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GIRARD -- With the possibility the city may get a mountain bike trail on the Girard Lakes property, a resident is advising officials to attend a program about them.
Resident Tonya Carpenter told city officials this week that she has spoken to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of State Parks and Watercraft about trail building, and they said a representative can do a presentation at West Branch State Park. Girard officials would be invited to attend.
Carpenter said the presentation would be two days and show what is involved for constructing and marking a bike trail.
A study is being done to see if the Girard Lakes property would be usable for a mountain bike trail.
"Right now we have to see if the property we do have would be possible for a bike trail,'' she said.
Carpenter said she would like to have a survey sent to see if residents would be interested in a bike trail or other trails for walking and hiking.
She said the survey would also ask people if they would be interested in serving on a committee to plan the project for the trails.
Council President Reynald Paolone said if the survey is done, it should be placed with water bills mailed to residents.
After visiting a mountain bike trail last month in Lake Milton, meeting with members of the Rust Belt Revival Trail Coalition and traveling to Girard Lower Lake to see if it is suitable for such a trail, city officials are waiting to see what the next step will be.
"We were told by this coalition that a lot of the people that travel to Lake Milton to ride the mountain bike trail are from Trumbull County. They get a lot of people from this area," Councilman Todd Latell, D-at Large, previously said.
Officials have said that if they can do something similar to the Lake Milton trail, there would be very minimal or possibly no cost to the city.
This is primarily all volunteer work by the Rust Belt Revival Trail Coalition, Latell said.
Council passed legislation Monday to work with the coalition to see what property would be viable.
Latell said if it is determined a trail would work at the Lower Lake property, the city could apply for state or federal grant money.
A discussion on the current conditions of the Girard Lakes and property will be reviewed by council's lakes committee at 6 p.m. Sept. 28.
ANOTHER SURVEY
Mayor Mark Zuppo said another survey is active on the city's website. He said the Ohio Department of Transportation has a transportation plan survey that asks questions about biking, roadways and pedestrian traffic.
Councilman James Clark, D-2nd Ward, said he is also considering conducting a survey for residents on e-bikes and electric vehicles, which have been a concern for officials.
Clark has spoken with police Chief John Freeman about residents who are complaining that children are riding e-bikes and other vehicles on the roads and aren't stopping at intersections.
Officials are looking to make an ordinance creating guidelines for riding such vehicles.
WELLMAN THEATER
As for the Wellman Theater, Zuppo said he has met with state Rep. David Thomas, R-Jefferson, on what funding may be available for work at the theater.
Zuppo said KO Consulting is also looking for grants for the theater project.
He said Millennial Theater Company's plans to conduct drama and acting classes at the theater may help the city acquire funds.
City Engineer Zachary Teter said he is seeking $376,000 from Ohio Public Works Commission funds for resurfacing Illinois, Iowa and Morris streets.
He said $173,294 in OPWC funds is also being sought for the rehabilitation of the water treatment plant. That amount would be combined with other funds the city has acquired to complete the work.
Teter said the engineering department is checking on the water treatment plant's 57 water valves as recommended by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to make sure there are no violations or issues with the water or water loss.
He said the EPA wants to make sure corrective plans are in place to check on any possible water loss.
Teter said backflow devices at businesses are also being checked by certified plumbers for any leaks or other problems.
Resident Roberta Lawrentz of Earl Street said she is concerned with a wooded area off Moser Road near Randolph Street, where the trees and brush have overgrown and are hanging over electrical wires and onto the road.
She said the property needs to be maintained regularly.
Also, resident William Sampson of Oak Street said he is concerned that a neighbor's downspouts are overflowing and flooding his yard.
He said the neighbor's property sits higher than his, and the water from the downspout flows onto his yard, flooding it.
Teter said he will meet with Sampson and see what can be done. He said he will check the situation when it rains.