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ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
February, 2016
SANITARY SEWER PROJECT:
Poggemeyer Design Group has submitted their contract for the sanitary sewer project. The total cost is $88,600.00 broken down in the following manner:
Topographic Survey $1,400
Design 36,000
Bidding 4,900
Construction staking 1,400
Engineering during Construction 9,900
Construction Observation – Full Time 35,000
Please note that this contract is covering work for design of the entire project, application preparation and submittal to 3 different funding entities, OPWC, Ohio EPA and CDBG Funding, along with the bidding of the project, engineering during the construction and construction observation along with project close out to all three funding agencies. Time period covered is from September of 2015 through close out in February, 2018. A ordinance to approve the contract will be required Monday night. Please note we have received grant funding from OPWC which covers $13,770 in engineering, CDBG will cover part of the engineering as an outright grant so the village will not be paying this entire engineering. The contract will be paid for through request for reimbursements to the three funding agencies. Design is required on these types of EPA projects.
PAULDING COUNTY CDBG FORMULA PROGRAM:
The first public hearing for the County CDBG formula grant was held on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. The undersigned attended this hearing. As stated the county will have approximately $60,000 to split between townships and villages. I have talked with Maumee Valley Planning Organization, the administrator of the county’s grant program, and she had suggested we submit both projects that I had talked with her about, those being sidewalks to Dollar General area and the new roof for the fire department. The Utility Committee did discuss these two projects in a meeting on February 9th. Council will be asked to approve moving forward and submitting these two projects to the county which are due by April 6, 2016. Prioritizing the two projects will be required.
It should be noted that at the hearing, Commissioner Tony Zartman, noted that their priority this year in awarding projects would be to help villages with tornado sirens. There are at least two villages that qualify because of their low to moderate income status to apply for grant funds for these sirens. I will keep council informed on the decision made by the county commissioners on what project they chose to fund. This decision will be made by June, 2016.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SAFETY CAPITAL GRANT:
A new safety capital grant has been posted which would award grants to political subdivisions up to $100,000 to an individual political subdivision for the purchase of vehicles, equipment, facilities or systems needed to enhance public safety. The on-line application for these funds just opened and the applications are due by March 21, 2016. The Antwerp Fire Department and Carryall Township are interested in submitting an application to purchase a tanker for the fire departments. Prioritization will be given for multi-jurisdictional purchases that demonstrate sharing of services and collaboration. A total of $200,000.00 could be applied for if they worked together and share this tanker truck, which they do anyway. It is my understanding the cost of a new tanker truck is approximately $130,000. I am working with Ray Friend on getting all the information together to submit this application online to the deadline. The awarding of this grant will be announced on May 19, 2016. Grants will be effective for one year from the date of approval. Disbursements will be made on a reimbursement basis, so the village/township would have to pay for the tanker and then submit proof of payment to be reimbursed by the state.
UTILITY COMMITTEE MEETING ON STORM SEWER, ETC.
The utility committee met on February 9, 2016 to discuss the next phase of storm sewer improvements with Lee Rausch of Poggemeyer Design Group. Mr. Rausch has been working with the village in collecting information from the flooding that occurred on Buffalo and E. Canal area of the village last Spring. Several different approaches to the flooding coming off of the field behind Buffalo were discussed. One involved the purchasing of some of the farmland property for a retention pond. Engineer Rausch and the undersigned will meet with the ditch maintenance contact at the Paulding County Engineer’s Office to discuss options for reducing the run off from this field. The topography of the farmland located behind Buffalo naturally falls towards Buffalo and during heavy rain events flash flooding occurs in the area next to Dr. Gray’s former office, across Buffalo and into residences as far as E. Canal and Erie/Daggett streets.
One of the first steps in determining the size of a second project will be to determine if the existing storm infrastructure could handle new storm lines. Most of the storm lines in the Buffalo and E. Canal area are clay tile. These would need to be replaced in the same manner as in the first phase in the new addition. These new lines would be connected to the village’s larger storm lines located in the area that eventually drain into the river. The village needs to know if there are any blockages in these main lines.
This writer contacted Darr’s Cleaning of Clyde, Ohio which has in the past videotaped portions of the storm line over the years for the village. Darr’s has most if not all of these taped segments converted to DVDs. They are reviewing what they have and will get back with me on what the cost of the dvds would be to the village and a cost to camera the lines today. This is the first step in developing the second phase. There are other areas in the village, such as S. Cleveland that has inadequate drainage and W. Woodcox between Madison the western end of W. Woodcox. If possible and the cost is not too high, this writer would like to see these areas included. I will keep council up-to-date on what we determine is the best solution to water runoff from the farm field after we meet with the County Engineer’s Office. In order to file for OPWC grant funding assistance a project in 2017, a project will need to be identified and engineered by August of this year.
As the first phase of storm sewer loan will be paid off late this year, the village would have available $30,000 annually for a loan payment to help fund a second storm improvement phase. The Village would be able to apply this September for OPWC grant money for the other half of a storm project. The first phase cost approximately $500,000.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE MET ON MINIMUM HOUSING STANDARDS:
The public service committee met on January 14th and February 16th to further review the ordinance for minimum housing standards that we have been working on to develop a way to establish and enforce that the quality of housing is adequate for protection of public health and safety. It should be noted that these minimum standards will apply to all housing, both private and public, not just rental units. The trigger for inspection of a dwelling would be by a request to inspect due to a complaint by owner, by tenant or by a third party. The committee has developed the ordinance and has asked Maumee Valley Planning Organization to review the ordinance and give the village an estimate of cost if we were to use their housing inspection personnel to provide their services as outlined in the ordinance if a complaint is received. Once their comments are received, the public service committee will meet to finalize the ordinance and present it to the rest of council to see if we should proceed with adoption. The ordinance will received three readings in order for the public to express any concerns or comments.
NEW UTILITY WORKER TO START:
Chris Walters of Antwerp will be starting as Tech I Water/Sewer employee as of February 22, 2016. Chris will work towards his water and sewer licenses and perform all other utility department assignments. According to EPA guidelines, Chris will need to work for 12 months for the Village before he can take the exams. I feel Chris will be a great asset to the village and welcome him to our small but dedicated staff.
CURTIS NESTLEROAD TO TAKE SEWER EXAM:
The Village’s water operator, Curtis Nestelroad, will be taking the sanitary sewer exam in Fort Wayne on Friday, February 19th. EPA has partnered with Applied Measurement Professionals which allows village employees looking to take either water or sewer exams to take them closer to home and more often. AMP is located in an H & R Block office complex in Jefferson Point. The exam will be taken on computer and the test can be re-taken every 30 days until passed. Before water and sewer exams were only offered twice a year and only in Columbus, Ohio. Hopefully, Curtis will pass this exam on this try. Until that time, Jeremy Kosch, is still able to oversee our required reports to EPA and answer any questions or problems Curtis might have. Curtis has done a really fine job in taking over both water and sewer responsibilities and getting things done before deadlines.
ANTWERP ROTARY CLUB STEAK FRY:
Antwerp Rotary is holding a steak fry at the Paulding Eagles on Saturday, March 19, 2016. Tickets are $12.00 apiece and can be purchased from any Rotary Member, such as Ray Friend, Shawn Dooley or Mariyln Provines. Dinner is from 5 to 7 p.m. and they will have a DJ from 7 to 10 p.m. Proceeds from this fundraiser goes to the Tennis Court project.
