Council hears update on road projects

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The topic of streets and roads made up the bulk of Monday’s meeting of Van Wert City Council.

During his report, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming explained the cause of the August 2 water main break at N. Washington St. and Third St., a break that caused 500,000 gallons of water to spill out (see previous story on the cause here). He also said repairs to the street were made over the weekend, but the area won’t be repaved for 2-3 weeks.

“If you’ve driven on it, it doesn’t look like a great patch but the blacktop was 13 inches thick that was raised up over a foot, so all of that material for about 100 feet had to come out,” Fleming said. “Not being sure what we were going to find under that blacktop, the decision was made to fill it up with base material and mill that west side so it was at least level. In two or three weeks they’re going to come back in for a quick day and mill that surface off and put some top course on so it’ll ride really nice when they get done with that.”

Council members also approved expenses connected with the repairs, including $50,000 for blacktop, plus overtime work by city employees.

After hearing more information about extending Bonnewitz Ave. by 1,000 feet, from N. Washington St. eastward, council approved an ordinance allowing Fleming to advertise and receive bids for the project, which will include complex utility tie-ins. The work will coincide, or perhaps precede construction of a new bank branch of First Federal of Van Wert. The road work is expected to cost approximately $1.3 million, with $400,000 coming from a state grant. Fleming also noted the bank paid for engineering costs related to the project.

“We want to start this fall,” Fleming stated. “We won’t get pavement down but we want to get the infrastructure in so in the spring we can get pavement down and try to time it up – we want to be ahead of the bank before that opens up.”

He added the newly extended road could someday be connected to Franklin St., although that isn’t part of the upcoming project.

Fleming wrapped up his report by updating work along Leeson Ave. The project was delayed for several weeks due to a shortage of materials, but he said work has since resumed.

“We’ve got parts and the contractor has two crews installing water services, so we are making progress,” he explained. “It’s still our goal to get blacktop down before winter so you’re not going to be driving on stone this winter. It’s progressing, so that’s good news.”

Legislation banning parking on the east side of S. Tyler St. near Cavett St., had the first of three readings. Cars parked in that area have created difficulty for recycling trucks trying to get through.

Council members heard the third and final reading of an ordinance allowing the city to post public and legal notices on the city’s website, vanwert.org, instead of in print, along with an ordinance concerning renewal of leases of the city’s cell tower leases. Both passed unanimously, 7-0.

A pair of “then and now” invoices were approved. One was for $5,418 for moving expenses and new furniture for Law Director John Hatcher, who’s office moved from the Municipal Building to Van Wert Municipal Court. The other was for $6,474.50 to ESO for fire and EMS software.

Main Street Van Wert Executive Director Mitch Price updated council members on the Van Wert National Bank clock restoration project. The clock is functioning and work is 80 percent done, according to Price, who added the clock will have chimes. Councilwoman At-Large Judy Bowers noted she’s heard complaints about the clock, mainly about the color. When it was disassembled, the base was red but is now black.

After a brief executive session at the end of the meeting, council members approved the appointment of Randy Agler to the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation Board.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 26, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.