Mendon tapped for grant

MENDON - The village has received a $500,000 Ohio Public Works Commission grant to help fund a new water tower, council members learned at their Tuesday meeting.

This adds to the $434,000 in grant funds already received from the OPWC and Community Development Block Grants for the project, which also will include some new water lines and wells in the village. The estimated cost of the water tower is $595,000. The remaining funds will cover the water lines and wells.

Project manager Craig Knapke of Access Engineering said bids for the project will be opened on Aug. 23. The winning bidder will have a project completion deadline of July 31.

The tower will be built first. The timeline for new water lines and wells will be established once officials know how much money is still available, Knapke said.

Council members are still considering the lettering for the exterior of the water tank.

Also on Tuesday, members approved a lot change for properties at 318 S. Main St. and 322 S. Main St. The existing property line will be moved about 3.5 feet to the south to enable Steve Hughes to renovate the home at 318 S. Main St. Officials said the property line had been set in the wrong place and needed to be adjusted for some time. A detached garage sits on top of the line.

Hughes said he is rehabilitating several homes in the village.

"We're going to come in and buy as many of these distressed, run-down, dilapidated homes that we can get our hands on, and turn them into nice houses and do what we can to improve property values for all of us that are property owners in town," he said.

He is working on the home at 209 Wayne St., turning it into a brand-new, three-bedroom, two-bath home with a two-car attached garage.

In other action, members,

• approved removing a tree stump from South Park.

• approved purchasing more insecticide for mosquito fogging.

• approved street commissioner Randy Severns' report.

• learned Severns is seeking estimates to replace sections of storm sewer tile in the village that have been clogged by tree roots, causing drainage issues.

• approved the internet technologies disaster plan to safeguard village financial records.

• approved June checks, purchase orders and financial statements.

• approved a $16.53 mileage reimburse for June to Kristina Boroff.

• agreed the next bottle cap collection drive would be from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the building next to Jim's Harley Davidson. The bottle caps will be recycled and made into benches for the village.