Post-meeting release 11/6

Commissioners hear about parking study, approve appropriations

[Tiffin, OH Nov. 5, 2018] – The Seneca County Commissioners heard the results of a Gossman Group downtown parking study Tuesday morning.
Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership CEO and President David Zak presented the $18,000 study to the board during its regular meeting.
In January, the commissioners agreed to contribute as much as $7,000 to the study, which also received funding from the city of Tiffin and local judges.
The plan included research on several aspects of downtown parking and also examined the feasibility of erecting a parking garage.
Zak said the study did not recommend the construction of a parking garage at this point, but it did analyze four potential areas for a garage. The study deemed the Seneca County Commissioners’ Office building and lot as the best place for a garage if one eventually is constructed. The study states if a garage is created, it should be created as a mixed-use structure that eventually can be converted for regular use.
The study also recommends creating public-private partnerships to bring the garage to fruition. There could be retail or commercial space on one some of the floors of the garage.
Zak noted that the study is broad-based and is not a detailed investigative analysis.
Commissioner Shayne Thomas noted another recommendation to the plan, to beautify alleys and make them safer so pedestrians don’t mind walking a little further to reach their destination. This could improve parking in the short term.
In other business, the board reminded residents that a joint public meeting of the commissioners and several township trustee boards is to be held Wednesday evening.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss potential intervention in the Seneca Wind project. The Venice, Eden, Reed, Bloom and Scipio Township Trustees are invited to participate in the joint meeting. The meeting is to begin at 5:30 p.m. and will start with one hour of public comment. Comment time is to be limited to three minutes per person. The link to register to speak during the event is here: https://goo.gl/forms/bireubS3fVg2NIep1.
The meeting is to be held at the Scipio Township Maintenance Building, on SR 19 across from the Republic United Church of Christ.
After the public comment portion, the commissioners and trustees will discuss potential paths forward in regard to intervention.
Commissioner Mike Kerschner noted that five townships already have made motions to intervene on the Seneca Wind and/or the Republic Wind Project and five have formally requested the commissioners rescind the Alternative Energy Zone – which makes the projects more financially feasible for companies.
All appropriations from yesterday’s release were approved and an additional resolution was approved to move $6,569.30 of unneeded funds from Seneca to Auglaize County’s Department of Job and Family Services.