Village council reviews road projects

FORT RECOVERY — Broadway Street work is nearing completion.

Elm Street construction will begin within the next year.

Butler Street reconstruction is next, and funding may soon be on the horizon.

Fort Recovery Village Council discussed the various road projects during its meeting Monday via Zoom.

A newly proposed project, Butler Street (Ohio 119) reconstruction would involve reconstructing the length of the road within village limits. Some additions include a new water line, sidewalks, curbs and a new stop light at Wayne Street. The construction isn’t expected until 2025, but village administrator Randy Diller plans to propose a resolution later this month in order to apply for an Ohio Department of Transportation grant. Hopes are that the department will fund a little more than $1 million toward the project.

In addition, Broadway and Elm Street work will pick back up in the spring, Diller said. That work is being completed with a goal of having ODOT reroute Ohio 49 along those roads and away from the downtown area.

The village and Choice One Engineering also have submitted a packet to ODOT for changing the speed limit to 35 mph from the intersection of Ohio 119 and John Street to village limits. (Current speed signs on the highway leading into Fort Recovery read 55 mph.) Council invested in a required speed study in October after some local residents voiced concerns about incoming traffic going too fast on the curve.

Also Monday, Fort Recovery Police Chief Jared Laux reported a year-end update to council. He noted the number of police reports made over the last three years have diminished, but call records have increased.

“Which makes sense considering we’ve got more guys out on the road and more time to answer questions, do calls and service for everybody,” he explained.

Laux said he’s looking at prices for the new Durango vehicle now. After a proposal by Laux, council also agreed to contribute $500 toward the Ohio Task Force Commanders Association, a group aimed to diminish illegal drugs and criminal activity in the state.

Also Monday, council selected Al Post as president of the group along with appointing board positions for the year. Diller reminded council members Cliff Wendel, Erik Fiely, Greg Schmitz and Luke Knapke their terms in office will expire December 2021 unless they are re-elected.

Council appointed several community members to serve on village boards, including Ivan Kaffenberger to the cemetery board for six years; Johan Niekamp to the park board for five years; Tina Bechtol and Travis Laux to the design review board for two years; and Roger Broerman and Les Wenning to the tree commission for three years.

Mayor Dave Kaup also appointed village council committees and representatives: Post, Scott Pearson and Wendel to the finance committee; Fiely, Schmitz and Knapke to the research committee; Pearson to the police committee; Wendel as both the zoning board and planning commission representative; Knapke as the design review board representative; Wendel to serve as the tree commission representative; Roberta Staugler as the records commission representative; Post as the Southwest Mercer Fire District representative; and Kaup as the Southern Mercer County Joint Ambulance District Representative.

Diller mentioned he will be advertising for a maintenance street department position in the next week. Applications for the job are due by Jan. 20.