New Phila Council votes for Battle Motors road sign
Reps. Cody Boggs and Kelleigh Ash from Battle Motors thanked the members of New Philadelphia Council for passing legislation to bestow an honorary designation of Battle Motors Road to a portion of Reiser Avenue Southeast.
Representatives of Battle Motors attended the Sept. 26 meeting of city council to hear the official vote to rename a section of Reiser Avenue Southeast in honor of the company. Cody Boggs, COO for Battle Motors, and Kelleigh Ash, chief technical officer, thanked council for the designation, with Boggs saying he looks forward to adding even more jobs to the community.
Mayor Joel Day said during his report to council he presented the sign to company CEO Mike Patterson at a ribbon-cutting ceremony the previous week, marking the completion of a $40 million expansion project, which increased the size of the plant to 325,000 square feet and tripled its production capacity. The plant currently employs nearly 300 workers, and according to Day, they intend to significantly increase that number by the first of the year.
Also in his report, Day said New Philadelphia will receive $48,873 in state funds to demolish dilapidated houses targeted by the city’s fire inspector and the building and zoning code administrator.
“The release of the grant money was delayed by the State Department of Development for unknown reasons,” Day said. “With the help of Rep. Brett Hillyer, the DOD officials in Columbus released the funding.”
The list of properties to be demolished includes 252 St. Clair Ave. SW, 451 Ray Ave. NW, 607 Ray Ave. NW and 1142 Tuscarawas Ave. NW. Day said the city will use service department funds to take down the buildings and carwash at the old Puritan Laundry property on Mill Avenue Southwest.
In his written report, Day also said he and other members of the city’s administration will meet with ODOT officials to discuss the creation of a truck route to guide semis and other large vehicles away from the downtown area after hearing complaints from downtown merchants about the noise levels.
In other reports
Law Director Marvin Fete said his office has signed a contract with Westlaw for legal research. According to Fete, the city will save $700 per year with the three-year contract compared to the cost of law books, which have to be updated annually.
Park committee chair Mitch Pace said with the completion of the pickleball courts at Tuscora Park coming soon, a ceremony to dedicate the courts will be held Sunday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park, along with the Tuscora Park Foundation’s second annual chicken barbecue. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online on the Tuscora Park Foundation website or from any member of the foundation.
Pace also said the Water Works baseball field project will begin next week. “Thanks to money raised from the New Philadelphia Youth Baseball Program, a generous donation from VFW Post 1445 and a contribution from the city’s parks and recreation department, we'll be able to regrade and resurface fields three, four, five and six, so that's four out of six fields that will be overhauled completely,” Pace said. “This will allow us to hold more tournaments and reduce the number of canceled games and practices.”
Public comments
Jason Miller, Scoutmaster for Troop 84, brought boys from the troop to observe the meeting. According to Miller, Troop 84 is the only Boy Scout troop still in existence in New Philadelphia. He asked council members to support the troop by sending children and grandchildren who may want to join to the troop meetings.
Ben Lippert, pastor at the Schoenbrunn Moravian Church, spoke in support of building a homeless shelter in New Philadelphia. Council had denied a request by the Friends of the Homeless to locate the shelter at 250 S. Broadway St.
In his comments Miller said there is a misconception about city resources being expended on issues surrounding the homeless population.
“Actually, a lot of that has to do with the people not receiving services from the shelter,” Lippert said. He asked council to work with the faith community and others to keep the shelter in New Philadelphia, where “all the resources they need are available to them.”
Legislation
Council passed the following:
—An ordinance to have an honorary designation of a portion of Reiser Avenue Southeast designated Battle Motors Road. The sign will be placed under the street name, and the name Reiser Avenue will remain unchanged.
—A resolution to purchase a backhoe from Southeastern Equipment Company in an amount not to exceed $92,305.
—A resolution allowing the mayor to submit a grant application to the Ohio Department of Transportation in the amount of $7,500 for the parallel taxiway relocation project at Harry Clever Field.
The next meeting will be Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers at the John Knisely Municipal Building, 150 E. High Ave.