Overview
The Service Department currently employs four full-time employees. The department’s maintenance of over 47 lane miles of roadway includes minor road repairs, roadside berming, roadside mowing, snow and ice removal, traffic and street signage, ditches, and storm sewer and catch basin repairs. Major repairs or improvements to roadways are scheduled on a priority basis and performed annually in a yearly road program.
The Service Department helps maintains village buildings, which include the Police Department, Building/Service Department, and Village Hall. Seasonal property maintenance is performed on village owned land including both Village Cemeteries.
The Service Department also maintains their fleet of vehicles, which includes four large dump trucks, a backhoe loader, an articulated-wheel loader, a roadside tractor/mower, a one-ton dump truck, a ¾ ton pickup truck and a tool truck. Property maintenance equipment is also purchased and maintained by employees. Preventive maintenance and most repairs are performed in-house and equipment is replaced or upgraded as needed.
Residents are encouraged to call with questions or concerns related to residential problems involving storm drainage or with information that may affect the general public such as road conditions, sinkholes within the right-of-way, damaged or missing signs, streetlight outage, or questions regarding general policies. The South Russell Service Department will investigate and address your concerns.
South Russell Village Service Department
Monday through Friday – 7:00AM to 3:30PM.
Email: streets@southrussell.com
Phone: 440.338.6700 Ext.236
After hour messages left on voicemail will be as soon as possible. Concerns needing immediate attention may be directed to the South Russell Police Department non-emergency number (440) 338-6700 and follow the menu to the police department. An on-duty officer will determine the urgency and contact the appropriate personnel from the Service Department.
Street Department Staff
Street Commissioner Tim Young
Street Department Policies
Street Sweeping
As winter comes to an end each year and the first days of spring arrive, the South Russell Service Department initiates street sweeping. All village streets, cul-de-sacs and turnarounds will be swept to remove winter debris.
While property and yard clean up is taking place, this is a good time to inspect your mailboxes for post damage and mailbox securely. Mailboxes should be inspected for security of mailbox to main post. Main posts should also be inspected for damage. Main post deterioration (rotting) often occurs below grade. Locations of mailboxes are important to both the Postal Service and South Russell Service Department. Mailboxes need to be located so travels of postal vehicles remain on the main surface of the roadway and not on the berm. An attached sheet from the postal service is being provided for assistance.
Ditch lines and driveway culvert pipes should be inspected. Both are the responsibility of each homeowner to maintain and should be kept clear and free of leaves, limbs and tall grasses. No standing water should be present and the cause may be corrected with minor cleaning of a ditch or driveway culvert pipe. You may contact the service department for assistance.
Election Signs
During time of elections, political signs may not be placed in the Village right-of-way. All signs must be on private property with permission of the property owner.
Driveways Installations
Driveway installations or overlays with work in the village right-of-way must have a permit and be inspected by the Street Commissioner during and upon completion. Permits and contractor registration may be obtained through the South Russell Building Department
Ditches and Culverts
Ditches and driveway culvert pipes may be replaced by the service department if deterioration is evident.
Ordinance 1010.09 – Obstruction in ditches and driveway culverts
No owner or occupant of abutting land shall fail to keep all ditches and driveway culverts free from leaves, tree limbs, silt, dirt, trash, or any other nuisance or obstruction to the flow of storm water.
Ordinance 1010.08 – Driveway Culverts: Grading
(a) Before installing a driveway culvert along a roadside ditch within the dedicated portion of a public street in the village, the owner of the abutting property shall first obtain a right-of-way permit as provided in Section 1010.03. The length, diameter, depth and level of, and materials to be used in such culvert shall first be approved by the Street Commissioner. The installation of such culvert shall be subject to the approval and inspection of the Street Commissioner. Every culvert pipe hereinafter installed in such a street shall be at least twenty feet in length and twelve inches in diameter. The flow of such culvert pipe shall be at least one foot six inches in depth below the edge of the pavement of the street.
(b) No person shall fill in, cover, regrade or alter the course or grade of any roadside ditch or otherwise change the grade of a ditch, tree lawn or any portion of a dedicated street in the Village, without first obtaining a right-of-way permit therefor. Any such filling in, covering, regrading or alteration shall be subject to the approval and inspection, at all times of the Street Commissioner.
Snow Plowing
When road surfaces become snow covered, crews will address them in a priority system. Primary roads will be done first, including Bell and Snyder Roads, East Washington Street, Daisy Lane, Manor Brook Drive, Alderwood Trail and Chillicothe Road (if it has not been attended to by the Ohio Department of Transportation).
Secondary roads and side streets are cleared as snowplow drivers’ routes dictate.
Visitors’ vehicles should be parked on the same side of the road and not in the smaller cul-de- sacs. Overnight parking without advance approval from South Russell Police Department is not permitted and may result in early morning awakening or towing of vehicle.
Several companies provide residential trash collection on different days throughout the village. Residents are reminded to place trash containers within their driveway aprons and not into the roadway. Open recycling bins containing light material should be protected from the wind and weighted down to prevent spillage.
“It is this time of year that we want to make your visits and travels safe. Please consider the job we are trying to accomplish and the size and weight of the vehicles we are operating. With slower speed and a little bit of extra time, we will all get to our destinations safely.”
Ordinance 660.06 – Prohibiting moving snow onto a public street
No person shall cause any snow to be moved from any premises, drive, parking area, or sidewalk, onto or to be placed upon any portion of the traveled surface of any public street within South Russell Village, including pushing or mechanically blowing snow across Village streets.
Ordinance 452.08 – Parking Emergency Parking Regulations
(a) Whenever snow accumulation of two inches or more exists on any street or highway within the Village or is predicted to accumulate to such level by the National Weather Service, a snow emergency is declared to exist. In addition, the Mayor, Street Commissioner, or Police Chief may declare a snow emergency to exist whenever any such official concludes that road conditions, due to snow or ice, are so adverse as to constitute a potential public hazard impairing normal transportation.
(b) No person shall park or cause to be parked or permit or suffer to remain parked any vehicle upon any Village street during any time or period when a snow emergency is declared to be in effect under Subsection (a) hereof; provided, however, that vehicles may be parked for a period not longer than three minutes for actual loading or unloading of passengers, or thirty minutes for actual loading of unloading of property; provided, further, that no other ordinance restricting parking as to place or time is violated thereby.
Mailboxes
Prior to the winter season and in the spring, homeowners should inspect mailboxes and mailbox posts. Posts should be firmly set in the ground. Rotted or weakened wood below ground grade may cause the post to fail and fall. Inspecting the mailbox for security to the main posts should also be made. Damage to the mailbox or post by snow being removed from the roadways is the responsibility of the homeowners. Damage imposed by the Service Department vehicles will be addressed per incident. Proper height of the mailbox is required by the post office for mail delivery.
Proper setback from the road surface is essential for postal vehicle delivery and snow removal during the winter.
Directions for mailbox and post installation is available from the post office or copies can be picked up at the South Russell Service Garage.
Materials Not Needed for Public Use
On July 13, 2020 the Council of the Village of South Russell passed the following legislation:
Resolution authorizing the Village to discard refuse, street scrapings, and other personal property, such as dirt, grindings, and mulch, that is under the control of the Village Street Department but not needed for the improvement of Village property and no longer necessary to the Village Street Department and determined by the Village to be not needed for public use and of no value to the Village.
Individuals interested in being placed on a list to obtain such materials when they become available should contact Street Commissioner Alder at (440) 338-3891 or email streets@southrussell.com
