By Allison Roorda
Community Post
MINSTER – Members of the Village of Minster Council came to a final decision on electric rates during the meeting on Tuesday, March 2. 

After discussing the possibility of changing the electric rates in Minster during the month of February, the council passed an ordinance that changed the village electric rates by a 1 percent increase in revenue generated by industrial and commercial customers of the Village.
“We need to generate 4.5 percent more revenue,” Village Administrator Don Harrod said. “That will allow us to generate some of the costs we’re seeing.”
The rate change was initially slated for an increase in rates of all Minster customers, but council members were hesitant to increase rates for residential customers.
“Given the economic times we’re in, I thought we could hold off on the residents,” said Mayor Dennis Kitzmiller.
While the current ordinance will affect only industrial and commercial customers immediately, it also allows for a second 1 percent increase for all customers effective January 2011.
Council members also entered into a contract with CDM for the Waste Water Treatment Facility improvements.
“We need to do the final design now and get that approved before we can go out for bids,” said Harrod.
CDM reviewed the initial proposal and cut down $112,000 of expenses with the project. CDM also proposed sending monthly invoices for the project to the council for review as well as regular meetings during the project[‘s completion.
“I’m happy to see the overall cost reduction,” said Nicole Clune. “I appreciate the effort there.”
Harrod also said around $112 million of bonds within the stimulus fund for village development was not distributed by the Auglaize County Commissioner’s office. Those funds were taken back by the state to be reallocated to projects within Ohio. The village will apply for a portion of the bonds for the Waste Water Treatment Facility project.
Councilors also authorized a long term agreement with NKTelco for the maintenance of fiber optics and agreed to seek bids for the purchase of a tanker truck for the Minster-Jackson Township Fire Department.
The meeting ended with an executive session to discuss the purchase of land with no action taken.