Another Bucyrus eyesore to become a park?

By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

Another abandoned structure in Bucyrus that has been a thorn in the side of city officials and residents may have a pocket park future. The Bucyrus Public Lands and Buildings Committee approved filing paperwork to get the Phase II environmental assessment at the old A.P. gas station on East Mansfield Street moving forward.

During a presentation by consultant Anne Wineger about use of the county’s Brownfield Grant, she explained that the environmental research would take soil and ground water samples to determine if there are any contaminants other than petroleum. If so, and they are found to be at an unsatisfactory level by the EPA, the gas tanks would be removed and the building on the property razed.

“Since the area has low chance for redevelopment, the property could be turned into a pocket park,” Wineger said.

The city is already in the process of turning of creating an art park on the site of the former Schines Theatre on South Sandusky Avenue.

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City Law Director Rob Ratliff was curious what would happen if the grants were not made available to the city.

“If the city takes ownership and doesn’t get the grants, what would it take to get remediated (sic) without the grants?” Ratliff asked.

Wineger noted that if other contaminants are not found on the site that Ohio has a new program within the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund that would help clean up the abandoned gas station. According to Wineger the state hasn’t set guidelines for the program, but she expected the state to release the guidelines between early and mid-fall.

Ratliff explained that another issue could stand in the way from the city being able to do anything with the property which is that the property is not in the city’s possession, but he noted there are ways the city could obtain the property.

“We could eminent domain it, we could have the county foreclose on it, and the city could talk to the owner and have the property’s owner transfer the property to the city,” Ratliff said.

Ratliff noted that foreclosure would be the fastest way; however during the foreclosure sale a resident could purchase the property, but then the new owner would be responsible for cleaning up the property.

The Economic Development Committee decided it needed a little more time to discuss whether the city would appropriate money to the Crawford County Education and Economic Development Partnership.

During the meeting Partnership Director Gary Frakhouse noted that the organization has been mostly privately funded from 2010-2014.

“We have been a privately and publicly funded,” Frankhouse said. “We have been privately funded by individuals, businesses, and publicly funded by the County Commissioners, but with the cities we have not.”

“From 2010-2011 we did a campaign to fund ourselves until 2014, and through the work of former director Dave Williamson we made it to 2015,” Frankhouse continued. “Now we are campaigning to fund the CCEEDP for the next five years.”

Frankhouse noted that they had already spoken with Galion and that the city is considering providing $40,000 to the Partnership.

“We need you, we have momentum, but the synergy of East and West needs to end,” Frankhouse said. “Once we get the county together we want to start talking with Wyandot and Richland counties to try and improve the north-central Ohio region.”

Mayor Jeff Reser explained to the committee that investment with the CCEEDP would benefit the community.

“I have worked with the Partnership for the past year,” Reser said. “The passion they have is real and will be passionate without our support, but the city and the county will benefit if we invest.”

The Finance Committee approved submitting a resolution to City Council to file for an OPWC grant to help pay for interest on the loan for construction of the Water Treatment Plant. The OPWC brought the grant to the city’s attention. The city could apply for upwards of $500,000.

A regular OPWC grant for the amount of $304,000 will help curtail flooding issues on Crawford and Mansfield streets. The project would run into an already existing catch basin where it would enter the storm water system. The city’s share of the project would be $120,000.

The Bucyrus Finance Committee also approved appropriations of $1,800 to the Contractual Services Fund and $600 to the Material and Services Fund for educational purposes.