Adient is looking to expand its Greenfield facility, which also helps to secure its position in the village.
It is an announcement that came through a grant awarded to the company from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC), according to Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin in his report to council at its meeting Tuesday.
Adient’s expansion involves the construction of a tank farm and storage facility at the Greenfield location. The company is receiving the grant from the ORDC to make improvements to the railroad, which will allow more material to be shipped to Adient.
While the expansion will not create new jobs, it helps secure the jobs in Greenfield, Wilkin said.
In other business, the March Citizen of the Month Award was presented to McClain High School sophomore Elana Unger, who recently competed in the para-swimming competition at the 2022 OHSAA Swimming & Diving State Tournament. She was among the first 11 female swimmers to compete at the event.
“Ms. Unger has a wonderful story and we are proud of the positive role model she has provided to the Greenfield community,” Wilkin said. “We are proud of you, and keep up the positive attitude and positive influence.”
March’s employee of the month is Shawna McCoy, who has worked in the village offices for more than a year. She was nominated for the award because of her outstanding service to citizens, her hard work, and her great attitude, Wilkin said.
In other matters, Wilkin reported that the project for Fayette Street infrastructure improvement is in a good position to be funded. It has ranked in the top projects for the region and could see funding from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC). It’s a more than $400,000 project and is part of the larger capital improvement plan with a focus on removing inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues within the village’s aged infrastructure.
Wilkin noted that Fayette Street seems like little more than a gravel road connecting Fourth and Fifth streets, but failing infrastructure under the street is a problem, and fixing it is a necessary part of tying in the infrastructure fixes on Fifth Street to the eventual infrastructure fixes on Fourth Street, all of which will take care of the I&I issues in that area.
As previously reported, a study last year confirmed the village has an incredible issue with I&I. In a normal day, the wastewater treatment plant treats nearly three times the amount of water that is pumped out to the village, and during a rain event it is compounded even more. Micro-monitoring has been done throughout town and has helped pinpoint the most problematic areas. The administration has developed a plan to tackle the aged infrastructure, and will continue to seek grants to assist with the infrastructure fixes.
Finance director Gary Lewis reported February’s numbers as follows: month-to-date revenue – $310,102; month-to-date expenses – $345,280; year-to-date revenue – $896,469; year-to-date s- $677,165; and a general fund balance as of Feb. 28 of $463,249.
There are a number of upcoming events in Greenfield:
March 19 — Pot of Gold Shop Hop — Grow Greater Greenfield (G3) is sponsoring the shopping event this Saturday. For more information, go to the Grow Greater Greenfield Facebook page.
April 16 — annual clean-up day – dumpsters will be placed by the railroad tracks off South Washington Street. The event is from 9 a.m. to noon. As with previous clean-up events, this is not for household trash, but rather for larger items. Additionally, this service is for residents only, not contractor or business trash. Paint is allowed, but must be dry, whether in the can or on cardboard. Batteries, tires, or items containing freon will not be allowed. Pick-up is available for the elderly and disabled by calling 937-981-3500 by 4 p.m. on April 15.
May 13 — MHS Day. This annual event is set for the morning and will include all the high school students and staff performing service to the community throughout town.
May 13 — Hiring event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. This event is playing off last year’s successful one and invites the high school students out and about that morning to see what careers are available to them in the area. Any business in the area wanting to participate can contact Susan Howland at 937-981-3500 or by email at [email protected].
The Greenfield Village Council meets in regular session the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of the City Building. The first meeting of the month is set as a council work session. The meetings are open to the public.
Angela Shepherd is a correspondent for the village of Greenfield.
