Council thanks Schenkel, talks project bids
Marietta resident Ellen Betkoski talks to Marietta City Council Thursday about the intersection of Second and Butler streets not being safe for pedestrians. Betkoski said she was struck by a vehicle at that intersection on Sept. 1 during the Merchants and Artist Walk. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Marietta City Council member Michael Scales, far right, thanked Council member Geoff Schenkel, far left, for his service on council. Schenkel will be stepping into the Titled Development Administrator position next week. Also pictured are Council members William Gossett and Bret Allphin. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Marietta resident Ellen Betkoski talks to Marietta City Council Thursday about the intersection of Second and Butler streets not being safe for pedestrians. Betkoski said she was struck by a vehicle at that intersection on Sept. 1 during the Merchants and Artist Walk. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
Marietta City Council member Michael Scales, far right, thanked Council member Geoff Schenkel, far left, for his service on council. Schenkel will be stepping into the Titled Development Administrator position next week. Also pictured are Council members William Gossett and Bret Allphin. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)
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Marietta City Council said goodbye to Council member Geoff Schenkel during the regular meeting Thursday night.
Schenkel will be stepping into the newly created Titled Development Administrator role.
"This is his last official meeting as a councilperson, I believe," Council member Michael Scales said. "Sometimes we were on the same page, sometimes we were not, but we got things done in Marietta. We're moving forward and we will continue to move forward. Thank you very much for your service on council."
Other members of council also thanked Schenkel for his service.
"The best thing about council for me has been Geoff's friendship," Council member Cassidi Shoaf said. "Selfishly, I'd love for him to stay here, but I also know that he will have a wider impact on the city as a whole in this new position."
During the Call On Officials part of the agenda Mayor Joshua Schlicher said leaf cleanup will begin next Monday and run for six weeks.
"We ask everyone to help the city and get the leaves to the curb line, without raking them into the streets, please," Schlicher said.
Council voted to table Ordinance No. 332, which would have allocated $200,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act Fund to be used for the Gold Star Park and the Indian Acres Park Tennis Court Repair and Maintenance Project, due to not having enough details to move forward at this time.
Council did, however, vote to move forward with the Fire Training Center Project, set to be built at the old Jackson Pool site, as they authorized the Director of Public Safety and Service to advertise for bids.
"I think the fire department, and city administration, is eager to get this project underway," Council member William Farnsworth said.
A full list of approved items can be found in the online version of this story.
Marietta resident Ellen Betkoski told the council she had been struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Second and Butler streets on Sept. 1 during the Merchants and Artist Walk. She urged the council to take action so this doesn't happen again.
"During those high volume pedestrian times, I would urge the city to please have more of a police presence," Betkoski said. "If we can do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen again, I'd be an advocate (for that)."
Marietta resident Jacob Wynn thanked the council for their service.
"With elections less than a week away, I just want to thank all of you for your service," Wynn said. "If we learned anything over the last couple of weeks it's that public service, is at times, a thankless job."
The next meeting of the Marietta City Council is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Armory located at 241 Front St.