FR to seek $ for road work

FORT RECOVERY — The village could receive a $500,000 grant for road work in 2019.

Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller told council members Monday that the village is eligible to apply for funding from Ohio’s Small Government Commission. The village could apply for the funding as early as next year and would learn if it received the grant on July 1, 2019.

Two of the projects Diller proposed that council consider funding if such a grant is received are either rerouting Ohio 49 or revamping Caldwell Street. Diller asked council for recommendations on what he should pursue. The village is only eligible for the money every five to six years, Diller said, and last time it won the money was used for sewer separation.  

Council members questioned which of the two would be more expensive and cost more out of pocket. The Caldwell Street project would be far less extensive, but the reroute could garner additional funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

“The more expensive one is going to be the reroute, no question. But we also have the opportunity to get additional funds,” Diller said. “Whereas if we do Caldwell, we’re not going to have that.”

The reroute would take out the problem of curves and turns in downtown that often prove difficult for truck drivers and cause accidents, Diller said.

“It would entail us connecting North Elm Street over to Broadway Street … and Elm and Broadway to continue west at that point that it’s 49 North,” Diller said.

“With the tight corners (on the current Ohio 49 route) there’s no way to widen that out so we can’t do anything about it there, so the only solution is to do it elsewhere.”

Diller said when the village consulted ChoiceOne Engineering about the reroute a few years ago, it was estimated to cost about $800,000.

Additional costs would include the likely purchase of three homes along with other pieces of property, which could bring the cost to more than a million dollars. But if the village chose the project, Diller said he would seek additional funding from ODOT.

If the council decides to go with the Caldwell Street project, the street would be redone into a residential road with sidewalks and curbs.

The grant application is not due until August of next year, so Diller said there will be time to explore both options thoroughly before then.

If council decided to pursue the reroute but the plans fell through, the Caldwell Street project could be a fallback.

Council tabled the decision and asked Diller for more information on both projects.

In other business, council members Dave Bretz, Dave Garman, Scott Pearson, Cliff Wendel, Erik Fiely and Al Post:

•Learned Fort Recovery School Board accepted the village’s proposal to change the way police officers are paid for providing security at school events. The schools previously paid officers directly, but now will pay the village, which will then pay the officers. This was done to ensure that officers will be covered under the village’s workmen’s compensation if they are injured on the job. Council passed the ordinance, which also included an amendment to the call-in time policy. If a police officer or a utility or streets employee is called in for an emergency and spends less than 15 minutes working, they will be paid for that time. If they spend more than 15 minutes but less than an hour, they will receive an hour’s pay. After that they will be paid for time worked.

•Learned there will be a farmer’s market in downtown Fort Recovery from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday next to Sunshine Boutique, 128 N. Wayne St.

•Heard from Diller that concrete for the playground at Community Park has been poured. The swings should be put in soon.