Last Friday, State Senator Mark Wagoner and State Representative Randy Gardner announced that the state capital budget bill is expected to include a $200,000 grant to help purchase property in the historic Fort Meigs’ viewshed. Attending the announcement at the property from left, are Perrysburg Chief of Police Rick Gilts; Clint Mauk, local historian and member of Historic Perrysburg; Tom LaFarree, president of Historic Perrysburg; Joe Lawless, president of city council; Bob Harold, Fort Meigs Cabinet member; Representative Randy Gardner; John Alexander, city administrator; Senator Mark Wagoner; Rick Finch, Fort Meigs State Memorial Park director; Karl Cully-Friend, fort volunteer and vice president of the Fort Meigs Military History Roundtable; Tim McCarthy, city councilman; George Jones, chairman of the Fort Meigs Cabinet and member of the Ohio Historical Society board of trustees; Dr. Richard Ruppert, president of the board of trustees of the Ohio Historical Society; Tony Clark, Fort Meigs Cabinet member; Polly White, Fort Meigs Cabinet member; Kevin Joyce, Black Swamp Conservancy executive director; and Cindy Silvis, administrative assistant to Mayor Nelson Evans.

‘We are recognizing a historic jewel in our community’
Grant for LaPointe property purchase included in state capital budget bill
Viewing Fort Meigs State Memorial Park and the Maumee River from the Rapids Road property, known as the LaPointe property, is a breath-taking view.
The six-plus acres are described as the “gateway to Perrysburg and northern Wood County.” Last Friday, State Senator Mark Wagoner and State Representative Randy Gardner joined city, Fort Meigs and community leaders at this site to announce the state capital budget bill is expected to include a $200,000 grant to help purchase property in the historic Fort Meigs’ viewshed. “Today is an exciting day for Perrysburg, Wood County and the Ohio Historical Society. We are really recognizing a historic jewel that we have in our community–Fort Meigs. This project will both enhance Fort Meigs while providing more greenspace for the citizens of Perrysburg to enjoy,” said Senator Wagoner. “We have worked very hard in securing $200,000 in our state capital budget that will allow us to allow the city of Perrysburg to purchase this property. Everyone was terrific to work with and has done a great job advocating for the cause and benefit of this project.

I am proud to be a member of the team that put this together.” 

New principal hired for Frank Elementary
School board hears update on all-day kindergarten–120 students registered
With 120 students currently registered for the 2008-09 all-day kindergarten (ADK) program–32 more than the capped class size of 22 students for each of the four sections, 88 students total–the Perrysburg Board of Education is considering offering additional sections to parents. At last week’s board work session, Superintendent Tom Hosler gave an update on the program after last month’s enrollment removal from the Perrysburg Digital Academy (PDA) into the Perrysburg School District. “If we want to continue to have the district run the program, we will have to make that known through a board motion and set that up. At this time, we need to adjust next year’s fees based on the district running the program versus the PDA,” Mr. Hosler told board members. Currently the fees for the program through the PDA are $325 each month. With all-day kindergarten now a school district program, Mr. Hosler said they are anticipating fees being approximately $100 less–$225 each month. And, because of the lower cost, he believes more parents may participate in the program, which in that case, additional sections would be needed.

Trustees approve $3.1 million bids for new fire station
For the Perrysburg Township Board of Trustees the third time is the charm. The board met May 5 to approve bids for the new $3.1 million fire station. Due to legal questions, an absent trustee and bid concerns, the trustees continued the hearing last Wednesday and again on Monday before awarding bids for the project. Trustee Bob Mack explained that with a project of this magnitude, the trustees want to make sure public funds are used prudently. “We’re talking six figures in differences and that’s going to end up costing the township,” he said.
The trustee added that he wanted bid issues resolved before awarding contracts to allow the township the opportunity to save money. Five bids were awarded at Monday’s meeting, said township administrator John Hrosko. They are: general contractor, Spieker Company of Perrysburg Township, $3.788 million; plumbing contractor, LaRoy Plumbing and Heating of Toledo, $337,000; electrical contractor, Romanoff Electric Company of Toledo, $530,350; heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor, Dimech Services Inc. of Toledo, $380,000, and fire protection, Premier Fire Protection Inc. of Toledo, $63,642.

Council authorizes more than $9 million in rollovers and notes
At its May 6 meeting, Perrysburg City Council authorized the roll-over of four notes and the issuance of two new notes totaling $9,033,000 at an interest rate of 2.125 percent.
New notes include:
•Maumee River interceptor, $2 million–installing a 24-inch diameter connection and a 30-inch diameter connection to replace existing connections from a new manhole to be constructed on the existing 48-inch diameter sewer on Green Lane east along Water Street to Louisiana Avenue and all manholes, service connections and connections to existing lateral sewers, and rehabilitating approximately 3,772 lineal feet of existing sewers located along the river between East Boundary Street and the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
•Wastewater treatment plant phase 2a, $3 million– installing an inlet chamber, two aeration tanks, two sewage screens, two ferrous chloride storage tanks and feed pumps to replace an existing underground storage tank, 48-inch diameter connections from the settling tank to the aeration tanks and sewage screens and from the sewage screens to the existing influent meter, and constructing additions to the wastewater treatment plant administration building and maintenance building.

Grand Opening slated for July 3
Local, County officials tour Bass Pro facility
On April 29, officials from Rossford, Perrysburg Township and Wood County toured the Bass Pro construction site in the Crossroads of America. Project superintendent Mike Keane of Rudolph Libbe said the $30 million project is moving along on schedule despite many design changes. A soft opening is scheduled for June 16 with the grand opening to be held on July 3. “This is unique,” Mr. Keane said of the project. “I’ve never worked on anything like this before.” Officials touring the 150,000-square-foot building noted the unique wall murals.
Each diorama depicts a northwest Ohio outdoor scene, he said, adding that they were designed by Bass Pro artisans. Mr. Keane also pointed out log support pillars towering throughout the building. Each 46-foot tall log came from trees which were split in half and hollowed out, then reassembled around metal support beams that house electrical lines, he explained.