[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6353186,"mediaKeyId","2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072","parentId",2221609,"title","Residents raise safety concerns about proposed Burbank roundabout and request warmer streetlight tones","audioSeconds",349,"startMs",3275000,"endMs",3624000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072&start=3275&end=3624","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072/thumbnail_3275000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6353186/Wooster/Wayne-County/Ohio/Residents-raise-safety-concerns-about-proposed-Burbank-roundabout-and-request-warmer-streetlight-tones","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353186-c60243f79690a7cb6085d0df78ac3ee4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773898504&Signature=M0VPnkeOCbpd7lR~DplmpHYmHRLP7tO4ty6bPWlMroXridEbEbAzTXPIK41Iuk32FTCxrTJkww8YNK9HgmhSCOIMkYqjgIW2PbRbeVApVrdDcxbh0bizc4IEhkyiv-p2uC6tPAsGihES2SUp7qGB-uQ7a0OazAL-S6vtstOjdFSngl-ND~wXRMTfgliZFgmUaUnUk4Hvdx1-c6dT0jjNus0q9EVENhGE65od9SjOeB1sInLTHjkgeusp6pjd3rcgChFZ0QHLEH1NwC0wku6Z09srxLgUuXVm7SE53HZG-bcyZCWo9NA5mDSbkRcEFm77AQDz1XaeWCzCpoL3aChYNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Wooster OH","date","2025-02-04T13:22:22Z","article","Two speakers during the public-comments portion of the Feb. 3 Wooster City Council meeting raised separate safety and design concerns: one opposed a proposed \"peanut\" roundabout at Burbank and nearby intersections, saying it could delay emergency responses during peak school traffic; another asked the city to request amber-colored LED streetlights instead of blue-white fixtures to reduce glare and preserve neighborhood character.

Barnett, a resident who asked the council to extend his time to five minutes, blamed prior distracted-driving incidents and described a close call in which a vehicle struck his mailbox while the driver was on the phone. He said building a roundabout at the Burbank–Winkler area would back up traffic near the high school and could prevent emergency vehicles from getting out of the fire station and reaching calls promptly. \"When you take away the lights ... I told you so,\" he said, urging the council to reconsider the project.

Tate Emerson, introduced as a Wooster resident, urged the council to ask AEP and its contractors to install full-cutoff LED fixtures with a color temperature of 3,000K or lower (warm amber) rather than the higher, blue-white lights currently proposed. Emerson cited Dark-Sky International guidance, arguing that lower color-temperature LEDs reduce glare, light pollution and adverse effects for older residents and wildlife.

Why it matters: both remarks touch on public-safety and livability topics—emergency response time and streetlight design—which the council and staff must weigh against traffic-calming goals and utility procurement decisions.

What speakers asked for
- Barnett: reconsider or more fully study the proposed peanut roundabout at Burbank, Old Man and Winkler and evaluate emergency-response impacts during school peak times.
- Tate Emerson: instruct the city’s utility partner (AEP) to install LED streetlights with color temperature 3,000K or lower and consider Dark-Sky International recommendations to reduce glare and preserve neighborhood character.

Council response
Council members thanked both speakers; some members noted ongoing planning for the Burbank project (the mayor had said a presentation on the proposed roundabout would be at the Feb. 18 committee session). Council offered no immediate direction in the Feb. 3 meeting record to halt or alter the project pending analysis.

Background
The mayor previously announced a committee session on Feb. 18 to present the proposed peanut roundabout design for Burbank, Old Man and Winkler; public comment at this meeting tied into that upcoming presentation. The city is coordinating some streetlight work with AEP as part of larger lighting upgrades; Emerson supplied handouts referencing Dark-Sky International guidance.

Ending
Council members said they appreciated the input and noted staff would continue project planning; the Feb. 18 committee session was the next forum where the roundabout design would be discussed in more detail.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 3, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Two residents during the Feb. 3 Wooster council meeting urged the city to reconsider a planned peanut roundabout near Burbank and to prefer warm-amber LED streetlights over blue-white fixtures, citing emergency-response and glare concerns.","taxTitle","Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio","taxId",48779,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6353191,"Wooster citizens mark Charles Follis Day; group highlights ‘Power of One’ and local history",559,1331000,1890000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072&start=1331&end=1890","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072/thumbnail_1331000.jpg","/articles/6353191/Wooster/Wayne-County/Ohio/Wooster-citizens-mark-Charles-Follis-Day-group-highlights-Power-of-One-and-local-history","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353191-fa7914d30f64752e9826f55c38e85777/orig.mp4?Expires=1773898504&Signature=c7r-9S3z78PkstJe4u9WT0rYMOpe4kpRdRsEQGM7rw1Koe6aYCGxfWGvC~045gKuYsdVyCQ8DbvYZ87rgGe5GQxV4DSPdv5I3iqHKwDZ9P8B-7BDjw52GRsD1eYmXcmq6QowpMz30hSyFwmpDhvVZD849sEIS~iFf5jfIU4Q2OKNyv~vYiqbTmd9g~uabVkNaxnCti~GjBzoSU8D8FJTiBTwxPgEvg0Yv9RFv6iFqA6NKu-KkDa824j3a-SeJlQyp6bQ6k1hfFFTP7rMl9C4y5iTREDwDQFKpB8N4gR9kfnSTH-llBQcRWkH7cArz6~-hgg5HT8LaYM7jzOdV43vRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawrence Walker and other community members addressed the Wooster City Council on Feb. 3 to mark Charles Follis Day and to describe local preservation and education efforts tied to Follis, the Wooster-area athlete recognized in 2018 by Ohio’s governor.

In remarks to the council, Lawrence Walker recounted the group’s work to replace a worn headstone at Follis’s gravesite, raise funds and develop local interpretive history. \"Charles Follis exemplified the power of 1 with both grace and greatness,\" Walker said. He told the council his group raised about $30,000 to replace the marker and to support related local activities.

Why it matters: Charles Follis is recognized as the first Black professional football player; the state designated Feb. 3 as Charles Follis Day in 2018. Local organizers said celebrating the date connects community pride, local history and youth outreach.

What presenters said
Lawrence Walker described the origin of the local project: volunteers documented a damaged headstone and raised funds to install a new marker and interpretive elements along a local trail and in civic spaces. Walker noted the project grew to include a \"trail\" that starts on Market Street and ends near other community landmarks. He asked council to recognize the day and applauded local partners who contributed.

Cheryl Gough, introduced as a counselor at Wooster High School, and other local volunteers were in the council chamber. The mayor said representatives from the Charles Follis Foundation in Columbus had asked local officials to participate in a \"Power of One\" initiative, encouraging acts of kindness and community service on Feb. 3.

Quotes
\"Charles Follis exemplified the power of 1 with both grace and greatness,\" Lawrence Walker said during his remarks.

\"Our local connection makes this an extra special day in our community,\" Walker added, urging residents and the state to embrace the legacy.

Background
The mayor told the council that Governor John Kasich signed legislation recognizing Feb. 3 as Charles Follis Day in 2018. The Charles Follis Foundation and local volunteers have promoted the day with events, historical markers and outreach; a foundation representative and video clips were referenced during the meeting.

Next steps
Organizers said they will continue outreach and encouraged residents to visit the gravesite and local interpretive displays. The mayor offered to share any media that is submitted to the administration for distribution to council members.","Community members visited the Feb. 3 Wooster City Council meeting to mark Charles Follis Day and described local efforts to preserve the athlete’s legacy, including a stone replacement and a ‘Power of One’ initiative by the Charles Follis Foundation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6353195,"Wooster Council approves multiple budgeted equipment purchases and vacates polluted alley to allow cleanup",354,2482000,2836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072&start=2482&end=2836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2221609-f74197ed225695fa1af55851b0b75072/thumbnail_2482000.jpg","/articles/6353195/Wooster/Wayne-County/Ohio/Wooster-Council-approves-multiple-budgeted-equipment-purchases-and-vacates-polluted-alley-to-allow-cleanup","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6353195-97f8761549eb4824856336d934fa81c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773898504&Signature=T1aPArBU4JhJ~Atb9pzhG8exy5JEjDHnKtfbJtGCqX-1egqoXJ26pAHDNhI9UwGSPEpwfcAvN0Nfxk5mBAm5ngN4UGIGNT--yHZtSQbAX-XFsvcpTl8CXdmsPmkImIZreDKaEy5odTRy5hfAI5ktADJ8B67fZMZRXv~47c1sR4wTpSR0I2~Kq05j11gHfuoK3aSbuoXtHPrI7XVI-S5iRWV9MSa-4c9aigiQZNWWvl3gu5T4lUkv4wN11DlUj1EiXbpKgNQr~jcheFmG8JxTBPulgC5r9yr2JjD6TSH00DQ8~Io1MpK9SW4DLgh6IrqHWZrEtIXL~m9yLyvFfxSouw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wooster City Council on Feb. 3 approved seven budgeted equipment purchases, including a Ford Ranger inspection vehicle, a new asphalt distributor truck, a dump truck and multiple crew vehicles, and voted to vacate an unnamed alley so a contaminated site can be consolidated and remediated.

The purchases were presented as budgeted items and drew little debate. Council members voted unanimously on each item during roll calls conducted by Clerk Miss Hamilton. The ordinance vacating the unnamed east–west alley (Ordinance 2025-01) passed the council’s three-reading rule and was adopted the same night to allow the single adjacent property owner to obtain full site control for environmental cleanup.

Why it matters: the equipment votes authorize planned replacements that city officials say keep the public-works fleet and utility systems functioning; the alley vacation removes a legal impediment the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the property owner said was preventing final cleanup steps on a contaminated parcel.

Most important facts
- The council adopted Resolution 2025-06 to purchase a Ford Ranger as an inspection vehicle; Resolution 2025-07 to buy replacement meter transmission units for utility automation; Resolution 2025-08 to extend the city’s biosolids-management contract; Resolution 2025-09 to buy a new asphalt distributor truck; Resolution 2025-10 to purchase a new crew truck; and Resolution 2025-11 to buy a dump truck. All were introduced as budgeted items and approved on roll call.
- Ordinance 2025-01 vacates an unnamed alley running east–west (described in the ordinance by parcel references). City staff and the petitioner said the alley cannot be used physically because a highway cloverleaf separates the segments; vacating it will allow the single adjacent owner to work with EPA to finish remediation.
- Council members indicated the purchase line items were routine, budgeted replacements. Public-works staff said older units being replaced dated from the 2000s and earlier.

Council votes at a glance
- Resolution 2025-06 (Ford Ranger inspection vehicle): moved by Councilman Abernathy; second not specified. Roll call: Abernathy — yes; Wharton — yes; Knappick — yes; Houssey — yes; Malta — yes; Gaffey — yes; Myers — yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Resolution 2025-07 (replacement meter transmission units): introduced by Councilman Malta; motion by Malta; second by Abernathy. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Resolution 2025-08 (Lyman biosolids residuals management contract): introduced by Councilman Malta; motion by Malta; second by Myers. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Ordinance 2025-01 (vacate unnamed alley — partial parcel 64-02-38): introduced by Councilmember Knappick; motion to suspend rules moved and seconded; motion to adopt moved and seconded. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted (vacation granted).
- Resolution 2025-09 (asphalt distributor truck): introduced by Councilman Jose; motion by Jose; second by Abernathy. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Resolution 2025-10 (new crew truck): introduced by Councilman Jose; motion and second recorded during the meeting. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Resolution 2025-11 (dump truck): introduced by Councilmember Rizaid; motion and second recorded during the meeting. Roll call: all present voted yes. Outcome: adopted.

What council members and staff said
Councilman Abernathy, who introduced the inspection-vehicle purchase, described it as an end-of-life replacement and said the item was already budgeted. Councilman Malta and others framed the meter-transmission and biosolids items as scheduled, budgeted renewals to retain existing services. Public-works staff (Denning) told council the asphalt distributor being replaced dated to 1989 and that a truck on hold for Wooster would shorten lead time; council members commented that a brand-new distributor should improve pothole and street repairs in spring.

On the alley vacation, applicant representative Mister Duschel described the history: when the state built the city bypass decades ago, a portion of Henry Street was cut off and left inaccessible; the remaining gap includes a contaminated parcel that EPA needs full site control to complete remediation. Duschel told council that the same owner owns both sides of the alley and vacating will simply vest the land in that owner so EPA and the owner can finish cleanup.

Background and next steps
Most purchases approved are budgeted capital replacements; staff said they will proceed with procurement. For the vacated alley, the city’s engineer and law director reviewed the parcel and the ordinance language; vacating the public right-of-way transfers ownership as prescribed under local law, which city staff said will remove the current obstacle to the EPA-led remediation.

Votes and records in this article are recorded from the meeting roll-call transcript; where a specific maker or seconder was not named in the roll-call exchange, the motion is noted as “not specified.”","At its Feb. 3 meeting the Wooster City Council approved seven budgeted purchases—vehicles and equipment for public works and utilities—and passed an ordinance vacating an unnamed alley so the property owner and environmental agencies can complete a remediation project.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents raise safety concerns about proposed Burbank roundabout and request warmer streetlight tones

Wooster citizens mark Charles Follis Day; group highlights ‘Power of One’ and local history

Wooster Council approves multiple budgeted equipment purchases and vacates polluted alley to allow cleanup