By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

The reality of the Schines Art Park is one small step closer.

Bucyrus Law Director Rob Ratliff announced during Tuesday night’s City Council meeting that he, along with other city officials, met with representatives from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently to discuss a land lease option for the art park. ODNR is administering the grant the city received to tear down the old downtown theater and to establish the art park and stipulated that a lease must be in place in order to comply with the grant.

Ratliff requested that the land lease option be referred to the Public Lands and Building and the Finance committees.

Service/Safety Director Jeff Wagner said a schedule hasn’t been set yet to tear down the structure. He added that they first needed the lease in place before they could go out for bids.

Funds for tearing down the theater and turning it into the Schines Art Park are coming from two sources: $357,500 from the 2015-2016 capital budget and $242,500 from state funding designated for the arts. The Schines Art Park will feature a green space with an emphasis on education and the arts.

City Council passed three pieces of legislation during the meeting.
• Ordinance 49-2014: appropriated $1,000 in Law Director/Personal Services and $500 in Council/Personal Services to cover payroll and other benefits through the end of the year.
• Ordinance 50-2014: amended Manpower Ordinance 24-2014 Section 5 to reflect that the basic work week for the Victims Advocate will be 40 hours per week. This was retroactive to Oct. 1.
• Resolution 222-2014: authorized the Service/Safety Director to represent the city on the Central Joint Ambulance District board and to vote for a three-year, zero subsidy contract with Life Support Team Inc. beginning Dec. 1, 2014 through Nov. 30, 2017.

Three committee meetings were scheduled for Thursday. The Platting Committee will meet at 5:15 p.m., followed by the Health and Safety Committee at 5:30. The Finance Committee will finish with a meeting at 5:45 and a budget hearing at 6 p.m.