Streetsboro City Council debates City Park stage renovation

By Molly Heideman and Michael Indriolo

Although the pandemic cancelled Streetsboro Family Days this year, the city council plans to draft legislation allowing it to donate roughly $10,000 for a new stage rental for the annual festival next year. 

The city plans to tear down the current stage in Streetsboro City Park, citing its deteriorating condition at the city council meeting Monday. 

“I was in City Park Saturday doing the scavenger hunt, and I was not happy at all seeing little kids playing on the stage with holes in it where the stage is collapsing,” said Ward One Councilman Mike Lampa. “So it is a dangerous situation.”

But without a stage, the festival faces an existential challenge, said Rob Starkey, vice president of the Streetsboro Family Days nonprofit.

“If we’re not having a stage, there may be chances we may not be able to put on this festival,” he said. “And with that being said, we do this for the community. It’s really not for ourselves. It is truly for the citizens of the city of Streetsboro and surrounding communities.”

Council President John Ruediger supported funding the rental stage and said he’d like to fast track budgeting for the construction of a new permanent stage before the city’s bicentennial celebration in 2022. Although he and most of the council agreed the situation warrants the city’s financial assistance, Ward Four Councilwoman Julie Field dissented, saying she doesn’t think it’s the city’s place. 

“From my perspective, spending $10,000 from the taxpayer dollar on one weekend, I just have a difficult time wrapping my head around that,” she said. “There’s a lot we can do for $10,000.”

But when the council confirmed the funds would come out of a statutory line item for contractual services rather than directly from taxpayers, she said she felt more comfortable with it. The council voted to move the issue to the next Financial Committee meeting and draft legislation in the meantime. To limit liability, the council loosely agreed to give the donation directly to Streetsboro Family Days and allow it to disperse the funds as needed. 

Councilman Lampa brought up concerns about people shortcutting and speeding through residential areas near the intersection of Route 43 and Route 14. Streetsboro Police Chief Tricia Wain said she’s looking into installing a discreet speed tracking device to gauge which areas people most often speed through and placing officers accordingly. 

“I know a lot of people say the speed trailer, speed cameras for being photographed and stuff like that. This actually I believe we have the opportunity if we get what we’re looking at, it does have the option to photograph, but it also has the option just to take speeds,” Wain said.

Although the device can take photographs, Streetsboro Police Department will not use it to issue speeding tickets.

Streetsboro Fire Chief Robert Reinholz also updated the council on the new fire station’s progress. The council unanimously adopted legislation to pay for the station’s new fiber optic internet services through Spectrum. It will cost $324 per month, and Spectrum agreed to cover installation costs up to $8,000.  

Mayor Glenn Broska appointed Brian Salyer to the city’s planning commission in the “at large” position, meaning he’ll serve the entire city rather than one specific ward. This will be Salyer’s first time serving the city in an official capacity. 

Census responses are low in Streetsboro compared to other neighboring cities. A participant in the meeting wants community members to fill out the census to help the city and businesses.

— Molly Heideman (@mollyhjmc) October 13, 2020

Streetsboro’s new fire station may get fiber optic, high-speed internet through Spectrum. Fire Chief Robert Reinholz told city council it’d cost $324/month for 5 years. He said Spectrum offered free installation as well.

— Michael Indriolo (@ikeyindr) October 13, 2020