Federal demand for land at Canal Dover Park called off
Dover Council members learned Dec. 6 the U.S. Department of Justice is no longer interested in taking over land in Canal Dover Park as part of a land conservation easement.
Council President Shane Gunnoe read from a letter from Katherine A. Abend, trail attorney for the DOJ Environmental Enforcement Section, and Ian F. Grant, assistant attorney general for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Environmental Enforcement Section.
The letter said the city was never under any obligation to accept the project. “Due to concerns about the limited value of the Canal Park project, the trustees no longer plan to include that project as part of a settlement of natural resource damage claims associated with the site.”
In other words the project would not give them enough acreage as they had expected, according to Abend.
The Natural Resource Damage Assessment claims Abend referred to in the letter are part of the settlement reached between Dover Chemical Corporation and the DOJ and EPA.
Debra Millsap, contaminant specialist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service out of the Columbus field office, gave a presentation on Natural Resource Damage Assessments and answered general questions about how NRDAs work.
However, when questions specific to the settlement agreement were asked, Abend said she could not answer them due to attorney-client privilege.
Regular council meeting
Greg Bair announced the approval of the town square as the location for a veterans monument and said the committee of the whole had approved a down payment of $9,000. So far, $14,800 has been raised for the $18,000 monument, with a goal of $25,000 set to include amenities around it. No city funds will be used for the project.
Robert Mueller reported a number of Dover companies and residents are planning to generate their own solar power with the goal of selling excess power back to the city. Because the city does not have the technology to buy power back, he proposed an emergency ordinance stating the city will not do so.
Kevin Korns said he will submit two requests for liquor permits from Speedway stores to the state.
Municipal reports
Mayor Homrighausen issued a reminder that there will be no Santa House hours this year due to COVID-19, but a mailbox will be provided for children to drop off letters to Santa.
Human resource/safety director Gerry Mroczkowski said four candidates were interviewed for the open police officer position. One candidate was selected and will take the officer’s exam. If the candidate does not fulfill the requirements, another will be selected from the remaining three.
Legislation
Council passed emergency ordinances to do the following:
—Contract with the county public defenders office for legal counsel to indigent persons at a cost not to exceed $18,000 for 2022.
—Contract with the county commissioners to house inmates in the county jail.
—Amend an ordinance to meet new EPA storm-water regulations.
—Establish the salaries and compensation of the city treasurer, council president and at-large council persons for the terms commencing Jan. 1, 2022.
—State the present position of Dover Light and Power concerning customers generating their own electricity.
—Make temporary appropriations for expenses during the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2022.
—Designate the mayor or service director as local officials for the 20th Street Bridge Project.
