By Debbie Rogers
PERRYSBURG — Residents are requesting better communication from the mayor and city council about a proposed roundabout.
Cooper Suter, who lives on West Front Street, said he shouldn’t have found out about the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Ohio 25 and U.S. 20 from the media.
Several residents attended Tuesday’s city council meeting, but only Suter spoke.
“I and some other neighbors are here about the proposed roundabout,” he said. “I know it’s just in the proposed stage … but it feels like a project looking for a purpose.”
Suter said they want to have input before it’s a done deal.
Mayor Tom Mackin said that the roundabout is in the beginning stages.
“It would go through various committees,” Mackin said. “There will certainly be an opportunity to be heard.
“We’re years away,” he added.
Council earlier this month approved applying for a grant to fund the roundabout. It authorized the application for federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds to help pay for the project.
If received, the grant will cover 80% of the $5.8 million project, with the remaining 20% ($1.116 million) paid for by the city.
The local share will be funded using road improvement funds.
The grant is through the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.
The roundabout is needed to ensure the ability of the intersection, which is where West Boundary Street ends at West Front Street, to handle existing and future traffic loads.
It would be located north of the current intersection.
It will have five entrances: from the east, west and south of the two streets previously mentioned as well as an entrance to the city’s waste water treatment plant to the north along the Maumee River, and from West Front Street west of the intersection.
Also at the meeting, council:
• Approved the purchase of two vehicles for the police department and one for the fire department.
After the meeting, Police Chief Patrick Jones said that the Ford Police Interceptor vehicles will cost $84,576. The fire vehicle will cost $42,660.
Jones said that it has been difficult to purchase vehicles, with an order for seven being canceled in 2022. He said that the police department would prefer hybrid vehicles, but will get these new ones in gas.
• Went into a five-minute executive session to discuss pending court action.
At the end of the meeting, council went into another executive session, for an hour, to discuss compensation of a public employee.
No action was taken.
