VW Council looks at land swap proposal

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council looked at a request for a land swap to help move forward a project at Wassenberg Art Center and also voted to prepare legislation allowing non-profit organizations that receive F permits to sell alcohol on public property during festivals and other community events.

Seth Baker, executive secretary of the Van Wert County Foundation, and Wassenberg Art Center Executive Director Hope Wallace were on hand to talk about Wassenberg’s project, which includes acquisition of three lots southeast of the art center. At least some of the funding for the project, which would feature installation of an outdoor kitchen, interactive sculptures, rebar shade structures, and lawn spaces, would come from a $175,000 grant awarded the art center by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.

Baker stressed during his presentation that the project has not yet been approved by the foundation’s full Board of Trustees, which plans to discuss the project during its semi-annual meeting on December 13.

Some of the land to be acquired is currently owned by the county and includes a Quonset-style building used by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management Agency as an impound and storage facility.

Baker said the county would be willing to give up its property adjacent to the art center but currently doesn’t have a lot on which to build a new storage/impound facility for the sheriff’s office and EMA.

That’s where the city would come in, with Baker requesting city officials consider giving up the southern half of a city-owned parking lot on the east side of the Van Wert County Correctional Facility to provide a site for a new county storage building.

Council members appeared mostly positive about the proposal, with Councilman At-Large Jon Tomlinson noting the parking lot is little used, except by employees of the correctional facility. Several Council members also said they were supportive of anything that would be a boon to downtown development.

The issue will be discussed further at the Monday, November 28, City Council meeting.

Also Monday, a number of people showed up to discuss a proposed amendment to the city’s alcohol ordinance that would allow the sale of alcohol by non-profit groups at community events.

The ordinance currently bans the consumption or sale of alcohol on public property, but an amendment to the ordinance would add the phrase, “but for a dedicated area delineated in an F permit application”, according to language provided by Law Director John Hatcher. The amendment, if approved, would allow alcohol sales on city property by non-profit groups who successfully apply for that permit. F permits for temporary alcohol sales can only be issued to non-profit organizations.

While some of those who attended were opposed to adding the amendment, preferring that alcohol sales not be allowed on public property, most of those at the meeting appeared in favor of making the change.

Especially supportive of the change were Main Street Van Wert Program Manager Adam Ries and Van Wert Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Larry Lee.

“It’s not a question of morality, it’s not a question of ethics, but it’s about looking at our community and deciding how, and if, we want to grow,” Ries said, noting that local festivals can attract a wide variety of visitors to the community.

Lee talked about the Van Wert Ribfest event, which he said includes the serving of alcohol at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds, noting that there have been no alcohol-related arrests to his knowledge during that event’s 10-year history.

Third Ward Councilman Ken Markward suggested that City Council obtain more detailed information on arrests related to public events from local law enforcement agencies prior to the next meeting on the subject.

Council also approved preparation of an ordinance that would require trash haulers in the city to collect trash in an area on the same day as recycling is collected. The ordinance, if approved, would go into effect on April 1, 2017. Council is also looking at requiring all trash haulers to register with the city to allow for better regulation.

The ordinance will be read three times before it comes up for final passage.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted during his report that the South Washington Street reconstruction project was mostly completed, with installation of traffic lights the only item still unfinished.

Fleming also noted that leaf pick-up was underway and stressed that it is illegal to blow leaves or grass clippings into the street, noting that regulation will be enforced.

Mayor Jerry Mazur noted that five people have currently been interviewed for the new city-county economic development director’s position, with no decision made yet on who should fill that position.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, November 28, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.