City government officials encouraged to continue working together
COSHOCTON – Mayor Steve Mercer delivered his state of the city address at the Jan. 25 city council meeting and encouraged everyone in the community to pull together this year.
“We need constructive dialogue to add new perspective to old problems,” he said. “Let’s give each other plenty of room to contribute our value to that goal.”
While WestRock’s closing was a horrible blow to the city, Mercer believes that sometimes endings are necessary to make room for new beginnings. He plans to continue to do all he can to stabilize neighborhoods, restore downtown and help make Coshocton a business destination, not a bedroom community.
“This will require working together as a whole body, each joint supplying its own valuable part, joined for the purpose of building up, to leave Coshocton’s next generation better than ours,” Mercer said.
Service Director Jerry Stenner also took the time to thank all of his department heads for their hard work this past year.
“I appreciate their dedication and willingness to cooperate with each other,” he said.
Utilities Director Dave McVay shared with council that his department received a $10,000 grant to help them finish a project mapping where certain valves are.
“Everything will be up-to-date after this and if we have a snow event we will be able to go out and find valves in the right place,” he said.
Another grant for $48,000 will help Public Works Director Jim Ruby have ODOT come in and look at the city’s traffic signals and hopefully create better traffic flow.
City council also passed resolution 2-16 which shows its support for Kno-Ho-Co Ashland Community Action’s attempt to seek a grant to help them with a proposed $5-6 million dollar renovation of Heritage Apartments. There are 52 units in this complex, which has not been updated since it was built in 1970.
When it came time to discuss new business, Councilman Brad Fuller shared that the second annual bacon festival will be held Sept. 10. He noted that the 5K run and king and queen contest will return and that a number of people are already involved and helping the plans for the festival come together.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Government
