MINSTER – The plans for a renovated police station moved forward with a vote by the Minster Village Council at their meeting Tuesday night.
Council approved a measure to enter into an agreement with Garmann Miller of Minster for design work for renovations and expansion to the police department, located at 126 W. Fourth St. in the village.
Village Administrator Don Harrod said the new project, which is budgeted for $1.1 million, will begin with meetings with Garmann Miller as well as visits to other police departments to gather ideas on about their designs.
Council also had their third and final reading of a resolution to improve Seventh Street from Hamilton Street to the corporation limit and the north part of Paris Street from Seventh Street to a distance of approximately 900 feet south in the village.
The project includes assessing residents within the work area for the costs of new sidewalks, curbs and pavement. Harrod said they did not have figures yet on how much each property owner would owe.
In his report to council, the village administrator said Landmark Structures continues to work on the base of the new water tower. The contractor has excavated the area for the base of the tower and have placed the mud mat down. He said at this point, the contractor is working on installing the necessary rebar for the foundation. The foundation is expected to be poured this week.
On the Dues Ditch project, contractor R.D. Jones continues to move dirt for the project and are currently working in the retention pond area. While working they encountered a sand vein towards the bottom of the basin. He said they are trying to empty the basin of water and will then make a determination on how to proceed. It is anticipated that R.D. Jones will wrap up the excavation part of the project sometime this week.
The pump test of the test well for dilution of total dissolved solids has finished. Harrod said his office is waiting on the final report from National Water Service and the test results of the water analysis from Alloway. Once both these items of information are received the village will send them to CDM Smith to evaluate and make a determination if the well will be suitable.
Contractor Homan and Stucke is expected to start on the east tennis court at the Seventh Street Community Park at any time. The electric department has installed the pole bases and pulled in wire for the new LED lights that will be installed as part of the project. Once Homan and Stucke are finished, the village will have the surface coated.
Harrod said with completion of the East Seventh Street Project Phase I the village will begin preparing the final assessment for the project. Once completed, the village will be sending assessment bills to those property owners along east Seventh Street.
The pump in well No. 9 at the Luedke Farm has failed and the village administrator said they had the pump pulled and are waiting on a replacement spool piece so the well back in service.
Within the next week or so, the village will be removing several trees along Fourth Street that have died or are dying. They intend to replace these trees once the old ones are removed.
He said his department opened bids for both the membrane replacement and the sand filter water treatment plant rehab project last week and have been given to CDM Smith for review. He expects to have a recommendation to council at the next meeting.
Council also approved a motion to authorize the village to dispose of excess equipment from various departments including a dump truck, zero turn mower and other equipment, now that new equipment has been purchased. The equipment will be posted for sale on a state sponsored sale site.
Harrod said the July 2022 income tax report was $387,530.99 for a year-to-date total of $2,733,917.96.
Finally, receipts for the village in July were $ 2,138,504.51 and invoices were $723,740.92.
Council then went into executive session to discuss the sale of land. No action was taken when the returned to regular session.
