There being four (4) yea votes and no (0) nay votes thereon, said resolution was declared duly passed and it was so ordered.

Public Works Department Presentation: Mr. Doug Spitler, Engineering and Public Works Director, referenced a PowerPoint presentation and updated Council on various Public Works projects and operations.

Mr. Spitler displayed a map depicting the asphalt street resurfacing project. The work will take place on E. Schantz Avenue between Far Hills Avenue and Lookout Drive; Lookout Drive; Acacia Drive; E. Thruston Boulevard between Woods Road & Acorn Drive; Hathaway Road between Patterson Road and north end; the alley between Rubicon Road and Oakwood Avenue; and the alley between Ridgewood Avenue and E. Schantz Avenue. The total estimated cost for the project is $596,353.

The 2023 Sidewalk, Curb and Driveway Apron Repair Project will take place in the southwest quadrant of the City, including all areas of Oakwood west of Far Hills Avenue and south of Park Road. The project received three bids and was awarded to Adleta Construction at an estimated cost of $229,000.

A series of stormwater inlets will be repaired along the east and west sides of Far Hills Avenue, and numerous sections of concrete roadway curbing will be replaced, mostly between East Drive and Patterson Road. This project is being completed in advance of the 2024 Far Hills Avenue resurfacing. The project received two bids and was awarded to Adleta Construction at an estimated cost of $297,000.

The storm sewer system will be replaced crossing Far Hills Avenue at Greenmount Boulevard; on Dellwood Avenue from Far Hills to East Schantz; Forrer Boulevard from Far Hills to East Schantz; and along a section of Devereux Drive north of Forrer Road. The project is anticipated to begin in late spring or early summer. The bid opening for this project will be on April 11, 2023.

A new pole barn type building was constructed at the Public Works Center to store various equipment and vehicles.

CenterPoint (formerly Vectren) began the Oakwood gas line replacement project in 2010. The project is scheduled to be completed this year. At the end of 2023, all of the underground gas distribution pipes and home service lines in Oakwood will have been renewed. Mr. Spitler presented the 2023 CenterPoint project maps.

There are several large equipment purchases pending to include: Sidewalk Tractor: $20,500; Ventrac Tractor: $39,100; Front End Loader: $83,955; Backhoe: $102,500; Back-up Packer: $115,000; V-Box Salt Spreader (3): $97,290; Leaf Vacuum: $110,000; and Sewer Line Camera: $110,800

The Public Works Department provides a broad range of municipal services including: weekly trash/recyclables collection; yard debris and special pickups; and leaf disposal/leaf mulch. Mulch deliveries will take place on five Saturdays from April 8 to May 6. On the same five Saturdays, residents can obtain free mulch from the Foell Public Works Center at 210 Shafor Boulevard between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. There are also several self-service options available such as: the next Styrofoam recycling event is scheduled for Saturday, April 22; drop-off containers for recycling cardboard, yard debris, and co-mingled materials at a 24/7 Recycling Facility; the Foell Public Works Center at 210 Shafor Boulevard is open from 8 a.m. until 12 noon on the first Saturday of each month for Oakwood citizens to drop off refuse items; and refuse dumpsters are available for disposal of a mixture of debris from “do-it-yourself” homeowner projects.

Mr. Spitler displayed a chart showing a breakdown of the solid waste stream last year. There was a total of 7,121 tons of material handled in 2022, and about 50% was recycled.

Mr. Spitler displayed a line graph showing refuse collection trends over the past six years. The line graph showed a substantial increase in collection beginning in March of 2020. This increase follows COVID-19, suggesting that many property owners disposed of more household debris during the pandemic.