(Posted Nov. 9, 2020)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Joe Mosier, London’s safety-service director, is stepping down effective Jan. 31. He has served in the position for five years, starting the same year that Mayor Patrick Closser was elected to his first term.
“When we started this, Joe told me he’d give me four to eight years. We’re sitting at five years now. He kept his promise,” Closser said. “He’s always the first one here and the last one to leave… working hard all the time. I appreciate his dedication to the city.”
As for why he is leaving, Mosier said, “It’s just time to do something else.”
Rex Castle, a former city council member with a business background, will become the next safety-service director. During his time on council, Castle chaired the finance committee.
“Rex really knows the inner workings of the budget and how things work around the city. Hopefully, it will be a seamless transition,” Closser said at city council’s Nov. 5 meeting.
Walking paths/Cowling Park
Closser typically includes a “mayor fun fact” in his report to council. This time around, it was the number 4,636–the number of feet of multipurpose walking paths in Cowling Park. Improvements at the park, including the installation of more paths, has been ongoing the last few years.
“Now, more than ever, these are a huge asset,” he said, noting that they provide an option for getting outdoors during the pandemic.
Organizers of Access Cowling, the non-profit that has made many of the recent improvements possible, hope to use some of their remaining funds to enhance the park experience for children in the 12- to 15-year-old range.
Shade trees
The city will once again levy a special assessment on all lots, land and parcels in the corporation limits to pay for planting, maintaining and removing shade trees located on city properties and city right-of-ways. This practice has been ongoing for over 20 years and is permitted by Ohio Revised Code. The assessment will raise $40,000 over the next two years.
Prior to council’s unanimous approval of the assessment, council member Brenda Russell asked questions about the number of trees being purchased and the decision-making behind where they are placed. She believes the purchase of 50 trees for the city’s dog park on Keny Boulevard was excessive. She said some of the trees seem to be planted to close together. She wondered, too, about maintenance of trees in front of businesses and other locations around town.
Closser and council member Josh Peters suggested the questions be put to the city’s tree commission which meets monthly.
Other business
Council gave Mosier approval to apply for and accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Commerce to assist with the purchase of MARCS radio systems for the fire department.
Council approved the vacation of two alleys, one off of Vernon Avenue and the other off of West High Street.
