By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

Forty county residents are one step closer to receiving city water services after the Bucyrus City Council’s service committee approved the engineering piece of the project to move forward with the project during the council’s joint committee meeting Thursday evening.

A resident on County Road 35, also known as Crestline Road, began requesting water services from the city approximately two months ago and had about 10 other residents interested in the service.

“There are now 40 residents that want the service on County Road 35 and Route 19, all the way to Chambers Road,” council member Mark Makeever said.

Council member Doug Foght said the resident has put in her due diligence in requesting the service and at least three of the homes are without wells.

“They need water as soon as possible,” Foght said.

Committee member Andy Schoch said he is concerned with the city moving forward with a small project.

“I don’t know if we should move forward on such a small pocket without a larger, overall plan,” Schoch said.

Council president Sis Love said water lines already are in place to the intersection of Beal Road and Ohio 19 at County Road 35, and that the work to extend the lines will be done in-house by city workers.

The committee gave its approval for engineer firm Makeever and Associates to begin drawing up the plans for the service.

In other city business, Bucyrus School District Board of Education member John Kime spoke to the finance committee regarding the addition of a second school resource officer through the Bucyrus Police Department.

The district currently has one school resource officer, Bucyrus Police Officer Jo Stahl, and want to add James Matta so there will be an officer for both the elementary and secondary school buildings.

“Jo is doing a phenomenal job with our staff and students but she is only one person,” Kime said.

Kime said the board has had to make decisions to keep children safe during their school day.

“The board took the first step in approving funding for a second officer,” Kime said.

The school board has approved a salary of $60,040 for the nine-month school year. The cost to the city for an officer per year is $91,949, which means the city will only pay the salary of the officer for the summer months when school is not in session.

Legislation was passed by the finance committee to go before council for a vote at the next regular meeting May 1 at 7 p.m.

The health and safety committee approved legislation for Bratwurst Festival street closures and ODOT paving projects that will also be presented to the entire council May 1.