Commissioners are working on several projects
Ground has been broken for a new EMS building on the former Central Elementary School lot. This aerial view of the property was provided by Dobbins Aerial Photography. (Submitted)
The Coshocton County Commissioners have been working on several projects to benefit the county. Updates include new buildings, renovating other buildings and adding broadband to as much of the county as possible.
Mary Beck, county administrator and project manager, said that in the 33 years she has worked for the county, this is the most projects she has ever seen happening at once. “We are all so excited. This is the most grant money I’ve seen coming into the county.”
Beck said ground has been broken for a new EMS building on the former Central Elementary School lot. “They are moving dirt and have the fence up,” she said.
“The project is moving along quickly, and we plan to be in the building in October 2023. This is a $4.35 million project and we received almost half of that in grants.”
The former Hopewell Industries building on the corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets is being renovated for the new Coshocton Public Health location. “The county and city health departments are going to combine,” Beck said. “After COVID, we realized the location of the county health office in the county services building wasn’t working anymore. We needed room for COVID clinics, and this building worked well.”
“This building will also have a new county morgue,” Beck said. “We’ve never had a morgue for the county. The hospital morgue is obsolete, and coroners have been doctors working from their own offices. The building will have the coroner’s office and morgue.” Beck said the cost of the renovation is $1.8 million. They are planning to be in the building by early November.
Beck said the commissioners also had a company look over every tree on the court square. “We had some storm damage and some trees that were partially dead,” she said. “They needed to be taken care of before another bad storm.” The dead trees were removed, and all of the trees were trimmed. There is still one tree that needs to be taken care of. “There is one really large tree that is leaning toward the court house. Sometime in the near future, we’ll need to find someone to take that one down, too.”
Works continues on Skip’s Landing. “The light poles are installed, and we are working on the electric now,” Beck said. “We are also working on the boat ramp more. We found out as it was, it wasn’t friendly to boaters, or even kayaks. So, they are working on the ramp now. Tables have been installed. We hope to have Food Truck Fridays there. We are still working out the details of those but expect that you will have to sign up if you want to bring a food truck. We only have electric for so many trucks.” There will also be a dedication of Skip’s Landing soon. Bronze plaques have been ordered and when those arrive, a date will be chosen to hold the dedication.
The commissioners have several plans for the area on County Road 1A near Skip’s Landing. These plans include a multi-purpose path that will connect CR 621, Lake Park and the city. They have the funds for the project and are in the planning stages of the path.
The county-wide broadband project is coming together. The equipment has been installed on 10-11 towers. Three large towers and six shorter towers will be built, also. If you need internet, go to ohiott.com and enter your address. It will tell you if you are covered already and the list of where it’s needed will help determine where the new towers will be constructed.
The groundbreaking for the new justice center will be in December, with plans to start moving dirt for the building early in 2023. It is expected to take two years to complete.
Three buildings will soon have new roofs. The county annex building, the court house and the juvenile/probate court buildings will each have a new roof. Once the county health department has moved to its new location, the county will begin a remodel of the county services building, both inside and out.
When the EMS moves to its new building, the building at 646 Chestnut will be remodeled into two separate portions to house the public defender’s office and the office for veterans’ services.
“We want to make Coshocton the best community we can to attract people to come here,” said Beck.
Category: Government
