ONTARIO — Ontario City Council members discussed potential locations for digital speed signs at their meeting Wednesday night.
Police Chief Tommy Hill suggested West 4th Street, Mabee Road and Shelby-Ontario Road near the high school.
“Our goal for the first round is to place them where they’ll affect driving patterns and get people to slow down,” Hill said.
“These signs will be more fixed than the mobile one we can move anywhere, so we’ve selected these locations because they’re areas that we get the most complaints on and hope to prevent accidents and affect driving patterns.”
The city has ordered three signs for about $9,000 with money from the 2024 equipment fund. Mayor Kris Knapp said he wants to order an additional three signs in 2025.
“Having six of them is going to be a huge advantage,” Hill said. “We’re monitoring accident data and traffic patterns and talking about areas where we see the highest speeds to think about the best options.”
In other traffic news, 1st Ward Councilman Nathan Sunderland asked about the possibility of decreasing the speed limit on part of Mabee Road from 35 miles an hour to 25 miles an hour.
Service-safety director Adam Gongwer said he is in touch with the Ohio Department of Transportation about the potential change. He also said he is in contact with Mansfield leaders on a potential traffic study for a 4-way stop at Walker Lake and Home roads.
Also in his safety committee report, Hill said he wants to start neighborhood patrols with the mayor and council members, as well as police officers.
“When our officers do their patrols, we encourage them to get out and talk to neighbors and ask what we can improve,” he said. “The mayor came up with the idea to have multiple of us do that together, and I loved that idea.”
Also in Wednesday’s council meeting:
- Three community members spoke in favor of a permanent moratorium on commercial marijuana sales during public commentary. Council members are expected to make a decision on the matter at their next meeting Nov. 20.
- Council members unanimously passed a new wage ordinance for non-union city employees for 2025 hourly wages.
- Hill delivered a report to the safety committee discussing success with Flock cameras and switching police radios to statewide MARCS communication.
- Hill said the Ontario Police Department is offering a toy waiver program from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, allowing police officers to issue toy waivers instead of citations for minor traffic violations during the holiday season.
- Knapp said the Ontario veterans banners lining Lexington-Springmill Road will come down next week after Veterans Day for the honorees to pick up at city hall. The city plans to have nomination forms for next year’s veteran banners available online in January.
- Parks committee chair Troy Sapp said Ontario Youth Sports is hosting a golf cart holiday parade at 5:45 p.m. Dec. 5 before the annual Christmas tree lighting in Marshall Park. Golf cart owners can decorate their vehicles and register for the parade by contacting OYS at info@oysports.com.