Issue 19: Road Improvements, Center Ridge Road and Lear Nagle Road
On Election Day, May 6, 2014, North Ridgeville voters will have the opportunity to vote on improvements to Center Ridge Road and Lear Nagle Road. Both of these improvements have long been on the city’s wish list. They are now at the point where they can actually become a reality.
Issue 19 allows the city to borrow up to $8,000,000 to finance the city’s portion of the cost of improvements. This includes approximately $4,500,000 for Center Ridge Road street construction and an additional $400,000 for a water line replacement, $1,800,000 for Lear Nagle improvements and $1,300,000 for contingencies.
The total cost of the two projects is estimated to be $67,000,000. North Ridgeville’s portion is approximately 10% of the total. This is tremendous leveraging of our dollars plus it is very inexpensive to our homeowners.
Issue 19 is a .86-mill levy which will cost each homeowner about $30.10/year per $100,000 of fair market value. For a home valued at $200,000 the real estate tax increase would be approximately $60.20 per year.
Issue 19 funds can only be used for the construction and related items on the two streets. Both projects are currently slated to go out for bids in late 2016 and are expected to take two construction seasons to complete.
With the improvements already approved by the school district including demolition of the Middle School, these projects combined will change the entire landscape of North Ridgeville. Together they total over $120,000,000 in construction in the next few years including hundreds of new construction jobs.
If you were unable to attend the most recent public meeting regarding the Center Ridge Road widening project, the exhibits and handouts provided by the Ohio Department of Transportation can be found on our city’s website by clicking the “Center Ridge Road Widening Project” icon. You can also stop by the Engineering Department at City Hall to view the exhibits.
Issue 20: Ambulance and Emergency Medical Care Levy Renewal
North Ridgeville Paramedic Levy will also be on the May 6, 2014 ballot for voter approval. Issue 20, which was originally passed in 1995, provides funding for the city’s paramedic service. The levy renewal is not a new tax and provides one-third of the Fire Department’s operating budget. The Fire Department provides three advanced life support ambulances 24 hours a day staffed with state certified paramedics. In 2013, the Fire Department responded to 2,371 emergency medical calls. Since its inception in 1995, the North Ridgeville Fire Department’s paramedic service has greatly improved the outcome of thousands of patients that have utilized this important service.
Issue 21: North Ridgeville Library Levy Renewal
North Ridgeville Branch Library will also have a levy renewal on the May 6, 2014 ballot. This levy is not a new tax and guarantees that the library will continue to receive 85% of its operating revenue for the next five years. In 2013, the library had 207,897 visitors that borrowed more than 458,000 items while 409 community groups met at the library with a total attendance of nearly 7,000 people.
If you have further questions regarding Issue 19 please contact either the Mayor’s Office at (440) 353-0811 or Engineering Department at (440) 353-0842; Issue 20 contact either the Mayor’s Office at (440) 353-0811 or the Fire Department at (440) 327-5311; and, Issue 21 contact the North Ridgeville Library Levy Committee at (440) 327-8326 or visit their website at http://www.nrlibrarylevy.com/.