Last Friday there was an open meeting in Council chambers with former Tree Board members, Dawn Johnson who is the sole remaining member and Council members. The meeting was suggested at the last regular Council meeting and the date & time was set up shortly afterwards by the mayor. Like the mayor I was out of town and unable to attend. The meeting was run by Council Pro-Tem John McMahon.
From what I read in the paper it sounds like nothing was resolved at the meeting. Everything seems to be the same as before. For back ground on this story see the article I wrote earlier in the month called "Wellsville Tree Board Or Not". It was posted on June 11.
Since writing that piece I've learned that there have been a total of 11 people to resign either from the Broadway Park committee or the subsequent Tree Board. The common theme for all those resignations has been the inability to work with and get along with Johnson. There is a documented history of trying to resolve the differences but nothing was ever worked out. From the newspaper account of last Friday's meeting the theme remains the same.
One of the points of contention is a project called the Gateway Project where the village can get a grant of $20,000 from ODOT to dress up one of the ramp areas coming into town off Route 7. At first it was decided to do the 3rd St. exit around the kiln. The ODOT grant would pay for seeding, planting flowers & shrubs and placing benches in that location. Johnson told me herself that because of the milk weed up there the area would have to be all dug up and new top soil would have to be put in plus level it off. That area is filled in with brick & mortar from the old Acme Pottery that once stood there. On top of that is rock that was put there when they were building the expanded Route 7. That's true of all the exits. A lot of rock that was removed from the hillside was used for filler between the road and the ramps with a little dirt on top. The dirt is not too deep.
Now $20,000 is a lot of money by any stretch of the imagination and I'm no expert on the cost of removing and replacing top soil. However, in my line of thinking, to accomplish what needs to be done would require the use of some heavy equipment and trucks to haul everything. That's not a job that a few volunteers can accomplish with a couple of wheel barrows and shovels. It is also a job that the village has neither the man power, equipment or funds to do. That's one of the reasons former members of the Tree Board voted to table the Gateway Project.
How much of that grant would be eaten up just to replace the dirt and level off the area? Does anyone know? Has anyone got even a ball park estimate on a cost? I doubt it. No one has said anything about it as far as I know. No one on the Tree Board or Council has expertise on this matter. One former Tree Board member believes that the Gateway Project would cost the village more than the ODOT grant of $20,000.
Maybe instead of some of our Council members supporting and applauding one individual's efforts to bring that money into the village it would be wise to get an idea of what it is going to cost from people who know. It would be the responsible thing to do. That ODOT grant would have to be used for that one specific purpose. It can not be used elsewhere on something other than that.
Will $20,000 cover it?
ole nib
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The mayor was not out of town at the time of the meeting. The meeting was set up at a time he would still be in town and he was at home while the meeting took place. Council members can verify this Nib. Goss requested the meeting, as you well know, and only the mayor and pro-tem can call a special meeting with full council. Since Goss requested the meeting, the mayor claimed it was her meeting and he didn't need to be there. He serves on the tree board and is in charge of making appointments, but still didn't think he needed to be there.
You're tough. The meeting was Friday, the same day the mayor left for Florida. That date had been on the mayor's calendar long before the last regular council meeting and even before the five submitted their resignations.
Read the ordinance. The mayor serves at council's pleasure as pertains to the Tree Board. Any suggestions that the mayor has or decisions is only made after Council approves them. The mayor is not autonomous with any changes pertaining to the board. His hands are tied until Council collectively decides how to proceed. Only then can he decide how he needs to go for the best of all concerned.
At least the meeting was scheduled before his long anticipated vacation. He got the ball rolling and it was dropped.
nib
Hi Nib, thought I would clear this up. I was at the council meeting, as you know, and after the meeting Mrs. Goss asked me (outside) when a meeting could be set up between the board, mayor and council. She also called over the mayor (outside) to ask when he would be available. He told her he was leaving around 7:30 pm. She asked if he could be available around 2:30 pm and he said he should be and that he should have time to get things ready before that. He also said that if something came up and he was not available then Mr. McMahon would be in charge of the meeting. It is true that only the mayor and pro-tem can call a special council meeting which this was. If the mayor was unable to attend then I would think he would have rescheduled the meeting for when he would be available.
When creating the by-laws for the tree board, it was included "reasons for removal" but after having the village solicitor review the by-laws before adopting them, he advised us to remove that portion because since the board is appointed by the mayor with councils' approval then only the mayor w/councils' approval can remove a member.
Thanks for the coverage!
can't we all just get along???
According to Diane Dinch it seems the Mayor will be forced to make the decision in which he tried to avoid, by turning the said issue over to John McMahon.
TO GOSS AND DINCH: YOU BOTH NEED A LIFE.....BY THE WAY HOW IS THE MAYORS WIFE... ANYONE HEAR .....I HEAR SHE IS STILL HAVING COMPLICATIONS AFTER HER SURGERY....HOW SAD...I FEEL BAD...ONE THING I KNOW......THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THIS TOWN TO WORRY ABOUT THAN A TREE BOARD MEETING THAT ONLY HAS ONE MEMBER...I WOULD SAY THE THEFTS, VANDALISM AND ALL THE CRAZY PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE MORE IMPORTANT...SO IF THE MAYOR CANT BE AVAILABLE AT ALL THESE CRAZY MEETINGS...SO FREAKN WHAT
diane you might want to check your facts before you say anything ....his flight left at 730 which means he had to leave at 330 since there is a 2 hour before check in time so he would not have had the time you say..... ask before you speak then you would not look stupid...
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAY THERE IS A TREE BOARD WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE MEMBER....THAT IS HYSTERICAL...LOL
I'm not going to get into a big argument over this, but I know what the mayor said outside of Tuesday night's council meeting. If he knew he was leaving at 3:30, then he should have advised Mrs. Goss and told her to hold off on the meeting until he returned from his vacation. I see no problem with that and I wasn't aware that he was flying out of Akron or Cleveland. I was told by another council member that he was called after the meeting was over and he was home at that time. Please accept my apologies for my apparent stupidity.
$20,000 certinley is a lot of money. The process you have described for the area at Third street would for sure waste a lot of it. If i am correct on the area that is being proposed it is not milk weed that is the problem it is Japanese Knotweed. Japanese Knotweed was introduced into North America as an ornamental planting,Japanese Knotweed escaped cultivation and became a nuisance weed. It can be controlled manually as you described and with chemical applications. It is not easy but it can be done.
I think if everyone would put their heads together and talk to talk with some knowledgable nurseymen and lawncare folks, alot could be accomplihed with the $20,000. For example a raised bed planting could be used, and there is only a need for three to four inches of topsoil for turf areas. Just some food for thought I wanted to throw in.
Great idea with putting heads together. The only problem is, Johnson will not put her head together with anyone but herself. I'm still waiting to find out which tree I purchased in Broadway Park is mine. How many years ago did they plant the trees? Shouldn't she finish one thing before starting another?
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