Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006

No new tower but grant to go for other local communication needs

By Timothy Cox
Mercer County will not be getting a needed communications tower in St. Henry, but still will reap the benefits of nearly $86,000 in grant money from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
County commissioners on Tuesday approved spending the money for several different projects, all of them communications-based. Commissioners acted on a recommendation from the county's terrorism task force, which oversees the federal grant money.
The money will be used to buy back-up electrical generators for communications systems in Celina and Coldwater. The Rockford Fire Department also will get an emergency generator and some radio equipment to improve radio communications in the Rockford-Mendon-Chattanooga areas. The county Emergency Medical Service will get 39 new pagers for its emergency squad responders,
Most of the electrical and communications equipment will be purchased locally. Paysen Electric, Celina, is supplying the generator for Celina at a cost of $20,950 and Reasner Energy, Coldwater, is supplying the generator for Rockford at a cost of $4,500. The Rockford generator is coming from Electrical Solutions, Coldwater, and McAfee Communications, Celina, is selling the county the pagers for about $14,400. J&K Communications, Columbia City, Ind., won the only contract by a non-local company. The company will supply the Rockford radio communications gear for $24,430.
The purchases scuttle a previous plan to build a new 200-foot communications antenna in St. Henry that would have improved countywide radio communications. County officials are facing a Sept. 30 deadline to have the grant money spent and did not believe the tower project could be completed by then.
County officials had tried to do the tower project but two bids received both far exceeded original estimates and there were other problems with the bidding process that forced commissioners to reject the proposals. The higher-than-expected bids exceeded the threshold for federal prevailing wage regulations, but the necessary paperwork for that was not included in the bid documents because county officials expected the bids to fall well below that level.
Commissioners had considered rebidding the project but eventually opted against that plan because of the time constraints.
Terrorism task force members approved the alternate projects because the equipment can be purchased before the grant deadline.
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WAPAKONETA - The rabbits were nervous, the dogs looked hungry.
It was a scene that appeared unstable, with chaos just around the corner. But except for a few loud barks, the small animal show went off without any fur flying at the Auglaize County Fair on Tuesday.
CHICKASAW - A planned sale of a 2.4-acre parcel of village-owned land on the northernmost-edge of town remains on hold as officials sort out the details of an EPA-mandated deed restriction on the property.
CHICKASAW - The town's sewer system - barely a year old - has suffered problems with a lift station in recent weeks and village officials are unsure of exactly how costly some equipment malfunctions might be.
A proposed annexation of land from Granville Township to the village of St. Henry that eventually will allow residents in the area to tap into the town's sewer system was given the go-ahead by Mercer County Commissioners.
ROCKFORD - Shanes Park will become home to Parkway's varsity and junior varsity girls softball teams and junior high baseball team next year.
Villa
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate a rash of thefts and breaking and enterings in the Montezuma area and landings along the southern shore of Grand Lake.
Interest is high in the Pirates Club North condominiums complex under construction in Celina on the shore of Grand Lake, the only four-story building in Mercer County, a local realtor said.
Celina International Associ- ation members are hosting 15 guests this week from Minamiawaji-shi, Japan.
The group, which includes three adult chaperones and 12 teenage students, arrived last Saturday just in time for Celina's annual Lake Festival Parade.