PEMBERVILLE — While most small villages across the country continue to struggle, officials in Pemberville are looking forward to the future as the village is continuing to grow.
During a village council meeting last week, Mayor Carol Bailey outlined the progress the village is making on several public works projects.
“We are moving forward,” Bailley said. “We are on the move.”
In an effort to achieve more interest and participation from the public, the joint council meeting and meeting of the village’s Board of Public Affairs was conducted in a shelter house at Memorial Park.
Most of the public works projects are being accomplished with grants and loans from a variety of sources, including from government agencies.
“The water tower project is a $2.2 million (undertaking). We were able to get a total of $1.8 million in grants for that project,” Bailey noted.
That $1.8 million in grant funding comes from two main sources. About $1 million is from the county and $838,000 comes from the Ohio Public Works Commission.
The remaining $300,000 for the water towner project will come from local funds.
The village’s two electric plants are also undergoing improvements in the near future.
“The south electric plant is being repaired, and when those repairs are complete, we will be completely rebuilding the north electric plant,” Bailey said.
Thanks to assistance with grants and loans, the village’s storm sewer separation system is also being renovated.
Another village project is to upgrade the village’s natural gas generator for the main water pump, which will cost $83,000, $50,000 of which will come from a grant.
The mayor said the village swimming pool had a successful season again this year.
“Things went well (at the pool) this year. We also opened the new splash pad this year, and it remained open after the pool closed,” Bailey pointed out.
The extremely warm weather during the Labor Day weekend allowed the village to keep the splash pad open longer, the mayor said.
A recap of the Pemberville Free Fair was also conducted at the meeting.
While the fair is not an official village event, village officials help make it a success with their participation in it.
“It’s not (the village’s) fair, but we go to great lengths to support it,” Bailey said, adding the fair has its own board that runs the event.
One way the village assists with the fair is through the police department.
In addition to providing police protection for the fair, officers assist with traffic.
A discussion was also conducted regarding the upcoming Brewshop event that is slated for Sept. 16 from 6-11 p.m.
The event is sponsored by businesses in the village.
The next Pemberville village council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 19 in the council meeting room.
