Readers inquired about local officials' recent trip to Chandler, Arizona to view the Intel Corporation development there, as well as feral cats, trees and tire recycling.

Please keep the questions coming and I’ll answer them as I can. It could be about government, business, development, transportation, jobs or just about anything in Licking County. So, please send me an email. Details are at the bottom of this column.

Question #1: Mark Ellis, of Liberty Township in Knox County, asked who paid for public officials' recent trip to see the Intel Corporation operation in Chandler, Arizona. Intel plans to build a $20 billion computer chip manufacturing facility south of Johnstown in Licking County.

There were about 20 people on the recent trip, most from Licking County. Heath Mayor Mark Johns said the city of Heath paid for his trip. Rick Platt, president and CEO of the Heath–Newark–Licking County Port Authority, said the Port Authority paid for his trip.

Licking County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer McDonald said the chamber paid for her trip and Vice-President Brittany Misner's, but not the chamber board members. Andrew Guanciale, real estate agent with Guanciale Group of Coldwell Banker and a member of the chamber's Government Affairs Committee, said he paid for his own trip.

Johnstown Mayor Chip Dutcher said, "I personally paid for my flight and hotel room, and a couple of meals. The city of Chandler hosted a box lunch at city hall and Intel hosted a meal for everyone on the trip, as well as Maricopa County and city of Chandler officials, at a local restaurant."

Alexis Fitzsimmons, director of Grow Licking County, said the cost of her trip was split because it was part business and part personal to pick up her daughter from the University of Arizona in Tucson. She paid for the plane ticket and GLC paid for the hotel room. 

State Sen. Jay Hottinger said his campaign account paid for his trip. Monroe Township Trustee Troy Hendren paid for his own trip.

Question #2: Butch Conrad, of Utica, asked if the comment Licking County Prosecutor Bill Hayes made about having an open season on feral cats had anything to do with his loss to Rick Black in the May 3 Republican primary election for Licking County Commissioner.

Conrad said he saw many people in Utica remove their yard signs for Hayes after his comment in response to a question at a candidate forum asking what should be done to address the county's feral cat problem.

Both candidates seemed to think it affected the vote totals somewhat. Black, who said he supports the spay and neuter program, said he heard from some people it did change votes.

Hayes said after the election, "I'll always wonder if my fumble with the cats was a problem or not. I can't tell you what people are thinking, but I'm pretty certain a lot of people are upset. It really wasn't my intention to offend anyone."

In Utica, 174 voted in the commissioner race. Black received 103 votes, (94 on Election Day and nine absentees) and Hayes received 71 votes (67 on Election Day and four absentees). Who knows what the results would have been without Hayes' comment.

Question #3: Sally Davis asked why trees were removed along property that borders Ohio 16. She said it seemed to be a nice border protecting neighborhoods from highway noise and sights.

Morgan Overbey, public information officer for Ohio Department of Transportation District 5, said the trees were removed in connection with the Ohio 661 bridge expansion project over Ohio 16. ODOT removed the trees to install new right-of-way fencing.

"It was part of the project to put in right-of-way fencing," Overbey said. "The fences help separate the local road from the highway."

Question #4: A Purity Road resident in northeastern Licking County asked about people dumping old tires along the road onto his property. He said he has collected about 100 tires and doesn't think it's fair to charge him the per tire fee, when they aren't even his tires.

Licking County Recycling Director Andrea Krava said the county is not involved in tire recycling except for periodic grant-funded tire collection days. There are no such days planned and there are no tire recycling facilities in Licking County. And, it is illegal for a non-tire recycler to transport more than 10 tires at a time.

Krava said disposal of tires is the responsibility of the property owner no matter how they got there. She said anybody with more than 100 tires could fill out an Ohio EPA scrap tire removal and cleanup application form for citizens and business. For more information, call the Ohio EPA Division of Materials and Waste Management at 740-899-6227.

The closest recyclers are Tyrex Resources in Zanesville and Liberty Tire in Grove City. Tyrex can be reached at 740-605-6984, and Liberty at 614-871-9097. The fees pay for transportation to a licensed recycler and maintenance of tire recycling machinery.

Residents could also call their local township, city or village government to see if they would pick up tires.

Economic statistic of the month: The total volume of sold homes in Licking County through four months was $220,078,195. That's a 21% increase from last year and a 51% increase from two years ago.

Quote of the month: "I didn't know wind could feel like that. It was my 'welcome to Ohio' moment." -- Jim Evers, the Intel vice president and factory manager and lifelong Arizona resident, on his first visit to central Ohio on a cold winter day.

This month in history: On May 23, 2012, the 5-year-old statewide smoking ban survived an appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court, which ruled unanimously the ban was constitutional.

Have a question? Send it to: kmallett@newarkadvocate.com