Council adds panel, hears MSVW report

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council President Pete Weir created a new committee Monday to represent Council during economic development talks between the city and county, while Main Street Van Wert Program Director Adam Ries gave an annual report on his organization during the meeting.

Mayor Jerry Mazur also issued a proclamation honoring Vantage Career Center during “Career Technical Education Month”.

Weir chose Councilman At-Large Jon Tomlinson to chair the new committee, while Second Ward Councilman Joi Mergy is vice-chair and Third Ward Councilman Ken Markward is the third member of the committee.

Ries brought with him a number of statistics showing the success of the Main Street program, noting that the city’s $25,000 annual appropriation for the organization is leveraged to bring a 63-to-1 return on that money through downtown reinvestment, the value of volunteer hours donated, estimated consumer spending for downtown events, promotions and district advertising, and CDBG grant administration.

Ries noted that $1.5 million was spent or donated in the downtown area during 2015, including $1.3 million in downtown reinvestment alone. Consumer spending was estimated at $175,300, while the value of the 2,892 volunteer hours donated was estimated at $66,718 ($23.07 per hour). Ries valued in-kind donated services and support at $5,819.

The biggest event downtown in 2015 was the Van Wert Peony Festival/Art-Rageous on Main weekend, which brought an estimated 5,000 people downtown in June. The second biggest event was a new one — Eats on the Street/Art from the Fort — which brought an estimated 3,500 people to downtown Van Wert.

In addition, the Van Wert County Foundation’s Fountain Park Summer Music Series brings thousands of people to the downtown area during the summer.

Ries also noted that three business expansions were completed and six new businesses opened or moved downtown during the year, creating 28 full-time equivalency jobs and 23 part-time equivalent downtown jobs last year, while adding that the Main Street Van Wert organization also earned national accreditation in 2015.

Two long-vacant buildings, one of them being the new Schroeder Realty building, were also purchased in anticipation of future rehabilitation of those structures, Ries said.

Also Monday, during the commentary portion of City Council’s agenda, the mayor presented a proclamation to Vantage Superintendent Staci Kaufman honoring the school’s 40th anniversary and proclaiming “Career Technical Education Month” in Van Wert.

Vantage is conducting an open house in honor of its four decades of existence from 5-7:30 p.m. Monday, February 22.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted that bids will be opened for the South Washington Street reconstruction project on Thursday, while adding that work will commence this spring on a Smiley Park pond beautification project that will include edgework around the pond and placing rocks around the edges to prevent erosion.

Fleming also commended 20-year city employee Vince Barnhart, who recently resigned his position with the Engineering Department to take a similar job with the City of Celina.

City Law Director John Hatcher said he would have resolutions honoring past Council and city officials ready by the February 22 Council meeting, while also noting he would also bring some Van Wert Municipal Court salary ordinance changes to Council in the near future.

An ordinance allowing the city to sell outdated equipment online was also prepared and read for the first time on Monday.