By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Gwen Andrix stood before Bowling Green Council Monday evening and thanked city leaders for making her feel safe in the community.
Andrix, a transgender woman, was one of the people behind the vigil held last week after the nightclub shooting in Orlando that killed 49 people. She started out last week holding a one-woman vigil at the four corners downtown – holding a rainbow flag in unity with those killed or injured in the shooting.
That small symbolic act turned into a vigil attended by more than 300 people last Wednesday in Bowling Green. Andrix thanked city council and the mayor for being present and supportive, and praised the Not In Our Town organization for helping to pull together the vigil.
“I feel safe in Bowling Green,” Andrix said. “I’m pretty much accepted. It’s a nice place to be.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, Planning Director Heather Sayler said the city had hired a consultant to work on the neighborhood revitalization plan for the East Side of the city. The consultant, Camiros, will start work in July and has 14 months to complete the plan. The city is paying $98,300 for the project.
Mayor Dick Edwards expressed his sadness over the Buckeye Boys State decision to relocate to Miami University after operating at Bowling Green State University for 39 years.
“We can only hope that BGSU will be successful in bringing Boys State back to the campus at the end of the five-year contract period,” Edwards said.
Bowling Green Council meeting Monday evening.
Also at the meeting:
- Brian O’Connell, city utilities director, reported the city’s solar field construction is expected to start in early July, with the site being operational by the end of the year.
- Brian Craft, city public works director, said construction will begin July 18 on a left turn lane from East Gypsy Lane Road onto South Main Street. Businesses in the area are being advised.
- Craft also reported the meters will be removed after July 4 from the downtown parking lot east of the first block of South Main Street. A parking kiosk will be installed. Anyone interested with the changes may visit the Four Corners Center location on June 28 to get information. The city will have people available at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to answer questions.
- Assistant Municipal Administrator Joe Fawcett announced the city fireworks will be held July 3 at dusk in the intramural field at Bowling Green State University. The football stadium will be off limits to the public this year because of construction.
- Fawcett also reported the city will auction off items no longer needed on June 22 at 4 p.m., in the public works garage, and another Coffee with a Cop will be held June 29 from 8 to 10 a.m. at Biggby.
- Grant Jones was introduced as the city’s new arborist.
- Edwards offered congratulations to Bowling Green resident Jeff Wilbarger for receiving the Jefferson Awards Foundation’s top award for a private citizen. Wilbarger was recognized for his dedication to The Daughter Project, a faith-based recovery home he founded in Bowling Green to help victims of human trafficking.
- The mayor also noted the recent awards given to O’Connell by the American Power Association, and to Sayler for the efforts of the Bowling Green Not In Our Town organization.
