MINSTER – Minster Village Council approved a big financial commitment toward the upkeep of the village’s water quality at their meeting Tuesday, July 5.

Council approved a motion to seek bids for replacing the sand filter media at the water treatment facility. Village Administrator Don Harrod said the cost will be around $200,000. He added it has not been replaced since plant built in 2005-06.

Council also approved a motion to seek bids for the replacement of the reverse osmosis membranes at the water treatment facility at an estimated cost of $400,000. Harrod said the membranes, replaced six and a half years ago, were prone to wear out sooner than the sand filter.

Harrod said after the meeting that both the sand filter and membrane replacements were part of this year’s village budget.

In regards to the village’s continued efforts to control total dissolved solids (TDS) and total phosphorus (TP) in the wastewater plant’s discharge, Harrod shared two approaches.

He said NWS Service has completed the drilling of test wells to determine if they can be used to resolve the TDS issues at the waste water treatment facility. Of the four wells drilled, he said one looks promising and they are beginning to prepare that well to conduct the required step test to determine flow rates and chemical composition of the water.

He also received Council’s approval of a motion to enter into a contract with CDM Smith to determine acceptable levels of TDS and TP at the waste water treatment facility.

In other action, council approved the third and final reading of an ordinance authorizing annexation of the Harold and Diane Reithman one-acre property on State Route 119 from Jackson Township.

Council also approved an $8987 Duncan and Allen invoice for legal services. According to Harrod, the trial, which involves a lawsuit against the village by a solar company that saw its contract canceled, has been delayed from mid-August until sometime in September 2022.

The village administrator updated council on several projects.

He said Pleiman Landscaping had completed the seeding of east Seventh Street last week and the street was reopened on Thursday, June 30. There is one manhole at the intersection of Seventh and Main that needs the concrete ring around the manhole adjusted. The village has scheduled Mr. Manhole to come in and do to this work. He reminded council Seventh Street will continue to be closed east of Hamilton Street until the next phase of the Seventh/Paris Street project is completed.

Choice One Engineering is setting up a pre-construction meeting for the $1 million Dues Ditch storm water project. It is expected this meeting will happen in the next week or so.

CDM Smith has set up a July 12 pre-construction meeting with contractor Landmark Structures for the $5 million dollar water tower project. The new water tower will replace the aging tower on Ohio Street with a new 1.25 million gallon tower located on Seventh Street by the village compost area.

He said Buehler Asphalt has begun the $284,650 minor street resurfacing contract. They have completed the driving lanes of Fourth Street and a portion of Fifth Street. The streets to be resurfaced include Ohio Street from Sixth Street to Seventh Street, Jefferson Street from Third Street to Calvary Chapel Baptist Church, Fifth Street from Main Street to Hanover Street, Fourth Street from Garfield Street to Paris Street and Seventh Street from the railroad tracks to Cleveland Street.

He added the contractor was having trouble getting asphalt from the manufacturer, so this has slowed the process down. The contractor told Harrod they will be in this week to finish the resurfacing.

The electric department will begin installing the conduit and wire for the east tennis court lights at the Seventh Street Community Park. Once this work is completed the surface will be re-installed.

He said the village will be conducting its annual lead and copper testing as required by the Ohio EPA. Letters have been sent to property owners who participate in this testing and bottles for the water samples will be sent out later this month.

Choice One Engineering is nearing completion of the design for the next phase of the Seventh Street Renovation Project that includes the reconstruction of North Paris Street. He said they have reviewed the preliminary design and have made comments back to Choice One. The village will need to conduct a public hearing which is hoped to have either before or after the next council meeting on the 19. He said he will have a resolution of necessity for council to consider at that meeting as well.

Finally, in other action, council approved receipts to the village of $22,953.16 and invoices of $681,754.91.