You’ve heard the expression: “The More Things Change, The
More They Stay The Same”?
That’s a good way to describe Lance Osborne’s most recent Get-Go pitch. But first...
That’s a good way to describe Lance Osborne’s most recent Get-Go pitch. But first...
Back In The Saddle
Again
Council got back to work (minus an out-of-town Mayor Scott
Coleman) on Tuesday night. The
main topic of discussion: adopting a policy that would allow eligible residents
to be reimbursed for the cost of installing backflow preventer devices on their
property.
Eligible property owners are ones who regularly experience
sewer backups in their basements during rainstorms. The backflow devices aren’t
a cure, but if configured and used properly they should prevent sewage from
backing up from the city’s sanitary sewers into private homes.
The downside: residents will have to limit the amount of sewage they put into the system during storms; too much sewage flowing from homes will cause the devices to open and allow backups to begin again.
The downside: residents will have to limit the amount of sewage they put into the system during storms; too much sewage flowing from homes will cause the devices to open and allow backups to begin again.
The county, which is responsible for the sanitary and storm
sewer systems, has agreed to pay for the backflow preventer devices. The city
will act as the financial middleman and perform necessary pre-inspections.
Interested Highland Heights residents should contact the
building department (440-442-7403) for more information.
Post-Election Sparring
Council President Scott Mills displayed his usual energy and
enthusiasm during the meeting, which surprised some given his election loss. Mills conducted himself with humor and
dignity---a class act, under very difficult circumstances.
In fact, a casual observer wouldn’t have know that there had been a recent election---at least until Finance Director Anthony Ianiro gave his report to council.
In fact, a casual observer wouldn’t have know that there had been a recent election---at least until Finance Director Anthony Ianiro gave his report to council.
One thing Mills has always taken great pride in is bringing
a twice-a-year paper shredding service program to the city. Residents don’t have to pay a fee to
participate; the city picks up the tab.
It’s been a popular new service; resident participation has grown steadily since it was launched a couple of years ago.
The city’s most recent shredding event was held on October 1st. Mills was distressed because six weeks had passed and the shredding company was still waiting for Ianiro to cut a check to pay for its services.
It’s been a popular new service; resident participation has grown steadily since it was launched a couple of years ago.
The city’s most recent shredding event was held on October 1st. Mills was distressed because six weeks had passed and the shredding company was still waiting for Ianiro to cut a check to pay for its services.
Mills, who clearly assumed that the payment delay was
politically-related, told Tony Ianiro, “Now that the campaign season is over, I
hope that this (bill) will be taken care of.”
Displaying some of his well-known temper, Ianiro snapped, “What did you say?”
After Mills repeated himself, Ianiro finally responded, “We’ll take care of it.”
Displaying some of his well-known temper, Ianiro snapped, “What did you say?”
After Mills repeated himself, Ianiro finally responded, “We’ll take care of it.”
Good thing.
It would be a shame if the city’s payment practices---whether politically motivated or not---caused Highland Heights to develop a new nickname: “Deadbeat city”.
It would be a shame if the city’s payment practices---whether politically motivated or not---caused Highland Heights to develop a new nickname: “Deadbeat city”.
Prettier Wrapping
Paper/Same Package
Tony Ianiro also serves as head of the city’s Economic
Development Committee (EDC). He announced that the EDC was meeting the next
night.
On the agenda: an update from Moore Associates, the company helping the city perform an economic development self-assessment; and a follow-up presentation by Lance Osborne on his proposed Get-Go development project.
Osborne brought conceptual drawings showing what the mega Get-Go and rear retail strip would look like. I was relieved to see that the drawings reflected a more “upscale” appearance than the garish blue/red mega Get-Go facility that sits at the Avon/Avon Lake interchange off I-90.
On the agenda: an update from Moore Associates, the company helping the city perform an economic development self-assessment; and a follow-up presentation by Lance Osborne on his proposed Get-Go development project.
Osborne brought conceptual drawings showing what the mega Get-Go and rear retail strip would look like. I was relieved to see that the drawings reflected a more “upscale” appearance than the garish blue/red mega Get-Go facility that sits at the Avon/Avon Lake interchange off I-90.
Osborne emphasized that he’s listening to residents and
trying to come up with something they like, but he also admitted that nothing
about the basic project itself has changed. He still envisions using the
Catalano’s parcel for a mega Get-Go gas station, car wash, and alcohol-selling
convenience store/café in the front, with a 25,000 square foot retail strip in
the back.
The drawings of the retail area show a yoga studio and two
restaurants. It’s a nice vision, but since they are “conceptual,” the drawings
don’t necessarily have anything to do with reality. Osborne has made no promises or guarantees as to the quality
or type of tenant that will actually end up in the space.
One thing Giant Eagle has made clear in the past: it will not allow anything in the retail area that might possibly compete with any aspect of its business----which would seem to eliminate restaurants and food service-related businesses from the retail space in back.
When I asked him about that, Osborne told me that they could put restaurants in the retail area “with restrictions,” but he didn’t explain what those restrictions would be.
One thing Giant Eagle has made clear in the past: it will not allow anything in the retail area that might possibly compete with any aspect of its business----which would seem to eliminate restaurants and food service-related businesses from the retail space in back.
When I asked him about that, Osborne told me that they could put restaurants in the retail area “with restrictions,” but he didn’t explain what those restrictions would be.
Osborne also didn’t explain why he dropped his investment
estimate for the project. At a September
15th EDC meeting, Osborne estimated that the mega Get-Go project
would entail an $8 million investment. Two months later he reduced that
estimate to $7 million.
As for employment, Osborne estimated that the mega Get-Go
would bring 40 jobs—mostly minimum wage, part-time jobs (24)---to the
city. He also claimed that the
retail space could mean as many as 80 jobs---- an obviously pie-in-the-sky
estimate based on his “conceptual” drawings. It goes without saying that the actual number of jobs
created, and the level of payroll tax that will result, depend entirely on what
businesses actually relocate there.
Osborne told the EDC that his job estimates would translate into about $39,000 in additional payroll tax and “almost” $47,000 in additional property tax for the city---a total of $86,000 in claimed new annual revenue for a city whose projected 2011 revenue already exceeds $16 million.
Osborne told the EDC that his job estimates would translate into about $39,000 in additional payroll tax and “almost” $47,000 in additional property tax for the city---a total of $86,000 in claimed new annual revenue for a city whose projected 2011 revenue already exceeds $16 million.
In the end it will be up to residents to decide whether the
estimated economic benefits are enough to justify gutting the city’s zoning
code and allowing a mega Get-Go to be installed in the primarily residential
southwest corner of the city.
When will that vote take place? Stay tuned.
Law Director Tim Paluf promised to answer that question prior to the November 22nd Council meeting.
Law Director Tim Paluf promised to answer that question prior to the November 22nd Council meeting.
