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LISBON -- Village council recently tabled going forward with plans for the Pritchard Avenue bridge replacement project, with Mayor Peter Wilson promising to show them in writing the source of the funds to cover the costs.
The topic, which became a war of words between Wilson and Council President Dawn Thomas, is on the agenda again for tonight's village council meeting, which is set for 6:30 p.m.
Wilson asked council about going forward with the process to secure an engineer for construction, with up to $200,000 of the engineering costs covered.
"I don't think we can afford to go into it right now. I don't feel we're in a position to do it," Thomas said.
According to Wilson, the state has already pledged close to $900,000 toward the project, covering construction and most of the engineering. In a previous story about the project, he explained that Dallis Dawson & Associates prepared the pre-engineering report for free and that was used to apply for the federal Municipal Bridge Program. In late 2021, the village received notification from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) regarding the awarding of $691,349 from the Municipal Bridge Program for the Pritchard Avenue bridge replacement.
"Do you want to jeopardize receipt of that money?" Wilson asked.
The village is already committed to the Grant Street bridge replacement project and Thomas said the village doesn't have the money to cover another project that big.
The mayor countered that the Pritchard Avenue bridge is on a watch list by ODOT, along with the Grant Street bridge. The Pritchard Avenue bridge, located near McKinley Elementary School, was constructed in 1938, with no major work done on it since the 1970s, even after homes crashed into it and under it during the Lisbon floods in 2004.
Thomas noted that ODOT hasn't shut the bridge down. She said the bridge doesn't have to be done right now. She wanted to see the numbers in writing from ODOT regarding the money for the project, saying "we only have so much money in the village."
As at a couple of past meetings, Wilson noted that it's an election year, garnering a groan from the crowd. Wilson is running for re-election and Thomas is his opponent in the mayor's race this fall.
Councilman Jerry Cox sided with Thomas on the issue. Wilson said he'll have the information regarding the funding in writing at the next meeting.
In other business, council is expected to approve the final reading on the village payroll ordinance, which gives village employees across the board will a 3.5 percent wage increase. The cost of the raises to the general fund will be $48,500, $35,200 for the water department and $8,100 for the cemetery workers.
Council approved the second reading at the last meeting, during which Wilson questioned why a larger increase for the Fiscal Officer Tracey Wonner wasn't highlighted during the report about the wage increases. Wonner's yearly salary was increased by $4,200, which is what council members are paid, plus the 3.5 percent wage increase.
Councilwoman Melissa Hiner explained in a phone call that Wonner's raise was an equity increase due to all the work she does to prepare for council meetings and for him coming to all the council meetings. The village does not have a council clerk, but Wonner does a lot of the duties. Hiner, who chairs the council finance committee, said she was trying to bring Wonner's salary up to the level of other similar village personnel in the area. According to Hiner, Wonner does a lot for Lisbon.
During the meeting, council approved going after a Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant to replace a backhoe.
A meeting regarding a zoning change at 114 Exchange St. will be held at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 12.
mgreier@mojonews.com