Fort Recovery council approves annexation ordinance for Ruhenkamp property

Mayor Dave Kaup and the Village of Fort Recovery Council on Sept. 15 unanimously passed Ordinance 2025-11, consenting to and supporting annexation of a 15.588‑acre Ruhenkamp property to permit future utility extension.

The ordinance was adopted after a motion to suspend the rules by Councilman Scott Pearson and a subsequent passage motion by Al Post; the roll‑call votes were recorded as unanimous. Randy Diller, a village staff member who presented the proposal, said the annexation is intended to enable sanitary and water service extensions to the site once the property owners pursue construction.

Diller explained that sanitary service would run “up the drive from the pump station” to avoid deeper trenching near the house and that water would be routed across the front of Leverette’s lot. He said the village’s action at this meeting is consent to provide services contingent on annexation and not the final acceptance of annexation; the process includes a 25‑day notice period, county-commission action, then a 60‑day waiting period followed by additional legislative steps before the annexation takes effect. Diller also said if the village must install sanitary lines where no existing attachment exists, the property owner would typically pay 100% of that cost.

Council members asked about costs, flood‑zone impacts and whether neighboring property owners (including a separate Fortkamp request) could seek annexation. Cliff Wendel noted potential cost concerns; Diller responded the Ruhenkamp site is adjacent to an existing drive and utilities could be delivered there without extensive extensions into other parcels.

The ordinance cites Ohio Revised Code Section 709.023 for buffer and service‑provision requirements and was passed as an emergency measure to keep the annexation timeline on track.

The council did not vote on any immediate construction funding; Diller said the property owner does not expect to build for another year. The next procedural milestone reported by staff is the 25‑day window for responses, followed by county action and additional legislative steps at the village level.