ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

July, 2015

W. WOODCOX WATERLINE REPLACEMENT:

The W. Woodcox waterline bid was opened on Wednesday, July 15, 2015.  The Village received 2 bids.  All Purpose Contracting, Inc. of Delphos submitted a bid of $142,995.00 and Hohenbrink Excavating, LLC of Ottawa submitted a bid of $142,825.00.  Both bids were within 10% of the engineer’s estimate.  Poggemeyer will review each bid for completeness and make a recommendation in time for Monday night’s council meeting.

STORM WATER IMPROVEMENTS:

Poggemeyer Design Group has been meeting with the undersigned since June to look at the next phase of storm water improvements.  As the village intends to apply for Ohio Public Works dollars this September for sanitary sewer improvements The Village will not be applying for OPEC dollars for storm water project until September, 2016.  As the current flash flooding involves Buffalo, E. Canal, E. Daggett and S. Erie Streets the village along with Poggemeyer needs to determine what can alleviate the flooding in the area.   In order to continue the next phase of storm water improvements Poggemeyer has presented their Proposal for the storm sewer study and recommendations.  This would include final design to be submitted to Ohio Public Works Commission when the village applies for funding in 2016.  The cost is $9,000.00.   I want to get this study approved so I can set a meeting up between Poggemeyer, Paulding County Engineer, Harvest Farm Management (the farm management company currently farming the field behind Buffalo and the Council’s Utility Committee.   Joe Barker, of Harvest Farm Management, has agreed to meet with our group to assist in trying to develop some actions to help reduce the flooding off this farm into the village

MONROE STREET RAILROAD CROSSING:

The Monroe Street Railroad Crossing is scheduled to be repaired this summer.  In a joint effort between the Village, Mercer Landmark Elevator and Pioneer Railcorp,  the railroad crossing will be completely dug out and new asphalt and wood ties will be reinstalled.    Each of the 3 entities involved will contribute approximately $4,000.00 with the railroad to do the excavation of the old asphalt and ties and help with the installation of new asphalt.  In talking with the railroad about the condition of this crossing, they informed this writer that due to the the immense track repair they have, no money was budgeted this year for crossings.  In an effort to have a complete crossing improvement done, not a band aide repair, it was suggested that we share in the cost.    The improvement will take place sometime in August, after wheat harvest but before bean harvest.

I intend to ask Pioneer Railcorp to budget some dollars to repair the Cleveland Street crossing next year.

BUILDING/RENTAL STANDARDS:

Building/rental standards were received from the Village of Montpelier.  The standards are very straight forward and easy to interpret and I intend to get the Public Service Committee and Melanie to set a meeting to review these standards and get the process started in developing rental home standards.   The Public Service Committee consists of Jan Reeb, Keith West and Steve Derck.

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL/VALUE ANALYSIS & APPRAISAL:O.R. Colan Associates have completed the value analysis of the Troy Russell property on Harrmann Road.  This is the property that the village needs to acquire a standard highway easement so the village can proceed with the installation of sidewalks through the Safe Routes to School Program.

The Colan Associates submitted their analysis and appraisal to the Ohio Department of Transportation and the same was approved.   Colan Associates have presented this analysis and appraisal to the Russells on behalf of the village.  The appraisal is valued at $2,219.00.  The Village will have to wait to see if this proposed figure is accepted by the Russells.

ORDINANCE TO AUTHORISE ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS OF THE TWO OSWALT LOTS:

The Village can go forward and advertise the two lots on Oswalt that the village acquired from Ed Snyder.  The Village has met the state’s requirement of holding on to these two lots for five (5) years.  If after that time period the village had no use for them, they could be sold.  The ORC requires that we village advertise for five (5) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the Village of Antwerp.  Again the minimum bid for 118 Oswalt is $11,500 and the minimum bid for 120 Oswalt Sreet is $9,200.00.  The Village has the right to reject and all bids.

ORDINANCE 2015-19 ZONING FEE INCREASE:

This ordinance addresses to zoning fees that have not kept up with the cost of advertising.  The fee for Variances and the fee for Appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals have been $50.00 since 2000.  The average cost to advertise these two public notices is at least $51.50.   The ordinance raises these two fees from $50.00 to $60.00 to cover the cost of advertising.  Finance committee approved the recommendation by the administrator when they met on June 22, 2015.

PROPOSAL TO ADVERTISE THE FIRE TRUCK ON GOVDEALS.COM:

Fire Chief Ray Friend inquired if the village could participate in the above noted internet auction site in order to sell the 1989 Fire Truck.  The village was unsuccessful in selling the truck through advertisement in the local paper.

Govdeals.com is used by surrounding municipalities and is a legitimate internet auction site.  Melanie researched the Ohio Revised Code on what the procedures would be for the village to participate and will advise council Monday night on what we need to do.  The auction site allows the village to set a minimum bid for any items we might list.

SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS:

Finance Committee met with the undersigned and Poggemeyer Design Group on June 22, 2015 to review the Sewer Collection Pump Station & Waste Water Treatment Plant Evaluation that they were contracted by the village to prepare.  The Council’s Utility Committee met with the undersigned on July 14, 2015 to review this evaluation and recommendations also.   As a result of this evaluation of the village’s entire waste water treatment facility and lift stations, it was recommended by Poggemeyer that the village replace the N. Main Street and Stone Street Lift Stations,  install in the sewer lagoons a Ferric Chloride Phosphorus Removal System, and replace the Comminutor at the lagoons.  Total projected cost of these improvement is $654,383.00  The sanitary plant and lift stations are 35 years old.  The cost of maintaining the lift stations are costing the village too much to continue to keep replacing pumps.  The new lift stations will have all controls above ground and the pumps will be submersible.  The current pumps are operating at less than design parameters.  The confined space of both lift stations require village personnel to be exposed to hydrogen sulfide in a confined space underground at both lift stations.  All controls would be above ground, eliminating the chance of a confined space accident.  It is these reasons upgrading these lift stations is being recommended.

 

The proposed Phosphorus Removal System is based on the current call by EPA and States to reduce the amount of phosphorus getting into the watershed that ends up in Lake Erie.  A 40% reduction has been put in place by the State of Ohio and it is expected that when the Village of Antwerp’s Sanitary Sewer Operating Permit renews in 2018 we will be required to reduce the amount of phosphorus that is released into North Creek.

Lastly, the comminutor replacement  is a piece of equipment at the sewer lagoons that grinds up solids as it enters the lagoons.  The original comminutor was installed in 1980 and has stopped working.  It cannot be repaired and must be replaced.

ANTWERP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAMS PAINTED HYDRANTS:

The Antwerp girls Volleyball teams painted hydrants and sign posts in the village on July 15, 2015.  A group of 20 team members painted 20 hydrants and numerous sign posts.  All of this between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.  They have volunteered to paint more street signs.  Their work was amazing and the hydrants and posts look great.  I would like to have council make a donation to the volley ball program if you would see fit.  This type of donation is acceptable and would come out of the general fund.