Columbiana leaders praise Liberty Day turnout, announce murals and park updates

Columbiana officials used the July 7 council meeting to recap recent community events, report department activity and announce near-term public-works and cultural projects.

Mayor Davis described Liberty Day as a “huge success,” praising the change in venue and thanking staff and volunteers; she said sponsorship money for events has tripled this year. The mayor highlighted that the change of venue improved access for families and performers, and noted entertainers praised the town and its hospitality.

Public-safety and operations reports included a fire-department summary from Jason: June saw 33 alarms (5 fires, 10 public assists, 14 fire alarms and 4 other alarms) and six heat-related incidents during the holiday weekend; cooling and on-scene care prevented transports in those cases, and the no-burn order remains in effect through Oct. 31. The fire department also received a new pickup truck to support public-assist calls.

Community programming updates: Jennifer, a library representative, reported $42,436.30 in services provided in May, about 2,385 visits in June, and 142 youth signed up for summer reading; she listed July 13 4-H science center programming, a July 15 teen session, and a pops-and-cookies event with Columbiana police starting the next morning. Donna, from the senior center, summarized increased breakfast attendance (43 served) and successful outings and a senior Liberty Day barbecue attended by 61 residents.

Main Street (Dave) said the Liberty Day 5K drew 263 runners — the largest field since the 5K returned — and noted ongoing Music on Main events and a 10th-anniversary Main Street celebration. He also announced two professional murals in a downtown alley (artist Emma Gilbert), with painting already under way and ribbon cuttings planned within two weeks.

Park updates: The mayor said park electrical work is complete, café lights and ceiling fans have been ordered, a telephone pole reset is pending before fence and gate work finishes, and the city is collecting quotes to resurface the pavilion-side concrete. She emphasized a plan to meet next week to evaluate venue changes and lessons learned from the event.

A member of the public (Miss Miller) praised the return of the parade down Mildred Street during public comment and asked the city to advertise the route earlier next year to increase turnout.

Next steps: City staff will finalize park fencing and surfacing quotes, continue registration and monitoring of golf carts under the new ordinance, and plan events for the remainder of the summer.