Garrettsville Village Council on Wednesday approved a series of ordinances addressing zoning updates, employee benefits, pay raises for elected officials, and revised grass and weed regulations. Several measures were declared emergencies to meet fiscal or seasonal deadlines.
The meeting opened at 7 p.m. following a public hearing on Ordinance 2025-12. No public comments were offered. Mayor Rick Patrick presided. Council members Deb Wordell, Tom Hardesty, John Chambers, Richard Beatty and Jeff Kaiser were present. Councilwoman Sheri Johnson was absent. Solicitor William Mason, Fiscal Officer Donna Love and Police Lt. Keith Whan also attended.
Accessory buildings ordinance approved
Council passed Ordinance 2025-12, which amends four sections of the village zoning code. The changes allow accessory buildings, such as sheds and garages, to be up to 20 feet in height if the principal structure is already built. The accessory structure may not be used for any business activity and must be located in the side or rear yard. It also may not exceed the height of the primary building.
Salaries for council, BPA members to increase
Council approved Ordinance 2025-15 as an emergency. The ordinance raises salaries for council members, the council president, and members of the Board of Public Affairs for the first time since 2002.
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, council members and BPA trustees will receive $3,000 annually, up from $1,800. The council president will receive $7,200 per year, and the BPA president will receive $3,600. All officials will also be paid $50 per special meeting attended.
Shop With a Cop fund closed and transferred
Ordinance 2025-19 authorizes a $2,646.27 increase in appropriations for the Shop With a Cop/Hero Fund, bringing the total to $4,446.27. The measure allows the village to close its account and transfer the balance to a nonprofit now overseeing the program. Council declared the ordinance an emergency to ensure proper reconciliation and compliance.
Uniform allowances updated for staff
Council passed Ordinance 2025-20 to amend Section 4.8 of the village employee handbook and increase annual uniform stipends. Love explained that the village is switching providers from Cintas to Uniferse. Street Department uniforms will now include safety features.
Under the new policy, full-time police officers will receive $1,000 annually; part-time officers, $700; Street Department employees, $800; and Water Department employees, $600. Other full-time staff required to wear uniforms will receive $400. Allowances for part-time water and wastewater workers will remain under the discretion of the Board of Public Affairs. Uniform allowances will be prorated in cases of termination, and any overpayment may be deducted from final paychecks.
Revised grass and weed height regulations
Ordinance 2025-21 was approved as an emergency to replace Section 555.02 of the codified ordinances. The revised law limits grass and weeds to a maximum height of 10 inches on all property within the village, including public rights-of-way. The rule applies regardless of ownership or intent and includes renters, lessees and caretakers.
Exceptions include ornamental landscaping, wooded areas, regulated wetlands, meadows, and agricultural land. Maintenance is not required on slopes with a 2:1 grade or steeper.
The updated ordinance clarifies enforcement areas, including lots in subdivisions with structures, vacant lots where at least 50 percent of parcels are improved, and parcels on commonly used streets up to 50 feet or to the zoning setback line.
For mixed-use residential and agricultural parcels, lawn areas around dwellings must be maintained. Determinations will be made by the Police Department or its designee. Hardesty said the ordinance was revised after Police Chief Tim Christopher identified missing definitions in the original version.
Council discusses sidewalks, permissive tax use
Wordell asked whether permissive tax funds could be used for road repairs, referencing a recent meeting she had attended. Patrick inquired whether sidewalks could also qualify. Hardesty noted the fund contains $33,930 and mentioned road salt and patching materials as possible uses. The State Highway Fund contains $68,177.
Hardesty reported sidewalk damage on Wheeler Road, possibly from tree roots or a water repair. Repairs on South Street have been delayed due to a water main project. With the street serving both the school and the library, Kaiser said it sees heavy pedestrian use. Hardesty asked council to authorize $35,000 for sidewalk installation and repairs. Property owners currently pay $12 per foot, which covers about 33 percent of the village’s expense. Wordell asked Love to look into whether the permissive tax funds can be used for sidewalks, and Mason to prepare legislation for an allocation to be discussed at the July meeting.
Hardesty presented a chart of all village parcels 10 acres or larger as part of a discussion on whether to allow bowhunting within village limits. Of the parcels, within the minimum size allowance, most were owned by the village, school or in the industrial park and would be excluded anyway. Only 16 would qualify under a proposed 20-acre minimum, which Kaiser supported. Hardesty suggested a public poll through the Garrettsville app and website to see if it’s worth proceeding for such a small number of properties. Survey respondent will be asked to provide their address and name so that residency can be confirmed.
He also said the Board of Public Affairs asked the village to split the cost of repairs to Village Park Drive. Council agreed to the idea.
Chambers said he has not yet heard from the vendor regarding tornado sirens.
Patrick reported that the Planning Commission approved a graphic wrap for the bridge abutment. He also said all wood equipment at the village skatepark must be removed. Love said that Public Entities Pool of Ohio (PEP), the village’s insurance provider, advised the village to completely remove the skatepark.
Hardesty asked whether the tennis courts should be repaired or converted for pickleball use. Patrick noted that the Garrettsville Pickleball Association had approached him recently about adding additional courts for Pickleball.
Love said the village is undergoing an audit, which is going well and expected to conclude in a few weeks. She also reported that PEP provided the village with recommended language about employee social media conduct and policies.
Beatty shared a draft sick leave/vacation donation form, allowing village employees to voluntarily donate unused time off to coworkers who have exhausted their leave. Whan asked whether the maximum of 24 donated hours per employee could be increased. Hardesty expressed concern about how vacant shifts would be covered.
Kaiser commended the Street and Police departments for their work during the Memorial Day service.
Hardesty requested an executive session for purposes of discussing employee compensation. The meeting was adjourned afterwards.
