Mansfield City Council gave the administration a “to-do” list of snow-removal chores during a rare Sunday afternoon special meeting. Although it seems that nothing on this list is likely to change any aspects of the city’s snowplowing efforts this winter.
More than 100 people tuned into the live video on the city’s Facebook page. During the meeting Local lawmakers asked Mayor Tim Theaker and Public Works Director Dave Remy to do the following…
— update its snow emergency parking ban, which would give city snowplows more room to work.
— reexamine the city’s snow plowing policies, including route schedule.
— determine if the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds can be used to buy new snow plowing trucks and equipment.
— take a look at wages paid to city motor equipment operators.
And — start conversations with the Ohio Department of Transportation on a possible contract that would pay the agency to clear U.S. 30 within the city limits. Councilwoman At-large Stephanie Zader, who’s been the most vocal council critic of the administration’s efforts, asked that lawmakers get an update on the list at their next meeting.
Plowing complaints like this are as common as snowflakes and likely began when the first vehicles rolled down city streets. Three years ago, a foot of snow in February triggered an avalanche of residents in council chambers demanding change.
Yet, problems remain, which Theaker and Remy largely blame on equipment and manpower.
It’s clear from recent meetings that today’s council members, who have heard numerous complaints from their constituents, are not going to accept that answer any longer. Zader said she feels that there has been a lack of planning ahead.
But the mayor bristled at the lack-of-planning allegation. To that, Zader responded, “We are all sitting here on a Sunday evening because we know we need trucks. We are ready. We are telling you to buy some trucks.”
Theaker, who helped guide the city out of a state-ordered fiscal emergency from 2010 to 2014, cautioned against aggressive spending and budgeting money it doesn’t have. City Council, operating on an interim budget for the first quarter of 2022, must approve a final budget by the end of March.
And Theaker said he’d welcome meetings with individual council members to examine the numbers.
But it was clear by the end of Sunday’s meeting that this is not an issue City Council plans to leave anytime soon. Fifth Ward Councilman Aurelio Diaz said he feels that they’re failing their constituents.
Remember the Star Theatre in 1919?
Next, some local history. If you wanted to take in a movie in the summer of 1919 all you had to do was stroll down North Main, not far from Fourth Street, and fork over a nickel at the Star Theatre. That year you could’ve seen a terrific Gloria Swanson silent film called “Don’t Change Your Husband.” (It was such a hit she did a sequel the next year called “Why Change Your Wife?”)
The Star Theatre opened in 1910 and prospered for 15 years until 1925, lowering its curtain gracefully before talking movies forced all the old nickelodeons out of business.
Ohio temporarily renames state parks after Bengals players
Next, ahead of the Super Bowl Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz have temporarily renamed three Ohio State Parks to honor current and past players of the Super-Bowl-bound Cincinnati Bengals.
First, there’s Burr Oak State Park in Glouster, which will be referred to as “Burrow Oak State Park” in honor of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who grew up in nearby Athens.
Evan McPherson, whose game-winning kicks in the divisional playoff and AFC Conference Championship games helped send the Bengals to the Super Bowl, will be celebrated at Paint Creek State Park in Bainbridge with the moniker of “Evan McPherson Extra Point Creek State Park.”
And finally Hueston Woods State Park in College Corner will honor legendary Bengals running back Ickey Woods. The park, now dubbed “Ickey Woods State Park,” is located between Cincinnati and Dayton.
Margaret Jean Oney
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Margaret Jean Oney of Ontario. Margaret was born in 1926 in Mansfield. She married Paul Delbert Oney in 1945.
Her greatest love was family. She also loved to cook, read books, garden and sing songs and she had a lot of requests for “You Are My Sunshine.” In her earlier years, she worked at Montgomery Ward and Ray Peterson Insurance.
Margaret is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and her two brothers. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Margaret’s life.
