Bucyrus City Council holds meeting through live stream

BUCYRUS ― It was a new experience for the Bucyrus City Council and the city’s administration Tuesday evening as they made their way through a virtual meeting with the help of technology.

Council president Kurt Fankhauser said in keeping with the recommendations of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to decrease the spread of the coronavirus, the council is not meeting in person but still needs to conduct city business and hold regular council meetings. Several citizens viewed the meeting through the city’s Facebook page.

Mayor Jeff Reser spoke about the proclamation he had issued earlier on Tuesday which includes the closing of the Bucyrus City Hall to the public due to the coronavirus outbreak throughout the world.

“Please follow our Facebook page and website. There will not be shut-offs right for utility bills right now but you still need to pay your bill and there are several ways to do that,” said Reser.

He said to check in on elderly neighbors and that meals are being offered every day throughout Bucyrus at places such as Holy Trinity, the Salvation Army and Father’s Heart Healing Center.

“Volunteers are very much needed,” Reser said.

Council member Lisa Alsept suggested that local teens could possibly help out since they are out of school due to the outbreak.

“That is a great idea. Anyone wishing to volunteer should call the mayor’s office and we can give them more information,” Reser said.

The council unanimously approved to adopt the mayor’s proclamation which can be viewed here.

“If you have any questions, please feel free to call the city,” Reser said. The number is 419-562-6767.

Fankhauser said he and the administration received an e-mail from state officials at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office regarding the Pines Reservoir.

Fankhauser asked Reser about the letter from Dave Yost and Kelly Walls at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office that states the city has failed to keep the Ohio Department of Natural Resources apprised of the current water level in the reservoir and they must then assume that the dam remains unsafe.

“It says they have reached out multiple times to the mayor for an update on the Pines Reservoir and they did not get any response. If we don’t respond, they are getting ready to do some sort of action against us,” said Fankhauser.

He then asked Reser why he did not respond to their request.

“We have been in contact with them and your statement is false. I’ll let the law director explain it,” said Reser.

“We did get an email from the attorney general on the case today. They did send us an email back in February asking for a status update and I forwarded it to the service safety director,” said City Law Director Rob Ratliff. “What they are wanting is the volition plan on the dam and I will have to talk to the service safety director to find out where the engineering is on that.”

He said the engineering process was delayed because of new engineers on the project and the lack of freeze during the winter weather.

“We will get the information to them by the 27th,” said Ratliff in regards to the letter that gives a deadline of March 29.

Candy Yocum, who heads of the Public Lands and Building Committee, requested that emails regarding city properties, including the reservoir, be sent to her also.

Reser said while reading Service Safety Director Jeff Wagner’s report to council that the Whetstone Street area sewer replacement project is on schedule to be completed in the summer with progress currently being made.

City Auditor Joyce Schifer said completed tax returns can be placed in a sealed envelope and dropped off through the water utility office drive-thru window. Payments can be turned in with the return by check or money order but not cash. Forms can also be picked up there.

“They will not be able to help with forms or take cash payments,” said Schifer.

She said to call the city income tax department with questions about returns.

“There is a link online to prepare the return, but it must be mailed or brought to the city building, but at this time, we do not have the capability available for people to file online,” said Schifer.

Reser said the federal government released a statement on Tuesday that the tax deadline of April 15 has not changed but extensions can be filed if people owe money on their returns.

Council passed legislation for various appropriations, including the K-9, LEAP program and Safety Town donations for the Bucyrus Police Department, an ordinance ratifying the AFSCME contract and a resolution to give AEP an easement for the installation of a pole for the electric vehicle charging station.

Council member Kevin Myers moved to vote on a resolution to transfer ownership of city lot number two, located next to Baker’s Pizza, to the CIC for the sale of the parking lot to Baker’s as an emergency on the second reading and it was approved.

Legislation for the GovDeals authorization, an Arby’s easement for Finley Hill and the FFA airport grant were held to first and second readings.

Alsept asked about a tree that was recently cut down behind the Pelican House near Millineum Park.

“Someone asked me why the tree, a big beautiful tree, had been taken down,” said Alsept.

Reser said the city does not own that property, it is through Project Inc.

“When trees were being trimmed, it was decided that it was very overgrown and blocking part of the mural so the decision was made to take it down, but it will be replaced with a smaller tree,” Reser said.

Plans are in the works to hold the city council’s joint committee meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. online also in keeping with social distancing guidelines due to the pandemic.