By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
While the Central Joint Ambulance District recently approved a new three-year contract to Life Support to provide ambulance service to the district, New Washington Village Council discussed ulterior plans for one of the district’s members Monday evening.
During his report to the village council, Steve Aichholz noted that the big news is Bucyrus’ plan to pull out of the CJAD by the end of the year to run their own ambulance service out of the fire station. Aichholz explained that the move would affect those within the district as Bucyrus is a major chunk of the group. Aichholz ran off the ambulance run numbers of the rest of the district compared with Bucyrus including the January runs with Bucyrus receiving 166 calls while the rest of the district received less than 80 call combined.
“It’s not hard to imagine what Life Support will do when Bucyrus pulls out,” Aichholz said.
Aichholz also noted that he feels that not everyone is on the same page at the Bucyrus City Council.
New Washington Village Council approved using J&F Construction to pave the floor of the village garage for $12,276.
Council also approved the purchase for paint and labor to patch paint portions of the swimming pool that could use a coat of paint. The 25-by-25-foot portion of the shallow end of the pool, plus a few other patches will be painted to get the pool through the next two years with the plan to include repainting the entire pool in two years.
“We need to do it because we have invested in the pool, but we have to look ahead and put items like this in the budget,” Mayor Ben Lash said. ‘We should get a maintenance log detailing what we have done so when we are doing the budget it can be brought to the table.”
The motion was approved to use Studer-Obringer on the painting project.
Councilman Brian Agin reported that the concrete around the manhole cover at the Franklin Street and 103 intersection had become loose in spots.
In new business Councilman Joe Blum reported that residents at the corner of John and Center streets have experienced issues with oversized trucks taking chunks out of the yards when driving from Crestbending to their other building at the old hide house. Mayor Ben Lash said he would speak with the company about possibly getting better signage posted. Police Chief Jeff Shook noted that passing an ordinance on having “No Through Trucks” signage on those streets could take too long and that the next time it happens the property owners could file a property damage report to the police.
Village Solicitor Timothy Obringer reported to council that he was currently looking into the extent of managing and updating the solicitation ordinance. Obringer added that the village is currently using an ordinance passed in 1965, and he is checking on the constitutionality on what updates could be done to the ordinance.
Councilman Joe Blum reported that cemetery memorial services on Memorial Day will be held at the cemetery on Cemetery Street. Blum added the he contacted Longstreth Memorials about straightening a few stones that have shifted out of place.
Village Council gave its approval to have Buckeye Recreation handle restroom usage guidelines for those who rent out the park’s shelters.