By Linda Dillman
Staff Writer
After more than a month of deliberations and consultations, Canal Winchester City Council finally has a president.
Councilman Mike Walker was elected president during the Feb. 18 council meeting. His election comes after an effort to seat a leader at the Jan. 6 organizational that was unsuccessful following failed nominations of Walker and Councilman Will Bennett.
Councilman Mike Coolman was unanimously elected as vice president. Aside from the inability to initially come to a consensus, there was also a question of newly-elected Councilman Chuck Milliken’s appropriateness to vote for Walker.
“The whole issue is a landlord-tenant detail,” said Councilman Pat Lynch.
Milliken rents a home from Walker.
Both council members contacted the Franklin County Board of Elections about the possible conflict and were told if the legal document (lease) between the two parties was signed before the election, it should be legitimate.
Lynch said he was in contact with Councilwoman Jill Amos, who was unable to
attend the February meeting, and asked to postpone the vote until she returned. However, the vote proceeded with Lynch and Bennett voting “no.”
In addressing Mayor Mike Ebert following his election, Walker said, “We appreciate the staff around you. Just a great staff. Pretty remarkable. Hopefully, we’ll work as a city council as you and your staff have worked.”
Golf carts on the roads
Ebert discussed the opening of Bigerton Bend to Gender Road and the impact it will have on golf carts, which are able to travel on city streets with a maximum speed limit of 25 miles per hour.
“With the upcoming opening of the Bigerton Bend extension to Gender road, it will bring new areas of travel for residents who have registered, street legal golf carts,” Ebert said.
All businesses to the west side of Gender Road, such as Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s, Kroger, Home Depot, and Bob Evans will be accessible by golf cart via Bigerton Bend and by crossing Gender Road at the traffic light to Canal Street, then to Prentiss School and crossing Winchester Boulevard into the internal shopping center street.
Ebert said many businesses on the east side of Gender Road will also be accessible via Bigerton Bend.
“All golf carts are prohibited from traveling Waterloo Street between Bigerton Bend and Gender Road. No golf carts are permitted to travel streets with a speed limit in excess of 25 miles per hour,” said Ebert. “These streets include a portion of Groveport Road, all of Gender Road, Hill Road at the terminus of East Waterloo Street and Washington Street south of the Washington Street bridge.”
