Parma Heights council approves state demolition grant for NEO Soccer facility

Parma Heights City Council on Nov. 14 unanimously approved an ordinance accepting an Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) Building Demolition and Site Revitalization grant to remove the NEO Soccer facility and authorized city staff to advertise for competitive bids.

Clerk Barbara Allen read Ordinance 2022-36 by title; Councilman Haase moved for passage, Councilwoman DeSouza seconded, and council members voted Aye: Maruschak, DeSouza, Walsh, Stavole, Haase and Rounds with no votes against. Council also read and passed a related resolution directing the municipal engineer to prepare plans, specifications and cost estimates for the ODOD project.

Council President Tom Rounds described the ordinance as the ‘‘grant award for the NEO Soccer facility to move this out and move the process along.’’ The ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service to advertise for bids and authorizes the mayor to execute a contract with the lowest and best bidder, enabling the city to move toward demolition and site revitalization under ODOD’s program.

The resolution accompanying the ordinance was read and passed the same evening, enabling staff to finalize project plans and cost estimates. Council suspended the rules to expedite both measures, and both votes were recorded as unanimous in the meeting minutes.

No dollar amount appears in the meeting text; the ordinance and resolution as read authorize implementation steps and contracting authority. The council then moved on to additional agenda items and referred several land-use matters to the planning commission.

Next steps recorded in the minutes: the Director of Public Service is to advertise for competitive bids and the municipal engineer will prepare plans and cost estimates as authorized by the council.