Fourth Street to open to semitrailers

MINSTER - Semitrailers again will be rumbling along Fourth Street.

Village council members on Tuesday agreed to return truck route status to the street, which is nearing the end of a two-year reconstruction project.

There had been discussion in recent weeks about making First and Seventh streets the designated truck route. However, both intersections with state Route 66 would need costly upgrades to provide a better turning radius.

Choice One, the village's engineering consultant, has said the new Fourth Street is designed with heavy truck traffic in mind. It includes 12 inches of stone and 12 inches of asphalt.

Village administrator Don Harrod said estimates peg the number of trucks going to major industries such as Precision Strip and Minster Machine at more than 200 to 300 per week with Fourth Street offering the most direct route. The Dannon Company also draws considerable truck traffic with state highways being the most direct route.

"Fourth Street is really the last one targeted for major work," Harrod said. "It completes a capital plan started years ago."

The entire street is scheduled to receive a final layer of asphalt the week of Aug. 6.

In other business, council members,

• approved a slight change in the proposed schedule at the practice football field at Seventh Street Community Park. Practices will begin 30 minutes earlier and last 30 minutes longer most days. Harrod said no complaints were received from neighboring residents.

• received word from Auglaize County Engineer Doug Reinhart that crews will return in coming weeks to finish the canal banks between Seventh Street and state Route 119 and prepare them for rip-rap. In addition to installing stones, Tumbusch Construction will cut out an area on the west side of the canal for completion of a walking trail.

• learned Barrett Paving will do the minor street resurfacing project when crews are in the village to apply the final layer of asphalt on Fourth Street. The village's public works department has widened North Hamilton Street along the west side to prevent vehicles from traveling off the roadway and breaking down the asphalt edge.

• heard an update on construction at the wastewater treatment plant. Oxidation ditches have been filled for testing and additional operational tests need done. The expanded plant should be completed in September.

• learned Harrod has met with an insurance adjuster regarding storm damage at Four Seasons Park and the municipal swimming pool. Once estimates are received, details will be worked out regarding the repair or replacement of damaged items.

• increased appropriations to the industrial park fund by $150,000. Work has been completed at the nearly 12-acre site at the west edge of the village. The cost of the project was $190,530.43 with the shovel-ready sites now available for sale.

• approved moving Rachel Ranly, administrative assistant at the police department, from introductory to permanent full-time status following a one-year probationary period. Her hourly pay increases from $15.25 to $15.73.

• moved the bid opening for the water tower painting project to Aug. 2 due to questions from prospective bidders.

• set 6:30 p.m. Aug. 7 as the date and time for the next meeting at the village administration building.