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Link contains a photo. From the 5/8/07 Blade: SMOKING ENFORCEMENT County receives 2 dozen reports of ban violations By JULIE M. McKINNON BLADE STAFF WRITER Two dozen complaints about violations of the statewide smoking ban have filtered into the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department since enforcement of the law started last week. Included on the complaint list are a five-employee Toledo manufacturer, Dales Corp., and a McDonald’s restaurant. But absent from the list is Delaney’s Lounge in Toledo, owned by Bill Delaney, an outspoken opponent of the ban who has vowed to appeal all complaints. “I have not seen his name,” Larry Vasko, deputy health commissioner, said yesterday. “He appears to be complying, because no one’s complaining.” Ohio instituted a smoking ban in most public buildings Dec. 7, and public health officials started enforcing the law on Thursday. Since then, the Ohio Department of Health has received 844 complaints, while the Toledo-Lucas County department has received 24, according to the latest numbers available yesterday afternoon. Read more: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/NEWS33/70508002/-1/RSS From the 5/8/07 News-Herald: Air cleared Health district hears complaints at dawn of smoking ban enforcement Sandra M. Klepach [email protected] 05/08/2007 Since Thursday, the Lake County General Health District has fielded only nine smoking complaints against five different establishments in Willoughby, Mentor and Mentor-on-the-Lake. The proprietors, five among thousands of similar establishments, now have 30 days to dispute the complaints or accept their punishments - for the first offense, warning letters. Read more: http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18312460&BRD=1698&PAG=461&dept_id=21849&rfi=6

From the 5/15/07 Dayton Business Journal: Ohio ranks 9th in April foreclosures Dayton Business Journal - 11:17 AM EDT Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Ohio had the ninth-highest number of foreclosures in the country in April, according to The Bargain Network Monthly U.S. Foreclosure Trend Report. Ohio saw 4,751 homes enter foreclosure in April, a 6 percent increase from March, according to the report released Monday. The Buckeye State saw one foreclosure for every 1,006 households. The hefty number of foreclosures is a result of sluggish economic times due to job stagnation in Ohio's economy, said Richard Stock, director of the University of Dayton's Business Research Group. ... More at: http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2007/05/14/daily8.html?from_rss=1 From the 5/15/07 Enquirer: Bill would aid foreclosees STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Two U.S. senators from two states hit hardest by the rising tide of foreclosures today introduced legislation to change current law that forces individuals to pay income tax when they have part of their mortgage loan forgiven or are forced to foreclose because of inability to pay their mortgage. “Removing this tax penalty encourages homeowners and lenders to work together voluntarily so that payments are manageable and foreclosure can be avoided,” said U.S. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, in a release. “This tax actually penalizes those who are trying to work it out in a responsible manner.” The bill was introduced on the same day that a national seller of foreclosure data reported the number mortgages in foreclosure rose 62 percent in April. The number of Americans falling behind on home loans will climb this year as home prices fall and lending standards are tightened, RealtyTrac Inc. said. ... More at: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/BIZ01/305150065/-1/rss

From ThisWeek newspapers, 5/8/07: Voters soundly reject community center levy Tuesday, May 8, 2007 By MARK MAJOR ThisWeek Staff Writer By an overwhelming majority, voters in the Eastern Delaware County Joint Recreation District rejected a levy to build a YMCA-run community center during Tuesday's election. According to final unofficial results from the Delaware County Board of Elections, the issue lost by 2,159 votes to 1,327, or about 62 percent to 38 percent. Dave Martin, chair of the JRD board, said he was "befuddled" by the lopsided defeat. "That's not the feedback we got from the community. We had positive feedback all the way around," he said as he left board of elections offices Tuesday evening. "The margin itself is much greater than I anticipated." The 27-year, $12-million levy would have funded the construction of a 50,000-square-foot recreation center planned to sit on 10 of the 50 acres that make up Freedom Park on state Route 61 in Sunbury. The park is owned by the village of Sunbury. MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/twn/content/pool/exclusives/050807-News-sby-ymca.html

From the 5/15/07 Ashland Times-Gazette: Loudonville-Perrysville School Board: Board supports school funding amendment By JIM BREWER T-G Staff Writer LOUDONVILLE -- Loudonville-Perrysville Board of Education approved a resolution of support Monday for the "Getting It Right! for Ohio's Future" constitutional amendment. "We have to keep the school funding issue before the public, and I feel this statewide effort is a way to do that plus increase attention on it to our legislators," board president Jeff Cooper said. "Hopefully, through this, we can get more help from the state," member Steve Kick added. Earlier in the meeting, school treasurer Marie Beddow, while making her five-year financial forecast, said the board probably would have to seek additional support from voters by 2009. Kick said "if the constitutional amendment is approved, it may lessen what we have to ask our local voters to approve." ... http://www.times-gazette.com/news/article/2001302

From the 5/15/07 Urbana Daily Citizen: Test tower gets OK in Union Township LUC against wind turbine recommendations made by residents SHAUN DUNLAP Staff Writer MUTUAL - The Union Township Board of Zoning Appeals voted in favor, 3-1, of allowing a wind test tower belonging to Everpower Renewables to be placed on Ault Road, during its meeting Monday night. According to board member Fred Meyers, one board member removed himself from the discussion and vote for personal reasons. Meyers said the structure will be 190 feet tall and have three wind measurement devices that will send information to Everpower Renewables. The information will not be public knowledge as the results will belong to the corporation. Meyers said he was unaware of whether or not Everpower would choose to make the information public. Meyers stated his belief that, if the test tower shows that there is not enough wind in this area to provide a profit to the company, they will probably leave. Restrictions imposed on the test tower were: 36 months after its erection the test tower must come down and if the company is unable to do so, it must provide funding to remove it. Full article at http://www.urbanacitizen.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=143835&TM=50446.25

Both from the 5/15/07 Enquirer: Talks helped start Avondale project Residents, businesses pitch in for cleanup program's launch BY JANE PRENDERGAST | [email protected] AVONDALE - Cincinnati on Monday launched a three-month effort against blight, crime and dilapidated buildings here, the second neighborhood targeted by the city for such a blitz. Residents and business owners are happy for the help, for one key reason, said Patricia Milton, president of the Avondale Community Council: city officials asked first, rather than descending upon the neighborhood as if they alone could "save" it. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070515/NEWS01/705150402/ Accused robber jailed THE ENQUIRER An Avondale man accused of trying to rob three places over the weekend - and identified when he left his wallet at one of the robberies, police said - is in jail on $300,000 bond. Nathan McFarland, 42, was in court Monday to answer three counts of armed robbery. He is accused of robbing a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a White Castle restaurant as well as a check-cashing store. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070515/NEWS01/705150377/

From the 5/15/07 Marietta Times: Who’s minding the mines? By Brad Bauer, [email protected] If you leave the sprinkler running too long in your yard, you’re running a chance of flooding Duck Creek, according to lifelong Macksburg resident Dorothy Stack. Although the problem may be a bit exaggerated, state officials say the stream is more prone to spilling over its banks because it is filling up with sediments from abandoned coal mines. Over the past several decades, thousands of acres of mined land were abandoned and left for the state to clean up. The mines are creating acid runoff and sediment problems in more than 1,300 miles of area streams, including most of the Duck Creek Watershed, which drains into the Ohio River at Marietta. MORE: http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new76_515200783051.asp

From the AP, 5/15/07: Delphi avoids $1.4 billion tax bill By MARC HOPKINS The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Delphi Corp. has reached an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service that will help the struggling auto-parts supplier avoid up to $1.4 billion in excise taxes and transfer some of its pension liabilities to its former parent, General Motors Corp. Delphi has been operating under Chapter 11 protection since October 2005. Its agreement with the IRS will extend a June 15 deadline the company has to honor minimum funding requirements under its pension plans, according to papers filed Friday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. Under the company’s so-called transformation plan, Delphi said it must lower its pension obligation in order to emerge from bankruptcy protection as a competitive entity. Plans are underway to shift some of the company’s pension liabilities into GM-sponsored plans. ... http://tribune-chronicle.com/articles.asp?articleID=18088

From the 5/15/07 Kentucky Post: Critics assail Ky. 17 study By Luke E. Saladin Post staff reporter Independence officials hope by this summer to put the finishing touches on a new study they say will help guide future growth in Independence along Ky. 17. The "small area study," as planners refer to it, is drawing opposition, however, from property owners along the corridor who feel that the city is trying to control what they do with their property. Some are worried the city might try to take their property to implement portions of the plan, which makes recommendations ranging from walking trails to facade improvements. City officials say the plan is meant only to enhance development and adamantly deny that property owners will be forced to do anything against their will. On Monday, an advisory committee appointed to help guide the plan met to discuss potential regulations. Some property owners came to speak out against the proposal. MORE: http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/NEWS02/705150358/1014 Bridgetown: Kildare Estates Building Cincinnati Image from the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati Kildare Estates is getting going over in Bridgetown. Holtman Stephenson Custom Homes is building the 32-lot subdivision just off of South Rd, between South and Kildare. The homes, which start at $460,000, are being sold through Cagney, Weisker & Associates Realtors. Two are currently listed. Nothing spectacular. Site plan from the Cagney, Weisker & Associates Realtors website Website WINDOWS LIVE BIRD'S EYE VIEW GOOGLE AERIAL MAP http://buildingcincinnati.blogspot.com/2007/05/bridgetown-kildare-estates.html Medical office, residents make peace over parking lot Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/15/07 The referendum seeking to reverse Sycamore Township's zoning decision that would allow a 10-space parking lot to be built for a planned medical development on Kugler Mill Road will not appear on the November ballot. The Hamilton County Board of Elections voted not to allow the issue on the ballot after supporters of the referendum said they had reached an agreement with the property's developer. Some residents who live near the site, on Kugler Mill near Montgomery Road, opposed the parking lot because they thought it represented encroachment of commercial development into a residential neighborhood. Ohio Valley Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, which plans to build the medical development and the parking lot, objected to the validity of the referendum petitions. The dispute evaporated when Ohio Valley recently agreed to stipulate that both right and left turns will be allowed from the parking lot onto Kugler Mill. 2nd Ward hears park plans Middletown Journal, 5/15/07 About a dozen residents who attended Monday's meeting of the Second Ward Community Council seemed receptive to proposed plans to renovate Douglass Park. However, the council could not take an endorsement vote on the proposed plan to renovate the city's second-largest park because it didn't have a quorum. While she said she thought the proposed "plans were great," Carol Flowers said the city needs to respect what the community wanted — to reopen the pool and not have a splash pad — which they previously had communicated to city officials. "I'm just here to remind you what the people said they wanted," she said. Plans include an all-accessible playground, an amphitheater, renovated basketball and tennis courts and re-engineered football, baseball and soccer fields. Veterans cemetery readied Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/14/07 Every day is Memorial Day for Al Duncan, director of the under-construction Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North, visible just west of Interstate 75 in Grant County. Duncan retired from the Army in November. "After 23 years of being in the military, my service was up, but this is a way for me to give back to the veterans here in the state of Kentucky - the ones that have gone before me, and the ones that are going to go after me," Duncan said. The 99-acre cemetery, 40 miles south of downtown Cincinnati, also may be popular with veterans from southwest Ohio and southeast Indiana, because the nearest existing national cemetery is in Dayton, Ohio. Kentucky does not require that veterans or their spouses have been Kentucky residents to be buried there. Duncan was a combat engineer who worked with explosives and demolitions and who later taught an ROTC program at the University of Kentucky. He now is guiding construction of the future hallowed ground. The cemetery's first phase, which will accept remains of about 4,500 veterans and their spouses, is expected to fill in 15 years. Two later phases of roughly equal sizes are expected to reach capacity in 10 years each.

From the 5/15/07 Findlay Courier: Zoning laws can't block megafarms, officials say By MICHELLE REITER STAFF WRITER Would zoning laws keep a large-scale hog farm -- or any other megafarm -- from locating in rural Hancock County? No, local officials say. There is no “megafarm” zoning classification yet in Ohio, said Assistant Hancock County Prosecutor K.C. Collette. So an operation like Cecil Boes’ proposed hog megafarm, slated for Cass Township, can be located in any area of the county that is zoned for agriculture, or in any unzoned area, just like any other farm, Collette said. Cass Township, in fact, is zoned, and there’s nothing in the township’s zoning law that would keep out Boes’ hog farm. “I don’t think zoning is going to change megafarms hardly at all,” said Jerry Wolford, president of the Hancock County Township Trustees Association. MORE: http://www.thecourier.com/Issues/2007/May/ar_news_051507.asp#story3

From the 5/15/07 DDN: River property to get new look West Carrollton looking at proposals for site of soon-to-be-demolished boathouse on riverfront. By Thomas Gnau Staff Writer Tuesday, May 15, 2007 WEST CARROLLTON — Hoping to control future development along its riverfront, city government is set to begin demolishing the former "Boathouse" property Thursday. The city of West Carrollton recently purchased the property on Marina Drive. Star-Ex Inc., of Covington, placed the lowest bid for the demolition. Kathy Perkins, the city's economic development director, said Monday that city planners have developed a marketing plan and are pulling together a request for proposals from potential developers. Whatever becomes of the three-acre property, city officials want a use that will draw people, on foot and in vehicles. "Obviously, it's going to have to conform to existing zoning," Perkins said. The current zoning, dubbed "center city district," allows retail and light manufacturing uses. But a plan allowing for residences and possibly dining may be among the possibilities, Perkins said. "If you look at the property, the most suitable use for the property is mixed-use," she said. MORE: http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/business/2007/05/14/ddn051407riverfrontweb.html

Both from the 5/15/07 Youngstown Vindicator: Youngstown council mulls building purchase YOUNGSTOWN — A Fifth Avenue apartment building will likely meet the same fate as three neighboring properties to the north that were demolished last month. City council will consider legislation Wednesday that would authorize the city to buy an apartment building at 204 Fifth Ave. between Wood Street and Rayen Avenue. The property is just south of three homes demolished in April. http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/306930204893807.php Girard council OKs hiring of company to find grants The city got a favorable decision in its fight against a landfill. By TIM YOVICH VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF GIRARD — City council is looking for government money to finance sanitary sewer and waterlines for the residential development around Upper Girard Lake. Lawmakers voted Monday night to give the administration authority to contract with a company to find and apply for grants to pay for the lines. http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/306930204805246.php

Property means more growth for university Steubenville Herald Star, 5/13/07 What does the Franciscan University of Steubenville plan to do with the Belleview Park Golf Course and a strip of land between University Boulevard and Franklin Avenue when it acquires the properties later this month? The immediate answer is a few simple projects. The long-range answer is to grow. But for now, according to David Skiviat, university vice president of finance, the plans are for some relatively modest changes while the university considers long-range plans. An update, some 18 months in the making, was completed to the university’s master plan a year ago, but Skiviat said the plan didn’t get specific on uses of the properties. Courthouse renovation bids opened Steubenville Herald Star, 5/13/07 Jefferson County commissioners on Thursday opened six bids for the renovation of the Jefferson County Courthouse. Three of the six bids were within 10 percent of the engineer’s estimate of $810,000. Historical Design Group of Worthington prepared design plans for the work that will include replacing all the joints between the stone work, repairing damaged stones, cleaning and sealing the exterior of the building and replacing all the windows. Grunwell Cashero Co. of Cleveland bid $838,000 and was the apparent low bidder. The other two bids within the engineer’s estimate were from Ameriseal of Akron, $849,000; and Koon Restoration of Lewisville, $872,000. Rick Freitag, Historical Design Group project manager, said he was satisfied with the bids received. He will have a recommendation for a contractor in about 10 days. Freitag said the successful contractor will first order the windows and replacement stones for the exterior of the courthouse. Work will begin in August and be finished by Oct. 15.

From the 5/14/07 Cincinnati Business Courier: Impact fees hit Hamilton Twp. Cincinnati Business Courier - May 11, 2007 by Laura Baverman Staff Reporter Taxes won't rise anytime soon in Hamilton Township, but a new resolution instead places the financial burden on those moving into the Warren County community. Township trustees approved a series of four impact fees May 2. The money will be spent on future roadway improvements, needs of the fire and police departments and the park system as the community grows. The fees will cost owners of a new single-family home about $6,100 once a building permit is filed. "I don't like high taxes," said Michael Muñoz, a township trustee. "I'd rather put the fee where the usage is." http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/05/14/story4.html

seicer... Why don't you just post the whole article? These links are no longer available after a week or two. Also, what do the numbers in these Notes relate to? Just a thought.

From the 5/15/07 Blade: Rossford to seek funds for downtown Rossford officials soon will be applying for a grant to revitalize its downtown, but they'll do so knowing they don't have the full support of all city councilmen. Council last night narrowly approved an ordinance and a resolution that were needed before city officials could spend about $7,000 applying for Tier Two funding through the Ohio Department of Development to enhance the city's downtown. The ordinance established a design review district and a design review commission, and the resolution adopted the city's downtown revitalization plan. Councilmen Ken Hermes, Greg Marquette, and Leonard Michaels voted against both measures because they were concerned that the city would be spending $7,000 without a guarantee that they'd be able to find the 3-to-1 match that's required if grant money is awarded. More at http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070515/NEWS18/705150398/-1/RSS09

From the 5/15/07 Enquirer: Teacher contract details emerge BY BEN FISCHER | [email protected] Cincinnati Public Schools teachers will get a 1 percent salary increase this year and a 2 percent raise in 2008, under a tentative agreement between Cincinnati Public Schools and its teachers union. Teachers and the district agreed to hold off any decision on raises for 2009, the third year of the contract, according to documents released by the union this morning. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070515/NEWS01/305150031/

^ This is two exits south.

From the 5/11/07 Springfield News-Sun: CMHP predicts $8 million loss Health Partners CEO says hospitals will be profitable in 2008 and are moving forward on new building. By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Friday, May 11, 2007 Community Mercy Health Partners is budgeting for an $8 million loss this year, not including a plan to a consolidate two hospitals, but believes it will return to profitability in 2008 and remains committed to building a hospital downtown. George N. Miller, CMHP regional president and chief executive officer, discussed the latest hospital plans Thursday morning with about 50 business, government and community leaders. A town hall meeting will be held in two to three weeks to go over the information with the public. He reviewed a proposal for renaming and reorganizing Mercy Medical Center and Community Hospital as Springfield Regional Heart Hospital and Springfield Regional Hospital, respectively. Under the plan, which has to be approved by Community Hospital Health Services Foundation, cardiac services would be at what is now Mercy and other medical and surgical care at what is now Community by late fall. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/10/sns051107millertalkseg.html

From the 5/4/07 Springfield News-Sun: Consolidation, renaming proposed for hospitals Community would become Springfield Regional and Mercy would focus on heart patients and pediactrics as Springfield Regional Heart Hospital Friday, May 04, 2007 By Kelly Baker, Staff Writer Both Springfield hospitals may undergo more changes with Community Hospital becoming the city's sole full-service medical facility and Mercy Medical Center focusing on heart patients and children, officials announced Thursday. The hospitals also will be renamed under the plan. But the changes only will occur if the Community Hospital Health Services Foundation board approves changes Community Mercy Health Partner's Board of Trustees recently made, Community Mercy president George Miller Jr. said in his weekly staff newsletter. The Community Hospital Health Services Foundation Board will consider the plan during its June 18 meeting. If it approves the changes: • Community Mercy Health Partners will become Springfield Regional Health System. • Community Hospital will be renamed Springfield Regional Hospital. • Mercy Medical Center will become Springfield Regional Heart Hospital. • Both hospitals would maintain emergency departments. Hospital spokesman Dave Lamb said the change follows Community Mercy's plan to consolidate its services in anticipation of moving into a single new hospital in 2011. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/03/sns050407hospital.html

From the 5/3/07 Springfield News-Sun: Hospital meeting called 'uplifting' Talks apparently reduced some of the rancor over a proposed surgical specialty hospital. By Kelly Baker Staff Writer Thursday, May 03, 2007 More than 70 local physicians met Tuesday to plot a course for a merged physician staff and clear the air surrounding a proposed surgical specialty hospital. Dr. Michael McKee, a Community Mercy Health Partners board member, said the meeting was to help create a dialogue among the physicians who have endured "a long struggle" of negativity. In addition to the controversy over the proposed surgical hospital, Community Mercy lost $20 million last year and the latest estimate for its own hospital construction project is about $130 million over budget. Tuesday's meeting, however, was "very uplifting," said Dr. Richard Nedelman, one of the surgeons planning to build the specialty hospital. But the surgical hospital did come up, he said. Most physicians wanted to know if the surgical hospital would infringe on Community Mercy's business and its ability to serve the community. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/02/sns050307docs.html

From the 5/2/07 Springfield News-Sun: Unified plan requires some rezoning for downtown Springfield City commissioners likely will vote on the plan May 15. It is seen as a guide for downtown revitalization. By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Wednesday, May 02, 2007 A unified plan for downtown Springfield could guide revitalization, planners say. City commissioners held a public hearing and first reading Tuesday on the plan and rezonings, and they likely will vote May 15. The unified plan is flexible, said Heather Whitmore, city planning and zoning administrator. "It's a way that encourages the market to perform at its best," she said. Commissioners also reviewed several proposed rezonings to fulfill the plan. Those include placing a unified plan overlay district over downtown, rezoning a number of properties to mixed-use Neighborhood Commercial District 2, and rezoning the residential area west of Yellow Springs Street to a different residential district that conforms to the actual uses there. No properties are being down-zoned or losing property use rights, Whitmore said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/01/sns050207citycom.html

From the 4/10/07 Springfield News-Sun: No decision made on ice arena land By Kelly Baker Staff Writer Monday, April 09, 2007 The National Trail Park and Recreation District Board of Trustees took no action Monday concerning the possible sale of downtown property to a surgeons' group. Parks district president Tim Smith said the board is cooperating with the city "working towards keeping the integrity of the downtown revitalization plan," but had more work to do before voting on the measure. The board met in executive session for one hour before returning to the meeting with no vote. The surgeons, working with developer Prexus Health Partners, announced in December they planned to build a surgical hospital in Clark County. The group was considering several sites when city officials urged them to choose downtown. After rejecting the city's suggested sites, including land on Community Mercy Health Partner's new hospital campus, the surgeons asked about the park district's downtown property earmarked for the ice arena. The city presented the information, noting the parks district owned the land. The board's next scheduled meeting is May 14. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/09/sns041007park.html

From the 4/6/07 Springfield News-Sun: Downtown unified plans passed by regional planning commission By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Thursday, April 05, 2007 The downtown unified plan is a step closer to becoming a reality. The Cooperative Economic Development Agreement Regional Planning Commission approved the plan at its meeting Thursday afternoon. The Springfield Planning Board approved the unified plan last month. It next heads to the Springfield City Commission on May 1. The plan sets several goals, including promoting pedestrian activity, providing guidance to the private market and preserving historic buildings. It also contains required and recommended design standards. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/05/sns040607cedaboard.html

From the 4/2/07 Springfield News-Sun: Parks district to decide on selling land National Trail board being asked to let surgeons buy their land that had been planned for an ice rink. By Kelly Baker Staff Writer Sunday, April 01, 2007 National Trail Parks and Recreation District is expected to decide this month if it is willing to sell downtown property to a surgeons group. But with a 90-day moratorium in effect, it is not clear when the surgeons can purchase land for their proposed $14 million to 15 million surgical hospital. The moratorium, introduced by state Rep. Ross McGregor, prohibits the "establishment, development or construction" of a surgical hospital for 90 days beginning March 28. McGregor introduced the legislation to give officials time to research the potential impact such a hospital would have on Community Mercy Health Partners recent merger and plans to combine its two hospitals into one campus downtown. Just as the moratorium went into effect the surgeons, at the urging of community leaders, said they would work to put their hospital downtown. The group's top pick is West Main Street, where National Trail planned to put an ice arena. The site is 6.5 acres and would accommodate the two-story, 40,000-square-foot project. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/04/01/sns040207moratorium2.html