WEST MILTON- The village of West Milton has finished its annual paving projects for 2022, repaving a total of five roads and costing almost $10,000 under the original budget.
“Our 2022 paving projects are complete,” municipal manager Jeff Sheridan told village council members during their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9. “Service Director Herron deserves a lot of credit for bringing that project in under budget, and with all of the work done very well.”
“Our 2022 budget for paving was $210,000,” Sheridan said. “Our actual cost in milling and paving was $195,000; manholes were a little less than $5,000 and painting for Fredrick-Garland Road was just under $2,000, for a total of $201,626.”
The village also partnered with Ludlow Township for the first time to complete one road paving project. Roads that were paved include Frederick-Garland Road, Pinewood Drive, Willow Way, Locust Lane and Debron Road.
In other business, council members also approved a resolution to purchase a new hook/lift truck for the village, approved the selection of Anthony Miller and Scott Hurst to serve as citizen representatives on the Stillwater Crossings Community Authority for terms beginning Oct. 24, 2022 and ending on Oct. 24, 2024. The board will eventually be made up of citizens who reside in the Stillwater Crossings Development, once 80 percent of the residential structures are occupied.
Council members also approved a resolution to certify past due water, sewer and refuse accounts to the county auditor for tax liens. Properties for which the municipality has removed weeds, litter, grass and trees will also be certified to the auditor for tax liens.
The total charges against each lot and parcel will be payable to the director of finance of the village of West Milton by Sept. 8, 2022, and if not paid will then be certified to the Miami County Auditor in the full amount shown, including a 5% service charge levied by the auditor’s office.
“This is a routine act,” Sheridan said. “Periodically, we take those delinquent accounts and have the auditor put them on their taxes, so the village can collect for the expenses of correcting these deficiencies.”
Council members also heard an update on the village’s comprehensive plan for the downtown area, which will be presented at council members’ workshop meeting later this month, and approved a fifth contract adjustment for the Ludlow Falls sewer project.
In August 2020, the village signed a $2,693,037.79 contract with VTF Excavating LLC of Celina, Ohio, for construction of the Ludlow Falls sewer project. Since then, four contract change orders have increased the contract by $211,963.46. The most recent change order, approved during Tuesday night’s meeting, will increase the project’s cost by an additional $30,917.26 for a new total of $2,935,918.51.
“This is hopefully the last amendment,” Sheridan said. “It’s been a challenging project, but I think in the long run it was very beneficial to Ludlow Falls and also to the village, because it increases our customer base and increases the number of customers that could help us support our infrastructure.”
Council members also heard an update on the village’s upcoming Third Thursday event that will be held downtown on Thursday, Aug. 18, and the Rock the Hill concert that will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20.
“Next week is our Third Thursday event downtown, and then Rock the Hill is coming,” council member Sarah Copp said. “Not this Saturday but the following Saturday; it’s Aug. 20, it will be on the hill.”
“It’s going to be an awesome time,” Copp said. “We have three bands coming, inflatables, lots of food trucks, and a beer and wine tent. It’s free to the community; you bring your lawn chairs and just hang out and have fun. Hopefully, we have great summer weather.”
Council members’ next regularly scheduled meeting will be held in the municipal building at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23.
