MINSTER – Approximately 20 people came to the Minster Village Council meeting Monday night to ask for answers concerning last week’s flooding of the Second Street Sanitary Sewer Project.

Village Administrator Don Harrod said following a storm which dumped 2 ½ inches of rain on the village in only a few hours, some residences along Frankfort and Second streets had 12 to 18 inches of sewage water in their basements.

“The project had dug down near the (Miami-Erie) canal,” he said, “and since the ground was already saturated by other recent rains, ground water was seeping into the construction project from the canal, causing flooding and sewer backups.”

Harrod also said Helms and Sons Excavating, the contractor on the project, had worked until 10 p.m. Thursday night before the storm hit to keep flooding from happening. He also said as the project moves farther away from the canal, flooding would be much less likely to happen.

Council advised residents to turn claims into the village of Minster, after they had first made a claim with their homeowner’s insurance.

In his report to council, Harrod said Helms and Sons Excavating continues to work on the Second Street project, having cored into the lift station and set the first manhole in the street next to the lift station. They will now begin installing the sanitary sewer down Second Street.

He also said work is continuing on the northwest electrical substation. All of the concrete has been poured for all of the footers and bases and the circuit switcher has been delivered. The switch house is expected to be delivered around the first of June.

He also reported that new bids for the water tower painting project are due back to the village on June 7, 2019. He said they have adjusted the engineer’s estimate to account for the total enclosure of the tower when painting.

Finally, he said the pool is ready to open on May 27, with the pool having been cleaned, and pumps and heaters replaced. Season tickets can still be purchased at the pool on the 22nd and 24th between 5:00 and 8:00 and then after the pool opens.

In other action, Council approved a second reading of an ordinance establishing a no parking zone on South Cleveland Street In Minster, Ohio. They also approved the April 2019 Income Tax Report of $657,000 as submitted by the City of St. Marys. April invoices totaled $283,806.67.

They also approved a motion to transfer the Community Lanes bowling alley liquor license to its new owners.