Leaf Budget Comm. Scolds Cardinal for Holding Too Much Cash page A5
Thursday, March 14, 2024 Vol. 30 No. 11 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com $1.25
Chardon to Keep G-TV Funded — For Now Lelko Suggests Seeking Alternate Funding By Amy Patterson amy@karlovecmedia.com
Chardon City Council unanimously approved a contract through December 2025 for local access provider Geauga-TV during a special meeting March 7. The vote came with a caveat that during the period covered by the contract, station manager Dave Jevnikar pursue avenues of funding outside of cable franchise fees. In February, council discussed ending the forwarding of those fees, which are collected from cable television subscribers, to G-TV and repurposing those funds toward city projects. The city’s contract with G-TV says the city will hold back $16,000 per year from its collected franchise fees for improvements to audiovisual equipment in Chardon City Hall. While the total fees collected vary based on the number of cable subscribers in the area, station manager See G-TV • Page A4
Burton Resident Calls for End to Sewage Dumping By Allison Wilson editor@karlovecmedia.com A sewage dump site on Butternut Road needs to be shut down, Burton resident Wes Hellegers said at the Feb. 28 Geauga County Board of Health meeting. Hellegers first contacted Geauga Public Health Administrator Adam Litke and Environmental Health Director Dan Lark
on Feb. 22, and was subsequently invited to speak at the meeting. The dumping issue has been ongoing since 2006, Hellegers said, adding while he had contacted the board of health for help in previous years, his concerns were not addressed. Hellegers alleged Gary Kaufman, of G. Kaufman’s Septic Tank Cleaning, has been dumping large amounts of sewage onto 22
acres of land on Butternut Road. “It started out with one truck on 1.65 acres, with (former Health Commissioner Robert Weisdack). Weisdack approved it to go up to 6 acres. Then, (former Health Commissioner Tom Quade), before he was fired, he approved it up to 22 acres,” Hellegers said. Though the property used to be a farm, it is now only used for See Sewage • Page A6
Auburn Teachers Pack Board Meeting to Demand Back Wages By Amy Patterson amy@karlovecmedia.com In the dozen years since the Auburn Career Center teacher’s union sued for back wages, three employees have died. Another is facing the same fate if the board refuses to pay out a $1.4 million settlement, a former teacher said. Sue Lefler, who lives in Fairport and retired from ACC, said staff talks about the “Auburn family” and that teachers continue to give their best to students at the career and technical school. “Right now, we have a family member who has a rare blood disease and is probably going to See Wages • Page A5
Family Gives Final Salute to 101-Year-Old Patriot page A10
Berkshire Shows Need for More Tax Dollars page A13
Opinion page A8-A9
Sports pages B1-B3
Obituaries pages A18-A19
Sheriff’s Sales & Legal Notices start on page B12
Classifieds start on page B15
INSIDE
AMY PATTERSON/KMG
Sue Lefler, a former teacher at Auburn Career Center, addresses the ACC Board of Education during its March 5 meeting. Lefler joined other members of the teacher’s union in asking the board to pay out a $1.4 million settlement in a suit filed in 2011.
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