PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SCHOLARSHIP WINNER … (Left to Right) Eric Smeltzer, Kenneth Smeltzer, Kendra Smeltzer and AMP’s Harry Philips join for a picture celebrating Kenneth’s Lyle B. Wright Scholarship award.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Montpelier Village Council met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, where Montpelier senior Kenneth Smeltzer received an AMP Lyle B. Wright Scholarship.
Mayor Steve Yagelski, Village Manager Jason Rockey and Clerk Molly Collert were in attendance, along with Council members Melissa Ewers, Kevin Motter, Nathan Thompson and Don Schlosser.
Harry Philips of AMP presented Kenneth Smeltzer a $3,000 scholarship that was created in 2025, in memory of longtime public power advocate Lyle B. Wright.
“This year there were 32 students nominated for the scholarship, which is kind of like a record,” Philips said. Typically, there are around 20 eligible students to compete with, and even though the competition was much tougher this year, Smeltzer was able to pull through.
“Our finalist took a test about public power, and the AMP Board of Trustees approved five recipients based on their scholastic records, personal achievements and public power test scores,” Philips said. “We’re pleased that a strong community like Montpelier is one of those recipients.”
A major street improvement project will be coming to the Village of Montpelier in the coming years.
A resolution authorizing Village Manager Rockey to file an application for a Surface Transportation Block Grant is the first step.
This project will replace all curbs, gutters and most sidewalks from the top of Platt Street viaduct to Brown Road. “As you know, those curbs in that area are, in several places, completely disintegrated, and nonexistent,” Rockey said.
This massive project is estimated to cost $1,144,000 in total. Rockey said the Village of Montpelier has a detailed plan to break up the large costs, noting that the Maumee Valley Planning Organization’s (MVPO) Block Grant would cover $500,000.
Additionally, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has submitted an official commitment letter that it will cover the roadway costs.
“So this project would be built in 2030, to coincide with ODOT’s repaving of SR 576 through the town,” Rockey said.
The village’s engineer estimated that ODOT will pay for $381,000 of the projected total costs. Both Montpelier’s and ODOT’s projects will be constructed at the same time.
There will also be administrative and engineering costs, bringing the village’s share up to $429,000. However, the Village Manager also plans on pursuing a 2028 Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) funding grant through its LTIP program.
This grant will cover half of the leftover costs — leaving the Village of Montpelier only responsible for $215,000 of its $1.144 million project.
“We’ve been talking about trying to get this done for about four or five years,” Rockey said. “In my opinion, this is absolutely the best offer, the best shot we have at getting that project done.”
The estimated construction timeline is currently set in 2030. All current plans are dependent on whether the village is awarded the MVPO and OPWC funds, with plans of the project going out to bid in January 2030.
OTHER BUSINESS
Council moved forward to approve several motions during its meeting. A depository agreement with State Bank was approved after Director of Finance Nikki Uribes noted it was the best proposal received.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ohio Cyber Range Institute for cybersecurity education training was also passed.
This will provide village employees and officials the proper training they need in order to comply with Ohio House Bill 96’s cybersecurity mandates.
A resolution to form a committee focused on protecting the village’s water source was created.
After approving the Source Water Area Protection (SWAP) Plan, a committee focused on “Source Water Protection” soon followed.
While not required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it was considered good practice. Mayor Yagelski will discuss appointments in the following months, though the committee is not expected to begin meetings until 2027.
WASTEWATER UPDATE
Kevin Sommer, manager of the Montpelier Wastewater Treatment Plant, presented his annual update.
“We completed a project in Holiday City for some new pumps, some new controllers,” Sommer said, noting the project only just finished a month ago. “Now we are working on a vacuum rehabilitation station,” he said.
Sommer said the crew has done a lot of research in order to complete preventive maintenance with the Holiday City project, hoping that it becomes a more permanent fix.
Before their work, the city was only getting about a two-year lifespan of installed pumps.
He reported that he plans on replacing some obsolete control panels next year. “So if something does happen, if something fails, we can get replacement parts and repairable parts,” Sommer said.
Rockey then continued with his Village Manager report. He updated the Council by informing them that the village has hired two Montpelier graduating seniors to work full-time in the electrical department and the water distribution department.
Hayden Sharps will be working at the Montpelier Water and Sewer Department, and Jaxon Stahler will be employed in the Montpelier Electrical Department.
Both seniors have already earned experience by working part-time positions in the last several months. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
