GRATIS — Construction on Ada Doty Street in the Village of Gratis is set to begin after Labor Day.

During a Gratis Village Council meeting held Thursday, Aug. 24, Mike Bruns with Mote & Associates presented his update on the Ada Doty CDBG and Ohio Public Works Street Improvement Project.

“We had our pre-construction meeting today on the Ada Doty Street project and I wanted to give you a little update,” Bruns said. “We are talking about starting construction after Labor Day. They will be in town. We have to pass a resolution tonight to authorize the mayor to sign the contract.

“As I mentioned before, typically with CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) the County Commissioners are the contracting authority,” he said. “However, not only do you have CDBG funds, but you have Ohio Public Works funds. It is a joint contract. The contractor for the CDBG portion is the commissioners, but the village is the contractor for the Ohio Public Works.”

Council approved Resolution 2017-03, authorizing the mayor to sign the contract and other necessary documents as needed for the Ada Doty Street Improvement Project and declaring it an emergency. Members passed the first reading, waived the three reading rule, and voted to adopt the resolution — the resolution went into effect immediately.

Next, Bruns explained the project was under budget and thus the village had possibilities to choose from.

“We could add the storm drainage one more block. If you went a second block, even with the third block, you would be right up to where you were with curb and gutter and you wouldn’t need to wrestle with a storm drain,” he said, providing council a summary of the village’s funds.

“$665,000 is the funds you secured. $632,796.70 is the project funds that were used. So, you have $32,000 additional,” he said. “If you stop at this point and don’t do anything more, you either have $32,000 less in your loan, or that money can be used for any type of contingency that could come up anything that is underground.”

If the village chooses to extend the storm drain, according to Bruns, they are looking at a $50,000 addition. It would mean the village will put an additional $18,000 into the project themselves, while using 100 percent of their loan. They will also have no contingency money.

The village must come to a decision by the next council meeting, to be held on Thursday, Sept. 7. There will need to be a motion at that point for whatever council chooses to do.