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GIRARD – City officials said they will check to see if nearly $70,000 in American Rescue Plan funds that need to be used by the end of the year can be used for work at the Wellman Theater.
Auditor Julie Coggins told officials Monday the Wellman Theater fund has $41,500, mostly from speed camera revenue.
She said the remaining ARP funds must be used and the projects the monies are used for completed by year end.
City engineer Zack Teter said there is also $300,000 in Ohio Facilities Construction Commission funds that can be used for the demolition of the alley area and offices above the alley by the Wellman Theater.
Teter said he and Coggins will check on how to use the ARP money.
Mayor Mark Zuppo said wiring and speakers can be placed at the theater in the future. He said the OFCC funds are a grant the city received from the state for the theater.
“There are guidelines on how we can spend the $300,000,” he said.
Coggins said opioid funds can be used for police Chief John Freeman's request for an evidence and narcotics processing station at the police department. Freeman said the city has received $117,000 in opioid settlement funds, so there would be funds available for the $27,000 processing area. He said the police department has not spent any of the opioid settlement money and the project is an approved use of the money because it can be used for anything drug-related, and Coggins agreed.
He said at a previous meeting when he made the request that the police department does not have a dedicated station like other departments for officers to process narcotics safely. He said officers would be able to weigh and test any narcotics brought to the department, such as fentanyl, heroin and other drugs.
Freeman said the equipment will protect officers from unnecessary exposure and protect the drug evidence for prosecution. He said the location would be an enclosed protected area with special lighting, scales, testing equipment and specialized filters.
He said Champion, Cortland and Bazetta have used opioid settlement funds on similar equipment.
FINANCIAL NEWS
Coggins said speed camera funds are down this year compared to the past two years. Coggins said in August the speed camera money was $32,941, which is down $235,000 from 2025 and down $540,000 from 2024.
She said city officials were able to negotiate with Girard City School officials on two school resource offices at $67,500 each, with the schools paying that amount since they work in the schools for 75% of the year. The city will cover the cost of the officers during the summer.
Coggins said income tax collections were at $484,825 in August, which was higher than usual.
Fire Chief James Petruzzi said the fire department was awarded $140,600 in grant money for 22 sets of turnout gear to replace aged gear and water hoses. He said the local share of the grant is $7,000. He ALSO said efforts were made to get a grant for a new ambulance, which did not happen.
UPPER GIRARD LAKE
In other business, Teter said Girard Upper Lake and dam property off Anderson Morris Road is being checked to make sure it meets standards and is in compliance with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
He said improvements are needed for the dam. Teter noted the city drains the lake to keep it at 8 feet, but with recent heavy rain, there needs to be more draining. He said the draining has taken place for about a year. He said that depth helps engineers have better access to the area to see the soil conditions.
Teter said plans are to seek grants for bank restoration by the dam. Councilman John Moliterno, D-3rd Ward, said Teter should check with KO Consulting to seek help with grant requests.
“We are working with the engineering consultant Verdanta to help us get the dam in ODNR compliance,” Teter said.
Councilman Todd Latell, D-at Large, said the dam property also will be looked at again in November to see if it is suitable for a mountain bike trail. He said the trail would be for bikes and people walking and running and not for ATVs.
Latell said there have been concerns of ATVs getting on the property, but the trail, if constructed, would be too narrow for such vehicles,
He said preliminary drawings of the proposed trial will be created after the inspection this fall by Rust Belt Coalition members.
“They will see if a mountain bike trail would even be possible there,” Latell said.
Also, resident Roberta Lawrentz said she is concerned with the overgrowth of plants on the walkway overpasses on Trumbull Avenue and Moser Road above the freeway. She said when children get off the bus near the Girard Multi-Generational Center they have to duck because of the low hanging trees and vines.
Councilman James Clark, D-2nd Ward, said the trees hanging over sections of Moser Road need to be addressed by the property owners. Zuppo said he will look into the situation.