WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The city Service, Safety and Recreation Committee met in council chambers on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
SAFETY
Chief Tim Downing of the Washington Fire Department said that the new county-wide siren system is now fully operational and all tests and systems checks were completed with positive results. The system has an automatic trigger due to immediate severe weather dangers, and the system can be set off manually for weather alerts. The system has new weather monitors which monitor all weather conditions, even lightning. Downing said he is very pleased with this new system and its operation.
Chief Jeff Funari of the Washington Police Department said they have three candidates to interview for the dispatcher open position and two potential patrol officers undergoing background checks at this time. Funari said that one current officer has taken a position elsewhere and will be leaving the department.
Funari said the lobby of the police department renovations will begin next week, but there will be a telephone in the entryway to communicate with a dispatcher for walk-in traffic to the department. The lobby will be closed for approximately 10-12 days for upgrades to safety and security of the lobby area and its personnel.
SERVICE
Service Director Gary Dean reported that the speed limit of 25 mph has been painted on the Temple and Paint street crossing areas due to many previous complaints about speeders through those intersections. The city also wants to improve the traffic technology at the intersection of Columbus and Glenn avenues.
Paint Creek needs some fallen limbs and debris cleared at the area of Glenn Avenue and all residents have been notified that the city service department will be accessing the creek from the Glenn Avenue entrance easement. This will improve the flow of the Paint Creek water.
The service department will being painting the curbs in the downtown area yellow prior to the Scarecrow Festival.
It was reported that the two reservoirs are currently at 15.5 and 17 feet high and both are in good shape for water retention and availability. The three city wells are pumping at about 200 gallons per minute and all are working as they should.
Dean reported that there will be a new rail crossing arm installed on Temple Street and the electric at this location has already been set. There will also be a new rail crossing arm installed on South North Street at the bridge with a new ADA ramp for pedestrian crossings.
RECREATION
The pickleball court at Eyman Park was discussed. Steve Armstrong came to talk to City Manager Joe Denen about painting the court. Armstrong and a group of volunteers painted the court since there are so many players now coming to play or learn the game. New pickleball nets have been ordered for two courts at South Main Street and Circle Avenue, with two courts remaining as tennis courts at that location. There have been tennis players on those courts in recent days, according to Denen.
Some new signs have been erected on the walking trails with arrows for directional purposes in some areas and crosswalk stripes painted on the street in certain areas, such as Oakland Avenue across from Cherry Hill School.
A telephone pole has been moved at the Lakeview Avenue railroad crossing area and small gates are being constructed to slow down traffic in the pedestrian/bicycle crossing area recently paved near Millikan and Eyman Park Drive. This is being done at the request of the railroad entity because of the high-traffic crossing. The gates will be small “Z” pieces in place to slow traffic by going to the left of one arm and to the right of the second arm. The railroad company feels this will slow down bicycle traffic zooming across the tracks when a train is approaching, according to Dean.
Dean and Denen also discussed the possibility of constructing another small pickleball court on Dayton Avenue near the walking trail where a new parking lot is being completed on the old Patterson property. It is still in the discussion phase. They said it will give the appearance of a better recreational look for the area.
