Like the first trickle of water through a stubborn clogged drain, the stalemate that has pitted a Zanesfield property owner against the local government showed some signs of easing Monday evening.
“We’ve extended the olive branch,” Zanesfield Councilman Jeremy Watkins said after a Monday evening council meeting in which the village leaders tried to resolve differences with property owner Matt Straker in hopes that he will remove two demolition derby cars from the lawn of a Sandusky Street property he owns.
The Zanesfield Village Council approved the first phase of a drainage project that would install approximately 1,200 feet of open ditch (shown in red) along the western and southern perimeters of Hall-Fawcett Park in the Mad River. The more controversial and costly Phase 2 of the plan, which would flow across Councilman Michael Failor’s property and between Matt Straker’s property and the Sloan Library, will not be addressed for several years. (EXAMINER GRAPHIC | REUBEN MEES) |
The cars were placed there last fall as what Mr. Straker maintains is an artistic display. The timing, however, coincided with disputes he was having with village officials over the drainage ditch that runs beneath the property — situated between Firehouse Pizza and the Sloan Library — he bought in 2014 under the impression that others, or perhaps the village, would help him address the drainage problem.
In addition to personnel with the Tri-Valley Fire Department using a publicly-owned apparatus to spray out under the property May 28, the village will reinstall a grating to prevent large debris or people from going into the ditch beneath the house, and some council members said they would volunteer to help remove drainage sediment from beneath the building.
The discussion came at a meeting in which council approved the first phase of a larger drainage project that is being coordinated by the Logan County Engineer’s Office.
Read complete story in Tuesday’s Examiner.
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