LIMA — Lima City Council will vote on legislation Monday that, according to Public Works Director Howard Elstro, will complete the final steps required to acquire the necessary land to expand the Buttonbush Wetland Preserve in Central Point Business Park on Lima’s south side.
In a letter to the council, Elstro said that 2014 legislation allowed Mayor David Berger to apply for Clean Ohio Funds to acquire 13 acres touching the current preserve.
“Over these past months, the administration has been successful in securing Clean Ohio Funds, performed the required negotiations and appraisals of the additional 13 acres contiguous to the current Central Point Buttonbush Preserve,” he wrote. “Total acreage of the Central Point Buttonbush Preserve in its final development will be 25.7 acres.”
Along with expanding the wetlands, plans would also include “establishing recreation trails, elimination of evasive species and a parking lot for access to the preserve,” Elstro said.
Elstro emphasized that this project would not require general funds to finance it, with the city’s local match requirement coming from the Allen County Development Corp. Monday’s ordinances would, if passed, allow for the parcel acquisition as well as accepting $112,633 from the ACDC for the local match requirement.
In addition, the Lima Fire Department will have some new equipment available to help save lives, pending the council’s approval.
The council will vote on accepting a donation of $5,000 from St. Rita’s Medical Center to the Lima Fire Department to assist in purchasing three Physio-Control Lifepak 1000 automatic defibrillators.
“These funds are part of St. Rita’s Community Investment program, which recognizes the Lima Fire Department for the vital services it provides to the public,” Lima Fire Chief Mark Heffner said in a letter to the council.
Lima City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the Lima Municipal Building.
