Council OKs senior project legislation

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council adopted enabling legislation for energy efficient construction of a senior living facility in the Towne Center shopping center during its meeting Monday.

Stacy Adam, executive director of the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation, requested the legislation from Council in connection with the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) project, which will be located east of Van Wert Health North in the shopping center.

Total cost of the project is $1.85 million, Adam said, which will include energy efficient roofing, walls, and doors, with a total cost of $4.1 million when interest of 6.25 percent over 30 years and all fees are included. City Council approved four pieces of legislation needed by the project.

During his report, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming talked about work needed on the exercise path around the city reservoirs, noting that work would likely cost approximately $250,000. The city will be seeking Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Department of Natural Resources grants to help pay for the project, Fleming noted.

The safety-service director also noted that street projects for this year are mostly completed, while the first leaf pick-up for the year will begin Monday, November 4, and run through November.

Health, Service and Safety Committee Chair Bill Marshall noted continuing problems with vehicles parked on private property, noting that a majority of the vehicles are unlicensed and would qualify as junk vehicles under the city’s code enforcement ordinances.

Marshall also noted that many long-standing code enforcement problems have been cleared up, with only about 11 cases remaining open out of 30 original cases.

Judiciary and Annexation Committee Chair Joi Mergy noted that a vote to prepare legislation to place the charter government issue on next year’s ballot would be needed at the next City Council meeting, which will be moved to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, because of the Veterans Day holiday on Monday.

Council President Jon Tomlinson said providing information on the charter government issue is very much needed, adding that he has heard a number of “very incorrect” statements about the issue from local residents, including that having a charter government would “allow non-citizens to create and run city government”.

Council also discussed a request to have a school zone placed on North Franklin Street in the area of Vantage Career Center to provide safety for children who live in that area. Fleming said a school zone, if approved, should be of minimal size so that it doesn’t significantly impede traffic in the area, including traffic to the Towne Center shopping center.

“I want to be realistic here,” Fleming said, noting that the smaller the school zone, the better for traffic flow in the area.