ROSSFORD — The $757,900 first phase of the city street drainage and paving project was approved by council on Monday.

“The title doesn’t completely sum up the scope of the work,” said council President Carolyn Eckel.

The bid has been awarded to the Geddis Paving Company.

“On those roads, the system is either so bad, or it doesn’t exist, we have to establish drainage to minimize the impact downstream. This is primarily a drainage project with road resurfacing. The roads will not be reconstructed,” said Economic Development Director Todd Audet.

Central Avenue, Hillview Drive, Helen Drive, Eleanor Avenue and Marilyn Drive will be part of the project.

“This is the first round in the recapitalization and paving of the city of Rossford,” Audet said. “The Maumee River, at the western end, is a high sensitivity area for algal blooms. We’re working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and we’ve actually got hazard mitigation funds to reduce discharges into the river, so we can improve the water quality.”

Audet and the city maintenance crew found a subsidence in Colony Road last fall that resulted in this project.

“The road was sinking into a trench. When I went out there to repair the problem, we found all sorts of problems under the road. We were also having problems with sanitary systems, all of which were tied together,” Audet said.

Council also authorized the award of the demolition contract for Eagle Point School, at a cost of $357,000, to Klumm Brothers.

In other business, council passed an ordinance amending, with a supplemental, to the 2022 annual appropriation measure.

Council also authorized a rider to the city insurance coverage for “employee dishonesty and faithful performance of duty policy.”

A first reading was made for adopting the estimate of revenues.

The 2022 total revenue is $6.3 million and the initial 2023 estimate of projected total revenue is $5.5 million, as reported to the Wood County Auditor and authorized by city council.

“Yes, we always estimate our revenues lower, and then they come in higher,” Administrator Allyson Murray said, also confirming that they have been doing that for the past several years.

The Wood County auditor provides the estimates for the levy proceeds and local government funds.

Estimated revenues from capital project funds is expected to be $1.6 million.

Murray said It is based off the city TIEFs, or Tax Increment Financing.

“It’s a tool the city can use to spur economic development. Because a company will come in and build infrastructure that’s necessary and then they will get paid back through the TIEF. So their taxes are paid into the TIEF and then they are paid back for the infrastructure improvements that they make, in order to assist them locating in the place they want in Rossford,” Murray said.

Rossford Police officer Brandon Lewis was promoted to sergeant, and retiring Sgt. Mark Marek did the honors, just after receiving his own recognition for service. Mayor Neil MacKinnon III was wearing one of the department shirts for the Sgt. Mark Marek Firearm Training Center, named in honor of the Special Response Team leader.

Race for Recovery is being planned again for later this summer, but MacKinnon has asked for a route change, to “give a break” to the neighborhoods. Last year’s event went more than two hours past the scheduled finish time.

Promoters did ask that it stay entirely within Rossford, instead of crossing into Perrysburg Township, as it did the first year of the event. The coordination of street blockages and police created problems that year.

Council approved the regular suspension of the second council meetings of the month, for July and August, as well as the August committee of the whole.

Councilman Larry Oberdorfer II was absent, andexcused by council.