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MINSTER - Village officials have signed off on a heavy slate of street, building and utilities projects this year with the help of a strong local economy and millions of dollars in grants.
A number of the projects come with hefty price tags, such as the $5.2 million water tower project and the $2 million expansion and renovation of the police department building.
"It's been a long time since we have had this many projects," said village administrator Don Harrod. "Our economy is very good."
A bulk of the expenses will be paid through the capital improvement and general funds, which are both fed by local income tax revenue, Harrod said.
In addition to the local funds, the village has received several state and federal grants which have bolstered the community's ability to make major improvements.
"Any time funds are available that we qualify for, we will apply for them," Harrod said. "We've been pretty successful so far. We are thankful for the grants we've been able to get."
Among the awards Minster has snagged are a $2.5 million Ohio Department of Development grant for the water tower and a $500,000 Land and Water Conservation grant to help foot the bill for the Stallostown at Paris Street Park project.
The following are major projects on tap for 2023.
Landmark Structures of Fort Worth, Texas, is building a $5.08 million water tower on Seventh Street in Minster near the village's compost area. The water tower is not expected to be finished until 2024. Once built, the water tower will hold 1.25 million gallons of water.
The most imposing project - both in cost and size - is the $5.2 million water tower project off Ohio Street at the northeast side of the village. Construction began last year on the 1.25 million gallon tank and will be finished early next year. Landmark Structures of Fort Worth, Texas, is the contractor.
The new tower, which is being financed with water system funds and the $2.5 million grant, will replace a 250,000 gallon tank built in 1949. Harrod said the old tower has been plagued with leaks.
The new tower and an existing 750,000 gallon tank on First Street will provide Minster with a combined 2 million gallons of above-ground water storage, according to Harrod.
The new tower will also provide storage space in the base of the concrete pedestal for the water department.
Once it goes online, the old tower will be removed.
An addition will be built on the west side of the Minster police station, located on West Fourth Street.
The estimated $2 million police station project will go out for bids this summer. Harrod said construction of an addition will begin this fall. When the addition is completed, the existing building at 126 W. Fourth St. will be renovated. The project is set for completion in 2024.
"It is needed because the police department has run out of space and is behind in technology," Harrod said, noting no improvements have been made since the police department moved into the renovated building in the 1990s.
He said capital improvement and general fund monies will finance the project.
East Seventh Street in Minster is blocked due to construction.
A continuation of an East Seventh Street reconstruction project completed last year, this year's project will pick up at Hamilton Street and continue to the corporation limit to the east. Paris Street will be reconstructed from Seventh Street to Fifth Street. The cost has been estimated at $1.547 million.
The village has received a $500,000 Ohio Public Works Commission grant to help offset the cost of the project. Capital improvement funds and assessments to property owners will cover the rest of the cost.
The project is set to go out for bids this spring with construction expected to begin this fall. The work is to be completed in early 2024.
The need to upgrade the township road stems from the development of two new subdivisions in the northeast section of town.
"We have two new subdivisions going up in that area, Steeple View and Stonegate, so we're going to have a lot more traffic out there," he said.
Playground equipment at Paris Street Park in Minster will be replaced and a splash pad will be added.
The cost of the park project, which will entail new playground equipment and a splash park, was earlier estimated at about $1 million. A campaign spearheaded by local mothers Kim Wiford, Jamie Mummey and Jandie Steele has raised about $271,000 in donations. The volunteers told village councilors last month they hope to raise another $250,000 after material cost estimates increased.
The village has received $586,000 in grants for the project and Harrod said another $200,000 from this year's budget is earmarked for the improvements.
The park will have a German theme, reflecting the village's heritage. Plans call for a wooden shoe slide and other German-themed features. The facility will be handicapp accessible. The park is located at 155 S. Paris St.
Harrod said the playground equipment will be installed this year while the splash park is a 2024 project.
The village plans to reconstruct West Sixth Street, from Ohio Street to Cleveland Street, to facilitate additional truck traffic due to a planned expansion by Nidec Minster, according to Harrod.
"The street can't handle the extra load," he said.
The project has been estimated at $600,000 and will be paid through the capital improvement fund.
"It is the last street in town that has not been reconstructed," Harrod said.
The village will apply $290,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward a $500,000 total dissolved solids study conducted by CDM Smith.
The village has an intermittent problem with meeting EPA guidelines for suspended solids in wastewater plant effluent. The study indicated the problem could be resolved by diluting the effluent with water, Harrod said.
Plans call for drilling two new wells and tapping an existing well at Oktoberfest Park as sources for water to dilute the effluent.
Harrod said the project may not be completed until 2024.
The $1.3 million Dues Ditch project is set to be completed this spring. The work is being bankrolled with $290,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission, capital improvement funds and $85,000 in assessments on farmers whose land drains into the ditch.
The project involves a larger drainage tile, swale and stormwater retention pond. It is needed to alleviate flooding problems in the northeast corner of the village during periods of heavy rains, Harrod said.
Other village projects being planned include the annual street repaving, $300,000; Industrial Drive curb replacement, $225,000; and extension of utilities to several properties to be annexed at the far west end of Seventh Street, $300,000.
Additionally, the village plans to purchase a new $250,000 grass truck for the Minster-Jackson Township Fire Department. The village will tap the fire protection levy to pay its 2/3 share of the cost. Jackson Township will pay the rest, according to Harrod.
