[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6458214,"mediaKeyId","5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858","parentId",5823188,"title","Public works staff outlines policy updates on recycling, bulk pickup, mailboxes and roadside memorials","audioSeconds",1952,"startMs",3998000,"endMs",5950000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858&start=3998&end=5950","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858/thumbnail_3998000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6458214/Ohio/Public-works-staff-outlines-policy-updates-on-recycling-bulk-pickup-mailboxes-and-roadside-memorials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458214-aeb51875f2e42ff3da7aa48284db104a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770801434&Signature=HuCsmH7B5pdmTLHrdHTbVj~e1OOBsrih3n75YO9TP4LNRjMI2aw4dH8V2P4GXpqZrt1nm6cXPnQYDF1zuFAtSMVI7Se~Z~hUQL442SL9kGa2hk-iWxTrWPD7X94pUNP3uQf-LB~Fu4iHQhvxeRww5tgbJW6oU9x1h-GVqB4HyBeNw2vwwOAG57A-P6ZPZ7F6rhFDa~i7YdlGp5VIMzWPD-afpD543aWJelPvZvAGIJykHy1sBydjxbIbfm2EzUC4iZJ1s2Frm2g1GkshHKwX-0HzjJE~HMWS2FR~30o7HJ0PUmW3LGv9ZwH6xJ691cqJomO0Yg2gZGQXllgWN3eM2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Delaware","date","2025-09-23T18:00:00Z","article","Delaware City Public Works staff used the Sept. 23 committee meeting to present a package of policy updates affecting refuse, vehicle operations, street signage and memorials.

Refuse and recycling: Staff said the city completed rollout of larger recycling carts (staff described a 64‑gallon recycling cart for all residents) and standard 96‑gallon refuse carts for households; the city increased bulk‑item pickup from once to twice monthly and introduced a Grappler truck for safer, mechanical bulk pickup. Staff said they are piloting dumpsterized recycling for multifamily and commercial sites and noted several businesses and schools had requested dedicated recycling dumpsters.

Mailbox replacement: Staff proposed a kinder approach to mailboxes damaged by winter plowing. Instead of requiring residents to prove the mailbox was not maintenance‑related, the revised policy would generally replace or temporarily restore mailboxes that appear to have been damaged by city plowing or snow windrows.

Roadside memorials: Staff proposed a policy to manage temporary roadside memorials (flowers, candles, stuffed animals). The draft policy would allow short‑term placement but establish a timeline (staff suggested a three‑month period) after which the city would remove and store items and offer a permanent memorial alternative (for example, through the city’s memorial‑tree program in parks).

Vehicle discipline and fleet procedures: Staff said the city is revising its internal discipline policy to focus on recurrence of avoidable incidents rather than strictly on damage dollar value. The policy would consider whether an accident was avoidable, whether it recurred and whether the employee broke the law in setting discipline. Staff said fleet onboarding and disposition processes are also being clarified.

Changeable message boards and signage: The committee was told the city will tighten use of changeable message boards in line with MUTCD guidance so boards are reserved for traffic warnings and closure notices rather than general advertising.

Grants and resources: Staff reported about $500,000 in recent grant awards that helped fund rollout of recycling carts and other refuse‑service improvements.

Committee response and next steps: Committee members praised staff for responsiveness and for piloting operational improvements. Staff asked for a short review period to allow the manager to finalize internal policies; committee members supported advancing the package for citymanager review and scheduling the items that require council approval.

No formal committee vote was required on most of the policy updates; items that change city code (for example, sidewalk code) were forwarded to council by separate motion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Delaware - Public Works/Public Utilities Committee","oneSentenceSummary","City staff described a suite of public‑works policy updates on recycling, mailbox replacement after plowing, roadside memorials, vehicle discipline and signage, and requested committee support to finalize and publish the policies.","taxTitle","Delaware City, Delaware County, Ohio","taxId",65933,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6458219,"Committee backs simplified sidewalk‑maintenance code and faster repairs",708,4003000,4711000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858&start=4003&end=4711","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858/thumbnail_4003000.jpg","/articles/6458219/Ohio/Committee-backs-simplified-sidewalkmaintenance-code-and-faster-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458219-c89b5206e059ce234447391fffd5ee17/orig.mp4?Expires=1770801434&Signature=cqCHsKZK4p5zDkZ9tlxi1iaOSBeL8rBW6h4I3SjTX3x7TPcMRWgBMnyL6DDOglRLYSrencfbv8kDfhwTMm7db3IlkobZwGiyWL1gaH2t4~roQLaiwOCEAedIwW-Xqbx~U3BSjFDa5645xHL2E63IZ0gKzHVcLS7uQ~EEfUQycSjamSTvt-S1mATLSBqP43CGHC-~ybOrJraHxhb3agvSfP~vLteEJF9VdE9~5-ns89flTDZqDNRe39PgoRW2AgN5HNxXxc7ohUAZ7tryzQZZrNN5dMOEWQ9Kps86VyqAaTF45i7wmmyb5r4j1r~xdK4sD7pgRSgQOVfoEKqkWKcwWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Delaware City Public Works & Public Utilities Committee voted on Sept. 23 to recommend city council adopt a streamlined sidewalk‑maintenance ordinance that aligns the city’s procedures with current practice and federal accessibility guidelines.

Public Works Director Bill Perino told the committee the city’s prior Safe Walks program repaired roughly 14,000 sidewalk sections during an earlier comprehensive sweep. Staff said the code change to section 909 would formalize a simpler, more flexible process: when the city inspects a sidewalk that is the city’s responsibility, staff will arrange repairs; when the abutting property owner is responsible, staff will provide information, allow an appeal to the committee, and then set a case‑sensitive (seasonally appropriate) repair deadline before exercising resolution‑of‑necessity powers.

Perino said the city had inspected and repaired about 148 segments this summer and that most sidewalk failures are linked to street trees. He noted the need to conform with PROWAG (Public Right‑of‑Way Accessibility Guidelines) and to address discontinuities greater than a quarter‑inch where PROWAG requires accessible walking surfaces. The ordinance would keep the appeals pathway described in Ohio law and give staff discretion on timing so that repairs identified in winter are not subject to an impractical 60‑day deadline.

Perino described operational changes already underway: a faster customer‑service response (typically same day for complaints), contractors or in‑house crews used for immediate hazards, and coordination with street paving projects so ramps and adjacent sidewalks are upgraded to current standards. He said the city’s grinder tool and contractor partnerships have made it easier to offer residents a low‑cost remedy or to piggyback repairs on nearby public work.

The committee approved the recommendation to send the modified sidewalk maintenance program to council for its ordinance process. Councilman Corey Hoffman moved the recommendation; Miss Frasier seconded. Roll call: Hoffman — Yes; Frasier — Yes; Mayor Bridal — Yes.

Why it matters

Perino said the change will let staff fix hazardous walking surfaces faster and reduce the elapsed time between complaint and repair. The proposed code keeps property‑owner responsibility when Ohio law requires it, preserves the owner appeal right to the committee, and emphasizes the city’s responsibility for handicapped ramps and damage caused by street trees.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Send amended sidewalk‑maintenance code (section 909) to council for ordinance consideration. Mover: Corey Hoffman. Second: Miss Frasier. Vote: 3‑0.

Next steps

Because the change is an ordinance, the measure will go through multiple readings and a public hearing at council. Staff said it will continue to prioritize immediate hazards and use the new process to reduce repair timelines and increase accessibility compliance.","Delaware City staff proposed changes to city code (section 909) to streamline sidewalk repairs, emphasize city responsibility for tree‑ and ramp‑related damage, and shorten response times; committee voted to send the ordinance to council.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6458224,"Delaware City committee approves temporary pilot to connect Westgate Drive to Champion Court after resident objections",3974,41000,4015000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858&start=41&end=4015","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858/thumbnail_41000.jpg","/articles/6458224/Ohio/Delaware-City-committee-approves-temporary-pilot-to-connect-Westgate-Drive-to-Champion-Court-after-resident-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458224-69b8c2bb32ca5d6f2318645a06d27411/orig.mp4?Expires=1770801434&Signature=N5IKkOWIU601C0HeQyRCcCJAIi04zdOtgUoAHmROaZzH1qMn~pY9YQgmMoVCGAINA-Z8-U1EyH~wR9Y7CuHZDjnYTR~HlzN9f03R8jBBTVgmo9qtR0Rfg-YYDO9qAFH-LoaZ09TgZuZa5Mmmkigfb~MSB3mauOUFk-1dsWjW3JpkVDe8Fdhi~V7JcRzWoG9QrVfOGneoTi7NfMUIE2HL4shc3Ka157JPM91w22bBR~ylL0q7cgFEg7HGi8lTR4p8wrMlnKdZgsgPSvH0E80ETeskSiDPyuPai3gnD4SjIeiJyiYZZRr16zU7p456k7CAcXMoXcNfQE1CU2SvzA07xA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Delaware City Public Works & Public Utilities Committee voted 3‑0 on Sept. 23 to forward a proposal to city council to build a temporary paved connection between the end of Westgate Drive and Champion Court as a 12‑month pilot.

The vote came after more than an hour of public comment and detailed staff presentation. Public Works Director Bill Perino outlined staff’s rationale, saying the existing turnaround at the end of Westgate is “about 46 to 48 feet diameter” and too small for the city’s larger service vehicles. Perino said the city counted 16 cars in two hours exiting the Champion Court neighborhood and that his delay studies showed peak delays of about 32 seconds at nearby intersections. “I don’t see how it’s possible” that the connection would become a major cut‑through, he said, adding the city could barricade or remove the pavement if the pilot produced problems.

Residents who live on or near Westgate pressed the committee to preserve the street as a dead end. Amy Eiken, who said she lives at 61 Westgate Drive, told the committee she is “against the cut through at this point” and asked what compensation, if any, homeowners would receive if the connection impacted yards or driveways. Abby Buckerfield of 17 Westgate Drive said Westgate is “a stable neighborhood” with no planned development, and she disputed the city’s serviceability justification for the connection.

Other residents raised concerns about property values and traffic safety for children. Charles Lake said high‑school drivers would use the link as a shortcut; Joe Lake and others questioned the claim that fire and emergency services could not already access the area. David A. Fisher of 143 Champions Court said he bought his house for its dead‑end character and worried about increased through traffic.

Perino described alternatives the city considered: doing nothing; building a larger full cul‑de‑sac (which he said would be more expensive and would substantially impact homes at the end of Westgate); or making a short paved connection—Perino favored the short connection as a low‑cost way to improve serviceability for plows, refuse trucks and emergency access. He said a full cul‑de‑sac would require engineering, storm‑sewer work and likely property impacts, while the small connection would be “a small amount of pavement” and reversible if necessary.

Committee members discussed options including a temporary or “soft” opening, a 12‑month pilot period and community follow‑up. Councilmember Frasier said he supported trying a connection where the “juice is worth the squeeze.” Councilman Corey Hoffman proposed the motion to send a temporary pilot to council; Miss Frasier seconded. The roll call was recorded as: Hoffman — Yes; Frasier — Yes; Mayor Bridal — Yes.

The committee instructed staff to: (1) prepare a council resolution establishing a temporary road connection and accompanying short no‑parking zone where needed; (2) treat the work as a pilot with a 12‑month review period and the ability to barricade or remove the pavement if the pilot produced unacceptable traffic impacts; and (3) perform baseline and follow‑up traffic counts and solicit resident feedback during the pilot.

Perino said the city would pave the small connection so it could be plowed and would remove brush and trees in the alignment. He also told the committee a barricade and grass restoration would be feasible if the pilot generated unanticipated problems. The staff packet that accompanied the agenda included photos and schematic circles showing the existing end of Westgate, a conventional small cul‑de‑sac (about 76–78 feet), and the larger cul‑de‑sac used for roads longer than 250 feet.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Send Westgate Drive temporary pilot connection to council for consideration (temporary pilot; pavement, short no‑parking zone, 12‑month review). Mover: Corey Hoffman. Second: Miss Frasier. Vote: 3‑0 (Hoffman, Frasier, Mayor Bridal).

Context and next steps

Perino said staff will bring a resolution to council describing the temporary pilot and the associated no‑parking zone typically required at new intersections. Staff will collect baseline traffic counts before opening and follow up at intervals during the pilot; the committee also agreed to community outreach and a follow‑up meeting if residents asked for a review. If the pilot showed significant cut‑through traffic, Perino said the city could barricade or partly remove the pavement and maintain a pedestrian sidewalk connection if desired.","The Public Works & Public Utilities Committee voted to send a proposal to city council to create a temporary, paved vehicular connection between Westgate Drive and Champion Court as a 12‑month pilot; residents urged the committee not to open the street while staff said the link would improve serviceability for large trucks and emergency access.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6458210,"Committee approves minutes/motion summary from Aug. 5 meeting",23,17000,40000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858&start=17&end=40","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5823188-77a333a4702889edc8b71c49b2f97858/thumbnail_17000.jpg","/articles/6458210/Ohio/Committee-approves-minutesmotion-summary-from-Aug-5-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6458210-d85e74fe25a0fd88313440b3dafc4c84/orig.mp4?Expires=1770801434&Signature=bWOV72cuRzamjwCI1CmCKyTiKIWSJriOtLRwcFOUfJPkbGZL22-C0n1Spq7~jb0GP4yoX2pUSM7Yw-3P-sLeVrvJd7bNtuM-xmLqIMXFS~elGxwNwLLXaxmhmpwu3FO4ESOepyGyuXELLoZlDfXTKw0thq5xNAVW723fZnlAhQJd52oDToJLUB4bigsorPn5mgYELAIqe3p4vhNiZjf8o1K6cG-~RBwIdYq2rpAz-iThsQTu7aQKn-F5FEcxZzHL8tcGddTGpmEsg2qYwO2VSOn-W~OvNpYKo1JaROHEuxhSu9WuGc7M9GC30Ui~oEkqsRJ7d6W-7ai9sWa9aMbF1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Delaware City Public Works & Public Utilities Committee opened its Sept. 23 meeting by approving the motion summary from the August 5, 2025 committee meeting.

Councilmember Miss Fraser moved approval and Councilman Corey Hoffman seconded. A roll call was recorded: Hoffman — Yes; Miss Fraser — Yes; Mayor Bridal — Yes. The committee recorded and transcribed the approval.

The approval of the prior meeting’s motion summary was procedural and did not change any agenda items; the committee then proceeded to public comment and the substantive items on the agenda.","The Public Works & Public Utilities Committee unanimously approved the motion summary from the committee’s Aug. 5, 2025 meeting by roll call.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public works staff outlines policy updates on recycling, bulk pickup, mailboxes and roadside memorials

Committee backs simplified sidewalk‑maintenance code and faster repairs

Delaware City committee approves temporary pilot to connect Westgate Drive to Champion Court after resident objections

Committee approves minutes/motion summary from Aug. 5 meeting