POLAND — Council gave preliminary approval to Dominion Energy of Ohio to reroute its main gas line across village hall property.

After a review of the proposal, council agreed Tuesday it would be the best move.

Micah Risacher from Dominion said the company wants to reroute the gas line under Yellow Creek to tie into the service on the east side of the creek.

The old main line runs along the bridge, and would mean tearing up a lot of trees and lawn on both sides of the bridge. By moving to main line down the creek, there are only two trees that would have to be removed. Dominion would also clean up dead trees and brush along the creek bank.

“We want to put all the lines in one place and have a minimal impact,” Risacher said. “We will move the old line and connect to the new line so we won’t have to come back for a long, long time.”

He said the purpose of his attending the virtual meeting was to seek approval for the change. He said it involved coming off South Main Street at a 45-degree angle and crossing the village hall property. It would then go under Yellow Creek and connect on Green Meadow Place.

“To replace the existing line under the creek would cause much more disruption,” council President Mike Thompson said. “If they did it within their existing easement, they would tear up more, and tear down more trees, than if we let them move it. The goal is to be less disruptive and shifting the route (of this gas line) would meet that goal.”

Village Solicitor Jay Macejko said Dominion has been very cooperative in providing information. Part of that information has involved timing. Dominion has to remove the two trees along the new easement before April 1. In Ohio, tree cutting has to stop by that date as April is when protected Ohio bats begin nesting. Realizing this, council gave approval to take the trees down.

Risacher did not say when the pipe replacement construction would begin.

Another matter that Thompson brought up was the return to live meetings. He asked Macejko if the village could return to having live meetings at village hall again.

Macejko said there is nothing stopping a special live meeting as long as the latest COVID-19 safety protocols are followed.

Councilwoman Martha Morgan asked how council meetings could return to an in-person venue. Macejko said the present state restrictions call for a reduced room capacity at 50 percent as long as 6-foot distancing can be maintained, masks are required, and sanitation is in place.

Thompson said by next month all on the council should be vaccinated. He said he would put the return to live meetings on the next meeting agenda in two weeks.