Wednesday, November 7th, 2018

Nidec Minster to add 25 jobs

Tax abatement sought from town

By Ed Gebert
MINSTER - Nidec Minster Corp. officials are seeking an enterprise zone tax abatement agreement for a planned 20,000-square-foot addition to the company's manufacturing facility on the west side of Ohio Street.
Village council members on Tuesday gave first reading of an ordinance authorizing the agreement that would grant Nidec Minster a 43 percent, five-year abatement. The $6.05 million addition would allow for 25 new staff positions and $1.2 million in new payroll.
The agreement is typical for the scope of this expansion, village administrator Donald Harrod said. The difference this time is Nidec Minster officials requested a 43 percent abatement instead of the usual 75 percent to prevent a payment in lieu of taxes to the school district. Under the proposed agreement, the district will continue to receive its normal tax money based on the company's value.
The ordinance will be back for second reading at council's next meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20.
Also on Tuesday, councilors accepted bids for portions of the Northwest Electrical Substation as recommended by Mike Kiser of Encompass Engineering. The total project cost, including the power transformer, breakers and the power controller room, was estimated at $1.622 million. The bids accepted came to a total of $1.646 million.
Kiser recommended bids slightly higher than had been estimated because they are of higher quality and should serve the village best. The awarded bids were $639,534 from Delta Star for the transformer, $101,920 from Alstom for the breakers and switchers, $717,000 from Pepco for the power control room and $187,800 from BSP for the 69 KV control room.
Still to be bid out on the project are the concrete work for footers and foundations and the steel and rebar.
In other actions, councilors,
• passed on third and final reading an ordinance 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.
• gave second reading of an ordinance establishing a policy for small-cell (5G) technology in village rights-of-way.
• gave first reading of a resolution to erect a four-way stop at the intersection of Hamilton and Fifth streets. That intersection is a two-way stop for traffic on Fifth Street.
• gave first reading of a resolution declaring it necessary to improve Second Street from Garfield Street to the Miami-Erie Canal with new pavement, curbing, sidewalks, gutters, utilities, driveway approaches and water main. The village intends to assess the property owners who benefit from the improvements. That project is tentatively scheduled for 2019.
• removed Andy Roetgerman from his temporary parks department position and hired him as a full-time employee in the parks department at $16.25 per hour.
• authorized the fiscal officer to request the $5 permissive license plate fee from the Auglaize County Engineer for each plate sold to a village resident.
• voted to pay October invoices of $1.3 million.
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Issue would have funded facility
MARIA STEIN - Voters in the Marion Local School District rejected a proposed 8.5-mill bond issue that would have collected $16 million over 25 years to fund the construction of a new school facility. [More]
ST. MARYS - Voters on Tuesday approved the school district's 1 percent earned-income tax levy issue.
The levy passed with more than 55 percent support, according to unofficial results, with 3,082 votes for the levy and 2,541 against. [More]
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CELINA - Republican state representative and Celina resident Keith Faber has been elected Ohio auditor, defeating former U.S. Rep. Zack Space on Tues
CELINA - Mercer County voters came out in large numbers for the gubernatorial election on Tuesday, according to elections officials.
The county's u
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, won re-election on Tuesday over Democrat J. Michael Galbraith and Libertarian Don Kissick, unofficially garnering 63 percent of the vote in early, incomplete results. Galbraith collected 34 percent and Kissick received about 2.5 percent of the vote.
CELINA - Celina Merchant Association members are making final preparations for Saturday's Celina Holiday Open House throughout the city.
Many ret
Rockford
Village improving wastewater plant
ROCKFORD - Village residents may see an increase in their utility bills starting the first billing period of next year.
Council members gave first
FORT RECOVERY - Voters have decided to renew a 2.5-mill, five-year storm sewer levy for Fort Recovery.
A total of 591 voters, or 58.9 percent of re
CELINA - The Mercer County Senior Citizens operating levy passed with 76.6 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results from Tuesday's elections.
All three Mercer County fire protection levies on Tuesday's general election ballot were approved by area voters, according to unofficial results.
In Jefferson Township, 66 percent, or 917 votes, were in favor of renewing the 1.5-mill levy and increasing it by 0.3 mills.
ROCKFORD - More than 70 percent of voters supported renewing the village's operating levy during Tuesday's general election, according to unofficial results.
CELINA - Republican Susan Manchester of Waynesfield coasted to victory on Tuesday, winning Ohio's 84th District seat against Democratic rival Joe Monbeck of Wapakoneta.
CENTER TOWNSHIP - A Celina man suffered non-incapacitating injuries in a one-vehicle crash Monday morning.
At about 9:26 a.m., Isaiah W. Schnell, 18, Celina, was traveling southwest on State Route 197 near Howick Road in a 2005 Pontiac sedan, according to a Mercer County Sheriff's Office report.
Voters by a wide margin approved the renewal levy for The Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties in Tuesday's general election.
MINSTER - Voters in Minster Local Schools District approved the requested recreation replacement levy on Tuesday, according to unofficial election results.
Both Coldwater Public and Mercer County District libraries' operating levies were renewed by voters during Tuesday's general election, according to unofficial results.
WAPAKONETA - The twin 3-year, 3-mill levies for fire and EMS protection in Minster and Jackson Township each passed in Tuesday's general election, according to unofficial results.
MENDON - Voters in the village of Mendon approved the renewal of the village's 2.5-mill operating levy by a 157-56 margin on Tuesday, according to unofficial results.
CELINA - Mercer County voters on Election Day overwhelmingly supported Mercer County Developmental Disabilities' five-year renewal of a 1.94-mill operating levy.
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, has beaten Democrat Janet Garret for the third consecutive time to retain the U.S. Fourth Congressional seat, according to unofficial results.
COLDWATER - Incumbent Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Troy, has held on to his seat as representative of Ohio's Eighth Congressional District.
In Mercer Co
DEFIANCE - The race for the state 82nd House District went to incumbent Craig Reidel, R-Defiance, over Democratic challenger, 18-year-old Aden Wyatt Baker, D-Grover Hill, according to Tuesday's unofficial election results.
Ohio state races
Note: Not all statewide precincts had reported by press time. Statewide totals include 8,798 of 8,904 statewide precincts. Winners are in bold face.
Division IV State Volleyball Preview
Cardinals face style similar to their own when they meet Monroeville
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