Joint Burton Village Council and Burton Township Trustees Meeting

April 12, 2006

 

Mayor Fischbach called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM

 

Roll Call: Sandy Humbert, Yes. James Koster, Yes. Jeff Coleman, Yes.

Sharon Gingerich, Yes. Judy Beaumier, Yes. Dianne Lillibridge, Yes.

 

Jay Szorady called to session the joint meeting for Township Trustees.  Lou Mucci present.  Dan Whiting not available.

 

The Mayor expressed his hope that the Township and the Village could work together on a possible Joint Economic Development District and possible annexation.  Maybe the Village and the Township could jointly share the Township administration building.

 

Mr. Mucci thought it would be a great idea to work out a joint building.

 

Mrs. Beaumier is in agreement.

 

Mr. Coleman raised the idea of a JEDD or CEDA between the Village and the Township.  Mr. Coleman related some historical background about past attempts at JEDD with the Township and asked Mr. Hicks to please explain the differences between a JEDD and a CEDA. 

 

Mr. Hicks stated that there were huge differences and rather than try to define them first, he recommended that the Village and the Township decide what they wanted to do and then see if a JEDD or CEDA was an appropriate method to accomplish it.

 

Mr. Mucci stated that economics is at the core of any joint opportunity between the Village and the Township.  There is a need to attract business into the area utilizing the possibility of water and sewer utilities. Mr. Mucci qualified this statement by saying that in order to control growth there cannot be too much infrastructure.

 

Mr. Szorady asked if the discussion was about jointly sharing the township hall.  Mr. Mucci added that everyone should go and look at the building.

 

Ms. Gingerich, speaking about the JEDD and CEDA and the joint township hall, wanted to make sure everything was fair, it is a fairness issue.  Ms. Gingerich asked Mr. Hicks for a more detailed explanation of JEDD and CEDA.

 

Mr. Hicks explained that a JEDD or CEDA is a contract defining joint management of specific area between two or more entities, in this example the Village and the Township.  The contract would define who pays for water/sewer, infrastructure etc. and how revenue is divided.  Mr. Mucci added that disposition of the contract after it was formed and the length of time it is in force could be spelled out.  Mr. Hicks finished by saying that a JEDD or CEDA was a way to stimulate, attract, and control or limit growth.  Mr. Koster gave Bainbridge as an example of a functioning JEDD.

 

The Mayor asked what the benefits of this control were.  Mr. Hicks explained that the obvious was taxes/revenue.  Another benefit was cooperation for the better of both entities. 

 

Mrs. Beaumier stated that in the past she understood that a JEDD could include County owned property.  Mr. Hicks was unsure.  Ms. Humbert asked if we were talking about Kent State University Geauga.  Mr. Coleman stated that the discussion was that specific.  Mr. Coleman wanted to discuss defining or mapping an area, be it north or south or west, that would involve a JEDD, annexation, or both.  If the school or Kent State expands, the Village needs to annex.

 

Ms. Gingerich asked if a JEDD could accommodate more than one area.  The answer was generally yes.  Mrs. Beaumier recalled that JEDD could collect taxes and a CEDA could not.

 

Mr. Mucci was concerned about sewer and water capacity as it pertained to a JEDD.  Mr. Mucci asked about the Village’s sewer capacity and the planned improvement.  Mr. Hess stated that the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant was underway but that the increase in capacity would not be known until the design engineer was hired. When pressed by Mr. Mucci, Mr. Hess stated that the plant could grow by 50% to 200%.

 

Mr. Roy stated that Geauga county entities do not use JEDD’s frequently however Akron is very familiar.  An important consideration is the relationship of the voters to the passage of a JEDD.

 

Mr. Hicks agreed and stated that to adopt a JEDD the citizens of the Village would not need to vote but the residents of the Township would have to vote.

 

Mr. Mucci felt that this would be an opportune time to get out on the issue. Akron used JEDD to plan their growth.   Mr. Mucci felt that a joint meeting like this was a good place to discuss this.  Mr. Mucci also wanted to discuss the need for the Village to formalize an easement through Township property for the sewer line.

 

Mrs. Beaumier stated that any vehicle that encouraged cooperation was good.  Mrs. Beaumier reminded those present that she had started to approach Kent State Geauga Campus to discuss annexation including the area north of the Village to Fisher Road.

 

Ms. Humbert stated that in her experience the residents of the Village are dead set against growth.  Ms. Humbert asked the Township Trustees how their residents felt.

Mr. Szorady believed that with education, people may come around.  Mr. Mucci added that most people hear annexation and think Wal-Mart or some other big development.  Ms. Gingerich thought that annexation sounded too hostile.  Mr. Hicks stated that unilateral annexation is.  The Mayor stated that growth is inevitable. 

 

Mr. Koster thanked the Township Trustees for joining the Council in this meeting.  Mr. Koster related some of his experience as a former Township trustee and school official.  Mr. Koster emphasized that this joint meeting is an opportunity to be proactive.  By working together, to build revenue through income taxes and property taxes.

 

Mr. Roy wanted to recognize that a JEDD is an important step to fixing the problem and a chance to go beyond.  Mr. Roy reminded those present that a JEDD requires a contractor.  Mr. Hicks clarified that by saying that raw or undeveloped land would need a contractor.  Land already developed would not.

 

Mrs. Lillibridge wanted to encourage cooperation.

 

Mr. Coleman asked that the joint group define a timeline for producing a JEDD or other agreement and committing to it.   Mr. Coleman stated that the real nest egg is established businesses like Kent State.  A JEDD would mean that both entities could benefit.  Mr. Coleman quoted Mr. Roy saying the importance of recreation and recreation type business for the community should not be forgotten.  A joint recreation board between the Township and the Village would be useful.  Mr. Coleman envisioned soccer fields, skate parks and ball fields.  It is a two-step process.  Decide to do it and decide what we want to do.  

 

On the subject of a joint Village Township hall, Mr. Szorady offered help the Village and wanted to know how big.  Mrs. Gingerich stated that the size she had heard for the Village was 3000 square feet.  The Mayor asked Mr. Paquette for his input.  Mr. Paquette felt that knowledge of the layout of the existing building would be needed to determine how space the Village would need.  Mr. Paquette stated that because of the number of meetings each month by both the Township and the Village careful consideration and planning would be needed to share existing space. 

 

A suggestion was made that the Trustees and Council members make a list of opportunities they see around the Village and Township and create a vision of what they would like to see accomplished.  Then at the next meeting, everyone could look the visions over and discuss what to do.  The Mayor stated that it was important to get the advice of legal counsel and the McKenna group.  Mr. Mucci interjected that the Berkshire Planning Commission is at the perfect stage to help.  Now is the opportunity for Council and Township to use the processes in place at BCPA through McKenna and Associates.

 

Mr. Fath recommended that the group contact Akron and Bath Township for their experiences in JEDD.  Ms. Gingerich stated that McKenna manages a JEDD between Twinsburg and Reminderville.

 

Mr. Roy felt that the City of Akron must be part of any discussion by nature of the amount of land they control.

 

The Mayor asked the Trustees felt about a joint town hall.  Mr.  Szorady liked the idea.  Mr. Mucci was willing to work with the Village.  Mr. Koroshes, representing the American Legion Post, was against any loss of land from the Veterans Memorial Park.  The Memorial Park may be affected by parking needs and an increased building footprint.  Mr. Koroshes also took this opportunity to complain to the Township Trustees about the maintenance shed to the rear of the Township Administrative Building, which he felt was an eyesore.  Mr. Koster proposed a future joint Street/Road Department between the two entities, using the Village’s existing garage.  Mr. Mucci asked how the Legion would feel if the Township traded some land, an additional 98 acres of woods, for use as part of the Veterans Memorial Forest in exchange for some of the land close to the Administrative Building.  Mr. Koroshes and Mr. Karlinsky were hesitant to agree to anything but stated that they would bring it to the veterans for consideration. 

 

A separate Village committee looking into finding a suitable Village Hall was noted by the Mayor and composed of Dianne Lillibridge, Sandy Humbert, the Mayor and Jim Koster.

 

Mr. Szorady suggested doing a feasibility study.  Mrs. Beaumier wanted a timeline for the joint hall.  Mr. Coleman proposed a one-year deadline to get something hammered out.  Mr. Mucci encouraged everyone to go to the BCPA meeting April 27 to participate.  Mr. Mucci suggested setting up a subcommittee to meet at least once a month.  The Mayor wanted more joint meetings.

 

The Council and Township agreed to meet in joint session again on May 10^th at 7:00 PM to discuss visions. 

 

Mr. Luoma commented that economic growth in the region will occur east of the Village in the Township.

    

 

Jeff Coleman moved to adjourn the meeting and Jim Koster seconded.  The Joint Council Township meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM

 

 

_______________________                            ______________________________

Mayor Fischbach                                            Fiscal Officer