Developer backs off street plan

MINSTER - An undeveloped portion of the village will remain that way for the time being.

Village council members on Tuesday accepted Argus Group's withdrawal of its request to install a street and replat and develop the land from East Fifth to East Seventh streets between North Hamilton and North Paris streets. The recommendation came from the streets committee.

Officials from Argus Group, Minster, made the request because the developers did not know how council members want to handle the project, council member Curt Albers said.

Company representatives had spoken to council members earlier this year about the project but council had taken no action. A replatting request must go before the planning commission, which would make a recommendation to full council, village administrator Don Harrod said.

The village is responsible for improvements along existing roadways but not the land within them, Harrod said after the meeting.

Council also heard an update from Harrod on progress toward possible installation of sidewalks along state Route 119 between state Route 66 and Canal 2 Road.

Harrod, Auglaize County Engineer Doug Reinhart, Minster Street Department Superintendent Gary Meyer and village council member Nicole Clune had inspected two storm tiles on the south side of the roadway. The group had discussed using a ditch petition to improve storm drainage in the area, Harrod said.

Reinhart had said he would take photos of the area and the tile and put together a preliminary cost estimate.

Choice One Engineering also is creating engineer recommendations for the proposed project, Harrod noted.

Village officials and Choice One representatives walked the area a few weeks ago and discussed potential drainage issues that may be encountered with installing sidewalks, potential location of a sidewalk and landscaping issues, Harrod said. He expects to have Choice One's recommendations soon.

Also Tuesday, village council members,

• after a 10-minute executive session promoted police officer Brian Drexler to sergeant. Drexler's pay will be $24.50 per hour, up from $21.54.

• approved separating $296,100 in the parks fund from the general fund.

• approved hiring Ralph Westerheide as a part-time lawn mower for the village at $8.25 per hour, Harrod said.

• learned an open house will be May 7 for the solar field on Minster-Fort Recovery Road and the battery storage site on North Ohio Street. Times have not yet been determined, Harrod said.

• heard equipment continues to be delivered to the wastewater treatment plant. Peterson Construction anticipates the last piece of equipment should arrive in a few weeks. The company anticipates the delay may postpone the startup date until the first week of May, Harrod said.

• heard village workers have installed two of three canopies at the Little League diamond complex at Four Seasons Park. The final canopy for Diamond 3 will be installed after the Minster girls softball season is complete, Harrod said.

• learned electrical workers and No-Ditch Boring have completed installing new pipe at Four Seasons Park and the compost facility so fiber lines for security cameras can be installed.

• learned public works crews soon will begin installing the rest of a concrete sidewalk along the east side of Oktoberfest Park. Sidewalks also will be installed leading up to the concrete pad on the south side of the park, Harrod said.

• learned village officials have begun ordering parts and materials to replace the water line underneath West Seventh Street. Work should begin sometime after the school year, Harrod said.