(Posted April 22, 2016)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Two Madison County projects made it into the state’s $2.6 billion capital budget.
The village of Plain City will receive $30,000 for restoration of its historic clock tower. The city of London will receive $30,000 for upgrades to the municipal pool.
“I am grateful to local partners who were instrumental in identifying these projects,” said State Senator Bob Hackett, a London resident who represents the 10th Senate District.
The state capital budget funds improvements to community services, school facilities, roads, bridges, waterways and parks. The legislature generally approves a capital budget every two years.
Plain City Clock Tower
Plain City’s village-owned clock tower dates back to 1902 and sits atop a private business at 101 S. Chillicothe St. While the clock mechanics are in working order, the tower housing the clock needs a major overhaul, said Kevin Vaughn, village manager. The estimated cost of restoration is $60,000.
To date, the Uptown Plain City Organization has raised $30,000 in private donations for the project. The village will use the state money to cover the difference. Should the project cost fall short of the estimate, leftover funds will go into a clock tower fund for future maintenance, Vaughn said. Should the project exceed the estimate, the village will make up the difference with general fund dollars.
The to-do list will address both structural and aesthetic concerns. The clock sits on steel pedestals. Wood at that juncture is deteriorated and needs to be replaced. Also planned is replacement of tin drip edges around the clock, repair of holes in the clock dome, restoration of the clock faces, new paint for the tower, replacement of pulleys and cables, and a tune-up for the mechanics.
Before the repairs are performed, the clock tower will be removed by crane. That procedure is scheduled for May 14. The entire restoration is slated for completion by mid- to late-September, Vaughn said.
London Pool
In preparation for the summer pool season, the city of London is repairing chips and cracks and repainting its municipal pool. The facility includes a main swimming pool, a diving well, a pool for infants and individuals with handicaps, and a racing pool.
Whether or not the $30,000 in state capital funds goes toward these immediate projects depends on when the state funds are deposited into the city coffers. No matter when it arrives, it will be put to good use, said Mayor Patrick Closser.
“It’s a pool built in 1936, so there’s always going to be maintenance and improvements that need to be done,” he said.
Closser praised Tammy Braskett, London’s new parks and recreation director, and local resident Teresa Brooks for helping to get London in the state capital budget. Brooks works for Tim Keen of the state Office of Budget and Maintenance. Braskett communicated the pool’s needs, and Brooks provided the connection.
“One thing we’ve been trying to do is find other sources of funding (for the city). This is just one of the avenues we were able to tap into to help out,” Closser said.
Braskett also is seeking private donors and applying for grant funds from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for additional pool improvements.
The London pool will open Memorial Day weekend. The city is currently accepting applications for pool clerks, lifeguards, and pool manager.
