4 • The Beacon May 11 , 2023
Dedication ceremony was held for new riverside memorial
By Josie Sellers
Delores Ferrell said her late husband would be very proud of Skip ’ s Landing on County Road 1A , which now stands at the site of his former business , Skip ’ s Refuse Service .
When her husband Charles “ Skip ” Ferrell passed away , she reached out to the county to see if they would be interested in the property . The Coshocton County commissioners jumped at the opportunity , and with the help of many others , they created Skip ’ s Landing , a place for people to have picnics with river access .
“ It ’ s an honor to dedicate this ,” said Dane Shryock , chairman of the board of the Coshocton County commissioners . “ Thank you to all who showed up today .”
The dedication ceremony was held May 2 and attended by city and county officials , those who helped provide funding , and Skip ’ s family and friends . The tent put up for the event was full of people , despite the rain and cooler temperatures .
One of the individuals who helped secure funding was retired Sen . Jay Hottinger .
“ It ’ s great to be here with you today ,” he said . “ The number of people who came out today shows how important this is to the community . Helping with this was an easy sale for me . Dane and Gary ( Fischer ) would often bring me out here and talk to me about their vision . People are yearning for outdoor activities , and this is a great asset .”
Shryock said they have been working hard on cleaning up the County Road 1A entrance to the city of Coshocton .
“ Nine-thousand cars a day , give or take , come through here ,” he said .
Helping with the plans for the area were Coshocton County engineer Fred Wachtel and deputy county engineer Josh Kempf .
“ I grew up in Millcreek Township , and when I was learning how to drive , we would go to town this way ,” Wachtel said . “ When I became county engineer in 1993 , the bridge had been closed and our alternatives into town were limited . In 2003 we were able to get the new bridge and open this area up . Since then we ’ ve looked at the flooding issues here , bought other properties and continued the transformation .”
Kempf said he was proud to be part of the project .
“ It ’ s outside of the realm of what we normally do at the engineer ’ s office ,” he said . “ I ’ m really happy with what we were able to do and hope we continue the trend here .”
Also speaking at the ceremony was Skip ’ s daughter Jandi Smailes of Coshocton . She said she was in junior high when her dad decided to open his own business .
“ He always told me he wanted to open his own business ,” Smailes said . “ After 39 years he was a pretty successful businessman . I know Dad is looking down today and very proud of all this . He was not afraid of hard work and had a work ethic like no other man I ’ ve known .”
Plans are being made for a shelter to be built over one of the picnic tables at Skip ’ s Landing , the Eagles reached out about donating a flag and flagpole , and the Coshocton County Maintenance Department does upkeep on the area and maintains the trash cans there . The Coshocton County Farmers Market also started its season there on May 6 . Vendors will be set up on Saturdays from 8:30 a . m . to noon .
Josie Sellers Speaking at the ceremony was Skip Ferrell ’ s daughter Jandi Smailes .
Special thanks for the Skip ’ s Landing project were given to the Robert Simpson family , the Coshocton Foundation , Coshocton Port Authority , Coshocton Is Blooming , William Albert Excavating , AEP Ohio - Coshocton , Phillip A . Wagner Inc ., Dave Kridler , Mike Gross , Jim Brown - CASCO , the Coshocton County Career Center , Coshocton County Engineer ’ s Office , the Coshocton County IT Department , Tuscarawas Township and the commissioners ’ staff .
Benches were donated and sponsored by Conesville Elementary , Crozier Welding , Girl Scout Troop 669 , Coshocton Kraft employees , This N That 4-H Club , Three Rivers Firefighters Association , Millfork Valley 4-H Club , Fortune Boot Shop , Kehl ’ s Body Shop and Berlin Antique Mall .
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After 39 years he was a pretty successful businessman . I know Dad is looking down today and very proud of all this . He was not afraid of hard work and had a work ethic like no other man I ’ ve known .”
Jandi Smailes
A ribbon cutting was held at Skip ’ s Landing on May 2 . Family , friends , county and city officials and donors attended the event .
Josie Sellers