By James Massara
The Bucyrus Public Lands and Buildings Committee discussed the future of Pines Reservoir on Thursday, Aug. 3. Bucyrus resident Pat Murphy approached the committee with a proposal to acquire the property.
Murphy said he is an attorney by has a bachelor’s degree in forestry and has acquired multiple parcels of land and placed them into conservancy. He said he has been involved in the planting of more than 50,000 trees.
He said he became interested in the property and has kept his eye on it because his ancestors at one time owned it and he grew up across the road from the reservoir.
The reservoir is no longer an active city reservoir and the dam at the reservoir is in need of repair soon, according to Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser.
Murphy said right now he sees an area filled with garbage and fallen trees and a place perfect for drug users. He said he wants to increase fishing operations at the reservoir.
He added he would leave the area as a natural environment and never commercialize it into a subdivision.
Council President Sis Love asked what became of the previous idea of talking to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Crawford County Parks District.
The committee was informed ODNR was not interested in the land and the county parks district was only interested if it was transferred as a donation.
Murphy said he has property in Bucyrus he would be willing to swap with the city in exchange for the property, something he said he did in a similar agreement with Crestline in the past.
Councilman Dan Ross asked what would happen if a company needed the water as a condition of moving into Bucyrus. He mentioned a time when he said Anheuser-Busch was looking to build a plant in Bucyrus, but chose not to due to limited access to needed water.
Reser said with the construction of the Outhwaite Reservoir, the water in Pines Reservoir never would be used.
Ross asked how the mayor could say never.
Reser said the Outhwaite Reservoir has 1 billion gallons of water.
“It would take the city three years to drain the reservoir with the current rate of water use,” Reser said. “That’s if we did not receive rain for that time.”
Murphy said he has no intention of draining the reservoir.
“The water quality is not marketable,” Murphy said. “But, if a company wants to pay the water rights, then I’d let them tap into it.”
Murphy concluded by saying he hopes the committee and council will entertain his proposal.
“Think of it this way,” he said. “You were looking to possibly give it away. I’m willing to give you something for it.”
@JamesMassaraCCN