PRESIDENTS' DAY OR PRESIDENT'S DAY?

President's Day was first observed in 1885 to honor George Washington, the Father of our Country.  Throughout the 19th Century, only George Washington was honored.  It wasn't until some time later, that Congress tried passing a bill to have Lincoln added as an honoree.  The bill failed but some states did observe both Washington and Lincoln and other states did not.  As a result, even now, some states still observe separate holidays for these two presidents - the actual birthdays of both Presidents.  George Washington's birthday is on February 22, while Lincoln's is February 12.  In 1971, President Nixon said Presidents' Day should honor all of our American Presidents.

Now the third Monday of February has been set aside to celebrate as Presidents' Day.  All federal offices are closed that day along with banks and post offices.  On the state/city levels, most offices are open for business.

Although all Presidents should be honored for their service to our country. we most often think of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as two of our most beloved Presidents - George Washington as the Father of our Country and Abraham Lincoln as the President who preserved the Union.

________________________________________________
                            

 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Building Division

Homeowners should always be mindful of potential safety hazards in their home.  Awareness and prevention is the best insurance policy we can practice each day of the week.  Just by taking a few minutes periodically throughout the year can pay valuable dividends in assuring a safe environment within  your home.  As a result, the following checklist should be of help in identifying common problems with electrical devices:

• Inspect your home for hidden electrical hazards.
• Check electrical cords to make sure the wires are not damaged, cracked or loose.  If the cords need to be repaired, take the item to a professional repair shop,  hire an electrician or replace with a new item.
• Make sure cords are not running across doorways or under carpets.  If they are, have a qualified electrician install more outlets.
• Keep children away from electric cords and outlets.  Cords placed in the mouth can cause a burn and objects placed in a receptacle can cause a shock, burns or electrocution.
• Make sure that all receptacle outlets and switches have faceplates.
• Never put more than one plug in each receptacle.  An outlet may have one or more receptacles - one to receive each plug.
• Be sure that the bulbs in your lights match what is safe for the lamp.  There should be a sticker that indicates the maximum wattage for the light bulb - such as use maximum of a 60 watt bulb.
• Light bulbs in the living area of your home, including closets, should have a shade or globe for protection.  Light bulbs can get very hot and cause a fire if something that can burn is too close.
• Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) reduce the risk of shock by shutting off an electrical circuit when the circuit could be a shock hazard.  Your home should have GFCIs in the kitchen, bathroom(s), laundry, basement, garage, and outdoor areas.
• Heat producing appliances such as a toaster, coffee maker, iron or microwave oven draw a lot of electricity. Plug only one heat producing appliance in each outlet to prevent wiring from overheating.
• Buy only appliances that have the label of recognized testing laboratory.
• Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) protect against fire by monitoring the electrical current in a circuit and shutting off the circuit when unintended arcing occurs.  AFCIs should be installed in your home.  If not, have a professional electrician install them for you.
• Think Green!  Turn off lights when you are not in the room.  Unplug appliances when not in use.

 ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Bennett Road Improvements Project

This project is underway.  Traffic patterns have been altered to allow for a safer construction zone for the contractor and travelling public.  Bennett Road is CLOSED between Royalton Road and S. Akins Road until further notice.  Only local traffic is allowed into this area, and that is southbound from Royalton Road.  Detour signs are in place to be followed.  The main detours are Royalton Road to either Ridge Road or York Road.  The City appreciates your patience throughout construction.

Please click on Bennett Road to find out information regarding this project such as traffic issues and construction date. 

Pebblebrook Culvert Replacement

This project is underway.  This project will replace a failed culvert on this roadway with a reinforced concrete pipe culvert, new headwalls, rip rap, and erosion control.  Replacement of the roadway, sidewalk and landscaping will occur within the project limits.  The pipe, headwalls, and rip rap are installed and the contractor is preparing the roadway and sidewalk for replacement.  This project will be finished early next week!

If you have any questions, concerns, and/or comments, please contact the Engineering Department at 440.582.3001.
 

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Representatives from the Regional Income Tax Agency will be at City Hall on Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 2:00PM - 7:00PM to assist residents with city taxes.

Representatives will aid residents with the completion of local returns and answer questions concerning local taxes.

Residents may also visit their office during normal business hours at:

Regional Income Tax Agency

10107 Brecksville Road

Brecksville, Ohio 44141

440.526.0900

www.ritaohio.com

OFFICE ON AGING

HEAP Program - The Winter Crisis program, which is part of HEAP, will end on March 31, 2012.  This program helps eligible residents with payment assistance once per heating season if they have a disconnection notice or disconnect.  If you need assistance, call the Cleveland Housing Network at 216.518.4014 for an appointment.  The Housing Network accepts 10 walk-ins per day by 8:30AM.  If you have further questions, please call our office at 440.582-6333.

Spring Food Box Application and Distribution

We will once again distribute Spring Food Boxes to the needy who reside in our city on Saturday, March 31, 2012.  In order to be eligible for the program, you will need to:

• Complete a food bank application at our office at 13500 Ridge Road
• Bring a picture ID
• Bring a current utility bill with your address on it
• Bring proof of income
• 2012 Income guidelines are: Examples are used.  For complete guidelines, call our office.

Size of household - 1    Total gross income $21,780

Size of household - 4    Total gross income $44,700

If you are unable to come into the office or have questions about the program, please call us at 440.582.6333.  Last day for taking applications is Friday, March 19, 2012.

Friday, March 16, 2012

St. Patrick's Day luncheon sponsored by Mayor Stefanik. Please sign-up for this party by March 9th. It is open to North Royalton residents only. We have only a few tickets left for the event.

Thursday, March 22,2012

Senior casino trip to Presque Isle Downs Casino in Erie, PA. The trip ticket is $28.00 and a coin bonus of $25.00. Sign-in at 7:30 am. Casino has table games.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

We will be traveling to Erie, PA to the Station Dinner Theatre to see a comedy play.  We will sign-in at 9:30AM as the Senior Center, 13500 Ridge Road.  The bus leaves at 10AM and returns at 5:30PM.  The play is a "Golden Girls" style comedy.  We will enjoy lunch before the play.  Your ticket price per person is $65 and includes motor coach transportation, the play, lunch, gratuity and tax.  Please call the office for more information regarding the play, 440.582.6333.

Please call the Office on Aging at 440.582.6333 for all ticket information.

Vote by Mail 

The Office on Aging has the Cuyahoga County vote by mail applications. We are open from 8AM-4PM, Monday-Friday.

SERVICE DEPARTMENT

PRESIDENT'S DAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH

All city offices will be OPEN for business this day.  Therefore, refuse/recycle collection scheduled for Monday, February 20th will take place as usual.

BENNETT ROAD PROJECT / RESIDENTIAL RUBBISH COLLECTION

ATTENTION All Bennett Road residents on the east  side of the road between Royalton Road and Akins Road:

For the duration of this road project (300 days) that is estimated for completion by November 12, 2012, all refuse     collection will be done on TUESDAYS (instead of Thursdays).

REFUSE MUST BE OUT BY 7:00A.M. - AND     WILL BE PICKED UP BY 7:30A.M., IN ORDER TO AVOID CONSTRUCTION INTERFERENCE. 

If you have any questions regarding the above, please call the Service Department 440-582-3002.

WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT
 

With the milder weather this winter, you may be looking to start on your Spring projects early.  Check out the link below for some useful tips before you hire a contractor.

Contractor

________________________________________________ 

CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION NEWS

The Presidential Primary elections will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2012.  Since the Board of Elections no longer automatically mails ballot applications prior to the election, voters must now request their ballot application.  Please click on   Primary Election for information on how to request a ballot.  As always, if you wish to confirm your ward, precinct, or voting location, visit www.boe.cuyahogacounty.us

Please click on Election Dates/Deadlines to  find out dates for registering, requesting a ballot application and when the polls will open for the March 6, 2012 Primary Election.

Poll Workers Needed

Poll workers are needed for the March 6, 2012 Presidential Primary Election.  The Board of Elections is currently hiring for the March 6th election.  Poll workers provide an important service for the community and work on the front lines of the democratic process.  Poll workers earn $172.10 for their service and must complete training prior to working on Election Day.

Cuyahoga County residents who are interested in serving as a poll worker may call 216.443.3277 to complete an application by phone or fill out an application on the Board of Elections website: www.boe.cuyahogacounty.us

NEWS FROM NOACA (NORTHEAST OHIO AREAWIDE COORDINATING AGENCY)

NOACA & ODOT to Conduct Year-Long Travel Survey in NE Ohio

NOACA and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) are sponsoring the Northeast Ohio Regional Travel Survey to gain a better understanding of Northeast Ohio's transportation needs now and in the future as well as to assess how and why people travel in the area. NOACA has contracted with GeoStats, a nationally known survey research firm, to collect and analyze the transportation data.

Between January and December 2012, travel data will be collected from 4,250 randomly selected households in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties. Participants will be asked to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) device or use a travel diary for several days to record travel details.

The information collected will be used to develop a better understanding of why and how people make decisions about their daily trips and activities and to update NOACA's travel forecast model. Ultimately, the information will help planners develop transportation projects that serve the region's needs.

If you are one of the households contacted to participate in this important study, NOACA strongly encourages you to say "yes."

For more information about the survey, visit the survey website at www.neohiotravelsurvey.com, or contact Gayle Godek, Senior Communications Specialist at NOACA, at 216.241.2414, ext. 283; or Steve Jones, Principal Planner, at ext. 352.

Baseball Registration - In-Person/Mail-In only

Registration is being held at the North Royalton High School, Cafeteria #1, on the following date:

Sunday, March 4, 2012              12:00 AM - 3:00 PM 

NEWS FROM AROUND TOWN

Congratulations are in order for two North Royalton residents.  Mayor Stefanik proclaimed Tuesday, February 7, 2012 as "Carol Ann Starr Day" in honor of her 75th birthday.   

On Wednesday, February 15, 2012 the Mayor proclaimed the day as "Rita Becka Day" in honor of her 85th birthday.

Both are long time residents of North Royalton.  We wish them continued good health and best wishes in all their endeavors.

Cub Scout Pack 218 will be having a Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, February 26th from 8AM until 12 noon at the North Royalton United Methodist Church, 13601 Ridge Road. 

North Royalton Community Band

The NRCB will be holding a concert on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 6PM at the North Royalton United Methodist Church, 13601 Ridge Road.  Take a vacation from winter and join the NRCB on a "Tour of Music from Around the World."  As always, admission is free.  Overflow parking will be available at the Red Geranium and City Hall. 

For more information on the band, go to www.nr-cb.org or call Jeff Hohenfeld at 440.582.3066.

NR Athletic Boosters Present...

The 13th Annual Night at the Races to be held on Saturday, February 25, 2012. TICKETS $25.00

For further ticket information, email or call:

mgatins@wideopenwest.com or

Elaine Gatins at 440.582.8241

MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK OF

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

Monday, February 20th

• Finance and Streets Committees 6 PM

Tuesday, February 21st

• Records Commission -  9:15AM
• Storm Water and Utilities Committee - 6PM
• Council Caucus - 7:15PM
• Council Meeting - 7:30PM

All meetings are held at the North Royalton City Hall unless otherwise noted.  Handicapped parking is available - there are two parking spaces available right off Bennett Road and more spaces in the general parking lot.  A handicapped ramp is available in the front of City Hall for your convenience. 

Please visit calendar for all meetings during the month.