Council OKs W. Main St. phase II contract

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council dealt with a couple of street projects — including the second phase of the West Main Street reconstruction project planned for this spring and summer — during a brief regular meeting held Monday.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted that a contract has been awarded to Miller Contracting Group of Ottoville to complete the second phase of the West Main Street project, which runs from the Orchard Tree restaurant to the west city limits. Miller Contracting’s bid for the project was $1.7 million, considerably less than $2 million engineering estimates on the project.

Council also approved legislation authorizing Fleming to seek bids for the 2015 street painting contract and also authorized the removal of stop signs on Keplar Street, at its intersection with Market Street. Fleming said the current signs would remain up for 30 days after the legislation adopted by Council on Monday goes into effect to provide a transition.

Mayor Don Farmer also sought expediency in getting a liquor license issued to the Black Angus on Main, a new downtown restaurant in the former Black Swamp Bistro location. Since there have been no objections to the new restaurant receiving a liquor license, a committee meeting on issue was waived in order to expedite the matter, which Mayor Farmer said has held up the restaurant’s opening.

The mayor also noted that city income tax collections were up $800 in February over last year, while also stating that, year-to-date, income tax revenues are up more than $101,000.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat also talked about city finances, noting that, while General Fund revenues are up $192,482 over last year, approximately $142,000 of that comes from reimbursement from a grant awarded to the Van Wert County Port Authority for work done at the Jobs Ready Site.

“At this point, we’re at the break-even point,” Balyeat said of the city’s financial position, as compared to 2014.

Mayor Farmer also noted that Van Wert’s Sister City, Sumoto City, Japan, has requested a city delegation visit that community, and requested that Council pay for a round-trip airplane ticket for him to visit Japan. The mayor said that City Economic Development Director Cindy Leis would likely accompany him on the trip, but her expenses would not be paid by the city.

A Finance Committee meeting will be held March 23 to discuss that request.