MINSTER — At their meeting Tuesday, March 19, Minster Village Council agreed to purchase 120 acres of land for future development.
Village Administrator Don Harrod said the village is buying the tract from Berger Family Farms Limited. Located east of town, off state Route 119, the cost is $12,000 per acre.
Harrod said there are no current plans for development of the land as an industrial park. Instead, they may opt to use the land for future trade purposes.
In other action, the council accepted the low bid of $535,448 from Buehler Asphalt Paving Inc., of St. Marys, for the 2019 minor street resurfacing project. The project will include paving on Ohio Street, between Second and Fifth Streets, and on Seventh Street, between Hanover and Main, as well as paving of the Minster High School parking lots.
The village share of this project is $173,103 and the school will pay $362,345.
Council also approved the purchase of a new $105,622 CAT backhoe for the Public Works Department. The State Purchasing program was used to buy the unit.
Harrod said the appropriations budget for this purchase was $110,000. This purchase replaces a 2005 model which will be sold at auction.
Plans for new pickleball courts moved forward when council approved acceptance of a $160,000 Capital Improvement Community Park and Recreation Pass Through Grant Agreement with the State of Ohio. The project is slated to be completed by June 30 of this year.
Bids will go out now that the council approved the seeking of bids to repaint the water tower on Ohio Street. Harrod said the tower was last painted in 2005. The budget appropriation for this project is $75,000.
Tabled indefinitely was an ordinance to revise the village’s credit card policy. Harrod said it was decided that this action, recommended by the State Legislature, was a violation of Home Rule.
In his report to the council, Harrod said Regal Plumbing would start the replacement of the heater at the pool within the next couple of weeks. He said the new heater should be in operation prior to the start of the new pool season.
In other news, as of April 1, 2019, he said the village will no longer accept concrete or bricks at the compost facility. Due to the increasing cost of renting a crusher, it has become cost prohibitive to continue to process this material.
The village will still need to dispose of concrete that is collected from our various projects, concrete from the general public or contractors will not be accepted.
Harrod reported that all electrical department service trucks had passed their yearly dielectrical testing this past week with minor problems, which have been scheduled for repairs.
The electric department continues to work in the right of way east of Hamilton Street and west of Webster Street. The department is relocating wires so that the Public Works Department can begin to cut in the alley in preparation for laying gravel in the right of way to create a drive-able alley.
Harrod said Mike Hastings from Half Moon Power has said the village should be receiving a start date for the construction of the second phase of solar and batteries within the next two weeks. Half Moon power is finalizing all the documents with their investors.
February village invoices were $194,565.75 and receipts were $1,116,653.37.
