SABINA — On the mayor’s economic growth agenda is taking inventory of open spaces and places that businesses and their workers can fill.
“Over the next few weeks I will be enlisting the help of interested people to gather detailed information about every available business building, residence and building site as well as development space that could be used for business buildings,” said Sabina Mayor Dean Hawk in his Thursday report to village council.
He said he knows new business development means “selling” Sabina to prospective businesses, and “to sell, we must know what is in our inventory.”
The mayor reported he attended the February meeting of the Economic Network Alliance, a monthly gathering in Wilmington where local businesses connect and share ideas. The people he met there, he said, were “very cordial” to him and promised help to Sabina.
Moreover, following the meeting Hawk spent an hour-plus with Randy Riley, who is Wilmington’s city council president and former mayor, and Mark McKay, a veteran Wilmington city councilman, plus part of that time with Daniel G. Evers, executive director of the Clinton County Port Authority.
“We discussed what I need to do to tap into the efforts of this large group of people [Economic Network Alliance] who have connections that can bring jobs to Sabina,” Hawk said.
Schocken encourages pursuit of grant
On Thursday, Amy Schocken with Community Development Consultants of Ohio gave village officials a summary of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Neighborhood Revitalization Grant. The grant’s goal is to assist in carrying out revitalization within a community or neighborhood that’s low- and moderate-income.
An income survey in Sabina shows the town is low- and moderate-income, said Schocken.
The villages of Blanchester and Midland have received the competitive grant previously. She said she told Clinton County commissioners that because of Sabina’s income survey, she thinks it “should be next in line.”
Neighborhood revitalization grants typically fund two to four public facilities projects in a community that benefit the entire village, according to Schocken.
Proposed Sabina projects that would be eligible include finishing the cleanup of Wilson Creek, storm drainage improvements, building(s) demolition, and the addition of an elevator lift in the municipal building, she said.
The deadline to apply for a maximum $500,000 grant is mid-June.
Snow emergency route OK’d
Council passed an ordinance to restrict parking on a snow emergency route. It will regulate parking for a section of Howard Street when the Clinton County sheriff declares a level 1 or higher snow emergency.
The village law applies to Howard Street (State Route 729) from Lewis Avenue on the south to the railroad tracks on the north, between 2 to 6 a.m.
The aim of the proposed law is to enable state trucks to plow snow without the obstacle of parked cars on the roadway.
Though the legislation was approved Thursday, there will be no tickets issued until signage from the Ohio Department of Transportation is posted on the targeted route.
Also council:
• Held the first of three readings on a measure to publicly post a list of proposed legislation (ordinances and resolutions affecting village residents) in six places around town.
For each piece of proposed legislation, the list will have the title, a brief summary, and probably the scheduled dates for the required three readings by council for passage, said Sabina Village Councilman Michael Walls.
• Approved Zebulon Mabry as an unpaid auxiliary Sabina police officer, the second auxiliary officer on the current roster. Police and Finance Committee Chairperson Peggy Sloan said there have been as many as four Sabina auxiliary officers on staff simultaneously.
• Heard a campaign presentation from Clinton County Auditor Terence “Terry” G. Habermehl, a Republican who is seeking an open seat on the Board of Clinton County Commissioners.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.
