Photo by Madeline Scarborough Cathy Smith, Vienna city recorder, asks Amy Roberts, Vienna finance director, a question concerning the Parks Department bid.

VIENNA — The former 12th Street maintenance facility that was sold to Ohio Valley University for a clean water project is looking toward new owners once again, as discussed in Thursday morning’s city finance committee meeting.

The Ace Educational Foundation, which focuses on clean energy, has offered to pick up from where OVU is on the project and bring it forward to new research projects.

Mike O’Neal, the OVU chief operating officer, presented council with the proposal to research and discuss further at a city council meeting.

OVU would be signing over all property rights, and Ace would take up all payments, including OVU’s back payments on the site.

“Ace has a grant to build a greenhouse, which would bring in enough money to cover the lease within six months,” said O’Neal.

Craig Metz, Vienna Public Works director, will provide an aerial view of the site at a city council meeting this month so all boundaries are clearly defined.

In other business, Dwayne Fluty, Vienna’s building inspector and code enforcement officer, will be retiring in the near future, leaving Vienna without a certified commercial inspector.

“With the new regulations put in place by the state fire marshal, it makes obtaining the required certifications a lengthy task,” said Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp.

According to Rapp, while getting the state fire marshal or the International Code Council to do a property inspection is an option, it can add an extra 30 days to the approval period.

Council will discuss plans at a future city council meeting. Until then, some questions being researched and considered are:

* The net benefit to bringing in a certified inspector.

* If a city engineer position is the best option should it be full-time or part-time person.

* What the pay would be for this position.

Also, a bid approval for the management of Jackson Park Pool and Concessions went to Professional Pool Management for $8,400.

A revision was proposed to transfer $1,000 from the Park Fund to account for $1,000 cut from the Park Materials budget to pay for uniforms.

A revision was proposed to transfer $750 from the Recreation Fund into the Phone Budget.