ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Reporter Escorted From Meeting About Turnpike Privatization




A reporter for the Bryan Times was escorted out of a meeting between Jerry Wray, Ohio Department of Transportation director, and officials from Fulton, Henry, and Williams counties, Monday, Jan. 30.

The Times reported the incident in its Tuesday, Jan. 31 issue.

There was no quorum of offi cials from any one body, so the meeting did not violate the Ohio open meetings law.

Theresa Pollick, Ohio Department of Transportation spokesman, said the meeting, held in Wauseon in a conference room at the Fulton County Administration Building, was intended to be “a candid discussion between elected officials and area people. Some wanted to remain anonymous.”

The reporter from the Times “was not intentionally invited, but was able to speak to director Wray after the meeting,” Pollick said.

Participants might not be willing to get into details in the presence of a reporter, she said.

The purpose of the meeting was to “discuss options for transportation funding. One of the options is leasing the Ohio Turnpike. Others include a public-private partnership,” she said.

Barnaby

Paul Barnaby, Fulton County commissioner, said the meeting centered on state officials asking questions about what they could do to help promote privatizing the turnpike, despite the fact that Fulton and Williams County commissioners are on record opposing such a lease.

“For instance, they asked what would happen if they would give a free ride to passenger cars between Arch- bold and Wauseon,” Barnaby said.

“A fellow said it isn’t like Toledo, where people will get on one exit and get off the next.

“Out here, when the weather’s bad, we might do it, but every time, they don’t. That probably wouldn’t work too good,” Barnaby said.

“That’s just an example. There were a lot of ‘what ifs.’ It was a ‘what if’ game.”

Barnaby said he felt the state officials were “trying to back-door it.

“But it was the same stuff we talked about in October,” he said.

Barnaby said he didn’t know a reporter had been excluded from the meeting until later that day.

Attendees

Barnaby said others attending the meeting with Wray included:

•Todd Burdett, of the ODOT District 2 office, Bowling Green

•A representative of John Kasich, Ohio governor

•Douglas Johnson, mayor of Bryan

•Doug Shaw, mayor of Wauseon

•Lewis Hilkert, Williams County commissioner

•Rich Myers, Henry County commissioner

•Lisa Arend, Fulton County economic development director

•An economic development representative from Williams County

•A representative from Sauder Woodworking.

Jim Wyse, Archbold mayor, said Tuesday morning he was not aware of the meeting.

Barnaby said the Monday meeting lasted from about 10:15 am until noon.

Was it a productive meeting?

“I wouldn’t say it was. There wasn’t much accomplished,” said Barnaby.

Hodges

In a related matter, Rick Hodges, Ohio Turnpike Commission executive director and 1982 Archbold High School graduate, will speak to the Archbold Rotary Club, Friday, Feb. 17.

He has also scheduled a meeting with this newspaper.– David Pugh



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