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Residents press Gallipolis commissioners for permanent fix to Hedgewood Drive
Summary
Residents who live on Hedgewood Drive urged the Gallipolis City Commission to secure funding for a permanent road reconstruction rather than repeated temporary patches; the city said emergency OPWC funding was denied and it is pursuing other grants and discretionary funds.
Residents of Hedgewood Drive told the Gallipolis City Commission on March 3 that temporary patches will not solve chronic problems on their street and urged the city to secure funding for full repairs.
Jim Osborne said he appreciated recent pothole work but warned the city that piecemeal repairs are insufficient: "If this road is not fixed correctly, it will never get better," he said, and told commissioners he will attend meetings until the matter is resolved. Resident Alvis Pollard asked whether the road will ever be fixed if the city does not receive grant funding; commissioners responded the city lacks the funds for a full rebuild and can only provide temporary patches at present.
City Manager John Westfall told the commission the city's emergency OPWC application was denied but that OPWC recommended applying for regular funding in the fall. Westfall said the city has applied for congressional discretionary funds and is pursuing grants through Representative Dave Taylor's office for Hedgewood Drive and other projects; he said the city hopes for a better patch this summer while pursuing longer-term funding.
The meeting record shows no formal vote or appropriation specifically dedicated to Hedgewood Drive during the session; commissioners and staff framed the issue as contingent on winning external grant awards. The matter remains open and residents said they will continue to follow up at future meetings.
