Attention DIY Mechanics!
By Joy Davis, CEcD, Economic Development Specialist
Troubled with finding a way to properly dispose of the old batteries, used motor oil and tires? We have a solution within our community.
Please contact Firestone Complete Auto Care, 1007 Refugee Rd., to make an appointment. The phone number is 614-328-5260. The fine folks there will be happy to assist residential clients.
The best part? This service is free of charge and available year-round. There are no specific dates or times, but please call for an appointment.
Thank you, Violet Township and Pickerington residents, for your continued efforts to recycle and respect our environment!
Drug and Electronics Collection and Document Shredding Set for Oct. 26
By Chad Lucht, CPESC, Senior Urban Specialist, Fairfield SWCD
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District – in cooperation with Violet Township, Fairfield County Sheriff’s office and Lancaster-Fairfield County Recycling & Litter Prevention – will be participating in the event. The collection site will be the Violet Township Service Center located at 490 N. Center St., at the corner of Stemen Road and Center Street.
This national event marks an ongoing effort to rid the nation’s medicine cabinets of potentially dangerous drugs, particularly controlled substances. Our April collection netted 162 pounds of prescription drugs.
Until recently, unused drugs and/or expired medication(s) were commonly discarded in the trash (landfill) or flushed down the sink or toilet – leading to potential chemical contamination of ground water and/or wastewater treatment plants, and causing harm to aquatic life and the human water supply. For additional disposal tips, please visit www.smarxtdisposal.net for ideas and suggestions.
Prescription pills and capsules will be collected. No aerosols or inhalers will be accepted. Please black out the name or remove the label before bringing containers to the disposal site. If disposable items are of unknown origin, they may be dropped off with no questions asked.
Call the Fairfield SWCD office at 740-653-8154 or the Fairfield County Sheriff’s office at 740-652-7248 with any prescription drug questions.
This event is also accepting electronics. The following electronic items may be dropped off at no cost: computers, laptops, printers, cables, mouses, keyboards, discs, electronic clocks, VCR and DVD machines, radios, and cell phones.
No items containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) will be accepted because a certified facility, such as the Lancaster Transfer Station on Ewing Street in Lancaster, must handle the disposal of this compound, which is commonly utilized as a refrigerant or as a propellant in aerosol cans.
Computer monitors will be accepted at no additional cost if they are included as part of an entire computer system. However, there will be a $3 disposal fee for computer monitors that are brought in without a processor or tower. Televisions will be accepted at the event at a cost of $1 per diagonal inch.
Call Patty Bratton with Litter Prevention and Recycling at 740-681-4423 with any electronics questions. Only cash and checks will be accepted as payment of disposal fees.
Additionally, document shredding will be available at this event at no charge. We ask that each person observe a limit of two banker-style boxes. We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday, Oct. 26!
Vibrant Seniors in Our Community
By Nancy Lee, Director, Pickerington Senior Center
The Pickerington Senior Center draws many vibrant, active seniors ages 50 and up from Pickerington and surrounding communities to participate in worthwhile and enjoyable activities.
These activities include craft and homemaking projects, card games and bingo, dancing and strength training, and community services. Our largest endeavor is the making of noodles, which is a year-round activity. The noodles are sold at the center and at local craft shows as a fundraiser.
Other arts and crafts include finishing quilt tops, a Paints and Brushes class, and a Craft Group tasked with the Secret Santa Gift Shop, which is a partnership with the City of Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department. Additionally, to show appreciation for the community support of the Senior Levy, our volunteers sponsor a “Free Kids Fun Day.”
But all work and no play can be dull, so we play games such as bridge, euchre and bingo regularly. We even kick up our heels and square dance seven or eight times a month!
The list of activities and events is numerous and offers something for everyone – strength training, greeting card making, a chili cook-off, Ladies Tea and Mystery Night, to name a few.
Volunteers organize at the center to offer services to the community at large, including transportation, pancake breakfasts each month from September to May, staffing booths at Olde Pickerington Days, churches, Friends of the Library, the Food Pantry and the Historical Society.
For more information about any of the events mentioned or for a complete schedule, please visit our website at www.pickeringtonseniorcenter.org. You can also stop in at 150 Hereford Dr., or call 614-837-3020 during our regular office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday.
We are folks who have lived a while and are grateful to be able to assist. We are proud of our older population in the community. There are no rocking chairs here!
Violet Township Continues to Explore Paving Options, Seeks Resident Input
By Greg Butcher, PE, Violet Township Engineer
“When will my street be repaved?”
This question is frequently asked of Township staff and leadership. Unfortunately, the answer is not straightforward and involves many variables, including safety, traffic volume and cost.
Violet Township has the responsibility of maintaining 105 center-line miles of roadway. Considering the width of some roads as well as turn lanes, the overall lane mileage is on the order of 215. Snow removal and pavement maintenance are considered the highest-priority tasks of the department as they relate to safety of the traveling public.
Snow removal costs are obviously driven by winter weather conditions and are variable from year to year. Pavement maintenance costs are reflected in the direct cost of asphalt, delivered and placed as part of the competitive bidding process.
Over the past few years, asphalt costs have significantly increased while the annual budget for pavement maintenance has remained nearly the same. This has forced the Township to evaluate pavement maintenance processes and materials that are different than the traditional hot mix asphalt. Furthermore, the duration between repaving cycles has increased from about seven years to more than 15 years.
The chip seal technology has evolved considerably from the days of “tar and chip” or “tar and gravel.” The asphalt emulsions are better and more stringent specifications are employed to reduce the amount of gravel dust during the installation process. Additionally, the cost to pave a mile of roadway with chip seal is three and a half times less expensive than traditional hot asphalt mix asphalt ($22,000 per mile compared to $77,000 per mile using 2012 dollars).
While chip seal has its limitations in subdivisions with curbs, it will continue to be a viable option in future pavement maintenance planning. Other pavement technologies have been employed in recent years, some with more success than others.
As we struggle with cuts in funding from the state level; revenue being reduced and expected to continue being reduced into the foreseeable future; and pavement maintenance costs increasing, we will evaluate options to preserve the investment in the Township roadway system. Additionally, we are reviewing alternative sources of funding, including a road levy, which would provide revenue used solely for road maintenance. Input from residents on the direction of the Township’s pavement maintenance is always welcome.
