ARCANUM — A potential property purchase and wastewater plant addition topped the Arcanum council meeting Tuesday evening.
Fire Chief Kurt Troutwine provided the council with information on property currently for sale on South High Street, behind the fire department.
“This is just a dream,” said Troutwine, explaining the additional space would allow an add-on to the fire department, plus parking, and the home to be used for training purposes before demolition.
No immediate decision was to be made, as Troutwine stated it was simply a prime time to look at the property.
Also discussed was an addition to the wastewater treatment plant.
Bill Kessler, village administrator, along with Rick Snyder, wastewater department lead, explained the necessity of an additional device to the screener.
The screener pulls solid materials from the sewer system then dumps it into a 96-gallon tote.
Currently, personnel must move the material from the tote into a dumpster by hand. The added device will eliminate the hands-on part of the process, compress the material, and automatically dispose it into the dumpster.
While the facility works without the device, Snyder emphasized the current challenges. The obvious unpleasant parts of the sewer system from solid waste to hygiene products, syringes, and more tackled by hand at least once a day, several times during a rain event.
Snyder said it was a quick decision if anyone in the room had to see or deal with the material. He noted white spots on his arms from chemical burns from sewage.
The cost for the device is $72,000, with installation at an estimated $26,750 with twelve weeks before the work could begin.
Kessler emphasized they will not need to borrow any money for the addition.
“We are still sitting very well with this project, and this can be absorbed by the contingency,” explained Kessler, who estimated $400,000 in reserve for just such unexpected expenses.
Council also discussed the following:
• A bid for the North Street rebuild project accepted from Double Jay Construction Inc.
• Tree removal by Gunckle’s Tree Services
• To advertise bids for trash collection in Sept. and Oct.
• A leak test for the pool is scheduled for mid-August
• To begin seeking quotes for ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) grant for a splash feature at the pool • Begin first round of interviews for police chief the second week of August
A reminder, a ribbon-cutting for the new wastewater treatment plant is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 off Albright Street. (Note the time change from previous announcements). Light refreshments will be provided along with tours of the new facility.
Council meetings are held at 7 p.m. every second and last Tuesday of the month at the All American Clothing Company, 1 Pop Rite Drive. The public is encouraged to attend.
