MINSTER – Minster Council met Tuesday, April 1,9 to hear about the ongoing branding survey in the village as well as approve seeking bids for the 2022 street resurfacing project.
Council member Craig Sherman, who heads the council’s branding committee, said the village has received 133 responses to the 500 branding surveys sent out by Miami University. He said he was a bit disappointed the university had decided to do a random survey of 500 households, rather than send surveys to all 1,200 households in the village.
Village Administrator Don Harrod and other council members said the current response rate was 25%, which was good, but it was hoped Miami would eventually send surveys to all households. The survey is intended to receive resident feedback about where village development should go for the next several years.
Council approved a motion to seek bids for the 2022 minor street resurfacing program, which is estimated will cost $299,700. Harrod said the streets to be resurfaced include Ohio Street from Sixth Street to Seventh Street, Jefferson Street from Third Street to Calvary Chapel Baptist Church, Fifth Street from Main Street to Hanover Street, Fourth Street from Garfield Street to Paris Street and Seventh Street from the railroad tracks to Cleveland Street.
Harrod said council will be asked at their May 3 meeting to approve seeking bids on the Dues Ditch storm sewer reconstruction project. The estimated cost of the improvement is approximately $1 million. The village has been awarded $235,000 in Ohio Public Works Commission (State Issue I) grant money to help defray the cost. The project would alleviate flooding during heavy storms at the intersection of Seventh Street and Line Drive.
He said work on the $1,231,760 Seventh Street reconstruction project between Main and Hamilton streets is progressing well. Utility installation has been completed this week and excavation of the street is beginning.
The water tower bids were opened April 20. Harrod said the bid opening was delayed by a week by engineer firm CDM Smith based upon feedback from some of the bidders. The cost to replace the old water town on Ohio Street is estimated will cost $3.75 million. Late last year, the Ohio BUILDS state program awarded a $2.5 million grant to the village to help pay for the project.
The village administrator said studies continues to find a way to sufficiently dilute the total dissolved solids coming from the village’s water treatment facility. The village administrator said National Water Service will be in the village within the next couple of weeks to begin drilling new test wells near the waste water treatment facility to determine if a viable source of water can be located.
In other action, council approved March income taxes in the amount of $287,187.02, bringing the year to date total of $900,160.12. Also approved were March receipts of $1,421,435.86 and invoices of $671,693.86.
Council approved Harrod’s request to hire 15 seasonal employees. He said they are in need of a minimum of 30 to manage the pool and parks. Applications can be obtained at the Village offices and should be returned to the village by the end of April.
Council then moved to enter into executive session to discuss the hiring of personnel. No action was taken when they reconvened.
