Streetsboro City Council addresses poor road conditions, new City Hall

Streetsboro City Council meeting April 24, 2018 on Vimeo.

Words by Lydia Taylor and Ile-Ife Okantah
Video by Brad Hamilton 

Streetsboro City Council tackled the city’s deteriorating infrastructure Monday, including major road renovations and a new City Hall.

Inside the Streetsboro Municipal Center off of state Route 43 where the council convenes, the rooms lacked central air, and the walls that were once white are now yellow.

City Council President John Ruediger recalled a time a storm came through the city, and because of the crumbling roof, rain flooded one of the rooms.

After years of spending money on renovations—mainly on roof repairs—the council decided to put their money into a new building.

Ruediger stated the amount of money that has been “dumped” into the building is “horrible.”

“A new city hall, no matter where we end up (and) just knowing we’re not throwing good money in a bad building… we should all be very happy about,” Ruediger said.

The conversation surrounding what the new building will look like remains controversial. Council members expressed the fear of the new building becoming frivolous, some even referencing the Taj Mahal. Broska then explained the new building will be functional and aesthetically pleasing and will provide what the council needs.

Ruediger also pointed out that not only is a new building a necessity, but it could encourage further investments into the city. However, as Safety Committee Chair Chuck Kocisko pointed out, most of the citizens’ concerns he received addressed dangerous road conditions.

The conversation on road repairs began eight to 10 years ago when Streetsboro’s population began to rise rapidly, and council members noticed excessive wear and tear on streets.

From 2000 to 2010, Streetsboro’s population increased from 12,311 to 16,028—a 30 percent increase, according to the Census Bureau. As of 2016, the population is 16,272.

“Our focus is on roads that are very heavily traveled,” said Ruediger. “And when it comes to the roads that are less traveled, we have to make tough decisions.”

The main issue is finding funding for the project. Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska stated repairs could cost up to $300,000 per mile. Ruediger said state routes that run through the city are in the “worst conditions.”

“This city was so poorly planned when it was first put together that we are the ones suffering,” said Broska.

Finance Committee Chair Carmen Laudato said she couldn’t imagine traveling down roads like Ravenna Road and Ferguson Road because of their dilapidated conditions.

The council motioned to discuss the matter further at the next finance meeting in June.

Another important item of discussion was the city council’s pay. Currently, council members get paid $3,600 per year, which equates to $59 per week. The last pay raise the council received was Aug. 22, 1994.

The council then asked for legislation to be proposed at the next finance meeting to address the issue.

The council also discussed income taxes were below target between January and April. The goal was 33.3 percent ,but the city reported 28.8 percent.

Although there is a large discussion about renovating Streetsboro’s infrastructure, more people and companies are investing in the city, which means its economy is improving, Broska said.

“The roof might be falling, but the sky is not,” Broska said.