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CORTLAND -- City council members on Monday discussed building a new $5 million safety-services complex, with Mayor Deidre Petrosky saying she will head to Columbus today to seek funding for the building as well as other projects.
Petrosky said that funding for the complex, as well as a design, are in an "idea phase" as she will travel to Columbus today and Wednesday for the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber's annual Columbus Drive-in.
"We will be advocating for capital budget funding, strategic community investment funding and ODOD (Ohio Department of Development) projects," Petrosky said. "And we have several requests. We have a $5 million request for a Safety Service Complex, a $1 million request for hydro herbicide (to combat invasive algae at Mosquito Lake), and our ODOD projects include $1.2 million for the Appalachian Community Grant Program, $700,000 for a wellfield project with a local match from the commissioners funding our backup generators, and a $900,000 request for new water meters and our match there would be the service department labor for installing those."
Nearly $10 million would be going toward city development, if the requests are met, Petrosky said.
"Also we will be going to Washington, D.C. March 6 and 7 for community project funding for the Safety Service Complex," she said.
In other business, part-time city firefighter and paramedic Kevin Bartchy was promoted to full-time status and was sworn in by Petrosky.
Council passed the following legislation at Monday's meeting:
• An ordinance creating the position of assistant service director and establishing the wages, benefits and terms of employment for the position.
• A resolution authorizing the council clerk to advertise for bids for the Fairway Drive Bridge Project.
• A resolution authorizing the council clerk to advertise for a statement of qualifications for professional design services for the safety-services complex.
• First reading of an ordinance authorizing the city to pick up the statutorily required contribution to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System for a certain employee.
• First reading of an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Alexander's Pest Control, Inc. for mosquito control.
• An emergency ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company to allow the city to install a waterline within the railway public right-of-way for the West Main Street waterline replacement project.
• First reading of an ordinance authorizing Service Director Kim Blasco to rent equipment and purchase materials to seal pavement cracks and joints with a hot applied crack sealant material from D.J.L. Material & Supply Inc.
• An emergency ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Lake Shore Strategic Consulting, LLC to assist with occupancy permit and vacant property registration implementation, amend and update the city's zoning code and provide economic development assistance.
• First reading of an ordinance amending, in part, codified ordinances regarding the location and designation of no parking areas within the city and authorizing the service director to enact temporary parking restrictions.