CENTERBURG — V3 Companies won the contract for design services on the Main Street pedestrian and signal improvements project.
Village council members awarded the $201,065 contract at Monday night’s meeting.
The village received a TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) grant that covers $1.78 million of the estimated total cost of $1.982 million.
The project includes new sidewalks and curbs on both sides of Main Street between Preston and Clayton streets, along with a slight widening on the south side of Main between Preston and Ewing to align the curbs.
It also includes new signals and pedestrian bump-outs at the Preston Street, Hartford Avenue, and Clayton Street intersections.
The project’s scope connects the Heart of Ohio bike trail to downtown via a shared-use path along Clayton Street.
Existing span wire signals will be replaced with mast arms. Driveway aprons will be replaced throughout the project area to meet current ADA guidelines.
Council members waived the three readings and passed the contract legislation with the emergency clause.
US 36-SR 314 improvement project
The council approved issuing a Request for Qualifications for design services relating to pedestrian improvements along U.S. 36 and Ohio 314 (Johnsville Road).
CORPO (Central Ohio Rural Planning Organization) awarded the village $100,000 to cover design services for a path from Centerburg Pointe to the bike path.
The initial thought was to run the path along U.S. 36 to Memorial Park and up 314. However, after meeting with the Ohio Department of Transportation, the design team will look at other options.
Village Administrator Richard Dzik said the ditches along 36 and 314 do not facilitate the project.
“The other options we’d like to look for is either going behind the nursing home, maybe working with Interchurch [Social Services] on an easement to go across their property, and then cross 314,” he said.
Dzik said another option is to go straight up from the nursing home, across Interchurch and the village’s water tower parcels, and connect to the bike path.
The estimated cost for the safety path is $1.225 million.
Council members waived the three readings and passed the legislation with the emergency clause.
They also waived the three readings and authorized Dzik to work with ODOT on the improvement project.
Applying for a REDD grant
Council members gave a first reading to legislation authorizing the village to submit a joint application with Thistlegate 16 LLC for a Residential Economic Development District grant (REDD).
Holly Gross of Benesch Law said Round 1 applications closed on Jan. 16. Forty-nine entities submitted applications totaling $100 million, with $10 million allocated.
“We think there’s a lot of benefit to seeing what the first round of applications look like, what we can learn from them, and see how the state prioritize those projects,” she said.
Gross said Benesch will also examine whether the state will fund a few high-dollar projects or many projects at a lower level. The maximum award is $2.5 million per project.
Gross said potential projects include the street maintenance garage and an on-site sanitary sewer and water line to the garage.
Dzik said the village chose the street garage because it is the most immediate upcoming project.
However, he told Gross the village has other initiatives, including the sewer plant and comprehensive plan. He asked her to consider including them in the application.
The program provides grants to municipalities, townships, and counties located within 20 miles of a major economic project that adopt pro-housing policies and approve workforce housing projects of at least 200 single-family homes.
Thistlegate is the potential housing project. Pro-housing policies include homes valued at $300,000 or less, higher density, or smaller lot sizes.
Street garage (80 Miller St.)
Village council members approved buying 80 Miller St. from the Knox County Land Bank in December for $70,000. The site will house a new street garage.
Dzik said he plans to award SideStreet Studios a $43,000 contract to design, estimate, and bid the garage. The council does not need to approve the award because it is within the village administrator’s $50,000 spending limit.
The structure will be a 40-foot-by-80-foot metal building with a concrete base. SideStreet will evaluate whether to include a drive-through portion now or add it later.
Another option to the four drive-through bays is a single side entrance where vehicles can pull into the garage.
“I’d like to keep it under half a million dollars for the full project, but also … we should build it right so that we don’t have to come back in five years and do something different,” Dzik said.
He called it “pretty minimalist” with heating and cooling, bathrooms, a break room, and a couple of offices. However, the architects are to “build it for a plow that we might need in 10 years, not the plow we have today.”
Dzik said that, depending on the garage estimate, he will ask SideStreet to design a salt barn.
Other legislative action
Council members swore in Greg Myers as mayor and appointed Julie Pruett Bishop to fill the vacant council seat. Bishop’s term ends Dec. 31, 2027.
They took the following additional actions:
•Approved vacating an easement on Jerry Street where the village installed a storm sewer last year
•Gave a second reading to an ordinance to adopt and approve a contract with Metz Bailey and McLaughlin for professional legal services as village solicitor
•Waived the three readings and passed an ordinance authorizing the village administrator to retain V3 as the village engineer, up to $25,000
•Approved annexing 85.4 acres on Johnsville Road after waiving the third reading
•Waived the three readings and approved contracting with V3 for a comprehensive plan
•Gave a first reading on creating a New Community Authority (NCA)
Reports
Village administrator. Dzik said the village fought with its salt vendor for six weeks to get a salt delivery. Fortunately, the vendor delivered a load the day before the recent snowstorm.
However, he noted the village will limit its salt application throughout the rest of the season.
“We’re pretty much functioning under the assumption that the salt we have on hand is the salt we’re going to have for the rest of the year,” he said.
Alex Gowans of the street department will schedule a demolition date for 40 N. Clayton St. The Knox County Land Bank will cover the demolition cost.
Del-Co will replace a water line on North Clayton but has not yet set a start date. Del-Co will stage its equipment on Fairview Avenue and 80 Miller St.
Dzik plans to bid the 2026 paving project in March.
Central Ohio Joint Fire District. Chief Mark McCann commended the street department for its snow removal.
COJFD received 2026 approval for its substance use prevention and recovery program, completed the annual inventory, and is conducting annual reviews.
One of the medics received a new engine, which McCann said “resets our one medic from 67,000 miles to zero. The paint still has 67,000 miles, but the motor’s new.”
COJFD received a $42,295.83 MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communications System) grant for 11 new radios and a $12,198.33 BWC firefighter exposure grant.
The department submitted a $50,000 grant to replace expiring air bottles and is applying for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
