Crews dig in for Livingston project

CELINA - The East Livingston Street reconstruction project from Main Street to the railroad crossing just east of Fountain Avenue is underway.

"Long overdue. People will no longer be able to take their paint down Livingston Street to shake it," mayor Jeff Hazel quipped while updating city council members at Monday night's regular meeting.

PAB Construction of Coldwater was tapped as contractor after it submitted the lowest bid of $1.218 million. The two-phase project entails full reconstruction, including storm sewers, curbs, sidewalks and driveway approaches, and is expected to stretch through Aug. 31, weather permitting.

"They are digging right into it," Hazel noted. "PAB was able to get a jump-start on it so we are very pleased with that. They're going through getting the millings out first and then they'll get into the actual excavation of the lower area (and) reconstruct that."

The first phase is from Main Street to County Road. Once completed, the second phase from County Road to the railroad crossing will begin. Buckeye Street will remain open throughout the project, city safety service director Tom Hitchcock told the newspaper.

Residents living along the stretch of road will not have access to drives or parking on the street and should seek alternative parking on neighboring streets, according to a city news release.

Other big city projects are getting underway or expected to start soon, Hazel said, adding that Bruns Building & Development of St. Henry, on Monday began sample pouring of concrete for the stage and surrounding area of the Harley Jones Rotary Memorial Amphitheater in the Bryson Park District.

Alexander & Bebout Inc. of Van Wert workers are expected to arrive in a few weeks for the amphitheater hardscape work - four ascending levels of concrete. The public will be able to place lawn chairs or sit on the walls of each level. Steps will be installed on the sides and middle of the seating.

The concrete seating and surrounding grassy area will allow up to 4,000 people to view events at the venue, Hazel has said.

Also, vendor GameTime is slated either this week or next to begin building a playground in the Bryson Park District that will consist of a play structure, freestanding play panels and other amenities on top of a poured-in-place rubber surface for fall protection, Hazel said.

"This playground alone is going to be a little over 8,000 square feet, so it's a very large area for the kids," Hazel said. "A lot of fun things."

In other news, councilors learned from Hazel that Maharg Inc.'s special trash collection started on Saturday and will continue each Saturday for the rest of the month.

Hazel reiterated that residents are not to put out furniture, appliances and mattresses. The service is financed with trash bag fees.

Councilors also gave first reading to a resolution to adopt the Mercer County Solid Waste Management Plan. The plan must be ratified by city officials, county commissioners and 60 percent of other political subdivisions, including villages and townships, before it can be sent to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for final approval. The county and Celina hold veto power.

The updated plan covers the next 15 years from 2020-2034 and contains a budget and fees to finance the plan, a solid-waste facility inventory, projections and strategies, facilities and programs to be used and an analysis of the progress made toward achieving state solid-waste reduction goals and the district rules.

Waste-disposal companies using the Celina Sanitary Landfill pay tipping fees to the Mercer County Solid Waste District at a rate of $2 per ton for Mercer County and out-of-state trash and $4 per ton for Ohio out-of-county trash. Interstate commerce laws and an Ohio Supreme Court ruling prohibit charging more for out-of-state waste.

As long as the landfill remains open, officials likely would continue financing the district through tipping fees.

If, however, tipping fees were to end due to the closing of the landfill, a second option to generate funds to pay for the solid waste district would be enacting rates and charges.

"The change is now if the landfill closes the county is going to put a $4.50 charge on property taxes for all improved parcels," Hitchcock said. Improved parcels are properties that have at least one permanent, portable or temporary building.

Councilman June Scott asked administrators what they think about the updated plan.

Hazel replied that anything passed down to a home-rule sovereignty such as the city raises questions and concerns.

"Frankly, it does appear that this is the most fair and equitable way relative to the parcels in order to stay in compliance with the state," he said, adding that Celina represents roughly 25 percent of the county's population in improved parcels.

Councilors on Monday night also went into an executive session to discuss possible property sale or acquisition. No action was anticipated.