MINSTER – Minster Council approved a new account to receive federal funding and a new police officer was sworn in at their Monday, Sept. 28, meeting. Also, the date for Trick Or Treat 2021 was set and new sidewalks are coming for state Route 119.
Council approved an account to receive $147,000 in American Rescue Plan funding. Village Administrator Don Harold said another $147,000 would come into the account in 2022. All the funding is to be spent on water and wastewater utilities by the end of 2024.
Derek P. Siefring started working as a part time police officer Tuesday after being was sworn in at the Monday meeting. He will be paid $16.50 per hour. Celina native Siefring trained at the Wright State Police Academy.
Trick or Treat will be held for all the little ghouls and princesses on Oct. 28 from 6:30 to 8 pm.
New sidewalks are planned for statte Route 119 West following a report from the council sidewalk committee. It was agreed to place the project on the council’s Oct. 19 agenda.
In other action, council approved $341,332.31 in August 2021 income tax. Harrod said the total to date for income tax revenue was $3,104,769.32.
Also approved was payment of a $86,825 invoice from Duncan and Allen for charges through August. The law firm is involved in a lawsuit against the Village of Minster over a solar field contract that was canceled by the Village in late 2019.
Invoices approved by council amounted to $ 1,095,720.11.
In his report to council, Harrod said the 2020 census numbers had the village population at 3046, up by 156 from the 2010 census.
A pre-construction meeting is scheduled for Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. for the $1,231,760 Seventh Street Reconstruction Project between Main and Hamilton streets. At that time, the village and the contractor will discuss the project and determine when the contractor plans to start on the work.
The grant application for the Seventh Street/Paris Street Project is ready to be submitted to the County and the Ohio Public Works Commission. Deadline to submit the grant application is Oct. 5.
He said the Public Works Department has started the annual testing of the village’s fire hydrants. Currently, the department has completed testing about seventy-five percent of the hydrants. They should wrap up testing in the next couple of weeks.
The area around the little league concession stand at the Four Seasons Park has been excavated and made ready for concrete. Contractor Homan and Stucke is expected to be in shortly to begin pouring the concrete around the concession stand. In addition, crews have installed spouting around the concession stand and some downspouts were rerouted to deal with storm water that comes off the building
The Electric Department continues to work on replacing direct buried lines throughout the village. Currently they are replacing the lines around the condominiums at the corner of Fifth and Hanover Streets.
Work continues to be done on the cold storage building out at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The new roof and siding are currently being installed.
Finally, he said Barrett Paving has been in the village and has milled off all of the streets that are scheduled for repaving as part of the minor street resurfacing project. Although hampered by rainy weather, the work will be completed by next weekend.
