6/14/2012 - West Side Leader
     

Also, Council committee addresses Boston roads

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Proposals to regulate panhandling in Summit County townships are on hold after members of a Summit County Council committee questioned or disagreed with parts of the legislation June 11.

Council’s Rules Committee discussed the two ordinances put forth by County Executive Russ Pry and Councilman Nick Kostandaras (D-District 1). Kostandaras said he was motivated to do something to regulate panhandling after personal experiences with panhandlers and at the request of township officials from Bath.

Akron and Fairlawn have their own panhandling laws, but the county’s efforts would help townships such as Copley and Bath that are also seeing individuals engaging in the activity, especially in the Montrose area, Kostandaras said.

The first piece of legislation proposes that panhandlers register with the county’s Office of Consumer Affairs. They would be required to pay a $10 fee and provide two passport-size photos, government-issued identification, their Social Security card and a statement as to whether they have been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic offense. They would be issued an identification badge that they would be required to wear.

The second ordinance specifies what is prohibited in panhandling and states that a panhandler cannot be within 25 feet of intersections, entrances and exits for parking lots, bus stops, automatic teller machines, at gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, check-cashing businesses and self-service car washes.

It also states that a panhandler must wear a reflective safety vest and can panhandle from 9 a.m. to sunset.

Several committee members noted that some of the regulations appeared punitive. They also noted that laws in Akron and Fairlawn don’t require applicants to pay a fee or wear a safety vest.

“If I were a panhandler, I’d move into Akron,” said Councilwoman Paula Prentice (D-District 8) in regards to those requirements.

Kostandaras said he’s been told many panhandlers work for a company and earn money for their efforts. That assertion raised the ire of Councilwoman Tamela Lee (D-District 5), who asked Kostandaras if he had the name of the company.

“If there’s a company, that company is guilty of fraud and tax evasion,” she said. “If there is a company, we have to go after them.”

Councilwoman Ilene Shapiro (D-at large) said she’d like to see some kind of training offered to those who are resorting to panhandling, while Gloria Rodgers (R-District 3) said she thinks people have a right to give money to whomever they want.

Committee Chair Tim Crawford (D-District 7) asked members if they wanted to amend the proposed ordinances, but instead Prentice asked for time so that Council members have a chance to consider them. Also, Councilman John Schmidt (D-District 2) asked that the Prosecutor’s Office issue an opinion as to whether the proposed ordinances are constitutional.

In other business, the Planning and Economic Development Committee held final public hearings on the proposed vacations of Wetmore, Oak Hill and Stanford roads in Boston Township. The township has requested vacating the roads because of the expense to maintain them.

As in a previous hearing, Oak Hill Road, which has some structural problems due to a nearby stream, garnered the most discussion.

County Engineer Alan Brubaker said the best solution at this point is to close off the road to traffic in the township.

“We’re going to close the road as soon as we can,” said Joe Paradise, deputy director of engineering for the county.

Paul Stoehr, deputy superintendent of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, said he didn’t agree with vacating the road because it would be very difficult to re-establish the road in the future because it is through National Park land.

On Wetmore Road, concerns were raised by Cuyahoga Falls officials who said they would need to be able to turn around fire trucks and snowplows at the road’s end at the border of the two communities. The property in that area belongs to Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.

Paul Wilkerson, Metro Parks’ chief of planning and development, said the park district’s biologists would need time — anywhere from 90 to 180 days — to study the area for proposed construction of a paved turnaround to determine if any species would be harmed. That length of time was a concern of many Council members.

“We’re not talking about settling the national debt here; we’re talking about a turnaround,” said Kostandaras.

The committee moved to put on time the legislation regarding vacating Wetmore and Oak Hill roads for 90 days with a request for an update after 60 days. The committee did recommend Council adopt a resolution to close Stanford Road, which did not meet with any opposition during its public hearing.

Also Monday, the Committee of the Whole recommended Council adopt a resolution that allows the renewal levy for Summit County Children Services to be placed on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot.

In addition, the Public Safety Committee recommended Council adopt an ordinance that would make the owners of property where illegal drug manufacturing labs have been found to incur cleanup costs.

County Council will meet June 18 at 5 p.m. for caucus and 5:05 p.m. for the regular meeting in Council Chambers on the seventh floor of the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St.

• Akron Council addresses missing 19-year-old
• Old memories meet new era at Rotary Camp
• Falls Council OKs sale of State Road property
• Hindu temple welcomes public for opening celebrations
• Norton Council preparing opposition to Internet café bill
• Peninsula residents take Council to task for actions, behavior
• Boston still seeking sewer funding
• Richfield Village welcomes former mayor at meeting
• Granger fiscal officer retiring in July
• County Council OKs pay raises
• Seventh Neighbors Day Akron set for May 25
• Take Back Day a hit
• West Side News & Notes
• Green has new buyer for Belden Lodge
• Old memories meet new era at Rotary Camp
• Manchester Education Foundation formed
• Springfield officials hear passionate pleas about photos
• County Council OKs pay raises
• Coventry trustees move forward with demolitions
• Springfield applying for grants
• South Side News & Notes