NELSONVILLE, Ohio — At its regular meeting at Hocking College on Monday, the statutory Nelsonville City Council passed an ordinance to appoint a new legal council and consider a proposed resolution.
On Monday, the council passed Ordinance 32-26 on emergency reading, which allows attorney Daniel Klos to act as legal counsel for special legal projects and to provide assistance to the current Law Director Garry Hunter. This ordinance was passed due to time commitments by Hunter that limit his available time.
The ordinance states that Klos will be paid an hourly rate of $375 when he is needed by the statutory council for legal services.
The statutory council also debated passing Resolution 2374, supporting resident Lynn Garbo’s idea to create a “pocket park” commemorating Nelsonville founder Daniel Nelson.
In her presentation to the council at its July 20 meeting, Garbo said she wants the city to buy part of the front of the lot of the Athens County Community Cares Resource Center, located at 10 W. Washington St., to create a small park.
The resolution supports the idea of the park and states that, “the elected City Council will accept transfer of the proposed property if the Citizen Group is able to raise the money to purchase the property.”
Council member Jessica Hollenbaugh said Garbo’s request to the council was for supporting the idea of the pocket park and this resolution includes more than that.
“She didn’t ask us to purchase the property. She asked the unelected [charter] council to purchase the property, but she didn’t ask us to,” Hollenbaugh said.
Hollenbaugh made a motion to amend the resolution and provided a copy of the resolution that was previously drafted by council clerk Greg Smith.
The amendments change the wording of the original resolution and remove one section. The original preamble states, “the Elected City Council would accept the ownership of the proposed park property if a group of citizens could raise the money needed to purchase the property from the Athens County Commission.”
The amended version of the preamble reads, “the Elected City Council would accept ownership of the park property if the group of citizens should obtain the property from the Athens County Commission.”
The amended version also changes the resolving clause to mirror the amended preamble: “The Elected City Council will accept transfer of the proposed property if the Citizen Group is able to obtain the property.”
The amended resolution also removes a section of the preamble stating that the city’s financial situation does not support purchase of the property.
Council member Sue Powell said she is not comfortable with voting to adopt the resolution, whether it be amended or not.
“I want to support and think of the residents and this kind of what I feel,” Powell said. She said she has not spoken with any Nelsonville residents urging approval of the park resolution.
“I think the residents are screaming loud and clear,” Powell said. “We have to do something with Nelsonville Commons and the pool. We owe it to our residents.”
Powell also said the city already has parks and recreational areas for people to enjoy and would rather support those than new construction. She also said that the purchase would eliminate 10 to 11 parking spaces, which could deter potential new businesses from moving into the building.
Council member David Allen said even though he is all about the local history of Nelsonville, he would rather have a business on the property that would complement the existing businesses in the downtown square.
The motion to amend the resolution failed 4-2. Powell, Allen, Wesley Henderson and Lynn Bishop voted against the amendment. Glenn Smith and Hollenbaugh voted for its adoption.
The council then voted on the original resolution, which also failed 4-2. Powell, Allen, Wesley Henderson and Bishop voted against the resolution. Glenn Smith and Hollenbaugh voted for its adoption.
The statutory council’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17 , at The Lodge at Hocking College, 15770 SR 691.
The charter-based council meets every other Monday of each month, at Nelsonville City Council Chambers, 211 Lake Hope Drive. Its next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24.
