WALBRIDGE – Two paving projects will get under way this fall and village council hopes a third huge road
improvement follows.
At Wednesday’s meeting, council hired Bowers Asphalt and Paving Inc., Walbridge, to pave Raymond and
Dixon streets.
The cost is $32,467 for Dixon Street and $30,565 for Raymond Street. Council also discussed adding a
"fabric" to the roads, which would add $5,616 and $5,018 to the streets cost, respectively.

Council will have to decide if the fabric, which could extend the life of the paving, is worth the extra
cost. The roads are not heavily traveled.
Mayor Dan Wilczynski asked for the bids to be approved on Wednesday, though, so Bowers could get the
paving on its schedule.
Council held off on awarding another road paving project. In August, council applied for an Ohio Public
Works Commission State Capital Improvement Grant, also known as Issue 1, to redo Union Street.
Council should know by November if the project will be approved. The village scored high in county marks
for the project, an 87 out of 90.
"Keep your fingers crossed and if you’re a religious person, pray a little bit," Wilczynski
said.
The project entails repaving, updating sewers and installing new curbs on Union Street from Main to Dixon
streets. The estimated cost is $414,000 with the village offering to pay for half, which gives it more
points or leverage in the grant approval process.
Council also commended Geddis Paving and Excavating, Toledo, which had the original contract to do the
Dixon and Raymond streets road paving. When company employees started the work, however, they noticed
that if the streets were milled down 3 1/2 inches, which is the normal specification, it would go to
dirt, with no base.
They recommended further work and when the project was re-bid, Geddis was no longer the lowest, best bid.

In other streets business, Council President Ed Kolanko said council needs to be cautious when it awards
a curb project bid. He said some wording isn’t clear about the price when the whole package isn’t done.

Solicitor Brian Ballenger agreed and said he would look at the contract.
Kolanko also noted that about eight companies had picked up bid packages for the project, but only one
bid was submitted.
Also at the meeting, council:
• Heard the August police report from Chief Kenneth Frost. He said officers issued 24 citations, gave 92
warnings and issued 20 property maintenance notices. They also did 29 assists to other departments and
281 door checks. Officers also completed 13 follow-up investigations. "These numbers are greatly
increased from years past," said Frost, who was hired earlier this year.
• Heard Ken Gilsdorf, community affairs and safety representative for CSX Transportation, thank council
for sponsoring a pool day and lunch for the company’s employees.
• Heard a complaint from a resident concerned about a vacant next-door home’s weeds imposing on her
property. Wilczynski said council’s buildings and lands committee is considering changing the ordinance.

• Swore in three auxiliary police officers, Amber Anderson, Chris Buck and Brittany Heflin.
• Heard the budget and finance committee will meet Thursday at 8 a.m. in the village hall.