Mantua – Prior to the last regular meeting, village council held a public budget hearing to allow residents to comment on the village’s proposed 2023 budget. As no residents provided feedback, no changes were made to the proposed budget. During the legislation portion of the regular meeting, council approved Ordinance 2022-25 approving and adopting a permanent budget for 2023. The approved budget will be submitted to the Portage County auditor prior to July 20th, as stipulated in the legislation.
In other news, citizens were asked to comment on pending legislation regarding pets in the village. Ordinance 2022-29, which was on second reading that evening, enacts section 400.011 of the zoning code, which limits village residents to no more than four animals as household pets. Resident Kevin Maloney, who lives on Reservoir Drive, urged council to made decisions on a ‘case-by-case’ basis. He noted, “Placing a restriction on all residents based on one incident that occurred is not right.” He shared that the issue that brought a restriction to the forefront was an extreme situation. Maloney noted that as an individual who works with several dog foster organizations, this ordinance would limit the ability of responsible pet owners like himself to continue in this charitable and necessary activity.
Council approved special event forms to allow for a Farmers and Makers Market on Friday nights in the green space on State Route 44. The Market takes place July 22, August 12, and August 26. In similar news, R44 Coffee shop received approval to host live music in the mini-park outside their establishment those same evenings. The Mantua Potato Festival will take place at Buchert Park from September 9 through 11.
In his report, Village Engineer Gene Arters shared that the Buchert Park phase three project remains on schedule for Summer 2022. He noted that documents for the ODNR Natureworks grant have been received; the grant submission is due in mid-July. Lastly, Arters noted that the village was awarded Small Government funding for work on West Franklin Street. The project came in higher than estimated due to dramatic increases in construction costs in 2022. As such, the village asked him to inquire about whether the loan amount could be increased to cover the difference. As the OPWC will not allow this, the village declined the Small Government funding and reapplied for the next round with the same project scope and increased estimated project costs.
Lastly, the crumbling steps that led from the sidewalk on State Rout 44 to the front of Village Hall have been removed by the Service Department. It was determined that few, if any residents used the steep steps to access the front Police Station entrance, so the cost of repair was not justified.
Lastly, Susan Steinberg from the Rotary Club of Mantua noted that Sandy Karm, a Rotary member, donated two ADA approved wheelchair accessible picnic tables to Mantua Village. The tables are designed to allow wheelchair access to the middle of one side of the table. The tables were placed in the two pavilions at Buchert Park in Mantua. Rotary members assisted Karm and her family in placing these tables at the park; the tables are dedicated in memory of Sandy’s late husband, Dale Karm.
The next regularly scheduled village council meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 19th at 7 pm; residents are encouraged to attend.
Pictured above – Sandy Karm with the ADA-accessible picnic tables added to Buchert Park in memory of her husband Dale Karm. (photo courtesy of Susan Steinberg)
