Wastewater agreement OK’d by council

ThisWeek 10/20/2011

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2011/10/19/wastewater-agreement-okd-by-council.html

A new 10-year wastewater agreement will increase the rates Lithopolis pays Canal Winchester for service.

The ordinance authorizing the agreement had been listed as “tabled indefinitely” for months, but was taken off the table and approved Oct. 17 by Canal Winchester City Council.

Canal Winchester officials said the new deal will increase usage limits for Lithopolis while spreading costs more equally between the cities.

“They agreed to an increase in collection fees and they are paying 100 percent of the capacity fees,” public works director Matt Peoples said. “Lithopolis had a better deal in the past, but now we believe this deal is very equal.”

The new agreement increases the rates Lithopolis will pay from $3.25 per 1,000 gallons to $3.52 per 1,000 gallons of wastewater.

The previous agreement capped Lithopolis at 250,000 gallons of wastewater per day. Peoples said after Canal Winchester completed a capacity study based on the potential total annexation areas of the two communities, this cap was raised to 500,000 gallons in the new agreement.

“The original agreement was 250,000 gallons and this is a 500,000-gallon capacity agreement since we did a very conservative capacity review for a 20-year window for our upgrade projects and we can deal with that OK,” he said.

In other business Monday, Peoples reported that in order to start construction this year on two tennis courts at the high school, the city will have to delay some minor park projects because bids for the courts came in higher than expected.

Council unanimously approved emergency legislation to hire Heiberger Paving Inc., which submitted the lowest bid of $90,800.

Peoples said the approved budget for the project was $80,000. Putting the parks work on hold will free up extra $10,800, he said.

Also Monday, council approved two ordinances related to mayor’s court. One increases the charge for state and local mandated costs from $65 to $72 and also establishes three new charges: a $15 payment plan fee, a $15 warrant block fee and a $50 expungement fee.

The second sets up a juvenile diversion program that aims to give the city

more local control in dealing with first-time juvenile offenders who will now have the opportunity to be brought to mayor’s court instead of going immediately to the Franklin County Juvenile Court, according to law director Gene Hollins.

Council also approved:

  • An amendment to city code that allows the city to use standard U.S. mail to notify neighbors about possible zoning changes to nearby properties, as opposed to using certified mail.
  • An agreement with to allow the Canal Winchester Recreation Organization to continue to utilize city park and recreation facilities for its sporting events. Councilwoman Bobbie Mershon said the agreement is needed as part of the organization’s application for 501c4 status.
  • A new contract with the Franklin County Board of Health for public health services at a cost of $40,688.73.

The next city council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, at Town Hall, 10 N High St.