Engle Shook Funeral Home

Montz said after the city’s risk factor at crossings was deemed high, officials have been working for more than a year to improve the issue.Montz said proposed changes could be brought to council in the next month.“We’re hoping to come to all of you with a very nice package,” he said. “Safety comes first.”Montz said if railroad crossings are made safer, the city could qualify to become a quiet zone — trains would not sound their horns within the city. He said trains sound their horns in Tiffin every 10-15 minutes and he thought making the city a quiet zone could have good implications for economic development.“We can improve property value and business value,” he said. “It’s a real win-win for the community.”Also Monday, council took the next step on three projects.Tiffin Law Director Brent Howard said a deal with CSX was reached to allow the city to construct stormwater improvements on private property owned by the company on and around Sarah Street.Howard said federal funding was awarded in 2007 to improve Sarah Street.“(Passing the legislation) is the next step in the nearly decade-long process of the Sarah Street project,” he said.Howard said the project is no cost to the city and will include widening the street and making it safer.“We’ll finally get the Sarah Street project on the right track,” Tiffin City Councilman Jim Roberts said.Council also voted to allow the city administrator to prepare plans, advertise for and receive bids and recommend and execute a contract for the Safe Routes to School Project.According to legislation, Tiffin previously received a $220,000 grant for the project through Ohio Department of Transportation that will pay for the project.“We’ve been kicking this can down the road for a year now,” said Tiffin City Councilman Steve Lepard. “We’d like to move forward and get this accomplished.”Council approved a contract with the state for the Urban Paving Project. The agreement allows the city to prepare for bids.Howard said legislation had been passed to approve the project, but Mo... (Tiffin Advertiser Tribune)

The expansion is to add more viewing space.Tiffin’s Streets, Sidewalks and Sewers Committee had a fact-finding meeting Monday evening in the rear parking lot of Engle-Shook Funeral Home, 135 N. Washington St., to discuss a potential alley vacation.Committee chairman Steve Lepard said Jan. 3 a petition was submitted by Engle-Shook Funeral Home to vacate an alley connected to the funeral home’s parking lot.Vacating the alley would make it private property, split in half between the funeral home and neighboring property owned by Merle Kagy.Because notification of the meeting was not sent out at least 24 hours before the meeting, there was no deliberation between committee members. Tiffin Law Director Brent Howard led discussion and Kagy and funeral home owner Eric Shook were present to answer questions and discuss the request.Shook said he wants the alley vacated to adjust the parking lot to make traffic flow smoother. He said the parking lot is confusing and clustered, and with an addition being constructed on the property, he thinks it will become more crowded.“I’m trying to get a better flow pattern throughout the entire parking lot,” Shook said.Tiffin City Councilman Rich Focht said Tiffin Fire Rescue Division personnel inspected the alley and signed off on the vacation. He said he was told that with the alley vacated, residents still could be reached by the fire department.“That’s always the first consideration,” he said.Shook said only area residents use the alley and another alley perpendicular to the alley in question would provide a path to parking for neighbors. Shook said he plans to repave the lot to make parking more efficient, but the alleyway still could be used by local traffic if needed.Howard said if Shook and the Kagys, who are cordial, could come to an agreement on details, it would be easier for city council to make a decision. He said the city did not have an obligation to vacate the alley if it thought there was public need for it.Tiffin City Councilman Joe Hartzell cautioned all parties t... (Tiffin Advertiser Tribune)