Chester Trustees Go Out to Bid for New Road Garage
Chester Township Trustees unofficially discussed going out for bid for a new five-bay road garage, pending expected funding in January.
Chester Township Trustees unofficially discussed going out for bid for a new five-bay road garage, pending expected funding in January.
The township originally planned to replace the existing garage roof, but Lakewood-based Larsen Architects estimated the project to cost $600,000. As a result, trustees determined a full rebuild would be a better investment.
App Architecture of Englewood projected the cost for a new garage would be $5 million, said Township Administrator Mark Purchase at the Nov. 13 trustees meeting.
The township would need to bid the project as soon as possible to begin construction in the spring. However, they will not know whether they will receive funding from U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce until January, Purchase added.
“Unless there’s $4.5 million to go get this thing done, that’s the issue before all of you. I can’t have them continue to draw a project that the board doesn’t have the ability to fund,” he said.
Purchase also raised the option of delaying the project another year.
“But, if you wait another year, you’re going to be at $4 or $5 (million dollars) with every cost and everything going up,” said Trustee Joe Mazzurco.
Trustees ultimately agreed — informally — to move forward with bidding a five-bay garage, with bays six and seven included as alternatives depending on funding.
“I think we’ll get the funding,” said Road Superintendent John Onyshko. “You’re going to have from January to end of March to figure out whether you’re getting the grant and then you can add those alternate (bays) into the contract”
Also present at the meeting was newly-elected James Brandon Davis, who will take Mazzurco’s seat early next year.
Out of 4,097 total votes cast, incumbent Trustee Craig Richter received 1,867 — securing his spot for the next four years — and Davis, a write-in candidate, garnered 950, beating out fellow write-in candidates Juli Anne Mazzurco, who received 496 votes, Michael Petruziello, who won 446 votes, and Jamie Alves, who had 282 votes, according to the final results of the Geauga County Board of Elections.
“I am beyond grateful for the support from our township,” Richter said in a Nov. 5 interview. “Thank you to everyone who voted and believes in me and for those who were part of the election process. I am excited to get back to work and to continue to have a positive impact on our township. Chester Township is stronger when we work together.”
