Objections raised to recovery center
County still moving forward with plan to lease old Medina Steakhouse
Delane Nagel asks county commissioners to consider a site for a drug recovery center other than the Medina Steakhouse in her neighborhood. Photo by GLENN WOJCIAK
MEDINA – Medina resident Delane Nagel has renewed an appeal to the county on behalf of neighbors of the Medina Steakhouse to find an alternate location for a proposed community recovery center for people with drug and alcohol addictions.
Addressing county commissioners May 2, Nagel said other locations around the city not located so close to an historic residential neighborhood would provide better and safer facilities than those offered by the vacant Medina Steakhouse.
However, County Administrator Scott Miller said the county is moving forward with negotiations to take possession of the building and could have a five-year lease agreement on the building as early as next week.
Chief Probation Officer Veronica Perry has said Medina County does not have a recovery center like the one proposed.
“A center like this could be a huge factor in the recovery of addicts and people struggling to maintain sobriety,” she told commissioners last month. “People who come out of treatment centers too often relapse because they don’t have safe, healthy options to live and work and fall back into their old lifestyle.”
Perry said the center would not be a treatment center but would support people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction by providing them with a supportive environment. She said the center would be equipped with a computer to help in job searches and resume writing and a meeting room which could host support groups.
In addition, the restaurant kitchen could also be used for a culinary training program to increase the possibility of finding jobs for those who need them.
Building safety
County commissioners have declared May as Building Safety Month in recognition of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects engineers, builders tradespeople, and others in the construction industry who work to ensure the safe construction of our homes and public buildings.
Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role of our communities largely unknown guardians of public safety – our local code officials – who assure us of safe, efficient and livable buildings.
Energy contract
Commissioners approved a three-year contract with Gardiner to monitor energy conservation measures in county buildings. The contract calls for the county to pay Gardiner $18,000 per year to monitor and perform troubleshooting on the heating and air conditioning systems in county buildings.
The contract replaces another contract in which the county paid Gardiner $40,000 a year to maintain and monitor new energy saving equipment and devices installed in county buildings.
Miller said that Gardiner’s remote monitoring of equipment in county buildings should provide a huge benefit to the county maintenance department in maintaining the efficient operation of energy saving equipment.
Appointees
Commissioners appointed Diana Kovacs to represent Brunswick on the Medina County Advisory Council on Aging.
Charles “Buck” Adams was also appointed to serve as an alternate for county commissioners on the executive committee of the Emergency Management Agency.
In addition, Amy Davin, Bethany Dentler, Anthony Esposito, Jessica Heid, James Lake, William Moore, Joan Pritchett and Phil Ratcliff were reappointed to six-month terms on the Summit and Medina Workforce Investment Board.
Safety awards
Keith Blair of the Medina County Safety Council presented county commissioners with two plaques in honor of their success in preventing accidents and injuries in the workplace. County employees worked a combined 1.7 million hours without a workplace injury.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized paying the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses was $1,130 for two employees in the Job and Family Services Department to attend a three-day training conference in Columbus, $700 for two employees in the Sanitary Engineer’s Department to take an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency certification exam in Columbus and $350 for a Medina County Public Transit worker to take a two-day training course in Columbus.
Addressing county commissioners May 2, Nagel said other locations around the city not located so close to an historic residential neighborhood would provide better and safer facilities than those offered by the vacant Medina Steakhouse.
However, County Administrator Scott Miller said the county is moving forward with negotiations to take possession of the building and could have a five-year lease agreement on the building as early as next week.
Chief Probation Officer Veronica Perry has said Medina County does not have a recovery center like the one proposed.
“A center like this could be a huge factor in the recovery of addicts and people struggling to maintain sobriety,” she told commissioners last month. “People who come out of treatment centers too often relapse because they don’t have safe, healthy options to live and work and fall back into their old lifestyle.”
Perry said the center would not be a treatment center but would support people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction by providing them with a supportive environment. She said the center would be equipped with a computer to help in job searches and resume writing and a meeting room which could host support groups.
In addition, the restaurant kitchen could also be used for a culinary training program to increase the possibility of finding jobs for those who need them.
Building safety
County commissioners have declared May as Building Safety Month in recognition of building safety and fire prevention officials, architects engineers, builders tradespeople, and others in the construction industry who work to ensure the safe construction of our homes and public buildings.
Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role of our communities largely unknown guardians of public safety – our local code officials – who assure us of safe, efficient and livable buildings.
Energy contract
Commissioners approved a three-year contract with Gardiner to monitor energy conservation measures in county buildings. The contract calls for the county to pay Gardiner $18,000 per year to monitor and perform troubleshooting on the heating and air conditioning systems in county buildings.
The contract replaces another contract in which the county paid Gardiner $40,000 a year to maintain and monitor new energy saving equipment and devices installed in county buildings.
Miller said that Gardiner’s remote monitoring of equipment in county buildings should provide a huge benefit to the county maintenance department in maintaining the efficient operation of energy saving equipment.
Appointees
Commissioners appointed Diana Kovacs to represent Brunswick on the Medina County Advisory Council on Aging.
Charles “Buck” Adams was also appointed to serve as an alternate for county commissioners on the executive committee of the Emergency Management Agency.
In addition, Amy Davin, Bethany Dentler, Anthony Esposito, Jessica Heid, James Lake, William Moore, Joan Pritchett and Phil Ratcliff were reappointed to six-month terms on the Summit and Medina Workforce Investment Board.
Safety awards
Keith Blair of the Medina County Safety Council presented county commissioners with two plaques in honor of their success in preventing accidents and injuries in the workplace. County employees worked a combined 1.7 million hours without a workplace injury.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized paying the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses was $1,130 for two employees in the Job and Family Services Department to attend a three-day training conference in Columbus, $700 for two employees in the Sanitary Engineer’s Department to take an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency certification exam in Columbus and $350 for a Medina County Public Transit worker to take a two-day training course in Columbus.
