Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

Village sewer project gets started

Coldwater

By Georgia Rindler
COLDWATER - Work on the village's sewer overflow elimination project has begun.
Shinn Brothers Inc. of Celina, was hired for the $1.6 million project, village administrator/engineer Eric Thomas told council members at Monday's meeting.
Council had accepted the project bid last summer. The village has received an Ohio Public Works small governments grant for $500,000 and a $510,000 no-interest loan. The remainder of the cost will come from the village's sanitary sewer fund.
Officials are under Ohio Environmental Protection Agency orders to separate the storm sewers from the sanitary sewer system to prevent raw sewage from being washed into Coldwater and Hardin creeks.
"It will be touch and go, weather-wise," Thomas added. "They are setting some lift stations."
Village officials obtained an easement agreement so they wouldn't have to purchase any ground for the project.
In other action, council recognized resident Don Desch for his work on the village tree commission from 2009-2016. Mayor Joe Knapschaefer presented him with a plaque for his service.
"As part of the Jim Sowar/Don Desch team, he was there from Day 1," Knapschaefer said.
Desch has reached his two-term limit and will be replaced by Rick Muhlenkamp.
   Finance director Jason Eyink reported total revenue for 2016 was $1.8 million, up from $1.63 million in 2015. He told council members he did not receive any auction bids for the 1996 dump truck with plow blade at a reserve minimum bid of $10,000. He requested permission to lower the reserve to $7,500. Council approved the change.
   A citizen has requested the pedestrian cross signals be retrofitted with audio for those with vision impairment, Thomas said. This should be discussed by the transportation committee. The equipment could be included with the Ohio Department of Transportation enhancement grant for the installation of new signals at the intersection of West Vine and North Second streets.
   Council set a transportation committee meeting for 7 p.m. Monday to discuss the issue.
   Members further discussed whether to relocate the center line on South Second Street. This would result in a loss of parking on both sides of the street where the road narrows. The changes would start at the alley just south of the Eagles lodge and run to the southern corporation line.
When a new water line was installed, the project engineer asked if village officials were considering moving the lane line to the center of the road, Thomas said. The street will be paved this spring and the line could be moved at that time.
Affected residents were sent letters in October informing them of a transportation committee meeting, where this was to be discussed. Nine residents and property owners attended. Those who signed in at that meeting will be mailed notices of the Jan. 16 meeting, which will be held in council chambers. All committee and council meetings are open to the public.
In other action, council members,
• elected Ralph Schwieterman as council president.
• appointed Doug Bertke to the tree commission.
• appointed Kevin Brunswick to the planning commission.
• appointed Schwieterman to the board of appeals.
Additional online story on this date
Fanning Howey to design new building
CELINA - A local architectural firm has been hired to design the new Tri Star Career Compact facility.
Fanning Howey Associates of Celina was named [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - Residents soon could be able to pay their income tax bills online with a credit or debit card or through their electronic checking or savings accounts.
NEW BREMEN - Village officials learned at Monday's council meeting that income tax revenue is increasing.
Mayor Jeff Pape announced the income tax revenue for 2016 was $4.28 million, which represents a 13.19 percent increase over the previous year.
St. Henry
ST. HENRY - Village council members at Monday's meeting officially closed the books on 2016 and started action on 2017.
"I'd like to take this time
Minster schools
MINSTER - School district officials are considering renting out the home at the recently acquired Schunck property at 102 E. Seventh St.
School board members authorized superintendent Brenda Boeke and treasurer Laura Klosterman to explore the possibility.
Celina schools
CELINA - Board of education members elected Curt Shellabarger as president and Bill Sell as vice president during Monday night's annual organization meeting.
Marion Local
MARIA STEIN - Marion Local School Board members re-elected Elaine Pierron as president and Randy Bruns as vice president for the 2017 calendar year.
St. Marys
ST. MARYS - City Council members are considering a rezoning request for about 7.7 acres off the northwest corner of Stoneybrook and Woodridge drives.
College Notes
The last time Ryan Hoyng and Carson Manger faced one another in a basketball game was on Jan. 10, 2014 in New Bremen.
On that night, Hoyng led Celina past Manger and New Bremen, 70-62.
Eleven farms in Mercer and Auglaize counties are among 118 newly registered in the Ohio Historic Family Farms program in 2016.
Through the program,