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Agricultural township attracts a wide range of businesses
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: June 20, 2013
Located in the western portion of Mahoning County, Berlin Township is known as an agricultural community but it has also managed to attract a wide variety of businesses ranging from construction companies to restaurants, providing residents with employment and retail options.
“We have no zoning,” said trustee Jodi Kale, who moved to the township in 1987. “Zoning proposals have been on the ballot a few times, and they have been voted down.”
She said the less restrictive environment has made it easier for businesses that are interested in opening in a smaller, rural area to set up operations, while helping to prevent some of the major changes that have taken place in other neighboring communities.
“Our grass is still green, we have cows in the field and we don’t have a Walmart on every corner,” said Kale. “A lot of people appreciate that and like it.”
The township does have its share of tourists, however, since a portion of Berlin Lake is within its boundaries.
“People use the local campgrounds,” said Kale. “The restaurants see some revenue from the tourists.”
One of the more popular eateries is Ben’s Restaurant & Bar. \ There is also Shillings Mill Tavern and G’s Pizza World.
In addition, Mastropietro Winery is located in Berlin Township, which Kale said draws a lot of people to the community. There are also two ball fields located behind township hall.
Kale said the General Motors plant in Lordstown is a large employer in the area.
However, there are industrial and manufacturing businesses in Berlin Township, the bulk in an unincorporated portion called Berlin Center. The companies include Ohio Structures, a structural steel fabricating and coating company serving the heavy-highway industry, Mike Young Construction, Brown Excavating, DOT Construction and Denny’s Auto Parts.
There is also Shrader’s grocery store and Rasul’s Market, which also has gas station.
Two of the newest businesses to open are ConCoyle Oilfield Tools Inc. and Techo-Bloc.
“We also have a lot of self-employed truck drivers and farmers,” said Kale.
Children living in the community attend the Western Reserve Local School District, which Kale said is highly rated.
The township was started in 1828 and became part of Mahoning County in 1846. Prior to that it was in Trumbull County. The population remains under 2,500.
It contains a number of historic sites, which are documented by the Berlin Center Historical Society.
Founded in 1987, the society’s collection, displays, and meetings take place in the Weidenmier House, which it shares with the township trustees who own the building.
There are three burial grounds located in the township, the north cemetery across from Mount Moriah Lutheran Church is the oldest.
“Some of the gravestones are written in German because the majority of the settlers were from Pennsylvania Dutch country,” said Barbara Hoyle, one of the founders of the historical society.
The historical society also possesses the bronze monument infamous resident Chester Bedell had erected prior to his death in the Hartzell cemetery in Deerfield Township. Bedell moved to the township with his parents in 1835, and was the largest landowner in the community when he died on Sept. 1, 1908.
Hoyle said Bedell had an intense hatred for the Presbyterian Church and denounced Christ as a myth, and the doctrines of the church as heresy. The monument depicted Bedell holding a scroll labeled “Universal Mental Liberty” and trampling a parchment with his foot that had the words “Superstition.”
The statute was removed because it was vandalized repeatedly and even has a number of bullet holes in it. Legend has it before he died, Bedell said, “if there is a God, let snakes crawl over my grave.” Many people showed up to see if that would happen and tales of serpent sightings began to spread.
“We’ve had people travel from all around to see the statute and ask about its history because they’ve read about it on the Internet,” said Kale.
On the financial front, the township relies primarily on property and gas taxes. In addition, it receives a small amount of Local Government Funds, and officials said cuts in state money did make getting through the recession somewhat problematic.
“We have a small budget to begin with, so any cuts make a difference,” said Kale.
Although there were no service cuts or layoffs, Trustee Sandie Brown said it was difficult to maintain the roads.
“We relied on grants,” said Brown. “Most of our road paving projects use crumb rubber products, which has recycled tire content. The Green Team Recycling Division of Mahoning County helps us get grant money.”
There were several foreclosures but none of the properties will be demolished.
“The fire department has an agreement with the owner of one dilapidated property that will allow them to burn it down as a practice drill,” said Brown. “The property is not foreclosed however.”
The department is made of up volunteers, who handle fires and emergency medical services. Lane LifeTRANS assists in providing ambulance services and Berlin can transport patients if Lane is not available. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for police protection.
“With the economy as it is I don’t think we will be able to buy any new equipment any time soon,” said Brown. “We are focusing on taking care of what we do have and only replacing something when it breaks. We have specs for a one-and-a-half-ton dump truck that will replace the old one.”
Brown said she would like to see new businesses set up as long as the rural atmosphere can be maintained.
Kale said she expects the oil and gas boom to make its way to the township in the future.
“I think this could be good for the economy as long as it is done in the right way so that it does not destroy the environment or the landscape. I recently made a trip to Carroll County where there is a lot of drilling and was impressed to see that the landscape was not really disturbed.”