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Norton OKs purchase of Metro Parks property



NORTON — Norton City Council voted May 13 in favor of purchasing five parcels of property owned by Summit Metro Parks.
According to city officials, the property consists of 140 acres that are not contiguous but are located near each other in the area with Fairland Road to the east, South Cleveland-Massillon Road to the west, Eastern Road to the south and Union Street to the north. The city will pay $1.26 million to Summit Metro Parks for the property.
Council is also considering legislation associated with the property that includes rezoning four of the five parcels from residential to industrial. One of the parcels is already zoned industrial, according to city officials. Council had a public hearing on the rezoning at the meeting and no one spoke for or against it. Council will have two more readings on the legislation for the rezoning before voting on it, according to Councilman Jack Gainer (Ward 1).
For the past few weeks, residents who live near the property have voiced concerns the rezoning would decrease their property values.
City officials have said the rezoning would attract new business to the city.
Councilman Paul Tousley (Ward 4) was the sole member to vote against the purchase, citing the uncertainty about the kind of businesses that may want to locate there.
“This is one of the more difficult decisions that I’ve come across since I’ve been on Council because I see both sides,” he said. “I’m concerned about spending residents’ money with risks involved.”
He said the city is purchasing the property without having businesses lined up to move onto it. Despite his opposition vote, Tousley agreed he would still be “all on board” with this “great opportunity” and he would “work with the administration … to protect residents.”
Council President Joe Kernan (at large) said the purchase comes from a desire to see Norton prosper and catch up to the surrounding area.
“We’ve passed opportunities by so many times,” he said. “We can’t afford to do that anymore. Norton’s gotten left behind. It seems like every municipality around us has prospered.”
Kernan said should businesses move onto the parcels, it would “expand the tax base” and “take some of the [tax] burden off of the residents,” but he also said he is “willing to work with [residents] and take reasonable actions to help mitigate any difficulties they have with this.”
“The greater good of the City of Norton needs to prevail and we need to stop saying, ‘Well, we’ll do it the next time,’” he said.
Other Council members voiced their support of the purchase, including Councilwoman Charlotte Whipkey (at large), who said “this is our time to do something” in order to “invite business in. … It’s Norton’s turn to shine.”
Councilman Dan Karant (Ward 3) and Vice President Scott Pelot (at large) both expressed the need to be cautious about the use of the land, while Councilman Dennis McGlone (Ward 2) thanked the administration for its work in preparing for the purchase.
Gainer affirmed his support for “any development that’s legal and is good for the City of Norton.”
Council also agreed to borrow $800,000 for the purchase, with only Tousley voting against it.
Also during the meeting, Council approved a number of other ordinances, including one to raise the wages of certain city employees who either received further certification or are taking on more responsibilities in 2019. They include: the Council clerk, the administrative assistant and the service department manager.
Council also approved:
• an ordinance providing consent to the Ohio Department of Transportation to install an R-cut at the intersection of state Route 585 and Eastern Road;
• an agreement to board prisoners at the Barberton City Jail. Norton will split both use and cost with the City of Barberton and Copley Township;
• an hourly wage increase for part-time police officers, starting at $18.66 for officers with less than one year of service and capping at $23.51 after 15 years of completed service;
• an agreement with Environmental Design Group for engineering services related to improvements to Barber Road, not to exceed $55,000;
• an agreement with GDP Group for engineering services related to the 2019 Road Program, not to exceed $29,890; and
• a credit card policy for the city per a November 2018 mandate by the State of Ohio.
Mayor Mike Zita said the Twinbrooks Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Columbia Woods Park pavilion, 4060 Columbia Woods Drive.
Council will next meet for a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting May 20 and for its regular meeting May 28, a day later than usual due to Memorial Day, both at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Safety-Administration Building, located at 4060 Columbia Woods Drive.