Council approves $17,500 contract with Montrose Group for redevelopment

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GREENVILLE — At its Tuesday night meeting, Greenville City Council unanimously passed a resolution to contract with a consulting group to establish Downtown Redevelopment Districts (DRD) for the city.

Following months of presentations and negotiations, the Montrose Group of Columbus, Ohio, will begin creating an economic development plan for the city to set up one or more DRDs within the city’s downtown. According to the agreement, each DRD “can gain revenue from up to a 70 percent property tax exemption and redevelopment charges of all property in the DRD to fund historic and non-historic building rehab, historic district economic development corporation operations, and public infrastructure.” Each DRD can be as large as 10 acres, continuous, around a historic structure.

Greenville will pay a one-time fee of $17,500 for the service. The group also recently contracted with the Village of Versailles to perform the same service there, but for a fee of $15,000.

Greenville Safety/Service Director Curt Garrison said Montrose will begin its survey of the downtown next month.

Council also passed resolutions appropriating $5,000 to the General Fund to complete the 2016 audit, and to assess noxious weed mowings to multiple parcels.

In administrative reports, Garrison updated council on various infrastructure projects in the city, including a request for additional appropriations for the Donald Drive waterline and sanitary improvements project.

“At the beginning of the year, I believe we budgeted approximately $250,000 for this project,” he explained. “However, earlier in the year when the Fourth/Sweitzer Street water/sewer line project came in, the water line was over budget — however, the sewer line was under budget. The total project for Fourth/Sweitzer Street came within budget, however we had to switch some money from different funds, and in doing so, it took money from the 35 Water Surplus Account. In order to complete this portion of Donald [Drive] water improvement project, we would need to appropriate approximately $120,000 based on this engineer’s estimate.”

Council agreed to consider legislation at its next meeting to authorize bids for the project before approving the appropriation. Council also determined to have its Finance Committee meet to consider funding for street lighting for the Fourth/Sweitzer Street project.

Garrison addressed council regarding the possible costs to the city if Darke County’s .45-mill levy for emergency communications fails to pass in November.

He said the city would need to pay approximately $146,000 for MARCS [Multi-Agency Radio Communication System] radios for the police department and $129,000 for the fire department if the radios are purchased new.

“Right there, we are talking about $270,000 to $280,000 worth of radio equipment needed for MARCS,” he said. “That would be the resources that the City of Greenville will need to obtain at whatever point the [Ohio Department of Natural Resources] radios fail, but also realize that this levy has no end — it’s perpetual — so as radios fail, as radios need to be replaced, the levy will pay for that replacement, so that will not be a burden that will come back to the city.”

The subject of consoles was also discussed, with Garrison telling council he’s received an estimate of $259,578 from one vendor.

“In the dispatch center, the two consoles are reaching the end of their useful life,” Garrison said. Council’s Safety Committee will review the issue over the next few months and report back to council before the beginning of the year.

Mayor Steve Willman presented the Friends of Harmon Field, represented by Greenville Athletic Director Dusty Yingst, with a check for $6,000 to aid in the group’s construction of a new track and field at Greenville High School. The money was drawn from the city’s Community Fund.

Council adjourned into executive session for the purpose of conference with an attorney regarding threatening or pending litigation.

Greenville City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend and address council. Meetings are livestreamed on the City of Greenville Youtube channel and can be viewed the following day.

Greenville City Council voted to contract with the Montrose Group to set up Downtown Redevelopment Districts in the city. The consultant will begin working on the project next month.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Gville-Muni-0001-PRINT.jpgGreenville City Council voted to contract with the Montrose Group to set up Downtown Redevelopment Districts in the city. The consultant will begin working on the project next month. Erik Martin | The Daily Advocate
Donates $6,000 to Harmon Field project

By Erik Martin

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The writer may be reached at 937-569-4314. Join the conversation and get updates on Facebook search Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com

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