Unfortunately, the upgrading of the City Green has run into a snag with the erection plans of a new pavilion and will not be completed in time for the city’s bicentennial celebration. Although the overall project will continue, the pavilion portion of the project, which includes the construction of the pavilion, its furnishings and landscaping, has been stalled.
The city went out to bid on the pavilion recently and, although several companies picked up bid packages, only one company submitted a bid. That bid was higher than the estimate by the City Engineer of about $620,000. The bid that was submitted came in at $777,000,which was over the ten percent cap above the estimate. That bid had to be rejected.
“I think that the time frame we gave was too short,” said Mayor Bob Stefanik regarding the number of companies that actually bid. “We won’t get it done before July, but I think construction should take place this year, after the Harvest Fest.”
Community Development Director Tom Jordan said that “the other issue was that it was the week after Easter too. It’s hard to get people, with people taking the week off. I think the timing as well as not getting the project done before summer planned activities was tight for any contractor.” Jordan said that the pavilion will be rebid within the next two or three weeks. The other aspects of the City Green update continue.
The $125,000 grant that the city recently received from the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) will fund the upgrade to the electrical system. The city has hired an electrical engineer, who will design the electrical improvements that are safe and cost effective. Jordan said that he expects that design to be completed in the next few weeks. If there is money left from that upgrade, it will help fund the cost of the new electronic sign that will be replacing the one at the corner of the green, at Ridge and Royalton Roads. Architect, Brandstetter Carroll, Incorporated, will be providing bid specifications for the sign. We hope to solicit bids within the next week or two,” said Jordan. If there is no excess from the NOPEC funding, the sign will be funded through the city’s capital improvement fund.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer