NEW MADISON — Construction updates were discussed during the December 18 Village of New Madison Council meeting.
The North Main Street Storm Sewar Project is done, with plans to lay the asphalt at the end of the week. However, signage will stay up as non-functioning, due to the curb project in the spring. According to Street Commissioner Duane Cook, four houses had gas leaks. They are being repaired by Miller Pipeline Corporation, with no cost to the village, according to Grants and Funding Specialist Susan Laux, with Mote & Associates. She said the Ohio Department of Transportation detour will re-open at the end of the month.
Laux also brought the final invoice for the Duffield Street Storm Sewer Project for $70,187.50.
“With the $7,500 that the county put in, you are $500 under budget at this point,” she said.
Laux also said Tree Masters, Inc., will be removing 31 trees in the village the third week of January.
In other news, among the items approved by council include the following: to put $5,000 from the General Fund towards the purchase of a Chevy Silverado utility truck, for use by Street Commissioner Duane Cook and the village Water Department, with the Water Department contributing $10,000; Comp time for Fiscal Officer Roberta Hocker and Cook to be carried over to 2018; and the budget appropriations for 2018. Some of the appropriation estimates include: revenue for the General Fund at $323,615.82 with expenses projected at $320,858.08, based on the spending from last year; and revenue for the Street Fund at $75,638.48 with projected expenses of 72,282.69.
One resident brought before the village a bill of about $500 for trash and sewage in a home that is for sale, and empty. The water is turned off in the home, according to the resident.
“That is a lot of money to pay for something we are not using,” the resident said. “We haven’t used the trash in a long time.”
Hocker said as decided in a November meeting, going forward, if someone has their water shut off, they no longer will pay for water and trash; only wastewater and storm sewer. Mayor Lisa Garland said the resident’s next bill is $48.
In addition, Hocker said the village received confirmation of the approval for a $1 million loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission, to go towards the purchase of a new water tower.
