Displaying items by tag: Mayor Jeff Fusco

The City of Akron says it has federal EPA approval for three proposed "green" projects in the city's sewer projects.

Mayor Jeff Fusco says the agency has given written approval to the alternative projects that would separate stormwater from sanitary sewers in the Merriman Road, Middlebury and North Hill areas.

The city and the EPA are still discussing the overall Integrated Plan, which Akron says could save it over 300-million dollars.

Akron is also hoping to extend the project's completion date from 2027 to 2040.

(City of Akron, news release) Akron Mayor Jeff Fusco today announced that the City of Akron has received written, approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for three projects in its proposed Integrated Plan that will help the city use more "green" alternatives--the alternatives proposed by the city to separate storm water from sanitary sewers in areas of Merriman Road in west Akron, the Middlebury area of east Akron, and the North Hill areas won EPA approval.

Referred to as the "Merriman Separation – Green Project," the "Middlebury Separation – Green Project," and the "North Hill Separation – Green Project," the separations will control combined sewer overflows in these three neighborhoods.

"I want to express my appreciation to the EPA and to the dedicated city employees and our consultants who have been working on this request for more than a year," said Mayor Fusco. "Active negotiations for these three modification requests have been underway for months between the City and the EPA. This is a major step forward in our efforts."

Discussions on the Integrated Plan continue. The official Integrated Plan proposal was submitted to the EPA in August, 2015 and sought approval to decrease the number of storage basins from ten to five, plus increase the amount of separations from five to 13, while adding green infrastructure. One impact would be to reduce the number from two storage tunnels to a single tunnel, the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel, for which ground was broken in early November.

"Potentially, the Integrated Plan could save the City as much as $300 million dollars," said the Mayor. "This has the potential to reduce future rate increases."

Currently, the City is also seeking approval for a proposal to stretch the timeline for completion of the project from completion in 2027 to completion in 2040.

"The goal we worked toward was to develop a plan that identified projects that met our regulatory requirements while developing alternative projects that provided „equal or better environmental protection at a more affordable cost,." said John Moore, Director of Public Service. "By using 'green' sustainable solutions, along with new technologies, we were able to meet our goal."

Akron's integrated plan proposal specifically suggests adding green elements, such as constructed wetlands, bump outs, bump ins, green streets and other environmentally-friendly initiatives to help achieve water quality standards.

The Merriman Separation - Green Project (CSO Rack 36) will be the first area to receive the new infrastructure that will include curb and sidewalk bump-ins (bio-retention areas) and a constructed stormwater wetland. This will be followed by construction of the Middlebury Separation – Green Project (CSO Rack 5&7) with a constructed stormwater wetland. The City will then begin work on North Hill Separation – Green Project (CSO Rack 22), where another constructed stormwater wetland will be built.

The City is continuing to discuss the Integrated Plan along with individual projects as needed in order to remain in compliance with the Consent Decree.

The current and new Akron mayoral administrations have tapped someone who will manage their transition, and will become the new mayor's chief of staff next year.

Mayor Jeff Fusco and Mayor-elect Dan Horrigan say James Hardy will start Tuesday to ensure "a smooth and effective transition". He'll become Horrigan's chief of staff on January 1st.

Hardy is currently the Assistant Director of Community Health at the Summit County Health Department.

He served as an Akron school board member and became the board president in 2009.

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(City of Akron, news release) Mayor Jeff Fusco and Mayor-elect Dan Horrigan announced Monday that James J. Hardy, MPH, will join the administration on December 1, 2015, as an Assistant to the Mayor for the purpose of coordinating transition activities.

"When I assumed the position of Mayor in June, I knew I would be passing the torch to another Mayor on January 1st," Mayor Fusco said Monday. "In my six months as Mayor I've made it a priority to not only advance new initiatives and improve existing services and processes, but to set the groundwork for a seamless changeover between my administration and the next administration. I see significant value to the City in bringing James on board now to facilitate efficient and effective communication and planning as the City prepares for Dan Horrigan's new leadership."

"I have enormous respect for Mayor Fusco and how he has served and will continue to serve this City, and I'm grateful for his partnership in this process," remarked Mayor-elect Horrigan. "Our announcement today affirms our joint commitment to ensure a smooth and efficient transition."

Hardy currently serves as an Assistant Director for Community Health at Summit County Public Health. There he has led the Health Equity and Social Determinants Unit, managing a diverse portfolio of community-based programs and public health services. Previous professional positions include service as Special Assistant to the President and Board of Trustees of Kent State University, as a Regional Director for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, and as an Executive Office Intern for Former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

In 2005, Hardy was elected to the Akron Public Schools Board of Education. During his six years on the Board he served as chair of several committees, including the Joint Board of Review and the district's Finance and Capital Management Committee, which oversees Akron Public School's $313 million general fund budget. In 2009, his peers elected Hardy as Board President.

Mayor-elect Horrigan also announced today that Hardy would serve as Deputy Mayor for Administration, Chief of Staff beginning January 1, 2016.

"I've known James for 15 years, and during that time I've seen him emerge as acommitted, thoughtful leader who cares deeply about his community and the future of Akron," said Mayor-elect Horrigan. "He has always impressed me with his ability to manage complex issues and challenges with integrity and good judgment. His knowledge of Akron, and diverse professional background, makes him well suited for this role."

Hardy brings to the position a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science-Criminal Justice from the University of Akron, and a Masters in Public Health from Kent State University with a concentration in Health Policy and Management.

A lifelong resident of Akron, Hardy is involved in various community organizations including service on the boards of Community AIDS Network/Akron Pride Initiative (CANAPI) and the Akron Regional Interprofessional Area Health Education Center. He is a past recipient of the Greater Akron Chamber's 30 For the Future Award (2011).

Hardy's salary will be $106,454, consistent with other Assistants to the Mayor.

The City of Akron has a new Deputy Director of Public Service.

Chris Ludle, who has been the city's Highway Maintenance Superintendent, takes over next week for Phil Montgomery.

Montgomery was appointed the city of Akron's Chief Information Officer after Rick Schmahl took a state job.

Ludle has been in the city's Department of Public Service for 10 years, and spent 12 years at Rubbermaid.

(City of Akron, news release) Mayor Jeff Fusco announced Wednesday the appointment of Chris D. Ludle as the City's new Deputy Director of Public Service, a position recently vacated by Phil Montgomery, who accepted an appointment as the City's Chief Information Officer.

Ludle, who currently serves as the City's Highway Maintenance Superintendent, brings a decade of experience with the Department of Public Service to the position.

Additionally, Ludle's twelve years of experience in the private sector at Rubbermaid will bring a valuable and needed perspective to the service operations that are most important to Akron residents.

"Chris takes a comprehensive, hands-on approach to his work that I greatly admire,"

Mayor Jeff Fusco remarked. "As someone who held the position of Deputy Director of Public Service for 10 years, I know exactly what it takes to do the job. What I see in Chris is the right combination of experience and insight necessary to hit the ground running and shoulder the significant responsibilities of the position."

"Chris's first-hand experience supervising aspects of the CSO project, as well as his substantial management and organizational experience will be an asset to the Director of Public Service's Office and the City," Mayor Fusco added.

Ludle is a lifelong Akron resident, a volunteer Athletic Director and Treasurer at St. Anthony's parish, and a member of the board of the North Akron Baseball Association. Ludle will start December 1, and his salary will be $106,454 per year, the same as the previous Deputy Director of Public Service.

Questions on whether Akron should keep and maintain Fulton Municipal Airport arising again in the wake of the worst air disaster in the history of Summit County.

Akron city council's Bob Hoch represents Ward 6, which covers much of the area around the airport and the Ellet neighborhood. He says he's thankful nobody on the ground was hurt or killed, and his thoughts and prayers went to those aboard the jet, but comments from residents is a fairly routine topic.

"When you live in Ellet, you see and hear air traffic day and night. It becomes commonplace to see and hear these small planes, jets, helicopters and blimps. Normally, you don't react, you don't pay a whole lot of attention to them," Hoch says.

Hoch noted the future of Fulton Airport came up during the most recent mayoral debates.

"All those points have to be scrutinized," Hoch said. "How much is that airport costing the city of Akron and the residents of Akron now, and is it a necessary piece in our community and do we need to keep it there?"

Mayor Jeff Fusco counters Fulton is "...an economic driver, if you will. There's corporate and recreational use and it's heavily looked at by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) on what we can and cannot do. It's regulated heavily by the federal government." He said the airport does "quite a bit" to keep the airport safe.

"there's airports like this all around the country," Fusco said, with operations handled by pilots.

The airport also serves as a refueling center for medical emergency helicopters.

At 150 years old -- give or take a few years -- one of Akron's oldest residents is about to come down. A White Ash tree at the corner of West Exchange and Elmdale had served as a rallying cry for the neighborhood over a decade ago when safety concerns put it in jeopardy, but it was a tiny bug that ended up undoing the long history of the Akron landmark. The City says it'll start taking the tree down today after damage from the Emerald Ash borer proved too extensive to keep the massive tree up. It's just too much of a public safety hazard with limbs extending to the sidewalk but also well into the street. Detours will be posted through construction.

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(City of Akron) The large White Ash located on the southwest corner of Elmdale Avenue and West Exchange Street is scheduled to be removed on Thursday, November 12, 2015 for safety reasons. The tree has suffered significant damage created by the Emerald Ash Borer. 

In 2002, the tree was scheduled to be removed for the installation of a new curb ramp. The outcry from concerned residents resulted in the tree being saved, and alternative methods being used to construct the curb ramp. Since then, the City has performed annual inspections of the tree and remediated any hazards or defects as they appeared. 

The infestation began with the insect coming into Michigan in pallets from China. The Ohio Department of Agriculture reports that it was first detected in Ohio near Toledo in 2003, then moving into nearly all other parts of the state including our area. Because the Emerald Ash Borer is now established throughout most of the state there are no longer quarantine regulations in place within Ohio, although they still recommend caution when moving firewood. Ohio has a reported 3.8 billion ash trees. 

In 2012, the first signs of the Emerald Ash Borer were detected in the upper canopy of the Elmdale ash tree. Jon Malish, a Landscape Technician with the City, has watched the progression of this insect as it has spread throughout the City. "The borer is devastating our Ash trees. They tunnel galleries just under the bark and cut off the supply routes for water and nutrients to flow from the roots to the leaves. When this happens, the tree begins to die," Jon Malish said.

This has happened to tens of thousands of White Ash trees in Ohio, including over 500 White Ash trees in Akron rights-of-way alone. Unfortunately, the White Ash on Elmdale has met the same fate. 

The City's Director of Public Service, John Moore, said "The safety of pedestrians, residents, and the traveling public are our primary concern. The tree could come down during a storm, during heavy wind, or under its own weight or the weight of snow. The tree has dead limbs as thick as 24 inches hanging over West Exchange. No one in Akron wants to see this beautiful old tree taken down, but as it stands today, the tree poses a serious risk to the public. We have no choice."

But, while the tree may be ending its watch on the corner of Elmdale and West Exchange, it will live on through the collaboration between the City and local artists. When informed that the tree had to be removed, Mayor Fusco came up with the idea to use the City's Summer Arts Experience program to create a lasting tribute to the tree. 

"After the experts concluded that the tree had to come down, I decided we had to find a way to preserve and celebrate its history" said Mayor Jeff Fusco. "Through the Summer Arts Experience, a local artist, with the help of Akron youth, will create an historical timeline of Akron by using the growth rings from the cross sections of the tree trunk." 

Jon Malish estimates that the tree is 125-150 years old and an extraordinary 60+ inches in diameter at its base. "When you think about the historical events that occurred during the lifetime of this tree, it is truly remarkable. We need to celebrate and respect this natural historical wonder, as we safely remove it from the neighborhood." The City's hope is that these art installations will be displayed at various locations throughout the City. The City will also be preserving the stump for possible use as a "permanent chair" or bench for pedestrians. During removal, the tree will be cut into log-length sections and preserved and stored for future use in these types of projects. 

"I also invite and encourage any Akron citizens wanting to make creative use of this tree to submit proposals for other uses of the logs as carvings, benches, or other art." Mayor Fusco said. The City would be willing to collaborate with residents in seeking out funding sources for projects. 

The owners of the abutting property at 1492 W. Exchange recently submitted a proposal for funding to the Knight Arts Challenge for a potential project involving the tree and are awaiting a decision. "Regrettably, we are losing this beautiful tree which has watched over many generations of Akronites, but have been impressed with Mayor Fusco's ingenuity and cooperation to preserve its memory for our community," stated homeowner Megan Moreland. "My family and I look forward to playing a role in the development of the artwork that will tell the story of our dear ash and welcome our neighbors into the process so its passing will be given purpose."

The City will close Elmdale Avenue from Malden Street to West Exchange Street. Detour signs will be posted. The detour route will be west on West Exchange, south on South Hawkins to Mull Circle.