Sylvania Police Chief Danilynn Miller introduced LEO the Labrador to Mayor  Mark Frye and City Council members before their July 21 meeting. LEO is the mascot for Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (L.E.A.D.), the program adopted by the department last year, replacing DARE. LEO will be out and about at community events and will take part in Sylvania parades.
Following a public hearing on the matter, City Council approved amending the nonconforming sign ordinance to extend the deadline for the removal of pole-mounted signs from Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2028. Business owners had requested this extension because of the planned US23/Monroe Street Interchange Improvement Project.
Council members voted to amend a section of the building code to clarify the definition of nuisance and the abatement process as recommended by the Zoning Committee. Council also voted to amend the business regulation code to provide for tag day rules and regulations.
At the recommendation of Service Director Joe Shaw, council accepted the $48,000 bid from L.C. United Painting Co. to provide EPA metal repairs and upgrades to the city’s three water storage tanks.
Council also approved Shaw’s recommendation for two sanitary sewer connection agreements. The first at 4400 Monroe St. requires an accommodation tap and the second at 5350 Silvertown Dr., involves an installment payment agreement for the tap fee, connection fee, and service line.
As step one for the Erie and Monroe streets roundabout near Sleepy Hollow, council voted to enter into an agreement with ODOT. Council gave Shaw the green light to submit a grant application for Harroun and Holland Sylvania roads roundabout project in the state’s Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality Program and the Carbon Reduction Program.
Shaw was also given authority to begin letters of interest solicitation for the Centennial and Little roads intersection improvement project and to advertise for bids for burying utilities in the second block of Main Street.
City Council members approved Shaw’s recommendation to refer the Gateway signage Standard concept package to the Aug. 13 Board of Architectural Review Committee.
Law Director Leslie Brining’s $10,000 request to accept the $10,000 proposal from Creadio to create a video for a grant was approved. Brining is seeking a grant to help fund the victim advocate program for the Sylvania Municipal Court.
Ordinances were also passed for street lighting assessments, as well as special taxes for the construction, maintenance, repair, cleaning, and enclosing of open drainage ditches, and for tree planting, trimming, or removal within the right-of-way.
After members of city council passed an ordinance revising personnel positions and compensation plans, Mayor Mark Frye noted that he and Law Director Brining have been working on compiling an Employee Handbook. An Employee and Community Relations Committee meeting was scheduled to discuss this further at 6:15 pm before the Aug. 18 Sylvania City Council meeting.
A public hearing will also be held on Aug. 18 at 7 pm regarding expanding DORA hours. The Council meeting is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Columbia Gas contractors to install new pipelines
Work crews from Infrasource, a contractor for Columbia Gas, will be installing new plastic pipe in several neighborhoods in Sylvania. There are 70 properties along Maplewood Avenue, Parkwood Boulevard, Fairview Drive, Trail Way Drive, a portion of Erie Street, Elden Drive, Garden Park Drive, and Phillips Avenue that will be affected. Work begins in mid-August. A virtual public meeting will be held on Aug. 5 from 6 to 6:30 pm via weblink, tinyurl.com/3vpra35f (for weblink, you may need to download Microsoft Teams) or phone 213-514-7050, access code: 195 153 973#.
For more information, call or text project contact Kathryn Rozsa, 216-695-9214 or krozsa@nisource.com.