Let's get the bike trail started!

It could be our only chance for years

It won't take much for Saint Paris to enjoy the benefits of connecting to the largest paved-trail network in the nation.

Here's the plan:

1. 1. The village will complete the three easements for which paperwork has been drafted and presumably has been agreed to by three landowners:
   Howell
   Runkle
   Uhl
   
2. 2. The village will engage with a firm to complete the engineering study. The firm who completed the initial study, commissioned by ODOT in early 2022, can do it quickly and for $20k, we're told.
3. 3. With the remaining $80k the village will build the nicest trail possible on the three parcels, presumably staring by enhancing the packed-gravel base. Perhaps parking areas on 235 and on Washington Street (in conjuction with the museum board.) Will these start as "trails to nowhere"? Yes! That's how all trails get started.

What is the village's cost?

Presumably some Danny-Bey time. (But then the guidelines say we can seek reimbursement for land-acquisiiton costs.) Other than that, everything should be reimbursible.

What is the role of the citizen's bike-trail committee?

To support Jay Lewis whenever asked. Their main focus from here on out will be deveoping the trail east and west of the village.

Is the fire board on board?

Obviously not at this point. Their view might change once different village personalities are involved and they see a competed trail terminating and their property. Or perhaps before. In any case, JSP property is not included in the intial $100k grant.

How does this tie in with the potential water line and tower?  Is there any overlap?

The projects would be complimentary but not intermingled. For example, the existing easement proposals could be modified to include water lines. And certainly any data gleaned from the first engineering study could be used for the second. Other than that, the projects are separate.

The main thing to remember

Saint Paris is probably the only entity that hasn't yet even tried to spend their portion of the state bond money allocated in July 2022. We got $100k because Joe Curran and Spencer Mitchell asked for it. (Council passed a resolution at the time authorizing us to do so.) Now our inaction is sticking out like a sore thumb on someone's chart. The two legslators are gone but one is now Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives!

We got this money because they did Saint Paris a favor. Sure, we have new legislators but the staff is still there. And all they know is a) Saint Paris didn't spend the money, and b) two members of the Saint Paris Village Council called it snookery. And we expect to ask for more money?

We need to fix this if we intend to have a chance of drawing from the same well for the water projects next year. The application for the 27-28 capital budget is in the first quarter of next year. Deadline around March 31.

Let's get right with the legislature and right with the citizenry. Start the trail!