Bidding coming for Broadway Street work

FORT RECOVERY — Bidding to reconstruct Broadway Street in Fort Recovery will begin this month.

The project, with bidding set to open July 23, will include re-routing the street so there is only one turn as well as improving sidewalks and repaving. Fort Recovery Village Council discussed the upcoming work at its meeting Monday.

Village administrator Randy Diller also introduced new grant administrator and assistant fiscal officer Jennifer Schoonover.

Currently, Ohio 49 follows Elm Street from the south, turns west on Boundary Street at the corner of Monument Park, turns north again on Wayne Street and then turns east again at Broadway Street. The project will re-route the highway so it will instead turn east on Broadway Street, eliminating a turn and taking truck traffic away from the downtown area.

“It’ll make it easier for trucks to get through town,” said fiscal officer Roberta Staugler.

Approximately $500,000 in grant funds from the federal Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program (CDBG) will go toward the project.

Diller said the goal is to award the bid by the end of July and the construction should be completed by the end of 2020. Council members scheduled a July 27 special meeting for Broadway Street property owners to ask questions about how the project will impact them. 

In addition to the street reconstruction project, Flaler and Sharpsburg Road will be repaved this summer, as approved at council’s April 20 meeting. The repaving is estimated to be completed by the end of July.

Diller also introduced Schoonover, who was announced last week as the new grant administrator and assistant fiscal officer. She has about 15 years of experience in government work, Diller said. 

Schoonover has worked at the park district and auditor’s office in Miami County as well as at the Ohio Department of Transportation. She said she is excited to start her new position next Monday. 

Alongside dealing with grants, Diller said she will also work alongside Staugler. 

“We feel she can bring a lot to the table,” Diller said.

In other business, Staugler shared highlights from the projected 2021 budget, including a projected $1.4 million year-end balance. 

“A lot of things will change between now and the end of the year,” he said. “It’s up a little bit. So, is that going to continue ––– things are actually picking back up ––– or will we have another big shutdown?”

Council members Greg Schmitz, Scott Pearson, Erik Fiely, Luke Knapke, Al Post and Cliff Wendel approved the village’s 2021 budget to be sent to the county auditor for review. They also approved a resolution to create a new fund for the CARES Act, which will reimburse the village at maximum $39,000 in COVID-19 expenses. That will include cleaning supplies, masks, hand sanitizers and other pandemic requirements.

Diller reminded council members that Fort Recovery Friends of the Arts will host concerts for each of the next seven Sundays, beginning with Neil Diamond tribute band Forever Diamond at 7 p.m. Sunday at Van Trees Park.