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The Village of Wellington
June 2023
www.villageofwellington.com
A message from Mayor Schneider
Dear Friends
As some may be aware, in January, two of the three Lorain County commissioners (David Moore and Jeff Riddell) revoked a contract agreement to with Cleveland Communications to provide next generation L3 Harris radios to fire and police departments within the county. Not only are the L3 Harris radios the preference of most police and fire officials within the county but the system was recommended by a third-party consulting firm that conducted a study in 2019. The decision to revoke the contract has led to a lawsuit as well as accusations of back room deals and suggestions that a new study being conducted will recommend an older system – MARCS (multi-agency radio communications system) - that is run by the state instead of next gen technology preferred by the people in the field – the county first responders.
Regardless of what happens at the county level going forward, the Village of Wellington council has approved the purchase of the L3 Harris radio system for the Wellington Police department. The Village has entered into an agreement with Cleveland Communications to purchase 20 handheld radios, 8 mobile vehicle units and a dispatch counsel (needed for the new police station). The purchase by the Village goes hand in hand with recent purchase agreements executed by the Wellington Fire District and the South Lorain County Ambulance District with Cleveland Communications for L3 Harris radio systems. This means that the three safety services covering the Village will all be on the same system and able to communicate without issue with each other.
Many thanks to the leaders of those departments – Police Chief Jim McPike, Fire Chief Mike Wetherbee and Ambulance director Hank Smitley – for working together (as they ALWAYS do) to secure the lowest possible price and savings each entity tens of thousands of dollars in the process. As Council president Gene Hartman likes to say, we are blessed here in Wellington to have our safety services working together in tandem for the safety, health and well-being of our residents and community. As natural as that is here, it is not that way in other communities. An additional thanks to Village council and the fire & ambulance boards for supporting their leaders and their recommendation of the system they believe serves this community the best.
An additional thank you to Chief Wetherbee for his hard-work and perseverance, despite of the good old boy politics being displayed at the county level, in continuing to push for the L3 Harris radios not just here in Wellington but county wide. Chief Wetherbee has been to countless village, city and township meetings gathering petitions in support of the L3 Harris radios. He has always been the voice of reason, honesty and integrity when speaking at commissioner meetings and holding their feet to the fire for revoking the contract. The cancellation of the contract not only put the health & safety of residents across the county wide at risk but those of our first responders as well.
Hans Schneider
Mayor
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Union School Park Groundbreaking ceremony
The village is scheduled to break ground on July 3rd at 5pm. Our goal this year is the have a community tree planted in the center of the park and to begin fund raising the approximately 2.5 million dollars needed to fully develop the park. Phase One will see the Dickson street side developed into a playground for 2024 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Wellington Kiwanis. We will also be seeking partners to sponsor some of the larger projects within the park including but not limited to the bandstand, walking/jogging track and entrance/flag area. Still a ways to go but we are moving of forward.
Council Information
Council and committee meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month in council chambers on the second floor of the town hall. Committee meetings start at 5:30pm and council meetings start at 7:00pm. Public attendance and participation are encouraged. Members of Village council are Gene Hartman, Mark Bughman, Helen Dronsfield, Gary Feron, Keith Rowland and Guy Wells. Committee assignments for 2023 committees are as follows:
1st Monday - Public Works – (Chair) Dronsfield, Bughman, Feron.
1st Monday – Utility – (Chair) Rowland, Hartman, Bughman.
1st Monday – Ordinance – (Chair) Bughman, Feron, Wells.
3rd Monday - Police – (Chair) Wells, Dronsfield, Hartman
3rd Monday – Finance – (Chair) Hartman, Wells, Rowland
3rd Monday – Personnel – (Chair) Rowland, Dronsfield, Hartman.
Upcoming meeting dates: Monday July 10th (due to holiday festivities July 3rd), Monday August 7th and Tuesday September 5th (due to Labor Day). Please follow the Facebook pages of the Village of Wellington or Mayor Hans M. Schneider to view those meetings live.
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AMI Metering project and electric rate study.
Keeping these two projects on the front burner of conversation.
Village staff is developing the final RFP (Request for Proposals) to bid out the project. Once finalized, council will approve and the project can out for bid.
The electric rate study is still in the data gathering/review phase with the consultants. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Murals & Trees
Main Street Wellington has been developing a mural program and will be unveiling it along with the first mural in the coming weeks. MSW director Jenny Arntz and MSW board president Shannon Meeks along with their design board have been working diligently on a program that honors Wellington and its rich history. We are looking forward to the unveiling and seeing downtown come alive through art.
Village workers are finishing up the preparation phase of the downtown tree project. Some concrete replacement and wiring needed to be done prior to the planting of trees. Those projects are nearing completion and the planting of the new trees will be the next step in the coming weeks.
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Coffee with the Mayor
The next Coffee with the Mayor will take place on Saturday July 15th from 9a-10ish at Bread & Brew. These gatherings are informal and allow residents to hear firsthand about village happenings. All you have to do is bring yourself and perhaps a question or a comment about any issues you have or see in the village. Hope to see YOU there!
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Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the Village, please don’t hesitate to reach Mayor Schneider at 440-935-4733 or via email at
April 2023
www.villageofwellington.com
A message from Mayor Schneider
Dear Friends
Although Mother Nature is still figuring things out, we are into spring and moving toward summer. That means a lot of things that have been in hibernation since winter began will now be springing to life. Here’s just a few reminders regarding various ordinances within our village.
- Lawn mowing: the Village does have a lawn mowing ordinance that kicks in once grass/weeds reach eight inches in height. All property owners will receive one warning in the form of a letter via the mail once their grass/weeds reach eight inches. If the property is not mowed after that, the Village will mow the property at the cost of approximately $150 each time it needs mowed. If the fees are not paid, they will be placed on the property in the form of a lien. The Village sends out dozens of letters each year and the majority of property owners do address the situation on their own. However, there are a few each year that do receive liens on their properties as a result of not complying with the ordinance.
- Grass clippings: the Village also has an ordinance against blowing/placing grass clippings and leaves (among other things) upon any of the streets, avenues, alleys or any other public ways in the village. The purpose of the ordinance is to prevent sewers from backing up due to the accumulation of such things. Residents are subject to a misdemeanor citation.
- Public yard waste area: there is an area just inside the Public Works department at 641 West Herrick Avenue where residents can haul their yard waste (grass clippings, trees, shrubs) for disposal. No plastic bags or building materials are allowed to be dumped there. This area is available to residents seven days a week.
- Leash law: the Village also has a leash law for all dogs so that they are kept under control. This includes all village property including the reservoir and Metro Park. There have been many instances in the past where dogs have gone after and/or bitten people of all ages. Some of those instances that have resulted in physical harm to a person or another animal and then have resulted in the attacking dogs to be put down. No one wants to see that outcome so we ask that all dog owners be responsible and keep their dogs on a leash when walking or on an unfenced property.
- Speed limits: warmer weather brings out the children in the community so drivers please be aware of the speed limits on side streets (25 mph) and stay alert for children playing. Parents please remind your children to avoid playing in the street and to be wary of traffic before darting out into the street. A little awareness on all our parts will go a long way in protecting everyone in the community.
These are just a few of the rules guiding our community and we appreciate your help in following and your understanding when we have to enforce them.
Hans Schneider
Mayor
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Union School Park Update
The Village has reconvened the park committee to move forward with turning the concept plan into a reality. Currently the village is scheduled to break ground on July 3rd at 5pm. Our goal this year is the have a community tree planted in the center of the park, begin fund raising and prep the Dickson street side in anticipation of playground equipment in 2024 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Wellington Kiwanis. Lots of work to be done yet but we are moving forward and will share more details as they become available.
Council Information
Council and committee meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month in council chambers on the second floor of the town hall. Committee meetings start at 5:30pm and council meetings start at 7:00pm. Public attendance and participation are encouraged. Members of Village council are Gene Hartman, Mark Bughman, Helen Dronsfield, Gary Feron, Keith Rowland and Guy Wells. Committee assignments for 2023 committees are as follows:
1st Monday - Public Works – (Chair) Dronsfield, Bughman, Feron.
1st Monday – Utility – (Chair) Rowland, Hartman, Bughman.
1st Monday – Ordinance – (Chair) Bughman, Feron, Wells.
3rd Monday - Police – (Chair) Wells, Dronsfield, Hartman
3rd Monday – Finance – (Chair) Hartman, Wells, Rowland
3rd Monday – Personnel – (Chair) Rowland, Dronsfield, Hartman.
Upcoming meeting dates: Monday May 1st, Monday May 15th, Monday June 5th and Monday June 17th.
Please follow the Facebook pages of the Village of Wellington or Mayor Hans M. Schneider to view those meetings live.
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AMI Metering project and electric rate study.
As promised, we will continue to keep these two projects at the forefront of discussions.
Council has reviewed the concept plan for the AMI metering project and village staff is developing the RFP (Request for Proposals) to determine the best system and cost structure to the village. The plan is to replace all meters (water & electric) within the village at one time (will take several months to change out). Residents will not be charged for the new meters although some will likely see an increase in water/sewer bills as older meters tend to undercount the amount of water used.
The electric rate study is currently in the data review phase. When our consultant develops proposals for specific adjustments, we will notify the public of the process and details. The village has not conducted a rate study or corresponding adjustment of the electric rates in over a decade. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hometown Hero Banners
The Village is collaborating with the Hometown Heroes Banner Program to honor those who have served our country. For approximately $225, family members can honor a loved one who served in the United States military. Banners are 2’x4’ and will be mounted on the poles in the downtown district. The Village will put up the banners in the spring, take them down in the winter and store them. Phase one qualifications are that the hero is deceased and a graduate of Wellington High school or lived in the village for at least 25 years. Once we get through the initial group of heroes, we will move onto Phase two qualifications (hero is living, above the age of 70 and a graduate of Wellington High school or lived in the village for at least 25 years). Residents can reach out to Marla Lent at 440-647-4626 ext 4 for details.
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Coffee with the Mayor
The next Coffee with the Mayor will take place on Saturday May 20th from 9a-10ish at Bread & Brew. These gatherings are informal and allow residents to hear firsthand about village happenings. All you have to do is bring yourself and perhaps a question or a comment about any issues you have or see in the village. Hope to see YOU there!
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Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the Village, please don’t hesitate to reach Mayor Schneider at 440-935-4733 or via email at
February 2023
www.villageofwellington.com
A message from Mayor Schneider
Dear Friends
Just a quick reminder about our Caring Fund and asking residents to consider how a simple gesture can make a large impact on our community. The Caring Fund was established to help residents, who are going through a difficult time financially, pay their utility bill. The fund allows a resident to utilize the fund once a year up to $200 and only after they have exhausted other avenues of help including Oberlin Community Services, the Salvation Army and HEAP.
Projects
We remain committed to our goal of open, honest and transparent communication with our residents. Given that, we want to keep the following items out there in the public’s awareness. Those projects are:
-The AMI metering project continues to move forward as we are narrowing our focus down to a specific metering system.
-We are planning to conduct an electric rate study due to the increased cost to the Village on purchasing power.
-The Union School Park committee will reconvene in March to discuss the park and upcoming fundraising plans.
-We are honing in on a specific banner to honor our local veterans who have served in the military. Details in March
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Well-Help
Well-Help is a local non-profit organization located in the downstairs of the First United Methodist Church next to the Town Hall at 127 Park Place. They serve as a source of food and other necessities to qualified residents of the Village of Wellington, Rochester and the surrounding townships of Brighton, Camden, Huntington, Pittsfield, Rochester and Wellington. As part of their mission, they also provide food baskets at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. They can also offer referrals and other information for specialized services beyond their scope. The office is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10a-12 noon and on Wednesday from 5p-7p. Their number is 440-647-2689 and they preserve the confidentiality of all clients.
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State of the Village
The annual State of the Village breakfast, which is put on by the Wellington Kiwanis, will take place on Thursday March 23rd at 8am at the Wellington Eagles. Those attending will receive a hearty breakfast as well as hear from both the village and the schools regarding current and future projects. Tickets are $15 and are available at Bremke Insurance, 5/3 Bank and on the third floor of the Town Hall. Monies raised from the event are going toward playground equipment for Union School Park.
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New Chief in Town
On Friday February 3rd, Jim McPike became the new police chief of the Wellington Police department. Chief McPike is a graduate of Cleveland State University, the Police Executive Leadership College and the FBI National Academy. He has experience in several areas of law enforcement including patrol, domestic violence, sex crimes/child abuse, special victims unit, special investigator and crisis coordinator. In other department news, Corporal Kayla Athanas was promoted to the rank of Sargeant and part-time officer Ryan Gulliford was hired full-time to fill the open slot created when former Chief Tim Barfield retired.