The Mansfield Board of Control has awarded a $1.5 million contract to EMH&T for the design of an earthen dry dam aimed at alleviating flooding on the city’s north side.
Mansfield City Council approved the expense back in September for the design of the Touby Run Flood Mitigation Hazard Project to remove 106 acres of homes and businesses from the city’s north end flood plain.
According to the EMH&T proposal, the dry dam would reduce the potential for inundation of land, buildings and key transportation corridors during the 100-year flood event.
City engineer Bob Bianchi explained that the project will include the relocation of the B&O Trail, improvements to utilities within the footprint of the dam embankment, as well as storm sewer improvements extending east from North Main Street to a new outlet to Rocky Fork.
The goal is to significantly reduce flood hazards along the downstream reach of Touby Run. This project isn’t anything new. In fact, it was shelved in 2019 while the city proceeded with a $17 million citywide water-meter replacement program aimed at improving revenues by more accurately measuring usage.
Then in spring of 2021 it was resurrected when Joe and Reba Matern, owners of Matern Metal Works, Inc., came to a City Council meeting to ask when the city plans to move forward with the project.
They said their flood insurance premiums continued to rise after significant floods in 2007 and 2011 due to major rain storms. At that point no members of the City Council opposed the project.
But there were months of discussion around the city’s ability to pay for the work from its sewer fund, largely led by then-3rd Ward Councilman Jon Van Harlingen. He’s the chair of council’s finance and public utilities committee. Van Harlingen frequently noted the city had taken on more than $50 million in bond debt in recent years.
But after Mayor Tim Theaker announced plans to allocate $3 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act dollars to an ongoing emergency storm-sewer project, Van Harlingen agreed to go ahead with the engineering and design.
It’s important to note that the approval of the two-year design and engineering study doesn’t mean the dam will be built. The idea is to create a shovel-ready project the city can use in seeking future federal and state grants.
Ashland’s Peter Grosscup served as Judge for 7th circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Now, some history. Did you know that Ashland native, Peter Grosscup, was a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit?
Grosscup is best remembered for having made use of the judicial injunction against strikers in labor disputes, including most notably the leadership of the American Railway Union in the 1894 Pullman Strike.
According to historian, Almont Lindsey, federal judges Peter Grosscup and William Woods issued the first omnibus injunction against the Pullman railroad strikers in Chicago protecting 22 railroads on July 2, 1894.
This innovative use of a federal injunction charged unnamed strikers with conspiracy for interfering with interstate commerce thus putting the federal courts at the disposal of corporations to break strikes. The July 3rd, 1894 New York Times called the injunction a “Gatling gun on paper.”
Knox County swears in new Director for Board of Elections
Next, from KnoxPages. Early February saw the initiation of a new Director at the Knox County Board of Elections. Peggy Hockenberry, sworn in at the beginning of the month, has entered the role as retiring Director Kim Horn departs after 15 years of service.
Director Hockenberry has served Knox County in several roles since December of 2005, most recently as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Board of Elections. She also served as a Precinct Election Official in four elections from November of 2014 to March of 2016 and in three elections as a Voting Location Manager from November of 2016 to May of 2017.
Upon being sworn in, Director Hockenberry thanked her predecessor “for 15 years of service and dedication” and committed to “holding secure, accurate, and successful elections and to ensure election integrity” in Knox County.
Paul McClain
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Paul McClain, of Mansfield. Paul graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1970 and attended North Central State College.
He was a self-taught artist and began painting around the age of 15. Paul knew painting would define his life’s work after viewing an Andrew Wyeth piece during a 1954 visit with his parents to the Toledo Museum of Art. Paul’s business thepaintersart.com began in 1992.
His work includes original oil paintings, watercolors, and limited edition prints of Kingwood Gardens, Coney Island, Mohican Bridge, Shelby Insurance and the Malabar Farm Barn Raising. Paul’s murals adorn the Mansfield Fire Museum. His artwork lights up spaces all over the U.S., Canada and Europe, reminding us of all of his gifts of beauty.
Over the last 10 years, he participated in juried art shows across 10 states, receiving several awards, including a Best in Show at the Boston Mills Art Show. He also taught art classes at the Richland Academy of Arts, Mansfield Art Center, and provided private instruction in his home studio.
Paul had strong convictions and deeply held political beliefs. He was a community activist, helping to organize the 1st Earth Day at Mansfield Senior High School in 1970 and even ran for congress in the 1990s.
He is survived by his wife, Helen McNamara. Paul and Helen demonstrated devotion and support to each other over their 30 years of marriage. Paul knew he got the better deal and was not shy about admitting it.
Paul is also survived by his brother, sister, along with many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and cherished friends. Paul was well known as the “favorite uncle” among his nieces and nephews.
Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Paul’s life.
