Washington St. portion nearly completed

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council had some good news from Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming on the South Washington Street reconstruction project during its meeting on Monday, but had to reject a request for an ordinance amending the city’s policy on serving alcohol on city-owned property because of time constraints.

Businesses along the South Washington Street construction area will likely rejoice with the news from Fleming that a portion of the street, along with the Ervin Road/Washington Street intersection, should be open soon.

Fleming said a portion of the street up to the Schlotzsky’s/Shell property, as well as the Ervin/Washington intersection, should be open by Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Also in his report, the safety-service director noted that the city’s last brush pick-up will be Monday, August 29.

Main Street Van Wert Program Manager Adam Ries, as well as organizers of the downtown Harvest Moon Festival, were at the meeting to talk about the festival, which will take place Saturday, October 1.

Ries first asked that this year’s festival, including outhouse races, be held in the 100 block of East Main Street, instead of Central Avenue, as was done last year, and that the street be blocked off from Washington to Market streets.

Council didn’t have any problem with that request, but had to turn down a request by Ries to amend the city’s ordinance on serving alcohol on city-owned property because there wasn’t enough time to do so before the festival date.

“We certainly have the ability, Council does, to amend that ordinance,” said Judiciary & Annexation Committee Chair Jon Tomlinson. “The issue, though, is that we’re looking at a pretty short timeline.”

Tomlinson noted that a committee meeting would have to be held, per Council rules, and then, because the issue would likely generate opposition from those who don’t want to see alcohol served on public property, the amended ordinance would have to be read three times, which would take Council past the Harvest Festival date.

Tomlinson did say Council would be happy to look at the issue for next year, and also suggested that festival organizers look at placing a beer tent on private property this year to avoid the need for serve alcohol on city property.

Van Wert Mayor Jerry Mazur also updated City Council on efforts by the city and county to create a land bank corporation as a way to better finance the purchase and demolition of dilapidated buildings in the county. Having a land bank in place is a requirement to apply for a minimum grant of $500,000 that could be used a reimbursement for demolishing such buildings.

The Van Wert County Board of Commissioners is also asking the city to split the cost of hiring a consultant who would expedite the application, Mazur said, noting that the city’s share of the cost would be $7,500. The application is due Friday, September 2.

A Finance Committee meeting was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 22, to discuss the mayor’s request.

Also Monday, local resident Joe Jared came to Council with a proposal that would help local residents fix uneven sidewalks.

Jared said he was planning to purchase a “scarifying” machine that could be used to even out sidewalks to make them safer to walk on, and would make the machine available to city residents free of charge. He also requested that Council give him permission to fix “trip hazards” along an entire block if someone in that block requested his assistance.

West Crawford Street resident Max Gamble also attended the meeting and requested that a speed limit sign on the street be moved for better visibility. Fleming said he would look into moving the sign, if it was possible.

The next regularly scheduled Van Wert City Council meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday, August 22.