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Conneaut Township Park Shuts Down Following Death of Superintendent

The gates stayed open at Conneaut Township Park in early 2018, but vehicular traffic was banned following the sudden death from pneumonia in December, 2017, of Park Superintendent Bruce Mitchell. “We don’t have any other employees, so basically, we’re shutting the park down,” said Township Park Board of Trustees President Gary Coxon. Seasonal employees are not back on the job until March. 

 No Snow Maintenance Levy Allowed on Local Ballot
Following Conneaut’s three-foot snowfall on Dec. 25, 2017, City Council members at their first 2018 work session considered a levy to allocate funds for snow removal. The heavy snowstorm had cost the city $50,000 to $60,000 over what was budgeted for 2018, due to 441.5 hours of overtime for Public Works employees. But the idea was scrapped after Conneaut Finance Director John Williams learned that a “snow maintenance” levy would have to go on the ballot as a Public Works levy. Conneaut City Manager Jim Hockaday favors a change in state allocation of dollars for snow removal – with assistance from ODOT on state highways inside the city – but he is not optimistic.

 New At-Large Councilman Nick Perkoski Named Council President ProTem

At its first work session of 2018, Conneaut City Council elected new at-large Councilman Nick Perkoski to a two-year term as President ProTem. Conneaut City Council President Debbie Newcomb established a first Monday 5:30 p.m. work session each month, and two televised 7 p.m. meetings the second and fourth Mondays.

 New Owner for Perkins Restaurant
The Jan. 16 sale of Perkins Restaurant in Conneaut for $7.8 million to 5171 Campbell’s Land Company, of Monroeville, Pa., during a bankruptcy court proceeding in Erie County, Pa., was good news for Perkins employees. The restaurant was among 28 Perkins Restaurants purchased in 2006 by Unique Ventures Group in Meadville, Pa., which sought bankruptcy protection.
PHOTO:  New Comprehensive Plan Is Approved (PHOTO PAGE 1 JAN 25 COURIER)
CT Consultants’ Kris Hopkins leafs through the final draft of Conneaut’s newest Comprehensive Plan, approved at the final Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meeting Jan. 16 at New Leaf Event Center. The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee had met almost monthly starting in May, 2017, with two public hearings for input with regard to economic development, along with downtown and lakefront development in the city. Following the Advisory Committee approval, the plan got the okay from the Conneaut Planning Commission and then Conneaut City Council.

Resident Challenges Local Income Tax 1040 Filing Requirements
Per a recommendation by the Ohio Municipal League, the City of Conneaut mandated that local income tax filers attach Federal Forms 1040 or 1040EZ to their 2017 tax returns to be in line with Ohio House Bill 5. This rankled some taxpayers who said the city had no right to the personal information included on Forms 1040 and 1040EZ.  Local resident and tax-preparer Tom Kaiser protested in front of Conneaut City Council Feb. 27, saying that his reading of House Bill 5 showed that it permitted, but did not mandate, attaching federal Forms 1040 and 1040EZ to municipal income tax returns.

Kori Campbell Chosen Conneaut Chamber’s 2017 Citizen of the Year
Her tireless efforts to bring public awareness to Ashtabula County’s opiate epidemic through Elevation Drug Awareness, and her years of community service earned Kori Marcy Campbell the Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce’ 2017 Citizen of the Year Award. The third generation of the Marcy family to be so honored, Campbell is active in Conneaut Rotary Club and Project Pride; Animal Protective League; Ashtabula County Drug and Alcohol Coalition; and has helped in extraordinary ways families in time of need at the family’s Marcy Funeral Home. Other honorees at Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Feb. 27 were El Alamo Restaurant, Leadership Award; Breakwall Barbeque, President’s Award; Stephanie Gildone, Professional Achievement Award; and Arnie Esterer, Legacy Award. Keynote speaker was Greg Myers, executive director of Growth Partnership Ashtabula County.

Kevin Lemmo Named Township Park Superintendent
Kevin Lemmo’s dream of someday taking care of Conneaut Township Park became a reality in mid-March, when he was hired to succeed the late Bruce Mitchell as park superintendent. Lemmo, who grew up in Conneaut, was eager to use his skills in construction (he built his own house) and heavy machine operation and maintenance while working out-of-doors in an environment he loved. “I look forward to keeping clean and nice what I think is Conneaut’s biggest asset,” he said. Township Park Board President Gary Coxon said, “Kevin has the expertise and the enthusiasm to make Conneaut Township Park even better. We hope he’ll be here for a long time.”

 Janet Rager-Brown Named City’s Planning & Zoning Manager
Two-year part-time Conneaut Planning and Zoning Office inspector Janet Rager-Brown was named full-time Planning & Zoning Manager by Conneaut City Manager Jim Hockaday in March, besting 50 applicants. Expanding the position to full-time due to development in the city, Hockaday called Brown a “self-starter” who is eager to learn and improve her knowledge and departmental processes.”  Brown’s staff includes part-time inspectors Melanie Shubitowski and Kelly Katon.

Conneaut Foundation Steps Back from Awarding Grants to Review Priorities
Conneaut Foundation President Mike Joslin said that the non-profit community foundation is alive and well, but was stepping back from its annual grant cycle in 2018 to review how it is investing in the city and ways to improve. Conneaut Foundation had granted over $500,000 to area non-profits since its founding 20 years ago with a $1 million donation by University Hospitals Health Systems upon its merger with Brown Memorial Hospital in Conneaut

Jade Hale Named New Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce Director.
Conneaut born-and-raised Jade Hale was named executive director of the Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 19, following the resignation three months prior of Wendy DuBey. Jumping back into the work force after earning a Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University, Hale listed social media and computers, along with her knowledge of the area, as her strengths. She was introduced at the Chamber’s annual dinner a week later, and got up to speed running the Chamber’s annual Business Expo at the end of April.

LEAF Program Comes To An End
After 13 years, Conneaut’s ecumenical LEAF program that assisted homeowners with exterior and interior improvements came to an end. LEAF co-chair Jeff Raines explained that the decision had nothing to do with funding, but with a lack of volunteers. Typically, 100 volunteers from teens to adults from inside and outside the community set aside one week in July to complete up to 50 projects such as painting, ramps, roofing, doors, and windows. Homeowners applied for the work to be done and a committee approved requests based on the expertise of volunteers. LEAF (Loving Equally All Families) was started in 2005.