NEWS AND PRESS RELEASES

12-23-11

ConAgra Implosion Event- Sunday, January 8, 2012 3:00pm

Press Release

Exclusion Zone Map

Schedule of Events for the event

10-24-11

Public Notice

The City of Huron Water Department will be performing hydrant flow tests on Wednesday October 26, 2011 from 9:00am - 2:00pm at the following locations in the city:

Rye Beach Rd- between Boos Road & the railroad tracks

Silvern Street-between Cleveland Road & Michigan Ave

Strowbridge Drive-between Concord Ct. & Salem Drive

Wilder Ave -  between Scott Street & Taylor Ave

Riverside Drive -Between Brookview Drive & Laguna Drive

Shawnee Place- Between Delaware Place & Nekik View

You will notice a drop in water pressure and possibly a slight discoloration of water during these hydrant flow tests.  After the test is completed the pressure should return to normal and the water should clear up.  If you continue to experience low water pressure and rusty water please contact the Huron Water Department at 419-433-9502.

10-13-11

Information Notice  from the Huron Fire Department regarding natural gas leak - Perry Street.  Click here to view notice.

10-13-11

Williams Street Road Closure Notice

Williams Street south of the railroad tracks to Bogart Road will be closed from 7am to 3pm on Monday October 17th (weather permitting) to apply grade patch to the road surface.  The road will be closed to through traffic during this time. 

Should weather delay the start date, an updated notice will be posted and distributed to media.

Steve Didelot, Street Foreman  419-433-5000 ext 290

10-3-11

Cleveland Road West Resurfacing Update

The Cove II bridge was opened for vehicular traffic this weekend.  The bridge opening restores east and west bound traffic along the entire span of the road project.  Paving completion is expected this week followed by striping, final punch list items and walk through this month.  Thank you for your patience on this important capital improvement project.

Andrew D. White

City Manager

9-21-11  Cleveland Road West Project Update

Click here for the City Manager's Project Report

8-25-11  12:55pm

RE:  Gas main break- Strowbridge Drive.

Columbia Gas has repaired the gas main leak on Strowbridge Drive.  The area is open and accessible to the public.  Previous evacuation order issued for 25-30 residents on Strowbridge has been cancelled.

August 25, 2011

For Immediate Release

RE:  Gas main break- Strowbridge Drive

Due to a gas main break at 915 Strowbridge Drive, a team from Columbia Gas was dispatched to the scene.  it has been determined that the break is in an area of the line that cannot be shut down by a valve; as a result access from Cleveland Road West is restricted from Strowbridge Drive east to Salem Drive until further notice.  Another team from Columbia Gas is on its way to excavate the area in order to shut down the line and replace it.  Please be advised that the gas leak will continue until Columbia Gas can begin excavation and residents are restricted from this area until further notice.

August 11, 2011

For Immediate Release

RE:  Railroad Closure Notice

The City of Huron was advised of repairs to the Williams Street and Berlin Road railroad crossings which will require the closure of the tracks beginning Monday August 15th through Thursday, August 18th.  Detour signs will be in place directing traffic around these areas.

RR Crossing/Road Closure Detour Maps

For Immediate Release

July 8, 2011

City of Huron, Ohio

419-433-5000

Cleveland Road West Resurfacing Project- Public Informational Meeting Notice

The Cleveland Road West Resurfacing & Cove No. 2 Bridge Replacement project within the City of Huron is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 18, 2011. 

 A Public Informational Meeting relating to the schedule and timeline of this project has been set for Tuesday, July 12^th, 2011 at 5:30pm at the City Municipal Building -Conference Room , 417 Main Street

City Administration, City Engineers and the project Contractor will be present to explain project details and construction schedule. All interested parties are encouraged to attend.

DATE: 5-23-2011 TIME:  10:00am 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BOIL ALERT

The Huron Water Dept. has depressurized the waterline on CLEVELAND ROAD FROM 1221 WEST CLEVELAND ROAD TO CANTERBURY DRIVE including Lakehouse East apartments, Boulder shore apartments, and Oakshire condos to make an emergency repair to a valve in the watermain.   Now that water pressure has been restored, the following residences are advised to boil the water for one full minute prior to consumption.

If you received this notice on your front door you are affected. 

The boil alert will remain in affect for at least 24 hours.  If you have any questions please contact me at 433-9502.

David Moyer, Service Director

5-12-2011

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Huron, Ohio Service Department announces that traffic flow on Cleveland Road from Waterworks Drive to Rye Beach may be restricted at times for the next 30 days for valve repairs.  The valve project is slated to begin 5-16-2011.  Any questions concerning this project can be made to the Service Department at 419-433-5000 extension #280.

David Moyer

Service Director

DATE:  4-06-2011  10:00am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY OF HURON, WATER DEPARTMENT

BOIL ALERT ADVISORY LIFTED

The Huron Water Department has restored pressure to the waterline on Cleveland  Rd. from Silvern Ave to Orangewood Rd. after making emergency repairs to the watermain.   Bacteriological testing indicated that no contamination had occurred during depressurization and the water is safe for consumption according to EPA standards.  If you received a previous Boil Alert advisory you may disregard.

Public notice is being provided to notify the customers that the 24 hour boil advisory is being lifted.  If you have any questions please contact the Service Director, David Moyer at 433-9502.

DATE:  _____4.4.2011_9:00pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BOIL ALERT

The Huron Water Dept. has depressurized the waterline on Cleveland Rd West between Silvern St. and Orangewood Rd. to make an emergency repair to the watermain.   Now that water pressure has been restored, the following residences are advised to boil the water for one full minute prior to consumption. This Alert pertains to all residences & businesses on streets both north and south of Cleveland Rd between Silvern and Orangewood.

The boil alert will remain in affect until further notice (at least 24 hours).  A notice will be distributed to the media once the alert has been lifted.  If you have any questions please contact the Service Director, David Moyer at 433-9502.

3-23-11

NICKEL PLATE PARK

On March 22nd during a regular meeting of Huron City Council, Ordinance No. 2011-13 was adopted which prohibits dogs at Nickel Plate Park from Memorial Day through Labor Day during the hours of 10am to 6pm.  This ordinance was recommended by the Parks & Recreation Department after complaints from patrons and was supported by the Council Safety Committee prior to being presented to Council for consideration.  The Parks and Recreation Department will notify the public of this change through published articles, website pages, email notices to subscribers, mailings of Nickel Plate Season Pass Applications and on signage that will be place at the entrance to the park.  

DATE:  3-17-2011  6:00p.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CITY OF HURON, WATER DEPARTMENT

This advisory applies to all residences and service taps involved except for those residences located on Deerwood Ave who will remain on a boil alert until further notice.

BOIL ALERT ADVISORY LIFTED

The Huron Water Dept. has restored pressure to the waterline on Cleveland  Rd W from Silvern Ave to Cleveland Ave after making emergency repairs to the watermain.   Bacteriological testing indicated that no contamination had occurred during depressurization and the water is safe for consumption according to EPA standards.  If you received a previous Boil Alert advisory you may disregard.

Public notice is being provided to notify the customers that the 24 hour boil advisory is being lifted.  If you have any questions please contact me at 433-9502.

David Moyer

Service Director

March 16, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOIL ALERT NOTICE 

Due to a water main break on Cleveland Road West, the City of Huron has issued a Boil Alert for residents on the north and south side of Cleveland Road West between Rye Beach Road and Canterbury Drive.  This boil alert is in effect until further notice.

February 07, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE 512 BERLIN ROAD REZONING REQUESTCity receives notification that the request to rezone 512 Berlin Road has been withdrawn.

The City of Huron received written notification today from Dike LLC that its request for the rezoning of 512 Berlin Road/Parcel 4201515000 from R-3 (Multi-Family Residential) to B-2 (Downtown Business PUD) has been formally withdrawn.

The Public Hearing on this matter scheduled for Tuesday, February 8, 2011, during a regular meeting of the Huron City Council is, therefore no longer necessary.  The formal withdrawal of the request requires no legislative action and the parcel remains R-3 (Multi-Family Residential).

11-17-10  2011 Proposed Budget

The 2011 Proposed Budget Document is now available for viewing, click here to view.  A joint meeting of the Council Finance Committee and City Council will be held on Monday, November 22nd at 5:00p.m. in Council Chambers, 417 Main Street to discuss the 2011 Budget.  As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend.  Contact the Clerk of Council with any questions.  419-433-5000 x102.

10-18-10  Electric Aggregation Program

On October 12, 2010 Huron City Council passed Resolution 2010-81 which authorized an agreement between the city and First Energy Solutions for a nine (9) year electric aggregation program within the City of Huron.  Previously, the city established the authority to negotiate and procure an electric generation supplier with the passage of a ballot issue in May of 2001. 

 Under the terms of the agreement, First Energy Solutions would provide residential and commercial customers a 4% -6% savings on the generation supply associated with the standard residential/commercial rate.  In addition, the city would receive a onetime grant in the amount of $117,000 which city administration recommends be allocated to capital improvement upgrades to public lighting within the city. 

 In the near future, First Energy Solutions will be coordinating with the City to provide customers appropriate notice on the plan and the opt-out period(s).  Upon receiving this information, please take the time to read over the information to make an informed choice and be aware of the opt-out time period.

FAQ

Residential Cutomers

All- Electric Customers

Business Customers

10-19-10  City Manager's Article Regarding the 2009 State Audit

October 18, 2010

This letter is written as a clarification of fact regarding a recent news story entitled “Huron Overspent, State Audit Reveals.”  The city did not overspend and cannot overspend.  A municipality’s annual appropriations and estimated resources, also known as the annual budget, is a legally binding document which sets forth annual financial priorities as legislatively adopted by the City Council.  Once adopted, this document can only be modified with additional legislative action and the creation of new law.

What the city did do is utilize savings from Fiscal Year 2008 for use in Fiscal Year 2009.  The exact amount of these resources is generally not completely understood until the end of the annual operating cycle, which is a chaotic time.  In one specific instance, the City Council encumbered $128,661.00 from the 2008 health care program’s savings for use in 2009.  In essence, this action reduced the cost of the next year’s program and permitted the city to accommodate other needs, most notably capital improvements and long term planning. 

In effect, a citation for the timing of this transfer of savings was noted on the audit because it took place during the first week in January 2009 as opposed to the last week in December 2008.  Had the order been reversed the available funds would have correctly demonstrated the existing, and compliant, balance between expense and revenue in 2009.  This type of citation is vital to ensure public bodies do not spend unavailable resources to the detriment of the community and certainly did not occur in the city last year.

The overall fiscal health of the city was omitted from the story but is important to point out.  In 2009, during the worst economic period since the Great Depression, the city’s Net Assets increased 52% from $9,418,129.00 in 2008 to $17,132,428.00 in 2009.  In addition, the General Fund balance increased for a fifth consecutive year and the city’s bond rating was upgraded.  This represents a positive financial trajectory for the city and an opportunity for future progress in the region that would not have been possible without the careful planning, establishment and implementation of well thought policy.

In conclusion, the city deeply respects its relationship with the press and acknowledges without it the same level of public service is not possible.  However, no member of the Council or the Finance Department was interviewed for this story.  The Auditor who provided the city’s report was not contacted -- and no member of the press was in attendance on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 when the audit was discussed in open public session.  Unfortunately an incomplete story was established and as a result the general public was not completely informed.

A copy of the entire audit is available on the city’s website and has been since its receipt.  In addition, the specific legislation segregating savings from 2008 for use in 2009 is also available for review on the website.  Thank you for your time and consideration of this clarification.

Sincerely,

Andrew D. White

City Manager