AKRON - The Akron Council gave preliminary approval to declaring an economic revitalization area for Akron Foundry Tuesday.

The move came in anticipation of a request from the foundry for a tax abatement. The council approved a permit that would allow the foundry to construct a building for incineration purposes. Councilman Roger Gearhart said he believes the foundry will ask for a tax abatement in the near future. Speaking of a prior conversation with a representative of the foundry, Gearhart said although there has been no promise of new jobs being created, the foundry has renovation plans that would benefit the environment and remedy the problem of storm water runoff in that area.

Town superintendent Marty Gearhart reported that another Akron business is also planning expansion. Although engineering on the project has not been finalized, Sonoco Products is in the planning stages of adding a dextrin line of adhesives. This will involve bringing in dry materials to the plant, mixing them with water and other chemicals, "cooking" them into a liquid adhesive and loading the finished product onto tankers.

Since liquid dextrin adhesive has a high biological oxygen demand (BOD) in its processed state, Larry Pattengill, director of Environmental Services, assured Gearhart that Sonoco will be incorporating several operational and spill control procedures to ensure that no spills reach the process sewer or surrounding storm drains.

In other business, council member Jean Connor was appointed to participate on an advisory council on town affairs for the Fulton County Plan Commission. The Fulton County Commissioners recently established the commission to create a plan for development in Fulton County; one of the few counties in this part of the state that does not currently have zoning.

The Akron council announced the names of members who will serve on the Akron Plan Commission. Representing the town of Akron will be Jean Conner, Roger Gearhart, Marty Gearhart, Bob Allen, Richard Solano, Eva Hartman, and John Weida. Donna Loer and Mike Summe were appointed by the county commissioners to represent the two-mile buffer zone. An organizational meeting will be held at the town hall Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.

A previous meeting scheduled for October was canceled when Roger Gearhart questioned the legality of appointing plan commission members without the full vote of the council.

The council will meet Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. to review applications for the selection of a professional for engineering and inspection services and an IDOC certified grant administrator for the waterworks improvement project.

The council also:

jjApproved the purchase of three radios for the police department at a cost of $2,646. Two radios now used by that department will be donated to the Henry Township fire department.

jjRescinded approval of the purchase of a flow meter at a cost of $6,000.

jjApproved spending $11,000 for the construction of a salt and sand storage bunker.

jjAccepted the resignation of deputy clerk/treasurer Janice Shewman.

The next regular meeting will be Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]