It's that time of year when state funding for green space conservation funding becomes available. Non-profit and governmental agencies are eligible to apply for grants to preserve natural areas and create outdoor recreational opportunities. 5.5 million dollars is available under the Clean Ohio Round 17 program from the Natural Resource Assistance Council.

Elstro’s last day on the job is Thursday before he starts his retirement, and councilors each gave their thanks for his guidance and decorum over the years. Elstro says he has attended over 830 council meetings and countless other committees, finance, and citizen meetings. He says it has been a pleasure serving the council, the city, and its people.

Lima City Council approved a six-month moratorium on applications to the city’s two land bank programs. During the next six months, the city administration will be reviewing the policies under the land bank to see if they need changed or not so that run-down properties can be rebuilt by developers. This is part of a revitalization plan that Mayor Sharetta Smith has to redevelop neglected parts of the city in a specific way.

Wednesday, she announced current City Engineer Kirk Niemeyer will become the City of Lima’s Public Works Director. Niemeyer has been with the city for 20 years with responsibilities including direct engineering, construction, personnel, and budgeting. He has worked closely with department heads and the city council on many projects. He says he is ready to step into the position and the mayor says she has all the confidence in him to head the department.

Elstro goes on to say, “I think most rewarding is the number of people we have hired and brought together in the public works department over the years that have been committed to the citizens and improving the quality of life for this community.”

It's been months since the Schoonover Lake and dam project in Lima has been complete, but it has yet to be filled with water. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends allowing rain and runoff from adjacent properties to fill the empty space. There are low levels of water in it currently, but even more vegetation. Lima's Public Works Director, Howard Elstro, says it could take a while for the lake to fill to a level fit for fishing again.

A Joint Safety Services and Neighborhood Concerns Committee meeting was held on Monday evening. Howard Elstro, Lima’s Public Works Director gave a presentation on the need for curbing and sidewalk replacement throughout the city. He estimated that around 60% of the blocks in the city would need curbs replaced and gave multiple options and estimates based on how extensive of a repair is done. The responsibility of replacing curbs and sidewalks is on the homeowner, but one councilman hopes that they can offset some of the costs.

Lima City Council was asked to formally apply for a $1.2 million grant from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). This is already included in the project's $2.8 million budget. The city also requested to enter into contracts with the Veteran's Memorial Civic and Convention Center, and the Lima Rotary Club about the future operation of the park. The city would be responsible for maintaining the property, while the Civic Center would oversee events.

The City of Lima is ready to tackle the winter weather; crews are expecting to be out throughout the evening as the storm continues, hitting the main roads first and moving on to residential areas once the storm slows down later on.

The City of Lima engineering and recreation departments inspected the pool back in September and found several issues with the facility. In a letter to Lima City Council, Public works director Howard Elstro highlighted some of those issues, including damage to the pool floor, excessive leaking, and outdated collection and filter systems.