Paulding council discusses changing alleyway | Local News

PAULDING – Changing a one-way alley in the village was the major topic of discussion at the Paulding Village Council meeting on Monday.

Councilwoman Barb Rife said that during a recent street committee meeting, Richard Kipp of Branch Christian Fellowship Church asked to change the one-way alley on the northside of his property. The alley currently allows traffic to go east to west, and he wants it to go west to east to accommodate handicapped visitors to the church.

A new elevator was installed at the church and visitors must use the alley entrance to access the church that way. Kipp said that the current traffic flow makes it difficult for those with handicaps to exit vehicles.

The committee did a walk-through of the alley and found there is one apartment, which uses the alley. To change the alley’s traffic flow the other direction would make it difficult for the resident to turn into the garage.

“The committee felt that we should allow the alley to be both directions. The committee also felt that the property owners on the northside of the alley should be informed of the potential changes to the flow direction,” she said.

Police Chief Randy Crawford said he had no objection to making the alley two-ways, but did suggest placing signage at the west end of the alley cautioning drivers of pedestrians.

Rife also said that Dave Burtch of the chamber attended the street committee meeting and requested replacing sign cables of the corner of Perry and Main streets and Williams and Perry streets. Burtch will contact the Ohio Department of Transporation for the approval to replace them, with the chamber solicition donations for the cost. The chamber also will solicit volunteer companies to attach the cables with no village equipment to be used on the project.

An update also was given on the Helen Street project.

Administrator Robert Fisher said that crews are continuing to work on installing yard drains on the northside of Helen Street while ground restoration will continue in other areas.

“We are making preparations in anticipation for the fall harvest and installation of the new outflow pipe that will run from the south end of Dennis Street to Flat Rock Creek,” he said.

Also council:

• approved a change order (a $680 increase to fix a screen) and certificate of substantial completion to LC United Painting for the Grant Street water tower improvement project and $750 to Access Engineering for the project. The total project cost of $81,180. The cost was paid for through a grant and loan.

• approved a $43,609.07 payment to VTF Excavating for pits for the water meter replacement project.

• heard there were noxious weeds assessment from properties at 848 W. Perry St., 314 Perry St. and 421 W. Wayne St. Councilman Randy Daeger suggested that council look at increasing the noxious weeds assessment costs.

• heard Daeger remind resident that committee meetings are to make recommendations to council about issues. Council then votes on them.

• heard the chamber’s Downtown Paulding Revitalization Committee will decide at 8 a.m. Thursday if it wants to join the Main Street Ohio program. The meeting will be held at the Paulding County Area Foundation office.

• went into executive session for council meetings.

• heard the utility committee discussed energy aggregation at its last meeting.

• congratulated InSource for its successful open house.

• heard Brendan Foy applied to the fire department.

• appointed Christopher Howell to the police reserves.

• heard the next council meeting will be Sept. 5 because of the Labor Day holiday.

• moved the ordinance committee meeting to 5 p.m. Aug. 24.

• set a street committee meeting for 5 p.m. Aug. 30 to discuss street permit use and a utility committee meeting immediately following to discuss general rules and regulations for water utiliites and electric aggregation.