Minster may join battle against state

MINSTER - Village officials are considering joining a coalition to challenge the constitutionality of the state's recently passed policy to collect local income taxes on behalf of municipalities.

Village council members on Tuesday heard first reading of an ordinance authorizing village solicitor James Hearn to join the coalition. The state policy, opponents say, violates the principle of home rule by collecting local income taxes, holding the money and then deciding how to distribute it. About 75 Ohio municipalities, including St. Marys, so far have joined the coalition.

Joining is expected to cost about $1,000. Hearn said he has not yet received an engagement letter but expects to learn the details before council gives second reading to the ordinance on Nov. 7.

Members also passed under suspension of rules an emergency ordinance appropriating an additional $10,000 into the capital improvement fund and increasing the certificate of resources by $300,000 to $2.7 million to pay for the upcoming Fifth Street reconstruction project. The project will cost an estimated $1.5 million. Village administrator Don Harrod said the entire $2.7 million could be spent between the Fifth Street project and work on the industrial park.

Physical work on Fifth Street has not begun, although some storm sewer pipes have been dropped off at the site, Harrod said. Beaverdam Contracting is awaiting delivery of precast manholes before starting the work. The manholes are backordered and are in large demand from the only two manufacturers in Ohio.

In other action, members,

• approved the purchase of a 2,500 kilovolt-amp Three Phase Padmount transformer for the electric department to support the addition of a bottling manufacturer for Danone, the parent company of Dannon. The cost of the transformer should be $45,295 from Solomon Corp. Danone will reimburse the cost to the village. Company officials have said they would like to have the new plant operating by April 1.

• approved the purchase of a 2018 International Truck chassis for a new digger derrick from through the state purchasing program for $73,385. The village's current truck is a 2007 model. List price for the unit is $122,000.

• accepted the September 2017 income tax report from the city of St. Marys showing monthly collection of $336,144, bringing the year's collection to $2.976 million.

• learned Homan & Stucke Construction should finish pouring concrete around the concession stand at the large diamond complex at Four Seasons Park this week.

• learned the village's old bucket truck was sold on GovDeals.com for $42,000 and the village's Ford Expedition sold for $3,200 on that site.

• learned the annexation of the south industrial park has been completed after county commissioners in both Auglaize and Shelby counties approved the deal, making the village a part of Auglaize and Shelby counties.

• learned a leak had been discovered in the floor of the swimming pool, underneath the liner. A leak detection firm was hired to determine the size of the leak before deciding on a repair plan.