Defiance commissioners award bridge contract, open bids on road widening

Bids for the widening work were received from Ward Construction, Inc., Leipsic, $818,353.10; Vernon Nagel, Inc., Napoleon, $874,947.91; and Zachrich Construction, Defiance, $875,004.

Defiance County Engineer Warren Schlatter’s estimate was $813,305.

Those contractors bid on option 2 which calls for the use of concrete while only one contractor (Gerken Paving, Inc., Napoleon) offered the only bid ($1,028,838) on option 1 which calls for asphalt.

Commissioners took the bids under advisement and will award a contract at a later date.

According to Schlatter, three county roads are scheduled for widening:

• Buckskin Road, between Ohio 15 and Trinity Road.

• Scott Road, between Ohio 2 and Cicero Road.

• Arrowsmith Road, between Ohio 49 and Rosedale Road.

Two township roads also will be widened:

• Mansfield Road, between Ohio 15 and Defiance-Paulding County Line Road.

• Bowman Road, Campbell and Power Dam roads.

Ohio Public Works Commission funds will cover half the cost of work on the three county roads, according to Schlatter. The other two township roads will be covered with township funds, he said.

In all, about 11 miles of road will be widened, but paving will be separate. This will be part of the annual resurfacing contract that commissioners will be asked to approve in coming weeks.

Also Thursday, commissioners awarded a contract to RG Zachrich Construction, Inc., Defiance, for replacement of a bridge over the Tiffin River, north of Schick Road. The cost is $1,426,559.10.

Zachrich was the low bidder from among three contractors.

Moving to another matter, commissioners received the monthly update from Defiance County Senior Services Executive Director Nick Wichman.

He reported that his agency provided 5,655 total meals in February, up from 4,397 in February 2022 as well as 232 transportation trips, up from 127 in the same period last year. Most of the meals in February (4,622) were home-delivered.

Only eight seniors remain on a waiting list for the home-delivered meals, Wichman noted, while four of those receive frozen meals.

Wichman also informed commissioners that an evening meal at the Defiance Senior Center was to be held Thursday with a St. Patrick’s Day theme while another meal is planned on April 13.

He reported that his agency has reopened the application process for a community outreach manager until Friday (March 24).

According to Wichman, senior services continues to look at “beefing up our program offerings” with trips to the new Phoenix Theatres in Defiance’s Northtowne Mall, for example.

Other planned activities include a self-defense class with Defiance Police Chief Todd Shafer, a pool tournament and a senior prom in May. The prom hasn’t been held since the COVID situation hit in 2020.

Commissioner David Kern encouraged Wichman — who took over as senior services director in November — to “keep up the great work.”

In other business Thursday, commissioners:

• heard Commissioner Dana Phipps report that he attended the Four County Juvenile And Training Board meeting Tuesday. The board was introduced to the center’s new superintendent, Dan Jones. “I’m confident we’re going to be going in the right direction,” said Phipps.

• noted in a press release about Thursday’s meeting that they held a public hearing Wednesday on the proposed vacation of portions of Ashwood and Tittle roads. The roads were reconfigured last year to eliminate railroad crossings on either side of Defiance County Road 424 west of Defiance.

• was informed by Commissioner Mick Pocratsky that he was elected chairman of the Four County Joint Board of Commissioners during a recent meeting.

• received an update from Defiance County Recorder Cecilia Parsons.

• noted in a press release about Thursday’s meeting that they held a public hearing Wednesday on the proposed vacation of portions of Ashwood and Tittle roads. The roads were reconfigured last year to eliminate railroad crossings on either side of Defiance County Road 424 west of Defiance.

• opened bids on a contract or contracts for the purchase of miscellaneous concrete. The two bidders were Baker-Shindler Company, Defiance, and CCI Concrete, Inc., Edgerton. They offered quotes in nine different categories.