Grant program has 14 apply

About $50,000 is available to Fort Recovery small businesses.

Fourteen applicants applied for those coronavirus-related grants.

Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller shared an update with the village council at its meeting Monday about applicants for the COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant Program, which is providing up to $5,000 to local businesses to help cover expenses related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Council is funding the program through the Ohio Coronavirus Relief Fund, provided by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Fort Recovery currently has about $58,000 in relief funds, $9,000 of which will go toward coronavirus-related expenses for the village.

With 14 applicants, not every small business will be able to receive a full $5,000. However, if the Senate passes another bill that is currently in the works, Diller noted, the village could have another $52,000 to add to the program.

Diller coordinated to meet Monday with the program committee, which includes fiscal officer Roberta Staugler, council member Luke Knapke, Mayor Dave Kaup and Mercer Savings Bank manager Eric Brackman. Those committee members will decide which applicants receive COVID-19 reimbursement.

Council also discussed adding 50-mph speed limit signs coming into and leaving Fort Recovery on the east side of the village. That road, Ohio 119, leads into 35 mph speed limits within the village. Diller noted some accidents have occurred out there because drivers are going too fast on the curve.

He said he spoke with Ohio Department of Transportation was told the community would need to do a $3,000 study before putting up signs.

Diller asked council if this was something worth pursuing this year, and it tabled the discussion.

Diller also shared project updates. He noted Broadway Street will have its storm sewer work finished by Wednesday. Also, the water department has received its lime press and is currently installing the system.

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

•Approved the following resolutions: bank depositories for public funds, which are resigned about every three to five years; establishing the Ohio Public Works Commission Grant/Loan Fund for the Broadway Street project, which will allow the village to funnel money going toward the project in the appropriate manner; amending 2020 appropriations; accepting the local government funds for 2021, which Diller noted are funds received from the state and are down by almost 13% this year; and accepted the amounts and rates for the village authorizing the necessary tax levies as determined by the budget commission.

•Set a $15 per hour wage for the new part-time tax administrator, Angie McAbee. Diller told the council she has 17 years of experience in tax work, and she will start Wednesday morning.

•Heard from police chief Jared Laux, who shared that the police department will be purchasing new body cameras for no more than $2,000. He noted now is the time to buy the cameras because the old devices are still worth something, and the new devices are waterproof, which will help in the weather this winter.

•Listened to Kaup share an update about the Mercer County Joint Ambulance District. He noted it will launch Jan. 1, as a district, with its 90-day notice announcement Oct. 1.