By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
It is said that no good deed goes unnoticed, but in Galion a good deed by one of the city’s men in blue was celebrated at the Galion City Council meeting.
Galion Police Chief Brian Saterfield presented Officer Ryan Novak with the Life Saving Award for his quick actions administering CPR and stabilizing Rhonda Molton when she went into cardiac arrest.
Prior to the award being presented to Novak, Molton recounted her story in which she collapsed at her job due to cardiac arrest, and that without the assistance of Novak, she most likely wouldn’t have survived. Molton then thanked Novak for his quick actions in saving her life.
Before presenting the award to Novak, Saterfield read thank you notes to Novak from Molton’s family and coworkers.
During the public participation portion of the meeting, Jefferson Township’s woes were brought before council. Howard Morrow spoke before council highlighting numerous issues that are going on with Jefferson Township since the digging of the retention pond for the hotel construction project. While speaking to council Morrow accused the city of not following code on the project.
“We are about to spend $600,000 on a storm sewer, we are supposed to have a 30-day wait and public review,” Morrow said. “The aquifer has been breached when the retention area was dug deeper than called for. It is supposed to be a dry hole, but it is not. You can’t dig a trench and make the water flow.”
Morrow noted that he is not against the hotel coming in, but he wishes it to be done correctly.
Prior to council adjourning to go into executive session, Morrow asked council if any of the members had seen the plans, and invited members of the city to the next Jefferson Township meeting.
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Galion City Council approved amending the codified ordinance that forbids discharging firearms within the corporation limits. The amendment to the ordinance now allows for the discharge of firearms to be done in the General Industrial zoning area of the city, and that the person discharging the firearm has an applicable license from the Bureau of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The ordinance was passed to allow the Top Shot Ammunition Company to remove the middle man in the manufacture of their ammunition, and move their base of operations into the former Roller Plant in Galion.
Prior to council passing the motion, Crawford Partnership Executive Director Gary Frankhouse introduced Top Shot Ammunition owner Mark Schneider to council.
“Top Shot Ammunition had asked about a facility, when we went through the building they were concerned with the law,” Frankhouse said. “He has been doing this in Morrow County, but wants to expand his business.”
“This is target shooting, world class ammunition, and I want to remove the middleman in manufacturing and want to go into self-manufacturing,” Schneider said. “I have been loading ammo since 1981 when I was in the Air Force. Around that time I became interested in precision ammo.”
Schneider asked council for the change because he wants to do quality control in-house to save costs, and assured them that no projectiles would leave the building. Schneider described the test room as a building within the building.
Galion City Council approved amending appropriations to a grant through FEMA for $9,000. The grant is part of the 2015 grant the Fire Department received, and will be used to purchase three defibrillator units, immunizations, and more.
The authorization of the Safety/Service Director to place the proposed shelter at Amman’s Reservoir for bid passed its first reading with a 4-2 vote. The shelter, which was described during the meeting as essentially a 25-feet-by-40-feet pole barn, is expected to cost $75,000 after it was realized that concrete work would be needed for handicap access, parking, and the future installation of bathrooms. The Freese Foundation is expected to pick up $25,000 of the cost. The bathrooms, when installed are expected to cost an additional $50,000 to $55,000.