Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Coldwater census nears completion

By Betty Lawrence
Photo by Betty Lawrence/The Daily Standard

Coldwater village councilor Don Ahrns, left, village manager Eric Thomas, councilors Doug Bertke and Joe Knapschaefer, Mayor Vern Stammen and councilors Jerry Kessen, Rob Fisher and Kevin Brunswick look over the village map that is being used to help with a census project that must be completed by the end of the year. The census count helps determine the boundaries of the community's four wards.

COLDWATER - Residents received a census survey with their recent water bill.
According to the village charter, a census survey must be completed every 10 years to determine if a population change requires redistricting of the village's four wards. The population within each ward must be within 15 percent of each other.
Village Manager Eric Thomas said 1,750 surveys were mailed out, with a majority returned.
"I feel confident with the good numbers we have been getting back from the survey that we will have a nearly accurate count. It will never be 100 percent as people come and go all the time," Thomas said.
The project must be completed by the end of the year.
Council members viewed the new automatic meter reading (AMR) system located in the municipal center. Nearly 1,850 water meters will be replaced with the AMR system in the next three to four years.
Environmental committee chairman Joe Knapschaefer said when the meters are installed, each home will be checked for compliance to village water regulation. Those regulations include checking if sump pumps are properly connected, gutters are draining correctly and properties with cisterns have back-flow preventers.
If a problem is found, the homeowner is expected to correct the situation. Council has been discussing a penalty if a water customer denies access to their home. Action may range from fines to denial of service.
In other action, council members:
• Approved emergency legislation to accept the annexation of nearly five acres of land located on the northeast edge of the village. The land is owned by Brent and Randy Schwieterman.
• Slated a finance committee meeting for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 21.
• Learned winterization of Memorial Park is nearly finished, village crews are preparing equipment for the winter and crews worked on a leaking pump at the village pool.
Additional online stories on this date
Boy honored for saving younger brother's life
ROCKFORD - Middle and high school students cheered as 12-year-old Jayden Black quietly took the stage at Parkway Local School and was presented a hero medal and T-shirt for saving his brother's life. [More]
Division III Girls' Soccer Sectional at Elida
ELIDA - A Coldwater defensive breakdown resulted in Delphos St. John's scoring two goals in less than 30 seconds as the Blue Jays earned a 4-1 win over the Cavaliers in the Division III girls' soccer sectional tournament on Monday afternoon at the Elida soccer stadium. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Celina
CELINA - More than 20 people filled council chambers Monday night, many expressing concern about a proposal for a second manure digester at the Celina Renewable Energy Center off Meyer Road.
Council OKs ordinance affecting auditor, law director, mayor and judge
CELINA - The next elected mayor will have to do something no other mayor has done in the city - contribute toward his or her city-issued medical plan.
The financial blow will be softened a bit as the mayor's salary will increase from $15,000 to $15,999.
MINSTER - The Hanover Street building, which once housed grades K-6, may serve other interests in the future, according to reports presented to Minster school board members Monday night.
ST. HENRY - A new website is being created to keep residents in touch with news and events around town.
"I'd like to get it up and running in the next few months," village administrator Ron Gelhaus told council members during a meeting Monday.
ST. MARYS - A shelter house at Three Seasons Park will be completed this week after receiving state inspection approval Monday.
Safety service director Tom Hitchcock during Monday's regular council meeting said city workers recently laid the grass seed.
CELINA - A Celina man was injured Monday night when his car slammed into the side of the former Crowning Touch & Home Accents store at 565 E. Market St. Authorities suspect the driver's use of an inhalant played a role in the 10:27 p.m. accident.
Mercer County continues to have the lowest unemployment rate in Ohio with 5.6 percent for the month of September, a 0.2 percent drop from August.
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Computer Points
Most of the teams from the Grand Lake area that will be in the high school football playoffs have already clinched their berths, but two teams will be nervously watching the scoreboard Friday night.
All-Midwest Athletic Conference Volleyball
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
St. Henry won its first Midwest Athletic Conference volleyball title since 2004 this year with an unbeaten league season and the Redskins swept the top two All-MAC honors as well.
(The Division III sectional volleyball tournament story was inadvertently omitted from Monday's Daily Standard sports section. This is the story in its entirety).