(Posted March 24, 2016)
By Sandi Latimer, Staff Writer
Construction of London’s new satellite water treatment plant will start as soon as the loan to pay for it is approved.
The city’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) submitted a loan application for $6.5 million to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio Water Development Authority the week of March 13. The two entities will vote on the application March 31.
“All indications are that it will pass,” said Bill Blazer, BPU president.
The city is eligible for a 1.22 percent interest rate on the 30-year loan because several city council members completed an education course presented by the EPA. Previously, the loan rate was 1.9 percent.
The $6.5 million price tag for the project includes engineering, design, planning and construction. If the loan is approved, construction will begin this summer and take about 18 months to complete. The plant should be online by the end of 2017.
Other city business
On March 17, city council adopted a resolution to allow the fire department to upgrade to the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS) in their vehicles.
Chief Todd Eades said he recently received notification of a grant that would allow the department to take advantage of a hefty discount and purchase more items than were in the original plan. To do so, he had to place orders by March 25.
Council voted to suspend the rules and adopt the resolution. Councilwoman Lora Long said she understood the need for certain resolutions to be presented as an emergency, but said too many pieces of legislation are brought to council on short notice.
“Can we get things brought up sooner so that not everything is as an emergency?” she asked.
Two other resolutions on the night’s agenda received first readings and will be brought back for further action in future meetings.
A resolution sponsored by councilman Richard Minner would authorize the sale of city-owned real estate without competitive bidding to the county. The nearly 51 acres sits along the bike trail that runs through London and is part of the cross-state Ohio To Erie Trail.
The other resolution, sponsored by councilman Trint Hatt, would appropriate more than $612,000 for the police, fire and street departments. Among the planned expenditures are a new vehicle and upgraded technology for the police department and repairs for the street department.
In Closser’s report to council, he thanked council members for their help with purchasing new flags for the city.
“When we ordered the flags lowered to half staff for the passing of Nancy Reagan, we could see how tattered they had become and that they needed to be replaced,” he said.
Council President Jennifer Hitt said council had $1,300 in its account and could afford to spend some of it to purchase eight flags for the city.
Closser also said he had met with his counterparts from the county’s three villages to see how the four jurisdictions could cooperate and share services. He said the group of four mayors plan to meet quarterly beginning in April.
Demolition of the building at 16 E. High St. could begin as early as April 4 and take two to four days to complete. Closser said the demolition team would work at night so as no to interfere with traffic and local business.
City meetings
- Parks and Recreation Commission, April 5, 6 p.m., at the community center on Walnut Street
- Board of Zoning Appeals, April 5, 7 p.m., city council chambers, 6 E. Second St.
- Regular council meeting, April 7, 6:30 p.m., council chambers
- Historic Review Board, April 12, 4 p.m., council chambers
- Public safety committee, April 12, 7 p.m., London Police Department, 10 E. First St.
- City properties committee, April 13, 7 p.m., council chambers
- Civil Service Commission, April 13, 7 p.m., city council conference room
- Public service committee, April 14, 6 p.m., council chambers
- Planning Commission, April 14, 7 p.m., council chambers
- Finance committee, April 18, 6 p.m., council chambers
- Tree Commission, April 19, 5 p.m., council chambers
- Regular city council meeting, April 21, 6:30 p.m., council chambers
- Board of Public Utilities, April 28, 6:30 p.m., council chambers.
