Ward 2 Councilman Robert Pelunis explains to Solon City Council Monday (Sept. 19) why he believes a sculpture located outside the Solon Community Center should not be removed. Council voted 6-1 to have the sculpture removed due to safety issues. (Screenshot)

SOLON, Ohio -- City Council has authorized the removal of a sculpture that has been located outside the Solon Community Center for nearly 20 years because the Nature Stone surface around it is fracturing and causing a safety issue, according to Public Works Commissioner William Drsek.

On Monday (Sept. 19), council voted 6-1 to have the sculpture -- created by Solon artist Charlotte Lees -- removed. The sculpture was installed after council accepted a proposal for it in 2003.

In a memo to council’s Safety and Public Properties Committee, Drsek said the city’s public works division requested that legislation be prepared to remove the sculpture and reconfigure the sidewalk to a 9-foot-wide concrete walkway.

The committee then recommended that council comply with Drsek’s request.

Ward 2 Councilman Robert Pelunis cast the dissenting vote. Pelunis was a member of council when the proposal to have the sculpture created and installed was approved in 2003. He said the cost to the city at the time was about $50,000.

Lees titled the sculpture -- constructed from powder-coated aluminum -- Esprit de Corps. Her hope at the time of its creation, according to her proposal, was that the sculpture would become a recognizable symbol for the city.

“Back when this was put in, this was a little bit controversial,” Pelunis said. “It was part of a public art plan that was favored by several council members at the time.

“Now we’re asked to take it out and put it into storage, and we’re possibly going to move it somewhere else.”

Pelunis acknowledged that some of the Nature Stone -- an epoxy-based floor-covering system -- is “bad around the foundation” of the sculpture.

“I just think we spent all this money putting this in, and council at the time felt this was a good idea to put this in,” he said.

“But to take this and put it in storage just doesn’t make a lot of sense, because we spent the city money on that, and I think we could just keep it there, because that’s what the intention of council was at the time.”

Ward 7 Councilman Bill Russo, who chairs the Safety and Public Properties Committee, said the city plans to reposition the sculpture as part of its master plan, which is in the process of being updated.

“We’ll find a home for (the sculpture),” he said. “It’s a structure where people can sit and chat, and nobody is going to sit at that sculpture in the middle of that walkway.”

Russo said Rich Parker, the city’s director of recreation, is “definitely in favor” of repositioning the sculpture in Solon Community Park.

“But again, once we get the design of the park, we’ll find another home for that,” he said.

In his memo to the committee, Drsek said it would be more cost effective to remove the sculpture and replace the “irregular-shaped sidewalk” than to pour new concrete to mirror the original shape and maintain the sculpture.

Drsek said a contractor, Scott’s Services of Aurora, has submitted two quotes to replace the existing walkway in front of the Community Center.

After reviewing the quotes, Drsek determined that it would cost $2,100 less to remove the sculpture and install a 9-foot-wide sidewalk.

The quotes were $6,500 to pour new concrete to mirror the original design and shape vs. $4,400 to remove the artwork and pour new concrete.

Drsek also asked that the legislation be passed under emergency in order to complete the project during this construction season.

In other action, council authorized Mayor Ed Kraus to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and to accept a donation of $24,556 from the Behm family to be used to support the city’s rails-to-trails program.

Via the MOA, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy -- a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works with communities to preserve unused rail corridors by transforming them into rail trails within the United States -- will pass through the funds received from the donation to the City of Solon.

The city will use these funds specifically to support the development of the Solon to Chagrin Falls Trail, Ward 4 Councilman Mike Kan said.

Kan explained that the family of Kevin Behm, a Solon resident who was killed in a cycling accident in Florida, wishes to make this donation to support the city’s rails-to-trails program. Behm, 57, died in January.

In cooperation with Calli Behm, Kevin’s wife, the city agreed to “a proper memorial” to Kevin Behm as a part of using this funding.

“I’d like to recognize and thank Calli Behm for her very kind donation for the trail, and also thanks to all the city officials who helped facilitate this along the way to get this on the agenda for (Monday),” Kan said.

“The circumstances under which this money was raised were very tragic, and we would wish it to be, instead of the money, that Calli’s husband would still be here.”

Kan noted that Kevin Behm was struck by an automobile while riding his bicycle.

“So hopefully a small consolation is that these funds will be used to build this trail that will help prevent future accidents like this, so that cyclists and pedestrians have an alternative route to use when traveling,” he said.

Kan noted that the item was a last-minute addition to council’s agenda.

“Normally, this would pass through the Safety and Public Properties Committee,” he said. “But thank you to Councilman (William) Russo for allowing this to come directly to council, as we needed to meet a Sept. 30 deadline to accept this donation.”

City Law Director Thomas Lobe also praised Clerk of Council Donna Letourneau for her efforts to get the item placed on council’s agenda Monday.

“We started this ordinance at about 2 p.m. (Monday), and after a number of phone calls and emails, we got it on the agenda, which saves council from having a special meeting,” Lobe said. “Donna’s the one that got it done.”

The 4.2-mile Solon to Chagrin Falls Trail -- which includes 2.4 miles within Solon -- will extend from SOM Center Road into Bentleyville, through the Cleveland Metroparks’ South Chagrin Reservation to Chagrin Falls.

Council unanimously approved a project development agreement for the trail in February.

Cleveland Metroparks will design, build, manage and maintain the trail on a long-unused Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway Co. right-of-way purchased by the City of Solon in 1992.

Donation for Grantwood Golf Course

Also on Monday, council accepted a donation of exterior LED lighting fixtures and path lights valued at $15,809 from Kichler Lighting for use by Grantwood Golf Course for its clubhouse.

Kichler Lighting, which moved its headquarters from Independence to Solon earlier this year, will donate bollard path lights, cylinder wall lights, two-light spotlights and several outdoor wall lanterns, according to the ordinance.

In a memo to council, Angee Shaker, the city’s director of economic development, said the existing lighting at the golf course is “very old and inefficient.”

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.

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