ASHLAND — The Ohio Department of Transportation has agreed to fund a complete repair and replacement of Claremont Avenue to the tune of $2 million, Ashland Mayor Matt Miller announced at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“They will be doing a full-depth repair,” Miller said. “It will involve replacement of the curbs and gutters, the storm sewers, the underdrains and even the sidewalks in certain areas.”
The downside is the state funds will not be available until 2022, so the city will continue temporary repairs for the next four years, according to Miller.Â
Miller said City Engineer Shane Kremser applied for the funds, and then Miller and Kremser visited ODOT’s central office in Columbus to argue the city’s case for the project. Ultimately, the city was awarded one quarter of a total $8 million pot available for municipalities throughout Ohio.Â
Miller emphasized the project will not include a “road diet,” or a lane reduction to accommodate bicycle lanes. That idea was proposed a few years ago and was met with strong opposition from community members, he said.Â
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council approved a resolution to place a charter amendment on the November ballot.Â
If approved by voters in November, the amendment would allow city council to enact legislation to officially merge the Ashland City Health District and the Ashland County General Health District.Â
The language of the proposed amendment states, “If council should determine the Ashland City Health District should unite with the general health district in the formation of a single district, it may do so in conformity with state law providing for the same.”
Law Director Rick Wolfe explained the reason for the proposed amendment.Â
“Every time this discussion has come up, and there’s been quite a lot of interest over the years in doing so, our charter was restrictive in that it didn’t allow for that option to be considered,” he said. Wolfe added that the city’s recent action to contract with the county for health services was designed as an alternative to a combined health district because the combined district was not permitted in the charter.Â
“This doesn’t cause the change to occur. It simply allows it to occur at such time as the council decides it’s desirable,” Wolfe said.Â
Council president Steve Workman said the council has no immediate plans to pursue such a combined health district. Both Workman and Miller stated they are happy with the current arrangement.
Currently, the city pays for health services from the general fund and Ashland County pays for health services through a property tax levy. If the charter amendment passes and the city and county choose to combine health departments, the funding mechanism may change, Miller said.
The council approved $37,500 to fund the local share of an ODOT repaving project that will resurface a portion of U.S. 42 on the city’s south side. Less than a quarter mile of the project is within the city, and that portion stretches from Baney Road to the city limits.Â
Council members authorized a sidewalk waiver for Akron Children’s Hospital, allowing the hospital to forgo the construction of a sidewalk on the George Road side of the new building it plans to construct at Eagle Way. The medical facility will still be required to have a sidewalk on the Eagle Way side.
Council members agreed to waive the city’s option to hold a hearing on a liquor permit request from Ashland Schine’s Theater. Waiving of the hearing paves the way for the theater to receive a permit from the state to serve liquor on the premises.
Council also agreed to allow Brethren Care Village to use its liquor license, which it purchased from Evergreen Tavern, to serve alcohol in a bistro within the city of Ashland. The city’s approval was required because the tavern was just outside the city but Brethren Care’s new facility, while in the same area, is within city limits.Â
Council scheduled a public hearing at 7:10 p.m. Sept. 4 to hear comments regarding a proposal to vacate an alley beside Park Street Brethren Church.Â
