Berlin Wastewater Treatment Plant project moving forward
A busy meeting focusing on several county projects filled the Holmes County Commissioners meeting on Monday, March 3.
Chris Young, Holmes County engineer, was on hand to conduct the official bid opening for the Berlin Wastewater Treatment Plant project being rebid upon following an unsuccessful first attempt.
According to Young, the county decided to combine two portions of the project in hopes of finding better success this time around.
“We pulled our alternate from the last bid,” Young said. “It made it easier. I tried to put more in, hoping we would get a lower price. I added a clarifier for ease of construction for the next contract for which I have a workaround. This bid was a lot nicer because it got more competition, which is great.”
The first bid was from Workman Industrial Services of Kenton, Ohio, which placed a bid of $1,895,400. The second bid was from Stanley Miller Construction Company of East Sparta, which placed a bid of $1,740,237.
Young said the estimate for the project was $1.85 million.
He went on to say $1 million of the funding for the project came from the office of Ohio Congressman Troy Balderson’s office via a grant while $250,000 came from the Appalachian Regional Commission. The rest of the funding will be provided through Ohio Water Development Agency.
According to Young, the project became a necessity because the Berlin plant has been experiencing an influx of copper flowing through the plant for more than a decade.
“Copper is hard to treat,” Young said. “We partnered with a local industry up the road. They have a project going on too at the same time. With that project combined with our project, we should be able to meet the limits.”
Young will now review both bids and provide the commissioners with his recommendation once the bids are sent to the federal agency for review to make sure all the bonds are in place.
He said the project should begin sometime in August.
The commissioners also passed a Memorandum of Agreement between the county and the Village of Nashville, in which the county will serve as a pass-through entity for funding through the PY2020 Community Development Block Grant Allocation Program in the amount of $142,400.
That funding will go toward the Nashville Water Plant to install a clear well. Simonson Construction Services Inc. will do the work on the project.
According to Arnold Oliver, Holmes County planning commissioner, the agreement includes two grants, one through American Rescue Plan Act funds that was stimulus money and a CDBG, which is the grant the commissioner will serve as a pass-through.
He said the Village of Nashville will be responsible for the grants once they are in place.
“It’s basically a housekeeping item (for the county), just to have them as a party to the CDBG,” Oliver said.
He said there is no obligation financially for the county, noting it obligates Nashville, but the village was not on the CDBG portion of the application.
Oliver said the agreement has been reviewed by Holmes County prosecutor Matt Muzik.
The commissioners then passed Resolution #03-03-25-1, supporting an application for funding under the Clean Ohio Fund Green Space Conservation Program.
This funding is through Ohio Public Works Commission on behalf of Killbuck Watershed Land Trust for conservation of ecologically significant areas in Killbuck Township. It will be effective immediately.
The commissioners recently received a request from the KWLT to support the application for funding and quickly agreed to do so.
The KWLT is seeking to acquire nearly 94 acres of real estate in Killbuck Township that would help protect the ecological integrity and functionality of the local watershed.
“We met with (Randy Carmel, KWLT board president), and he explained everything to us,” Commissioner Joe Miller said. “It’s a good organization.”
Commissioner Dave Hall said they will leverage H2OH funding to purchase land that borders acreage the KWLT already has in its possession that will allow for parking and entrance to what will eventually become land suitable for hiking and other outdoor activities.
In other county news, Young said he is in discussion with a local property owner located near Spellacy Bridge near Loudonville to try to create public parking for those wishing to view Spellacy Bridge.
Finally, Miller said the Charm Post Office will remain open after discussion took place about closing the office.
According to Miller, the post office placed a sign on its door on Saturday, March 1 saying that would be the last day for the office to be open.
“It’s still open,” Miller said, noting the county connected with the offices of Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, Sen. Jon Husted and Balderson to work toward keeping the post office open.
“It was a big miscommunication,” Miller said, noting the U.S. Post Office has sent out an official letter stating the office would remain open. “That post office is always very busy.”