FR commits road $

FORT RECOVERY –– The village has committed funding toward its next street reconstruction project.

Village council members agreed Monday to contribute $133,650 toward the first stage of Butler Street (Ohio 119) reconstruction through Choice One Engineering of Sidney, Ohio. It includes general layout work for the future project estimated to cost about $3 million.

Village administrator Randy Diller noted they need to move forward with the engineering planning before hearing back from Ohio Department of Transportation.

“It’s not anything wasted, no matter when we do that street, that work’s going to be required,” Diller explained.

ODOT approved Fort Recovery for a $1,026,000 grant for the project earlier this year. Plans are to construct a new water line, new sidewalks, new curbs and a new road, and replace the stop light at Wayne Street. Construction is expected to begin by 2025.

Council members heard Diller has received the OK to move forward with paperwork for ODOT to consider Broadway and Elm streets as the new route for Ohio 49. (Both streets underwent reconstruction projects in the last year in order to reduce heavy traffic flow through the downtown area.) The current route through the village includes Elm, Boundary and Wayne streets.

Village council also agreed not to choose a bid for the 13 acres of farmable ground just south of the its lagoons. (Only one bid was submitted for the land, and it was from Mitch Hemmelgarn, who has farmed the plot for the last 15 to 20 years.)

Diller proposed council hold off and instead look into enrolling the land into United States Department of Agriculture’s conservation reserve program. It would give the water department a guaranteed place to scatter its excess lime. The village would also receive an annual rental payment –– Diller estimated up to 75% of what is normally paid in rent –– for planting species that will improve the environmental health and quality of the earth, according to its website. Contracts for the program vary between 10 and 15 years.

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

•Heard water tower maintenance is ongoing, with work likely to be finished today. H2O Towers out of Saline, Michigan, is handling the work. (In related news, a grant application through the Ohio statehouse has been submitted for funding of a second water tower. Village officials are still waiting on a response.)

•Were reminded two levies –– a $2.3 million general operating levy and a $2.5 million street improvement levy –– are also up for renewal for five-year terms and will be on the ballot this year.