ST. MARYS, OH (WLIO) - St. Marys new mayor is ready to continue the work of moving the city forward. Joe Hurlburt Jr. took his oath of office on New Year’s Day.
He says his goal is to make the city a better place during his tenure in office. Hurlburt also talked about some of the goals he has for St. Marys. This fall, the new municipal building will be complete and city offices will move into their new home. Plus speaking of homes, Hurlburt is hoping to tackle the housing problem that many communities are facing.
“We are always looking for housing, that’s been an issue. Of course, we just recently opened up the Sleepy Hollow area in the city. There are 13 lots that will be available out there,” says Mayor Joe Hurlburt. “So, we are looking forward to people moving in there.”
Hurlburt is also looking forward to more businesses moving into St. Marys, especially around the downtown area to complement the work that has been done to revitalize the St. Marys Theatre and Grand Opera House.
“That has been a big asset to our downtown,” adds Hurlburt, “it's currently in operation and shows are being shown and there is different activities that are taking place. I think with the theater that will draw people to the downtown. So, what I would like to see is more businesses come into the downtown area. So, hopefully, that will be a big asset for St. Marys moving forward.”
Hurlburt says the city has applied for a grant to finish the renovation of the historic mill along the canal and they are waiting to see if they get the $700,000 they applied for.
