GREENVILLE — At its Tuesday night meeting, Greenville City Council heard a proposal from the Darke County Visitors Bureau and Main Street Greenville.
Matt Staugler, executive director of the bureau, addressed council with the idea of placing an informational kiosk on the sidewalk in front of the organization’s Welcome Center at 421 South Broadway. The idea behind the kiosk would be to provide information on Greenville and Darke County attractions to visitors who arrive outside the Welcome Center’s open hours.
“Obviously the Welcome Center can’t be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Staugler. “And obviously, people are coming into our community at all times. That’s where our desire for an informational kiosk comes in.”
The kiosk will be 8 foot, 4 inches in height and 2 feet, 2 inches wide and will be placed perpendicular to the street. The Visitors Bureau and Main Street Greenville will share the cost of the kiosk, estimated at $2,500. The two organizations would like to place kiosks in other locations throughout the county as well.
“I think it looks nice, It’s a good idea,” said Councilman Doug Schmidt upon seeing the prototype.
Council gave its approval to have legislation for the kiosk prepared for consideration at its May 16 meeting.
Jenny Clark, president of the Friends of the Greenville City Park, also addressed council, updating the body on the group’s efforts to renovate one of two islands in the park. The Park Board earlier voted in favor of the project. The project is fully funded by the group, which hopes to begin work on the island in May.
Safety/Service Director Curt Garrison asked council to consider funding an engineering survey of the Municipal Building’s HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system, which he said is reaching its end of life.
“We’ve been spending considerable dollars maintaining our HVAC system for this building,” he said, noting the current system has passed the 20-year mark.
Garrison said the cost of the survey is $7,500, and asked for legislation approving the survey to be written for council’s consideration at its May 2 meeting.
Council approved a number of resolutions and ordinances, including:
- An ordinance authorizing the following appropriations: $3,000 to purchase a new router which has reached the end of its useful life and needs replaced; $44,797 for funds representing the MARCS grant proceeds.; $2,250 for the water tap fee refund to Erwin Bros.; $3,375 for the sewer tap fee refund to Erwin Bros.; $33,000 to cover the Natureworks Trail Grant – Round 21. This grant is 75 percent reimbursable.
- An ordinance increasing the number of Street Openings permitted, reducing the Guarantee Bond required, and requiring a permit fee of $25 per service address regarding the 2017 Vectren Energy Gas Lateral Replacement project which will affect approximately 122 residences or properties within the city.
- An ordinance authorizing city employees to contribute sick leave hours to William Hoyt, Jr. who has been stricken with a health condition which has caused, or will soon cause, him to exhaust all of his accumulated paid leave.
- A resolution authorizing the safety/service director to purchase a Ford F-550 truck from Walt Sweeney Ford, Inc. to be used by the Street Department.
- A resolution authorizing the safety/service director to purchase a Galion Dump Truck Body Package from Kalida Truck Equipment, Inc. to be used by the Street Department.
- A resolution authorizing the city to participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) annual winter road salt bid.
- A resolution authorizing the safety/service director to solicit bids for the purpose of services related to the city’s sanitary sewer grouting needs.
- A resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a construction agreement with ODOT for the widening of Sweitzer Street. A portion of the project involves widening Sweitzer Street where it intersects with railroad right of way which is owned by R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC, which requires that Corman also be a party to an agreement concerning the project.
Greenville City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building. The meetings are open and the public may address council. Each meeting can be viewed the following day online at the “City of Greenville, Ohio” Youtube channel.