CENTERBURG — V3 Companies will provide the engineering services for Phase 3 of the South Hartford Avenue improvement project.
Village Administrator Teri Wise signed a $32,050 contract last month.
The project is funded by the Ohio Public Works Commission. It involves repairing South Hartford between Main and Church streets, including replacing curbs, sidewalks, and ADA ramps.
The project also involves resurfacing portions of Marla and North Clay streets and Walnut Alley.
The village previously received a proposal from Kleinfelder for $41,000.
“Already we have a nice savings, plus it includes four streets going to be resurfaced,” Wise said of the switch to V3.
Construction bid packages will go out in the next two weeks.
Sanitary sewer
Wise told council members the village has a significant I&I problem (inflow & infiltration) at the wastewater treatment plant.
Of the material the plant processes, 39 percent is water the village buys from Delco. The remaining 61 percent indicates infiltration from rainwater.
Wise said she is preparing a Request For Qualifications for an engineering company to help the village with I&I.
In 2022 the village transferred the remaining money in its water fund to the sewer fund. Wise said the village will use that money to pay for the I&I study.
“I think it’s important we know what we’ve got, what our figures are, so we can tell the engineers what we have and what we want,” she told council.
Also relating to the sanitary sewer, Wise said 2023 revenue was $929,362; expenses were $901,562.
“That’s too close. It’s something we have to start looking at,” she said.
Council members looked at sewer rates in early 2023 but did not raise them. Instead, they opted to spend down some of the utility’s reserves.
Wise cautioned at the time that to avoid a huge increase in 2026, the village did not want to wait too long before raising rates.
COJFD
Fire Chief Mark McCann reported the department received a NASA grant to buy sunglasses for the April 8 solar eclipse. Other grants include a $13,826 MARCS (Multi-agency Radio Communication System) grant for radios and a $4,136 safety grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for EMS supplies.
The damaged fire truck is back in service. The new one is scheduled to arrive in 2025. Local artisans will do the truck’s graphic designs. COJFD has saved about half of the $700,000 cost.
The department hired two more paramedics; they will start next month. Additionally, COJFD is working to replace an 18-year-old vehicle, ordered flowers for its Mother’s Day project, and will host Centerburg Senior Services’ Valentine pancake breakfast Feb. 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the firehouse.
Other items
Jeff Gottke of the Area Development Foundation gave council several things to think about regarding an ordinance that would allow property owners in the township to hook into village sewer without annexing into the township.
Council approved a $500 sewer bill reduction for 4520 Cardan Lane.
Council members went into executive session to discuss personnel.
