Akron Ohio News - Springfield sewer plan gets county’s OK

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Springfield sewer plan gets county’s OK - SSNL

1/28/2010 - South Side Leader

By Kathleen Folkerth

Summit County Council also moves forward on library system levy

DOWNTOWN AKRON — A plan to extend sewers into a Springfield neighborhood was adopted by Summit County Council Jan. 25.

The adopted legislation authorizes County Executive Russell Pry to execute the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director’s Final Findings and Orders, which would commit the county to install sanitary sewers in the Columbine neighborhood.

County officials have said the area is highly polluted due to failing or nonexistent septic systems.

The Summit County Combined General Health District declared the area a public nuisance in 2008, according to county officials. The Ohio EPA reports that testing of storm water samples from various locations in the neighborhood have found very high levels of fecal coliform in four samples during the past two years.

There are 132 parcels in the affected area, with some of them located in Mogadore.

The official timeline for the project states that construction of the new sewer system would be complete by May 2015.

Also Monday, Council adopted a resolution declaring it necessary for a replacement levy for the Akron-Summit County Public Library.

The resolution also requests the county’s Fiscal Office to certify the property valuation and tax generated by the levy. Following that action, Council will then vote in a future meeting to place the levy on the May 4 Primary Election ballot for communities served by the library system.

According to county officials, the levy replacement would be for the same amount of the current levy at 1.4 mills and is expected to generate $12.7 million a year — an additional $700,000 a year than the levy currently generates due to changing property valuations.

The library system’s current levy expires this year. Library officials said the money collected for the levy represents half the system’s operating revenue.

The only discussion on the proposed levy came when Council member Gloria Rodgers (R-District 3) asked if library staff had received pay increases for this year. Council staff provided information that showed the staff received a 2.5 percent raise in 2008, 1 percent in 2009 and no increase for 2010.

Also during the meeting, Council adopted on first reading a resolution declaring and affirming the county’s support and partnership with the 2010 U.S. Census.

Jason Dodson, chief of staff for County Executive Russ Pry, said it’s important residents complete the Census survey they receive.

“A lot of funding we receive on both state and federal levels are in large part based on what is in the Census,” Dodson said.

He added the Ohio Building, the location of many county offices, will be the site of an information booth for the Census so residents can ask questions or find out more about the national effort.

In addition, Dodson said Census workers plan to go door-to-door in Lakemore to make sure the area’s residents are counted. In previous Census years, the area did not have a high response rate because many residents there use post office boxes and not mailboxes, and the Census materials are mailed to street addresses.

Introduced during the meeting were two pieces of legislation regarding the county’s Capital Improvements Program.

The first resolution appropriates funds in the amount of $3.1 million for carryover projects for 2010. The other resolution is for adopting the Capital Improvements Program for 2010-15 and appropriating funds in the amount of $3.7 million for projects this year.

The resolutions will be discussed during next week’s Finance Committee meeting.

Also introduced was a resolution authorizing the advertisement for bids for improving 1.8 miles of East Waterloo Road in Springfield Township. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 million, but the county’s share will be $299,999, according to the legislation.

Council adopted a resolution authorizing the county to renew animal control contracts with communities for the next five years. The county will continue to provide service for Akron, Green, New Franklin and others, as well as the Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.

Council also adopted a request from the Veterans Service Commission to advertise for bids for armed security guard services at its new headquarters on East Waterloo Road. For services from March of this year through the end of 2011, the commission expects to spend $52,500 for the service, according to the legislation.

Summit County Council is scheduled to meet Feb. 1 at 4:30 p.m. for committee meetings in Council Chambers on the seventh floor of the Ohio Building, 175 S. Main St.

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