By James Massara
CCN News Director

BUCYRUS — Water was the topic of discussion at the Bucyrus City Council Service Committee meeting Monday afternoon.

Committee members Andrew Schoch, Doug Foght, Dan Wirebaugh and Bruce Truka; council president Sis Love; councilmember Kevin Myers, Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser; and service-safety director Jeff Wagner were in attendance.

The committee voted 3-1 to move forward with the writing of legislation to set up a payment plan for rural citizens who wish to tap into water provided by the City of Bucyrus.

Doug Foght was the lone “No” vote.

Prior to the vote, committee members discussed a base price for rural citizens to pay to be hooked up to the city’s water.

The base price of $2,500 was decided as the amount to send to the city’s legal office for future legislation.

The price includes manpower and materials.

Foght voted no on the issue on the principle that not every line of work is identical, and the price of the work should reflect that.

The concept of having to bore under a road to a residence was a topic of conversation and concern.

“We have an issue on Cherry Lane that those residents must have mailboxes at the curb, and if they don’t then they don’t get their mail. That’s an added cost to having something that you want that not everyone has to pay. This is the same thing,” Foght said.

He said if a person must have additional work done, such as boring under a road, the individual should pay for it, and the burden should not be shared by a flat rate.

“I feel bad, but sometimes we have to pay more to get what we want,” Foght said. “This decision was seen fair across the board, but it’s not fair for the person sharing the cost that doesn’t benefit from it.”

After legislation is drawn by legal services, the issue will return to the committee.

Also during the committee meeting, the issue of the water-flow rate at the Bucyrus Water Treatment Plant was brought to the committee’s attention. During the meeting, Brian Vaughn of Vaughn’s Soft Water and Paul Barker of Paul and JT Water Hauling spoke to the committee.

Vaughn said at the old water plant he could fill his 3,000-gallon truck in 17 minutes, but at the new plant, he said it takes 47 minutes.

“That’s time I can’t afford to sit there,” Vaughn said.

He added that he now gets much of his water from plants in Galion, Upper Sandusky and Sycamore. He said the Sycamore plant takes just 12 minutes to fill his truck.

“That’s all water that could come out of Bucyrus,” Vaughn said. “That’s a lot of money.”

Barker said he shared similar feelings as Vaughn.

“Last year I hauled a-million-and-a-half gallons, mostly from Bucyrus,” Barker said. “I was mostly using Bucyrus this year until the switch to the new plant.”

Vaughn said he is on the city’s side and wants to do business with them.

“I want to give you my money,” Vaughn said. “Most of my customer base is in this area, and Bucyrus is my home. I want my money to stay here.”

Wagner said his office is looking into ways of increasing pressure and flow, including taking out a backflow as well as installing a booster pump.