MINSTER – Water tower troubles and playground equipment improvements were part of the Minster Council meeting Tuesday night.

Minster residents Kim Wiford and Jamie Mummey received council approval to raise funds for improvements to the Paris Street Park Playground that would include accessible equipment. The two estimated it would take 2-3 years to raise the estimated $600,000 needed.

In his report to council, Village Administrator Don Harrod said the Ohio Street water tower developed a second small leak December 26th.

“The leak was located lower on the standpipe then the first leak,” said Harrod, “which allowed village employees to reach the leak with the bucket truck and drive a lag bolt into the hole and reduce the flow from the leak.”

He said the following Thursday, WorldwideTechnologies were able to weld a permanent patch which stopped the flow completely.

The Ohio Street water tower is up for replacement and he said CDM Smith has completed the water modeling study and have prepared a preliminary design report for the new water tower. He added he plans to discuss the Smith report with the entire council at their next meeting.

Harrod also reported the second phase of the solar field was placed in commercial operation by Vaughn’s and Eitri Foundry. He added that while not all the panels were in operating mode, the field was producing electric. Over the next week or so, all of the panels will be put in operating mode. He thanked Eitri and Vaughn’s for the hard work that they put in to assure that the solar field was producing electric before the end of 2020.

Electric crews have energized the transformer at the new substation. Crews are working on getting relays set and control wire pulled. He felt it the substation should be in service soon.

The public works department and Paulus Construction continue to install a sanitary sewer line from Eagle Drive to Seventh Street adjacent to State Route 66. The line would be used as an outlet for new storm sewer lines that would be installed when Seventh Street is improved. Due to potential development in that area, he said they decided that it was in the best interest for the village to get this section installed prior to that development.

In other business, council approved an ordinance to accept a bid of $72,000 from Minster Concrete Coatings to install a poured-in-place rubber surface under the playground equipment at the Four Seasons Park. Work is expected to start in early Spring.

As part of organizational work for the new year, several actions were taken.

Tom Herkenoff was named as new council president. Don Harrod and Mayor Dennis Kitzmiller were appointed as representatives to the Auglaize Regional Planning Commission. Tree Commission delegates are Kellen Mescher and Ryan Giese. Western Ohio Rail Authority council representative is Steve Dircksen. Nicole Clune and Craig Oldiges were appointed council representatives to the Volunteer Fire Fighters’ Dependent Fund.

The December 2020 income tax totaled $339,701.91. For the year, a total of $4,048,195.91 came into the Village, which is approximately $63,000 less than income in 2019.

Council approved receipts of $1,313,618.53 and payment of invoices totaling $ 1,276,526.81

Approved was final reading of an ordinance updating revisions to the Village of Minster zoning map taking into account newly annexed property.