By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Galion no longer has an acting Safety-Service Director as Nikki Ward has assumed the duty full-time for the eastern Crawford County city.
Ward became acting Safety-Service Director for Galion in May of 2016 when she replaced former Safety-Service Director John Swain after Swain stepped down due to health issues. The title of safety-service director officially became Ward’s at the beginning of the year.
Related content: Galion Safety/Service Director steps down, cites health issues
Those visiting Galion’s South Park can expect upgraded restroom facilities in the near future after Galion City Council approved authorizing the safety-service director to go to bid on the project.
Passed unanimously by council with emergency, the project going to bid would be for a prefabricated masonry toilet building to replace the existing restrooms at the city’s South Park. The project is not to exceed $96,000 which includes grant funding in the amount of $66,000 from Nature Works.
“The sooner we can get this to market the better,” Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary said. “We had a similar situation last year and got a late start.”
Galion City Council approved authorizing the safety-service director to apply for a grant through Recreation Trails/Clean Ohio Trails for a walk/bike path for the city.
The grant is available through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The city would be using the plans for a bike trail when they attempted to get a grant for one in 2014. The deadline to submit for the grant is Feb. 1.
Galion Council also approved authorizing the safety-service director to apply for a grant through the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for a grant for the Big Four Depot.
The grant would cover the cost of an engineer tdeveloping a master plan for the depot and is not to exceed $10,500. If approved, the city would have to pay 40 percent of the grant total.
After its third reading Galion City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the safety-service director to advertise for engineering/consulting services for the city’s airport.
Council approved, with emergency, ordinances for the 2017 materials bid, then-and-now certificates, as well as amending appropriations for the city. The appropriations are for $4,160 from unappropriated funds to the FEMA fund. Galion Auditor Brian Treisch noted that the money is a carryover from the FEMA fund from last year.
Council members also approved bike path and sewer line easements. Both easements are the second phase of alleyway vacations behind the new Tim Hortons restaurant.
Galion City Council held first readings for the South Street Commerce Center lease, bidding for rent of farmland on the airport property, as well as the adoption of a financial policy manual.