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Administrator outlines electric upgrades, AMP awards and rising capacity costs; updates on streets, wells and downtown projects
Summary
Village Administrator Francis reported on final underground primary conversion, successful planned outages, AMP recognitions, concerns about rising PJM capacity costs and DP&L transmission rate increases, AMI meter installs, paving and sidewalk projects, Reed Rd. wellfield monitoring, and downtown tree and lighting work.
Village Administrator Francis delivered a detailed administrative report covering electric system work, street projects, water monitoring and downtown maintenance.
Francis said the final electric conversion for the last transformer to the new underground primary in the Cambridge Drive area was scheduled Oct. 10 and that a planned outage on Sept. 29 for selected Circuit #5 customers was completed ahead of schedule. He reported that electric staff completed electrical work at Midmark for the Plant C expansion and relocated a riser pole near the BowlerStore to accommodate a building addition at the business's expense.
The Village received recognition at the 2024 AMP conference: an Honorable Mention for the Reed Rd./Circuit #5 Improvements Project (which extended power to the new Reed Rd. wellfield and improved reliability) and an AMP Safety Award for zero lost-time incidents in 2023. Francis warned council that the recent PJM capacity-rate auction led to sharp increases in capacity costs (he characterized the rise as roughly seven-fold) and that DP&L (AES) notified the village of a ~44% increase in transmission rates for 2025. He said the administration will consult with Sawvel & Associates and AMP to evaluate how these costs may affect power rates for 2025.
Francis added that village linemen are installing new AMI meters for customers outside the corporation limits as time allows. He reported multiple street and sidewalk projects: Rosecomb Estates Phase II paving (awaiting subcontractor scheduling), ongoing Ward Park sidewalk repairs, N. East Street Reconstruction between E. Water and E. Main (PAB Construction began work Oct. 7 with expected completion by end of October, weather permitting), application of Biorestor asphalt rejuvenator on Fairview Ave. and W. Main St., and planned manhole adjustments later this fall.
On water resources, Francis said the second round of residential well monitoring tied to the Reed Rd. Wellfield (Sept. 12) shows generally stable levels across the monitoring area (1.25-mile radius) with drawdown in the test well east of Well #13 of approximately five feet since startup; typical Reed Rd. well operation runs at about 180–220 gallons per minute depending on demand. He said routine monitoring will continue quarterly in 2025 and likely move to semi-annual thereafter, with the next round scheduled for December.
Francis also outlined downtown maintenance: Grilliot Tree Trimming will remove 32 trees in the Downtown Streetscape area for $5,800; replanting from A. Brown’s Nursery is expected in November; C&S Painting will repaint decorative lamp poles for $4,250 and options for LED conversion kits for Ward Park lamps are being pursued. He reminded residents not to provide utility-billing documents to door-to-door solicitors and said the village has received complaints about solicitors representing DirectEnergy and Provision Power & Gas who often cannot produce a Village solicitor permit; residents were urged to request a permit and contact Versailles Police or the Darke County Sheriff to report noncompliant solicitors.
Francis's report concluded with operational notes on ongoing projects and scheduling; the transcript does not provide additional financial or engineering details beyond those summarized here.
