Richfield Township Trustees
November 18, 2004

The Richfield Township Board of Trustees opened their regular meeting at 7:06 p.m. on November 18, 2004 with the following in attendance:

Shano Cica-Mraz, Trustee Chairperson
Laurie Peters Gilmore, Trustee Vice-Chairperson
David Wyatt, Trustee
Laurie Pinney, Clerk & Zoning Inspector

Five residents

Motion to approve minutes of October 21, 2004, as amended to include “for public purpose” to a line on page 3, was made by Ms. Cica-Mraz, seconded by Mr. Wyatt and received unanimous approval.

Motion to approve minutes of October 26, 2004 was made by Ms. Cica-Mraz, seconded by Mr. Wyatt and received unanimous approval.

Motion to approve warrant report items number 10885 through 10924 was made by Ms. Cica-Mraz, seconded by Ms. Gilmore and received unanimous approval.

The Clerk report was provided by Ms. Pinney. Supplementary appropriations will be required to pay upcoming obligations. A motion was made by Ms. Cica-Mraz and seconded by Mr. Wyatt to approve supplementary appropriations to Funds 09 Police and 26 Permanent Improvement –Service Area to bring the totals to $491,000 and $32,166, respectively. The motion passed by unanimous approval. Ms. Cica-Mraz questioned whether the township has yet received an opinion on the use of police capital funds for contribution to the cost of a traffic light at Columbia and Brecksville Roads. The township has not yet received a response to the request, which was sent on October 26.

The Zoning report was provided by Ms. Pinney. The Board of Zoning Appeals met on November 15. An extension of a conditional use for St. Peregrine Academy on Streetsboro Road was granted, allowing the population to exceed fifty students. A property located on Columbia Road, which had become landlocked due to a foreclosure action and sheriff’s sale, was granted relief from the requirement to have a minimum fifty feet of frontage on a dedicated public road. A case to evaluate a water management system consisting of walls and earthen mounding in the Forest Run development was continued to the next meeting on December 20. Deadline for new applications for that meeting is Monday, December 6. The Zoning Commission is proposing joint meetings between the Commission, BZA and the Trustees to establish goals and identify problematic areas in the zoning regulations. Mr. Wyatt suggested the Trustees hold a work session and invite residents in the area of the proposed Briarwood Estates subdivision to discuss the most recently submitted plan. A possible date would be December 9. Ms. Cica-Mraz suggested that the Trustees attend the Village of Richfield public hearing on December 7, 7:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed sewer rate increase. A possible date for the joint Zoning Commission, BZA and Trustee work session would be January 13, at 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. Ms. Fischer will contact the village to find out about meeting room availability for the December 9 & January 13 dates.

The Road report was provided by Ms. Gilmore. Mr. Schall has submitted a road report that states the department has cleaned the leaves out of the Hawkins and Hecker Road rights-of-way, using equipment rented from the Village of Peninsula. The upper portion of the Boston Mills building has been insulated and the gas line should be installed by next week, making the building ready for heat.

The Administration report was provided by Ms. Pinney. The recently approved program to allow employees to take a cash payment equivalent to 25% of the insurance premium in lieu of receiving medical insurance has been taken by a township employee. The employee will now receive an additional payment of approximately $200 pre-tax income per month and the township will realize a savings of approximately $7400 per year in medical coverage costs. Ms. Bowmer was called for one week of jury duty, but only was called for one day, on November 10. There has been a flu vaccination clinic scheduled at the Senior Center, tomorrow, November 19 from 11:00 to 3:00 or until vaccine runs out.

New Business: A resolution to provide for the termination of the Rising Valley Park Board, with 183.3 acres going to the Cleveland Metroparks and 44.7 acres going to Richfield Township was discussed. Approval of this resolution does not bind the township to an agreement, but starts the wheels in motion to allow the Department of the Interior to approve a potential agreement to disband the jointly owned park. A motion to approve Resolution 11-2004 to authorize the termination of the Rising Valley Park Board, the acceptance of fee title to +/- 44.7 acres of land, the donation of +/- 183.3 acres of land to the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District and the granting of a perpetual easement to the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District was made by Ms. Cica-Mraz, seconded by Ms. Gilmore and received unanimous approval.

Announcements: Tom Johnson has sent a letter to the Trustees; dated November 16 that gives his resignation as Rising Valley Park Administrator. Mr. Johnson sites the potential for liability as the reason for removal from the position, since the administrator is a park-board appointed position and not a township appointed position.

Citizens Forum: No comments

Agenda Requests: None

Motion to adjourn made at 8:23 by Ms. Cica-Mraz, seconded by Mr. Wyatt and received unanimous approval.


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Last updated: 02/25/2006