Tuesday, June 9th, 2015
Coldwater may join with other villages to secure police protection
By Doug Drexler
COLDWATER - Coldwater officials are considering joining a police mutual-aid agreement with St. Henry, Rockford and Fort Recovery.
Police chief Jason Miller at Monday's village council meeting answered village officials' questions about the plan.
In case of a large incident in Coldwater, officers from the other villages would respond automatically rather than waiting to be called in, Miller said. Coldwater officers would likewise help in an emergency situation in the other villages, he said.
Police officials have been working on the plan for three or four months, Miller said. They plan to test the plan for a year to see how the work balances out, he said.
"The fear is we'll be responding to the other communities more than they'll respond here," he said.
However, he stressed officers would not leave Coldwater unprotected.
"Your home jurisdiction is your primary jurisdiction," he said.
He wants to discuss details of the plan with village council's safety committee and then have the plan approved by council, Miller said.
"I think we all want to have it done by the end of the year," he said.
Council members plan at the June 22 council meeting to set a safety committee meeting in time to bring the matter to the July 13 council meeting.
Council members also,
• heard the Duck Race committee plans to donate $23,000 to replace the scoreboard at Coldwater Community Park's Field 3.
• approved hiring Robert Baird Co. to seek bids to refinance up to $1.395 million in bonds that were used to purchase and renovate the water plant and municipal center.
The village should save about $110,000 over 10 years, village finance director/clerk Jason Eyink said. The village is paying 4.5 percent on the bonds, Eyink said. Baird officials told him lenders have been issuing bonds at about 2.25 percent.
The village purchased the building in 2003 and moved in after renovations had been completed in 2005, village manager/engineer Eric Thomas said. The village originally borrowed $2.5 million for the purchase and renovation, he said.
• after an 8-minute executive session to discuss land purchase and personnel, council voted to hire Tricia Ontrop as village tax administrator. She will be paid $13.24 per hour and average about 30 hours per week, Eyink said. She will replace Clyde Bellinger, who plans to retire at the end of the year.
• accepted a bid of $158,289 from Buehler Asphalt to resurface North Street between Fourth and Seventh streets, Walnut Street from Cedar to Oak and two alleyways and village parking areas. Grants from the Ohio Public Works Commission will pay for $100,000 of the cost, Thomas said.
• accepted a bid of $69,829 from MAC Athletics to resurface the village tennis courts. Thomas said the work will be funded by a $35,000 state parks grant and $35,000 from the Coldwater Picnic Association.
• heard councilman Doug Bertke express concerns about people stopping on SecondStreet to pick up children after sporting events at the school. Thomas said he would contact school district athletic director Eric Goodwin to send parents a letter asking them not to stop along the yellow curbs. Mayor Joe Knapschaefer also instructed Miller to have officers keep an eye on the situation.
• heard Thomas say officials plan next year to replace the water line on Second Street, which has broken four times in the last three weeks.
