Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
Mayor wants information, comments about Rockford on Facebook
By Janie Southard
ROCKFORD - The mayor is interested in getting the village set up with a Facebook account to provide residents with current information and solicit comments.
"Mr. (Kevin) Browning (Parkway school communications teacher) did a real good job getting our Web page set up last year, but not too much has been done with it this year," mayor Amy Joseph told council members at Tuesday night's meeting. "I'd like to see something done to show off the community."
Village administrator Jeff Long liked the Facebook idea, saying that as "laymen," he and village fiscal officer Lisa Kuhn could more easily work with Facebook than they could maintain a Web page.
But all agreed there is a definite need for the Web page. Kuhn has kept a list of items to be available online including village ordinances and a list of civic organizations with links to Facebook. Joseph also wants to see more village history online.
Other Facebook suggestions from the floor included issuing boil alerts when necessary and community watch information.
In other news, council members approved an agreement with Fanning Howey Civil Engineering Division to design the Market Street reconstruction project, tentatively scheduled to go out for bid July 1. Cost for design is $40,000. Project cost is estimated at $490,000, with funds from the Ohio Public Works Commission and the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant. About $55,000 will be handled through a zero percent interest loan.
Service committee chair Steve Gehle said the village will lose mature trees when this project gets under way.
"We'll lose a lot of old trees, most still healthy but almost all (have roots that) are bringing the sidewalks up," he said. "I think if we keep these trees they'll really bite us in 10 or so years."
His committee is looking at replacement trees that are smaller and flowering.
Chris Heitkamp, rules committee chair, reported village sidewalks will be 4 feet in width and will be located 4 feet from the roadway.
"This way all new construction will be uniform," he said. " If anyone wants to apply for a variance they can come to council for approval."
Joseph has asked that old ordinances, some back to the early 1960s, be updated. Each council member will take on 10 ordinances for review.
