FR hopes to reconstruct Butler St.

FORT RECOVERY — More reconstruction projects may be coming to the village.

Fort Recovery is now pursing funding for reconstructing all of Butler Street (Ohio 119) through in the village. The goal is to complete the project within the next five years.

The project will include a new water line, new sidewalks, new curbs, a new road and replacing the stop light at Wayne Street, according to village administrator Randy Diller.

Jenn Schoonover, village grants administrator and assistant fiscal officer, told village council members during their meeting via Zoom on Monday about potential funding for the project.

The village submitted a pre-application for an Ohio Department of Transportation grant in November and now needs to submit a full application by the end of January.

Schoonover and Diller are hoping to receive a little more than $1 million from the department as well as $500,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission and an unspecified amount from the County Engineers Association of Ohio. That would leave the village to pay about $2.3 million on the multi-million dollar project.

Butler Street work would be split into two parts, Diller said, using the intersection of Ohio 119 and Ohio 49 as the halfway point.

“It’s actually the one street through town that hasn’t had anything done to it other than small pieces here and there, and it’s obviously a heavily traveled road, (so) it’s been on the radar,” he said. “We think now is the time, especially if we’re looking four to five years out to get started on the planning.”

Also during the meeting, council members agreed to request that ODOT modify the speed limit signs beginning at the intersection of Ohio 119 and John Street and ending at village limits.

Incoming traffic going 55 mph as it takes the curve near Fort Recovery-Minster Road is too fast, Diller and council lamented.

Council voted in October to invest about $2,500 toward a study — it is required by the ODOT — in order to see if a new speed limit is necessary. Diller said the study showed the average speed through that curve is about 36 mph, which warrants a 35 mph speed limit at the village limit. Council had previously hoped to get the speed changed to 25 mph.

Diller shared updates about ongoing projects, including reconstruction of Broadway and Elm streets. Broadway Street has been completed, he said, and Elm Street reconstruction will begin next year.

He noted the village will receive an extra $24,444 for COVID-related expenses from the state. Fort Recovery previously received about $111,000, which was divided between the Small Business Relief Grant for local businesses and payroll for police officers.

Mayor Dave Kaup also announced the Southern Mercer County Joint Ambulance District will be purchasing a new ambulance using CARES Act funds issued to the county.

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

•Transferred $4,774 from the sewer use fund to the reserve fund for USDA loan payments and $184,816.68 from the general fund to a share for the Broadway and Elm streets reconstruction projects.

•Authorized use of CARES Act funds for purchasing equipment and supplies and paying safety personnel payrolls and benefits.

•Heard two new fire hydrants are being installed — one on First Street and the other at intersection of Railroad Street and Wabash Road — and nearly a dozen were repaired.

•Approved the 2021 wage ordinance.