Work on new trail to begin this spring

MINSTER - Minster village Councilors learned Tuesday night that plans for constructing a multi-use trail between Minster and Fort Loramie are moving forward as village crews have begun stockpiling stone to be used when the project gets underway this spring.

Village administrator Don Harrod advised council members that the working group coordinating the project met recently to discuss plans to install the trail.

"Both the Heritage Trail Park District and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources have indicated that work should begin in April or May," Harrod said.

The council approved a 15-year lease agreement in October with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Watercraft, for the development of a multi-use trail headed south toward Fort Loramie. The only cost to the village was a $500 signing fee.

The trail will run from First Street in Minster to State Route 66 north of Fort Loramie. The Heritage Trails Park District will construct the portion of the trail between First Street and Dirksen Road, while ODNR will construct the trail between Dirksen Road and State Route 66.

Plans for a second phase of the trail that will finish connecting the two villages have not been finalized.

The village was awarded $100,000 in state capital improvement project funds last year, which will be used primarily for project materials.

Also on Monday, the council approved on rule suspension an ordinance setting this year's appropriations at $38.8 million, about $4 million more than last year, according to Harrod. Of the total, $7.4 million will be used for general fund expenses.

Major funds included in the overall total are $20.3 million for the electric department, $3.5 million for capital improvement projects, $1.9 million for the waste water treatment plant and $1 million for the water department.

Harrod said the village will be spending more for purchased electricity this year. "The price of electricity has really gone up," he said.

Harrod said major projects for this year include finishing Hamilton Street, a parking lot renovation for Paris Street Park, North Garfield Street water and curb replacement, renovations to the Stallo Memorial Library building and minor street resurfacing.

Councilors also approved on rule suspension the transfer of money to various funds.

Harrod reported the village sustained some damage due to high winds on Friday, which also caused some power outages. He said the canopy over the drive-through at the administration building was blown down during the wind storm. A power pole in an alley behind North Frankfort Street was snapped.

The short power outage occurred when tree limbs came into contact with power lines in an alley behind the Marathon station on South Main Street.

Councilors also:

• approved the purchase of two 1500 KVA three-phase pad-mounted transformers at a cost of $62,000 each. The transformers will be needed to serve Springcreek Building Products, which is building a new facility in the State Route 66 Industrial park at the south edge of the village. Springcreek purchased 9 acres of land from the village at $9,000 per acre. Harrod said the company will manufacture rebar for concrete construction.

• approved on rule suspension an ordinance to narrow a portion of the right-of-way of Second Street between Lakewood Drive and Hamilton Street to 15 feet, which is 5 feet for a sidewalk that runs from Lakewood Drive to Hamilton Street and 5 feet on each side of the sidewalk to accommodate maintenance equipment. The remaining portion of the 50-foot right-of-way will be divided evenly between the property owners on each side of the sidewalk. The change was requested by property owners.

• approved on rule suspension an ordinance to accept a lone bid of $226,000 bid from Fenson Construction for the Fourth Street brick repair project. However, the bid was well above the engineer's estimate of $188,765 so it was decided to rebid the project in hopes of getting a lower bid.

• learned the Minster-Jackson Township Fire Department has received a $45,484 state grant to be used to purchase a hydraulic rescue tool, hose and confined space equipment.

• authorized the advertisement for bids on street resurfacing and the renovation of the Paris Street Park parking lot. The parking lot project cost has been estimated at $460,000.

• were advised that D.L. Smith, a Norwalk contractor, will begin work on the sidewalk repair project next week. Harrod said the company also will be repairing sidewalk at the intersection of State Route 119 and State Route 66 that was damaged during utility work and some sidewalk in Four Seasons Park that was removed because of the well field generator building construction.

• Learned the electric department has begun trimming trees throughout the village so they do not come in contact with power wires.

• heard Harrod report the village is continuing to monitor state legislators' discussion of the possible elimination of property taxes and how that would affect the village finances.

• approved the February income tax report reflecting collections of $396,503, bringing this year's total to $734,306, about the same as last year's total for January and February.

• Set May 5 as the date for hearing on a request to rezone a portion of South Garfield Street from general commercial to single-family residential. David and Tina Meyer requested a zoning change from general commercial to single-family residential on South Garfield Street on the west side beginning at Washington Street south to Third Street and on the east side of South Garfield Street from Fourth Street to Third Street. The Minster Planning Commission last month recommended the request be denied.

• approved moving village police officer Jeremy Gruss to permanent fulltime status with the department. His pay was set at $30.19 per hour.

•authorized hiring Jim Dues and Rich Prenger as summer help.

• approved a request from Dave Meyer of Operation BBQ Relief to use Four Seasons Park for an appreciation dinner for firefighters from Minster, New Bremen, Chickasaw, Fort Loramie and New Knoxville.

The next council meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. April 7 at village hall.