Powell City Council on Aug. 7, approved $256,439 in spending to install 43 new security cameras across city parks and lock in 1,500 tons of road salt for the coming winter, a season that will cost nearly 50% more per ton than last year.

The two items address separate concerns: ongoing vandalism at city parks and a tightening regional salt market that left some Ohio counties without bids at all.

Cameras target park vandalism

The $98,000 camera project will replace 35 existing systems that City Manager Andy White said operate on incompatible platforms, making it difficult to share footage across facilities.

"The vandals in our park systems have routinely destroyed property out at Seldom Seen, for example," White said at the Aug. 7 meeting, according to Delaware Source.

The new cameras will cover six locations: Bennett Farm, Seldom Seen Park, Adventure Park's pickleball courts, Arbor Ridge Park, the Lechler Building and city buildings including the Powell Police Department. The $98,000 price tag includes equipment, five-year camera licensing, installation, configuration and cabling.

City staff chose Proline Technology Inc. after receiving 13 competitive bids earlier in 2026. The upgrades will be phased in over several years, eventually consolidating all city security onto a single platform. Staff initially planned to include centralized electronic door access, but White said that component may be revisited later.

Salt costs jump as regional supply tightens

The salt contract, awarded to Southwest Ohio Purchasers for Government (SWOP4G), sets a price of $105.79 per ton for 1,500 tons, totaling $158,685. That is $35.08 more per ton than Powell paid last year.

The supplier cited reduced inventory, higher production costs and transportation challenges after rock salt supplies across the northeast were significantly depleted during the 2025-26 winter. Nearby Richland, Ashland and Knox counties received no bids at all through the state cooperative purchasing program. Powell was more fortunate.

Director of Public Service Charles Dukes said the SWOP4G contract is a one-year deal running through July 31, 2027. When it expires, he plans to move Powell into the state's cooperative program.

Powell already has 500 tons of salt left over from last winter, bringing the city's total supply to 2,000 tons heading into the season. Dukes told council the city is also investing in truck automation that can calibrate pounds of salt applied per lane during a snow event, and that staff completed their first salt-efficiency training last year.

A new Kubota RTVX2C with a V-plow and salt spreader, approved by council in June, will be piloted at Bennett Farm Park to clear the bike path during winter months.

Coming up

Powell's Finance Committee meets Aug. 11, at 6:30 p.m. to review third-quarter supplemental appropriations and begin shaping the city's 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes roughly $61 million in proposed infrastructure projects.