Galion City Council passed an emergency ordinance Tuesday evening approving three projects in the city to be funded by the Egbert M. Freese Foundation.
The Foundation, named for longtime Galion resident Horace E. Freese in accordance with his will, earmarks seven-eighths of its annual net income to be used for Galion city projects. The ordinance passed Tuesday sets in motion three major projects: Unckrich Stadium upgrades, a “splash park” facility at East Park, and repaving the parking lot of the Galion Community Center YMCA.
“This Freese grant funds have been freed up to actually do what they were entitled to do, which was to improve the playing equipment for the city of Galion,” said Councilmember Tom Fellner. “This isn’t spending any money or allotting any money, it’s just the middle step of the process.”
Fellner explained that the three projects came to council for approval from the Freese Grant Advisory Board, made up of Mayor Tom O’Leary, Safety Service Director John Swain, President of Council Carl Watt, and two residents – one chosen by Watt and one chosen by O’Leary. With the approval of the ordinance, council requests that the Board of Trustees of the Freese Foundation distribute the foundation’s income to the three projects.
“This ordinance is your recommendation,” added Law Director Thomas Palmer. “It will go to the Freese Foundation board and they’ll consider their stance on it. It will then come back to council in terms of authorizing bids or actually spending money.”
The first project requests $360,000 for the following sub-projects included in an application by the Galion Boosters Club: Unckrich Stadium south bleachers and home side press box, new concession facility at Unckrich Stadium, purchase of reconditioned bleachers for Unckrich Stadium and baseball, purchase and installation of new Musco lighting at baseball field, purposing of lighting at softball field, a public address (PA) system, and playing surface material.
The two additional projects include $200,000 for the construction of a “splash park” facility at East Park, and $7,500 for the repaving of a parking lot on land leased by the city of Galion to the Galion Community Center YMCA.
Mayor O’Leary requested the ordinance be passed as an emergency in order to keep the projects moving along.
“I met with a potential vendor for the splash park. That project has to be moving along so we can bid the plumbing work and procure the play features,” said O’Leary. “And some projects impact the school district. The sooner we can get this in front of the Freese Board the sooner these projects can be put in the ground and put to use.”
