The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Council OKs bike path grant applications

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council approved resolutions seeking grants from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that would ultimately fund bike/walking paths in the city, and also heard a report from a meeting on the county strategic plan and its impact on city government.

Van Wert Mayor Ken Markward gives his report during Monday’s City Council meeting. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

Council unanimously approved two resolutions authorizing Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to sign applications for ODNR grants that would provide partial funding for a bike/walking path from the city reservoirs to the intersection of Shannon Street and Fox Road, as well as a bike/walking path from Van Wert-Decatur Road, through The Landing residential subdivision, up to Shannon Street and Fox Road.

If the grants are approved, the city would need to provide 25 percent of the cost of the projects in matching funds, according to Fleming.

“A nice opportunity, if it can all happen,” he noted.

Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Joel Penton, who made the motions to approve the resolutions, also noted that the city has filled all the available summer part-time and temporary park positions, with volunteers from Central Insurance currently helping park employees with mowing, etc.

Fourth Ward Councilman Andrew Davis and Economic Development Director Stacy Adam each reported on Monday’s meeting of stakeholders held to make changes to the county’s strategic plan.

Davis said in his report that strategic plans are typically used as a map for communities to follow in making decisions for the future.

“In a lot of communities, this document is used as kind of a guiding light for city council and the decisions they make going forward,” he noted.

Davis said the plan has a number “quality-of-life” goals set for city government. Those include the following:

  • Improve the walkability of the city.
  • Increase revenues so that city parks are properly funded and maintained.
  • Improve appearance and attractiveness of the city by being proactive and fostering community pride in city residents.

While stressing that economic development doesn’t “own” the strategic plan, Adam did say that many of the quality-of-life issues addressed by the plan also positively affect development.

During his report, Mayor Ken Markward noted that the delegation from Sister City Sumoto, Japan, has again postponed its visit to Van Wert because of COVID-19 and other issues. The Japanese delegation is now scheduled to visit Van Wert in July 2022.

The mayor also reminded city residents that the next brush pick-up date is May 3 and urged people to put their brush at the curb that Monday for pick-up by city workers.

Fleming also noted that there is a request to vacate an alley that runs north and south from Elston to Daniel. The safety-service director also noted that the South Market Street bridge has been demolished and work has started on installing a new bridge over Town Creek.

Law Director John Hatcher’s report mostly centered around the “statutory clock” for recent DORA (Downtown Outside Recreation Area) applications signed by the mayor on April 9. Hatcher noted that no action can be taken on the applications for 30 days following April 9. On or after May 9, Council must take action within 30 days or DORA applications would need to be refiled. Public notices are being placed in local news media, and anyone wanting to see the DORA applications can do so by contacting the city.

Council’s first meeting in May is on Monday, May 10.

Councilman At-Large Bill Marshall, who chairs the Health-Service-Safety Committee, said the warm, moist weather has lawns growing rapidly now, and he reminded city residents that they need to mow their lawns or face code violations, and they should not mow grass into the street, where it can clog the drainage system and provide a safety hazard for motorcycles, bicycles, and other vehicles.

During her report, City Auditor Martha Balyeat submitted invoices from Sedgwick, the city’s Worker’s Comp administrator, for $3,055, and five invoices from Clemans-Nelson, the law firm the city hires to assist it with contract negotiations, totaling $3,311.90.

City Council also unanimously approved on third and final reading the Van Wert Forward Downtown Development Plan.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 26, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.

POSTED: 04/13/21 at 12:13 am. FILED UNDER: News