David Novak, a 25-year veteran of Sheffield Lake’s Fire Department, is its new Chief. The appointment was effective January 1.
Novak was hired as a part-time firefighter/paramedic with the department in 1997 and became full-time in 2000. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2006 when he took on the duties of fire prevention, fire investigation and training officer.
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Bulk items may be placed at the curb for pick up by Republic Services on the following dates in 2022:
Jan. 25, Feb. 22, Mar. 29, Apr. 26, May 24, June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, Oct. 25, Nov. 29, Dec. 27.
Bulk items typically include: couches, lamps, rugs, mattresses, large appliances without freon
Contact Republic to see what home construction debris is accepted.
Residents celebrated the arrival of the holiday season and Santa on December 11. A parade of more than a dozen vehicles led Santa, who was riding in a firetruck, from Community Drive near Shoreway Shopping Center down Lake Road to the Joyce Hanks Community Center where he pulled the switch to light the commuity Christmas tree before leading residents into the center for a party that included crafting, cookie decorating and photos with the Jolly Old Elf and Mrs. Clause, the Grinch, Disney Princesses and elves.
The event is possible again this year thanks to the hard work of volunteers led by Brookside high School grads Julia Mohrbach and Julia Pyle and in kind donations from local businesses and individuals.
Andrew Kory was sworn in as Police Chief at the City Council meeting September 14. Kory has been with the department since 2015. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2018 and later that year was assigned to the detective bureau.
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The city is replacing or creating sidewalks along a number of city streets. Superintendent Pat Hastings said the work was being done in front of some 50 houses. A city ordinance requires that home sellers place funds in escrow to pay for sidewalks that fail inspection before title transfers following sale of a home. In addition, sidewalks have been added where a new home is built. Hastings said the work will be concluded by later this fall.
The city is showing off its newly refurbished Engine 61. It recently underwent a complete vinyl wrap.
The work was done by Gorilla Graphics of Brunswick whose custom graphic work can be seen on racing cars, food trucks, buses, service and sales vans of many companies as well as emergency vehicles.
Cost for the wrap was $8,400. This compares to $60,000 to paint it. Sheffield Lake had Engine 63 vinyl wrapped three years ago. Firefighters said the vinyl wrap has worn well, with no peeling. In addition, if a part of the truck is dinged, a small vinyl replacement piece is made and applied over the ding, again at significant savings.
Mayor Dennis Bring said the city saved $100,000 using the vinyl wrap process on the two fire trucks. “This will add years to the useful life of both fire engines,” he said. A new fire pumper truck costs over $500,000, he added.
Sheffield Lake appears to be the only local fire department that utilizes this proces to extend the life of equipment.
A female American Bald Eagle fighting off a hawk over a fish was electrocuted Monday morning near East Ave. The incident was reported by the city to both ODNR and the Nature Center in Bay Village.
Nature Center staff are licensed wildlife rehabbers and are permitted to handle the birds. They picked it up and took it to their center. From there, it will be prepared and transported to a Native American center in Colorado.
While Bald Eagles are no longer considered endangered, they are still protected by several federal laws including The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These protections strictly forbid average citizens from touching the birds, including keeping a feather that they may find on the ground.
The city has sold Shoreway Shopping Center for nearly $1.8 million to a group of New Your investors.
As part of the deal, the city retains ownership of three properties which formerly were the post office, bowling alley and drive-thru beverage store. Mayor Dennis Bring said this is a primary reason the sale was lower than the listing price.
The new owners told city officials they will keep the center open, and make repairs to the building and parking lot. Bring said keeping the center open was a key element of negotiations as he believed it was important that Apples and Rite Aid continue to operate, in addition to other current tenants.
He said over the past six or seven years, the city had been approached by several prospective buyers but negotiations fizzled because some wanted to tear the center down, while others wanted the deal to include the city’s Boat Launch and Domonkas Library properties, none of which Bring believed was in the best interest of residents or the city.
Lorain County Public Health will spray for mosquitoes Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 23-24, between the hours of 9-11:30 p.m.
Scott Pozna, environmental health manager, explained that one truck will spray on the city’s west-side while another will spray on the east-side, with the two trucks working their way to the middle of the city. He said he was not sure they would finish spraying on Monday evening, so they will return to finish on Tuesday evening.
Anyone who wishes to have their property placed on a “no spray” list can call Lorain County Public health on Monday between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at (440) 322-6367. The state has already provided him a list of area properties with certified beekeeping operations or organic farm fields and they will not be sprayed, he said.
The product the county uses is targeted to kill mosquitoes and will not harm other insects including fireflies, butterflies and bees. Pozna said there is no evidence of adverse effects on people or pets, although people should feel free to take precautions like closing windows or staying inside while spraying occurs if they wish.
Repeated vandalism at the Boat Launch bathroom has forced its permanent closure. Mayor Dennis Bring said the city is simply not able to continue paying for plumbing and other repairs.
“When I was elected Mayor, I constantly heard we needed to do something to improve our parks. We did. I don’t understand why people want to destroy the nice things we put in our parks.”
Bring said the vandalism at the bathroom had occurred multiple times this summer. In addition, benches are being removed from Gary Green Park following repeated acts of vandalism, he said.
The Mayor said his biggest disappointment in having to take these actions means that the vast majority of Sheffield Lake residents will lose because of a few “who just don’t care.” He asked if anyone has knowledge about who destroyed city property to report it to Acting Police Chief Shawn Corr at 440 949-7131. Their identities will be kept secret.
