BUCYRUS — The Bucyrus City Council Joint Committee meeting started off on a somber note as council president Sis Love requested a moment of silence in honor of Thomas “Doc” Teynor who died earlier this week. He was once the city’s safety-service director and worked as the health commissioner for several years.
The meeting then turned to focus on the plight of the Pines Reservoir, the city’s second reservoir, that is no longer in use to supply water to residents. A popular hangout and fishing hole for many residents over the years, the reservoir was constructed in 1919 and has outlived its usefulness.
After an inspection of the reservoir earlier this year, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources warned the city that fines will be assessed starting in the spring if the city does not have a solution in place to remedy the many issues of the reservoir.
Bruce Brandstetter, of Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. of Cleveland, the city’s design consultant, said that the Pines Reservoir, along with the city’s first reservoir to be constructed, the Neff Reservoir, have been out of service for water supply for many years. He said the Neff Reservoir was constructed in 1900 so both are 100 years old or older.
“The normal useful lifespan for reservoir is 50 to 80 years and they have well exceeded their useful life,” Brandstetter said.
Reservoirs number three, Riley Reservoir, and number four, the Outhwaite Reservoir, are used for water supply and require ongoing maintenance.
Brandstetter said the spillway of the Pines Reservoir along Stetzer Road is deteriorating and there are erosion issues occurring at the Pines.
Barry Franz, of Diversified Environmental Consultants, said the city only has two options for solutions to the issue: make the repairs necessary to bring the Pines Reservoir into compliance which could cost as much as $1 million or breach the reservoir which will cost the city around $300,000.
Franz said breaching will take approximately 60 days to complete. The process would drain water slowly into the Sandusky River and allow natural vegetation to grow around the creek area in the location of the reservoir.
Jeff McMullen, also of Brandstetter Carroll, said there are funding options to help pay for the breaching such as grants and zero percent loans.
Council and Mayor Jeff Reser had discussed donating the reservoir to the Crawford Park District or trading it for a building on West Mansfield Street with Bucyrus attorney Pat Murphy a few months ago but Brandstetter said the city would still be libel is if the dam gives way and flooding occurs.
Love said there will be several more discussions on the issue before decisions are made.
The public lands and building committee was also updated on repairs that are underway at the city-owned building that houses the Portsmouth Emergency Ambulance Service on Plymouth Street.
The finance committee passed issues to have legislation created in time for the next council meeting Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. to be considered by council.
The next committee meetings are Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. due to the Thanksgiving holiday.