Bucyrus committees discuss new bike path, park improvements

By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

BUCYRUS — Whether or not to fund a bike path was one of several topics of discussion during the Bucyrus City Council Joint Regular Committees meeting Thursday evening.

Dan Wirebaugh, head of the Bucyrus Public Lands and Building Committee, said the path would run along Friendship Drive, an already low-traffic street.

“I don’t think it is a bad idea to have a bike path but finance will have to figure out the rest of it,” Wirebaugh said.

Council president Sis Love said the issue was taken out of the 2018 budget, but now may be considered.

According to city auditor Joyce Schifer, the city’s income revenue is increased by nine percent.

Along with a grant for the bike path, the city’s share is $22,000.

City Service Safety Director Jeff Wagner said the path will run from Southern Avenue to the Friendship Bridge at Aumiller Park.

Bucyrus Zoning Administrator John Rostash said that the new path will connect with one that already is in place along Southern Avenue with plans to expand it from that point in the future.

Wirebaugh said that if the city does not take the grant it could be frowned upon when the city applies for future grants.

Love said bike paths attract younger people so it should be considered for future development and growth for the city.

Rostash said the information about the bike path is on the city’s website and there are 10 comments from citizens and seven are favorable toward the creation of the bike path.

“Only three people said the city should not spend the money on it,” Rostash said.

The issue was passed by the committee to then be considered by the finance committee for the funding. The finance committee passed legislation to be considered by the entire council at its next meeting, with Wirebaugh being the only one to vote no on the issue.

In other council action, both the finance and public lands and building committees approved legislation to be considered for a bond anticipation note of $250,000 to repair a crack in the Aumiller Park pool, along with upgrades to the tennis courts, new park and recreation equipment, repairs to the Friendship Bridge and other park improvements.

Wagner said the crack will be sealed so the pool can open this summer, but the work needs to be done in August.

“The pool will close one week early this year,” Wagner said.

The public lands and building committee also took in a presentation by Suez, a company that offers many services including the servicing of water towers. Wagner said more research is being done to determine the least expensive route for the city to take to repair and maintain the towers.

The committee also will be making changes to the banned tree ordinance that last was updated in 1964.

Valerie Spreng, head of the city’s tree committee, said some trees on the banned list no longer should be a problem due to changes in the genetics of the trees and the processes that now are used to for leaf and branch clean-up by the city.

Rostash said that the honey locust and sycamore trees should be removed from the banned list while decorative pear trees should be added. The issue was tabled until further notice.

Legislation for various appropriations was approved to be presented to council by the finance committee while the health and safety committee approved traffic map changes for four-way stops on East Mansfield Street at Poplar and Spring streets and one at the intersection of Poplar and Mary streets.

All legislation approved during the committee meetings will be considered by the entire council at its next meeting May 15 at 7 p.m. in council chambers at Bucyrus City Hall.