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Tuesday, 14 July 2009 |
By MIKE BURKHOLDER
Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — City Councilors Monday night took the first step in establishing a wetlands along a stretch of land bound by the St. Marys River and the Miami and Erie Canal.
The resolution, read as an emergency, authorized the application for a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The land, which is bisected by U.S. 33, used to be farmed but is no longer because it is in a flood plain.
“They have available funds and it didn’t tie our hands,” City Law Director Kraig Noble told The Evening Leader following the meeting. “Maybe there could be some trails or a stand to observe wildlife.”
Noble said he got the idea for the project after speaking with a local wildlife enthusiast. Noble said the resolution was an emergency because there could be grants available to cover the costs associated with the project.
Councilors also passed the second reading of an ordinance authorizing Safety-Service Director Tom Hitchcock to advertise for bids for the design of a parking lot and shelterhouse north of High Street along the Miami and Erie Canal. After Councilor-at-large Mike Bernard unsuccessfully motioned to table the issue, which was defeated 5-2 with Robin Willoughby voting in favor of the tabling, Hitchcock explained some of the details of the project.
“We have 100 percent funding for the parking lot, sidewalks and lights,” Hitchcock said, noting the area is considered blighted. “We aren’t asking to build the shelterhouse. I just want to incorporate it into the design. We don’t have any money appropriated (to build it).”
Hitchcock said he wanted to include the design of a shelterhouse so that if one is built in the future, it would fit in with the sidewalk and parking lot.
“We don’t do structural engineering here,” Hitchcock said. “We don’t have any out-of-pocket money.”
Councilors passed the second step in securing stimulus funds via the Ohio Public Works Commission. The ordinance is a commitment by the city to fund its local share of the $125,000 project.
“It may be a spring project,” Hitchcock said, noting the city would receive $100,000 and be responsible for the remaining $25,000. “If we get it in September or October, we still could get it done this year.”
Hitchcock said the city will use its savings on the 2009 street program to help cover the local share.
Hitchcock also briefed councilors on an service outage that hit TSC Monday. Hitchcock said a company official told him a fiber optic cable was cut, resulting in an outage of telephone, cable and Internet service for a portion of western St. Marys. Councilor-at-large Jim Harris, who lives on Concord Avenue, said he was without service.
In other business, councilors:
• Passed the second reading of a resolution approving the 2010 budget.
• Entered executive session to discuss pending litigation. No action was taken when councilors reconvened in regular session.
• Set times of 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. for electric/communication and finance committee meetings respectively.
The next meeting of the St. Marys City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 27 at the city building located along East Spring Street. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 01 September 2009 )
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