Wednesday, January 20, 2021
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Volume 52, No. 18
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Local Officials: D.C. Trip ‘Peaceful’ Riot Left 5 Dead, Extensive Damage to U.S. Capitol Complex By Amy Patterson amy@geaugamapleleaf.com
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On Jan. 6, Chardon resident Mario Innocenzi, who sits on the Geauga County Park District Board of Commissioners, joined a group of about 55 people from the county to attend a rally and march headlined by President Donald Trump. Innocenzi condemned the violence that later took place in the Capitol, which left five dead, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer.
At about 2:40 a.m. on Jan. 6, Mario Innocenzi opened a Facebook Live broadcast. “Good morning, patriots,” Innocenzi said. “Just want to let you guys know that we are packing up, getting all set up to get to D.C. this morning.” Innocenzi, who lives in the Chardon area and operates barber shops in Parma and Middlefield, is founder of the Geauga County Conservative See Protest • Page 4
West G Hires Expert to Assess Newbury Campus By Diane Ryder editor@geaugamapleleaf.com
feasibility of the township using the property for a community center, renting the schools’ facilities, At their Jan. 11 organizational including an auditorium, gyms and meeting, the West Geauga Schools commercial kitchen, to various Board of Education voted unani- groups, with possible township ofmously to enter into a contract with fices and the return of a branch of David Hollister, managing director the Geauga County Public Library. of real estate consulting Task force members firm Newmark of Clevemet with a project manland, to conduct a formal ager to tour the buildings evaluation of the buildings and conduct a preliminary and grounds of the former assessment of the physical Newbury Schools. plants’ overall condition. The 40-acre property, They spent months rewith two main buildings, a searching possible tenants newly renovated stadium, Markwardt and visiting other commuball fields, a bus garage, nities that have repurposed former sewer system and 7 acres of wet- school buildings and reported their lands, was transferred to the West findings to trustees. Geauga district on July 1, 2020, In December, trustees unanwhen Newbury Schools became imously decided to begin discuspart of West Geauga Schools. sions with the West Geauga school In August, Newbury Township board about their possible purchase Trustee Bill Skomrock appointed of the property, located near the five community leaders to an ad- center of the county in the commervisory task force to research the cial heart of Newbury Township.
Monday, the school board, which has not made any commitments to the trustees, decided to hire Newmark to determine the schools’ conditions and the property’s value. “Phase One will be an information gathering process, which will cost about $2,000 and will determine things like the presence of asbestos and the condition of the bus garage,” Superintendent Richard Marquardt told the board. “Phase Two will be more detailed and will include an environmental study, wetlands study and other more complex issues. For example, we know there is at least one underground tank on the property.” Markwardt said the first phase study should be completed within a month. “Because the wetlands study is dependent on the weather, Phase Two may take another month after that,” Marquardt said. “And the environmental study will influence
the determination of the property’s highest and best use.” He estimated the studies would be complete sometime in March, depending on weather conditions, because data on the wetlands must be conducted when there is no snow or excessive spring moisture. “It will be a fluid process, but it seems like a good timeline,” board member Chet Ramey said. “It seems pretty ambitious,” board member Dan Thoreson added. Marquardt said the wetlands study is of key importance because wetlands regulations could determine whether the property can be used by some entities. “I think we’re doing the right thing,” Thoreson said. “We shouldn’t sell the property without the buyer knowing what’s on it. It’s wise.” The resolution to go into a contract with Hollister and Newmark passed unanimously.
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