Denen: Water quality in city is ‘excellent’

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The water quality report for this year has been completed and, according to City Manager Joe Denen, the water quality in the City of Washington Court House “is excellent.”

The report will be placed online, and there will be hard copies available in the lobby of the city administration building, located at 105 N. Main St. in Washington C.H.

The water quality report, according to Denen during Wednesday’s city council meeting, attempts to explain what contaminants are found in water.

“The water quality report is produced by every public water system in the state of Ohio. It simply tries to — in plain language — explain any contamination issues and point out what those are,” he said. “Any water, including bottled water, contains things other than water in it. So, when I say contaminants, one of the things that is on the list is some byproducts of chlorination. Which, believe me, chlorinated water has saved more lives than all the doctors and hospitals in history, and you want that stuff in there. But we go through so people know exactly what is in it.”

Follow the Record-Herald for a future article going more into detail on the water quality report.

In other news from city council, further discussion was held regarding ordinance number 2-2022.

As previously reported, the ordinance, if passed, would allow plots of land (73 through 95) in the Andrick Drive-Trotters Pointe Subdivision, owned by JB Holdings – Jaret Bishop, to be rezoned from medium density single family residential to a two family residential district.

Local resident Jerry McCoy once again spoke before city council in regards to the rezoning. When he spoke during the first meeting of April, the legislation was tabled for further discussion.

McCoy argued some of his earlier points against the rezoning. One such argument was a few of the plots were previously rezoned to multi-family housing over a decade ago when a similar rezoning initiative was undertaken. So, why are those same plots included in this rezoning proposal?

City Building and Zoning Inspector Rod Bryant got involved in the conversation and explained the planning commission planned the rezoning language for the plots of land in a way that would be simpler to understand, rather than trying to break it up to explain certain areas of the land were already rezoned while other areas of the land hadn’t been rezoned to multi-family. Instead, they used lots 73 through 95 to make it more easily understood.

Another concern expressed by McCoy is the location of plots near other properties currently being lived in, and how those properties will be impacted. He said he doesn’t feel like Bishop has the right to petition to rezone those lots as they are adjacent to other property owners.

Following discussion and side conversations, it was requested by council member Kendra Redd-Hernandez to have a more informal conversation during committee about the topic.

While council members thanked McCoy for all of his research and said they understood his concerns, members indicated they needed to make the best decision for the majority at times and that none of McCoy’s neighbors had gone against the decisions when the planning committee was making initial decisions regarding the rezoning request.

The legislation was placed on second reading. Ordinances must pass three readings and be adopted to become law, while resolutions must pass two readings then be adopted.

A second ordinance was heard and placed on second reading that, if passed, would alter pay-grades and bring current positions up-to-date in relation to a previously passed ordinance (number 18-2014).

As for new legislation, two resolutions were heard and placed on first reading.

The first resolution, if passed, would create an American Recovery Act Grant Program and would designate Denen and Economic Development Director Chelsie Baker as the administrators of the local grant program.

The second resolution, if passed, would authorize Denen as the city manager to award a contract to Cox Paving for the 2022 Street and Alley Paving Program.

Council meetings are held the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers — located on the second floor of the City Administration Building, 105 N. Main St. in Washington C.H.

Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.

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By Jennifer Woods

[email protected]

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