Geneva Council Approves Downtown Streetscape Grant, Advances 2026 Budget

Perfect! I'll revise the article to refer to unverified citizen speakers as "a resident." Here's the corrected version: Geneva Council Approves Downtown Streetscape Grant, Advances 2026 Budget City progresses on West Main Street construction as paving crews work to complete project before winter Geneva City Council held its regular meeting November 10, addressing infrastructure projects, budget matters, and voter concerns about polling location signage. West Main Street Project Nears Completion City Manager Joseph Varckette provided an update on the West Main Street Phase 1 construction project, noting that paving crews began work this week with plans to continue through the weekend. The contractor released a detailed schedule showing day-to-day activities Monday through Saturday as crews race to complete work before winter weather arrives. The city needs approximately two more weeks of favorable weather conditions to finish the project. In the best-case scenario, contractors will complete both the intermediate and final coats of asphalt, allowing two-way traffic to resume throughout winter. At minimum, the city aims to have the intermediate coat completed on both north and south lanes before winter, which would still allow two-way traffic even if the final coat must wait until spring. Varckette emphasized that while driveway disruptions will continue during this final phase, most inconveniences will last only hours rather than the 10-day windows noted on contractor notices. The schedule indicates that Monday will be the most difficult day for traffic flow as curb pavement is installed. Downtown Streetscape Funding Approved Council unanimously approved Resolution 3650, authorizing the city manager to enter into an Appalachian Community Grant Program agreement with Eastgate Regional Council of Governments for downtown revitalization streetscape improvements. The resolution was declared an emergency measure. Varckette reported that all paving, drive aprons, curbs, parking lot islands, and sidewalks for the phase one project behind the community center are complete. Remaining work includes pouring four concrete bench pads and installing benches, plus line striping. The deadline for this phase is November 16. The project received bids from Perk Company Inc. of Cleveland, with the low bid of $557,644.50 accepted by council in September. This phase represents the first part of a larger downtown revitalization effort that will eventually include improvements to Depot Street. Budget and Contract Matters Council conducted the second reading of Ordinance 3394, the 2026 appropriations budget totaling $17,862,685.27. The Finance Committee unanimously recommended approval of the budget, which will come up for final vote at the next meeting. Council also approved emergency contracts with the Ohio Patrolman's Benevolent Association for both sergeants/patrolmen and dispatchers. The contracts include a one-year wage adjustment plus an 8% increase over the three-year contractual period covering 2025-2027. Varckette explained that the adjustment was made to retain current officers and attract new ones, though the city still has several openings. Water Infrastructure Projects Progress The city's SR 84 Waterline Replacement Project has been recommended for funding by the Ohio Public Works Commission. The estimated project cost is $508,000, with OPWC providing $304,800 ($154,800 grant and $150,000 loan). The city's local match for the project is $203,200. Additionally, Ashtabula County received bids October 3 for a joint water tower project. Great Lakes Crushing Ltd. of Willowick submitted the lowest conforming bid of $3,598,052. The county has accepted the base bid, with Geneva's obligation set at 35% of the cost, approximately $3.9 million. The project year is 2028. Stormwater and Other Infrastructure Updates Varckette met with the new planning team from Verdantas, now headed by Mark Delisio, to review the Stormwater Master Plan program. Phase 1 involved base mapping, phase 2 covered problem identification, and phase 3 focuses on project identification, prioritization, and cost estimating. The city has completed phases 1 and 2, with phase 3 estimated to cost $32,700 and anticipated to be a twelve-week effort. The city continues working on procurement processes for the Appalachian Community Grant streetscape facade project, with Eastgate engaging Verdantas to assist. LDA has been asked to finalize all project scopes with applicants and provide cost estimates. Spire Institute Park Project Varckette provided an update on the Spire Institute community park plan that Spire presented to council in September. The project requires a 15-year durable lease between the city and Spire. Once an acceptable lease is finalized, council will review it for approval. The city must complete a project information package and submit it to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. After ODNR approval, the city will receive a contract to bring back t