Council to address various agenda items

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A full agenda awaits Van Wert City Council tonight.

Among the items to be addressed during the meeting: the third and final reading of an ordinance that would raise the city’s water rates by 10 percent, effective March 1. The increase was proposed by Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming in early December.

“The one thing that’s really driving this is the THM issue,” he said at the time. “We’ve studied this, we’ve done the pilot testing and the engineers have determined that the best course of action is to do aeration in our 500,000 gallon underground pool at the water plant.”

Fleming said the total cost of that project will be approximately $1.3 million and he said the city is capable of borrowing money from the Ohio Water Development Authority at a two percent interest rate. He added work will begin this summer.

He also explained the water plant is aging and said it’s incurred big expenses over the last few years, which has eaten into the water fund balance. The proposed increase would generate approximately $230,000 annually.

“A little less than $100,000 will go to the debt service on the THM project and what would still leave $130,000 that we could start growing the water fund.”

During its first two readings, the proposed increase had the unamimous support of council.

Two ordinances designed to make a portion of S. Washington St. safer for school children to cross are up for second reading tonight. One calls for reducing the speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour on S. Washington St. from the intersection of South Ave. north through the intersection of Sycamore St. The other ordinance calls for the removal of the first parking space on the east side of street near the intersection of S. Washington and E. Crawford St. The elimination of the parking space is expected to increase sight lines.

A resolution authorizing the sale of city-owned personal property not needed for public use or considered obsolete or unfit for city use is on the agenda, along with an ordinance authorizing Fleming to advertise and receive bids and award contracts for street painting this year.

Along with various administrative reports and reports from council committee heads, council members will hear a request from Main Street Van Wert Executive Director Mitch Price to expand the downtown DORA (Downtown Outside Recreation Area) district. The current DORA district boundaries include Main Street and sidewalks on Washington Street up to Jackson Street on the north; Walnut Street, from Main to Central, and then to Market Street, from Central to Crawford, on the east; Crawford Street, from Market to Washington on the south; and Fountain Park on the west. The district also includes the Wassenberg Art Center.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St. The meeting will also be streamed live at vanwert.org and then be archived for on-demand viewing.