Continental Village Council met in regular session in the Council Meeting Room on January 25, 2022 with Mayor Miller presiding. Members present were Tom Armey, Todd Bartley, Roxie Knipp, Dan Sullivan and Jordan Streicher. Administrator Prowant, Solicitor Welch and Fiscal Officer Darby were also present. Visitors: resident. Absent: Mike Varner. The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance.
Council approved the previous minutes and the bills & receipts since the last meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
Maintenance Update: The water tower mixer is completed and the heater was installed last Friday. Hoping to start fill the tower this week. The greensand filter # 2 has been sandblasted and painted and waiting on the paint to cure to start refilling it with the media. It should be back online next week.
ARPA Funding: Mayor Miller has sent an email to Treasury Department to see if the plan to use our first portion of the money as matching funds for our waterline replacement project will be acceptable and if we could use the remainder towards replacing valves so areas of the village could be segregated if there was a leak rather than having to shut water off to half the village to repair. He has not gotten an answer yet but has been in contact with the Ohio EPA for their input.
New Business:
Water Leak: Prowant provided copies of a letter she received asking for a reduction to a normal bill for the sewer portion of a large water bill that occurred because of a leak. Council approved the reduction.
Generator Quote: Council reviewed a quote for a permanent generator at the maintenance/water plant to take the place of the aging mobile generator currently in use. The quote was from Sidney Electric for $63,900 and includes the cement pad that it will sit on. Because it is over the $50,000 threshold, Mayor Miller will check into getting a second quote.
State of the Village: When I think about this past year, I can’t help but be disappointed to some degree. Many had hoped that 2021 would have been a bounce back year of sorts compared to what was the pandemic-themed year that was 2020. We experienced contractor delays and supply chain issues that inevitably kept us from accomplishing all of the goals that we had set out to do.
That all being said, 2021 still produced numerous successes for the village. Early last year, we able to purchase a new police cruiser with the help of CARES Act funds that reimbursed our police fund. We also purchased a new dump truck that will also double as an additional plow truck as well. The CARES Act funds allowed the village to also purchase the digital sign that replaced our old message board sign. This sign is going to be utilized by not only us, but the police, fire, and EMS departments. Speaking of digital signs, early last year the village installed a new LED speed limit sign that is solar powered. Based on initial feedback, we believe this sign has had a positive impact on slowing incoming traffic on E. Rice Street and plan on installing similar speed limit signs in other parts of town in the near future. On the maintenance side of things, numerous projects were slated for the water department this year as we continued to prepare for our new elevated tank. While I had hoped that the water tower would have gone online last year, we are close and should have this goal accomplished in the next 30 days. The Well #6 rehab was completed with the finishing touches of a new pump and motor that will last us for years to come. We also completed the clear well cleaning and inspection that illustrated an overall good rating on the report. One of the biggest installations for our water department was the SCADA system. This data system will provide us with up to the minute, real-time information that shows water pressure levels, clear well tank levels, and even which pumps and/or tanks are currently running. We will also be able to measure telemetry on our lift stations also. The village completed another storm sewer project as well in 2021. We installed a new storm drainage system between First and Second Streets just south of W. Ash Street. On the paving side of things, the Homier subdivision saw the topcoat of asphalt completed this year for the first time. The village managed to complete some park items on our wish list too. The new swing set in Sparling Park was erected after the old one had been removed. We also ordered new benches for the park and other various locations around town. The benches added a facelift to some of our existing areas in the business district with positive remarks from the community. We plan on installing/replacing some more benches this year. Finally, I want to highlight a couple items on our fire department’s side of things. This includes a new fire contact that was negotiated with Perry Township right at the end of 2021. The village was also fortunate enough to pay-off the fire truck that was purchased in 2018. This leaves only the fire station loan for current fire dept. debt.
I am looking forward to 2022, and frankly, have made some ambitious goals for the village as well we continue to move beyond the pandemic. First and foremost, as I mentioned earlier, the new elevated water tower will go online in the coming weeks with the old tower being torn down. We also happen to be halfway through our current re-bedding of the greensand filters at this time. I anticipate this project being completed by the end of February as well. The water department will also look to add a fixed generator this year. The village currently utilizes a mobile generator that dates back several years and the addition of this new generator will take away the need to fire a generator up if an emergency occurs. The village has several water projects planned for this next year including but not limited to the waterline installation project on S. First Street from Maple to Sugar Streets that is being partially funded through the last round of CDBG formula monies. ARPA funds will likely cover the balance of this project and other waterline and valve upgrades in needed areas of the village. The village plans to perform some storm sewer maintenance as a result of some drainage issues that became more prominent in 2021. We plan on also looking into drainage issues at the well field where two clay tile pits will need overflows installed to help mitigate growing water issues for the village and neighboring farming fields. This drainage solution will also allow the village to perform the same well rehabilitation work on Well #7 that was completed on Well #6 in 2021. Keeping with the thought of infrastructure, the village plans on upgrading the lights in our business district to LED with an AEP coordinated project that the framework had been laid out for last year. Several paving projects are being planned for the coming year with the street levy fund beginning to grow with revenues after just a couple years of being established. It has been a dream of mine since being elected to bring the necessary upgrades to Buckeye Park to allow for more regular usage from our community members and the surrounding area. This year we will lay out a multi-phase plan that will see the completion of several projects over the next few years to incorporate these upgrades. I have plans for a walking path around the biggest pond, ADA accessibility to the shelter house, paved parking, and upgrades to the water diversion system that will allow for events like the Lions Club’s fishing derby to become annual staples of our community. And finally, but certainly not least… we will make our biggest effort to further our zoning enforcement. This not only includes updating some of our ordinances but making sure that we enforce those that we have established, more consistently. We owe this to ourselves and to the community to help maintain an acceptable standard within the village.
In 2022, we will progress together in our successes and our failures, but I assure you that no matter what hurdles may stand in our way, the village will overcome them together. That is what community is all about after all. Good luck and God Bless everyone this year!
Next Meeting: Next meeting is Tuesday, February 8, 2022 in Council Chambers at 7 p.m. With no other business for the good of the village, meeting adjourned.
Susan Darby, Fiscal Officer
