Noise complaints continue at council

By Jordan Cohen

Residents have complained about the noise for years.

NILES — An attorney representing a Niles resident charged police with selectively enforcing the city’s noise ordinance complaints against individual homeowners while ignoring ongoing complaints against McMenamy’s Restaurant on Youngstown-Warren Road.

“Why is McMenamy’s receiving preferential treatment?” Atty. David Neel of Cleveland asked city council. “We’re headed for a taxpayer lawsuit if this isn’t resolved satisfactorily.”

Neel represents resident Bob Ludt, who lives near the bar and restaurant. Residents say complaints about the noise have been ongoing for four years.

Neel cited recent dispatch records of police responses to noise calls at various homes in the city but said the records show no action against the business.

Police Chief Bruce Simeone sat silently during the meeting but afterward called Neel’s allegations untrue.

Wednesday marked the second consecutive council meeting in which residents complained about loud music from McMenamy’s, but that wasn’t the only location that came under fire.

A separate complaint was made to council about an unlikely location — a church.

Carmen Roberts, Hartzell Avenue, said recorded music emanating from speakers at the nearby First United Methodist Church is too loud on Sunday mornings.

“I’m not trying to get them to stop,” Roberts said. “I just want them to turn it down.”

Several councilmen said they’d talked to church officials about Roberts’ concern, but another councilman was unsympathetic.

“I just wanted to ask if there is anything sacred anymore,” said Thomas Scarnecchia, councilman at large.

Council’s safety committee has scheduled a meeting to discuss the noise ordinance for Sept. 17.

In other items, the new wellness facility will officially be known as the Mayor Ralph A. Infante Wellness Center, thanks to a unanimous vote from council. Members said the city’s mayor spearheaded the idea and plan for the facility, which is scheduled to open in November.

Council also voted to pursue the second phase of a $1.5 million resurfacing project for U.S. Route 422. When completed, about 1.5 miles of the heavily traveled road will be resurfaced.