Repaving will begin soon; health insurance going up

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert’s 2025 street repaving project will begin very soon. That was the word from Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming during Monday night’s Van Wert Council Meeting.

Fleming said milling and grinding of affected streets will begin on Wednesday. Actual paving is scheduled to begin on October 2 and should last about 10 days. 16 city streets are on the city’s repaving list this year:

• Spencer St. from Walnut St. to William St. 
• All of Second St.
• Two blocks of Temple St.
• S. Chestnut St. –  from Spencer St. to Main St.
• N. Chestnut St. – from Main to Trinity Friends Church
• S. Tyler St. – from Spencer St. to Main St.
• Greenewald St. – from Harrison St. to Wayne St.
• Maplewood Drive – from Ervin Rd. to Spencer
• S. Vine St. – from Spencer to Main
• E. Crawford St. – from Walnut St. to Wayne St.
• Cherry St. – from Greenewald St. to Gleason Ave.
• Biltmore Ave. – Woodland Ave. to the dead end
• Green St. – from Biltmore to Gay St.
• Gay St. – from Woodland Ave. to the dead end
• N. Franklin St. – approximately 420 feet north of Sycamore St.
• S. Walnut St. – from Hospital Drive to Ervin Rd. (chip and seal only)

Fleming said Spencer St., Second St., and a portion of Temple St. were added because bids for the work came in lower than expected, which freed up some money for additional work. He also addressed chip and seal plans on S. Walnut St.

“It’s going to be chip and seal until we can do more to it but after careful consideration, that’s probably the best way we can get the street to ride better,” he explained. “The chip and seal will seal it up and stop ongoing water damage and the deterioration we’re seeing now as far as the berm breaking and edges crumbling away. I know nobody likes that in the city and it’ll be dusty for a few weeks after that’s done but it’ll calm down and get firm.”

The Shelley Company will handle street paving at a cost of $1.1 million.

Fleming noted that the city’s final brush pickup of the year will likely continue through this week. It began last week and he said crews will continue until it’s all picked up.

Mayor Ken Markward reminded residents that the deadline to use large trash item vouchers is next Tuesday, September 30. The vouchers can be picked up in the Water Office or via the drive-up window, both at the Municipal Building on E. Main St. There is a limit of one per household and residents are responsible for transporting the voucher items to Young’s Waste on E. Jackson St. during business hours through next Tuesday. Markward also said 129 vouchers have been redeemed so far.

.Health insurance rates for Van Wert city workers will increase in 2026. City Auditor Erika Blackmore said rates will increase by five percent. She also said there hasn’t been an increase in two years.

“To have a five percent increase is not terrible and with the times today I would say it’s reasonable,” she stated.

The city pays 87 percent of the premium, while city employees cover the rest. An ordinance on the new health insurance rates is expected to be on the agenda for the next meeting.

She also said a mandatory software upgrade for the tax office will cost just over $101,000. The expenditure was approved as a supplemental appropration later in the meeting.

Council heard the first reading of a pair ordinances to transfer city-owned property, one at the northwest corner of E. Crawford St. and S. Market St., and another at the northeast corner of E. Main St. and N. Franklin St.

In other business, council members heard the second reading of two ordinances that would increase penalties for repeat violations of the city’s junk and rubbish ordinances, with an amendment urged by First Ward Councilman Jeff Agler – possible jail time for four-time offenders. Otherwise, two-time offenders would incur penalties of at least $50, and those with two or more convictions would be fined at least $100. A third and final reading is scheduled for the next meeting, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, October 13, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building.