POST Wednesday, July 27, 2022 • Vol. 15 No. 5 • FREE
Income Tax Revenue Likely To Take a Hit Village Hires New Police Officer By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
Middlefield Village, a powerhouse of production and income tax revenues for the last two years, is likely to see the local economy contract in the next year. In 2018, earned income tax for those working in the village was increased from 1% to 1.25% in the November election, resulting in significant financial benefits for the village beginning in 2019 and numerous infrastructure projects being undertaken. But at the July 14 council meeting, village Fiscal Officer Nick Giardina warned council the party may not be over, but it is losing steam. “We had a really good first quarter,” he said, adding income tax revenue started to slide in the second quarter compared to a year ago. “Inflation is taking a toll,” he said, adding other factors have caused the decrease in revenue. When companies can’t find workers, they can’t produce and
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Pictured are new Middlefield Village full-time police officer Jacob McIntee, center, Mayor Ben Garlich, left, and Police Chief Joe Tucholsky. McIntee was sworn in July 14 at the Middlefield Village Council meeting.
if there are fewer workers, village income tax revenue goes down, he said. When companies can’t produce as much as they have been doing, bonuses are down and that affects income tax, as well, Giardina said. And he doesn’t see much improvement throughout 2022. “I don’t want anyone to be too
surprised in December. We’re going to have difficulties we haven’t worried about the last few years,” he said. “Interest rates are going up and there’s going to be a reaction in the local economy. Some things are out of our control.” Village department heads are being warned against extra spending for the rest of the year.
By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
ANN WISHART/KMG
Cardinal Schools Facilities Manager Dave Krebs recommended the board of education change the location of the proposed bus garage to beside the maintenance building next to the Cardinal High School parking lot.
Parking Lot Plan Modified Cardinal Schools Board of Education changed plans for the proposed bus parking lot and bus garage during a special meeting July 20. On the advice of incoming Superintendent Jack Cunningham and district Director of Operations Dave Krebs, the board rejected the
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INSIDE
Glimpse of Yesteryear page 3
Faith Matters page 4
Real Estate Transfers page 6
Police Blotter page 7
Classifieds start on page 10
Commission Sends Ravenwood Back to Drawing Board
Cardinal Schools
By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
But the positive news is the village built up funds for a rainy day and has about $8.5 million earning investment income. “We are in a very strong position. It’s a very positive place to be if things start to deteriorate quickly,” Giardina said. “We will continue to watch the budget and talk every month. I’ll keep council in the loop.” Mayor Ben Garlich urged council to be creative. “We got to this point because things have gone so well. We need to be thinking about continuing to generate (income). You have to do something different or you don’t grow,” he said. In regular business, council passed ordinances hiring Jacob McIntee as a full-time police officer, approving the Timber Ridge extension development plan for 36 new housing sites in the Woodsong development, providing dental and vision health care for village employees, and coordinating with the Geauga County Commissioners and the Geauga County Department on Aging for use of the Middlefield Community Center for senior services.
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plan for an $800,000 parking lot addition south of the high school and considered repositioning the proposed bus garage. Cunningham admitted he doesn’t have any background in construction, but he said he thinks the plan to create an expensive parking lot next to the high school lot needed to be reconsidered. The estimate on the parking See Cardinal • Page 6
Middlefield Village Planning and Zoning Commission recommended July 12 Ravenwood Health return with a more detailed plan for expansion of a facility’s capacity in the village. Ravenwood Health President and CEO Vicki Clark applied for a conditional use permit to add two bedrooms to a building housing individuals recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. Village Zoning Inspector John Boksansky said the building at 15795 West High Street now houses two to three individuals and Ravenwood wants to create two more bedrooms there. The floor space is sufficient for the purpose, he said. However, village attorney Luke McConville said the drawings submitted were not made by an architect.
Also, the village code defines a bedroom as one with a built-in closet and one of the proposed spaces does not have a closet sketched in, he said. Additionally, the code requires “unfettered access” to restrooms on the same floor. The rough sketch of the layout of the house was not sufficient for the commission to approve the concept. “Professional drawings would be helpful,” Boksansky said. Mayor Ben Garlich said the plan includes a parking lot in the backyard for up to five cars and there is no entrance to the building from the rear. Residents would have to walk around the building to come inside, he said. “We’re pretty strict about parking in yards,” said commission Chairman Scott Klein. “This would See Ravenwood • Page 5
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