Council approves rate increase - Crawford County Now

BUCYRUS ― Bucyrus City Council members voted unanimously to raise city residents’ solid waste rates during council’s regular meeting Tuesday evening.

By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

BUCYRUS ― Bucyrus City Council members voted unanimously to raise city residents’ solid waste rates during council’s regular meeting Tuesday evening.

Bucyrus resident William Stuckert asked council to consider exempting senior citizens from the increases.

“We cannot do that at this time because we need this increase to be approved so that we can stay in the black this year. It is something we can re-visit in the future, though,” said Council President Sis Love.

Love had the issue placed with the service committee meeting before council voted to increase the solid waste rates for seniors and singles from $9.65 per month to $10. Families will see an increase of 85 cents per month for a total of $16 per month on their water utility bill.

Previously, Auditor Joyce Schifer said residents currently pay $15.15 per month for solid waste and seniors pay $9.65. The rate increase will have seniors paying $10 per month to have their trash picked up while all other residents will pay $16 per month.

Various appropriations, the creation of a line item and a fund transfer also were approved by council.

Mayor Jeff Reser said the work on Plymouth Street is on schedule even though Elite was pulled off the job for a few days to assist in repairing the major water main break that occurred in Galion.

Paving at Bucyrus City Hall will begin the week of Aug. 27 and the inspection of the Friendship Bridge at Aumiller Park is complete and the bridge deemed safe. Reser said the city is in the process of obtaining estimates to repair the south entrance of the bridge after a juvenile crashed a vehicle into it approximately a month ago.

Reser also said, while reading the report of city service-safety director Jeff Wagner who was not present at the meeting, that the construction of the new Wendy’s building should be completed by Thanksgiving.

The mayor, along with Wagner, wished good luck to long-time city zoning, website, IT, floodplain, and Bucyrus planning administrator, John Rostash in his new position as the Crestline village administrator.

The Mayor’s Roundtable is being televised on the city’s access channel, 1023 on Spectrum and the city’s website. The first guests of this new series included Bucyrus City Schools Superintendent Kevin Kimmel, Bucyrus Police Chief Dave Koepke who spoke about National Night Out, Wagner discussing upcoming projects and Kevin Myers representing the Bratwurst Festival board.

Stuckert asked Reser if extra police patrol may be put in the area of the new four-way stops at East Mansfield and Spring and Poplar streets.

“We are seeing many people run those stop signs and it is dangerous for motorists,” Stuckert said.

Bucyrus resident Kurt Fankhauser said he recently had a close call at one of the stops.

“I realized at the last second the other car was not stopping so I was able to quickly break and avoid an accident,” Fankhauser said.

Fankhauser also suggested better signage for the pedestrian areas of Washington Square.

Reser agreed there needs to be something done and resolutions to the issue are being considered. The crosswalks will be discussed by the Health and Safety Committee when council members meet at 6 p.m. Thursday for the joint committee meetings.