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February 23, 2012 Vol. 7 Number 8
NEWS ONLINE 24/7... www.HuronHometownNews.com
‘Celebrate Huron’, Public Invited To Fun Evening Of Gaming, Great Food, Awards The Huron Chamber of Commerce is planning the 1st Annual “Celebrate Huron.” It will be a night of recognition, camaraderie and a Las Vegas-style casino, complete with slots. Mesenburg’s Plaza Place is the place to be on Saturday, March 10 as the Chamber brings back the city recognition nights that were a longstanding tradition in Huron’s history. Chamber members and local citizens, as well, will be honored for their efforts to keep our community “A GREAT LAKE PLACE.” Everyone in the area is invited to this gala evening. Tickets are only $25, if pre-purchased, and include a dinner featuring Randy Mesenburg’s award-winning carved beef brisket and a huge fruit tree with chocolate fountain. Those attending will also receive complimentary gaming chips that can be used for blackjack, poker and roulette. There will even be a
few slot machines. Winnings can be used in a drawing for some great prizes, including a sailboat charter and “A Fine Dining” basket with gift cards from many great area restaurants. A Members’ Showcase kicks off the event at 6 p.m. Plans are being finalized for many other games and entertainment throughout the evening. Proceeds from this “Celebrate Huron” will go to the Chamber’s Scholarship Fund, which has donated thousands of dollars to graduating Huron High School students down through the years. The tradition of honoring outstanding local citizens was a part of the local scene for many years, with residents joining Jaycees, Lions, Rotarians and Chamber members at the renowned Showboat Restaurant for an evening of recognizing a man and woman of the year and a young man and woman. The Chamber is
bringing this tradition full circle with the event at Mesenburg’s, the family that co-owned the Showboat with Jake and June Claus. Last year’s honorees included: Huron teacher Bill Scott cited for his contributions to the track and cross country HHS programs; Erie Community Federal Credit Union, Outstanding Business; a Good Guys Award to Dan Hoppe and the crew of the Huron Street Department for their work in placing Chamber business banners on city light poles each spring; Chamber volunteers Doug Studer and Marge Billman; and an unsung hero award presented to funeral director Wayne Foster. Tickets are available for $25 at the Chamber office, 509 Huron St., through March 7 and for $30 at the door. Phone 419-433-5700 for information.
Huron Public Library Will Be Open Late Daniel Slife I am pleased to announce that the Huron Public Library will begin a cautious expansion of hours starting Monday, March 5. Each week, Monday through Thursday, we will be open from 10 AM until 8:30 PM. In addition, we’re extending hours until 2 PM on Saturdays. by
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sponse to funding cuts from the state of Ohio. Through prudent financial management and the dedication of our staff, we have been able to take modest steps towards renewing our service to the public. Increasing your access to the Library is a critical first step.
Huron in 2012: Poised for the Future By Lisa Yako Huron is on the cusp of some exciting restructuring and revitalization projects. The year began with the implosion of the buildings at the ConAgra site and will continue with other capital improvements and the creation of plans for yet even more improvements. Huron is truly ripe for development. Our City Manager and City Council have directed Huron on a financially responsible and conservative course. The infrastructure of the city is strong, and residents are provided with superior services, especially our Police and Fire departments. Our Parks and Recreation Department provides us with a high quality of life, and our position on the shores of the Huron River and Lake Erie offer us an aestheticallypleasing environment. All of this is provided to you as a resident for mere pennies a day. So, what are we to expect from our city officials in 2012, and what does the future hold for a city with so much potential?
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This summer we listened to your feedback and developed a strategic plan to meet your needs for library service over the coming years. Among your highest priorities was the standardization or increasing of operating hours. In 2009 Huron Public Library was forced to reduce hours, materials and services in re-
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According to City Manager, Andy White, Huron is unique in that we are dealing with the repercussions of the downtown being destroyed and the city being segmented by Urban Renewal. Huron’s leaders are faced with the arduous task of trying to put the pieces back together and recreate a downtown. In an effort to guide decisions for Huron’s future, the city developed a strategic plan which they entitled “City of Huron: Vision 2020”. The plan is available on the city’s website, www.cityofhuron.org. This year marks the second full year of implementation of the strategic plan. “The implosion ushered in a new year and ushered in another plan of action for the future.” stated Andy White. The next plan of action involves indentifying components of the city as a whole that need improvement. To move towards this goal, the city has hired the Clevelandbased architectural firm, City Architecture, to provide a detailed plan of where improvements should be made and where development is appropriate. Also, tactics for better utilizing our waterfront and making the city more pedestrian and bike friendly will be included in the architect’s plan. A steering committee, which is composed of approximately 25 Huron residents and business owners, is working with City Architecture to guide the plans. Before a course of action is adopted, Huron residents will have the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Plans for the future will
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focus on five core areas of the city including development of Main Street, both north and south, and the ConAgra site. The city has already applied for a $2.5 million grant to fund the reconnection of Main Street. This would involve cutting the road through the current parking lots of both the Boat Basin and the River’s Edge Hotel. Businesses would be encouraged to locate along this corridor, and public access to the water would be improved. Other plans include improving access to the pier and creating hiking trails through the spoil pile area. In 2012, residents will see the re-decking of the Cleveland Road Bridge across the Huron River. This project, which will begin sometime this summer, will be funded and completed by the State of Ohio. Further, the demolition at the ConAgra site will be completed by the end of April. The overall project was under budget, so the City hopes to get approval to use the remaining grant money to stabilize the shoreline along the perimeter of the ConAgra parcel and then create a walkway around the perimeter. Once this is complete, the city will work to entice developers to invest in the ConAgra site. The next few years will truly define Huron’s course well into the future. It will be interesting to see how all of the plans unfold.
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