Tuscora Park to open Memorial Day weekend
Tuscora Park will open on Memorial Day weekend.
New Philadelphia Mayor Joel Day announced the city park board’s plan to re-open Tuscora Park on Memorial Day weekend. The announcement was made as part of the mayor’s report at the April 12 meeting of city council.
Day also said he plans to hold the First Town Days Festival in July. Day said, however, the plans are subject to change based on what the situation is with the pandemic at that time.
Day also said the city fire department is placing white and red placards on vacant structures that are in disrepair and deemed too dangerous for firefighters to enter. Should a fire occur, only defensive measures will be taken to keep the blaze from spreading. Owners of vacant structures should contact Fire Chief Jim Parrish or fire inspector James Sholtz to learn how to avoid this designation.
Day reported progress on the demolition of the former Howden Buffalo building. The demolition is expected to be complete by August, at which time the Ohio EPA will begin removal of contaminated soil.
Day also said the city health department has administered more than 4,200 COVID-19 vaccines so far. He reminded residents to call the health department to schedule vaccinations at 330-364-4491 ext. 1208. The mayor’s full report can be found on the city’s Facebook page.
Other reports
Service director Ron McAbier said both the new cemetery office building and the work at Southside Community Park are nearly complete. He hopes to report completion on both projects at the April 26 council meeting.
McAbier said he has received six applications for sidewalk replacement and will take applications from residents and businesses until the end of April at city hall.
Safety director Greg Popham said he and Chief Parrish will travel to Madison, Alabama for a final inspection of the rechassis job on a used ambulance the city is purchasing. The city saved about $56,000 versus buying a new ambulance, and additional refurbishing work brought it to like-new condition.
Popham also said the fire department will administer an entrance exam for firefighters on April 29, and the police department will give the civil service exam for the position of patrolman on May 6.
Law director Marvin Fete refreshed council on a nuisance ordinance he wants to propose, designed to reduce the number of calls made from the same locations for life-saving services due to drug overdoses. He cited the former OYO Hotel, now the Boutique Hotel, on the city’s west side as an example.
Fete also addressed the issue of abandoned properties. “These places are a particular hazard because they are being used as safe havens for illegal drug activity,” he said.
By tying the tear-down procedure to the fire code and using officials such as the health inspector and building and zoning inspector, he is streamlining the process for issuing tear-down orders.
Board and committee reports
Kelly Ricklic reported on the 6 p.m. meeting of the safety, health and service committee. He said they discussed a bow and arrow ordinance, asking the law director to draft an ordinance banning their use on an outdoor basis inside the city limits.
Ricklic also reported having a discussion about the proposed contract to provide Goshen Township with fire and EMS services. Discussion of the contract will continue at the next committee meeting on April 26 at 6:15 p.m., as will discussion on the proposed bow and arrow and nuisance ordinances.
Legislative:
Council passed an emergency ordinance approving an additional payment of $177.24 to the public health nurse for hours worked in excess of maximum earnings due to COVID-19 response, a resolution allowing the leasing of tower space on the airport beacon tower at Kent State Tuscarawas, and an emergency resolution allowing the purchase of a construction dump truck from Truck Sales and Service at a cost not to exceed $116,277.54.
Council heard the first reading of two ordinances to permanently rezone several addresses from industrial to business and several others from residential to business (rezoning changes were approved by the planning commission during a Feb. 9 meeting), the first reading of an ordinance to create the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to manage funds allocated under the federal American Rescue Plan Act, the second reading on the lease of Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium and facilities to the New Philadelphia School Board for 50 years with an option to renew for 10 years, and the first reading of a resolution allowing the service director to change the contractor used for projects under the Community Block Development Grant.
The next meeting will be April 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the John Knisely Municipal Centre, 150 E. High Ave., New Philadelphia.