GAMBIER – Gambier Village Council approved a use and area variance for Kenyon College to place temporary modular dormitories on the land the college owns at 121/123 Meadow Lane at its Feb. 7 meeting.
Kenyon plans to put three 44-bed units on the land south of the Gambier Child Care Center until spring semester 2025, when the new South Campus Housing Project is completed.
The estimated $3.4 million project includes a 48- by 60-foot support building that will house kitchen space, lounge space and study space – amenities not offered in the temporary dorms. Seth Millam, Director of Project Planning and Management, said the new accessory building, not yet approved by the Planning Commission, would be converted to classroom use for the Child Care Center once the dormitories have been removed.
Council also approved the 2022 Appropriations Ordinance, which shows $3.7 million in authorized expenditures, $1.8 million of which is in the general fund. Among the big-ticket items include $200,000 in street resurfacing and $405,000 for a technological upgrade at the wastewater plant, most of which will be paid for with a grant and interest-free loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission. Increased appropriations were also approved for improving park amenities.
In other items, Council:
- Renewed the contract with Agri-Sludge of Shreve to operate the wastewater treatment plant through 2024.
- Authorized the 2022 agreement with Area Development Foundation.
- Extended for another year the contract with Rumpke to provide curbside trash pickup in the village.
Submitted by R. C. Wise.
