended recipients. Currently, some items sent via certified mail are returned to the township marked “undelivered.”

Fiscal officer Andy LaGuardia updated trustees about current investment amounts and rates of return for StarOhio and possible alternative safe investments through Huntington Bank. He will provide trustees with further information and investment plans.

Trustee Russ Mazzola provided an update on the 95% complete status of the new safety center/administrative offices, including that the completion/moving date is uncertain since a critical piece of equipment has not arrived because of supply chain issues.

He also said he will contact the communications committee to discuss ideas of how to increase hard copy township news in light of the discontinuance of the News Leader’s print edition.

Old Township Hall committee chairman Rolfe Gripp recommended to trustees that they consider placing a levy on a future ballot for upkeep and improvement of the current Township Hall at an amount ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 per year.

St. Barnabas student Lorenzo LaGuardia talks about Isaac Bacon, the first known settle of the Northfield area, at the Northfield Center Township trustees’ meeting March 6.
St. Barnabas student Lorenzo LaGuardia talks about Isaac Bacon, the first known settle of the Northfield area, at the Northfield Center Township trustees’ meeting March 6.

St. Barnabas School eighth-grader Lorenzo LaGuardia presented some history about Isaac Bacon, the first known settler of the Northfield area, and trustees issued a proclamation recognizing LaGuardia’s research.

Jim Honsberger, interim administrator, said he recently was notified that an Ohio Department of Transportation maintenance project, which will take place in summer or fall, will result in a five-day closure of Brandywine Road.

Service director Tim Black has announced a contractor for Cleveland Water will do ground repair work this spring around each fire hydrant that was replaced in late 2022 and early 2023.

Anyone who has questions or concerns about the work should call Cleveland Water at 216-664-2444.

Contact the newspaper at www.newsleader@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Northfield Center appropriations $1.5 million higher than last year