Whitehouse adding a 4th park to its network

7/26/2001

Whitehouse village council has taken the first step toward dedicating an 11-acre green space as a community park.

Council last week approved the first of three readings on an ordinance dedicating Sandra Park as a village park.

Located along Sandra Drive between Finzel and Cemetery roads, Sandra Park will be developed for recreational purposes, said Randy Bukas, village administrator.

No time schedule has been set up for the park's development, he said.

With the dedication of Sandra Park, Whitehouse will own four parks, including the village park in the downtown area, Oakbrook Park, and the Wabash Cannonball Trail.

In other action, council adopted the updated village personnel policy manual. The last update was in 1994, Mr. Bukas said.

Revisions in the manual include a smoking ban. In the past, smoking was allowed in certain areas, but the revised manual bans smoking completely in all village buildings and vehicles.

Council also approved annexation of the 17-acre Hanifan-Obenauf property along Texas Street where a 20-lot subdivision might be developed. The village is interested in a small parcel as the site for a meter and chlorination facility when Whitehouse ties into Lucas County's water system. On July 3 council voted to proceed with hooking the village's water distribution system into the county's system. Poggemeyer Design Group is working on plans for the connection.

The town's water situation was underscored last week when the village had more demand for water than it was able to produce.

Because of the problem, which has cropped up during the long, hot summer days, residents and business owners in the village of Whitehouse are being asked to voluntarily conserve water.

If the situation worsens, Mr. Bukas has been given the authority by council to issue a ban on filling swimming pools, washing cars, sprinkling lawns, and watering gardens.

So far, Mr. Bukas said last week, residents have “done an excellent job of conserving.”

On July 16, the demand peaked at 1.2 million gallons, but water usage dropped to 854,000 gallons on July 17 after the village issued a notice asking residents to conserve water.