Minster to consider sidewalks proposal

MINSTER - The village street committee on Tuesday agreed to forward a proposal recommending installing sidewalks on State Route 119 to the full council for consideration at their Oct. 19 regular meeting.

Prior to the regular council meeting, the street committee discussed an updated plan to install sidewalks on both sides of State Route 119 from State Route 66 to Canal Road. A similar proposal was dropped in August 2017 when a motion to proceed with the second reading of the legislation died for the lack of a second.

During a meeting in July, committee members stressed the need to install the sidewalks to make it safer for people walking and riding bicycles along State Route 119.

Council member and committee chairperson Nicole Clune said she supports sidewalks as a safe means of "getting kids off the street" on a busy highway.

"It's a shame it hasn't been done before," she said.

Village administrator Don Harrod said he was directed by the committee in July to have Choice One Engineering of Sidney update the earlier plans for the sidewalk project. Harrod said one option would be to end the sidewalk on the north side of the highway before it reaches Canal Road because the land drops off and would require a retaining wall. A crosswalk and accompanying flashing light would be installed at that point and pedestrians would cross to the south side of the highway.

However, Mayor Dennis Kitzmiller said people who want to walk north on the canal path toward New Bremen would have to cross the highway twice.

"It looks to me like that doesn't make sense," Kitzmiller said, noting crossing twice would be a safety hazard when the intent of the project would be to make travel safer.

The cost of the project without the retaining wall is estimated at $288,000, according to Harrod. The price would be $392,000 if sidewalks are installed on both sides with the retaining wall and the flashing light at the Canal Road crossing.

The cost of sidewalks would be assessed to the 16 property owners. Eleven of the properties are within the village limits. In the case of the properties outside the village, county commissioners would be asked to sign off on the project. Harrod said property owners outside the village would be assessed for the project, but payment would not be made until the property is sold.

Committee member Craig Oldiges noted the option with a retaining wall, which would be funded by the village, could be designated as an alternate bid item.

New council member Craig Sherman asked whether residents living on State Route 119 are against the project.

"Not all of them are against it, it's a mix," Harrod said.

"We have the authority to do what is best for the entire village," Clune said, "not just those living in the affected area."

During the regular council meeting, members appointed Derek Siefring, Coldwater, as a part-time police officer. Police chief David Friend, who administered the oath of office to Siefring, said Siefring has completed the police officer basic training and earned an associate's degree from Wright State University-Lake Campus.

Councilors approved a payment of $86,825 to the Washington, D.C., law firm of Duncan and Allen for work the firm did in August in defending the village in a $10.5 million lawsuit filed by Alabama energy company Empower Solar in a solar field dispute. The village has now paid $228,711 for legal services in the lawsuit.

The case is scheduled for trial in January, Harrod said.

Council members set Trick or treat for 6:30-8 p.m. Oct. 28.

In other business councilors,

• approved under rule suspension a resolution to increase appropriations by $147,000 as a result of the village receiving that amount from the American Rescue Plan Act. Harrod said the village will receive an identical allotment of rescue act funds next year.

• heard Harrod report the public works department has tested about 75% of the fire hydrants in town. He also noted Barrett Paving is in the process of paving several village streets.

• were advised by Harrod that work on the $1.23 million reconstruction of Seventh Street from Main Street to just east of Hamilton Street will begin after the first of the year, weather permitting. He also noted the application for $499,000 Ohio Public Works Commission grant for the Seventh Street/Paris Street has been completed and will be submitted prior by Oct. 5. The village is seeking funds for the second phase of the Seventh Street reconstruction project from east of Hamilton Street to Paris Street, and also for the reconstruction of a portion of North Paris Street.

• Approved the August income tax report showing the village received $341,322 in tax receipts last month, bringing the year-to-date total to $3,104,769, up from $2.6 million during the same period in 2020.

• were advised the village's population is 3,046, an increase of 150 from the 2010 census.

• went into executive session to discuss personnel with no action taken after councilors returned to open session.

The next council meeting is 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5 in council chambers.