Time is running out to appropriate American Rescue Plan Act funds.
With that in mind, the Mansfield City Council voted Tuesday to distribute nearly $2.3 million for several projects, most of them related to parks.
At-large Councilman David Falquette was the bill’s sponsor.
“I am very aware that we need to have a contract by the end of the year,” he said. “If we want to get some money back from these proposed projects, we need to get it back as quickly as possible so we can spend it by the end of the year.”
Mayor Jodie Perry explained the process.
“When we did not appropriate projects that were not moving forward or had already been completed and there was still money on the balance sheet, we had just over $2.8 million,” she said, adding that there is still $600,000 that has not been appropriated.
Council voted to allocate $375,000 to various park projects for recreation, safety, lighting and maintenance.
Perry said the money will be used to refinish a basketball court, install LED lighting and build new roofs on buildings in North Lake Park. She added that roads in some parks will be paved.
Another $135,000 will go toward sandstone restorations in Liberty and South Parks.
In the second group of projects, the council voted to award $750,000 to design an industrial water supply loop and plumbing system for the industrial park at Lahm Regional Airport.
Perry said the project would allow further expansion there.
“That’s where the future growth will happen,” the mayor said, adding that current utilities are not in a loop. Looping them through will provide better continuity and better service, she said.
Another $575,000 will go toward sidewalks and other projects in King Street and Johns parks. Perry said the sidewalks will be larger than normal, compared to multi-use paths.
“We have applied for a grant from King Street Park to replace playground equipment and possibly a pavilion,” she said.
The mayor added that a half-court basketball court could be built on asphalt where weeds currently exist.
Council voted to allocate $200,000 for a pedestrian bridge in Middle Park.
“That used to be a park you could drive through,” Perry said.
For safety reasons, the city is investing $160,000 in four tornado sirens in partnership with the provincial emergency management agency.
Perry said Mansfield has never had tornado sirens. Rebecca Owens, director of the county EMA, was present Tuesday. She said a siren has a radius of a mile.
Perry said county commissioners are also interested in the project.
The final $75,000 in this round of ARPA funding will go toward a police command vehicle. There was more than $66,000 left over from a police project.
Council also voted to distribute $25,000 in revenue replacement funds for an electrification analysis of the police vehicle fleet.
Perry said the city will work with a consultant to look at the fleet to see what’s possible for electric vehicles.
In the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Matthew Schuster said the city’s priorities are skewed.
“The police need help. They need a lot of help,” he said, becoming emotional. “Safety must be priority number 1.”
Schuster was referring to the city’s most recent homicide.
“We want you to take this seriously because I don’t think you guys are taking that seriously,” he said.
Councilman Aurelio Diaz took offense, saying members do care about safety but are looking at all areas.
In other business, the City Council voted to pass several agreements with the Ohio Department of Transportation, including removing snow and ice from certain portions of state highways in and around the city.
“I appreciate the government working with ODOT to leverage its strengths and weaknesses,” Falquette said. The addition of the agreement will allow city staff to focus more on residential streets.
City Engineer Bob Bianchi spoke about several bills, including one for engineering and planning services at Clearfork Reservoir over the next five years.
He said the law was necessary because of the sedimentation that has built up over the past 75 years. A consultant will analyze the original, current and expected capacity of the reservoir.
“We want it to last another 75 years,” Bianchi said.
Councilor Laura Burns said: “This is something very important that often goes unnoticed. We need to know what is happening to people in the future.”
Ponds at Liberty and North Lake parks will also be part of the services, which the council unanimously approved.
Council also agreed to submit an application for funding for the signal replacement project by 2025. Bianchi said of the city’s 105 signalized intersections, 19 have outdated equipment. The cost is $900,000, he said, and the city is asking for a $425,000 grant.
The replacements will happen gradually, starting with the intersections at Cline and Marion Avenue, West Fourth Street and Brookwood Way, and Springmill and Mulberry Street.
In other matters, council members:
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An agreement has been approved with Ardane R. Miller to provide campground and dock management services at Clearfork Reservoir.
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Part of Aylesbury Street and part of an unnamed alley cleared at the request of the property owner.
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Authorized to contract for managed services in the field of information technology. Director of Safety Services Keith Porch said no IT employees will be replaced.
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Accepted a $100,000 state grant for salaries and overtime for the city’s opiate response team.
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Authorized to enter into a contract for the supply of electricity to certain city facilities.
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Authorized to enter into a contract for the disposal and land application of wastewater sludge.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared in Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield City Council hands out ARPA funds for parks, tornado sirens
