Aurora / Streetsboro / Ravenna / Shalersville / Local government
County roundup: Aurora budget request rounds out to $50 million, plus news from Ravenna, Shalersville and Streetsboro
- Roger Gordon
Aurora
The Aurora Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau Annual Holiday Luncheon celebrating the 2025 Person of the Year and Business of the Year will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at the Bertram Inn & Conference Center at 600 N. Aurora Rd. These honors recognize the remarkable achievements and significant contributions made by local individuals and businesses.
The Person of the Year is Katie Trook, whose faith-driven leadership and heart for service have made a lasting impact on Aurora. The Business of the Year is V Financial Partners, honored for its excellence, leadership and community impact.
Cost to attend is $40 for Chamber members and $45 for non-members. Register at allaboutaurora.com.
Aurora City Council purchased upfits for three eight-ton trucks awhile ago, to be used by the service department during the winter. Council was informed by the company it bought the upfits from that it would be at least another two years before they would be ready. Council, in turn, canceled that contract and approved a new one with Concord Road Equipment Manufacturing for $516,987 to provide the upgrades for the trucks.
“We won’t get them until next year,” Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin said, “but they’ll be ready for the next snow season.”
Womer Benjamin introduced the city’s 2026 budget proposal – $87.7 million, $47.4 million of which is for capital requests for city projects, possibly the largest in city history. The budget has not been approved and will have several more hearings.
City council approved a revised Hawthorn of Aurora development plan to allow single-family homes and condominiums there.
City council approved collective bargaining agreements with the city’s police sergeants, police officers and firefighters – three separate unions.
The Aurora Police Department was authorized to purchase a new drone for $25,868.
A large wastewater project was approved at a cost of $9.47 million to relocate part of the sanitary line on Nancy Drive because it is in bad soil and has caused problems.
The deadline to enter your home or business in Aurora’s annual holiday lights tour is Dec. 6. The tour will start shortly thereafter. Maps will be available at auroraoh.com or at the Aurora Parks and Recreation Department at 129 W. Pioneer Trl.
Letters to Santa can be deposited in the special mailbox near the gazebo in the Aurora Memorial Library parking lot until Dec. 18. Please include a return address so the children can receive a return letter from Santa.
A ribbon cutting will be held at 9:45 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 for Old Navy in Aurora Farms Premium Outlets at its new location of 7575 Market Place Dr.
A ribbon cutting was held Nov. 3 for Homewatch CareGivers at its new location of 251 W. Garfield Rd. #288.
Shalersville
The Shalersville Township Trustees hope to have Babcock Road paved next year with funding help from the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement Program(s).
Building permits were issued for two new cell towers, a solar roof and a fence permit.
The township trustees changed the electric supplier for all seven Shalersville Town Hall accounts. Rates dropped from $0.12/kWh to less than $0.0758/kWh, ensuring significant savings for the township.
A grant application has been submitted to enhance Shalersville Township Park. If awarded, funding will provide two new park benches and a solar-lit flagpole for the newly created Veterans Point.
Meanwhile, in preparation for winter, all of the park’s Porta-Johns were removed.
Shalersville’s Christmas Potluck Dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Shalersville Historical Society at 4122 Twinsburg Warren Rd. All are welcome. Bring a dish to share!
The fall cleanup at Riverside Cemetery was completed, and all of the leaves were picked up.
City of Ravenna
A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held for Buckeye Residential Solutions/Battlegrounds Game Center at noon Wednesday, Dec. 3 at its new location of 228 S. Sycamore St., Ste. 100, in the city of Ravenna. There will be food available from The Wiener Guy. For details, visit buckeyeresidential.com or battlegroundsgamecenter.com. Use the West Main Street or West Spruce Avenue entrances to enter the parking lot.
Coffee Talk with the Ravenna Chamber of Commerce is held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the Horseshoe Diner at 250 W. Main St. The next Coffee Talk will be Dec. 10. To register, email ryann@ravennaareachamber.com.
Networking, food and fun will be on the docket at the Multi-Chamber Holiday Luncheon Gift Exchange at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 19 at University Hospitals Portage Medical Center at 6847 N. Chestnut St. Bring an unwrapped gift or toiletries valued at $10 or more and enjoy a free lunch.
Streetsboro
Streetsboro’s annual Christmas tree lighting will be at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Square. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will make appearances, and cookies and punch will be available at the nearby fire station.