Latest news with #JimTimonere
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Coast Guard to cover Ashtabula County on weekends
An agreement reached last summer, after substantial boating issues on Lake Erie off the coast of Ashtabula County, has been extended, said Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere and Lt. Phillip Gurtler, a spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District. Timonere said it was his understanding the Coast Guard planned to continue weekend staffing of the station during the summer months. Early in the 2024 boating season, there were a series of major incidents that local officials brought to the attention of the Coast Guard. The Ashtabula Station had been reduced from being staffed seasonally to relying on coverage from Fairport Harbor and Erie before the start of the 2024 boating season. By mid-summer of that year, the station was staffed on the weekends after a fatality and major rescue operations on a windy July day. 'The Coast Guard will continue to utilize Forward Operating Location Ashtabula to support Coast Guard operations in the area in the same way it did during last summer's boating season,' Gurtler said. 'Ashtabula was identified during our extensive analysis as an area with multiple overlapping coverages consisting of Coast Guard units and our local, state, and federal partners for Search and Rescue,' he said. 'The transition from a seasonal station to an FOL allowed us to better consolidate Coast Guard personnel and assets to provide a more resilient coverage, even if the Coast Guard has a slightly less visual presence in a particular area. FOL Ashtabula will be manned as required by operations.' Last year, local and state officials asked the Coast Guard to increase their presence, including a campaign stop in Ashtabula by then-Senator Sherrod Brown. Gurtler said any mariner or boater in distress should use VHF Channel 16 or call the Sector Command Center at 888-230-4703. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources also operates a vessel out of the Geneva State Park Marina and the Ashtabula County Water Rescue team also responds to search and rescue missions. The city of Ashtabula also has a boat that can be utilized.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ashtabula Council passes variety of zoning moratoriums
ASHTABULA — City council passed moratoriums on a wide variety of items in hopes of reviewing city businesses while looking to the future. 'Basically what we are doing is putting a pause in the city,' Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said. He said the city is updating its master plan, and needed to put some businesses on hold so studies can take place to review how they affect the city. Timonere estimated it will take about a year and a half to complete the process. He added if there is a situation where council wanted to lift a moratorium, they could do so, but only once. 'It doesn't affect anyone who is already in business,' Timonere said. Ashtabula City Solicitor Cecilia Cooper said any present business can stay in business and even expand at the same location, but if they move, the moratorium would come into effect. The first moratorium was place a hold on the construction of any accessory structure over 200 square feet. Moratoriums on certain kinds of businesses consist of auto and truck rentals, boarding houses, check cashing or pay day lending businesses, vaping and tobacco stores, food trucks with permanent locations, junk or scrap yards, motor vehicle fuel dispensing, small box retail stores, thrift stores and used or new vehicle stores. Council also passed an ordinance to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in the Ashtabula Harbor. A DORA is a designated area which is exempt from certain open container laws. The proposal will be sent to the Ohio Department of Commerce, which regulates DORAs throughout the state. The city of Geneva recently opened a DORA in its downtown area. Council approved an ordinance allowing Timonere to enter into a partnership with Ashtabula County and the Ohio Development Services Agency for housing grant funds. Council also approved a resolution allowing the city to enter into a water pollution loan fund for the design phase for work at the Ashtabula Water Department, not to exceed $700,000. Timonere said this is part of $100 million proposed projects over a 10-year period. Timonere was granted approval to enter into a contract with the Ashtabula County YMCA to hire lifeguards at Walnut Beach, with the cost of the contract not to exceed $25,620.78. The funding to create an Americans with Disabilities Act parking lot adjacent to the inclusive playground at Walnut Beach was approved with Capp Steel, not to exceed $29,500. Council accepted the donation of the playground from the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and approved a $3,100 change order for a paving project. Plans were approved to the transition of a tennis court at Harbor Topky Library into two Pickleball courts, at a cost not to exceed $23,458 with Site Technology Inc. Three potential amendments to the city charter were approved for placement on the Nov. 4 ballot. The amendment would allow the city manager to approve expenditures up to $50,000 without council approval, approve change orders up to $50,000 and allow the city manager to okay contracts if they are not more than 10% over an engineer's estimated cost. Timonere said the change is needed because the cost of almost everything is over the present limit of $10,000, which was created in 1996. A 6th Street restoration project was approved on a contract with Koski Construction not to exceed $19,975. An emergency air line repair at the Ashtabula Wastewater Department was approved by emergency, as the repair is essential to the operation of the plant. A one year contract with Jefferson Healthcare was approved. Council approved proposed renewals for a five-year 1.5 mill levy for parks and recreation and a .3 mill levy for senior citizens. The final item of business involved the approval for Timonere to apply for a more-than-$400,000 grant to resurface the southern part of Hulbert Avenue. Council continued discussions regarding the condition of the CSX underpass on Lake Avenue. Timonere thanked Anthony Oquendo for his ongoing efforts regarding the bridge. Timonere said the city has little ability to do anything related to railroad properties which are overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration. Council voted down a 75% tax abatement for an Ohio Avenue developer, saying they felt the developer should get a seven-year 100% abatement, as other projects have received.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Memorial dedicated to Harbor High School
ASHTABULA — Around 30 people from across the city gathered at the intersections of Bridge and Joseph streets Friday for the dedication of a memorial to the former Harbor High School. Attendees included prominent city and county leaders, Ashtabula Area City Schools administration and Harbor High School alumni. The dedication included speeches from prominent residents and a band playing patriotic music and hymns. Doug Spencer, past president of the North End Club, led the program. Spencer said the club's plans for the memorial have been ongoing since 2023, and a lot of work went into it. Adorned in her Harbor attire, AACS Superintendent Lisa Newsome said her 28-year career included coaching at Harbor High, and the school carried great traditions 'This is truly amazing, and I am honored to be a part of it, and I am honored to be still be in the district after 28 years, to be the superintendent, to bring those traditions back to and into Lakeside High School,' she said. Newsome was thankful for the people who came to the dedication, she said. Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said the Harbor and its high school are important parts of Ashtabula's history. 'The Harbor and the high school represent two colors of our past — one educated our youth and the other sustains our families and our entrepreneurs.' he said. 'Together, they helped build the fabric of Ashtabula city.' Timonere said the school fostered a resilient spirit in its students. 'Let us also look forward to the same spirit of learning, of perseverance and of pride in our roots,' he said. 'Let us have future generations understand and celebrate the legacy we cherish today.' Paula Plona, who graduated from Harbor High School in 1968, said the dedication meant a lot for her, honoring the people who were involved with the school, living or dead. 'We're just happy that other people remember Harbor,' she said. Becky Ollikainen, another 1968 graduate, said the memorial shows the high school was not completely lost.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Inclusive playground dedicated at Walnut Beach
ASHTABULA — Students from Happy Hearts School put the new inclusive playground at Walnut Beach to the test Friday morning before and after a dedication ceremony. The park was possible due to American Recovery Plan Act dollars, made available to the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities through the state of Ohio. Manda Jackson, director of Quality and Community Outreach for the board, said the project likely wouldn't have occurred without the funding. She was also appreciative to the city of Ashtabula for providing the land. 'It is even better than I dreamed it would be,' Board of DD Superintendent Toni Scurpa said.' It shows we as a community believe in providing inclusive [opportunities].' Lisa Ebersole, president of the board, read a proclamation officially announcing the park being turned over to the city of Ashtabula. 'I can remember 25 years ago visiting an inclusive playground and wondering if we could bring one here,' she said. Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere was happy to accept the gift of the park, and promised to maintain the facility. 'We still have work to do,' Timonere said before a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included students from Happy Hearts. Timonere credited Amy Coursen, Ashtabula project administrator, with coordinating all the details to make sure the park became a reality. The project had to be completed before the end of 2024 because of grant stipulations, and the collaborative project was successfully done by the end of November, just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm, which dropped five feet of snow on the area. The city recently finished detail work around the playground. Visitors have been seen using the project before the dedication took place Friday. 'We are going to take care of it, and add to it as we can,' Timonere said. He said a special parking lot for vehicles for the developmentally disabled is scheduled to be created, adjacent to the playground. Jackson said 40 students from Happy Hearts attended the ceremony, and had a chance to play on the new facility. Many of the students also participated in the ribbon cutting. Timonere credited Capp Steel for their assistance in the project.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zoning proposal the main topic of Ashtabula council meeting
ASHTABULA — A proposal for a temporary moratorium on certain types of zoning permits was the main topic of discussion at Monday night's Ashtabula City Council meeting. The city received seven proposals for updating its master plan and zoning codes, City Manager Jim Timonere said. The city could not put any moratoriums in place without a reason, and those proposals provide that reason, he said. At the work session, Timonere asked council for a moratorium on permits for accessory structures over 200 square feet, inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment centers, auto and/or truck rentals, boarding and/or rooming houses, check cashing and payday lending businesses, convenience and dollar stores, e-cigarette, vape and tobacco stores; food trucks with permanent locations, junk and scrap yards, gas stations, thrift and second-hand stores and used and/or new motor vehicle sales locations. 'Just to be very clear, this does not effect anything that is currently operating within the city of Ashtabula,' Timonere said. 'It does not effect anything that's in the pipeline or has come to us for any type of permit. I don't believe we have any of these things that still need to be permitted right now. Everything that has been requested has been taken care of. 'So everything stays as it is, it's just a matter of putting a pause on these different things until we get our zoning done, and get our master plan done, so that we can see where this fits into the master plan for the city.' He encouraged council to have at least two readings of the ordinance, if they choose to act on it. Ward 3 council member RoLesia Holman asked Timonere for the rationale behind the request. 'We've taken a look at what already the city has,' he said. 'We have a lot of gas stations, we have a lot of used car lots, we have a lot of convenience stores, the dollars stores, so it's just these things that we really need to take a pause on for a little while, see how this all fits into the master plan, whether we can support more of these or not, and then decide what we do after we do that.' Changes to the city's zoning would help determine where some of those items can be located so they don't put stress on the rest of the city, Timonere said. City Solicitor Cecilia Cooper said the concern from her office is the possibility of a moratorium on treatment centers and boarding houses running afoul of the Fair Housing Act. Timonere said he respects Cooper's opinion. In the regular meeting, council discussed how to vote on the proposal. Council President John Roskovics said council would likely vote on the proposal as 12 independent items at the May 19 regular council meeting. Timonere said council has final say on the proposal. 'These are just my suggestions,' he said. Timonere encouraged council to speak to city staff and himself about reasons for each of the proposed moratoriums. 'We didn't just pick these randomly out of the air, we're having issues with each one of these things,' he said. 'For instance, accessory structures over 200 square feet. Some of you have seen the additions that have gone on in town that are twice the size of the building that's been there. 'You can see them around town, the sheds that people are selling that are enormous. They go in back yards, the neighbors are complaining, they're near property lines, they're taking up too much back yard. This was an easy solution to that.' Timonere said numerous people have applied for used car lots in the last year, and thrift stores have been popping up everywhere. Council approved a pair of Community Reinvestment Area tax agreements at the meeting, a seven-year, 100% tax abatement for a residential property on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a 10-year 75% commercial abatement for Aiken Family Group LLC on Bridge Street. Roskovics said the city of Columbus gives 15-year long tax abatements, and some suburbs on the east side of Cleveland give 10-year abatements. 'As the economy seems to be in decline, I'm concerned, because I do truly believe we have this housing shortage in the city,' he said. Tariffs have the potential to make housing even harder to come by in the city, Roskovics said. 'In a matter of two days, I had three people express to me concerns they had with housing,' he said. He said it is something council needs to pay attention to. Timonere said the Ohio Revised Code allows all municipalities to approve tax abatements with a duration of up to 15 years. He said tax abatements are sometimes the only way to make projects affordable. 'No city, school district, whatever, is getting less money because we put that [abatement] on,' Timonere said. 'The less money they're getting today, they are banking, I guess you'd say, the future payment that would come along.' Holman said it seems the city often compares apples to oranges. 'Comparing the abatements in Columbus or Cleveland, whose population is what, at least 10 times plus, more than Ashtabula, doesn't seem like a fair comparison,' she said. Taxes pay for police and fire services, schools, libraries, road maintenance and health services, she said. Abatements transfer the burden onto other taxpayers, Holman said. 'I'd never advocate to disincentivize folks, I never have,' she said. 'And I will continue to support incentivizing, and I will continue to support incentivizing. However, not at 100% for seven years or to commercial at 75% for 10 years, because we have services, and everyone should pay their fair share for the services we provide for residents.' Roskovics reiterated the concerns that were raised to him about the availability of housing in the area. Timonere said an abatement does not cause other people's taxes to go up. The two abatements on the agenda were adopted, with Holman casting the lone 'no' vote. The city approved a three-year contract with Gianpiero and Cynthia Piras for the Walnut Beach concession stand. Timonere said the city has experience with them, and they were one of two bidders for the contract. Council signed off on purchasing two pieces of equipment for the Parks and Recreation Department, a tractor and a zero-turn mower. Timonere said the purchases have been discussed in committee. The city will be purchasing a new washing machine for turnout gear for the Ashtabula Fire Department. Timonere said the previous washing machine was purchased as Army surplus, and lasted for more than 15 years. Council approved a pair of ordinances for the Wine and Walleye festival. The first was to allow the Lift Bridge Community Association to host the festival, and the second was for fireworks at the event. Holman said only one of a number of recommendations made in January by the city's ad hoc committee on racism as a public health crisis has been addressed. On the proposal of an equity audit, which was recommended by the ad hoc committee at the January meeting, Cooper said the next step is for the city to conduct a request for proposals, and she does not know who would conduct that process. Curbside leaf bag pickup will begin April 14. Timonere said information on days for pickup can be found on the city's website, 'We'd very much appreciate you not bringing the bags down to public works,' he said.
