Minster council considers use of 5G technology

MINSTER - Councilors on Tuesday gave first reading of an ordinance to establish a policy for small cell technology in village rights-of-way.

Cellular phone service using 5G technology has been approved for providers with few regulations on the placement of 5G antennas or other equipment by the Federal Communication Commission. State officials, however, are allowing municipalities to pass regulations on the height, location and appearance of such technology in a public right-of-way, through the passage of House Bill 478, according to village administrator Don Harrod. Telephone carriers are free to put their antennas and service boxes anywhere in the village unless specific guidelines are adopted, he added.

The proposed legislation gave a sample list of design rules and locations for the new technology. Harrod said the councilors are free to change the specifications during the three-readings process before final voting takes place. Members discussed raising the minimum height of the technology from 8 feet to 12 or 14 feet, but elected to discuss the matter further during the next two weeks before deciding. They will continue the discussion at the next council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 6.

Members also gave second reading of an ordinance designed to strengthen the village policy of banning the discharge of firearms within the village limits. The only exceptions would be for police or National Guard officers on duty; a person discharging a firearm in lawful defense of self, a third party or of property; or someone firing a military salute.

Members discussed the engineering map for work on the Northwest Sanitary Sewer Project. Work on the estimated $2.4 million project would combine running an additional storm sewer line with a reconstruction of Second Street from Garfield Street to the canal. The project is designed to alleviate flooding issues in residences on South Lincoln and South Hanover streets, where water has been coming into basements, and to increase capacity for new development in the village's northeast corner. The sewer line will need to be 12 to 18 feet deep in sections, according to Harrod. Second Street will be torn up in the process, so the idea is to reconstruct the street once the sewer line is installed.

Fiscal officer John Stechshulte reported that the village already has $1.45 million on hand for the project, covering much of the expense. A public hearing on the project will be scheduled to inform Second Street residents of the work to be done and the amount they will be assessed for new sidewalks and curbs. Work will probably be bid out in November and contracts awarded in December, Harrod said.

In other action, members,

• transferred $75,000 from the general fund to the public works fund and then appropriated funds for utility deposit refunds and additional garbage pickup costs.

• passed a motion to seek bids for a new waste-activated sludge tank mixer at an estimated cost of $92,000.

• accepted the September 2018 income tax report from the city of St. Marys showing income of $407,867 for the month and a cumulative total of nearly $3.1 million for 2018.  

• learned bids for the northwest substation equipment were opened on Oct. 11 and are being reviewed by Encompass Engineering for council members' consideration at their Nov. 6 meeting.

• learned the parks department has seeded and fertilized both Minster Machine Centennial Park and Oktoberfest Park after the tents were removed for the annual Oktoberfest.