BARBERTON COUNCIL: Artsy lights planned for Second Street

By BOB MOREHEAD

BGNN senior staff writer

BARBERTON  City Council’s Streets Committee advanced legislation Jan. 21 aimed at extending the decorative festooned lighting adorning W Tuscarawas Avenue onto Second Street NW.
If approved by the full council, the $122,380 contract with Haywood Electric will drape the lights on Second between Lake and Park avenues. These lights will be LED and have the ability to change colors.

In other business:

• The Utilities Committee sent forward an ordinance to replace the 35-year-old sludge pumps at the sewage treatment plant. The more than half-million dollar project will use a $392,00 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission and another $220,000 in no/low-interest loans from the commission and make up the rest with $100,000 from money collected in our water bills.

• The Finance Committee advanced a piece covering $3,926 in emergency repairs for Fire Engine No. 3 and another applying to the Barberton Community Foundation for $100,000 to draw plans for the new Justice Center/City Hall project.

• Another ordinance will clarify that 1% of rental registration fees collected will go into a fund to buy smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for tenants.

In a special legislative session convened that night after the committee work session, council approved promoting a pair of measures promoting longtime employees. Mark Carr is now street superintendent and Kyle Breiding takes his place as general foreman.