The Garrettsville Village Council convened on August 14, with council members Tom Hardesty, Sheri Johnson, John Chambers, and Richard Beatty in attendance. Also present were Village Solicitor William Mason, Mayor Rick Patrick, Assistant Fiscal Officer Tara Beatty, Sgt. Keith Whan, and Officer Emily Ahrens. Councilwoman Deb Wordell, was not present.
A public hearing was held to discuss two ordinances:
ORD 2024-16: This ordinance approves and adopts a permanent budget for the Village of Garrettsville for 2025. No public comments were made regarding this ordinance.
ORD 2024-24: This ordinance proposes the adoption of Chapter 1164 to the Codified Ordinances, which introduces new zoning regulations specifically for commercial districts within the village. The regulations aim to standardize development practices, ensure consistency in commercial areas, and address aesthetic and structural concerns.
Michael Skocdopole, the owner of Garrettsville Games, raised concerns during the hearing. He pointed out that Garrettsville had not required such regulations in the past, and questioned their necessity now. He also suggested reducing the review period from 60 days to 30 days, citing difficulties in securing contractor pricing for longer periods. Additionally, he sought clarification on the appeals process to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA) if the village and a business owner cannot reach an agreement. Councilwoman Johnson explained that the process involves requesting a Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, which is initiated upon paying an application fee.
Following this discussion, the public hearing was closed. The ordinance was tabled for further consideration, with amendments expected in the September meeting.
Council addressed the vacancy left by the late Mark Brady. Two candidates, Alyssa Roach of Liberty Street and former councilman Jeff Kaiser, applied for the position. After an executive session to discuss the candidates, the council’s vote resulted in a tie, which was broken by Mayor Rick Patrick, who voted in favor of Jeff Kaiser. Kaiser was subsequently sworn in by Solicitor Mason; the regular meeting began with a moment of silence in memory of Mark Brady.
The minutes from the July 10th meeting were reviewed and approved without changes, and the financial reports were reviewed — approximately 70 delinquent tax notices were filed.
In legislation ORD 2024-16: The ordinance approving the 2025 budget was amended and passed following a motion by Tom Hardesty.
ORD 2024-24: The third reading of this ordinance was tabled until September to address concerns raised during the public hearing held prior to the regular meeting.
RES 2024-27: A resolution was introduced to create a special revenue fund for the “Shop with a Cop/Hero” program. The resolution passed after the second reading, fiscal officer Donna Love mentioned that Hiram Village strongly recommended that Garrettsville create its fund.
RES 2024-28: Council approved a resolution to declare the Water Department’s 1996 Ford F25 truck to be surplus and authorized its sale via internet auction. The resolution passed after the first reading, following a motion to suspend the rules.
RES 2024-29: Authorizing the village fiscal officer to certify delinquent water, sewer, and tree removal charges to the Portage County Auditor’s office for assessment was enacted after the first reading.
Adam Vanek was promoted to Assistant Street Superintendent, effective retroactively from July, as current Superintendent Randy Crites prepares for his eventual retirement.
During the public comment section of the meeting Todd Peetz, Director of Portage County Regional Planning, provided an in-depth presentation on the resources available to the village as a member of the regional planning group. Peetz emphasized that the village could leverage consulting services for zoning matters, particularly useful in refining the newly proposed commercial district regulations. He urged the council to take full advantage of the services, quipping, “Use us, we’re not a magazine subscription.”
Peetz also discussed potential grant opportunities, particularly a 60/40 match grant for historic structures. He outlined how these grants could be used to document buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places or those identified in the Ohio Historic Inventory. He highlighted a project on East Main Street in Ravenna, which includes a walking tour website featuring historic houses and detailed descriptions to help residents appreciate the community’s history. Portage County Regional Planning offers support for designing and hosting these websites and updating the GIS data. The village’s cost would be $6,500 (if awarded by the Ohio History Connection grant). While the council made a motion to pursue the grant, they stopped short of committing to funding the project at this stage.
Peetz concluded by showcasing past projects completed for other communities like Ravenna, Brimfield, and Kent, urging the council to consider similar initiatives to enhance Garrettsville’s historic and cultural appeal. The projects can be viewed online at https://www.portagecounty-oh.gov/special-projects/pages/historic-structures.
Portage County Treasurer John Kennedy also attended the meeting to introduce himself and provide updates on key county programs. During his presentation, Kennedy humorously asked the council “not to hold it against [him]” as he discussed the upcoming second-half property tax collection. He also informed the council that sexennial property assessment notifications would soon be arriving in residents’ mailboxes. Kennedy noted that county Auditor Matt Kelly has been advising property owners to prepare for potential increases of up to 30% in their property values.
Kennedy then highlighted Portage GrowLink, a loan program offering interest rates 1-3% below market through Portage Community Bank and Hometown Bank. The program includes three types of loans:
Homeowners can borrow up to $25,000 for home improvements; Farmers can access loans up to $50,000; Small businesses are eligible for loans up to $250,000. The only requirement is that the investments made with these loans must remain within Portage County.
Kennedy also emphasized the role of the Portage County Treasurer’s Office in managing the county’s investment portfolio and discussed the work of the Portage County Land Bank, which revitalizes dilapidated properties by taking ownership after sheriff sales and converting them into new businesses or housing.
For more information on these and other county programs available through the treasurer’s office, residents can visitportagecounty-oh.gov/john-kennedy/pages/treasurer-programs
The meeting concluded with a roundtable session, where Hardesty shared that he had followed up with ODOT regarding a resident’s request for a bike crossing sign on South Street.
Richard Beatty raised concerns about speeding at the intersection of Center and Brosius Roads, requesting increased police monitoring.
Patrick shared that he had addressed a misunderstanding with Mayor Anne Haynam about the “Shop with a Cop” program, clarifying that there were no issues and that Garrettsville was not taking it from them. He also praised the street crew for their recent patching work on Davis and Garfield Drives.
Kaiser noted the number of tree stumps in Park Cemetery, prompting a discussion on obtaining quotes for stump grinding. Tara Beatty suggested replanting new trees where removals have occurred.
