By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Thursday night was a busy one for Bucyrus City Council committees including putting For Sale signs on some city-owned properties.
The Public Lands and Buildings Committee approved selling nine properties owned by the city. The properties were claimed by the city of Bucyrus in order to demolish abandoned structures on the properties. Money from the sale of those properties will be earmarked for future work on other abandoned properties throughout the city.
The Guardian Angels spoke with the Health and Safety Committee about branching out into community service. The Bucyrus chapter of the Guardian Angels is proposing helping with the upkeep lawns of senior and disabled citizens.
The Guardian Angels suggested using first-time offenders in supervised community service diversion programs. The Angels’ spokesperson said they would take responsibility and the program would be structured.
The Health and Safety Committee approved for consideration of Bucyrus City Council a parking ban on the south side of Cullen Court from Robin Hood Drive to Cullen Avenue.
Also sent to council from the Health and Safety Committee is the approval of the liquor license for the Old 30 BBQ restaurant.
The Health and Safety Committee meeting also discussed what to do with indigent burials Thursday night. During the discussion the Health and Safety Committee seemed to come to a consensus to hold ashes of those that are indigent for a period of time. If no one would come forward they would be scattered at a set aside location.
One option the committee plans to look at is to see if the county’s Potter’s Field on Ohio 19 would be an option for spreading those ashes.
The Bucyrus Finance Committee approved sending the F.O.P. contract for the Bucyrus Police Department to council for approval. City Attorney Rob Ratliff reviewed the changes made to the contract.
Among changes for the three-year contract will see Bucyrus police receiving a 3-percent increase in pay the first year of the contract, 2 percent for the second year, and a 3-percent raise for the final year of the contract. Bucyrus officers will also receive a $1 per hour raise; however certification bonuses will be eliminated. Also changed was the wording of the residency requirement. The wording was changed to officers must live within Crawford County or within 15 miles of the city of Bucyrus.
The Finance Committee also passed onto the full City Council legislation approving $6,936.25 to be taken out of the budget for the replacement of radio equipment that received water damage in the basement of City Hall. The radio was damaged when a water pipe in the basement leaked. The new radio system was relocated away from the basement water pipes.