OCTOBER Newsletter 2012.pub

Berea Newsletter
A Publication of the City of Berea, Ohio
Message from Mayor Cyril Kleem
October 2012
Dear Bereans:
HALLOWEEN
Children will have
two opportunities
To Trick-or-Treat in
Berea
Harvest Fest
Noon to 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13
In downtown Berea
I want to thank the Berea residents
who have volunteered to serve on our
new committee that was formed to
study our sanitary sewer system and
the leaks that caused water damage
last year. The formal name of the committee is the Private Property Inflow/
Infiltration Reduction Program Committee. It is facilitated by a representative of URS Corp., which tested public
and private sewer connections in the
Fair Street area and in the North End –
areas whose residents placed the most
calls to the city’s hot line number after
the severe thunderstorms on July 19,
2011. URS’s studies showed prob-
DAY
lems with public and private connections.
The city has worked to mitigate problems
with the public lines. The purpose of the
committee is to recommend solutions to
problems with private property connections and lines. The 12 members of the I/I
Committee, which includes city officials
as well as residents, have met twice and
plan a series of monthly meetings before
submitting a report in January. Every ward
in the city is represented on the committee.
Input from these residents and from engineering professionals will help us understand the concerns and work together to
find solutions.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
At McKelvey Park &
Downtown Berea
Halloween Night
6-8 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Games Trick-or-Treat Candy Hay Maze Jumpers Prizes Inflatable Slide Popcorn Pumpkin Patch Face Painting Magician & Illusionist Rick Smith Jr. Hay Ride Crafts Hay Maze Glow Sticks Campfire Hot Chocolate Popcorn Apple Cider Balloonist Music NIGHT
At Coe Lake
Outdoor Movie “Monster House” Shown on a 30’ inflatable screen. Please bring your
own chair or blanket
Sponsored By: The City of Berea and The Downtown Berea Business Network For more information, please contact Megan Pochatek at (440) 891-3316 or visit www.cityofberea.org
Berea Newsletter October 2012
Page 2
Permits required for PODS, large trash bins
Homeowners often like the convenience of using large
trash bins or Portable On Demand Storage Structures
(PODS) while they are renovating their houses. These
containers can hold from 6 to 45 cubic yards of trash
and can be temporarily kept on site as long as a permit
is received from the City of Berea’s Building Department.
Homeowners and business owners should apply for a
Temporary Structure Permit for PODS, temporary storage structures, large refuse containers and roll-off containers used for personal property or waste materials.
The permit remains in force for up to 30 days. Such
containers being used as part of a commercial or new
construction site are exempt from the 30-day restriction. Property owners are eligible to receive up to
four Temporary Structure Permits a year.
Please remember the following regulations: Only one
storage unit and one trash bin are permitted on the
property at any one time. Temporary structures are permitted in front of the house only if they are placed on the
driveway. They must be at least 5 feet from all property
lines, and cannot exceed 8 feet 6 inches in height, 10 feet
in width, or 20 feet in length. Should the units remain
following the expiration of the permit, they will be removed by the City of Berea, and the associated cost will
be the responsibility of the property owner.
Property owners are obligated to properly secure any
storage structure for the safety and benefit of the community at large. During severely inclement weather, law enforcement does have the authority to direct owners to remove their storage devices, for the protection of surrounding residents and properties.
Should you have any questions with regard to temporary
storage structures or waste units, please contact the
Building Department at (440) 826-5812.
Committee looks at sewer issues
A special committee appointed by Mayor Cyril Kleem
is studying issues with the sanitary sewer systems that
led to water damage during heavy thunderstorms last
summer.
The committee of 12 residents and city officials is
known as the Private Property Inflow/Infiltration Reduction Program Committee. The group is facilitated
by a representative of URS Corp., hired by the city last
year to dye-test private and public lines to determine
problem areas.
Testing in the Fair Street area revealed that 83 percent
of the homes tested were contributing to the flooding
issues. Water from lines and connections leading from
those houses is leaking into the sanitary sewers. That
results in flooding problems during heavy rains. Testing in the North End is expected to have similar results.
Public lines also contributed to the problem and the city
is addressing those areas. The I/I Committee will discuss
how best to address the elimination of private property
sources of leakage into the sewers. According to URS,
solutions might range from redirecting downspouts to
replacing laterals. The committee is scheduled to file a
report to the city in mid-January.
Members are Tony Armagno; City Engineer, Jim Brown;
Service Director, Cheryl Banaszak, councilwoman Ward
4; Mary Brown, President of City Council; Thom Dales
of Sunset Drive; Robert J. Davenport of Westbridge
Drive; Marsha Davidson of Shakespeare Drive; Lorenzo
Denson of Fair Street; Margarette Key, councilwoman
Ward 1; Bev Krylow of Concord Circle; Michael Lowell
of West Fifth; Dik Malott, councilman Ward 5; Rich
Skoczen of Aaron Street; and David Smith of Monroe
Street.
Berea set to begin automated trash collection
Republic Services will begin distributing trash and recycling containers to Berea homes in mid-October. Automated trash collection could begin by Nov. 1. During
three public meetings on the new system, Dave Kidder
of Republic Services told residents that there will be a
transition period to enable homeowners to get used to
the new containers and the new system. Each home will
receive a 95-gallon trash receptacle and a 65-gallon recycling container. Seniors will receive a 65-gallon trash
can and a 54-gallon recycling container. Information
will be mailed to each household about the new system
and the receptacles will have a pamphlet taped to the
side. Information also can be found on the city’s Web
site – www.cityofberea.org.
To accommodate those residents who were not able to
attend one of the public meetings in September, the city
has scheduled another meeting in October. For more
information, contact the Service Department, (440) 8265816.
Public Meeting
On Automated Trash Collection
1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10
Berea Room at Berea City Hall
Berea Newsletter October 2012
Page 3
BEREA RESIDENTIAL LEAF COLLECTION SCHEDULE – 2012
The City of Berea Service Department has prepared a leaf collection schedule for this Fall Season. During the collection season, Berea residents are reminded of the following information:
● During the week a street is scheduled for leaf collection.
DO NOT PARK CARS IN FRONT OF PILES OF LEAVES. WE CANNOT ACCESS
THE LEAVES IF CARS ARE PARKED IN FRONT OF THE TREELAWN.
● Leaves are to be raked onto the tree lawn only for collection.
DO NOT RAKE LEAVES INTO THE STREET. THIS CAN POSE A SAFETY HAZARD FOR
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. ADDITIONALLY, PILED LEAVES IN THE STREET ARE NONCOMPLIANT WITH STORM WATER MANAGEMENT ORDINANCES AND COULD LEAD TO
RELATED SEWER PROBLEMS. NON-COMPLIANCE MAY LEAD TO ENFORCEMENT
ACTION.
● If residents are concerned about damage to their tree lawns due to leaf piles,
PLEASE BAG YOUR LEAVES AND PUT OUT FOR COLLECTION ON THE
REGULAR RUBBISH COLLECTION DAY. HOWEVER, BAGGED LEAVES WILL NOT BE
PICKED UP AFTER NOV. 16, 2012.
● Leaves will ONLY be picked up from your tree lawn. Our leaf wagons side load only. DO NOT
pile leaves on dead ends or other non-accessible areas – Leaves will not be collected!
While exact pick up dates cannot be scheduled, the following general areas will be covered for leaf collections sometime during the weeks indicated. Questions, please call the Service Garage at (440) 826-5853.
WEEK OF OCT. 22, 2012 & NOV. 12, 2012:
●Bagley Road-Front to Lewis, Loriann
●Parknoll area, and Sandstone Ridge
●W. Bridge area, Baker, Short Fair, Gibson, Fournier
●Prospect, Fair, West to Meadow and all streets between West to Meadow
WEEK OF OCT. 29, 2012 & NOV. 19, 2012:
●East of Front-First Avenue to East Bridge
●Emerson, Mall area, Nancy, Karen, N. Rocky River
●Longbrooke area
●Baldwin, Wallace, Anne, Pattie, Girard
WEEK OF NOV. 5, 2012 & NOV. 26, 2012:
●S. Rocky River area, Waverly, Clark, Austin, E. Bridge, Eastland area
●Depot to Bagley, Front to North Rocky River, Runn, Murphy and High
●Lindberg, Edgewood, West and streets north of West, Abbyshire
●Manning, Miles, Ellen, Blue Grass area, Whitehall area, Dorland area, and Sprague
NEWS BRIEFS
Unpaid water bills certified to
property tax bills
Property owners who have not paid Berea water and sewer
bills and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District bills will
have the unpaid charges applied to their property tax bills
by Cuyahoga County. The deadline for paying the bills
was July 1. Berea Finance Director Dana Kavander said
618 parcels throughout the city owe more than $681,000
in back water and sewer usage payments. The average bill
is around $1,100; the highest is $21,800. Since City Council first authorized adding the unpaid bills to property taxes in 1988, Berea has collected almost $7 million in payments and penalties. The amount attached to property tax
bills includes a 20 percent penalty and an 18 percent interest rate.
Polish Village named Historical
Neighborhood District
City of Berea
11 Berea Commons
Berea, Ohio 44017
PRESORTED STANDARD
U.S. PAID
BEREA OH
PERMIT #333
ECRWSS
POSTAL PATRON
Phone: (440) 826-5800
www.cityofberea.org
Upcoming Community Events
Oct. 5: Berea High School’s last Homecoming game
before consolidation with Midpark, vs. Olmsted Falls, 7
p.m., Finnie Stadium.
Oct. 13: Free Family Chili and Corn Hole Event, 5 p.m.,
United Methodist Church of Berea, 170 Seminary St.
The Polish Village neighborhood in Ward 1, founded by
Polish immigrants in the 19th century who came to Berea
to work in the sandstone quarries, has been named a Historic District by the City of Berea. The area is bounded by
Depot Street on the north, Front Street on the east, Bagley
Road on the south and North Rocky River Drive on the
west.
Oct. 13: Harvest Festival and Trick-or-Treat. 12-3 p.m.
in Downtown Berea and 6-9 p.m. at Coe Lake.
Oct. 24: Berea Chamber of Commerce lunch with new
Baldwin Wallace University President Robert Helmer,
11:30 a.m., Bucci’s Berea. $15 members, $20 nonmembers. [email protected] or (440) 2438415.
The original settlers established St. Adalbert Catholic
Church, which was constructed in 1874. Pulaski Street
was named for Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman who
served as a commander with American troops during the
Revolutionary War.
Oct. 26: Berea vs. Midpark football game. 7 p.m. Finnie
Stadium.
Several neighborhood improvement projects have been
completed in the Polish Village recently. Some streets
sport new sidewalks and have been resurfaced. Community Development Block Grants helped fund those projects. A new playground was constructed next to St. Adalbert Church and was funded by a grant from Cuyahoga
County.
Nov. 10: Longbrooke’s annual Holiday Food Drive to
benefit the SCAN Hunger Pantry, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Heritage Congregational Church, 485 West St.
Nov. 3: Senior Leaf Raking Day from 9-1 p.m.
VISIT www.cityofberea.org FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON CITY EVENTS
Charter Amendment
Voters will be asked on Nov. 6 to approve a change in the Berea City Charter to conform to federal and state law.
This is Issue 23 on the ballot.
THE BALLOT ISSUE AND TEXT OF THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:
Shall Section XIII, Item 6(a) of the City Charter, be amended by changing the dates for party candidates to
file petitions with the Board of Elections from 60 days before the date of the Primary Election to 90 days before the date of the Primary Election and by changing the date for filing a protest to a candidacy from 50 days
before the date of the Primary Election to 74 days before the date of the Primary Election?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
ITEM XIII-6. DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY.
((a) Party Candidates. Each person desiring to become a candidate for a party nomination at a primary election shall not later than 4:00
p.m. of the 90th day before the day of such primary election file a declaration of candidacy and petition, and pay a fee of 1/2 of 1% of the
annual salary of such office, but in no case shall such fee be less than $1.00. Annual salary shall be the annual salary of such office on the
final filing date. Such declaration of candidacy, petition and all part petitions shall be filed at the same time as one instrument. If the declaration of candidacy declares a candidacy to be submitted to the electors, the petition shall be signed by at least 1% in number of the number
of electors voting in the last general election by electors qualified to vote for the candidate who are members of the same political party as
the political party of which the candidate is a member and shall be filed with the Board of Elections of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Each separate paper shall be circulated by one person only, who shall be a member of the same political party as the candidate and who shall affirm
before a person authorized to administer an oath that each of the signatures affixed thereto is a signature of the person whose signature it
purports to be, and that each of such signers affixed his signature in the presence of the circulator. All petition papers accompanying declaration of candidacy filed with the Board of Elections shall, under proper regulations, be open to the public for inspection and the Board
shall, in accordance with state law, examine and determine the validity or invalidity of the signatures on the petition papers. Protests against
the candidacy of any person filing a declaration of candidacy for party nomination may be filed by any qualified elector who is a member of
the same political party as the candidate or by the controlling committee of such party. Such protest must be in writing and must be filed
with the Board of Elections of Cuyahoga County, not later than 4:00 p.m. of the 74th day before the date set for the primary election.
In the event a party candidate withdraws his candidacy or is removed by death or other cause, it shall be the duty of the local
duly elected precinct committeemen of the same political party, qualified to vote for the candidate, to select a replacement.
1.4 mill Water Plant and Water Capital Tax Renewal Levy
On Nov. 6, Berea voters will be asked to approve Issue 22 – the renewal of a 1.4-mill levy that supports upgrades to the Water Plant and Water Distribution System.
The City of Berea has a RENEWAL levy (NO NEW TAXES) on the ballot for the November general election.
PURPOSE:
To provide water fund monies for the purpose of making improvements to the City’s Water
Plant and the construction and acquisition of other permanent improvements relating tot the
City’s water system. The funds are used to pay off debt service on outstanding Water Plant improvements and other water system capital improvements.
MILLAGE:
104 mills– This is the same millage as when the levy orginated in 2007.
COST:
4.3 cents for each $100 of tax valuation.
Rollback provisions in Ohio law adjust the effective rate for this renewal levy to maintain the
same cost of the homeowner.
COST EXAMPLE:
Owner of a home with a market value of $100,000 will pay $42.87 a year in property taxes for
this levy.
This represents NO INCREASE in taxes for the homeowner from prior years.
AMOUNT:
Tax generates $544,092 annually
DURATION:
5 year renewal perios
ORIGINATED:
2007
HOLIDAY WALK
Obsolete Equipment Auction
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10
By Berea Service Department
Face Painting, Rocket Cow rides, balloons, Santa Claus
Sponsored by the Downtown Berea Business Network
Blanket Making Party
6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 17
Active Senior Network Room
451 Front St.– Berea Recreation Center
RSVP by Nov. 15
Join Mayor Kleem to help make fleece blankets to benefit local charities. Everyone is welcome!
Bring 1 piece of material (any design or color) in a
2 1/2 foot square and a pair of scissors.
To register, please call
Megan Pochatek at (440) 891-3316
10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 27
Outside the Berea Police Garage
17 Berea Commons
5 vehicles – miscellaneous bicycles, computer equipment
Clothing – boots – binoculars
Miscellaneous items
Preview begins at 9 a.m.
HELP CELEBRATE
BEREA HIGH’S
GRAND FINALE YEAR
Berea High Marching Band
Commemorative Varsity Show
7 p.m. Oct. 24
BHS Auditorium
Berea High vs. Midpark High
Last football game in this 50-year rivalry
7 p.m. Oct. 26
Finnie Stadium
Post-game party at Tony K’s
Tickets are $10 with $3 of every ticket sold going to the
Berea High Alumni Association Scholarship Fund
Go Green with St. Thomas Church
Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
Berea Room at City Hall, 11 Berea Commons
Sunday, Nov. 11
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Grindstone Elementary School
Have fun shopping for some holiday gifts or learn
more about a local organization from over 30 local
small vendors, businesses and organizations. There
will be music, prizes, a bake sale and refreshments.
For more information or for an application for be a
vendor, please visit the special events page at
www.cityofberea.org or call Megan Pochatek at
(440) 891-3316
Working to becoming a “greener” church and community,
St. Thomas Episcopal Church and the City of Berea have
partnered and developed five separate, one-time classes
for area residents. Each of the five topics focuses on
maintaining a healthier lifestyle, living more economically, and/or sustaining the environment.
The topic of the third class in the series is making holiday
gifts and decorations using natural and/or recycled materials. Presenting the program will be a well-known local
craftswoman, Dolly Doyle.
Reservations are necessary as space is limited. To reserve
your space, please phone the St. Thomas office at: 440234-5241 by Nov. 2. There is no charge for attending.
Attend BHS events free of charge
Residents of the Berea City School District age 60 and
older can apply for a Gold Card, which admits seniors to
school-sponsored events, including sports, concerts and
plays, at no charge.
To apply, contact Community Relations Office
(216) 898-8300 ext. 6214