Firm is working on design for water work

Final designs are in the works.

Fort Recovery Village Council approved a $25,200 pay request Monday related to designs for water plant improvements.

Marvin Gnagy of PMG Consulting and Rob Shoaf of Shoaf Consulting have been working on engineering for changes to the water plant since March. Gnagy and Shoaf — they’re partnering on the project — conducted a study for the village last year. They suggested two possible water softening alternatives to the village’s current lime and caustic soda treatment. Since then, the village has been looking into transitioning to reverse osmosis membrane softening, which involves pumping water under pressure through reverse osmosis membrane elements (tube-shaped filters with about 15 layers).

Per Gnagy and Shoaf’s estimates last year, the new softening process would decrease the village’s chemical costs by an estimated $210,000 annually. Initial construction was estimated at $4.35 million and included installation of 56 reverse osmosis membranes as well as locating and drilling a third well. (Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller noted Monday environmental consultant Eagon & Associates of Columbus, Ohio, is currently working on identifying possible locations for adding a third well to the system.)

Fort Recovery applied for but was not granted $4 million earlier this year from Ohio Department of Development’s Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Gram Program to switch over to the new water-softening process. However, the village did secure funding to cover the design work, getting approval from Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's Water Supply Revolving Loan Account for a $295,050 loan at 0% interest for five years.

Gnagy and Shoaf recently started final design work for the project. Designs should be complete within the next four to six months.

Also Monday, council transferred $178,375.48 between water tower funds and agreed to pay the amount to Caldwell Tanks, which is building the town’s second water tower. 

The new tower, a 250,000-gallon elevated tank, is planned for the north side of the village. It includes an additional 2,600 feet of water line connecting it to the village’s distribution system.

Diller noted water line installation was slated to begin this week. Steel for the project is expected to arrive in January, with construction to follow.

Fort Recovery received a $1.25 million grant in June 2023 from Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure program and a $600,000 allocation in June of this year from the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund — it’s a part of Ohio’s capital budget — for the project.

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

•Formally authorized village officers and employees on a second reading to spend additional village funds on amenities. The resolution allows village officers and employees to spend up to $200 per occurrence on amenities.

•Approved the 2025 wage ordinance on a second reading.

•Heard Fort Recovery Police Department is participating in Shop with a Cop at Walmart in Celina on Dec. 14.

•OK’d police chief Jared Laux to have ceramic coating applied to the police department’s Dodge Ram for $1,300 and Dodge Durango for $700 at Skully’s Automotive Details of Fort Recovery. The coating is intended to help protect the vehicles’ new decals for at least five years.

•Were reminded Fort Recovery Radio’s Christmas Gala begins at 7 p.m. Dec. 11.