Green 2021

PROSPEROUS

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PROGRESSIVE

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PROMISING

2021-22

Remembering

OUR ROOTS Local farmers share their love for carrying on the city’s legacy as a farming community.

Sneak peek at the city’s senior living communities

Opportunities at the city’s office, retail and industrial parks

New inclusive playground features at Boettler Park CREDIT

SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF GREEN 1

Walk-In Opioid Addiction Help Now Available in Green

When your neighbors are struggling, you open doors for them. Our doors are open 24/7, 365 as a safe place to receive help when you need it. Summa Health’s First Step program is now available at the Summa Health Green Emergency Department, and provides walkin opioid addiction treatment in a safe environment. We initiate treatment right in the ED, and coordinate care to ensure the next step in treatment is in place before you leave. We will be there for your first step, and we’ll be there for every step that comes after.

Summa Health Green Emergency Department 1825 Franks Parkway, Uniontown summahealth.org/firststep

Builder Builder Developer Developer Real RealEstate EstateBroker Broker 330.896.3253 330.896.3253

Building BuildingRelationships Relationshipsininthe theCity CityofofGreen GreenSince Since1984 1984

SERVING SERVINGTHE THECITY CITYOF OFGREEN GREEN GREAT GREATFOOD FOOD~~SINCE SINCE1987 1987 1687 1687Sandy SandyKnoll KnollDrive Drive• Green, • Green,Ohio Ohio

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From COVID-19 supports to free falls prevention trainings, there is something that everyone could use help planning for. Let us help you identify your needs and navigate resources related to:

PROSPEROUS

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CONTENTS

PROGRESSIVE

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PROMISING

• COVID-19 vaccine access & info • Meals • Transportation • Health, Wellness & Medicare Education • Elder Rights & much more!

FREE in-home assessments and one-on-one consultations

Call 1-877-770-5558 Email screening@dhad.org Visit www.dhad.org/refer

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A digital edition of the 2021-22

is available online at

cityofgreen.com

PROSPEROUS

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PROGRESSIVE

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PROMISING

2021-22

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LOVE OF THE LAND Committed residents carry on the city’s legacy as a farming community.

D E PA RT M E N T S

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

HELPING HANDS

Check out Breeze Airways, the Akron-Canton Airport’s new airline.

REFLECTIONS

The city, schools and business community showcase their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Learn about the variety of senior living communities available in Green.

MAP & LOCATION INDEX

Find out more about Green, including city demographics.

Remembering Local farmers share their love for carrying on the city’s legacy as a farming community.

Opportunities at the city’s office, retail and industrial parks

New inclusive playground features at Boettler Park

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CREDIT

SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF GREEN 1

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CITY NEWS

OUR ROOTS Sneak peek at the city’s senior living communities

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Explore the great outdoors with a look at the city’s parks.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: HARTONG FARM/DAVID SCHWARTZ

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SCHOOLS

Discover opportunities for all students to succeed in Green.

GREEN SCENE

New playground features at Boettler Park highlight an inclusive environment.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Get a closer look at the city’s growing selection of office, retail and industrial parks.

A PUBLICATION OF THE CITY OF GREEN. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 216-377-3693.

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C O N TA C T I N F O

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CITY OF GREEN ADMINISTRATION

330-896-5500

cityofgreen.org

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

1755 Town Park Blvd., Green, OH 44685 GENERAL MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 278, Green, OH 44232 INCOME TAX MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 460, Green, OH 44232 @CityofGreen GENERAL PHONE NUMBERS Mayor’s Office 330-896-6602 City Council 330-896-6604 Engineering Department 330-896-5510 Finance Department 330-896-6603 Highway/Stormwater Division 330-896-6607 Human Resources 330-896-4138 Income Tax Division 330-896-6622 Law Department 330-896-6615 Parks & Recreation Division 330-896-6621 Planning Department 330-896-6614 Public Service Department 330-896-4176 Zoning Division 330-896-6605 Emergency 911 Fire Division Non-Emergency 330-896-6610 Summit County Sheriff/ 330-643-2181 Non-Emergency

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS Cleveland Clinic Akron General Health 330-896-5011 & Wellness Center — Green 1940 Town Park Blvd., Green, OH 44685 Summa Health Center 330-899-2400 Emergency Room at Green 1825 Franks Pkwy., Green, OH 44685

GREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS greenlocalschools.org, 330-896-7500 Physical Address Mailing Address 1755 Town Park Blvd., P.O. Box 218, Green, OH 44685 Green, OH 44232 PORTAGE LAKES CAREER CENTER plcc.edu, 330-896-8200 4041 Shriver Road, Green, OH 44685

OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS Green Area Chamber of Commerce 330-896-3023 3700 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44685 Akron-Summit County Library-Green Branch 330-896-9074 4046 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44685 UTILITY PROVIDERS NATURAL GAS Dominion East Ohio 330-794-0790 ELECTRICITY FirstEnergy/Ohio Edison 800-633-4766 ELECTRICITY Report a Street Light Outage 800-646-0400 ELECTRICITY Report a Power Outage 888-544-4877 SANITARY SEWER Summit County 330-926-2400 Department of Sanitary Sewer Services ON-SITE WELL & SEPTIC Summit County 330-926-5600 General Health District CABLE TV Spectrum Cable 330-633-9203 TELEPHONE AT&T 800-660-1000 REFUSE COLLECTION Republic Services 800-247-3644 POST OFFICE

Green residents are served by six post offices.

Green 4735 Massillon Road, Green, OH 44232 North Canton 1212 N. Main St., North Canton, OH 44720 Uniontown 11230 Cleveland Ave. NW, Uniontown, OH 44685 Ellet (Akron) 2390 Wedgewood Drive, Ellet, OH 44312 Firestone (Akron) 2001 Brown St., Akron, OH 44319 Clinton 2733 W. Comet Road, Clinton, OH 44216

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Message from the Mayor » YOU CAN ADD ME TO THE LIST of the many people who are now enjoying the

game of pickleball at Boettler Park. My wife, Maria, and I took up the sport during the COVID-19 pandemic as a safe way to get some physical activity and socialize.

Every time I turn into Boettler Park to play pickleball, I am amazed at all of the features and amenities that the park has to offer.

In 1993, the city of Green purchased 82 acres of land with a vision to create our first city park. Boettler Park is the city’s most vibrant park, hosting a large variety of recreational activities for people of all ages.

It is a place where we celebrate soccer goals in our Grasshopper League; celebrate the birth of our nation at our annual FreedomFest celebration in June; and enjoy the talents of local artists at art-A-palooza, our arts festival held every year in August.

It’s where children love to come to play at our Heritage Hill Playground and our second playground, an inclusive play space designed for all children across the spectrum of ability. It’s where we meet friends to play basketball, disc golf, tennis, pickleball or volleyball. It’s where we fish with our grandchildren or take a walk with our spouse on the more than 1 mile of paved walking trails. It’s a place to look to our past at the historic 1885 Lichtenwalter Schoolhouse, which is now home to the Green Historical Society.

Looking for something a little more quiet? Walk into the adjacent, 197-acre Southgate Park, a nature park featuring 5 miles of walking trails, a working farm and a fishing pond. These two parks have everything a family needs to enjoy a morning, afternoon or evening outdoors during any season!

Building and maintaining a city park system requires vision, planning and a lot of hard work. When you see all of the activity and hear the sounds of children and adults at play in Boettler Park, you know that you have found something special. I invite you to come visit Boettler Park, 5300 Massillon Road. I know you’ll enjoy the experience. Perhaps bring your pickleball paddle to join us in a game!

— Mayor Gerard Neugebauer

Prosperous | Progressive | Promising

Green, Ohio.Where Business is Growing.

Prosperous

• Great location — along 1-77 • Equidistance between Akron and Canton • Home to Akron-Canton Airport

Progressive

• Business-savy City leadership • Embraces development and industry diversity • High quality of life for those who live and work in Green • City has more than 2,000 acres of parkland

Promising

• Focused on business retention, expansion and attraction • Close proximity to universities • Local access to world-class healthcare • Available land for commercial/ industrial use in multiple business parks

Investment is happening every day in the City of Green.

Contact us to find out why.

330.896.6614 | PO Box 278 | Green, OH 44232 planning@cityofgreen.org | cityofgreen.org | facebook.com/cityofgreenohio

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HELPING HANDS

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Don’t get soaked by utility rate surprises.

Choose NOPEC: the safe choice for Green residents.

For-profit energy suppliers offer low rates at first. But it never lasts.

As a non-profit, NOPEC minimizes rate volatility by buying electricity and natural gas in bulk, then passing the savings and benefits on to you.

Enjoy peace of mind with NOPEC’s fixed term, monthly variable and 100% renewable product options. You can even move among those choices without fees or penalties.

To learn more, call (855) 667-3201 or visit nopec.org.

SM

Flying in

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COURTESY AKRON-CANTON AIRPORT

» WITH SERVICE TO THREE top destinations, Breeze Airways has landed at Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) as the new airline in town.

The airline began service at CAK in June, flying to Charleston four times a week, New Orleans twice a week and Tampa once a week.

In the coming months and years, Breeze expects to add more destinations and more flights, according to Lisa Dalpiaz, vice president of marketing and air service development at CAK. “The Northeast Ohio community has a lot of unserved or underserved destinations that would be perfect for Breeze,” says Dalpiaz, adding that 4.5 million people reside within a 60-mile radius of the airport. “This will help get travelers quickly and affordably to the places they want to go and connect them to family and friends.”

She adds that when companies are looking to establish a business presence somewhere, air service is a top consideration.

“The more we can provide domestic and international connections, it helps us retain and attract top businesses to our area, which leads to quality of life,” Dalpiaz says.

— Sarah Webb

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a contemporary quilting boutique designed to inspire your creative soul Tues: 10–6 • Thurs: 10–6 • Fri: 10–6 • Sat: 10–4 3430 S. Arlington Road, Suite B, Akron 234.571.2582 • libertygreenquiltshop.com

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Green Chamber is YOUR business and community connection.

We’ve got the 411 on everything local! – Call us for more information!

(330) 896-3023 or visit www.greenareachamber.org.

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Committed to Equality » IN 2019, THE CITY OF GREEN created a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. The committee has engaged in open discussions on various disabilities, community policing and the importance of creating opportunities for all minority groups, along with other topics, according to Henry Johnson Jr., committee chair and facilitator.

Green Local Schools (GLS) has had a member of its administration on the city’s DEI Committee since its inception.

In addition, GLS also has its own DEI Committee that meets monthly to plan activities and events for the school year, such as an Antibullying Week in October, a Thankful for Diversity event in November, and more, according to Joya Mitchell, director of student services at GLS. Several major businesses in Green, including FedEx, also strive to promote the committee’s values.

“Our commitment to innovation and quality is fueled by our inclusive culture,” says Ramona Hood, president and CEO of FedEx Custom Critical. “Being an African American woman raising two African American women, it is inspirational for my daughters. One day, my oldest daughter asked me if I was breaking the ceiling.

Having that surreal moment with her made me proud to be part of an organization that values diverse thoughts.”

— SW

COURTESY GREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS

WE’VE GOT THE 411 IN GREEN!

REFLECTIONS

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CITY NEWS

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Home, Sweet Home Take a stroll through the top-notch senior living communities in Green.

COURTESY BRIER CREEK INDEPENDENT LIVING / NEW SEASONS

» SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES in Green are striving to keep local seniors near their roots and in the communities in which they’ve flourished for decades.

“We’re seeing that people want a community where they can be near their families. They don’t want to leave the area,” says Katie Lancianese, director of development for New Seasons.

Jennifer Jesser-Ringer, director of business development for Brier Creek Independent Living and GreenView Assisted Living, agrees.

“Many people say we don’t need senior living communities,” says Jesser-Ringer.

“However, our seniors who have raised their children here and given so much to our community have the right to stay in Green.

We don’t want them contributing their wisdom somewhere else.”

Jesser-Ringer and Lancianese provide a glimpse of what the Brier Creek and New Seasons communities are all about.

BRIER CREEK INDEPENDENT LIVING A thriving senior independent living development, Brier Creek Independent Living is situated on scenic farmland and encompasses 58 apartments in the lodge and 36 ranch-style homes (with 10 more under construction that are reserved) and includes housekeeping, laundry service and lawn maintenance, according to Jesser-Ringer.

The 4-year-old development came to be after builder John Warmus realized there weren’t many downsizing options for the people he built family homes for years ago.

“John knew there was a need for independent living catered to a senior lifestyle,” Jesser-Ringer says. “It inspired him to build something for the community where seniors could live with their own generation and where fitness, lifestyle activities and cultural options were centered around that age group.”

The community also hosts events so residents can continue living an active lifestyle and connects residents to the parents and families of Green. For instance, high schoolers volunteer and entertain at Brier Creek and, during COVID-19, “wisdom videos” from seniors were posted on social media during lockdown. Posts included advice revolving around how to cope during the unusual times.

“Brier Creek has everything you would need,” Jesser-Ringer says. “It’s a city within itself.”

Brier Creek Independent Living

Brier Creek Independent Living

New Seasons

New Seasons

NEW SEASONS In its early season of construction, New Seasons will be a community of custom homes geared toward older and active adults.

The ranch-style homes feature a largely onestory layout, but optional second-story homes are available. The homes will be built with sustainable materials, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and minimal maintenance.

Additionally, each home promotes a connection between outdoor and indoor living with the inclusion of a courtyard.

“The outdoor space is beautifully tailored to promote using the outside space well and not worrying about mowing an acre of lawn,” Lancianese says.

Phase 1 is nearly complete and includes 36 lots. Phase 2, which started in October, will add 12 new lots.

New Seasons will feature a walking trail, sidewalks on both sides of the street and a community center that includes a large kitchen and sitting area, workout facilities and an outdoor pool. The association plans to host social gatherings such as wine and book clubs in the space, and residents will be able to reserve the space for their own events.

“It’s really about keeping the active in active adult,” Lancianese says. “It’s really about creating a sense of neighborhood, a sense of community and a sense of place.”

— SW CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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M A P & L O C AT I O N I N D E X

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CIT Y OFFICES 5F

City of Green Central Administration Building 8G City of Green Highway Division 8G City of Green Recycling Center

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FIRE/POLICE 5F 2C 3I 2C

Fire Station No. 1 Fire Station No. 2 Fire Station No. 3 Sheriff’s Office

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SCHOOLS 4F 5F 5F

Green High School Green Intermediate School Green Local Schools Board of Education 5F Green Middle School 4H Green Primary School 4H Greenwood Elementary School 4H Mayfair Christian School 5F Portage Lakes Career Center

PARKS 6H 8F 5F 2C 7G 7G 5F 7E 1B 3J 2I 6B 9E 9F 2E 5F 8C

Ariss Park/Dog Park Boettler Park Central Park East Liberty Park Green Youth Complex Greensburg Park John Torok Community Center Kleckner Park Knapp Recreation Area Kreighbaum Park Myersville Fen Nimisila Reservoir Metro Park Singer Lake Preserve Southgate Park Spring Hill Sports Complex Veterans Memorial Park YMCA Camp Y-Noah

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GOLF COURSES 1E 2H 3H 5H 2A

Chenoweth Golf Course Mayfair Golf & Country Club Ohio Prestwick Country Club Raintree Golf and Event Center Turkeyfoot Lake Golf Links

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CEMETERIES 2D East Liberty Cemetery 7E Greensburg Cemetery 6D Klinefelter Cemetery

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OTHER 5F

Akron-Summit Public Library Green Branch 5G Cleveland Clinic Akron General Emergency Department/Health & Wellness Center 6G Post Office 4G Summa Emergency Department 4F YMCA

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CITY OF GREEN

BY THE NUMBERS

LOCATION Southern Summit County with three interchanges along I-77.

AKRON ➤ 11.4 mi CANTON ➤ 14.6 mi CLEVELAND ➤ 47.1 mi COLUMBUS ➤ 130 mi PITTSBURGH, PA ➤ 116 mi WHEELING, WV ➤ 99.4 mi YOUNGSTOWN ➤ 56.4 mi

POPULATION*

27,475 50% Male 50% Female

29.7%

37%

Families with Children Under 18 Years Old

Residents with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Median Age* =

42

INCOME 75.6k

$

Median Household Income

PROPERTY Median Value Owner-Occupied = Units Average Household Size = Total = Housing Units

201,000

$

2.58

10,870

FORM OF GOVERNMENT STRONG MAYOR/COUNCIL SOURCES: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2010 U.S. CENSUS; AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY 2014-2018 *POPULATION ESTIMATES PROGRAM, 2019

CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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GREEN SCENE

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Come Out and Play!

Adaptive playground equipment and improvements at Boettler Park make it a welcome space for children with special needs. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE » SLIDES, SWINGS AND OTHER PLAYGROUND features that children love to climb might be fun and games for many — but a real challenge for young ones with special needs. For example, moving a wheelchair across mulch is no easy task.

But unless your child is facing some of these challenges, you might not think about how important it is to have sensory features on the playground or a fence surrounding the space so parents and children can feel safe.

So, when the city of Green parks board approved an adaptive playground for Boettler Park, it convened a focus

group of parents who have children with developmental challenges, autism and other special needs. “We gathered input and were intentional about engaging parents of kids who have special needs so we could come up with a really good playground that is well-used and much appreciated by the community,” says Councilman Rocco Yeargin, who reached out to parent mentor Rebecca Anstine, who provides support to families in the school district’s special education program.

“They gave us a draft, and we were able to provide ideas,” Anstine says, relating

how parents pointed out the need for boundaries with a fence, ramps to help children access the top of slides and swings that children can get in and out of without a lot of assistance.

Efforts to engage special needs families stems from the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, which formed twoand-a-half years ago, Yeargin says, as an

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2045 Franks Pkwy, Uniontown, OH 44685 14

“We have seen a huge spike in attendance at our parks as people have come to really appreciate the outdoors.”

effort to involve more community members in decision-making. The Boettler Park adaptive playground is one of 13 parks in the city, says Michael Elkins, administrator of parks planning and development. And, because the city’s charter grants the parks division 7% of the city’s collected 2% income tax, “how we are funded is the backbone for the options our community

enjoys in the parks system.”

Elkins adds, “We have seen a huge spike in attendance at our parks as people have come to really appreciate the outdoors.”

Improvements and additions to Boettler Park include sensory features like chimes and a wall of colorful drums. Plus, there’s a dignity slide that is a popular play feature, Elkins says. “If a child with mobility issues

— Michael Elkins

with assistance from an adult climbs to the top of the stairs and comes down, the end of the slide has a wide opening so the child can slide over, which allows friends or others playing to go down,” he describes.

A front-facing swing allows parents and children to engage. “How many times as a parent are you swinging a child, pushing them from behind, and you miss that faceto-face interaction?” Elkins relates.

Fencing around the park creates the boundaries Anstine described. She says, “Parents say it is fantastic to go there and just feel safe and secure knowing their child can play at the park.”

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CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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SCHOOLS

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Inclusive Education Green Local Schools and the Portage Lakes Career Center strive to provide all students with opportunities to succeed.

Parent Mentor Project

Portage Lakes Career Center

Portage Lakes Career Center

» GREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS (GLS) and Portage Lakes Career Center (PLCC) strive to provide educational opportunities for each and every student.

Krista Haubert, marketing and public relations coordinator at PLCC, Rebecca Anstine, parent mentor for GLS, and Julie McMahan, coordinator of communications, community outreach and student wellness at GLS, explain how.

Hands-on Learning

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“Taking a career tech program helps them discover their passion and gives them a more focused direction after high school.”

— Krista Haubert

PLCC also offers adult education courses, accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and taught by certified instructors with real-life experience. Those interested may visit plcc.edu for a list of all available programs or follow PLCC on Facebook or Instagram for more information.

The Parent Mentor Project in Green secured a grant to create an inclusive cheer team. The Mighty Dawgs empowers students to create a school-based cheerleading program to bring together students with and without disabilities.

COURTESY GREEN LOCAL SCHOOLS / PORTAGE LAKES CAREER CENTER

At PLCC, courses center around hands-on learning that’s relevant to students’ future career goals, Haubert says.

“Too many high school students graduate without knowing what they want to do,” Haubert says. “Taking a career tech program helps them discover their passion and gives them a more focused direction after high school.”

Haubert adds that students can also earn industry-recognized certifications and licensures, giving them an advantage with prospective employers. PLCC opened its doors in 1977 and currently offers programs in automotive technology, cosmetology, en-

gineering and manufacturing, law and criminal justice, plumbing and pipefitting, prenursing, culinary arts and much more.

“Career tech education creates an engaging school environment where students can link traditional lessons to real-life applications that apply directly to students’ future careers, helping them feel more invested and see the value in their learning and education,” Haubert says.

The Parent Mentor Project within GLS began in 1991, and yet, McMahan refers to it as one of Green’s “hidden gems.”

Green has two parent mentors: Rebecca Anstine and Kevin Groen. The program provides resources and support to families who have students with disabilities.

“I’m hoping as we continue to move forward, that program becomes widely exposed,” McMahan says. “Many times, people don’t think about those with disabilities as minorities, and we want to make sure the inclusion is from top to bottom, from child to adult.”

Parent mentors point families in the direction of tutors, doctors and other support services, in addition to holding support groups. Parent mentors also educate school staff members with guideline updates and training.

“We help parents be more connected because a student with a family that’s involved tends to be more successful,” Anstine says.

McMahan adds that the parent mentors act as liaisons between families and the school district.

“Often, when parents have children with a disability, they are fearful of their student going to school for the first time,” McMahan says. “Rebecca and Kevin work closely with the families and schools to make sure all questions are addressed in ways the parents can understand.”

— SW

At a Glance

Green Local Schools

ALL-PRIVATE ROOMS with BATHROOM Now Offering On-Site Dialysis for Short-Term Patients

Green Local Schools is categorized as a suburban district of 33 square miles and is one of Green’s largest employers with more than 525 employees.

24/7 Professional Skilled Nursing Physical, Speech & Occupational Therapies Short-Term Rehab • WiFi Access Flat Screen TVs • Customized Meal Plans

Number of Students

by Building (2021-22) Green High School (9-12): 1,293 Green Middle School (7-8): 658 Green Intermediate School (4-6): 907 Green Primary School (1-3): 862 Greenwood ELC (PreK-K): 257

708 Moore Road, Green, OH 44319

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330.409.0345

97.7% Five-year graduation rate 77.3% Teachers who have a master’s degree 16: Average years of experience 70% Funding received that is spent on classroom instruction

72 Students who are active participants in the JROTC Air Force program, nearly double in size from 2020-21

Green High School Class of 2021

126 Completed

www.donamarc.com • 330-896-4949 569 E. Turkeyfoot Lake Road, Green, OH ½ Mile West of Arlington Road

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GreenVillageSNR.com

Total Water Service • Drinking Water Systems, Bottled Water, Water Softeners, Carbon Filters, Iron & Sulphur Filters, Well Drilling & Pumps • Complete Water Systems Store – Bottled Water Delivery – Salt Delivery Service • Free Water Testing & Analysis

criteria for an Honors Diploma

32 Earned the Seal of Biliteracy 43 Inducted into the Academic Wall of Fame

14 Athletes “signed” to continue their athletic careers at colleges and universities

Portage Lakes Career Center Enrollment 2021-22 Total Enrollment: 591 Juniors from Green: 112 Seniors from Green: 86

Class of 2020-21

3.4% Entered an apprenticeship 76.2% Employed related to their program 5.1% Joined the military 33.2% Enrolled in post-secondary education

New high school program offerings in 2021-22:

Teaching quality dance in the Green/Akron area since 1960 DiannaDurkinDance.com

• Law & Criminal Justice • Medical Technician

New Adult Education Programs: • Plumbing • Manufacturing Technologies

Open to the Public:

• Neon Lime, the Culinary Arts student-run restaurant, as well as two salons, reopened to the public in October.

767 East Turkeyfoot Lake Road, Akron, OH 44319 (330) 896-2364 dddancestudio@yahoo.com

CityofGreen.org ✦ 330-896-5500

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Love

F E AT U R E

of the

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Land

Local farmers highlight their passion for carrying on Green’s legacy as a farming community.

By Kristen Hampshire

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Merestead Farms

Hartong Farm

COURTESY MERESTEAD FARM / SOUTHGATE FARM

t Southgate Farm’s Little Sprouts camp, preschoolers help collect eggs, feed chicks, visit with the goats and dig in the gardens. They get a taste for what it’s like to love the land — to discover, hands-on, how food is grown.

This is just one outreach program the farm offers, and a commitment to delivering community engagement and education is part of the 10-year lease agreement Rachel Bellis and her husband, Justin Turner, made with the city when they acquired the property one year ago.

Centered on Green’s Southgate Park, the property hadn’t been farmed in some time.

Its wells were in good working order and its outbuildings — the barn, home — were in fine shape. It was an ideal way for Bellis and Turner to pursue their dream of operating a farm of their own.

“I moved here for this opportunity,” says Bellis, relating that those who have roots in the city would appreciate that there’s a resident-farmer working the land. “Especially as we see more development happening, this is green space.”

Matt Hartong, who runs the family’s Hartong Farm on Killinger Road, says, “People like to see preservation along with progress,” and there is a balance in Green despite its continual growth. He’s been working on the dairy farm since age 5 and is one of four generations of Hartongs currently on the farm.

Hartong’s grandfather, Dean, is 94 and still drives the tractor from time to time.

His father, Dennis, takes the 3 a.m. shift in the dairy barns. And his children, ages 3 and 4, are growing up on one of Green’s oldest farms. The cornerstone on the barn is inscribed with “1911,” and the 500 acres of land includes 130 cows that are milked twice daily and land where grain grows to feed the animals.

Green originally was a farming community, and as Matt Beese of Merestead Farms says, “There aren’t many of us left.”

He adds, “Green is our home and always will be.” Centered on visible acreage in town, Merestead Farms is a rural reminder of Green’s roots. “It symbolizes what Green once was,” Beese says.

BUSHELS OF PRIDE

DAVID SCHWARTZ

For 107 years, the Beese family has been farming the land at Merestead Farms, which was established in 1814 when it transitioned from a coal mine site for Lakeview Mine, where Beese’s great-great grandfather was superintendent. The family purchased the property after the mine closed; and the Beese family still has maps of the tunnels that run 120 feet underneath where corn and soybeans are grown on the fertile surface today.

“Small hamlets is what Green was back in the day,” Beese says, relating how the city was divided into sections of land that were numbered. Theirs is Section 17.

Beese took over the farm operations 12 years ago with a mind to grow the operation, which he has accomplished by leasing land in and around Green. The city is mostly surrounded by wide, open space. He has expanded the operation through land leases from 500 to 1,200 acres during the last decade.

“I grow my own hay, we have a full-care barn and boarding stables, and we focus on production agriculture,” he says.

Merestead Farms produces about 80,000 bushels of corn per year that is stored on site for up to eight months, then sold to an eleva-

tor in Massillon. End users produce ethanol or chicken feed. The 25,000 to 30,000 bushels of soybeans grown on-site are also sold to an elevator that ships to chicken feed producers.

For Beese, production farming is his passion — and so is keeping the family tradition alive. “It means a lot to me to say I farm in Green,” he says.

LAND OF LEGACY

The Hartong last name is on the barn at Southgate Farm, and Hartong says “it’s fantastic to see the lovely farm market and that

We did a gardeners walk earlier this year where guests could come and ask questions while touring the farm. I want people to think of Southgate as their farm.” — Rachel Bellis

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Hartong Farm

mainly for the purpose of growing grain to feed the cows. “We have a lot of good neighbors who care about the legacy of farming in Green, and they might let us farm their properties and charge us per acre, per year,” he explains.

Hartong Farm typically ships 16,000 pounds of milk every two days. At about 8 pounds per gallon, that’s enough milk to fill about 2,000 jugs. “Working with animals is incredibly rewarding,” Hartong says.

THE CHAPEL IN GREEN

“Cows are big animals, and they are pretty intimidating to a lot of people, but we have a lot of cows in our barn that act like pets.

They like to come up to you and get a good scratch on the head.”

Ultimately, a connection to Green and its land — an appreciation of the farming legacy — is what drives Hartong, Beese and Bellis to sow, toil, milk, harvest and share their love of community. “As long as I’m alive,” Beese says, “I’ll keep farming.”

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someone is taking care of that farm.”

Southgate is different than the Hartong dairy farm or row-crop focus at Merestead.

As a new farm in Green, its focus is on growing organic produce that is sold on-site and at the North Canton Farmers Market in season. Southgate also has a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

“The city is a partner to me, so we engage the public beyond a pure customer relationship,” Bellis says. Because many people do not have the type of deep connection with the land that farmers enjoy, Southgate is an opportunity to expose visitors to growing and caring for plants and animals.

“We partnered with a local educator to offer some preschool programming, and we hold adult workshops,” Bellis says, noting that slated for spring is a How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms workshop. In October, the farm hosted a pumpkin patch on Saturdays. “We also did a gardeners walk earlier this year, where guests could come and ask questions while touring the farm.”

Bellis adds, “I want people to think of Southgate as their farm.”

Hartong also takes advantage of lease land opportunities in Green. The farm owns 200 acres and leases about 300,

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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Community & Commerce

COURTESY CAM INC

Development initiatives and business-friendly practices have created an attractive package for the city’s growing selection of office, retail and industrial parks. BY KRISTEN HAMPSHIRE

» “YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT a pin in the map right here,” was what Ohio Sen. Kirk Schuring told Bill Wappler, president of Surgere, when the company was seeking places to locate its business. Surgere provides supply chain solutions for some of the world’s largest companies, including Timken.

In 2004, Wappler and four others started Surgere at his kitchen table in North Canton.

“We started as consultants in an industry that hadn’t awakened yet, and we deliver very sophisticated data collection — what they call IoT,” Wappler explains. “Right away, Timken trusted us, and we started off rapidly.”

Today, Surgere has a staff of about 100 people located throughout the U.S., with

subsidiaries in India. Since deciding on Green for its headquarters, the business has more than tripled.

“We are thinking about expanding our operations in Green, and there is a lot happening for us,” Wappler says of the success of its site at the CAM Inc. property, Akron/ Canton Corporate Center I, 3500 Massillon Road.

Surgere considered many locations, including the West Coast; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; and Nashville, Tennessee — progressive urban centers.

But they couldn’t compete with the assets Green offered.

Specifically, Green offers a wide talent

pool with proximity to colleges and universities where recruiting can take place.

There’s the airport access and three highway exits off of Interstate 77. Cost of living is “incredible” compared to other locations Surgere investigated, Wappler says.

“People are really comfortable living in this area. Their kids are going to great schools, they have access to wonderful amenities, and our people don’t have to drive two hours one way to get to work.”

In fact, attracting employees from the coasts is relatively easy, Wappler says. “All of these benefits make our employees happy, and it allows them to balance work and life,” he says.

Growing Together

people who live anywhere from Stow and Massillon to Fairlawn,” says Traci Mockbee, CAM Inc.’s vice president of sales. “We have been blessed with the Green location to draw from a large area. We don’t have the traffic, and parking is free.”

Rebadow adds, “Green has been identified as a job hub for the state of Ohio — one of the hot spots for attracting talent, and a lot of companies are looking at that as an opportunity, as well.”

Wappler says, “If you are going to select a place to have a business, a big part of it is who you can hire, and Green has given us a lot of opportunities for that.”

Meanwhile, development has supported amenities like the schools — along with community growth by bringing retail, restaurants and other conveniences. For example, CAM Inc.’s the Shops of Green includes Menche’s Bros. Restaurant, Lucky Star and KeyBank.

“When we originally started Akron/Canton Corporate Park, we put Shops of Green in there because there were services we felt were important to have — a bank, restaurants,” Traci Mockbee says. “Since then, Green has matured and has any service that residents and employees could want.”

Focused on the Future

Green and its business sector have grown together. Bill Sadataki, managing member of SB Equities that has the lease-hold on Port Green, has lived in the community for 20 years. He has watched its residential and commercial evolution.

“The city has done a great job of providing the right atmosphere and amenities for people who are business users,” Sadataki says. “They need a good place to operate their business. And, when you drive through Green, it conveys a very progressive, fresh image that, frankly, you don’t get in a lot of communities that large industrial users are considering. They tend to be in areas that are fairly built-up and older, or extremely rural.”

There’s a symbiotic community-business relationship, adds Rick Rebadow, vice president of business development at CAM Inc. “For employers who are here, it’s a great residential community with great schools and access to the airport, so they can attract employees to their offices.”

Not to mention, businesses can draw employees from a wide geographic region.

“We have an employee who lives in Carrollton and another one who lives in Paris —

Because Green has been a friendly place to develop real estate opportunities and do business, companies like CAM Inc. are investing even more into the area.

“Green has been very involved and competitive with incentives, whether it be job creation or tax credits, and they’ve always been cooperative,” says Jeff Mockbee, president of CAM Inc. This has allowed developers like CAM Inc.

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“People are really comfortable living in this area. Their kids are going to great schools, they have access to wonderful amenities, and our people don’t have to drive two hours one way to get to work.”

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to build properties that attract new businesses to Green. “If you are competing against another product in a different community that might have less expensive land, Green’s incentives will help offset those costs,” Mockbee says.

CAM Inc. has 22 sites in Green and is currently developing Heritage Crossings and continuing projects at Akron/Canton Corporate Park. “We have plans for more office and retail development,” Rebadow says.

On the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) property, there is the Port Jackson Industrial Park and Port Green International Business Park. Port Green, specifically, includes about 400 acres, including common areas. Phase I is about 85% occupied, and there is a lot of room for business attraction in Phase II, which is approximately 15% occupied.

Bill Wappler, Surgere

“One of the strengths of this park is it’s home to household-name companies like Sam’s Club, Walmart, DHL Logistics and FedEx,” Sadataki says.

From the beginning, Port Green has attracted blue-chip global companies, which was the intention, Sadataki says. “The goal was to develop institutional-quality real estate that could be either owner-occupied or would be attractive to investment buyers,” he says.

Because of the companies located at Port Green, major international business players are drawn to the location, Sadataki points out. “When companies are doing site location searches, there is a high comfort level that goes with seeing names like FedEx or DHL,” he relates. “That reinforces their opinion when they see other businesses that are well-known for their site selection capabilities, and they are all in one area. It really tells you something.”

Large parcels available in Phase III of Port Green will be occupied quickly, Sadataki estimates. “There has been explosive growth in last-mile distribution for companies like Amazon, and the overall economy continues to gain stability so we will get back on track with other projects.”

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