T-L Photo/KAILEY CARPINO Cadiz Mayor Kevin Jones is planning to make major changes to the village, and some changes are already in progress.

CADIZ — Cadiz Mayor Kevin Jones said he is planning to make major changes to the village, and some changes are already in progress.

“There’s going to be a lot of changes. We’ve already made a lot of changes in one month. We won’t start to feel them, and it takes time to make change. So we’re on the move,” said Jones who was elected Nov. 7 and took office at the beginning of this year.

The former post office, located at 100 E. South St. in Cadiz, was recently demolished.

“It’s not really big enough to build anything on, I don’t think,” Jones said of the lot. “What we’re going to do is have ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) come in and do an evaluation on the size of the space and see if they can put a roundabout in or whatever we can do there. That’s all the state because it’s a state route – that has nothing to do with us. They’re just there. They’re building a lot of roundabouts in the state of Ohio.”

Brandon Ludwig, village administrator, said the Ohio Department of Development would complete the project entirely through state funding.

“I’m glad we got it torn down, that’s for sure,” Jones said.

The Harrison County Board of Commissioners awarded bids for the demolition of the former post office in Cadiz in July. The commissioners awarded the demolition to Damian Kovarik Excavating and Hauling of Jewett for $20,000. They opened the bids in June as part of the Brownfield demolition program through the state.

According to the ODOT’s website, a brownfield is an “abandoned, idled or under-used industrial, commercial or institutional property where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by known or potential releases of hazardous substances or petroleum.”

The post office closed in 2017 due to structural concerns.

“The Cadiz CIC (Community Improvement Corp.), they purchased it, so they tore it down and we ended up with the property,” Jones explained.

Jones also said the village is working to repair the sidewalk on Lincoln Avenue from Stanton Avenue to McDonald’s, located at 663 Lincoln Ave. He said that funding for the project will be through a Transportation Alternatives Program grant through ODOT.

Jones also said that the village broke ground on a new Dollar Tree store on Tuesday. The new store will be located in front of Tractor Supply off of Lincoln Avenue. Jones said contractors arrived on the site early Tuesday morning.

The mayor warns drivers and pedestrians to be cautious near the construction site and advises them to give construction vehicles extra space as they enter or exit the main road.

Jones also said the village has torn down two dilapidated houses so far this year.

He said he has been working hard to make improvements to the village.

“I work every day. It was supposed to be a part-time job, but it’s an overtime job now. I think I got about 300 hours in four weeks,” he said.

Jones said he plans to host town hall meetings every three months. He and Ludwig will unveil more plans to improve the village at the next meeting.

“You can just ask us whatever you want. If we can’t do it, then we’ll tell you why we can’t do it. They should get an answer. We do that to bring the community together and keep everybody informed on our news because there’s going to be a lot of changes,” Jones said.

He said he implemented the meetings to address residents’ concerns without taking up time during council meetings. The next town hall meeting will be from 4-7 p.m. Apr. 6 at the municipal building.

For more information, visit the village website at villageofcadiz.com or call the mayor’s office at 740-942-8844.