CANFIELD — Plans for the Redgate Farm property in Canfield are taking shape.

During the Canfield City Council meeting Wednesday, it was unanimously voted to award Rudzik Excavating, Inc. a contract for $1.2 million for planning and design of water and sewer extention to the area.

Twelve-inch sanitary pipe, on West Main Street from Hunter’s Woods Boulevard east to the main interceptor at the Mill Creek MetroParks Bike Trail, will upsize to an 18-inch pipe as phase 1, City Manager Wade Calhoun explained to council.

Redgate is located on South Palmyra and Leffingwell roads in Canfield Township. The property was purchased in 2003 for $3.1 million. It has sat vacant due to the recession in 2008, but over the last several years interest has picked up, Calhoun said last month.

There are no utilities that run to Redgate. Sewer service stops at Hunter’s Wood, with water stopping at U.S. Route 224 and Palmyra Road.

The city has been working with MS Consultants on the planning and design of the sanitary system, Calhoun said.

Using Ohio Environmental Protection Agency loan funds, Calhoun said the design portion of the project cost $350,000. That figure can be “rolled” into the construction total, Calhoun said, for an approximate $1.5 million loan at 0.38 percent interest.

That interest rate could be reduced in the future by 0.1 percent by a recent move of the city sponsoring Youngstown in an EPA program through its dam removal, Calhoun said.

The move is a step toward economic development, said Mayor Richard Duffett.

Employees from LG Chem and Lordstown Motors will have two choices when they begin moving to the area: Trumbull County or Canfield.

He also said while talking with peers his age, many are interested in coming back to Canfield after having moved away. “Between retired people coming here and businesses coming here, this is an investment,” he said.

Development and planning cannot be rushed, he said. “It just takes a while,” Duffett said.

ALSO DISCUSSED

The Village Green in the center of Canfield is going gray for May in observance of Brain Tumor Awareness Month.

Gray ribbons have been tied throughout the Village Green, in memory of two children: 3-year-old Melina Michelle Edenfield, who died last year just a little over a month after she was diagnosed with Diffuse Midline Glioma; and Devin Kirtley. Over the last three years, he has fought and was reported cancer-free in February, Calhoun said.

On May 21, the Canfield Local School District will wear gray in observance. Calhoun encouraged everyone to wear gray in conjunction with the school district, or head to mmefoundationjoy.org for “Choose Joy” T-shirts.

Calhoun also gave an update on the Sawmill Creek Drainage Improvement project. Currently in the design phase, a letter will go out to residents as well as other avenues of outreach to the community for updates regarding timeline of the project.

Design is expected to take six to eight months, Calhoun said. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring of 2022.

The city has been awarded $1.2 million for the project through various grants.

Eastgate Regional Council of Governments awarded Canfield funding for a study of the Cardinal Connector Project, which will look at connecting Canfield High School to the Bradford Trail to C.H. Campbell, which will lead to the Village Green, Calhoun said.

The study has a cost of $15,000, and the newly announced grant is for $9,000. The city, Calhoun said, will be responsible for $6,000.

John Rapp, supervisor for public works in the city, reminded council the department will be conducting fire hydrant valve exercising.

Every valve must be worked in a five-year period, with so many done each year on rotation, he said.

He also addressed recent flooding on Verdant Lane. Public Works employees found a blockage of grass clippings, leaves and sticks inside a catch basin. Crews managed to clear a manhole of the debris as well as clearing the way from a nearby creek to the manhole.

After the regular meeting, council members went into executive session to review union bargaining and negotiations.