Wooster council tables Graham Farm boundary change, approves $235,000 fitness-court project with $35,000 grant

Wooster City Council met April 20 and took two formal actions on agenda items that evening: the council tabled a resolution asking Wayne County to conform township lines to the city's recent Graham Farm annexation, and it adopted a grant-backed outdoor fitness court project at the site of the former Wayne County Health Department.

Boundary-change resolution tabled Miss Hamilton read Resolution 2026-26, a petition asking the Wayne County Board of Commissioners to conform township lines to the newly annexed Graham Farm parcel so residents would no longer pay taxes to multiple overlapping jurisdictions. The resolution text included estimated millage adjustments and projected property-tax reductions for affected township properties.

During debate, the sponsor told council she had miscalculated a notification deadline required for county procedures. Council members agreed that passing the resolution that night would not meet the notice requirement; a motion to table the item carried on a roll-call vote with the council recorded voting in favor of tabling. The sponsor and staff said they will reissue required notice and return the measure for future consideration.

Fitness-court grant adopted Council then considered Resolution 2026-27 to accept a $35,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign and to allocate a total project investment of $235,000 (the city—ontribution of $200,000 was already included in prior streetscape appropriations). The project will place a 36-by-72-foot fitness court and studio at the former Wayne County Health Department site, plus a public-art mural and programming tied to the National Fitness Campaign pp and classes.

Several council members asked about ownership and lease terms. Staff said Wayne County will continue to own the parcel and the city will construct the improvement and lease the site (the city uses a similar arrangement at Kenny Fields). Some members urged staff to secure robust lease protections before construction, and the council asked for clarity on long-term maintenance responsibilities. City staff said a lease agreement and notice provisions are standard and that county officials have been cooperative in comparable projects.

The council moved, seconded and adopted Resolution 2026-27 by roll-call vote (recorded yes votes from present members). Staff said installation could occur as soon as the county demolishes the existing building; if demolition occurs quickly the project could be installed by September.

Why it matters: tabling the annexation-conforming resolution preserves legal notice requirements and avoids an invalid submission to the county; approving the fitness-court grant advances a public-recreation and arts-linked project that city staff say will increase downtown activity and be open to all residents.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 2026-26 (petition to conform township lines for Graham Farm annexation): Motion to table carried by roll-call (tabled; sponsor will reissue notice). (Refer to meeting minutes for roll-call names and recorded votes.) - Resolution 2026-27 (accept National Fitness Campaign grant and appropriate funds for outdoor fitness court): Adopted by roll-call (all recorded votes yes).

Next steps: Staff will reissue required notices on the township-line petition and return the item to council once deadlines are satisfied. For the fitness court, staff will negotiate lease terms with Wayne County, finalize the site plan and the public-art selection, and begin procurement and construction once the county completes demolition of the health-department building.