Tuesday, May 12th, 2015
New Bremen may save on water project
By David Giesige
NEW BREMEN - New Bremen officials could save $600,000 by using village employees rather than contractors to upgrade its well field, council members learned at Monday's meeting.
Using village employees should lower the estimated $1 million cost to $400,000, village administrator Wayne York said.
"We will be using a lot of our own manpower, which might mean we won't even have to go out for a loan for this project," he said.
The project will connect the new well field on West Tri Township Road to the water treatment plant. The village will bore and install the pipes necessary for the project. York said the village will subcontract some work.
Council members empowered York to pay Culy Utilities, Middletown, up to $50,000 for boring services and to purchase up to $50,000 worth of gravel and sand from Al Broerman Trucking, New Bremen, for the project.
York was also authorized to pay HD Supply Waterworks, Tipp City, up to $50,000 for steel casing and pipe fittings for the project.
The project is one of the village's top priorities for the coming year.
"New Bremen currently has almost no water reserves in the summer," York said. "Three out of the past six years, we have had to issue water use advisories. We need to upgrade our water well capacity."
Work on the project should begin in June and continue through August, he added.
In other business, council members,
• approved transfers from the income tax fund to the general, street construction, parks, pool and lockkeeper's funds.
Council transferred $575,000 to the general fund, an amount slightly higher than usual due to the hiring of an additional police officer and the upcoming hiring of an assistant village administrator.
Council transferred $175,000 to the street construction fund, $125,000 to the parks fund, $75,000 to the pool fund and $5,000 to the lockkeeper's fund.
• learned from mayor Jeff Pape that the Komminsk Legacy Park groundbreaking ceremony will be held June 7.
• hear from Pape that June 6 will mark the grand opening of the towpath.
• asked residents walking dogs on village property to clean up after the animals.
• announced the dog park next to Bunker Hill Park will open soon. The park will have benches, a waste receptacle and gloves. A waterline must be connected before the opening.
• learned a New Bremen Eagle Scout will oversee construction of three stone benches along the towpath, which is owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
