Page A4
Lorain County Community Guide
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Wellington mayor, superintendent: village in good standing CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
WELLINGTON — Wellington’s schools and village administration remain in good standing, according to the State of the Village presentation March 23. Last year was not without its challenges, however, said Village Manager Jonathan Greever. Those included the sudden death of Water and Wastewater Superintendent Greg Frenk on Feb. 26, 2022, and a fire at the water treatment facility in the fall that destroyed half the plant. The fire started in the early evening of Sept. 26, Greever said, spreading from the basement garage. The fire remains under investigation, he said. But in the hours after the fire was contained, the village was able to resume water supply after only 12 hours, he said. And during those 12 hours down, the village used a water pump trailer to tap into Rural Water. Late in 2022, demolition was completed on the remains of the building, and the remediation costs exceeded $250,000. Projected costs to reconstruct the facility is more than $1 million. But despite those challenges, 2022 was not a total loss. The village’s forecast revenue was up by about $200,000 — at $2.6 million compared with the $2.4 million projected. Utility costs also were lower than budgeted. The village also distributed the final half of its American Rescue Plan Act funds: ● $237,630 allocated to the police department. ● $102,250 allocated to the Reservoir Sluice Gate replacement project. ● $72,711 allocated for the Upground Reservoir
CARISSA WOYTACH | The Community Guide
Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider hugs Tom Guyer after giving him and his wife, Brandi Guyer, a key to the Village. The Guyers’ son, Drew, died suddenly in 2013 and since then the pair have been heavily involved in keeping their son’s memory alive driveway replacement and widening project. ● $71,000 allocated to the Line Abandonment project. ARPA funds must be obligated by December 2024 and spent by 2026. The village’s general fund cash balance has continued to grow since 2016 — now at about $2.8 million. Greever also touched on ongoing upgrades to Wellington Community Park. Those include a new municipal building under construction to house park equipment and provide storage for youth sports on-site. The building is expected to be completed later this spring. Wellington also partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to make improvements to the Upground Reservoir, including tree removal per the state’s
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Lorain County Absolute Tillable Land Auction Thursday, April 6th - 5:30PM 2 Parcels – Good Drainage High Percentage Tillable
Auction will be held at the Brighton Park Pavilion 21451 State Route 511, Wellington, OH.
+ 110 ACRES SCAN HERE TO STAY UP TO DATE
Property is located on Peck Wadsworth Road. From Brighton take State Route 511 North then turn left on Peck Wadsworth Road. Watch for RES signs.
Andy White 419-651-2152 – Joseph Mast – Mary Hartley – Seth Andrews, Broker
833-SOLD-RES / RES.BID
directive to improve the dam’s structural integrity. Village workers are in the process of updating the municipality’s wastewater treatment plan’s UV disinfection system, which looks to kill microorganisms like E. coli with specific wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Wellington’s previous system was obsolete, Greever said, necessitating the upgrades. Workman Industries won the project, bidding about $562,000. The project is set to be completed next month. The village also completed several roadway resurfacing projects, and there are more in the works for 2023. Looking to the future, Mayor Hans Schneider said changes are coming to the downtown district. The old locust trees had overgrown their wells, cracking sidewalks and blocking buildings. It
forced their removal about a year ago. Since then, the village had discussed other tree options and settled on the Princeton Sentry gingko, Princess Diana serviceberry, and Autumn Brilliance serviceberry. The three species, 30 trees in total, will be mixed throughout downtown. He also highlighted upgrades to the police station. In 2022, the village issued bonds to cover the costs and broke ground in the spring. The estimated completion is August.
Wellington Schools
Superintendent Ed Weber said the district has had seven years of steady improvement, and district officials hope to create more robust course offerings in the next four-year
plan. The small district hopes to create multiple pathways for its students to walk across the stage at graduation, ready for college or a career. That includes adding a performing arts pathway for students, with academic courses to pair with existing programs at the Patricia Lindley Performing Arts Center. Wellington Schools plans to complete a curriculum audit, outside of its addition of Advanced Placement and career tech programming, to do a more “in depth” study on where the district’s offerings stand, Weber said. Treasurer Mark Donnelly said the schools’ revenue is up, but Wellington Schools — like other districts — is keeping an eye on Ohio House Bill 1. Now in committee in the Ohio House, HB1 looks to change or elimi-
nate the homestead and property tax rollbacks the state pays, he said. He estimated that would mean a roughly 10 percent increase in local property taxes, and a potential cut to the district’s tax revenue. He said the schools have exhausted all Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, which provided for a summer school program, Chromebooks and other expenses. According to Wellington Schools’ current fiveyear forecast submitted to the Ohio Department of Education in the fall, the district is projected to remain fiscally solvent through about 2025, when its expenses are expected to start outpacing its revenue. But spending against its cash balance, the district is still projecting to remain in the black well past 2027.
TRACTORS FROM A1
said he plans to attend Lorain County Community College then will try to get into the business. “I can’t really see myself doing anything else, but land is so expensive ... seed and fertilizer are ridiculous right now. Like I said, the tractors are super expensive,” he said. “Unless you’ve inherited and your family has been doing it for generations, it’s really hard to get started in it.” On the other end of the farming spectrum is Garrett. He drove his great-grandfather’s John Deere Model 80 tractor, purchased brand new in 1956 from the Amherst Elevator for $5,100. He’s a seventh generation farmer and has helped on the family farm his entire life. “I hope to work on the family farm when I’m older and continue it to the next generations,” he said. The Schlechter Brothers farm on Baird Road, just one road west of Firelands High School, is the height of diversification, Garrett’s family has a farm market where they sell everything from pumpkins, cornstalks, and flowers in the fall, beef and pork and, in the spring, maple syrup. The biggest advantage he sees for the future is population growth. “There is a good future ahead for us with rising populations and more people eating better food,” he said. Garrett’s thoughts on the future of farming were obliterated as another class of school children arrived at the line of tractors and were participating in a scavenger hunt to BRUCE BISHOP | The Community Guide learn about the farming implements. Josh Kovach, 17 of Henrietta Twp. in a $700,000 And for those students who missed question No. 8? The John Deere tractor owned by the farmers he oldest tractor was an International, built in 1947. works for.
CLASSIFIEDS PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on March 13 and March 20, 2023. The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Breanna Dull @ 204-2050 (Breanna_ Dull@cityoflorain.org). The following summary of legislation passed has been reviewed/ approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws. 3/13/23 Ord. 44-23* Auth S/S Dir to enter into an agreement for the sale/option of real property located in the Colorado Ave Industrial Park. 45-23 Amending Section 15.5.3 (Judges) of Ordinance 53-21. 46-23* Appropriation (2023 Budget) 3/20/23- 47-23 Amending Ord. 43-20, auth S/S Dir to enter into an agreement w/ International City Youth Baseball for Campana
Park. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.) L.C.C.G. 3/30/23 20717338 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO EAST ERIE AVENUE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS CITY OF LORAIN ENGINEERING EPARTMENT Sealed bids will be received by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM, April 17th, 2023, Lorain time, Law Department, Lorain City Hall 3rd Floor. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, April 17, 2023 Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. COMPLETION DATE: August 31, 2023 Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier’s Check or Letter of Credit equal to
ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bond for the full amount of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and a performance bond properly secured. Should any bid be rejected, such instrument will be forthwith returned upon proper execution of a contract. Cash deposits will not be accepted. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured online at www.cityoflorain.org Each bidder must insure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American Disabilities Act. All federal minority business enterprise and women business enterprise requirements shall be met. All contractors and subcontractors involved with the project will to the extent practicable use Ohio products, materials, services and labor in the implementation of
their project. Bidders must be listed on the ODOT prequalified list for highway construction. Bidders shall submit a list of available equipment, and labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor Davis Bacon requirements for Lorain County, Ohio. NO BID WILL BE OPENED WITHOUT THE CERTIFICATION OF QUALIFICATION OR THE ACCEPTABLE LETTER OF APPLICATION ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE AS DIRECTED. The Director of Safety/Service reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. A Pre-Construction meeting will be scheduled on site prior to the beginning of construction. By order of the Director of Public Safety/ Service C.T. 3/30; 4/6/23 20717576