FR council authorizes easement

FORT RECOVERY — The village is following EPA protocol.

Fort Recovery Village Council authorized executing a conservation easement for protection of a well on the north side of the village during its meeting Monday.

Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller explained per the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations, the village needs to have a 300-foot radius around wells either under its ownership or under an easement. He noted a portion of Patricia and Norman Hulls’ field — it’s between one-third and one-half acre — is the only portion in that radius that isn’t owned by the village, making it a spot that needed to be under a conservation easement.

Per OEPA’s stipulations, the village fulfilled the 300-foot radius requirement around another well located in Community Park in 2017. It wasn’t until recently the organization suggested the village do the same with the northern well.

According to OEPA’s website, the Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) program helps communities protect sources of drinking water, addressing 4,800 public water systems in Ohio.

(The program also known by former names, “Drinking Water Source Protection” and “Wellhead Protection.”)

Also Monday, village attorney Erin Abels noted she has drafted an agreement regarding Lot 13 — the property at 711 Industrial Drive.

Last year, the village sold the property to Lakehouse Lifestyles. Per the agreement, the business would need to seek approval from the village if it chose to sell the property within three years. After discussion, the village OK’d Lakehouse Lifestyles to sell the property — it will be splitting the four acres into two lots — following an executive session May 15.

“We still want to see something be developed there, we just don’t want somebody sitting on the lot,” explained Diller.

Also Monday, council authorized Ohio Department of Transportation to resurface Ohio 49 and Ohio 119 through the village. Diller noted the work won’t be started until sometime in 2025.

Council members Cliff Wendel, Scott Pearson, Al Post, Luke Knapke, Erik Fiely and Greg Schmitz also:

•Heard repairs have been completed at Ambassador Pool. The pool had been losing water the first few days after it had been filled this year. At one point, the pool lost 6 inches overnight. After making repairs, there should be no holes or splits, Diller said, but it is still losing a small amount of water each night. Diller pointed out the pool is now 40 years old and said that is sustainable for its age, but he added employees are monitoring the pool for any other issues.

•Learned there are Fort Recovery Zoning Board meetings scheduled for Thursday and June 13. This week’s meeting addresses a request from Ben and Laura Wenning to put in apartments above the Brockman Furniture building, 107 Wayne St. The June 13 meeting will involve discussing the height of an accessory building Cooper Farms plans to build near its maintenance facility.

•Were reminded the Taste of Fort Recovery is from 5 to 11 p.m. June 14 along the brick portion of Wayne Street and the Fort Recovery Jubilee is set to follow June 15 through June 18 with activities at Ambassador Park.

•Transferred $48,650 from the general fund to village share projects fund.