The beginning of spring is finally here. I would like to remind everyone, as they start their spring clean-up, that our storm drains are designed to carry rainwater or melting snow through either an open ditch or our underground system to a natural body of water. Many people believe that the water in our storm sewer automatically goes to a treatment plant and gets cleared before it’s released into our streams and waterways. It does not.

Roadside ditches and other stormwater drains are critical elements of our storm sewer system and to prevent flooding they should not be blocked with items like grass clippings, leaves, garbage or plastics. Many leaves and other debris naturally fall into our waterways, but we should be aware of its effect on our system. Leaf litter is one of the biggest contaminants when it comes to stormwater and can negatively impact the life span. We all need to do our part to take care of our stormwater system.

The other sign of spring is the start of road maintenance. Crossroads Asphalt Recycling has begun repairs in Cedar Estates Subdivision this past week on the following streets: Cedarwood Drive, Applewood Drive (from Cedarwood Drive to Wildwood Drive), Elmwood Oval, Sassafras Circle, Ivy Oval and Hickory Lane. Both lanes of traffic will be affected during the project and the work will take about one month to complete.

Talking numerous times with our Ohio House Rep. Tom Patton about the big challenge of bringing additional funding back to our city, it is my pleasure to announce an increase of approximately $720,000 in funding for 2020 and 2021. This would be an increase in excess of 40 percent that we can use for our roadways.

The Fire Department has begun flushing hydrants. We advise residents to check your water for a rusty color before using it. If the water is discolored, run only the cold water for a few minutes until it is clear. The Fire Department will use the ReadyNotify telephone notification system when they are in your neighborhood for hydrant flushing.