Circleville Council hears from Tourism, Votes for District

Tuesday evening, Circleville Council got a long update from their visitors bureau. 

Tim Wilson, executive director of the Pickaway County Visitors Bureau, spoke and answered questions for 21 minutes. 

Aside from listing the contribution of tourism to the local economy, Wilson said their series of downtown events are outgrowing the parking lots they occupy after-hours, and they are awaiting the development of the new downtown "pocket park."  

But he especially highlighted a multi-county project called the "Southeast Ohio Art Corridor,"  joint venture with their neighbors to the southeast and northeast to develop bike trails, pocket parks, and steel sculptures up to 40-feet tall. 

Wilson said the Visitors Bureau is happy to be the "front door of the community," and they have even been trying out Saturday hours. 

Hear his entire presentation below. 

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Circleville Council hesitated on giving raises...but did the best they could for a downtown revitalization district. 

After comparing the compensation of city officials in other towns earlier this year, council announced they were planning to give raises to theirs, to make running for office more fair and appealing.  But with the ordinance to do that, finally on the agenda...they voted to return it to committee, instead. 

Committee chair Michelle Blanton said they want to have more discussion on the issue - and not just about the mayor's request to not give him a raise, but instead make two other positions full-time. 

Council did vote on an ordinance to create a downtown community revitalization district, like Chillicothe's.  But with one member absent, and two abstaining, it passed...without emergency language. 

So, it will be in effect after 30 days...instead of the hoped-for 10 days.  Still, the business owners and developers who had requested it appeared satisfied.

Council had also met for more than an hour in executive session, to confer with Berger Health System.  They share ownership of it with the county...until it transitions to a public non-profit.  

Later, council went into another executive session regarding "a pending court action." 

Kevin Coleman regularly reports on Chillicothe & Circleville councils and local culture


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