Mayo debunks rumors about closure of Dover light plant, outlines building upgrades
DOVER ‒ Mayor Shane Gunnoe is dismissing rumors the city is planning on closing its municipal light plant.
At Monday's city council meeting, he said, "I would like to say again for the record there are no plans within city administration in either the short- or long-term to close our power plant."
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He said the rumor is coming from outside city government.
"I'm not sure where it's coming from but I thought this was a good chance to take the opportunity to set that record straight," he said. "There is no plan to close the power plant. There's not been any discussion of that. We're investing about a million and a half dollars into it in the next year because we want to see it continue and be maintained."
This spending includes $325,000 in work during the annual shutdown, $140,000 in a housing upgrade to the city's peaking diesel generator and $950,000 in a new switchgear upgrade.
In addition, the city is in the final phase of hiring a new assistant electric generation superintendent for the plant, he said.
"All of this is being done with an eye towards keeping our valuable city asset, the power plant, serving the people of Dover for many years to come," Gunnoe said.
Legal opinion on building demolition
In other action, Law Director Doug O'Meara provided council with a legal opinion stating that the son of former Mayor Richard Homrighausen participating in a building demolition program is a direct conflict of interest.
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The house, located at 114 W. Fifth St., was one of five properties in Dover approved for demolition through the Ohio Department of Development's Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. Nicholas Homrighausen, who is running for mayor, purchased the property in 2019.
He filed an application for demolition with the city on Feb. 10, 2022, while his father was still mayor. Richard Homrighausen was suspended from office in May of that year after he was indicted on several charges, including theft in office. He was convicted on those charges by a Tuscarawas County jury in November.
The state grant to pay for demolition was funneled through Tuscarawas County. The city signed an agreement with the county that states in part that Dover must follow state and federal conflict of interest regulations. Those regulations cover elected officials and their immediate family members.
In his opinion, O'Meara wrote that Dover cannot pay any additional funds related to this project "as the city may not be reimbursed for those expenditures due to violations of federal regulations."
He told council that he has requested the Tuscarawas County Office of Community & Economic Development to remove authorization for that project.
Council also:
Approved an application from the Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens for $5,000 in bed tax money to build a display at the site.
Discussed allocating $25,000 a year to a program to improve business facades in downtown Dover. Initially, the project would be funded with bed tax dollars and fees collected from the city's vacant properties registration program.
Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Shane Gunnoe dismisses rumor that city will close its light plant
