Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Rotary to donate for lake aeration

$5,000 will help Celina buy system for east channel at Pullman Bay

By William Kincaid
CELINA - The Celina Rotary Club will donate up to $5,000 to help the city purchase a mechanism to oxygenate the water in the east channel at Pullman Bay Park.
City council members Monday night unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance accepting the donation to purchase a linear aeration system that has proved successful at other places along the lake.
Adding oxygen to channels on Grand Lake is improving water quality and spurring the return of aquatic vegetation not seen for a long time, state park manager Brian Miller said at a recent Lake Improvement Association meeting.
Many homeowners along channels have installed about 100 feet of the linear aeration tubing, which sits in the middle of the channel on the lake's bottom and emits a continuous stream of tiny bubbles visible on the surface. The system is removed during the winter.
Tests recently taken near Behm's Landing, where linear aeration was installed, indicate no microcystin toxins, according to Miller.
The city also was able to install linear aeration at the hot water hole on Lake Shore Drive in May with a $4,549 donation from the Celina Lions Club.
Councilman Ed Jeffries said the scum that lined rocks in the corner of the hot water hole is no longer there, a fact he attributed to the installation of aeration.
"I talked to a guy who caught three bass there Friday so it has (positively) affected fishing," Jeffries said.
"It looks a lot cleaner to the naked eye," councilman Bill Sell said.
"Anytime we can get oxygen into the water column, it's going to be a good thing for the lake," city safety service director Tom Hitchcock said.
Council members on Monday night also unanimously voted against two pieces of legislation on final reading - a resolution endorsing a liquor license transfer that would allow the former Club Oasis on Main Street to reopen under new ownership and an ordinance authorizing the fire department to travel long distances outside of the area to assist other fire departments during emergencies.
After recently learning that prospective club buyer Chad T. Schmitmeyer, who planned to reopen the club as Boots 'N Bourbon, was no longer interested in acquiring the liquor license, council members decided there was no reason to pass the ordinance.
Former Club Oasis owner Christopher Wendel, who still owns the building, has said he is negotiating the sale of the business with two other individuals.
Council members shot down the ordinance authorizing the fire department to assist other departments outside of the area due to concerns it could leave the city vulnerable.
Celina Mayor Jeff Hazel had suggested council members vote it down and wait for something more workable to be presented to them.
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Mercer County Boys Golf Tournament
CELINA - Paced by the two lowest scores of the tournament, Parkway cruised to a victory and defended its Mercer County boys golf tournament title on Tuesday at the Mercer County Elks. [More]
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WAPAKONETA - Health officials Tuesday morning discussed steps taken during the recent outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that killed a St. Marys man in July and left another seriously ill.
CELINA - Technology required for time travel likely never will exist, but Springfield native and seasoned banjo player Glenn Parks provided a rather convincing substitute Tuesday afternoon at the Mercer County Fair.
CELINA - The county is seeking contractors to widen Harris Road and create turn lanes on state Route 29 in preparation for the opening of a plumbing supply distribution center east of the city.
ROCKFORD - Residents in Parkway school district will vote on a renewal levy in May.
School board members on Tuesday passed a resolution to put the issue on the ballot in the spring.
SPENCERVILLE - Cleanup of the Auglaize River is underway in Allen County and will continue into Auglaize County in the coming months.
Officials fro
FORT RECOVERY - The new band director is working diligently, according to high school principal Jeff Hobbs.
Hobbs introduced band and choir director Samuel Piehl to board of education members on Tuesday night at the regular meeting.
NEW BREMEN - An access road to the New Bremen Municipal Center has been named Harrod's Way in honor of recently retired police chief Doug Harrod.
"I think we really surprised him," Dennis Burnell told fellow council members Tuesday night.
Local Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Minster edged Midwest Athletic Conference rival Versailles 320-321 to capture the Cardinal Invitational team title on Tuesday at Arrowhead.