Pittsfield city council continues goalsetting exercise
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
At the Tuesday, Sept. 21, Pittsfield city council meeting, officials discussed the city’s short, medium and long-term goals.
According to Pittsfield Mayor Gary Mendenhall, the city is working to determine who is responsible for each goal.
“Basically we put the list of goals on a spreadsheet that says who is responsible for each goal or activity and how each goal or activity will be paid for,” Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall said that the goals are being prioritized based on need and funding opportunities.
One top priority, according to Mendenhall, is sidewalk repairs to be paid for by a “Safe Routes to School” grant.
In addition, the city is pursuing state funding to replace streets, sidewalks, water lines and street lights on the east, north and west sides of the square.
“It would be total street and sidewalk replacement right up to the front of the businesses,” Mendenhall said. “It would allow us to put in matching streetlights and replace old water lines while we were at it.”
Another project being planned by the city is the construction of a sports complex, designed to host baseball and softball tournaments throughout the summer months.
“We’ve got nine traveling baseball and softball teams in town,” Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall and Pittsfield Economic Development Director, Ed Knight, estimate the sports complex could create 40 part-time jobs and three full-time jobs. In addition, Mendenhall estimates the complex would attract hundreds of visitors to Pittsfield each weekend of the baseball/softball season.
“It could bring between 450 and 550 people each weekend,” Mendenhall said. “That would fill up the hotel rooms and the restaurants.”
Other projects currently being planned, according to Mendenhall, include replacing the intersections at Fair and Memorial and Higbee and Memorial, the replacement of the Maysville bridge, as well as the construction of a new boat ramp on the east side of Lake Pittsfield.
In other business, the council voted to change the city’s policy for city employees who miss work because of COVID-19 quarantine.
Previously, employees had received paid time-off for quarantine. Starting Oct. 1, however, employees will need to use their saved sick or vacation days when in quarantine.
“Everybody has had ample time to get vaccinated,” Mendenhall said.
The council also approved a request from the Pike County Chamber of Commerce to support the annual Girls Night Out on the Square. The city provided a $500 sponsorship for the event.
Girls Night Out will take place from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4.
