Kokosing Drive sewer project to begin; council hears updates on water accounting and lead testing

Village officials told the Gambier Village Council on Jan. 5 that physical construction of the Kokosing Drive sewer project is slated to begin in January, with Unlimited Core Solutions expecting to complete the work by April 2026. The project has grant support and a grant‑extension filing was noted in the administrator’s packet.

Mayor Leeman Kessler’s addendum and the village‑administrator report described ongoing water accounting issues. Administrator Courtney DeCosky and volunteer Josh Miller are working with the Delta Institute to reconcile discrepancies between village water usage and what the village is billed by Mount Vernon. The Village reported new equipment arrivals and plans to develop best practices for identifying accounting differences.

Fiscal Officer Diane Lay reviewed Exhibit A for the final 2026 budget and told council that a draft audit for 2023–2024 had been received from the IPA firm; adjustments requested by the auditors were still pending. On the water‑quality front, resident Elizabeth Bonaudi asked about a lead inventory the village completed; VA DeCosky described how the survey was conducted and council noted that the county health department will perform lead‑testing for residents for a fee ($46), and that the village conducts random lead testing each year. Council also discussed radon testing in the community.

The Kokosing Drive sewer project and the water‑systems work are recorded in the meeting packet and the fiscal exhibits; council asked staff to continue reporting updates as the projects progress.