By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
An administrative order has come down from the Federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for Bucyrus’ storm water sewer separation plan.
After some discussion at Thursday night’s Finance Committee meeting with a representative from Brandstetter Carroll Inc., the city’s engineering firm, things could be a whole lot worse for the city. Bruce Brandstetter met with the city’s new EPA representative and had a fairly positive outlook from the meeting.
“It’s better news than I’ve heard in a while,” Brandstetter said.
The storm water separation project will be done in five to seven year increments and would cost the city between $25 million and $30 million over the life of the project. Brandstetter explained that the representative said they needed to build what they could afford but he did want everything documented.
“Bottom line is it’s still a complicated project,” Brandstetter said. “You’d be better off, in my humble opinion, getting an administrative order for five to seven years rather than pushing it off to three years.”
Service/Safety Director Jeff Wagner said one of the biggest reasons for doing the project in chunks every seven years would be to stretch out the city’s money a little more to be able to afford the project.
“It will be the single largest financial undertaking this city has ever seen,” remarked Mayor Jeff Reser.
The Finance Committee will also be requesting legislation to create an income tax category within the Safety Forces levy as well as a refund line item. The legislation would also transfer $2,000 within the Safety Forces levy from Police Department Personnel Services to Refund in order to refund a citizen who has already overpaid.
Legislation will also be requested to allow the Service/Safety Director to apply for the 2015 Ohio Public Works Commission grant in the amount of $158,500. The grant would help pay for new waterlines on a section of Plymouth Street and on East Street from Woodlawn Avenue to Lucas Street.
The Health and Safety Committee met after the Finance Committee to discuss the city’s ambulance contract, the Planet Aide donation boxes, and a liquor license.
The committee will be seeking a legislation request to approve a three-year, zero subsidy contract with Life Support Ambulance Services as part of the Central Joint Ambulance District (CJAD). The new ambulance service, which had been accepted by the CJAD, will not take over until Dec. 1.
A request had come in from Planet Aide to be the exclusive supplier of donation boxes in the city. The company has suggested renting the boxes from the city for $100 per box per year.
Reser, who had been approached by Planet Aide at the start of his taking office, said several municipalities had signed up for the agreement, including Cleveland. There are currently eight boxes in Bucyrus, which would bring the city an additional $800 per year. Donations made to Planet Aide do not stay local. Reser said some of it gets sent to Africa.
Reser stated that he was neutral on the subject but some concerns were raised by committee members Wanda Sharrock and Steve Pifer. Sharrock expressed concerns over donation boxes in town for the Red Cross and New Day Ministries. Both Sharrock and Pifer wanted to do more research on the subject.
Additional concerns were raised over the amount of trash that gets deposited at the boxes.
Committee member Bill O’Rourke made a motion to decline Planet Aide’s offer and remove the boxes from the city but that motion died due to a lack of a second.
Reser will be investigating where the boxes are in town. Notifications will be sent out to notify the businesses that the area must be kept clean according to the standards set by the International Property Maintenance Code.
The committee also discussed various changes to the council rulebook, such as the start time for City Council, the dress code for certain times during the year, and setting official times for committee meetings. No decisions were made on any of the suggested changes but they will be further reviewed.