Tuesday, May 9th, 2017

Possible school site use reviewed

New Bremen

By Jeff Elking
NEW BREMEN - Village officials are turning their attention to the elementary school site after voters last week approved a pair of levies to build a new K-8 facility.
"I want to thank the voters for their support of the school levy, and we look forward to that happening and all the possibilities with housing that has been talked about," mayor Jeff Pape said at Monday's regular council meeting.
Pape was referring to preliminary discussions about using the site for housing once the elementary school is demolished.
Council members heard first reading of legislation authorizing the village administrator to contract with an engineering firm to review the area's infrastructure to prepare for future building plans.
The 7.46-mill New Bremen schools construction levy and 1-mill permanent improvement levy passed with 62 percent of the vote, with 845 voters in favor and 511 against. The new levies will help construct a new $20 million K-8 building adjacent to the current high school.
Along with the new elementary building, the project will include limited renovations to house grades 6-12, parking lot improvements and paving. The current elementary school eventually will be demolished.
Also on Monday night, councilors discussed at length how to handle the dirt for a proposed sledding hill at Bremenfest Park. Officials plan to use dirt left over from the recent public works building project and the new EMS/police building project for the sledding hill. However, councilors questioned if the dirt could be hauled directly to the park and dumped at the site of the proposed hill, saving the expense of moving it twice.
However, administrator Christine Dicke opposed the idea.
"I am not against a sledding hill, I am against reacting without getting the proper engineering on a possible 40-foot hill. We need to have a plan," she said.
More discussion followed, and councilors directed Dicke to seek engineering plans for the hill and store the dirt at the village grass disposal area.
In other action, council members,
• approved final reading of legislation appropriating annual donations to the emergency squad and the New Bremen swim and dive team in the amounts of $15,000 and $7,300 respectively.
• approved an emergency measure authorizing Dicke to seek bids for the 2017 OPWC street resurfacing project.
• suspended the three-public-readings rule and approved a resolution authorizing Dicke to acquire bids for two spare transformers: a 2500 KVA and a 1500 KVA transformer.
• learned the flooring in the restrooms at the pool will be replaced by Minster Concrete Coatings personnel at a cost of $9,500 prior to the summer season.
• learned swimming pool season tickets will be sold at the pool from 10 a.m.-noon May 20, and from 1-3 p.m. May 21.
• after a 35-minute executive session, councilors announced a restructuring in office positions. The change will now title both office employees as utility clerks. Previously they were listed as clerk and assistant clerk.
• Pape announced a schedule has been set to rotate banners on the village poles.
The new veterans banners will be displayed for the first time from May 22-June 2, and then again the first week of July and finally in November for the week of Veterans Day. Bremenfest banners will be displayed in August, and the Cardinal banners will hang during the football season.
Additional online stories on this date
WAPAKONETA - A 39-year-old St. Marys man on Monday was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he had pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, stemming from the November armed robbery of a St. Marys tobacco store. [More]
Griesdorn's home run lifts Marion past Fort Recovery in tourney play
MARIA STEIN - After both Fort Recovery and Marion Local scored two runs each in the first inning, it appeared that the teams' Division IV softball tournament opener would be a high-scoring affair. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Plan to be drafted to cover requests
CELINA - After learning the city lacks a consistent policy for reviewing applications for nonprofit and for-profit events on its properties, council members directed administrators to draft a plan based on legislation from Shaker Heights.
CELINA - City officials on Monday night learned additional details about an incident last week that triggered fears and prompted Celina police officials to step up security at Celina High School.
Mercer County law enforcement personnel on Friday and Saturday responded to four reported drug overdoses, including one resulting in death.
Celina
ST. MARYS - City administrators will try once again to obtain grant funding to build a pedestrian bridge over U.S. 33.
Council members at Monday n
Marion treasurer presents forecast
MARIA STEIN - District treasurer Heather Cramer on Monday said renewing operating levies would likely be vital to district funding as she presented the Marion Local School District's five-year forecast.
ST. HENRY - Plans for the 2018 pool renovation project may include enhanced security measures.
Police Chief Bob Garman is looking into obtaining security cameras to mount on the bathhouse, village council members learned at Monday night's regular meeting.
ST. HENRY - St. Henry Local Schools District Treasurer Jennifer Bruns expressed concerns that declining school enrollment and state funding could impact the district's future budgets.
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County law enforcement officers arrested five people including a Celina woman on Friday on various drug charges.
Sheriff Al Solomon said in a news release that the arrests were the result of a two-month investigation by the Grand Lake Drug Task Force.
COLDWATER - The village has once again been named a Tree City USA.
Mayor Joe Knapschaefer on Monday told village council members he and village administrator/engineer Eric Thomas had attended last week's awards presentation in Lakeside Chautauqua near Lake Erie.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry and Colin Foster
Bryce Schmiesing's bases-loaded sacrifice fly scored Jon Niemeyer in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Minster coach Mike Wiss his 400th career win at his alma mater with a 2-1 victory over Bath on Monday night at Hanover Street Park.
Cavs beat Flyers 7-2 to clinch at least share of title
COLDWATER - The Coldwater baseball team wasn't picked by many to win the Midwest Athletic Conference title this season.
They did it anyway.
The Cavaliers clinched at least a share of the championship on Monday night with a 7-2 victory over Marion Local at Veterans Field.
ST. MARYS - The Trine University men's track and field program has earned the reputation as one of the most successful in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Mother's Day will be extra special for area couple
ROCKFORD - Nothing matches the bond between mother and child.
New mother Kinzie Henkle realized that when she gave birth to her son, Breckyn, who is now 9 months old. Her life has not been the same, and she wouldn't have it any other way, Henkle said.