By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
It has become a tradition for Bowling Green’s mayor and BGSU’s president to visit rental housing bordering the campus each August to welcome students to the start of a fall semester.
This year, the pair will once again go door-to-door. But the message will have a different tone. In addition to reminding students to be good neighbors, the city and BGSU officials will be telling them to mask up and social distance.
On Friday, Mayor Mike Aspacher and BGSU President Rodney Rogers will pay students friendly visits – and give them educational materials about how they can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Rogers and Aspacher have sent a joint letter to BGSU students – cautioning them that their actions can grossly affect others.
“In this letter, we spelled out that students have both the power and the responsibility to adhere to the health orders and provisions within their leases that limit the size of any gathering,” the mayor stated.
The focus for both the university and the city will be to educate students. Rogers and Aspacher have also met with local landlords and downtown bar/restaurant owners to discuss their roles and responsibilities to the community.
The city’s plan calls for educating returning students and enforcing the health orders from the state.
Students have also been reminded that applicable laws and the health orders will be enforced by Bowling Green Police Division as well as the BGSU student code of conduct.
The mayor is also asking the rest of the community to follow the same rules.
“In essence, we are entering into a social contract as a community. The actions of one can impact the health of others. We must hold ourselves and our community to the highest of standards and be actively aware and practice the health guidelines within the community,” Aspacher stated.
Monday’s City Council meeting came after a weekend of many students returning to the community for fall semester. Bowling Green Police Division responded to three large party complaints over the weekend – resulting in two being shut down, and one sending home all but a small number of guests.
So the education continues.
Also at Monday’s meeting:
- City Council heard the first reading of a resolution authorizing the city to request local park improvement grant funding from the Wood County Park District. The city plans to submit three grant requests for Adirondack chairs for Simpson Garden Park, upgrades and repairs to the concrete at the skatepark in City Park, and split-rail fencing at the front entrance to Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve.
- Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter reported that the work at Maple and West Wooster streets is nearing completion. The intersection should be open on Tuesday.
- City Council member Neocles Leontis said the letter he introduced at the last meeting about the need for rapid testing for COVID-19 has been sent to Ohio’s U.S. senators and congress members. Mass production of rapid testing is the key to limiting COVID’s spread, he said. Council President Mark Hollenbaugh agreed. “As a public school teacher, I certainly understand the importance of rapidly testing students,” he said.
