By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci invited city leaders Monday evening to get involved in school business.
Scruci asked those attending City Council to put June 25 on their calendars. Since the school district’s bond issue has been rejected twice by voters, the board is taking a different approach.
“Our board is committed to finding out what our community will support,” he said. So a community task force open meeting will be held June 25, at 6:30 p.m., in the school’s performing arts center.
“It’s going to be turned over to the community,” Scruci said.
City Council President Mike Aspacher thanked the superintendent for the invitation to join in the process.
“We’ve all been supportive of your efforts in the past,” Aspacher said.
Also at Monday’s meeting, Mayor Dick Edwards expressed regret that the “celebrity guest” expected to attend the meeting was unable to make it. But the mayor revealed his intentions to declare June 15 as Jerry Anderson Day in Bowling Green, in honor of the newscaster’s last day at WTOL-11.
Anderson got his start in broadcasting 44 years ago at WFOB radio here in Bowling Green, Edwards said. Since then, he has helped many community groups with fundraising, either by acting as auctioneer or emcee. His generosity has been “totally amazing,” the mayor said.
Edwards also mentioned all the positive national publicity Bowling Green is receiving since the general managers of both hockey teams in the Stanley Cup are Bowling Green State University hockey alums. The men, both from the same town in Canada, both played under BGSU Coach Jerry York, and were roommates for three years. George McPhee is now with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and the Brian MacLellan is with the Washington Capitals.
Ryan Carpenter, a more recent BGSU hockey standout, is playing for the Golden Knights. And Mike “Doc” Emrick, who earned his doctorate at BGSU, has been mentioning the many BGSU connections during this play-by-play announcing.
In other business, Public Works Director Brian Craft was asked to give an overview of the city’s new brush collection program. The pickups used to be every spring and fall, then were reduced to once in the fall.
Now the brush pickups are upon request, with four options of April, May, September and October. In May, the city got 320 requests for pickups, Craft said.
Though not always convenient, Craft said if people missed those months, the city will return in September and October.
“We’ll come back around in the fall if you can hang onto it,” he said.
Large item collections have also changed, with residents being eligible for two pickups a year, of up to five items, for no charge. These pickups are available any time of the year, as long as people call to request. This change is much more efficient, Craft said, since the workers know exactly where the large items are that need picking up.
Also at the meeting, City Attorney Mike Marsh complimented the city public works crew for the appearance of Oak Grove Cemetery on Memorial Day.
Craft thanked Marsh. “This is the time of year when you get done mowing and it’s time to start over again,” he said.
Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley reminded council of the Art in the Park this Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m., in Simpson Garden Park. She also mentioned that the city pool had a nice hot weekend for its opening.
In other business, council set a committee of the whole meeting to discuss the proposed city charter updates on June 18, at 6 p.m. A public hearing will also be held that evening at 6:45 p.m., to discuss a proposed zoning change from M-1 light industrial to R-3 multiple family residential at 500 Sixth St.
