Brecksville City Council approves promotions, maintenance contracts, roadwork and land-use actions

Brecksville City Council on Feb. 18 approved a package of personnel moves, vendor contracts, roadwork agreements and land-use actions, voting unanimously or by recorded roll call on each item.

The most visible votes were the promotion of John Chrysopoulous to lieutenant and Kenneth Septarek to sergeant in the Brecksville Police Department. Both were approved by council under separate resolutions and were sworn into their new posts during the meeting.

Council also approved several procurement and contract items recommended earlier by committees: a $27,500 annual membership dues payment to the Southwest Council of Governments (split $15,000 from the police budget and $12,500 from the fire budget) for shared enforcement and emergency-response equipment and training; an increase of $21,000 to purchase order #2500098 for supplemental snow plowing by Matt’s Landscaping; and multiple facilities contracts approved on Buildings and Grounds (see related article).

On streets work, council authorized a joint cooperative agreement with the city of Independence for resurfacing Brecksville Road from Sprague Road to State Route 82. The agreement covers a small portion of the work in Independence and was modeled on prior intercity agreements.

Land-use and permitting actions included council approvals related to Miller Road widening: three separate ordinances accepting dedications of roadway right-of-way from VA Land LLC, Sherwin-Williams Company, and 86850 Miller Road Holding Company, LLC (ordinance numbers and third-reading actions were moved during the meeting). Council also approved renewal applications to place farmland parcels owned by Stacy Geary and Brent Geary in an agricultural district and granted final-approval extensions and permits tied to the Snowville/Miller Road True North gas station and car-wash project at 6850 Miller Road, subject to the conditions recorded in the planning materials.

The council granted a variance recommended by the Board of Zoning Appeals for 8200 Snowville Road to allow an eight- to nine-foot chain-link fence with a one-foot barbed-wire allowance along approximately 280 linear feet.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 5658 — Promote and appoint John A. Chrysopoulous to lieutenant, Police Department. Motion passed on roll call: 7 ayes, 0 nays. (Approved and oath administered.) - Resolution 5659 — Promote and appoint Kenneth A. Septarek to sergeant, Police Department. Motion passed on roll call: 7 ayes, 0 nays. (Approved and oath administered.) - Resolution 5660 — Authorize mayor to enter joint cooperative agreement with Independence for Brecksville Road resurfacing (Sprague Rd to SR-82). Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Resolution 5661 — Authorize mayor to apply for Ohio Department of Public Safety Division of EMS 2025–2026 EMS grant. Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Resolution 5662 — Approve renewal application for placement of farmland in agricultural district (Stacy Geary, parcel 604-16-003). Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Resolution 5663 — Approve renewal application for placement of farmland in agricultural district (Brent Geary, parcels 604-16-001 & 604-16-002). Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Ordinance 5769 — Accept and dedicate property from VA Land LLC as roadway right-of-way for Miller Road widening. Motion to move to third reading / passage carried (recorded votes varied by motion; final passage recorded as passed). - Ordinance 5770 — Accept and dedicate property from Sherwin-Williams Company as roadway right-of-way for Miller Road widening. Motion for suspension and passage carried with recorded votes (motion carried; some abstentions recorded on related items as noted in the minutes). - Ordinance 5771 — Accept and dedicate property from 86850 Miller Road Holding Company, LLC for Miller Road widening. Motion to move to third reading carried; recorded votes noted in the minutes. - Planning/permits — Final-approval extension and permits for True North Energy/True North gas station and car wash at 6850 Miller Road (site plan, signage deviations and subdivision approvals). Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Board of Zoning Appeals appeal 2025-05 — Variance to allow 8–9-foot chain-link with one-foot barbed-wire at 8200 Snowville Road. Motion passed: 7 ayes, 0 nays. - Purchase requisition approvals (council action as reported): Southwest Council of Governments $27,500 (annual dues split $15,000 police / $12,500 fire); increase PO #2500098 +$21,000 to Matt’s Landscaping (supplemental snow plowing); and the Buildings & Grounds items (see separate Buildings & Grounds article).

Why it matters

The package bundles personnel decisions that affect department leadership, routine but recurring vendor contracts that fund day-to-day city services, and infrastructure steps tied to Miller Road widening and resurfacing that will affect traffic and right-of-way ownership. The planning approvals for 6850 Miller Road clear regulatory hurdles for a commercial development that includes a gas station and car wash, subject to the conditions recorded by planning staff.

Council members and city officials recorded roll-call votes for most measures; where a roll call was not taken, the minutes record unanimous voice approval. Mayor Daryl Kingston said he was reviewing an application from Geronimo Companies to form a community entertainment district and would report back with recommendations before the next council meeting.