August 2015 Administrator’s Report

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

August, 2015

W. WOODCOX WATERLINE REPLACEMENT:

The pre-construction meeting was held on August 6, 2015 with Hohenbrink Excavating, Poggemeyer Design Group, Jeremy Kosch, water operator and myself to review work schedules, any anticipated problems during excavation for the new waterline, etc.  It is anticipated work would begin end of September to first of October and be completed no later than December 31, 2015.  At the end of the meeting, Jeremy, Poggemeyer and the contractor went to the W. Woodcox site and during review of the location of valves on N. Main and W. Woodcox along with the location of Sanitary Manholes, it is was discovered that there may be some difficulty in locating the new waterline on the southside of the street as laid out on the blue prints due to the location of the sanitary sewer on the east end of W. Woodcox.  A meeting has been schedule for the this writer and Jeremy to meet with the engineer and contractor on August 17th to iron out the discrepancies so the project can go forward without a great deal of added expense in the relocating the new waterline.

BUILDING/RENTAL STANDARDS:

Building/rental standards that were received from the Village of Montpelier were reviewed with the Public Service Committee on August 11, 2015.  This is just the beginning of the review process for potentially developing minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities for light, ventilation, and thermal conditions, for safety from fire and accidents, and for the adequate level of maintenance of rental properties and/or residences.  Further meetings will be held and reported to full council on the progress.  It is anticipated that this process will be lengthy.

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.

Negotiations are on-going between O.R. Colan and the property owner, this writer will keep council informed when the proposed purchase is either agreed upon or if the village needs to look at other measures to acquire the right-of-way on Harrmann Road.

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.

CONFIDENTIAL INCOME SURVEY HAS BEEN MAILED:

In an effort to apply for some grant money through the community development block grant program for the sanitary sewer project, an income survey of the village’s residents is necessary.  The community development block grant program (CDBG) requires that governmental entities applying for the grant dollars must have a household income level of 51% low to moderate residents.

The 2010 census lists the Village of Antwerp’s low to moderate percentage at 44.38%  In an attempt to determine of the village is at least 51% low to moderate income households, a income survey has been mailed randomly to Antwerp residents.  The survey just asks for the address of the household, number of adults and/or children living in the household and to mark an income range.  No names are requested or needed in this survey.  The Village would ask that any household receiving a survey form in the mail to please fill it out and return it in the self-addressed, stamped envelope.  The survey is only used for block grant funding and is not released to any other group and can not be released as public information. The survey is being conducted by Poggemeyer Design Group of Bowling Green, Ohio. If the overall percentage of all surveys returned show 51% of Antwerp is low to moderate in household income, the village can use these results for 3 years in applying for CDBG grants for a variety of infrastructure improvements.  Information on the purpose of the survey has been placed on the Village’s website, Facebook and in the West Bend News.  Anyone with questions on this survey should call the village administrator at 419-258-2371.

WATER METERS BEING RELOCATED ON E. CANAL:

Nine water meters have been relocated on E. Canal as a part of the Safe Route to School sidewalk improvement project.  The existing water meters would have been partially encased in sidewalk in their current location when actual construction of the sidewalks gets underway in the Spring of 2016.

UPDATING THE VILLAGE’S INCOME TAX ORDINANCE TO COMPLY WITH HB5:

The Finance committee met on August 4th, 2015 to review a model ordinance provided by the village’s income tax administrator Regional Income Tax Agency of Ohio.  Due to the passage on House Bill 5 in December, 2014, the state has mandated that all municipal income ordinance be amended by January 1, 2016 so any income tax or tax withholding in done according to the Ohio Revised Code.  This new law would standardized all local income tax ordinances.  There would be no change in the percent of the village’s income tax which would remain at 1% of gross income and the credit for residents working outside of the village where a local tax is deducted from their pay would remain at ½ percent.  The first reading of the new ordinance needs to take place in September in order to have all three readings done by the November council meeting.  RITA our income tax administrator needs time to institute any changes in our existing ordinance before the new year.