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ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
APRIL, 2018
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM:
The Village will submit a full application by May 18, 2018 to be considered for grant dollars to install sidewalks from Water Plant Drive to Dollar General. ODOT received out letter of intent and requested that we submit a full application. The estimate for this project is $63, 256.60 of which the village will be responsible for 5% of the construction and $5,500.00 in engineering. It is anticipated we will hear in late summer if we are awarded the funding and the project would go forward in 2019.
VILLAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROJECT:
The village submitted an application for funding to address drainage issues at Riverside Park. If funded by the County this project would go forward in 2019. The estimate to install storm tile and catch basins around the playground and main pavilion is $29,411.25 of which the village will be responsible for $3,836.25. The Village should hear sometime in June if the Commissioners awarded our project. The Commissioners only award 4 projects and they have received 8 applications from throughout the county.
FIRE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED NEW CUTTER/ACCESSORIES FOR JAWS OF LIFE:
The Fire Department was able to purchase new cutters and accessories for their Jaws of Life with fund raisers they have held over the year. The purchase price of the new parts was $7,485.00.
SENATE BILL 2 REQUIRES ALL WATER PLANTS PRODUCE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN:
Senate Bill 2 passed in July of 2017 requires that the Ohio EPA develop guidelines for water plants to follow to develop an asset management plan. The plan is to be completed no later than October, 2018. The final guidelines were just released by the EPA. EPA feels that some public water systems lack management oversight, have deferred maintenance and not enough records of water lines and mapping of service areas. EPA is requiring all public water systems developed this plan to include:
· An inventory and evaluation of all of a water system’s assets
· Guidelines on the operation and maintenance of the water system
· An emergency preparedness and contingency plan
· The creation of criteria and timelines for infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement
· Approved capacity projections and capital improvement planning, along with cost estimates for replacement
· A long-term funding strategy to support asset management program implementation
Water systems that fail to meet the required standards could face EPA action. The plan must be in place by October and any application for assistance for improvements or site visits conducted by EPA must be able to produce the document. Needless to say this is a huge undertaking. The Village has submitted an application to EPA for principal forgiveness assistance in the amount of $10,000.00 to offset the cost of engineering fees to develop up-to-date distribution maps of all waterlines, valves and hydrants and to develop cost estimates for needed improvements and the timelines for rehabilitation and replacement. A resolution will be presented Monday night to apply for these funds.
SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENT PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING HELD:
A preconstruction meeting was held on April 10, 2018 with E. W. Wagner the construction firm that was awarded the lift station replacement project. Wagner will be replacing both the Stone Street and N. Main Street Lift Stations which will result in lift stations with all controls on top of the surface with submersible pumps. Gas fired generators will also be installed at both sites. Improvement at the sanitary sewer plant will include new screening and communator that grinds up the incoming sewage from the lift stations. Project completion is anticipated for August 31, 2018. Pumps, panels and generators will be ordered now and it is anticipated construction will start in June. Due to the amount of rain normally received in April and May, replacement of the actual wet wells won’t start until June. Site prep and work at the lagoons can take place immediately.
COMPOST SITE IS OPEN:
The compost site will be open 7 days a week now until late fall. The only time the site will be closed is when the site is too wet. A sign is located out by Rd 43 that lists whether the site is open or not. Violators dumping when the gates are closed or dumping trash will be cited. Live cameras are located on-site.
BACK FLOW PREVENTORS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES:
According to EPA, commercial businesses, especially restaurants, gas stations, medical office buildings, beauty shops, any business that the operation of such could cause a contamination of the village’s water system is required to have a back flow preventer installed where their waterline enters the building. Additionally, these preventers need to be inspected by a licensed plumber with a back flow certificate. The results of the inspection must be sent to the Village once per year according to EPA guidelines and the village’s ordinance. If, after being notified that a preventer has not been installed after notification of this requirement and/or the annual inspection is not presented to the Village annually, the Village is required to discontinue water service to that location until such time as these requirements are met.
Last year Chris Walters of the water department received his back flow preventer certification and will be doing inspections of businesses that currently haven’t installed the preventer. Chris will be able to determine the type of preventer the business should have installed. Chris will make a recommendation, but the village will not be responsible for the installation. A list of certified plumbers will be provided to the business so they can contact who they want to have the installation. Again, once the preventer is installed, an annual inspection needs to be performed and a copy of the results sent to the village. The Village was warned by EPA on a site visit that not all required businesses we reporting annual inspections and a lot didn’t even have the preventer. EPA allowed the Village to space out the inspections in order to educate commercial businesses why they need to have this apparatus to protect the village’s water system.
PAULDING COUNTY VISION BOARD REVIEW DRAFT COUNTY WIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The Paulding County Vision Board, which Antwerp is represented by the undersigned, met on April 6th to review the draft comprehensive plan for the County. The plan was developed by representatives from all over the county and paid for by the Paulding County Commissioners. Maumee Valley Planning Organization assisted in the development of the plan and coordinated the survey that was conducted, gather demographics and traffic counts, and will present the executive summary of the comprehensive plan at a public meeting to be held on May 22, 2018 at the OSU Extension Building. The Village provided our own comprehensive plan to this effort which assisted in documenting how our village residents feel about needed development and services not only here but on a county wide basis. Each village that participated has a snapshot of their community included in the plan. I have attached Antwerp’s snapshot for your review. The plan is very well thought out and presented. It is the hope that members of council and communities organizations will take the time to attend the review of the plan on May 22nd. The goal of the county comp plan is to assist in reaching grant dollars that are only available to counties who have this in-depth document. The plan goals have been broken out into 4 main categories and they are: Transportation; Economic Development, Housing and Quality of Life. I will keep council and other organizations that are committed to growing our community up-to-date on the plan and the time of the presentation.
