City Council

December 2, 2024 The Fredericktown Village Council met in regular session on December 2, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Fredericktown Municipal Building. PRESENT: Council Members Brewer, de Rojas, Hobson, Lanuzza, McKnight and Shoemaker; Administrator Snell; Chief Myers; Solicitor Landon; Fiscal Officer Graves. Mayor Jerry Day called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. INVOCATION: Jerry Ernst, Cornerstone Community Church MINUTES: • McKnight made a motion to approve the November 4, 2024 council meeting minutes. Seconded by Lanuzza. All Yea. VISITOR COMMENTS: • Robin McClay from the Christmas Walk Committee shared the events that will take place this Saturday, December 7th during the Christmas Walk. • Kathy Daniels gave details on the new fireplace on the square. Should be completed this week and will have ribbon cutting before the Christmas Walk on December 7th at 3:30. She thanked the many who donated to the project. LEGISLATION: (Third Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-29 - A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE TIME AND PLACE FOR THE MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF FREDERICKTOWN FOR THE YEAR 2025 Lanuzza made a motion to pass Resolution 2024-29. Seconded by McKnight. All Yea. (Second Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-31 - A RESOLUTION PROVIDING TEMPORARY APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2025 Shoemaker made a motion to waive the third reading of Resolution 2024-31. Seconded by Brewer. All Yea. Lanuzza made a motion to pass Resolution 2024-31. Seconded by Hobson. All Yea. (First Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-32 - A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNOX COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (First Reading) ORDINANCE NO. 2024-33 - AN ORDINANCE MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS Lanuzza made a motion to waive the three readings of Ordinance 2024-33. Seconded by McKnight. All Yea. Lanuzza made a motion to pass Ordinance 2024-33. Seconded by Brewer. All Yea. OLD BUSINESS: • Water Improvements Project – Working on the Engineering • Hobson, generator cost – Snell said Miller electric said it would be better to buy a used generator instead of rehabbing the generator the Village already has. • Sewer Plant Project – Engineer, Gibson Chen visited factory where the equipment will be built. • Marijuana Moratorium (2024-11 expires December 20th) – See Solicitor’s Report. NEW BUSINESS: • Mayor Day would like to have the Christmas Lighting Contest again this year. This is something the Village will do every year. VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT: See Report. FISCAL OFFICER'S REPORT: • Council reviewed the bills, financial reports and bank reconciliation statement for the month of October 2024. Hobson made a motion to approve the financial reports, bills and bank statement for October 2024. Seconded by Lanuzza. All Yea. POLICE CHIEF REPORT: • Council Member Lanuzza invited everyone to congratulate Chief Myers for receiving the 2024 Ohio State Grange Officer of the Year award. • Participated with EMS on tactical emergency casualty care training. SOLICITOR’S REPORT: • Shared information about the marijuana moratorium which expires December 20th. He said it is up to Council how they want to proceed. Council decided to extend to moratorium indefinitely, and will discuss at further committee meetings. Landon will send draft of new legislation to Mayor Day, and Snell to bring to next Council meeting. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PLANNING COMMISSION: Next meeting January 27th FINANCE, PUBLIC WORKS, SAFETY: Next meeting December 16th MISCELLANEOUS COMMITTEE REPORTS: None ADJOURNMENT – McKnight made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Hobson. All Yea. Meeting Adjourned at 7:56 p.m. _____________________________________ Rick Lanuzza, President Pro-Tempore ___________________________ Suzan Graves, Fiscal Officer TO: MAYOR & COUNCIL FROM: BRUCE SNELL, VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2024 SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATOR’S UPDATE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS The Board of Zoning Appeals did not meet in October as there was no business to discuss and we do not anticipate a BZA Meeting being scheduled this month. CHRISTMAS WALK The Christmas Walk will be held in the downtown area in the Village on December 7th, from 4 to 7PM. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The Fredericktown Community Development Foundation (FCDF) met on November 14th at 7:30 AM at the Old High School to discuss economic development in the community. The group is now meeting on the second Thursday of the month, so FCDF will meet again next month on December 12th. OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION The deadline for reapplying for 2025 OPWC funding next year was November 1st and we submitted our application about a week prior to the deadline. At the last Council Meeting, you may recall Council gave the Mayor the authority to apply for funding for the proposed 2025 Street Improvements, which will essentially be the same as the proposed 2024 Street Improvements – paving East College Street and the north half of Taylor Street. I’m told that our odds of getting funding are better this year than in previous years. We have requested funding for this estimated $275,890 project, with $132,428 being requested in the form of a grant, which is less grant funding than any other Knox County agencies asked for. The Village will also request $71,731 in a zero- interest loan and the Village has agreed to contribute $71,731 out of pocket toward the project. PATIO FIREPLACE Local resident Jeff Carpenter and his crew have completed pouring the concrete sidewalk and patio for the fireplace on the southeast corner of the Public Square. The burning unit itself will be installed in the near future. The crew must first remove a bit of concrete and install a plastic sleeve around the gas service at the fireplace. The fireplace is expected to be completed later this fall. PLANNING COMMISSION The Planning Commission will not meet this month, due to the fourth week of the month being Thanksgiving Week. Whether the Planning Commission will meet in December is yet to be determined and will be on an as needed basis. SERVICE DEPARTMENT With Council approval, we have ordered the new 2024 Ford F-550 at the revised quoted price of $57,643 (after preciously soliciting and receiving several quotes from heavy-truck vendors). We have gotten several quotes to install a new stainless steel hydraulic bed on the new truck, with the lowest quote for the bed being a total cost $23,283. In addition, we did also purchase a steel blade for a quoted price of $8,119 and safety strobe-lighting installed for an additional $815. The fully built truck will not likely be delivered to us until late winter or early spring 2025. The 2007 Ford F-550 will be auctioned online upon the delivery of the new truck. 1/2 W. SANDUSKY SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS (2027) We are currently working with KE McCartney in engineering and designing the West Sandusky/Bollinger Sidewalk Improvements. There will be no local match required for the sidewalk work. This (estimated) $800,000 federally funded project will begin roughly across from Carol Drive, on West Sandusky. The new sidewalk will run west on Sandusky Street to Forest Cemetery, then cross the street around FCNB. The sidewalk will continue west to Bollinger Drive, then go north to the existing sidewalk near Bollinger Drive and Malibu Court. Several safe crossings will also be added for pedestrians to cross State Route 95 within the scope of the project. Construction of this project will likely take place in 2027. In the meantime, we have requested that ODOT install some sort of pedestrian crossing warning signs on W. Sandusky ASAP, east and west of Levering Drive. STREETSCAPE We are currently waiting for one more park bench and several bench memorial plaques to be delivered so they can be installed on the remaining benches. We will eventually be ordering two more trash receptacles to install in the downtown area. Nearly three-dozen trees were planted and electrical receptacles were installed at the bases of the trees for lighting late last month. The contractor has also knocked out their punch-list. I am waiting to hear back from ODOT and the contractor in regards to S. MAIN STREET/COLUMBUS RD. SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS With Council approval, we anticipate applying for TAP Funding for the replacement of sidewalks on both sides of S. Main Street, from Sandusky Street to Columbus Road (estimated cost is $1 million). If funding allows, the proposed new sidewalk will continue down Columbus Road to Mohican Drive (estimated cost is $600,000). The deadline for this year’s TAP funding is October 31st. ODOT seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of continuing the Streetscape endeavor south on Main Street. We plan to ask for funding to cover Main Street and Columbus Road, but we will offer to do this in two separate phases, if that better suits ODOT officials. UTILITIES 2025 Water Infrastructure Improvements: Staff has met with KEM on the scope of this project and we have moved forward on the engineering and design of this preliminary estimated $1.815 million project and construction should begin in the spring of 2025. The Village has agreed to provide a local share of approximately $181,000 toward the total cost of this endeavor, which will be used primarily toward the engineering and design. The Fiscal Officer has indicated that we are in a cash position with Water Fund reserves to provide this match funding out of pocket. WWTP Improvements: We have entered into a consulting agreement with AVETIN, Engineering, Ltd. For the negotiation of a purchase price, along with the design, engineering, and installation of the new screw-press and dryer for biosolids (sludge) at the WWTP. We expect to spend a total of just under $1.6 million (engineering, design, equipment, and installation) to have both the belt press and the microwave replaced. We are working with USDA in obtaining a low-interest loan and possible grant monies toward this improvement. 2/2