Conneaut council briefed on projects

May 15—CONNEAUT — City council was briefed on a number of ongoing projects at Monday night's council meeting.

Newly hired City Manager Nick Sanford gave his first report after being hired last month.

He said the city will be seeking funding for the Port Conneaut Connector from the All-Ohio Future Fund, after the project was not funded through the recently announced Appalachian Community Grant Program

"We are going full-steam ahead with this to virtually save this endeavor, that goes back to when I was on city council, about five years ago," Sanford said. "We want to keep this momentum going forward, to see this project to fruition."

The project would expand Thompson Road north to the Canadian National docks, among other things.

Regarding a dispute between the city and CSX about whether or not a crossing had been eliminated on Thompson Road, Sanford said the right-of-way for the road was vacated north of the crossing in the 1970s.

"I would argue and contest very strongly that the right-of-way through the railroad [tracks] would still exist on paper, in as much as that roadway is still a paper right-of-way," he said.

Sanford said new playground equipment is expected to be installed at Liberty Street Park this week.

"The goal is to have everything complete, the new playground equipment installed and all work done, before Memorial Day ceremonies," Sanford said. "We're going to be in good shape. Everybody did a fantastic job, with getting everything pulled together for that, and we're going to see a really good product in the end."

The city's paving program will be going out for bids this Friday, Sanford said.

He said the city is getting the program out at the right time.

The city has received updated cost estimates for replacing the Old Main Road bridge over Conneaut Creek, at $3.2 to $3.4 million, Sanford said. The city's share would be $1.2 to $1.4 million.

Sanford thanked city staff who participated in a city hall clean-up on Saturday.

The city's downtown cleanup event is this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at city hall, and a spring clean-up event is scheduled for June 6-8.

According to a flier for the event, general household items and scrap metal will be accepted at the Astatic property, at 341 Harbor Street. No items containing hazardous waste or freon will be accepted, and proof of residency will be required. Tires can also be disposed of at the event, to a limit of four per household.

The event is first come, first serve, with a maximum of 800 tires that can be disposed of.

In other business:

—Conneaut Finance Director John Williams briefed council on the first-half real estate settlement.

"We received about $1.75 million," he said.

The valuation of the city increased 21.6 percent in the county's recent revaluation, and the first-half real estate settlement went up about $223,000 across all funds, he said.

—Council approved a proclamation honoring Luke Gallagher, who died last week.

In addition to serving as an attorney in Conneaut, he also worked as the city's assistant law director on two separate occasions, from 1996-97 and and 2003-10, according to the resolution.

He also hosted a number of fundraisers at his office.

The proclamation thanked Gallagher for his contributions to the community, and expressed council's condolences to his family.

—Mark Wheeler spoke to council on behalf of Grandpa Pizzi's Place.

He said he recently approached the Ohio Department of Liquor Control to expand the restaurant's permit to serve alcohol to include more of the property.

The department suggested Wheeler seek a temporary expansion of the restaurant's permit from city council, and then request a permanent expansion from the state if everything goes well.

"During any special event, what I would have up to have a barrier would be stakes with a visible chain or rope that everybody could see, and signs posted, 'No drinks beyond this point,'" Wheeler said.

He said they hope to expand beyond their current seating inside the building.

Law Director John Lewis said he will look into the issue.

—Scott Davis told council an antique truck show first hosted last year will take place again this year on June 1 on the northwest side of Interstate 90 and Route 7.

"The show starts at 10 and goes to 4," he said.

He said he plans to promote the show as much as possible.

"I think it's a good event to promote the city," he said.

This year will feature a parade of trucks before the start of the show.

"I try to take opportunities and promote the city as much as possible," he said.

Last year's show drew attendees from Maine, Las Vegas and Arizona, Davis said.

—Council approved participating in the Ohio Department of Transportation's salt purchasing program for the coming year.

—A meet-and-greet for Sanford will take place today, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Conneaut Human Resource Center.

—The city's economic development committee will meet on June 4 at 10 a.m. in council chambers.