MINSTER – It was agreed to purchase a new police cruiser at Tuesday night’s Minster Council meeting, but the group tabled a motion to purchase of a new device to examine sewer systems. Also, council heard from a resident about her concerns with water services to her home.

Council agreed to spend $45,392 for a 2020 Ford Charger for the police department from State Line Ford in Van Wert. The oldest of the four vehicles the department has will be taken out of service and will become a training vehicle.

Tabled was a proposal to purchase a $211,000 trailer-mounted camera system through Sourcewell, a cooperative government purchasing organization. The system would be used to inspect sewers owned by the village as well as the lateral lines coming from homes and businesses.

Village Administrator Don Harrod said the village had already appropriated $85,000 to purchase sewer inspection equipment but the extra capability to inspect lateral lines had raised the price.

Council agreed to have a representative of the company come to the September council meeting to further explain the functions of the inspection equipment. In anticipation of possibly purchasing the equipment, the council agreed to transfer $126,000 into the public works department budget.

Harrod said it is expected other municipalities may want to rent use of this advanced equipment which would help defray the expenses.

Council also heard from resident Kathleen Bollenbacher about problems with recent water line breakage along Fort Recover/Minster Road. Harrod said they planned to place new plastic water line back to Ohio Street before cold weather came in to deal with the aging water lines.

A decision was made by council to fund the three-year Efficiency Smart program for the remainder of 2019. Harrod said the company had made good on their guarantee to reduce mega-watt usage by 150 percent. For example, he said, Precision Strip reduced their usage by 745 mega-watt hours in a one-year period through this program. Harrod said these reductions allow the village to keep usage lower, so that the village does not have to go out of market, paying higher rates.

In his report to council, Harrod said contractor Helms and Sons Excavating continues to make good progress on the Second Street project. Most of the work on the underground utilities between Frankfort street and Lincoln Street has been completed. This week, they are expected to begin preparing the street between Frankfort and Lincoln for curb and gutter.

He also said Buehler Asphalt will be returning to pave the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets the week of Sept. 16. They are expected to grind the intersection on Sept. 16 and pave on Sept. 17.

Late Thursday afternoon, Aug. 8, high winds went through the community knocking several tree limbs into wires causing several power outages throughout the community. In addition, a large number of trees and tree limbs came down. Harrod said village crews were out the following days picking up brush that had fallen in the community. The village had some minor damage at the Four Seasons Park. A couple of bleachers were moved by the wind and a couple of backstop poles on Diamond Five were slightly bent.

He also said the pool will be open until Labor Day when it officially closes for the season. It was anticipated there will be enough lifeguards the last few weeks to keep the pool open most of its normal operating hours.

Finally, he said Baumer Construction has begun work on replacing the roof at the gazebo in the Minster Machine Centennial Park. The old roof has been removed and new sheeting and shingles are being installed. In addition, Baumer will replace some rotting railings around the gazebo.

In other business, council approved a third and final reading of a resolution to approve the Auglaize County Solid Waste Management District’s Amended Draft Solid Waste Management Plan.

Further, they agreed to a second reading of an ordinance amending a compensation agreement associated with the Dannon Enterprise Zone Agreement dated July 27, 2018.

Council approved July receipts of $1,767,096.33 and invoices: $748,425.17. Harrod that income tax receipts in July were $253,084 and the year’s total thus far was $2,484,086.