Streetsboro mayor: 'We are totally invested in this community'

STREETSBORO − As he started his annual state-of-the-city presentation Thursday morning, Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska drew attention to the building where he and his audience were.

"What you are seeing is the culmination of three years of hard work, collaboration, cooperation and pure vision," said Broska.

Broska was speaking during a Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce breakfast inside the city's new $3.2 million, 7,400-square-foot community center.

It was the first event in the building at the rear of Streetsboro City Park that also houses a new senior center. Until 2018, seniors met in the now-demolished former city hall and then were forced to leave another site when it was sold. Most recently, they were gathering on school property.

Broska thanked them for their patience.

"I know that this was not easy on them, but I can only hope that they are happy to have a new, permanent facility," said Broska. "I also thank the Streetsboro Schools and the School Board for allowing us to temporarily house the seniors at their facility. Our relationship with them keeps getting better."

And speaking of a city hall, Broska said the city is in the design phase of a new 14,500-square-foot facility to replace the rented space currently in use. He added that it is hoped ground will be broken in June.

Broska said Streetsboro Community Center is the product of a lot of hard work by architects and city staff, and it had the support of City Council.

"This group helped us not only figure out how to design the building and get it out of the ground but also how to really stretch our dollars," he said. "The inflation we all feel at the grocery store and at the gas pump is very present in the construction field, and we were able to bring this project to completion on time and within budget."

The successful completion seemed to symbolize much of what Broska spoke about during his approximately 35-minute talk. He covered a variety of topics encompassing business and economic development, infrastructure − specifically roads and traffic − public safety, and amenities for residents.

He had city department heads and City Council members stand to be recognized.

"We are totally invested in this community and want to give the citizens of Streetsboro not only what they need but what they want," said Broska. "This can only occur when you are all on the same path and travelling down the same road. We respect each other, we listen to each other, we share thoughts and ideas. We don’t always agree but we are able to come to a decision that has been looked at all from all sides."

Economically, 'some great years'

Broska said business has been good for the city.

"Our income base is manufacturing, and we were lucky to not be too adversely affected by the pandemic," he said. "Since the pandemic, our economy has actually seen some great years and increased business activity."

In 2023, Broska said, 19 businesses either opened or relocated in Streetsboro. This included Another Broken Egg, which provided the breakfast at the community center; University Hospitals' new urgent care; Rita's Ice Cream taking up residence in a long vacant building on the public square; and a few new businesses in Market Square.

Construction is expected to begin soon on a 150,000-square-foot cold storage warehouse off State Route 43, north of the Ohio Turnpike. Broska said that initially, the developer wanted to place noisy equipment near the Camelot Village mobile home park.

"The economic development and planning directors worked with them to reposition the building so it would create minimal disruptions to our residents," said Broska. "And we did it all by being conservative with our tax breaks. In return for the new jobs and taking care of our residents, we offered a 30% property tax abatement for only five years. We also got them to commit to a cash donation so we can improve our signage at public square."

Broska also brought up the joint economic development district that was approved in 2022 between Streetsboro and Shalersville. It is expected to bring jobs to the area and allow the city and township to share tax revenues.

Broska said it consists of more than 500 acres of industrial land with 1 million square feet constructed, with construction underway for a facility for the German pipe-fitting manufacturer Viega.

"This is the largest investment in Portage County in several decades, and was a lot of work, but the deal was structured in a way where only minimal tax abatement was offered but quality manufacturing jobs will materialize," he said.

Broska also cited efforts to update the city's zoning codes. For example, this was done to try to control the number of hotels and car washes when an influx of both became a concern.

Broska gave much of the credit for these efforts to Planning and Zoning Director John Cieszkowski.

"He has successfully put together three master plans that have allowed us to put in motion those things that will continue to allow our city to grow in an orderly manner," said Broska.

Jumping 'hurdles'

Broska said the city is catching up with roads and traffic.

"One of the hurdles that we have had to overcome was that the city many years ago was poorly planned," he said. "I don’t think it was by design, but I don’t think the folks from many years ago saw what was coming."

He said this included the consequences of the turnpike and Interstate 480 ending at State Route 14. More than 6.6 million vehicles get on and off the turnpike in Streetsboro annually, said Broska, with many more vehicles traveling to and from the interstate nearby.

He said the heavy traffic has made the area especially good for businesses, but added that it "can be a nightmare sometimes."

Now the city is attempting to get caught up on dealing with roads and traffic concerns.

"It can truly be said that our city flower is the orange cones that have seemed to populate our roadways for the last five or six years," said Broska.

He said Streetsboro has secured $40 million in federal and state grants in recent years for roads, with the city only having to pay about 12% of the costs. Work has not only been done on state routes, but also City Council has mandated that $1 million per year be spent on city streets, funding that has been augmented by the Ohio Public Works Commission.

Broska said Streetsboro hired Justin Czekaj, its first city engineer in more than 15 years, in 2021. He and Service Director Bill Miller, who has worked for the city for more than 40 years, have cooperated together on projects.

"We have been able to do much more for our citizens and have saved money in the process by being able to plan and execute many of our projects in house," said Broska.

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'Bravery' and 'brains' needed

Broska noted that as mayor, he also serves as the city's public safety director, giving him specific oversight responsibilities of the police and fire departments.

"I do this to ensure not only the wellbeing of our citizens but to ensure that the safety services providers are accountable to the public tax payer," he said. "I have to trust my front-line officers to not only keep themselves safe, but also to keep our residents and employers safe. I know from experience of running into burning buildings throughout my career as a fireman that these jobs are not for the faint of heart. But it takes more than just bravery. Now the job requires a lot of brains."

An example of this, he said, is Police Officer Joshua Bartholomew, who has been recognized multiple times for his work as Portage County's crisis intervention team coordinator.

"Recently, Josh was recognized for this ability in de-escalating tense situations by receiving the Crisis Intervention Team Champion of the year for the entire state of Ohio for his work in training many of his fellow officers in de-escalation techniques, as well as his work with the Mental Health and Recovery Board [of Portage County]," said Broska.

Broska said the city has one school resource officer and is seeking a second. Streetsboro, he said, is one if the few communities in the state that does not charge the schools for the service.

"Having a police presence in our schools is a sad reality, but one that we embrace as I don’t want any of my residents to worry about the safety of their children," said Broska.

Broska mentioned a joint training exercise at Streetsboro Middle School in October as an example of how the safety forces are working to maintain familiarity with the schools in case of an emergency. He offered "kudos" to Fire Chief Robert Reinholz and Police Chief Patricia Wain for their leadership.

"The time to prepare for an emergency is not when it is happening, but when all seems calm," he said.

More: Streetsboro, Shalersville could land thousands of tax dollars if German firm joins JEDD

'Ways to bring people together'

Besides the necessities, Broska said the city is trying to increase the niceties that residents enjoy.

This includes a plan to make use of an area in front of the fire station off State Route 43, just north of State Route 14.

As envisioned, it would create a "central gathering place" in an area larger than a football field, said Broska, that could be used for farmers markets, craft shows and small concerts, among other events.

In addition, a new 5,000-square-foot splash pad, restroom facilities and a picnic area are expected to be completed by early August and there are plans construct a gazebo at the site, as well, and a "passive walking area" between nearby apartments and State Route 14.

"This area will be a showcase for the city and could not be possible without the collaboration and cooperation that we have between our elected officials, our departments and our residents," said Broska.

He also lauded Parks and Recreation Director Greg Mytinger and "his very limited staff" for the work they have done "to turn our park system into a jewel in our crown."

Broska said the city has been able to host baseball and softball tournaments, with as many as 60 teams playing on the 10 fields.

In 2023, a lighted sand volleyball court, pickleball courts and a new pavilion have been added and the basketball courts have been rebuilt and tennis courts rehabbed.

And this year, the new Floyd North Park is expected to be completed near the city's industrial area, thanks to funding attained by State Rep. Gail Pavliga. Broska said the parks and rec department also continues to put together a diverse selection of programs.

Broska credited Finance Director Matt Miller for making sure that everything the city is doing can be done without damaging the its finances.

"The pie is only so big, and he makes sure that everyone gets a piece of the pie," he said. "We all have wants and we all have needs and he does a great job of minding our dollars. We have been very lucky in that our available funding has increased nearly every year and we have been able to offer more benefits to our citizens as a result of that. But, we still must remain conservative in our finances and plan for the future."

Broska was elected to his fourth term in November. He said that the fact he received more than 80% of the votes cast has given him confidence that the majority of residents approve of the job his administration has done. This brought him back to the new community center, which he said was done for the residents.

"A government for the people and by the people must find ways to bring people together," he said. "Anything short of that is a collection of homes, and not a community. With our new community center, we can all interact and move our city forward."

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Streetsboro's Glenn Broska touts growth, investment in state of city address