State of City Address: Avon Lake in 'Very Good Shape'

Avon Lake Mayor K.C. Zuber reported the city was in good shape at his annual State of the City address, held in the city's library March 31 at the Avon Lake Kiwanis Club meeting. 

Zuber reviewed a 30-slide presentation touching on everything from upcoming road projects to how SB 5 would affect the city.

“We are probably in the best state for cities in the area, with the exception of Avon,” Zuber said. “We’re going to try to keep that in the same state.”

The mayor said the city maintains cash reserves of $6.58 million. He noted the decrease from 2009s reserve of $7.27 million was due to one-time expenses of $600,000 for street repairs.

The mayor focused on the new $3.85 million pool that opened last year to huge crowds. Zuber told the audience when the architects initially told the city to expect daily attendance of 800 or more they didn’t believe it.

“There were several days last year we had to close the pool because we had 1,200 people,” Zuber said.

Since the cost of the pool came in lower than the $4.1 million of money brought in by a tax levy, Zuber said , where the pool is located, will have additional upgrades and repairs, including $40,000 to fix tennis courts.

Road work figures prominently in the city's budget. Several million dollars have been budgeted for road improvements this year, including upgrades to the Moore and Walker roads intersection, Lear and Walker Road intersection, Avon Belden and Weber intersection and adding a light to the Avon Belden Road and Pin Oak Parkway intersection.

“The orange barrel season in Avon Lake is coming soon,” he said.

Touching on SB 5, Zuber said he expects it will go to referendum in November. Just how it will affect unions and public employees should it remain in effect is uncertain.

“It will be chaos for several years if it stays,” Zuber said, saying the city will lose more than $250,000 next year if the bill goes into effect. Employees will also be immediately affected. 

“Right now (public) employees pay 7 percent; that will increase to 15 percent under SB 5,” Zuber said.

The mayor also noted advances in technology citywide, including the addition of a new phone system that links all city buildings and the on one system.

 He gave a nod to Avon Lake Patch as an example of where technology can take us.

“You’ve all seen Lori’s Patch, that’s where the future is going,” Zuber said. “All the kids in the back have cell phones in their pockets.”

 The State of the City speech will be broadcast on ALC-TV and available online at avonlake.pegcentral.com.