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Weathersfield festival could resume in 2014
By Mary Smith
MINERAL RIDGE
Weathersfield trustees have created an exploration and steering committee to study having a festival in the township in 2014.
Chairman Gil Blair said that there had been a Firemen’s Festival for several years, as late as 1984, sponsored by the firefighters, but a suitable location became a problem, and the festival stopped.
The events were at Fire Station No. 21 on state Route 46 and near the old middle school, also on Route 46.
Several residents have inquired about the possibility of a festival.
The steering committee will include members of the school board, athletic boosters, band boosters, interested churches and other interested social organizations.
Trustees have been informed by Halcon Resources Corp. of Texas, which is drilling at the Kibler 1H well in Lordstown for natural gas, that the company will put up a 30-foot-high wall to act as a sound barrier and also plans to re-position lights used during nighttime drilling.
The moves are hoped to address some of the complaints of more than 700 residents in 335 mobile homes in The Westwood Lake Park mobile home park in Weathersfield.
The mobile home park sits 800 feet from the site of the well.
Residents have complained frequently to various governmental bodies about the noise and bright lights used while active drilling is occurring.
Trustees had written a letter to Halcon asking them to make changes to alleviate the problems.
Trustees also approved changes to legislation passed earlier this year about wells to be drilled to change the word “permit” to “registration fee,” which will be $1,500 per well.
The wording allows the township to charge for the development of a well. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is in charge of issuing permits for such wells, and Blair noted that the ODNR has most authority over the wells, leaving local governments with little jurisdictional powers.
Trustees charged the registration fee for two new injection wells to be located off state Route 169 (Main Street), across the street from the Heaton-Chute residential area. The permits for both were paid, Blair said. The well permits were given to American Water Management Services of Warren.
Trustees also approved a motion this week to honor police officers Kris Hodge, George Antonell, Donald Fridley, Dan Lowery and Capt. Mike Naples for “accomplishments in the line of duty.”
The officers began to conduct fingerprint checks that led to investigations into some crimes which later resulted in several arrests.
Cutbacks by the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation prompted the officers to offer their own services, Blair said.
Trustees accepted a proposal from CNG Solutions, McDonald, to convert a 2013 Ford F-350 to allow it to use compressed natural gas as an alternative fuel source.
The township joined the county in an initiative to pursue the use of compressed natural gas in a feasibility study. Blair said the conversion may become part of the county’s study.