Mayor Rodney Metz said he intends to watch revenues and expenditures closely this year after Wapakoneta City Council members Monday approved an ordinance establishing temporary appropriations for 2009 until the city budget is approved in March. Marys Park Manager Craig Morton said the not-so-cold winters in the recent past have made ice fishing on the lake less likely and more dangerous. To check the ice thickness, Morton recommended using an ice auger, chipping bar or a similar device. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft recommended 4 inches as the minimum thickness to travel on foot, 5 inches as the minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs and 8 to 12 inches for cars and small trucks, according to its Web site. Ice fishermen also need to dress safely for the ice, the park manager said. Typical rescue equipment should include ice picks, rope, a floatation device and a pole to extend from a person in the water to the person on shore or from the person on shore to the person in the water. read more