When residents want answers to their questions, responses like “I don’t know,” “We’re not sure yet,” and “I’ll have to get back to you on that,” rarely, if ever, produce anything other than anger.
That’s a big reason for today’s earlier cancelation of Thursday’s town hall teleconference about the water situation in St. Clairsville.
The fact is, prior to information that came out during Monday’s council meeting, city leaders had a lot of those answers. The situation has changed.
Mayor Kathryn Thalman reported back from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s list of orders that the administration and engineer Jeff Vaughn of Vaughn, Coast and Vaughn had been scrambling to get updated.
In addition, Vaughn had been working overtime (figuratively) to prepare a report detailing a rough cost analysis of different options for the city to retain ownership, however modified, of its water services. He noted figures of what was needed, what cost estimates and rate increases might look like for a 10-year period.
But the major unknown quickly became the Aqua Ohio portion of the meeting. While Aqua representatives were listening to Monday’s meeting, they weren’t active participants. It was determined in talking with attorney Kimberly Bojko that adjustments to the Aqua contract would be needed prior to approval.
“The EPA has issued the orders and just as explained by the mayor, they will require certain improvements to be made, either the city has already made those or is in the process of making and must do so in a certain time period,” Bojko said. “What the mayor just described; you will have to inevitably modify the purchase agreement.”
What Changed?
Two major sticking points caused the need to adjust. One, in the previous plan St. Clairsville submitted to the EPA, the town requested five years to be able to fully switch to purchasing bulk water from the county. That action wasn’t set in stone, but the EPA needed a viable plan. Part of that plan was approved, but the EPA countered, stating the city must do so within two years, not five. That obviously adjusts the timetable.
“Respondent shall permanently connect to approved public water supply by first submitting written documentation for approval within six months … what is says is when the EPA Signs off, the clock starts ticking,” Thalman read from the EPA orders. “The water plant and reservoir are to be abandoned and retired in two years.”
It’s official then. Surface water will no longer be an option for St. Clairsville in the future and the reservoir will be retired. That means that in two years, St. Clairsville must fully be able to purchase all of its needed water from the county, instead of the hoped-for five-year period. The county’s new water plant, which is being constructed near Muxie’s in Bellaire, was going to take that long to be finished and up and running.
That will still be an asset, but to comply with the changes to the orders, the city’s current water plant will have requested and needed repairs completed, and steps will need taken to make sure the county can provide the full necessary allotment in two years.
“We have two very large tasks running parallel to each other,” Thalman said. “First is we fix the water plant and reservoir in order to meet EPA standards which will allow the city continue to provide
What’s Been Done?
Fortunately, the city has taken care of a number of needed repairs since January 1. A few are still pending but will be completed in the coming months.
One of the key repairs required is fixing the intake structure at the lowest elevation gate in the reservoir. The first two valves work fine, but the third will need silt sucked away and a repair of the gate. A quote of $31,571 was obtained from Total Equipment and the repair is slated to be completed by May 11.
Another required restoring a clarifier turning mechanism. There was an issue with oil spilling into the clarifier. That was repaired on April 8. A backflow valve was installed to help prevent drain backup in the plant basement. That was done April 1.
Industrial humidifiers are ordered and will be installed at the plant to decrease humidity and also allow for the piping in the lower gallery to be completed.
These are repairs that, should Aqua’s purchase be approved, the company wouldn’t be required to perform. On the opposite end, if the two has been mandated to abandon the reservoir altogether and go with a public option for water purchase, that would significantly alter the asset list that Aqua would be purchasing. Changes are necessitated on both sides
No Definitive Council-Wide Opinion
Aqua Ohio’s May 4 deadline still holds, as of now. Thalman is working to get in contact with representatives to see if that can be changed, given the need for contract updating. If not, that’s a tight window to get a lot of workday, should council choose that direction.
As of now, there is no consensus on what that vote would be.
“We have some pro and some against,” Thalman said. “There are some very strong feelings both ways. They’ve yet to (all) make up their mind so I can’t tell you how this will go.”
Martins Ferry Mayor John Davies had previously noted that the water department is one of the few opportunities a city has to make any kind of profit from its various funds. To lose the water department not only affects grants, control over rates, but a revenue stream for the city’s budget.
In that, Thalman agrees.
“That’s my feeling, it is an asset,” Thalman said. “I’ve worked for private companies my whole life. I like the private sector. It drives business. But its first fiduciary responsibility is to its stockholders and I know that if Aqua takes over our water system, then that obviates any ability to get grants.”
Will the Town Hall Still Be Held?
She regrets having to postpone the teleconference, but knows for now, it was the right decision. She also noted the town is fully intending to have one in the future, once the questions that will be asked can be answered. Even if that has to happen on the fly.
Councilwoman Linda Jordan correctly noted Monday that, any chance to the purchase agreement would necessitate a new ordinance, rendering the previous ordinance still tabled before its final reading, moot.
That means if Aqua won’t adjust its May 4 deadline, if any ordinance pertaining to sale would pass, an emergency vote to waive the three-reading rule would, need an approval by at least five of the seven council members.
Thalman doesn’t want to do that, so if need be, that town hall may be set up quickly so residents can voice their opinions and have questions answered.
“I think we can pull it off quickly if we have to,” she said of the town hall. “I want to give my appreciation to Steve (Novotney) for willing to volunteer to moderate our meeting. He is bright and articulate and fair and I’m appreciative of that. And I have to thank Jim Biehl of Enhanced Sound & Video, along with Jody Williams and Jim Velas for putting these teleconferences together. They have made it happen as we’ve basically went from two dixie cups and some string to being able to hold these teleconferences since the beginning of the year.”
