8/2/2012 - South Side Leader
     

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County Council returned from its summer break July 30 and moved forward on a resolution for additional work needed on the Harrington Road bridge.

Council adopted on first reading the resolution, which allowed a contract with J.D. Williamson to make emergency repairs to the bridge last month at a cost of $30,000.

According to Heidi Swindell, of the Summit County Engineer’s Office, the bridge was closed for work on its expansion joints when workers uncovered deterioration to the concrete deck at both ends, as well as deterioration to concrete-encased steel bearings between the bottom of the deck and the bridge abutment seats.

Engineers examined the problem and decided on a “safe and quick fix,” Swindell said, that involved injecting a grout into the bridge that hardened like concrete.

The repair needed to be completed quickly because the bridge over the Tuscarawas River, located between Swartz Road and Warner Road in South Akron near Firestone Country Club, is needed to handle traffic at this week’s World Golf Championships — Bridgestone Invitational.

Also Monday, legislation that provides the full operating budget for this year for the Summit County Board of Elections (BOE) was introduced. The amount is nearly $6.2 million, which is more than the $4.7 million originally offered by the Executive’s Office but less than the $9.3 million the BOE originally requested.

The legislation will be discussed during the next Finance Committee meeting.

In addition, Council adopted on first reading a resolution endorsing FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.’s Price Stability Program offer to customers in the county’s opt-out electricity aggregation program.

The county’s townships and the city of New Franklin currently participate in the program. The new option will allow consumers to opt-in and get a guaranteed price of 7 cents per kilowatt for seven years. Currently, participating consumers pay 6.8 cents per kilowatt, but FirstEnergy has predicted that electricity prices will be increasing.

Customers can remain on the present plan if they wish, according to Jason Dodson, of the Executive’s Office.

Council also heard first reading of a resolution that will authorize the county’s Department of Community and Economic Development to administer the Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program on behalf of the Summit County Land Reutilization Corp., the recently established county land bank.

Summit County Council will meet for committee meetings Aug. 6 at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the seventh floor of the Ohio Building, located at 175 S. Main St. in Downtown Akron.

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