Cortney
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Hi All,
With the bad accident at the Village Sign on Wooster @ East, we have an opportunity to enhance and improve this Village "gateway". I personally loved the sign and hope it can be rebuilt in a similar way, but might we revisit the aesthetics, lighting, state requirements for a blinking light? Might a village architect volunteer his time to render a new plan? For instance, since don't have a blinking light @ Homewood, could we eliminate it? If we must keep, can we use LED technology and smaller+fewer lights? Could we upgrade the light pole, or possibly remove it? Other landscape opportunities? Improved sign?
Just thinking out loud at this point, but I'd like us to take advantage of this fresh start.....
See you all tonight.
Thanks,
Cortney
Mariemont Village Council
513-271-4513
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(minutes from Council on 12/10)
Mr.
Scheeser asked if this was an opportunity to enhance and improve the area and
possibly redesign the entrance. He
questioned whether we needed the street light and the blinking lights or if
something else could take its place. Mayor
Policastro said we first need to get a settlement. The area is Park Boards territory. Mr. Scheeser said we have a blank canvass and
are starting over - are we going to make the same decisions or is there room
for improvement. Mayor Policastro said
he would let the Park Board do their job.
The Police Department would be in charge of the blinking lights. We should have some type of warning at that
intersection. Mr. Scheeser asked if we
could have a light there but not as big and obnoxious. Mr. Wolter said the first thing we need to
establish is who owns the lights. If
they belong to Duke Energy then we are going to have to deal with their
willingness to make a change. When they
lost a street light at the corner of East and Wooster it took a year and one
half before Duke fixed the problem.
Mayor Policastro said if needed he will call Marvin Blade and get
action. We will also get estimates to
replace the National Historic Landmark sign.
Mr. Scheeser asked to let him know when we find out who owns the
lights.
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Hi Dan,
Per our conversation last evening, I'd like to followup with your Duke contact to see what flexibility we have to rework and improve portions of the island @ East. I would like to come back to you and Council with some options (whatever might exist). For instance, if we paid for any overages for a device that maintained safety and required less maintenance and was more aesthetically pleasing, might we consider it?
Enhancements may not be possible, but I would like to try. When you get a reply from your contact, could you let me know?
Thanks,
Cortney
Mariemont Village Council
513-271-4513
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Cortney,
Please be assured that I am working directly with Duke Energy in conjunction with John Scherpenberg to assess the situation of lighting on the Wooster Pike island at the east entrance to the Village.
My 35 years as an insurance adjuster provides me with a unique ability to handle these types of matters in the best interest of the Village. That experience has also taught me that “too many cooks in the kitchen” proves to complicate and slow down the process.
Since the date of the accident, several residents have made a point of telling me they want the island, the sign, and the lighting to be replaced to look as much like it originally did as possible. They don’t want to see it changed, especially since it provided the ‘gateway’ to our historic landmark community. They think changing it would destroy that landmark everyone is accustomed to.
This does not mean that I am not open to upgrades in the type of flashing lights that can be used, as long as the appearance is close to the original.
Whatever information I get will, of course, be shared with Council before any repair work is done. This will give everyone the opportunity for input.
Therefore, I see no reason for you to personally follow up with our representative from Duke Energy. Additionally, our contact at Duke Energy would not recognize your authority to receive or act on any information he might provide. If this man left himself open to taking calls from every official of every municipality, he would never get anything done other than talking on the phone.
I will keep Council informed as things progress.
Dan
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Hi Dan,
Pls see images of the island's look and feel pre-accident. Specifically, help looks like an improved signal light (sign is great, landscape is great too). Note a bulb has been burned out for many months, and it was unsightly. A longer life LED for instance would be less of an eyesore for the village. Smaller & fewer lights would maintain safety and also improve aesthetics. Depending on who pays, there is a meaningful cost savings vs incandescents. Finally, there might be an opportunity to enhance the street light.
I look forward to what you present back to Council.
Thanks,
Cortney
Mariemont Village Council
513-271-4513
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