Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Getting kind of expensive to keep flushing toilets for these new homes

?“Engineering and design and things like that?” ?– Joyce Bushman on spending $800,000.00 toward Hickory Lakes (in addition to the $575,000.00 spent with Ordinance #2001-44) July 10, 2003 This Week in Pickerington.


Ordinance # 2001-44 Passed May 15th 2001
AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO
A CONTRACT WITH R. D. ZANDE AND ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION PROJECT.

SECTION 1: That the City Manager is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with R. D. Zande and Associates, Inc. for engineering services for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project at a cost not to exceed $575,000.
A copy of the contract shall be attach3ed hereto and incorporated herein.

This Agreement entered into this 14th day of June, 2001, by and between the City of Pickerington, hereinafter to as the CITY pursuant to and under the authority of Ord. No. 2001-44, passed May 15, 2001, recorded in Volume ___ of the Clerk?’s minutes, and R. D. Zande & Associates, Inc. hereinafter referred to as CONSULTANT, for the provision of consulting services to the CITY in regard to the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project.



SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Services to be Performed
The following tasks will comprise our services to you on this Project.

1. Provide technical assistance in locating potential sites that would be eligible
for Watershed Restoration loan funding.
2. Gather the necessary data/information about the sites.
3. Prepare any required exhibits/data summaries.
4. Assist the City in preparing any necessary nomination/ application forms.
5. Meet with the City and the Ohio EPA DEFA staff to champion the City?’s
application.
6. Provide additional technical assistance as requested by the City.

...and even more...

From: R.D. Zande & Associates, Inc.
September 21,2001
To: Joyce E. Bushman, AICP, EDEP
City Manager
100 Lockville Road
Pickerington, Ohio 43147-1399
Received: Sep. 24, 2001

Re: Technical Assistance
Watershed Restoration Loan Program

Dear Ms. Bushman:

This is to confirm our discussion about providing the city technical assistance for your attempts to get a loan for a project under the Watershed Restoration Program in conjunction with the expansion of the City Water Reclamation Facility. The Ohio EPA, Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance offers these loans for qualified projects. We are proceeding with the work and it will be performed in accordance with the attached Scope of Services.

In accordance with our discussions, the estimated cost of this work is Thirteen Thousand Nine Hundred Dollars ($13,900.00).

R. D. Zande & Associates, Inc.
Matt B. Tin, P.E.
President

...and yet more...

another is Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($14,600.00). from an August 28, 2002 letter Re: Technical Assistance
Watershed Restoration Loan Program 2

By Webmaster III

Aug 8th legal ad Lanc. Eagle Gaz


LEGAL AD Council for the City of Pickerington enacted the following at their REGULAR meeting on 08/05/03: Ordinance 2003-61, an ordinance to authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement for the purchase of Hickory Lakes and adjacent Buccilla acreage. Ordinance 2003-63, an ordinance providing for the issuance of $350,000 of notes by the City of Pickerington, Ohio, in anticipation of the issuance of bonds, for the purpose of renewing notes previously issued for the purpose of paying part of the cost of acquiring, constructing, equipping and furnishing a police building. Ordinance 2003-64, an ordinance providing for the issuance of not to exceed $304,500 of revenue notes by the City of Pickerington, Ohio, for the purpose of renewing revenue notes previously issued for the purpose of paying part of the cost of street improvements in the Windmiller/Diley Road areas of the city. Resolution 2003-14R, a resolution providing assurance to The Ohio Water Development Authority of!
a source of local funds for planning improvements in the City of Pickerington. Resolution 2003-15R, a resolution creating a FEMA Fund Resolution 2003-16R, a resolution creating a Stormwater Improvement Trust Fund for the purpose of escrowing contributions for stormwater improvements Details of the above are available at the office of the Municipal Clerk: Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk (PUB:LEG,Aug8,'03

By Webmaster III

Dispacth article 8/8 QUESTIONS

http://libpub.dispatch.com/cgi-bin/documentv1?DBLIST=cd03&DOCNUM=34207&TERMV=206:12:5407:12:15746:12:31011:12:36264:12:41378:12:82211:12:


PICKERINGTON
QUESTIONS REMAIN OVER LAND PURCHASE


Friday, August 8, 2003
NEWS 06D
By Dean Narciso
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Illustration: MAP


Their 95 acres will remain a wetland and recreation center forever, Sharon and Gary Buccilla believe.

The 30-year residents of Violet Township trust that their ''back yard,'' whose sale to Pickerington was approved during a City Council meeting on Tuesday, will never give way to new homes and crowded streets and schools.

''It'll be alive forever,'' Mrs. Buccilla said. ''We've had many family gatherings over there. There are a lot of memories there, and those memories can continue for everyone.''

The property's six ponds, abundant wildlife and party house will be a valuable addition to the Pickerington parks system, City Councilman Craig Maxey said.

But some residents question whether the land will really remain undeveloped.

The city is using an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency program that offers low-interest loans for water-quality projects in exchange for a commitment to preserve land.

Pickerington has applied for an $11.8 million EPA loan to finance the expansion of its sewage-treatment plant, which is on Hill Road, a few miles south of the Buccillas' Hickory Lakes property.

As part of the deal, the EPA will give the city about $3.3 million it would have paid in interest on the loan. And Pickerington will use that money to buy the Buccillas' 95 acres. It will pay off the $11.8 million loan with tax dollars.

Ted Hackworth, a Pickerington resident, is suspicious.

''They would have you think it's a wonderful deal -- that we're getting Hickory Lakes for free. But we're going in debt deeper to get this land for free,'' Hackworth said.

''Are we going to need more houses to pay for this?''

Hackworth and others think that, by doubling the capacity of the sewage-treatment plant, city officials are signaling their plans to increase development.

They wonder whether parts of the Buccilla land one day will need to be developed to help pay for the plant.

That's improbable, said Jennifer Seifert, an EPA environmental specialist.

''It can't be sold or transferred. That's part of the agreement,'' she said. Violating the agreement would mean defaulting on the loan.

Nevertheless, critics say the deal was made without sufficient public input.

''I'm not saying that it's not a nice facility. But the method in which it was negotiated, I'd say it was questionable whether it was done appropriately,'' said Rita Ricketts, a former Pickerington mayor and 43-year resident.

She also is concerned about the cost of the sewer-plant expansion. ''Are we expanding the sewer plant bigger than what we need?'' to get money to buy Hickory Lakes, she asked.

Ricketts and Hackworth say a slowdown in building, which would mean less tax dollars for the city, could derail paying off the loan.

Said Councilman Maxey: ''I think the critics would much rather have us stop dead cold -- to have no more housing starts, period.

''I don't think that anybody believes that that is realistic.''

dnarciso@dispatch.com



By Webmaster III

connecting campaign $$'s

From PATA's website
Fall Campaign Contributors
(cut & paste) this URL

http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/clubextraPhoto.html?nid=800927166&nclubid=68303919&nsupercity=437534213

Mehmet(Matt) Tin $500.00 to the Maxey campaign

By Webmaster III