Bill includes FR project

Fort Recovery may be getting additional help paying for its second water tower.

Ohio Senate president Matt Huffman recently introduced legislation to budget $700 million for community projects across the state, including a $600,000 contribution toward Fort Recovery’s new water tower.

Fort Recovery Village Council heard about the funding and its water tower project during its meeting Monday.

Huffman announced plans to invest in 12th Senate District — it includes Mercer and Auglaize counties and part of Darke County — community projects June 10. According to a press release on the Ohio Senate website, the investment represents the first phase of the capital budget process for the next two years. That includes an additional $700 million available for community and organization projects through the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund, which will be a part of the main Ohio capital budget. (It funds construction, ranging from new school buildings to state park projects, according to the website.)

“This fund was the result of strategic planning while we prepared the operating budget for the next two years,” said Huffman in the press release. “This additional investment really makes a difference in our communities, downtowns and neighborhoods that people will recognize.”

The One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund is a part of Senate Bill 292. Hearings began Tuesday in the Senate Finance Committee for the bill, which officials hope to send to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine for approval by the end of June.

Fort Recovery received a $1.25 million grant in June 2023 from the Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure program to build a new water tower, and the village planned to contribute about $450,000 from its own water tower improvement and water capital funds for the project. 

Bids earlier this year came in at $740,000 or more than original estimates, with the village selecting Caldwell Tanks’ low bid of $2.44 million. (The Louisville, Kentucky, company’s bid was at least $600,000 lower than the other companies — Pittsburg Tank and Tower Group of Henderson, Kentucky, and Phoenix Fabricators of Avon, Indiana — who submitted offers.)

That left Fort Recovery to pay approximately $1.2 million. The $600,000 state funding allocation should help alleviate most of the unexpected increase, with the village contributing the remaining amount.

Similar to the existing tower along Industrial Drive on the southeast side of the village, the new 250,000-gallon elevated tower planned on the north side of Fort Recovery will have an additional 2,600 feet of water line to connect it to the village’s distribution system.

Village administrator Randy Diller noted work on the project could begin later this summer. 

Also Monday, Diller pointed out the village has been awarded $36,000 from Fort Recovery Community Foundation for a few park projects. They include replacing fencing at the baseball park on the west side of the village, coating and striping work in the parking lot at Community Park, installing a park light next to the playground at Community Park and laying out the ground work for the future Sawyer Overman Ninja Park at Community Park.

In other business, council members Al Post, Cliff Wendel, Scott Pearson, Erik Fiely, Greg Schmitz and Luke Knapke:

•Learned a second dose of sludge reduction product has been administered to the wastewater lagoons. Diller noted plans to hold out on dredging until after the final sonar testing is done on the lagoons later this year. If there is no change in the amount of sludge in the lagoons, he noted, plans will be to move forward with dredging. In related news, Diller also shared plans to adjust the village’s wastewater plan with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to include a process conducted by Lemna Environmental Technologies. He said a representative will present information about the process to council sometime soon.

•Approved legislation naming the village as the responsible party for the new traffic signal being installed at the intersection of Elm and Butler streets. Hopes are for the project to be completed in July.

•Heard additional lighting has been added to crosswalks planned in the multi-use trail project along Ohio 49 and Sharpsburg Road, a 2026 project funded through Ohio Department of Transportation's Systemic Safety Funding grant. Diller noted ODOT will pay 90% of the additional cost, with the village’s estimated portion to cost roughly $20,000. 

•Were reminded Fort Recovery Night Out at Ambassador Pool is slated for 5 to 8 p.m. July 21.

•Heard police chief Jared Laux is holding off on getting price estimates for a new police vehicle until fall when more vehicles are available. He said more and more departments are utilizing sport utility vehicles or pick-up trucks and named options such as a Chevrolet Tahoe or Dodge Durango.