NORTH BALTIMORE – CSX Transportation’s new intermodal terminal is set to open this spring, if not sooner,
but no official study has been conducted on how to reroute Ohio 18.
When council met on Tuesday, members approved a joint meeting of its economic development committee with
a subcommittee of the Henry Township Trustees to discuss the issue. The joint meeting is expected to
result in a recommendation to both council and the trustees as to the best rerouting of the state
highway.
Mayor Ned Sponsler would like that recommendation to be submitted in a letter to the Ohio Department of
Transportation.
"Maybe it’ll have some weight," he said. "We want to try and promote the downtown as much
as we can and promote the (rerouting plan) that benefits us."
The mayor added that he wants council to be in agreement with the trustees on the issue.
But Councilman Jeff Bretz mentioned the issue of residents facing 200 trucks a day going past their
homes.
Village Administrator Kathy Healy said there had been funding for a study, "but with the new
governor the money was suspended." She expressed her desire for the village to do its own study as
to the best way to route traffic.
Council approved the hiring of Robert Bartz as a full-time police officer with the pay rate of $12.87 an
hour, as well as the hiring of Brooks Deidrick as a part-time police officer at the pay rate of $9.69.
Voting "no" on Bartz’s hiring was Councilman Aaron Patterson.
Both men were then sworn in.
Patterson asked Healy about the downtown streetscape grant which the village received from the Toledo
Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG). It was applied for by Poggemeyer Design Group on
behalf of both the village and its chamber of commerce.
During a break in the meeting, Healy explained the village was told it was awarded funds, but with no
commitment on how much money it will be granted nor when it will receive it. Poggemeyer’s grant
application asked for $400,000 to make utility and visual improvements to the downtown area.
"It’s all preliminary," she stated.
Healy reported the village office’s new phone system was up and running but was also being tweaked.
"It’s a much improved service," she said.
Fire Chief Doug Ebright informed her the new phones in the fire department’s bay and kitchen were not
working correctly.
Also during the meeting, council:
¥ Authorized Healy to advertise for bids to enter into a contract with the lowest and best bidder for
cemetery mowing, starting in spring.
¥ Approved two change orders for the sewer separation project, one involving a manhole collapse, at an
additional cost of almost $47,000. Voting "no" on both change orders was Jeff Bretz.
¥ Tabled the two ordinances which approved rate increases over four years in monthly water charges and
monthly sewer charges.
¥ Held an executive session to discuss employee compensation and legal issues, after which no action was
expected to be taken.