Headlines for April 24, 2017

Notice

David Schaef update: (12/05/23)

I spoke with David yesterday. He had just arrived at the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Erie.

There are still a couple of issues to resolve, and David is optimistic that Encompass has the skills. We didn't speak much of medicine and health, most of the conversation was about our subscribers and the Community News newspaper.

I was much encouraged by the tone of his voice and the idea he was interested in talking about Community News. So, he’s at that, “I want to get back to work” stage of healing.

He talked about his subscribers and a letter he is composing for them. He talked about how to proceed with the newspaper when he gets home.

He said he hopes to be home in 2 weeks.

Thank You all for your Love and Prayers and Well Wishes.
Tom Deighton

Conneaut holding line on school taxes
Written by David Schaef

A public meeting held to update Conneaut School District residents Thursday evening at Conneaut Area Senior High revealed the district is holding to its effort to once again not raise taxes in the year to begin July 1.

Though there was poor turnout of residents - abut a dozen in attendance, nearly all with school district connections - business manager Greg Mayle reviewed work to date on the budget to begin July 1.

Expenditures are pegged at $39,565,618, with Mayle, Schools Superintendent Jarrin Sperry and budget committee members Jody Sperry, Dot Luckock, and David Schaef holding 7 budget committee meetings, reviewing 22 departments and 2,324 budget line items with more work to be done before preliminary approval of the budget in May and final approval in June.

Additional meetings are scheduled with staffing levels yet uncertain as are insurance rates and a final review of budget requests as expenses out weigh income at this point.

An expense the Conneaut District is taking on is a close to $250,000 effort to set up a welding class extension from the Crawford County Career & Technical Center [vo-tech] to be housed at Conneaut Valley Middle School with 10 new welding bays put in allowing for 20 additional students to be trained, the class overseen by the CTC.

Summit delays opening of building bids
Written by Roseanne Staab

Summit Township held the April public meeting with Supervisor Bill Agnew leading the salute to the American flag. Supervisors Lud Zarembinski and Jerauld Smith were in attendance and Secretary Cindy McCoy took the minutes. There were 6 citizens present.

Engineer Ashley Porter talked to the Board regarding the proposed new municipal building for the township.

Since that April 4, meeting, bids were put out for the new municipal building with bid opening planned for Thursday, April 27, but information since has seen the bid seeking extended and the bid opening date pushed back to May 15 - most likely due to a lack of bids coming in.

The new municipal building has a cost estimate of approximately $1.1 to $1.2 million and official talks continue about the possibility of the Harmonsburg Library being housed within the new structure.

The township will undertake two loans, one from the DCED for $100,000 and the other from Erie Bank for $900,000.

Wallace Avenue Bridge gets new life, to be replaced
Written by Roseanne Staab

The Conneaut Township Board of Supervisors held the April public meeting with George Greig leading the salute to the American flag. Timothy Greig and Josh Fusco were in attendance and Secretary Telce Varee took the minutes. There were 9 citizens present.

Secretary Telce Varee announced that meeting times are now changing for summer hours with the Board to meet in May at 6:00 pm.

The March meeting minutes and the payment of expenditures were unanimously approved.

For Public Comment, some citizens asked about the Wallace Avenue Bridge and its possible permanent closure.

Supervisor George Greig announced that he may have some positive news regarding that bridge.

He met with PennDOT’s Josh Montgomery and Project Manager, Tom Alcorn, and talked to them about losing that bridge, and he also mentioned Mackin Engineering.