Turning over a new year promotes change, whether it’s planned change or a willingness to look forward. Richland Source is polling our community mayors to find out what they’re looking forward to in 2015. Today the mayors of Bellville, Lucas, and Shelby weigh in with their new year’s forecasts.
Bellville Mayor Darrell Banks
Mayor of Bellville Darrell E. Banks hopes to see growth within the B-3 District, where Interstate 71 and state Route 97 intersect. The district formerly only permitted gas stations, hotels, motels, and restaurants. With the change, which took place in 2014, the district now permits retail and light industry. There is a Subway restaurant under construction currently.
“Hopefully other businesses will like this location and increase the opportunities for our residents and current businesses in Bellville,” said Banks.
Also on Bellville’s slate is the search for a solution in reducing flood impact in the valley. Banks said engineers from the Muskingham Watershed Conservancy District are putting together a plan based on their studies from the Clear Fork River.
“Bellville used to flood every 20 or 30 years. But now it’s a couple times a year,” noted Banks. He said he hopes the studies will continue and that they might shed some light on what Bellville can do in the future to prevent severe flood damage to the community.
Lucas Mayor Todd Hall
According to Lucas Mayor Todd Hall, the Village of Lucas will continue to work with Dollar General in an effort to build their business to the east end of town – where most of the commercial business is already located. Hall said he and Dollar General corporate representatives found a location to build, the only hesitation from Dollar General, he said, are traffic patterns.
“They are worried not many cars travel through that spot,” said Hall
In the coming year, he plans to gather traffic pattern data to present to Dollar General. The data will help determine whether Dollar General will decide to locate in Lucas.
“We’re also going to continue to work with business owners to fill vacant buildings. Several different individuals have expressed interest in one location, where the old J&J Market used to be,” said Hall.
Shelby Mayor Rev. Steven L. Schag
ArcelorMittal has begun construction on their $36.1 million plant expansion. Upon completion they anticipate hiring 45 new full-time employees.
“This will be a real boost to our local economy in late 2015 or early 2016,” stated Schag. “Another bright spot is The North Central State College Kehoe Center. Thanks to Rep. Mark Romanchuk, the Kehoe Center will house a state-of-the-art robotics and advanced manufacturing training center. This will be one of ten throughout Ohio.”
Schag said The Central Ohio Industrial Park continues to experience a good deal of business activity explaining that Excel Logistics Company for Goodyear now uses close to 1 million square feet of warehouse space there.
“We are also blessed with the sustaining presence of many small businesses in Shelby. Some of them have expanded to increase productivity and services. In 2015, the much anticipated paving of state routes within the city will move forward. We are in the engineering stage of a major upgrade at our wastewater treatment plant. Construction is slated to begin in 2016. And we continue to make progress in flood plain management.”
“HEC-RAS study will be completed this year as we work locally on flooding solutions and sustainability strategies. Additionally, our downtown district will be wonderfully enhanced by the 2015 opening of The Black Fork Commons Park,” he continued.
“All in all we have good reason to look forward to some real positive developments in the year 2015,” he added.
