City Council meets to share updates
COSHOCTON – Steve Jones, recreation director, was happy to report at the Sept. 22, Coshocton City Council meeting that there will soon be a new update to Himebaugh Park.
“Because of a generous donation from Kiwanis we were able to get the other basketball pole for the court,” he said.
Jones also was glad to see how clean the park is currently being kept.
“Somebody is picking it up,” he said. “Whoever is helping is doing a nice job.”
Safety Service Director Jerry Stenner also had some positive news to report on street repair.
“The nice weather has helped us catch up a little bit and we are pleased to be able to do that,” he said.
Public Works Director Jim Ruby reported on the Adams Street project.
“It came to $10,000 and that doesn’t include labor,” he said. “Most of the residents are pretty happy with the results though.”
Stenner also said the city is diligently searching for the source of a problem on Chestnut Street.
“We are getting infiltration into our sanitation lines and its backing up into people’s basements,” he said.
Chestnut Street also was recently the site of a DUI checkpoint.
“It was somewhat fruitful,” said Sheriff Tim Rogers. “We got three DUIs and dope in two cars and everybody was brought to jail.”
Mayor Steve Mercer shared with the council that the city’s public swimming pools (which includes two at hotels, one at a school and one at the hospital) are meeting the Ohio Department of Health’s standards.
During the meeting council passed Ordinance 28-14, which deals with transferring from account 101-7721-52302 (Municipal Court-House Arrest) to account 101-7720-52450 (Municipal Court-Equipment) the amount of $2,000. They also approved Ordinance 29-14 to appropriate from unappropriated street to account number 201-6640-52436 Street-Electric Traffic/Lights the amount of $43,000, appropriate from unappropriated Food Sanitation to account number 204-2250-52101 Food Sanitation-Salary the amount of $7,000, and appropriate from unappropriated Municipal Court-Special Projects to account number 104-7721-52501 Municipal Court-Special Project-Capital Improvements the amount of $5,000.
Council also discussed resolution 7-14, a resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor.
The meeting then ended with the council’s traditional salute to a hometown hero.
Staff Sgt. George Rochester is a 1988 graduate of Ridgewood High School. He enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard in June 1988, as a medic for the 4th Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment located at the Akron-Canton Airport. In November 1991 he transferred to active duty and spent some time in Germany before being honorably discharged in November 1997.
Rochester received his Associate Degree of Science from Kent State University in 2001 and re-enlisted as a sergeant in December 2002. During this enlistment he served in Iraq and Bahrain and earned his Associate Degree of Applied Science from the National Institute of Technology. He is currently serving with the 135th Military Police Company and lives in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife Melissa and their two dogs. He works as a medical assistant at the Crystal Clinic Orthopedic Center, St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, and is attending the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Stark State College in North Canton.
Betty Rochester, George’s mother was at the council meeting to receive a certificate of appreciate for his service to our country.
“I’m very proud of him,” said Betty, who serves as the historian for the local Blue Star Mothers group.
josie@coshoctoncounttybeacon.com
Category: Government
