Zuber Says Collaboration, Community Effort Has Kept Avon Lake in Good Shape

While Ohio Gov. John Kasich is working through the state budget process that is proposing to cut local government funding, area mayors are trying to work together to save money for their cities.
 
Mayors K. C. Zuber (Avon Lake), Jim Smith (Avon), John Hunter (Sheffield Village) and John Piskura (Sheffield Lake) gathered for the annual North Coast Regional Chamber of Commerce Mayors’ Luncheon March 14 to discuss the state of their cities. 
 
Zuber and his three colleagues spoke on how they have collaborated on various projects to cut costs and get them done leaving their cities in fiscally sound condition despite the recession.
 
The reason is simple. Things are getting done in a cost efficient manner without affecting people’s lives, the mayor said, noting that Kasich’s proposed budget will cut funding to local governments by 25 percent in 2012 and 50 percent in 2013.
 
And according to Zuber, unlike many other cash strapped areas in the state, Avon Lake has actually experienced a 20 percent growth in revenue just the last three months, and not just from the big name companies in the city such as Ford.
 
Zuber said it is a community effort. He singled out the bond issue that supported the building of the as an example.
 
"This is not just a swimming pool, its a water park," Zuber said. "We expected 1,000 people to use it, but there have been day of over 1,200 and they have had to turn people away. We are also very proud that we have won an award for it."
 
As for what is planned in the city, Zuber during his address stated road projects totaling over $1 million are a priority. He singled out several including the Canterbury Road construction project which has had $500,000 allocated for the projects.
 
New turning lanes on Lear and Walker roads will also be looked into due to the new interchange in Avon, if funding is available, something he said both he and Avon Mayor Jim Smith are looking into.
 
Zuber also stressed how the city is keeping modern, saying they are is in the process of completing a new fiber optic system in the city buildings, which he says will help make government more efficient.
 
"This is not just for the city, but also for economic development," Zuber said. "Business will be able to tap into it, and we will as a city save over $25,000 a year with it."
 
He also spoke of how the mayors Economic Development Advisory Board is making advances in the city, stating that seminars by Joe Archacki have attracted big names such as COSE and SCORE.