MCDONALD | Council action

Village lawmakers handled these matters during their meeting Wednesday:

Passed the first reading of an ordinance that would prohibit the use of outdoor wood-burning furnaces. Many homes in the village occupy small lots and the devices could pose health concerns, especially for people with asthma or pulmonary problems, because they generate a lot of smoke and fine particles, noted Mayor Glenn W. Holmes. Also, the furnaces require a lot of wood, and large unattended wood piles often lead to snakes and rodents, Holmes continued. Council members aren’t against the devices, but feel they aren’t suitable in an area with a large number of homes in close proximity to one another, the mayor said, adding that some people use the devices as an alternative heating source. Opposing the ordinance was Councilman Michael J. O’Brien, who felt that wood burners are safe if properly maintained. Also, there’s no large influx of people trying to buy such devices, so the ordinance to ban them outright is unnecessary, O’Brien said.

Heard from Fire Chief Ed Winterbauer, who asked residents to keep fire hydrants near their homes clear of snow. Since the recent heavy snowfalls, some homeowners have hired companies to plow their driveways, but some plow drivers have buried hydrants, Winterbauer noted, adding that homeowners can be fined or, with repeated violations, jailed. Hydrants must be visible so that firefighters can reach them as quickly as possible during an emergency, the chief continued.

Discussed the status of two grants, one each for a Safe Routes to School program and a road resurfacing project. The village applied for roughly $250,000 of a grant, disbursed through the Ohio Department of Transportation, that would be used to build sidewalks on McDonald Avenue and make it safer for pupils who walk to school. Officials also applied for a small government grant to pave part or all of several streets, estimated at $219,000 with a $160,000 share. The village should hear from the state in February or March regarding both grants, Holmes said.