FR council reviews ’24 projects

FORT RECOVERY — Several projects are on the agenda for next year.

Fort Recovery Village Council reviewed its 2024 capital improvement projects list during its meeting Monday.

Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller briefed the board over the list of projects and equipment purchases planned for next year.

About $500,000 is earmarked in village funds for constructing a second water tower, and approximately $450,000 is planned for reconstructing portions of Wiggs and Gwendolyn streets. The village has budgeted approximately $360,500 in grant dollars for a new traffic signal, which is anticipated to arrive in the summer, at the intersection of Ohio 49 and Ohio 119 in the village. Another $500,000 — it would likely be spent in 2025 — is set aside for reconstructing two blocks of Butler Street pending a grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission, and about $100,000 is also included for other overlay and patching work.

Approximately $250,000 is projected in engineering costs in upgrading the water plant, along with $20,000 for testing for a new well site. Another $50,000 is budgeted for wastewater lagoon treatment.

As for high-dollar equipment purchases, the village has budgeted $55,000 for replacing 200 water meter heads, $50,000 for a new brush chipper, $30,000 for a leaf vacuum, $25,000 for street light replacement and $25,000 for replacing a dump truck bed.

“(We’ve) got a lot going on in the next year, which is good,” Diller said.

The village’s 2024 budget is estimated at just over $3.79 million next year. (Council will make final amendments at its next meeting at 11 a.m. Dec. 27, which will include swearing in re-elected board members Scott Pearson and Al Post as well as Mayor Dave Kaup.) Village council approved the capital improvements list along with other budgetary items Monday.

Also Monday, Diller announced he recently submitted a grant application for $4 million through the Ohio Department of Development in hopes of securing the funds to pay for switching to a new water softening process in the village. 

Officials are looking into switching from lime and caustic soda treatment to reverse osmosis membrane softening, which involves pumping water under pressure through reverse osmosis membrane elements (tube-shaped filters with about 15 layers). The new softening process would decrease the village’s chemical costs by an estimated $210,000 annually, according to a study conducted by PMG Consulting and Shoaf Consulting. Initial construction costs — plans include installing 56 reverse osmosis membranes as well as locating and drilling a third well — are estimated at $4.35 million.

“(The grant) would obviously be a huge plus for us,” said Diller. “We’ll see what happens.”

Diller plans to submit another grant request through the same program with Ohio Department of Development for sludge removal from at least one of the ponds at the wastewater lagoons. He noted he’s waiting on cost estimates before requesting the funds.

In other village updates, Diller said he reviewed preliminary plans for the new 205,000-gallon water tower recently. Hopes are for the $1.65 million project — the village received a $1.25 million grant from the Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure program for the work — to go out for bid in mid January. The village is considering placing it along Ohio 49 near the Cooper Farms facility. (If installed at a higher elevation on the north side of town, it wouldn’t need to be as tall as the existing tower.)

Diller also noted buyers of a property east of the village have expressed interest in selling land to the village for future development. The village could see up to 10 acres for expansion in coming years.

In other business, Luke Knapke, Cliff Wendel, Erik Fiely, Greg Schmitz, Post and Pearson:

•Learned Kaup will announce winners of the annual Christmas contest tonight at the Fort Recovery Radio Christmas Gala, which runs from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Cooper Brothers Community Pavilion at Community Park.

•Canceled its meeting set for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 1 and planned to meet at 11 a.m. Dec. 27.

•Adopted the following legislative items on third readings: setting pay schedules for village personnel — employees are getting at least 4% raises in 2024 — renewing a two-year contract with village solicitor Erin Abels and authorizing and establishing publication requirements as Fort Recovery’s website and Facebook page.

•Transferred $375,000 from the general fund to the street construction maintenance and repair fund.

•OK’d a request to transfer a liquor permit from Trusty Woods to Jaime and Ana LLC.