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Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Top stories – No. 4, 3: Eggerss, charter

Editor’s note: This week, the Van Wert independent is publishing the Top 10 local stories of 2021. Articles featuring two of the top stories have been published each day, with the top two stories scheduled to be published tomorrow.

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Today’s top stories of 2021 include a decision on the future of Eggerss Stadium and Van Wert’s charter issue.

No. 4 – School board agrees to seek Eggerss Stadium bond issue

Historic Eggerss Stadium will get a major facelift if voters approve a bond issue to fund a bond issue to cover the cost. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

It became official during the Van Wert school board’s September meeting.

By a unanimous vote, the board agreed that renovating the historic downtown stadium would be the best plan of action and the board set the wheels in motion to start the process.

Superintendent Mark Bagley said a 20-year bond issue for just under one mill will be placed before voters in May, 2022. If approved, it would generate between $4-$5 million and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $35 annually. Work on the stadium would begin no later than December 1, 2022.

Eggerss Stadium is the second oldest Western Buckeye League stadium after Celina’s. It was a WPA project that was completed in 1936.

“Eggerss Stadium continues to age with each passing year,” Bagley said. “In order to preserve the structural integrity of the stadium the district is faced with preserving the structural needs now. The press box, lockers, restrooms, concession stands and accessibility are all serious issues that need to be addressed now.”

In addition to those improvements, the grass field would be replaced by artificial turf, if approved by voters.

Earlier this month, the board approved Garmann Miller Architects for professional design services to assist in the planning, design and construction renovations at the stadium, and the board approved Dinsmore Shohl as bond counsel and Robert W. Baird & Co. as the underwriter for the bond issue, should it gain voter approval in May.

No. 3 – City of Van Wert charter issue turned down by voters

A second attempt to form a charter commission and/or a charter form of government in Van Wert failed at the polls. The November 2 ballot issue went down 675-536, a margin of 56-44 percent.

In May, Van Wert City Council introduced legislation seeking voter approval to form the charter commission, as well as approve the idea of creating a city charter government. Two months later, council members voted 6-1 to approved the ordinance, with First Ward Councilman Jeff Agler casting the lone no vote.

There was resistance from the beginning, including an anti-charter flyer distributed by an unnamed group or individual. City Auditor Martha Balyeat took issue with information on the flyer.

“Everything in this flyer is untrue except the statement that we are a statutory city,” Balyeat said, noting that she has no problem with people being against the idea of a charter government, but adding that those putting out literature opposing it have a responsibility to get their facts straight.

A public information meeting on the issue was held in late September, but only a small number of people attended the gathering. Those who did show up had plenty of questions about the process and its potential benefits and drawbacks.

In the end, voters decided against the idea, making it the second rejection in a year. The issue also failed in November, 2020, 2,249-2,089.

POSTED: 12/30/21 at 4:34 am. FILED UNDER: News