POST Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • Vol. 16 No. 18 • FREE
Mayor Happy with ’23 Finances, Cautious about ’24 By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
Although Middlefield Village gained revenue of about $1 million in 2023 and has almost $1 million in carryover for 2024, Mayor Ben Garlich told village council they need to be mindful of spending in the new year. Financially, the village has been gainGarlich ing ground for the last three years, he said, according to a recording of the Jan. 11 meeting. “Last year was stellar. I didn’t know if we could maintain (the momentum),” he said, adding the economy can change very quickly. “We need to be able to shift gears if we need to,” Garlich said. “Never think things are good. It can change in a heartbeat.” Village Fiscal Officer Nick Giardina said the village has plans for a lot of projects next year that will consume much of the revenue from
the 0.25% income tax for permanent improvements voters approved several years ago. “(These projects) are a big necessity for the future of the village,” he said. Administrator Leslie Gambosi-McCoy said the village has about $11 million invested, which earns about $40,000 per month. Regardless of the positive figures for 2023, Garlich recommended caution in the next year and voiced concern over the stock market. “We need to spend this money wisely and prepare for the next storm,” he said. “It will come,” Giardina added.
Commercial Projects
Their concerns did not slow down plans to encourage growth in the commercial sector. Gambosi-McCoy said she has been working on the annexation
of more than 25 acres west of the village line to accommodate a Hartville Hardware store. Later in the meeting, council heard the first reading of an emergency ordinance to approve the annexation and another first reading of an emergency ordinance on creating a community reinvestment area on that 25 acres. The CRA will allow the village to offer a 10-year tax abatement on 75% of the real property improvements to that parcel as an incentive for Hartville Hardware to build there. Hartville bought the property in December 2022 from local businessman Chuck White, who retained a similar tract of land north of the Hartville parcel that fronts on Kinsman Road and Tare Creek Parkway. Last Thursday, Garlich noted nearby Tractor Supply Inc. is remodeling and Ace Hardware on Kinsman east of Springdale Avenue is enlarging its store. “I think what I’m seeing is they want to raise the bar for every-
body,” he said. Garlich said he showed possible hotel building sites to a developer who owns 15 hotels. “He’s a serious player if we can make the dots connect for him. I think we can,” he said, adding he has talked to University Hospitals about establishing an urgent care center in Middlefield.
Succession Planning At council’s next meeting, Garlich said he wants to discuss succession planning for a future village council, noting he and several council members are senior citizens and have served more than one term. “We need to get people inspired to serve this community,” he said. “We don’t want to get a bunch of people (on council) who don’t know what they are doing. I can remember when these (positions) were hotly contested elections. I don’t know if it's apathy, but I like to think it's because we’re doing a good job.”
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Leap into New Year with Healthy Mental Health Habits By Rose Nemunaitis editor@karlovecmedia.com A new year is an opportunity for a new beginning. For many, that may include adopting a healthier mindset and productive routines. Brian Ayer, a licensed professional clinical counselor at River of Life Christian Counseling in Newbury Township, and Shilah Cipriano, Chardon Heinen’s wellness consultant, recently shared some food for thought and goal-setting tips to improve overall mental health and wellbeing.
Limit Social Media & Screen Time
“Social media, particularly when used in excess, can contribute to an increase in anxiety and low mood. It also increases screen time, which can impact sleep and leave you less time for other activities,” Ayer said. “Reducing this can be a tool to help lower your anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and the fear of missing out.”
Based on current usage, people can reduce the time they spend on social media each day, Ayer said. “Try engaging in at least one activity without your phone each day, putting your phone away when with friends and family and keep it outside the bedroom during the night,” he said. A recent article by Jesse Mindel, a neurologist and clinical professor at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, called “How less screen time benefits your eyes, brain, mental state and overall health,” Mindel said whether day or night, “using screens for long periods has been associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders in adults and children.”
Learn a New Hobby or Restart an Old One
“We all have a list of things we ‘used to do.’ Restarting an old hobby or engaging in a new activity has important mental health benefits,”
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Runners enjoy Geauga Park District’s Maple Highlands Trail last November near Mountain Run Station.
Ayer said. “People with hobbies are less likely to experience stress and low mood, as hobbies bring with them a sense of joy and relaxation as well as social connections.” Ayer suggests people reflect on activities they used to enjoy doing, or something new they would like to do. “Choose one or two activities you would like to revisit or learn new,” he said. “You could even do this with a friend or a family member.”
Physical Health Can Improve Mental Health Exercise enhances a person’s sense of self-efficacy and serves as a healthy distraction when a person is distressed, Ayer said. “Cardiovascular exercise, in particular, can help prevent, as well as alleviate, symptoms of anxiety and depression,” he said. “Translating this resolution into a goal can See Mental Health• Page 7
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