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Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 20, 2026
Meeting Called to Order @ 7:30 AM
Attendance:
☒ John Carr, Chair ☐ Carrie Woody, Service ☒ Curt Shonk, City
Safety Director Engineer
☒ Joe Bizjak, Member ☒ Tim Dietz, LDOT ☒ Jeff Baird, Asst. City
Superintendent Engineer
☒ Kate Smiley, Member ☒ Charlie Mullett, LDOT ☒ Daryl Groves, Cemetery
Operations Manager Maint. Supervisor
☒ Tom Sollie, Member ☒ Jim Golden, LDOT ☐
Traffic Manager
☒ Don McDaniel, Mayor ☒ Rawn Riggs, LDOT ☐
Maint. Supervisor
ADDITIONAL ATTENDEES:
Councilmember Amie Cohen, Adam Holcomb (Engineering Specialist III)
Department al Updates:
LDOT
Operations Manager Charlie Mullett led review of LDOT activity:
• Streets
o Spend on snow removal for last storm (beginning 1/24) was $93K, and included
1,090 man hours but only about $3,000 in materials
o Work on purchase of 6 new plows is in process. Expecting the cost to come in at
$14K each with a 180 - day lead -t ime (originally $18K ), which will be under the
budget of $16K each.
• Stormwater
o Routine maintenance and repairs in process
o Replacing current street sweeper (2018 model). Total cost of $337K, with $60K
trade- in value for current sweeper (Stormwater budget).
• Traffic
o Reviewed annual conflict monitor testing and traffic management system
migration from local servers to AWS Cloud.

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o Superintendent Tim Dietz confirmed that signals revert to pre -p rogrammed cycles
if internet connectivity is disrupted.
o Long - term cost and time savings with cloud migration , versus new local servers
($7,500 initial cost, with on - going maintenance).
• Cemetery
o Cemetery Maintenance Supervisor Daryl Groves led review of cemetery projects.
o Mowing contract has been awarded to Clover Landscape for Forest Rose and
Maple Grove (all other locations are in - house mowing).
§ 2026 contract is for $185K
§ Budgeted at $150K, so we have a <$35K> deficit.
o Cash flow has been improved by requiring funeral homes to prepay for
foundations (same as private individuals).
o Fairfield Foundation Fund Grant in place for Maple Grove ($53K last year), that
cannot be used for budgeted expenses. Only for more land or improvements and
can only be used for full -b ody burials.
o Forest Rose Cemetery is nearing capacity, but Maple Grove still has about 40%
remaining.
o Cremations are now up to about 2/3 of burials, and there are currently 400
available burial nooks.
o 20% of the cost of each grave goes to Perpetual Care Fund .
o Indigent graves are now in a designated location at Elmwood Cemetery
(cremation only / 15 cremations per burial plot).
o Replacing 2008 F - 550 Dump Truck, which will be transferred to LDOT use,
rather than trade - in. Will come in under the $130K budget, at $108K ($66k Cab &
Chassis + $42K in customization by Zoresco).
Superintendent Tim Dietz provided additional comments in closing:
• 3 Mil Levy (2023 - 2033)
o Funds generated by the levy provide significant leverage for additional grants
o The Street Improvement Program has significantly reduced requests for pothole
repair from 1,600 to 400 annually.
Engineering
City Engineer Curt Shonk reviewed Project Status.
• Documen t Dated 02/13/2026 follows

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Engineering Project Status 2/13/2026
9.0029 Rising Park
Parks funded. Drainage improvements are complete. Paving in summer 2026.
6.0157 Fire Station 3 Annex
Adding a building behind the Fire Station on East Main St. to house fire equipment. Eversole
Builders and Seals Construction. Construction complete.
7.0273 Sixth Avenue Bridge (PID 120475)
Replace the Sixth Avenue Bridge over Fetter’s Run west of Cherry Street. Local Let. Engineering
funded with ODOT task order. Construction primarily funded with a Municipal Bridge g rant
received in fall of 2023. Local match to be p rovided b y LDOT b ridge funds. A 2.5 million dollar,
estimate includes engineering, construction and right ‐o f ‐w ay acquisition. Right ‐o f ‐w ay
acquisition complete. Bid o pens 3/5 . Terracon inspecting.
7.0267 Arbor Valley Drive
Reconstruct Arbor V alley Drive i ncluding a sphalt, curbs, d rainage and some walks. F unding with
OPWC/3‐ M IL/LCSD/Storm/Walks. Coordinating with LCSD to be complete prior to LHS 2026
opening. Strawser bid $2.7M.
2026 Street Improvement Program (SIP)
100% funded with 3‐ m il dollars. Streets selected. Shelly bid $1.4M. Hansley inspecting.
2027 Street Paving (SIP)
Resurfacing of Reese/Hubert. OPWC g rant denied. 2026 D esign. 2027 Construction.
7.0268 Urban Paving 1 (PID 98022)
Resurfacing US22 (Lincoln, W Main) SR 158 (N Columbus, Baltimore) and SR 37 (N H igh, Lanc ‐
Granville Rd). ODOT Let. Funded with Urban Paving, STP and 3‐ M IL. 2027 Construction.
7.0277 Main Street Walks (PID 122006)
Widening and sidewalks on East Main Street between Ewing and Community Action. Grant
application submitted in J anuary 2024. 3 million dollar estimate includes e ngineering,
construction, utilities and right ‐o f ‐w ay a cquisition. Awarded $2,000,000 for sidewalks, through
ODOT’s Systemic Safety Program. Local Let, in house design, ODOT review. Stage 3 and Final
R/W march. 2028 construction.
7.0276 Whiley Road
The reconstruction of W hiley Road from SR188 to the C orporation limits near T echnology Place
(Googles entrance). Includes base reclamations and new p avement. Lancaster Port Authority is
the lead a gency. Privately funded with state s upport. City/County providing engineering
services. Agreement signed and funds received. IGA complete . Design in p rogress. 2027 R/W
Acquisition. 2028 Construction.
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7.0279 Pavement Condition Survey
Available via link on City Engineer’s page.
7.0269 Urban Paving 2 (PID 121989)
Resurfacing US22 (E Main), SR188E (Cherry/Pleasantville). ODOT design. ODOT Let. funded
with Urban Paving / STP / 3‐MIL. 2029 Construction.
6.0156 Memorial Drive Pedestrian Improvements (PID 120594). Engineer pedestrian
improvements on Memorial Drive between Whittier and Arlington and at Park Street. FAI
CR33/MR 70505 4.93/1.09. CORPO $252,426. LDOT funds matching $63,106. American
Structurepoint engineering. Engineering in progress. Received CORPO grant for R/W
acquisition. MS selected. Applied for TAP funds for 2029 construction.
7.0280 Memorial Drive Rehabilitation (PID 124376)
Resurfacing from corp limit to corp limit. $5.5 M preliminary estimate. Banking STP allocation
for primary source of funding. 2030 construction.
7.0180 Ety Road
Widen and reconstruct Ety Road from Fair to the railroad crossing. Includes 2 county bridges,
and possibly a multi‐use path. Fairfield County Transportation Improvement District (TID)
received 2M Community Project Funds.
6.0195 Ety Road Fire Station 2
New fire station on Ety Road near the Hocking River. App Architects designing.
7.0261 East Side Industrial Connector Feasibility Study
A Planning Study funded with a Federal EDA grant, identified a preferred corridor for a Main
Street Alternate to reduce trucks and traffic on Main Street, improve connection to the Eastside
Industrial area and reduce response time to the Fairfield Medical Center. BUILD grant
agreement with FHWA in progress. Target study completion in 2027.
Essex Street Improvements
Replace walks and curbs along the Essex Building.
Timbertop Gap
Extend Timbertop to Greencrest. 750 feet of street and sidewalk. Connects RVH and TT and
Tarhee schools. 600k estimate. OPWC?
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New Business:
Old Business:
Adjournment:
Motion: Bizjak Second: Smiley
Next Meeting : April 17, 2026
Respectfully submitted,
John Carr, Committee Chair