During its second meeting of the year on Jan. 23, Galion City Council focused on crucial ordinances aimed at enhancing city infrastructure and recreational offerings. Council members Ken Bodkins and Carrie Zeger were absent due to illness. Both were excused.
Because only five members of council were present at the meeting, ordinances could only be read and could not be voted on.
The council first heard ordinance 2024-5 which, if approved, will give Safety Service Director Nicole Ward authorization to auction off unused or outdated city property on an online auction website, Gov Deals. The city has previously used this site to dispose of surplus equipment. Proceeds from the auction will belong to the city.
Council members also reviewed ordinance 2024-6 relating to the construction of a new pickleball court. If passed, the ordinance will allow Ward to solicit bids for the resurfacing of the existing tennis courts to make way for the new pickleball court.
The endeavor to convert the northern tennis courts near the YMCA on Gill Avenue into pickleball courts began last year. However, the initial bidding process yielded no viable contenders, prompting a reassessment of the project’s scope to attract interest from local contractors.
“I think what we did is complicate the project,” Mayor Tom O’Leary explained. He told council that local contractors claimed that the asphalt mixture in the original bid, while durable, was what the contractors called “ODOT surface course.” Because of this, O’Leary explained that the details of the project were altered to attract more bids.
As part of the revised plan, the demolition component of the project has been separated, focusing solely on asphalt installation. The pickleball court is funded through the Egbert M. Freese Foundation grant awarded to the city last year.
In other business, the council reviewed two applications for liquor licenses in Galion. The Galion Community Theater, located on West Harding Way, requested a D2 and D3 liquor license. These licenses will allow for the sale of “wine and pre-packaged low proof mixed beverage sales” and “on premises only consumption of high-proof spirits until 1 am,” according to the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Bell Stores, located on North Portland Way, requested a C2 liquor license, permitting “carryout only sales of wine and pre-packaged, low proof mixed beverages until 1 am.”
Hannah Bryan is a correspondent for the Galion Inquirer. She can be reached at [email protected].
