Manchester Council met on Feb. 23 to discuss properties and upcoming village projects. (Photo by Ashley McCarty)

By Ashley McCarty

Manchester Council met on Feb. 23 to discuss properties and upcoming village projects.
Economic Development Director Holly Johnson attended the meeting on behalf of the Adams County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank) in regard to the properties located at 24 and 22 East Main Street and 500 East Main Street.
“We had our Land bank meeting, and we discussed where we took the buildings that had burnt for the Village of Manchester, because we’ve had multiple people call us wanting to buy that piece of property. So, our question to the council is, our goal was to give it to the council, but if the council wants to sell it, the Land Bank would like to retain it and sell it in order to recoup some of their funds if that’s acceptable to you. We would like to know what your feelings and thoughts are about that piece of property that’s down there,” said Johnson.
If the Land Bank sells this, it goes through a realtor’s hands and is sold for fair market value.
“We don’t make a lot of money off of it, we just try to recoup some of our funds that we used to do the demo on the facility. The other thing that I’d like to talk about is the corner lot down there where we took the green house down. That’s still going to go to the Village of Manchester if you guys still want it. We have the “Welcome to Manchester” sign with the new logo that’s being created; the Land Bank will pay for that. Doug Rule’s going to put the rocks out there, so we’ll have all of that together, trees, landscaping, ect. We’ll have it all prepared for you when we hand the deed over to you,” said Johnson.
In the last council meeting, council discussed mural placement.
“In your last meeting, you talked about putting the mural on Tony Hunt’s building. That would mean that you wouldn’t want to put the mural on the side of the 8-Ball building. With your permission, we would like to give back the property that’s next to it to the owner, that way we have fulfilled our obligation to the Village of Manchester there. I guess I’m here to ask your thoughts, feelings and if that all is okay with Council,” said Johnson.
The Land Bank’s original plan was to give it to the village, but they were told that the village might sell it, she said.
“The Land Bank probably needs to be the one to sell it, that way it’s done fairly across the board and it’s not done to just one individual and we can actually recoup some of our funds. If the village wants to keep that lot, the Land Bank has no problems with the village keeping that lot,” said Johnson.
Councilman Troy Jolly said that they were in a flood plain.
“So, whoever purchases or buys the property is going to have to be regulated by the flood mitigation. We already own, what, 15 properties because of the FEMA controlled properties that we have somewhere there about? I don’t know how much more real estate Buster [Ruark] wants to keep mowing. I’m in full support of letting the Land Bank sell it, and however they do it, the highest bidder wins. I mean, we’re all regulated by the flood plains, so,” said Jolly.
There’s not really much you can do to the property, he said.
“The other thing I wanted to let you know, the other lots that we maintain and mow here in the village for the Land Bank where we took down some of the residential properties, those lots will all be back for sale this year because they come off the NIP restrictions this year where the Land bank had to hold them for three years. So, you’ll see for sale signs on those lots this summer,” said Johnson.
Henderson said she has been writing grants for the Village of Manchester since 2000.
“I have a vision that that is a prime lot that’s right on Second Street. [Councilwoman] Lori [McCartney] and I have discussed applying for a grant to maybe turn that into — a lot of people want to walk the square here on Manchester — but we’d like to have a pavilion and benches where people can sit. It would be right downtown, so I would like for the village to keep it. We could develop it. She and I could write another grant, that’s not a problem. When we have gatherings like parades and things, they’re going to do car shows all summer long, that would be a nice place where everyone could congregate to watch things that we’re doing here in the village,” said Henderson.
Johnson said that with a restaurant there, the property could be used for additional seating.
“That’s the other thing that you could do. I guess the reason why I’m here is so the Land Bank can have on record exactly what you’d like us to do with the piece of property. We’re happy to sell it, we’re happy to give it to the Village of Manchester. We’d just like you to let us know what you would like us to do,” said Johnson.
Councilwoman Regina Adams said she had issues both ways.
“We can change our mind and sell it if we decide to sell it, correct? We can give it back to [the Land Bank]. We can make that decision if we decide not to do any development or nothing is happening, at that point we can just give it to the Land Bank,” said McCartney.
A motion by McCartney to keep the property at 22 East Second Street with the stipulation that if a sale is considered the property would be forfeited to the Land Bank was seconded by Henderson, the council agreed.
Steve Mack was in attendance to give status of the Village’s infrastructure improvement projects currently under design by IBI Group.
“I’m going to bring the village up to date on several of the projects that IBI is working on for them. The first would be the sewer system’s phase 4 upgrading design. These plans that I think are in the hands of the village include additional improvements requested by the village after the most recent on-site field meeting between Village personnel and IBI’s design team. Overall, the updated cost estimate increased due to the additional work, but it is still in the range most likely to get 100 percent funding. Also, the village will have an opportunity to revise the work items if the bid comes in high and exceeds the available [principal forgiveness] allocation,” said Mack.
The village has the option to remove items to get down to that amount.
“With the village’s approval, IBI would like to schedule bid advertisement dates for construction. They were tentatively scheduled for Feb. 19 as the advertisement date. On March 8 is the bid opening,” said Mack.
With IBI’s recommendation, the Village approved placing the bid advertisement in the Ledger Independent as it has done with it’s previous IBI designed projects.
“The current cost estimate for the project is $2,069,000, which is a little bit more than what we’ve talked about. Currently, the work completed includes finalizing design specifications, finalizing the engineer’s cost estimate and scheduling the bid advertising. The WPCLF Select funding award is scheduled to come in May of 2021,” said Mack.
While he didn’t have any paperwork in regard to the storm sewer project that’s related to the Cemetery Street storm sewer, he reported the project was moving along.
“The preliminary design is pretty much done. We {got flat} obtained plat maps from the county, and review is going property by property because there are several places where the village will have to obtain easements and right of ways,” said Mack.
The third item to report was a progress report on the waterline improvement phase 1 design.
“Work accomplished to date, is we held the onsite kickoff meeting, performed a preliminary site survey, IBI has drafted up to 60 percent of the preliminary design plans and their attachments. Additional work in progress includes preparing the EPA submittal for the Ohio EPA WSRLA (Water Supply Revolving Loan Account) funding nomination — again, that’s the principal forgiveness money — finalizing the design plans and the technical specs and finalizing the engineer’s cost estimate,” said Mack.
WRSLA funding nomination will come March 3, and the final 100 percent completed design will be May 2021.
“Right now, the total project estimate cost is $2,081,000. The goal is to submit the design plans to Ohio EPA for a permit to install before the funding application deadline, so the village has a better chance to receive principal forgiveness money. During the design phase, the village requested additional design areas to be included, so that has increased that price. Within the village limits, an additional 1,900 feet of new waterline is added to the original design to create an improved waterline grid, by looping discontinued lines for better circulation and reliability with water distribution. This will give the system a better quality of water and better pressure,” said Mack.
In addition, 660 feet of existing waterline is to be relocated on State Route 52 as requested by the village to prevent further waterline breaks because on an existing slide and washout conditions on the shoulder of State Route 52.
“As a result, a total of $2.1 million project cost is estimated. Several months ago we met, as you were going for the design loan. [I explained] there was going to be an increase in the water rates to cover that. As part of the WSRLA application, the village would need to increase water rates that would cover the cost of the design. So, the discussions we had, there were different loan amounts, one would have been a monthly increase of $2.54 a month which was for a loan amount of $725,000. For a loan amount of $1.7 million, the monthly payment increase would be $5.95. Again, these rates take into account that 100 percent of the construction cost is going to be covered by grants,” said Mack.
Mack said he was not asking for any action at this time, just an understanding.
“Like with the sewer, when the bids come in on the waterline project, if they come in to high — higher than what the village would be able to get in principal forgiveness money — the village has the option to back away some of the improvements that they want to make to get within those scopes,” said Mack.
Community member Tim Dever expressed concerns about the rising water rates.
“You’re in this box that you have to charge enough in terms of rates that you can pay for the system. This is what keeps you out of fiscal emergency. Your water and sewer rates need to be set so that you’re not losing money on that,” said Mack.
Mayor Teresa Blythe said it was something that the village had to do.
“We either pay for the design and get the grant money to replace the water lines, or, eventually, we’re paying for not only the design but the water lines and everything else,” said Blythe.
Council completed usual business.
With no more business before Council, the meeting was adjourned. Meeting minutes will be approved by Council at the next meeting, subject to revisions.