Bellefontaine service safety director reports hydrant maintenance, water building progress and downtown event closures

Service Safety Director Dodds updated the Bellefontaine City Council on public‑works operations and upcoming downtown events.

Dodds said the water department is flushing hydrants and the fire department is conducting pressure testing, work that supports the city's ISO insurance rating. He reported that construction on a long‑awaited water building on South Main Street is progressing and that "there's walls up" and the project is on track for July completion.

Dodds described repairs to a booster station on East Dundusky Avenue that previously caused water service interruptions: one pump has been repaired and the second pump is scheduled for replacement on Thursday, with crews timing the work for after schools were out. He said the improvements should prevent similar shutdowns.

He also told council about two downtown events in the coming weekends: a small parade (Main Street to West Columbus) with limited closures on East Columbus and Opera Street, and a larger downtown festival (the "pineapple palooza") requiring full street closures inside the bypass from noon until midnight on the following Friday. Dodds said event organizers reduced some closure requests to limit commercial disruption and the administration is working to balance events with downtown access.

Council asked no follow‑up questions at the time; Dodds concluded by inviting questions and comments from council members.