MINSTER – At their Tuesday night meeting, the Minster Village Council awarded a contract to reconstruct a section of Seventh Street and discussed filling a deputy clerk vacancy.
Village Administrator Don Harrod said a $1,231,760 Seventh Street reconstruction bid from Brumbaugh Construction of Arcanum was the best and lowest for the reconstruction of a section of Seventh Street between Main and Hamilton Streets. He added, of the seven bids submitted, the highest was by VTF Excavation of Celina, which was $1,553,953. Estimated cost prior to bidding was $1,533,943.
Harrod said they hope to begin the project this fall, with plans to hold a pre-construction meeting in the next week or so. He added the biggest concern is getting construction supplies on time in a very tight market.
In related news, council approved a resolution authorizing the village administrator to submit a $499,000 Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement Programs grant application. If awarded, the money would go toward work on Seventh and Paris Streets. Harrod said they would also apply for a zero percent loan for the project. Total requested would be $1,143,000.
With the approaching retirement of Deputy Clerk Kyle Gusching on Oct. 1, 2021, Harrod said they are currently interviewing in-house for a replacement. He added that should none by found among current employees, the position would be advertised to the public on their website and in local newspapers. Gusching is retiring with 29 years of service.
In other employment action, council agreed to hire Luke Lazier as an employee with the public works department at a rate of $16.75 per hour.
In other news, AirBNB owner Vincent Cartwright asked council to review his commercial electrical rate charges. Harrod said they would their contact the village’s rate consultant John Courtney and Associates.
In his report to council, Harrod said the village had sold the old water/waste water department backhoe for $28,300 through GovDeals.com.
He also said AMP and the Prairie State participants continue to monitor the legislative process in the State of Illinois as it relates to a proposed energy bill that requires either a 100% carbon capture within 20 years or shutdown.
ODOT has told Harrod that they will be paving State Route 119 east from the east Minster Corporation line until the county line. Work should begin sometime within the next week or so.
Harrod said the Public Works Department have not finished painting cross walks and other street markings within the village due to a shortage of street paint. They are waiting on an order from Sherwin Williams.
Choice One Engineering continues to work on the engineering plans for the Dues Ditch project, most recently on design of a retention pond that would go at the corner by the compost area. Once completed, the plan will be presented to the council.
Finally, he said the Parks Department is preparing the municipal pool for winter since it closed Aug. 24.
In other action, council approved a resolution accepting $78,439.50 as part of the distribution of Local Government Funds as proposed by the Auglaize County Budget Commission. They also approved a motion to receive $232,110.71 for the July 2021 Income Tax Report as submitted by the City of St. Marys. Harrod said the year to date total of the latter is $2,763,437.
Council also approved village receipts of $2,981,574 and invoices of $ 1,238,830.90.
They then adjourned to executive session to discuss personnel, but no action was taken when they came back into open session.
