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Residents ask Gallipolis City Commission to close public use area at night over noise and safety concerns
Summary
Residents of First Avenue told the Gallipolis City Commission they are losing sleep from late‑night noise and speeding at the public use/boat‑launch area and urged the city to pursue a gate; police said they have logged eight calls since January but lack the manpower for round‑the‑clock enforcement.
Residents of First Avenue told the Gallipolis City Commission on May 5 that late‑night noise, trash and speeding at the public use and boat‑launch area are disrupting sleep and creating safety concerns.
"This is very dangerous at night with people walking," resident Jim Osborne said while describing an unlit bridge and an unrepaired driveway at Hedgewood Drive. Ron Halley, who spoke for a group of neighbors, asked the commission to explore installing a gate to close the area at night to prevent vehicles from entering.
Police Chief Justin Rice told commissioners that officers have logged eight calls about the location since January. "I can't put an officer there at all hours because I do not have that kind of manpower," Rice said, noting the department's staffing limits.
City Manager John Westfall said the city will contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns portions of the boat‑launch area, to determine whether a gate is possible and to coordinate any access changes. Westfall also said he would reach out to AEP about the nonworking light on the State Street bridge raised by Osborne.
The commission did not make a formal policy change at the meeting but asked staff to investigate options and report back, and scheduled further consideration as part of normal business.
