Village to add parking

FORT RECOVERY — More public parking may be available downtown in the future.

Fort Recovery Village Council approved a resolution on a 5-2 vote Monday authorizing village officials to purchase part of the property at 111 W. Butler St.

Mayor Dave Kaup explained the village began discussions with property owners Theodore and Alison Homan about six months ago to purchase the vacant lot next to their building and convert it into a public parking lot. Kaup pointed to its central location in the downtown area where there is limited street parking.

Next steps include conducting a survey on the property, with the lot to be resurfaced at a later date. Hopes are to begin using the lot for public parking sometime this year.

The village plans to buy the property for about $85,000 using dollars from the village's general fund.

Council members Al Post, Erik Fiely, Greg Schmitz and Luke Knapke approved the resolution, with Cliff Wendel and Scott Pearson dissenting.

Also Monday, council paid a $6,435.76 invoice to consulting firm Kleinfelder for work related to updating the village’s master wastewater plan for Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and a $4,338.14 invoice for engineering work related to dredging the lagoons.

Fort Recovery village administrator Randy Diller — he attended the meeting via phone call to share his report Monday — noted village officials met with Kleinfelder representatives last week to review the plan, coming to a consensus on a system with Lemna Environmental Technologies to meet new Ohio Environmental Protection Agency limits for phosphorus, ammonia and E. coli. Plans are to submit the updated master plan in the next week.

Diller also noted plans to begin design work related to dredging the wastewater lagoons, with hopes to begin seeking bids for the project soon.

Council also approved a $245,534.62 request from Tom’s Construction for reconstruction work completed so far on Butler Street.

Diller noted water work has been completed in the project. 

It runs along Butler Street (Ohio 119) between Fort Site and Main streets. Plans are to complete asphalt work near June 1. Diller pointed out traffic signal poles are not expected to arrive until early August, meaning the village will need to install a four-way stop at the intersection of Butler and Wayne streets in the interim. Diller suggested using flashing lights at the intersection to draw attention to it.

In other business, council: 

•Heard inspections were recently completed on the village’s first water tower and clear well near the water department. Diller said both facilities had no immediate deficiencies needing to be addressed, with maintenance to take care of a few small issues. 

•Approved a request from Fort Recovery Merchants Association to close the north 100 block of Wayne Street from 1 p.m. to midnight June 12 for the Taste of Fort Recovery event in conjunction with the village’s Harvest Jubilee.

•Paid the following additional invoices: $182,413.67 and $152,740.15 for construction on the village’s second water tower; and $5,544 from PMG Consulting for work on water plant improvements designs.