Four-way stop coming to SR118 south of Rockford

ROCKFORD - The Ohio Department of Transportation recently shared its plans to convert the intersection of state routes 707 and 118 into a four-way stop with Rockford Mayor Ron Searight, citing an excess of traffic collisions.

The intersection, located just south of town in Dublin Township, will soon be outfitted with four stop signs with flashing perimeters, Searight told village councilors at their regular meeting Tuesday night.

He did not have an exact date on which it will be implemented, but said the change was brought on due to accidents at the intersection.

"ODOT will be placing signs out there for everyone (saying) that this is going to happen and when it's going to take place," he said. "They also said the stop signs will have lights flashing on the perimeter of each sign. Please use caution when you enter this intersection, due to the number of accidents that has created this move."

ODOT previously installed flashing stop signs at the intersection for the two-way stop on State Route 118 in 2021 after receiving input from local residents and officials.

Also on Tuesday, councilors approved a motion to allow the Rockford Police Department to offer golf cart inspections for drivers, whether from in town or out of town, for $50.

The subject was brought up after an out-of-town golf cart owner approached the department for an inspection.

Councilors stressed that the motion's approval does not change anything regarding golf cart laws in town, but allows the police department to offer inspections if requested.

Also on Tuesday, councilors heard an update from village administrator Aaron Temple on the solar panel project planned for the village water treatment plant.

"We've now entered the final installation verification stage of that project. It's taking a little bit longer than we'd have liked, but we definitely want to make sure that we're 100% correct, or as close as we can be 100% correct, the first time through," Temple said. "We don't have stuff we're backtracking on. The plan is still getting started by the end of the year."

Councilors in May passed legislation to allow the village to continue discussions with the Indianapolis-based solar energy company HSI Solar about installing solar panels at the water treatment plant on South Franklin Street and the wastewater plant at 4090 State Route 117 while replacing the UV disinfection unit that treats water at the wastewater plant.

"Rockford would essentially lease" solar panels over a 26-year period, council president Marcas Heitkamp said previously.

The total project cost is estimated at $842,755, although that cost is for the 26-year period. Within that figure, replacing the UV lights would cost $216,218 and the solar panels would cost $626,537.

In January, councilors discussed a preliminary letter of intent for a power purchase agreement between a solar company and the village to purchase electricity generated from panels installed on selected buildings.

The village, under the letter of intent, will purchase the power at $0.072 per kilowatt-hour with an annual increase of 2.5%.

As a result of the agreements, HSI Solar will retain ownership of all renewable energy credits.

Temple did not know how long the project would take once work commences.

In other water treatment plant business, Temple told councilors village crews recently encountered some issues with salt build up in the brine tanks.

"It's basically turned to concrete. The guys have been down there for the last two days and they're only about halfway done with hammer drills and sledge hammers trying to break the debris outta the bottom of the tank," Temple said.

He said due to the issues he reached out to Cargill and inquired about a quote for higher quality salt, which would be about $64 more a ton.

"I just received a quote about 10 minutes before I left today, so I'm going to go over it a little bit closer, but I do believe we're probably going to need to move forward with this salt. What the guys have gone through over the last two days definitely warrants a higher quality salt," he said.

Temple added that he and other village staff are working on ideas to offset the cost increase.

"We're going to need to try to exhaust every opportunity to try to generate the revenue that we need to, to not - absolutely not - raise rates, because that's the last thing we need to do," he said. "There's already residents that are having strokes over gas and electric bills right now, and rightfully so. The last thing we want to do is increase their water."

They meet next at 7:30 p.m. Aug 18 at village hall.