Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Landowners cheer mayor's recommendation at City Council work session
A big sigh of relief and loud applause greeted Avon mayor Jim Smith's recommendation that assessments of property near the coming Nagle Road interchange not be used as part of the city's share of the $27 million project. The city should be able to finance the project with long-term municipal bonds and Tax Increment Financing, Smith said. The assessments could have put an up-to-$9 million burden on landowners in the area near the interchange. Don Nagel, a farmer with 12 acres of land in the area that could have been assessed, was relieved to have that threat lifted. "I'm glad they came to their senses," he said. Smith and Matthew Stuczynski of Municipal and School Solutions gave a presentation lasting about an hour. Smith outlined the …
Monday, June 6, 2011
Mayor to give presentation on issue
The controversial issue of how the Nagel Road interchange is being paid for is on the agenda for Monday night's 7:30 p.m. work session of City Council at City Hall. Avon mayor Jim Smith will give a presentation on past capital improvement projects in the city, and lead a discussion on the financing for the interchange. Landowners near the interchange are worried and angry about their property assessments being part of the financing. Several ordinances related to the financing are also on the agenda. The complete agenda is in the PDF document attached to this story.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Avon residents remember those who have fallen during annual Memorial Day parade and ceremony
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Eric Bonzar
-
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
With the sun shining and a breeze in the air, residents of Avon lined both sides of Detroit Road on Memorial Day to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Hundreds in attendance, from young to old, watched and applauded as local groups from throughout the community entertained the crowd. The Avon High school marching band and the Avon Lake Irish Heritage Pipe Band provided music for the crowd as many of the other groups tossed candy and treats to spectators. At the conclusion of the parade, the Avon Veterans of Foreign Wars post 7035 held a brief ceremony at the Avon Center. During the ceremony, Avon Mayor Jim Smith gave a speech titled "My Hero", the Avon VFW performed a 21-gun salute, and members of the Avon high …
Monday, May 23, 2011
Avon Isle being readied for the public.
Spring has sprung, and the picturesque Avon Isle building surrounded by French Creek will soon be accessible to the residents of Avon. The first phase, which involved remodeling the upstairs and the exterior of the building, is complete. Renovations included the dance floor, main floor, ceiling, windows, walls, and new bathrooms. External additions included a new roof, siding, and porch – including a wheelchair accessible ramp. Phase two of the project, the renovation of the downstairs, will continue to be a work in progress as money become available. “We got a little more done than we expected because there were a few things we didn’t have to do as far as the sewer goes," said Avon Mayor Jim Smith. "Because of that we were able to do more…
41.46716
-82.0209
City of Avon City Hall
36080 Chester Rd, Avon, OH
/articles/a-historic-isle-restoration
1073698
/locations/4403989
41.440329
-82.000412
City of Avon Parks and Recreation Department
35001 Schwartz Rd, Avon, OH
/articles/a-historic-isle-restoration
1073779
/locations/4403990
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
City hopes to save money by bringing tech job in-house
Avon could be getting a full-time information technology pro. City council discussed an ordinance that would add the position to the city government at Monday night's work session. The city currently contracts out its IT work. Mayor Jim Smith said that, with the way the city is growing and the increasing technology demands on city government, it would make more sense to hire a full-time employee rather than hire an outside company. The duties of the position, as well as the title and salary, have yet to be determined. Council tabled discussion of compensation at the request of law director John Gasior, who pointed out the requirements of the position need to be spelled out before they can decide how much to pay for the job. In other news:
Friday, April 1, 2011
District, city await Board of Revision decision
Senate Bill 71 has passed, but the Avon school board may not be too happy with the money they will receive from the new tax-exempt status placed on the All Pro Freight Stadium. Currently, every stadium in the state of Ohio is tax-exempt, with the exception of All Pro Freight Stadium, because the Lake Erie Crushers are not affiliated with a Major League Baseball team. Tax exemption can be a powerful economic development tool. Stadiums bring people into the community – hotels, restaurants, and other entertainment venues see a jump in business. Without a tax-exempt status, teams not affiliated with a major league club could not afford to be created, Avon mayor Jim Smith said. With interest from Sandusky, Mansfield, and Mason to have their own…
41.460805
-82.062469
All Pro Freight Stadium
2009 Baseball Blvd, Avon, OH
/articles/tax-exemption-for-all-pro-freight-stadium-affects-avon-schools
1833793
/locations/3863427
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Smith reiterates at North Coast Chamber of Commerce luncheon that this is his final term
Jim Smith hates getting up in front of crowds to speak. He says he always has during his 17 years as mayor of Avon, going so far as to joke that he gets terrified. The North Coast Chamber of Commerce annual mayor's luncheon at Tom's Country Place, which featured leaders from Sheffield, Sheffield Lake and Avon Lake, was no different. What was, was the emotion shown by Smith, who got choked up as he said to the crowd of nearly 200 this was his last term in office. "It takes a lot out of you," Smith said of serving his mayoral duties. "When I first ran for mayor I wanted the city to become a city managementship not a mayorship and I tried to switch it back in 1994, put together a Charter Review commission, but they fooled me." But not long…
41.439403
-82.033582
Tom's Country Place
3430 Stoney Ridge Rd, Avon, OH
/articles/avon-mayor-jim-smith-reflects-on-past-future
1073929
/locations/3717870
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The roundup of the top stories across the region for March 1.
Here's the list of the top stories from Patch sites in your area: Police Blotter: Man Protests Snow Removal and A Woman Sees Something Supernatural CVS Eyes New Location on Site of Abandoned St. Paul Lutheran Church Talk Turns to Flooding at Avon City Council Some Road Closures Remain in Brecksville
41.46802
-81.9142
1300 Marview Dr, Westlake, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
/locations/3816647
41.46308
-81.940029
28300 Farrs Garden Path, Westlake, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
/locations/3816648
41.48782
-81.77001
11706 Clifton Blvd, Lakewood, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
/locations/3816649
41.47721
-81.7978
14560 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
/locations/3816650
41.4537
-82.00048
City of Avon Services/Utilities Department
35030 Detroit Rd, Avon, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
1073455
/locations/3816651
41.30835
-81.62686
9305 Brecksville Rd, Brecksville, OH
/articles/daily-patchcast-flooding-concerns-linger-in-ne-ohio-6
/locations/3816652
Mayor Jim Smith expresses frustration over raw sewage in basements.
Avon City Council decided to hold a special meeting of legal and service committees after about a dozen Avon homes ended up with raw sewage in their basements during Monday's flooding. Avon mayor Jim Smith brought the matter before council during Monday's meeting. The special meeting will be at 6:15 p.m. March 7 in council chambers. Jerry Plas, director of public services and utilities, said the rain and flood water left no room in the French Creek Interceptor, which runs from North Ridgeville along French Creek to North Ridgeville's French Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. "It was something I've never seen in 14 years here," he said. City engineer Robert Knopf said that raw sewage was about two feet below manhole covers in spots. The …
Thursday, December 9, 2010
City poised for more development as Cleveland Clinic, new I-90 interchange are coming
AVON -- As you drive north along Nagel Road on Avon's east side from Detroit Road to the city line with Avon Lake, most of what you're going to see is, as Avon mayor Jim Smith has said, "soybeans and woodchucks." But when you look to the east at the intersection with Chester Road, you see the future twinkling beyond the trees. That twinkle is the glass windows of the under-construction Cleveland Clinic facility that is expected to help transform the east side of Avon. Change isn't easy, and the next few years are going to be bringing lots of it to Avon's east side. The new Cleveland Clinic facility's just the first wave. Next comes a new Interstate 90 interchange at Nagel Road. And, Smith and other Avon officials hope, come lots of new…
41.46746
-81.98883
Nagel Rd & Chester Rd, Avon, OH
/articles/nagel-road-growth-begins-new-era
/locations/2687897
John Cuzman
12:48 pm on Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Very nice article . It is nice to see Veterans getting coverage in the community papers on this special day . I am a Veteran of the Vietnam Era and salute all Past and Present defenders of this great country. I was in New York City for Fleet Week so as i was unable to attend. This article and pictures allowed me to see what I did miss and for that I thank the Patch and the young man that covered … more ›