Fairview Park鈥檚 mayor has paused his proposal for a new maintenance facility and salt dome 鈥� at least for now.
City council was supposed to face a vote at this week鈥檚 meeting to approve the purchase of a Mastick Road property for the facility, but for the last few weeks, residents have voiced several concerns 鈥� most notably the short notice Mayor Bill Schneider provided neighbors of the property about his plans. Schneider apologized to residents at a council meeting last week.
Schneider tabled the proposal ahead of this week鈥檚 council meeting, giving council time to conduct environmental and traffic studies on the property, or to explore other options.
鈥淲e're going to do the studies that basically will put it in complete terms that the idea of having a service center back there is not as terrible as it may sound,鈥� Schneider said.
A catalyst to tabling the vote was an agreement by the property's seller to honor the sale price until May 18.
Concerns from neighbors include declining property values, noise and air pollution.
Kasey Hasko鈥檚 backyard of 68 years sits next to the Mastick Road property.
鈥淚f this was to come to fruition after all of this, I'll make sure the entire world finds out about his cunning scheme and everything about it,鈥� Hasko said. 鈥淎nd they're going to know me too, and I'll tell you why, because I'll be lying right down in front of a bulldozer.鈥�
Hasko was among the residents who requested that the city create a task force with neighbors to explore solutions.
鈥淚f he chooses not to use the services of the community members, then I would certainly hope that whoever he chooses has background knowledge and they know what they're doing,鈥� Hasko said. 鈥淲hat he has showed us, whoever he's chosen, has not done their job and there's been no research done.鈥�
Schneider said this week that a community task force is not under consideration.
鈥淭he individuals who want this task force know nothing about the needs of our service department,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淚 don't think that they should have a hand in future city business.鈥�
The initial Mastick Road plans used American Rescue Plan Act money approved by Cuyahoga County Council.
鈥淚f individuals have ideas, they can always reach out to me,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淲e're having public meetings at city council. We are being free and open with our information.鈥�
Schneider said alternatives might include building a new senior center with the intent of putting the new service facility on the current senior center's lot, or finding space in a neighboring city for service purposes, which would require paying an income tax to that city.
If his Mastick Road plan sticks, Schneider said the city could keep 鈥渟alt and fuel鈥� on city hall鈥檚 Lorain Road property. This project would also include noise reduction walls.
鈥淲e owe it to the people that work here that they have the proper facilities, and we owe it to the residents to take care of the assets. We have over $6 million worth of assets that are sitting out and rusting,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淲e need to get those under cover and we have to make sure that we have efficient operations for the future.鈥�
