Akron Ohio News - Sharon trustees open bids for Koontz Road culvert project

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Sharon trustees open bids for Koontz Road culvert project

7/5/2012 - West Side Leader

By Ariel Hakim

At their June 26 meeting, the Sharon Township Board of Trustees opened seven bids submitted to do improvements to culvert No. 3 on Koontz Road, which are expected to be complete before the end of October.

The project is to involve removal and partial salvage of the existing 4-by-4-foot concrete box culvert and installation of a new 54-inch reinforced concrete culvert, estimated by the Medina County Engineer’s Office to cost $137,313.

Bid totals ranged from $122,633 to $167,550. Trustees also received one additional bid, which trustees said was left sealed since the envelope did not contain a return address. Trustee Ray Lurtz said all eight bids would be turned over to the Medina County Engineer’s Office for review.

Medina County Civil Engineer Dan Becker said at a previous trustees’ meeting the culvert, which was built in the 1930s and is located about halfway down Koontz Road, is starting to fail. The project was approved to be funded by Issue No. 1 funds, he added, which means the state will fund 75 percent of the cost of the project, leaving the township responsible for the remaining amount.

In other business, trustees discussed the planned expansion of SFS intec Inc., located on Portside Drive just off state Route 18, and potential property tax abatement.

As the “largest single-site taxpayer in the Highland Local Schools District,” the business is planning to double in size and add a number of employees, noted Lurtz.

Starting in November 1997, the business was the first to receive a full tax abatement from the township, he added.

SFS intec Inc. is a global supply partner, manufacturer and supplier of precision cold-formed components, special fasteners and mechanical fastening systems, according to the business’ North American website. Headquartered in Switzerland, the Sharon Township arm was granted full tax abatement for 10 years and partial tax abatement for an additional four years, said trustees.

With the expansion, they are asking for a full tax abatement from the township again, said Lurtz.

Trustee Kimberly Bolas Miller said SFS currently has 73 permanent employees with plans to add another 100 permanent full-time positions during the next four to five years.

Lurtz added he asked for reports from the Sharon Fire Department regarding incidences at the business, and trustees reviewed the reports during the meeting, which spanned the past 10 years.

His interest in the Fire Department reports, Lurtz said, was to help determine if the business has cost the township money.

Though only one actual fire was reported when a machine caught fire, there have been several incidences of unintentional alarms, he noted.

Trustees agreed that in considering new tax abatements, they would like to review more figures regarding how much the businesses would benefit financially if granted. Also, trustees may consider partial abatement, said Bolas Miller.

Lurtz added he believes only the new construction would be eligible for abatement, as the business would continue paying full taxes on the existing portion. Also, the decision is not entirely dependent on trustees, he noted. The abatement would need to be approved by the Medina County commissioners and either the township or Highland Local School District officials, he said.

Trustees plan to meet with business officials next month, said Lurtz.

In other business, trustees:

• noted they received a letter from Alex Karwowski asking for donations of time, materials and equipment for his Eagle Scout project involving building and placing a “Welcome to Sharon Township” sign on state Route 94 near the intersection of state Route 18. Trustees said they would donate eight hours of backhoe use and operation as well as gravel and/or sand. Trustees also said they would request that Karwowski visit a trustees’ meeting again in person regarding his project;

• approved a resolution to renew a contract with Anthem for health care coverage offered to full-time employees and elected officials in the township for $6,405 per month;

• approved increasing liability insurance coverage with the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority from $3 million to $5 million. The township’s premium was $34,284 annually for coverage and will increase by $3,545 with the added coverage, said Fiscal Officer Anita Haas;

• said they have received five applications from residents interested in serving on the Architectural Review Board. Lurtz noted the new board will have five members, including one person appointed from the township’s Zoning Commission. Trustees said they will review the applications and make appointments to the board at their next regular meeting;

• discussed constructing a new sign to replace the one in front of the Fire Department;

• noted FirstMerit Bank in Sharon, slated to close Aug. 18, would like to donate its furniture to nonprofit organizations in the township. Bolas Miller said interested parties should contact her at 330-764-7282. Donations will be made July 25 at 7 p.m. by appointment only, she said; and

• reviewed a proposal created by resident Richard Aughenbaugh pertaining to having Frontier Communications raise the wires around Sharon Circle by 3 feet higher to “improve the aesthetic value of the circle,” he said. The proposal also included removing a pole by the gazebo and replacing poles on the east and west sides of the circle for $4,913. No decision was made.

Trustees next will meet July 10 at 7 p.m. in the Administration Building on Sharon Circle.

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