[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5977702,"mediaKeyId","5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0","parentId",5810918,"title","Council weighs Bell Road East path design, engineering costs and grant timeline","audioSeconds",1885,"startMs",610000,"endMs",2495000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0&start=610&end=2495","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0/thumbnail_610000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5977702/Ohio/Council-weighs-Bell-Road-East-path-design-engineering-costs-and-grant-timeline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977702-7da91fce76daba3270cfc355f37b7111/orig.mp4?Expires=1773673364&Signature=C3rJoyOLJ9t4hQt5Iz3znpWbfG9M0ClCCETNxsZ-HocYcTlBFM992BoAgBlFe195GueJZQnWFbK62feVpbrdt9bLTqrSYcI~gXoaM1oyJsa4inipUGYQUNYXwyIfgvrd8FQXBgT2MthyDohjyp1qix2XSDH2ZiGlTzmFRBBv4AJm-JBWm1acHV6a3K6HEMDdGTk~4Et~u-ts5~mRHv~yYBgEl1YXdjv3H7FfeRRW1Yj6lzgiQmtav~SwtrW0MIixgNnSUHdA582YC4A~luW0B-k7JebpPVOEKVg~5e5alj72za2jCIrsqddehvNQzmEO9O6jvJ9F6Z-Gjl8bzm7NjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Village Council of South Russell OH","date","2025-09-22T00:00:00Z","article","South Russell Village councilors on Sept. 22 continued a multi‑meeting discussion about a proposed path on Bell Road East funded in part by a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, focusing on unresolved design, right‑of‑way and engineering‑funding questions. Councilors and staff said the village has expended earlier scoping funds (about $15,000) and will need additional engineering authorization to produce drawings ODOT can review.

Officials said ODOT representatives indicated that a standard 5‑foot path is typically treated as a pedestrian path and not intended for two‑way bicycle traffic; the agency suggested paired one‑way paths (each on opposite sides of the road) to enable safe two‑way bicycle travel. Council members said the village must decide whether to pursue a single path (north or south side) or both sides, and several members emphasized the village must secure right‑of‑way clearance before engineers can finalize design.

Council members reported the TAP grant award is in the system but that the project may be pushed into 2027 or later because of federal/state calendar constraints and the amount of preparatory work remaining. Staff said additional costs not covered by construction grants will fall to the village, including independent third‑party project management required by ODOT rules and ODOT’s own administration fees. Councilors also said the TAP grant covers construction only — not ancillary engineering or design — and that the village would be responsible for maintaining the path after construction.

Several council members said a practical near‑term option is to place a short, village‑funded 5‑foot path within the park on the south side to reduce near‑term pedestrian crossings; others urged the council to wait for the engineer’s estimate before selecting a side. The council reiterated it had authorized Verdantas (engineering firm) to prepare scoping documentation and asked staff to confirm whether current scoping instructions should be revised to prefer Alderwood or Spring Drive endpoints.

Council members asked staff to return with an engineering cost estimate, a right‑of‑way assessment and updated schedule estimates so the council could decide whether to authorize additional engineering spending. Councilors noted the village will pay preliminary design and management costs out of local funds until construction dollars are released.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","9-22-2025","oneSentenceSummary","South Russell councilors reviewed unresolved design, right‑of‑way and funding issues for a proposed 5‑foot path along Bell Road East on Sept. 22 and asked staff to obtain engineering cost estimates and clarify which side of the road the path should occupy.","taxTitle","South Russell Village, Geauga County, Ohio","taxId",74159,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5977707,"Council debates Fire/EMS contract after proposed 12% annual increases; members ask for alternatives",1712,2548000,4260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0&start=2548&end=4260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0/thumbnail_2548000.jpg","/articles/5977707/Ohio/Council-debates-FireEMS-contract-after-proposed-12-annual-increases-members-ask-for-alternatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977707-389030bd9b18a1450b636e731306d938/orig.mp4?Expires=1773673364&Signature=OtuXBzUufUAcDU7S8YjH65PB~liN4AqTId3lhahOumOvXeoYyFyaWvd6YU9tPWvfFBcT6wWmpJ1MdXqje-LTT-dzOwLznPteySwGCULFW-s-TZyeORJoXoKyaOhyg33bHX2OcNs~J8MBwKcZEOnFbysLK2gvuELAPdUPBqo-J7Y969HJPCW7c~nlFCKm9Bjywg5hmEw06BMvMlFeJZgFxcjcvvBar42RTXFM9386vIM0YAYsckntA0ObClZfeW23Z61Swo9HOHlUMbvOcN3tWg1u7fTHEE5qtuivIwUemsLN-96QzXdoiFjwhCM2ezouiZk75LB1GvCCWIltPTQaTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South Russell Village councilors on Sept. 22 debated whether to accept a proposed three‑year contract with the Chagrin Valley Fire Department that would raise the village's annual payment by 12% each year, and spent the meeting seeking cost and response‑time alternatives. The mayor and several council members said the proposed increases would materially affect the village budget; other councilors and residents urged caution and asked for apples‑to‑apples comparisons with nearby providers.

The proposal under discussion would increase the village’s multi‑year cost trajectory substantially over the contract term. Council members said they have not yet received firm answers to three specific questions they asked potential alternate providers: (1) how long responses would take to the far ends of the village, (2) what level of staffing and equipment would be provided, and (3) what a competitive price would be. Multiple council members said those questions should be answered before a final vote.

Councilors described the budgetary effect in broad terms during the discussion, noting that if the proposed increases stand, the village’s cumulative payment over three years would grow by several hundred thousand dollars compared with historical outlays. Several council members suggested asking Chagrin Valley for a one‑year contract while the village explores alternatives and obtains specific response‑time and cost proposals from Russell Township and other nearby departments.

Speakers framed the issue both as a fiscal decision and as a public‑safety question. Some councilors emphasized that any alternative must match current service levels — including staffing, training and availability of advanced life‑support ambulances — before the village could credibly switch providers. Others emphasized potential savings: council discussion included hypothetical examples, comparing multi‑year totals under the proposed increases with lower‑cost alternatives, and noting the difference could fund local projects such as roadwork or paths.

No formal contract vote was recorded during the Sept. 22 meeting. Council members directed staff to seek the missing information from other providers, to request a one‑year proposal from Chagrin Valley, and to attempt to obtain direct answers to the council’s three questions prior to the next council meeting. Several councilors also said they intend to attend a Russell Township trustee meeting to press for the same information.

The council’s discussion included remarks on related budget items: members noted that dispatch costs tied to Chagrin Valley add roughly $60,000 per year and ambulance‑billing revenue to the village last year was about $135,000; both figures were raised in council debate as factors that affect the net fiscal impact of any provider change. The council asked staff to assemble clear numbers — cost, dispatch differential and ambulance‑billing projections — so the village can compare total net costs among options.

The issue remains under active consideration. Councilors set a near‑term expectation that answers to the three provider questions should be available before the next meeting so the council can determine whether to accept a multi‑year agreement, approve a shorter term, or pursue a competitive procurement.","South Russell councilors spent extensive time on Sept. 22 discussing a proposed three-year contract with Chagrin Valley Fire Department that would raise costs by 12% annually; several members urged seeking one-year terms or competitive alternatives and requested specific response-time and cost data from potential providers.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5977689,"Visitor asks council to restore daily POW/MIA flag at village site",346,89000,435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0&start=89&end=435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0/thumbnail_89000.jpg","/articles/5977689/Ohio/Visitor-asks-council-to-restore-daily-POWMIA-flag-at-village-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977689-850c74debbcfff071fea2a1dfe51b055/orig.mp4?Expires=1773673364&Signature=JK1DgiIfHjpoJuggMlhxDoZPXzHznqUX7ZW6~yphHImvxLvkc65LVhA5XF20sxiiJCZ2ZM7lQ1~LbNdFf1bcqh4d5YFc2Ne6yDDe1UC1FQTTHKfLOYOy8Bfi~-Q8T01HgMov8iAd-243gjizp7FmPdaxHRd76wzQlFXZ4WPmzkzIA5VEZGq0NZAWpI6AynWaYZGNk~F1-s~wR2TK34QGYnRM66CMSEqzknPpWvQg5znY2a13mzG7daFHWPfy6p3v2jTgD7AuJnmL~784u0AWSqqYub5blJiF-s2XAz0-dFoViec5110xUWLYzXg0WT3WBgANabXMXx65GN8ODXtaAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Noel Howard, a village resident and veteran, asked the council on Sept. 22 to fly the POW/MIA flag daily at the village flagpole. Howard said the flag used to be displayed and that the flag recognizes service members missing in action; he provided a replacement flag to the council.

Council members responded that the village has an existing flag‑display policy that rotates certain flags and that they would investigate why the POW/MIA flag was taken down and arrange to reinstall a replacement. The mayor said staff would review the policy and, if appropriate, return the new flag to the flagpole the following day.","Visitor Noel Howard asked the council Sept. 22 to fly the POW/MIA flag daily at the village flagpole; council members said the village has a flag‑display policy and will investigate why the flag was removed and replace it.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5977693,"Public utilities committee recommends village cover 80% of HOA pond‑silt removal quote",63,5623000,5686000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0&start=5623&end=5686","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0/thumbnail_5623000.jpg","/articles/5977693/Ohio/Public-utilities-committee-recommends-village-cover-80-of-HOA-pondsilt-removal-quote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977693-966136581773701fbefb7b9cfd077032/orig.mp4?Expires=1773673364&Signature=IptiTar86Gs8pHCutsqyayoY3lJLqm2QlxU~KRNJIrVUw7Crd9kvuzGm6ufcflkiRqDrmAwtJGiiQg14wXiSo91FEIWiIn1Rp~PXrdlpPYmsR4KxMKpo7StrPdwaYdHPEHS0sf~Hv0DQLebnGGyTeDzR--oDptz9f6u78bGL0qWySHLcxafBQyes00cwTpeyERn2TVxq231riQJYVq-4td7AU0X8fDbDOd92D54-tWDYixQiOqfk7xXH~MSemRk1KCnwUKHYRL5vpAlydVOc5xiihD-gAyBVvz1MRvq0LwtTOBsIPPVUcTYXJMRjCK6oh9z3CpigQof63J-6OBkDMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The public utilities committee on Sept. 22 recommended that village council approve paying 80% of the competitive contractor quote for silt removal at a Sugarbush HOA pond and asked council to consider a license agreement to allow the village to monitor the pond after work is complete. The committee said the contractor’s current quote is $33,950; it recommended the village pay 80% of the silt‑removal cost to speed remediation and then enter a license agreement with the HOA to monitor ongoing sediment build‑up.

Committee members said they did not ask council for an immediate vote at the Sept. 22 meeting but asked staff to bring the recommendation forward at the next meeting, including confirmation that the $33,950 quote remains valid. The committee also reported that representatives from Paw Paw Lake HOA signaled readiness to enter a similar license agreement to allow village monitoring of their pond.

The committee noted that any contribution would be subject to a formal agreement and that the HOA should be in good standing (incorporation/registration) before the village enters a license or cost‑share agreement. The utilities committee said it will forward the recommendation to council for formal consideration and possible legislation at the next meeting.","Public utilities committee recommended that South Russell pay 80% of a competitive contractor quote for silt removal at the Sugarbush HOA pond and asked council to consider a license agreement for ongoing pond monitoring; the recommendation will be presented for a vote at the next meeting.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5977697,"Council weighs GPS tracking for village vehicles; HR committee to refine policy",273,4934000,5207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0&start=4934&end=5207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5810918-6055b116a64c42408f74d77dfa5bb9a0/thumbnail_4934000.jpg","/articles/5977697/Ohio/Council-weighs-GPS-tracking-for-village-vehicles-HR-committee-to-refine-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5977697-0239f79855c31229b77e5eef9b92373f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773673364&Signature=lzjxgvDjVCOCYViwuP~Fu9Y8Az4T~1DBRG3J2ElYI38Fr7m06-UEBEqmZMRpiNk9Z9yvcM99dQ16dUDr6PFl2gNe1UQVMjjWjg3kdS0DKpP2b~MGUp0WotGGvClMiq-QDQXcTFB~HuZ0MPFbBNwKyB7rhaUv-oDXsY0Phj3JC1p6Dcxy5kdF-WrdE-WPqDhRLC7Ht3ns7HEoSSXdxpPAMElA9BU5Utb0LhsSvjEWn7jdep0fZVMqhshVmIKBeUbv6SW1FKWxjGPTkR23VOL5SRCtt4mqmgwdw4iErxzVEC5mmkW1k-IrI7r~GvSJUtzJNA5FQ~nWrMo9iTzgQ2xMCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South Russell councilors on Sept. 22 discussed a proposed amendment to the village vehicle policy that would require GPS tracking on village vehicles not already equipped with telematics. The HR committee presented the proposal and said a basic fleet‑tracking service runs about $22 per month per unit; council members asked the HR committee to refine the policy and provide updated cost estimates.

Proponents said GPS and telematics can help respond to resident complaints about routes or speeds, assist in accident investigations and provide operational data such as mileage. Some council members said the policy should treat department vehicles consistently and gave the HR committee direction to produce a finalized draft to include in a future council packet. The committee agreed to amend the draft policy and return it with precise cost estimates and language clarifying which department heads may authorize vehicle use for commuting or overnight possession.","Council members discussed adding GPS tracking to village service vehicles as part of a revised village‑vehicle policy; staff reported an estimated $22 per month per unit and council directed HR to refine the policy and cost estimates for the next packet.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council weighs Bell Road East path design, engineering costs and grant timeline

Council debates Fire/EMS contract after proposed 12% annual increases; members ask for alternatives

Visitor asks council to restore daily POW/MIA flag at village site

Public utilities committee recommends village cover 80% of HOA pond‑silt removal quote

Council weighs GPS tracking for village vehicles; HR committee to refine policy