ThisWeek CW 08/04/2011
The focus was on improving infrastructure and aesthetics when Canal Winchester City Council and its finance committee were presented the new draft of the five-year capital improvement plan by public works director Matt Peoples on Aug. 1.
Council’s finance and service committees will review the CIP prior to a vote at the Aug. 15 city council meeting. The draft includes all major capital improvement plans through 2016.
Peoples said the approval of the CIP is necessary for a pending application to the Ohio Public Works Commission to complete improvements to the tank- town waterline, which will include street repairs.
A current application for a grant for the work, through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, apparently is not on the road to approval, according to finance director Nanisa Osborn.
The Ohio Public Works Commission applications are due Sept. 6. A public hearing about the application will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 15, prior to the next city council meeting.
Also at Monday’s meeting, local insurance broker Mike Coolman spoke in favor of the efforts of resident Joe Hannah to repaint the Indiana and Ohio Railroad Bridge over Waterloo Street, using volunteers. Obtaining liability coverage for the project, however, has been mostly unsuccessful, he said.
“I’ve submitted requests for insurance quotes to several companies. So far I’ve had five refusals and one company that’s still looking at it, but it’s been four and a half weeks and we don’t have a quote back yet,” Coolman said.
“According to (Hannah’s) personal policies, as long as he is painting it himself and doesn’t receive any wage, he will be covered by his personal liability. But it means he has to do it himself and can’t have any volunteers helping him.”
Hannah’s original plan involved using volunteer help, according to Coolman. At this point, without group coverage, anyone helping with the project will have to have their own separate liability coverage.
The bridge tested positive for lead paint, which is a problem for Hannah, according to council member Bobbie Mershon, because lead paint removal is very costly and requires professional expertise.
“I think now (Hannah’s) plan is to paint over the lead paint instead of removing it,” Mershon said.
Council president Marilyn Rush-Ekelberry asked whether the railroad was involved in any of the discussion. According to Peoples, he still hasn’t seen any official statement from the railroad giving Hannah permission to repaint the bridge.
“Mr. Hannah seems to have very good intentions, and any work that he’s done so far has been done without needing a permit,” Peoples said. “But we’ve never seen permission that the railroad has given Hannah and we need that to allow the work over the road.”
According to city ordinance, for a public right-of-way to be closed for work on private property, the property owner (in this case the Indiana and Ohio Railroad) must apply for the closure.
“I received call from the general manager of the railroad and we’ve scheduled a meeting with him for early next week,” Peoples said. “My indication is that they want to open a dialogue which we haven’t gotten from them before. (The manager) said he read the news article about the bridge and they want to sit down and discuss it.”
Peoples also reported that the railroad crossing on Gender Road has been repaired and that the Jennings Road storm sewer flood repair will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
Osborn reported that the recent city audit was completed with no issues — the first time she’s ever had a totally “clean” audit, she said. Several council members offered her congratulations for the achievement.
Lastly, law director Gene Hollins reported that he has been in contact with SWACO general council and that they will not be acting upon the current solid waste management plan until September.
“I don’t know if we’ll take complete credit for that, but I do believe they are trying to work through some review with Ohio EPA,” Hollins said. “We’ve also worked with Ohio EPA to make sure that some of the numbers in this latest draft are solid.”