Miami County commissioners agreed last week a Phoneton area water supply project in Bethel Township is necessary and set a projected $8,000 assessment for each lot to help pay for a portion of the estimated $2.5 million plan.

The project was one of several addressed last week by the commission.

The commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed water project and the assessments Feb. 4 at 1:45 p.m. at the commission hearing room in the Safety Building in Troy.

Property owners affected by the project will be notified by mail, the commission said.

Paul Huelskamp, county sanitary engineer, said funding from the township as well as grants have offset the project cost to property owners. Without those contributions, the assessments would be "over double" the amount mentioned at the Jan. 5 meeting, he said.

Property owners also would be required to pay the cost to install the water service line and meter.

Township trustees Jerry Hirt and Beth van Haaren said the township agreed to help pay for a portion of the project but also think it is only fair for property owners to pay a portion through the assessment.

A woman who lives along U.S. 40 told commissioners she and her neighbors have wells tested regularly and don't need the water line. Many are on fixed incomes, don't have $8,000 for an assessment and likely would attend next month’s public hearing, she said.

Hirt said the project in Phoneton, and earlier Brandt, has been on the township agenda for at least the 34 years he has been a trustee. “We had Brandt taken care of several years ago and this will extend it over to Phoneton,” he said.

Van Haaren said the township portion of the project would be paid from the 3.8-mill levy, which all township property owners pay. “However, Phoneton residents will benefit from this water so we felt it was only fair they pay,” she said.

The location of the project area is:

- 6163 E. U.S. Route 40 west to 2988 E. U.S. Route 40

- 8745 S. State Route 202 south to 9800 S. State Route 202

- 9275 S. Wildcat Road south to 9605 S. Wildcat Road

- Shroyer Drive and Dinsmore Drive.

In other business last week the commission:

- Approved an agreement with MyTeam1 Corp. dba One Call Now of Vandalia for the county Municipal Court. The agreement calls for the company to provide telephone message delivery for the court to defendants and court employees regarding dates of appearance and/or closing of the court. The package of 25,000 pre-paid calls will cost up to $3,060 and cover the period of Jan. 26, 2016-Jan. 25, 2017.

- Authorized a memorandum of understanding with the Ohio Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) at the request of the county Emergency Management Agency (EMA). The agreement would allow the EMA, through the commissioners’office, to request support in recovery following a disaster or significant event. The agreement is good until Jan. 4, 2018.

- Approved the hiring of Beth Hull as the administrative assistant for the county Communication Center at pay of $21.50 per hour.