NEW BREMEN — At their meeting earlier this month, the New Bremen Village Council moved forward on plans to add a turn lane off state Route 274 in front of Crown Equipment’s Plant Four.

Council approved a first reading of an ordinance approving $62,000 for Choice One Engineering to create the plans to build the 274 turn lane. Council also approved a second reading of a resolution accepting $385,000 in 629 grant funds from the Ohio Development Services. The money would be used to build the same 274 turn lane.

Council tabled an ordinance approving a plan to build a third electrical substation. Also tabled was a third reading of an ordinance seeking engineering for a third electrical substation. Mayor Jeff Pape said there were only two applications showing qualifications to build the facility, one that was too late to meet the deadline.

Approved was a first reading of an ordinance to amend two areas of the employee handbook. The first area included changes to performance evaluations and the second was concerning credit cards policy. Fiscal officer Amy Speelman said the credit card policy change was in response to HB 312 that requires certain employees with purchasing power to have individual credit cards with a $1,500 limit. The past policy involved using one card.

Council also approved a second reading of an ordinance renewing employee insurance with Anthem Medical Insurance though Stolle Insurance.

In his report to council, Pape reminded everyone that the annual village garage sale was set for April 12, 13, and 14. Also, he said village clean-up day is May 11, from 8 to 11 a.m., at the village recycling building. He also reported that the March fines, fees, and forfeitures totaled $1,082.