By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
The Crawford Regional Planning Commission met Wednesday evening – probably for the last time.
A vote was held where it was decided the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) would not be going forward. Representatives from the constituent entities were given a ballot with two options. The first asked for a yes or no answer to the idea of continuing land use planning in the current format and the second asked for a yes or no vote to continuing land use planning in a different format. The first went down 13 to 6, and the second by a vote of 9 to 8.
The road to this point began six months ago when the City of Bucyrus pulled out of the RPC. John Rostash, of Bucyrus Planning and Zoning, explained that decision.
“The administration of the City’s Community Development Building Grant (CDBG) was not effectual and the City had to take over its administration from the RPC,” Rostash said. “That’s what led us to pull out.”
Bucyrus brought, and then took, with it a bulk of the CDBG money, which as a whole provided 85 percent of the RPC’s operating revenue. Miller confirmed that once Bucyrus left the group this path was more or less set.
The RPC is set to have about $15,000 to take care of any financial obligations it has left, after which the money will be returned to the constituent entities in the manner it was collected. Miller added that there was no further need to hold meetings.
County Commissioner Doug Weisenauer did indicate an alternate route. The Ohio Revised Code provides for counties to form County Planning Commissions. This route is completely at the discretion of the county offices, and they would bear all financial responsibility. The Commission would be formed of the three county commissioners and eight appointed members.
Those wishing to continue land use planning were encouraged to contact the county commissioners to discuss this option.