By Jan H. Kennedy
FPS correspondent
February 2, 2010
Minerva residents are now paying $4 more per month for water use.
Village Council approved a rate increase of $12 per billing cycle at the Jan. 26th meeting. Water bills are sent out once every three months. The new rate of $30.75 per quarter went into effect Feb. 1, and is for use of up to 5,000 gallons per quarter. The rates for usage above 5,000 gallons were not changed.
The increase was necessary to offset the loss of income from several businesses, including FormTech, which has closed and was one of the biggest water users on the system, said Administrator David Harp.
“The raise was necessary to keep the system in the black,” Harp said
“This is another example of how the economy has affected village operations.”
Law Director Clark Battista had some good news regarding the water system. More than $7,300 owed the village for water to the Minerva Hillside Terraces trailer park has been paid and future monthly bills also will be paid on time.
The money was owed the village by park owner David Audino, of Salem, who cannot be located. For several months, 16 of the 19 residents of the park have been paying their rent into an escrow fund through the Alliance Municipal Court. The court released the money to cover the arrearage and will continue to pay monthly bills from the escrow account. It also will pay for trash removal from the property through the Stark County Health Department.
The problem now is to find an operator for the park and it’s water system. Audino had been a licensed operator, but he cannot be found. Without a licensed operator, the health department probably would be forced to close the park, Battista said.
The Murray Avenue project may take on a larger scope now that bids for the job are in. Superior Paving tendered the lowest bid for the project, Harp said. The project was estimated at $293,000, of which the village had set aside about $150,000. The rest would be paid by a Community Development Block Grant through the Stark County Regional Planning Commission.
But Superior’s bid was $178,261, meaning the village would pay only about $90,000.
“I think, since we have the money already set aside, I’ll ask RPC if we can add to the project,” Harp said. “Maybe we can get more done while the project is under way.”
Other bidders were Bontrager Excavating at $194,953 and Wenger Excavating at $220,989. One company bid the job at $349,000, Harp said.
In other action, council:
-AUTHORIZED Harp to advertise and receive bids for milling various village streets and for materials and/or labor for resurfacing village streets;
-AUTHORIZED Harp to advertise and receive bids for the repair, cleaning and painting of a 500,000-gallon ground storage water tank.
Council changed the meeting dates for February to Wednesdays, Feb. 10 and 24. The meetings normally are on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. The changes were made to allow Harp and Battista to attend high school basketball games, since they have sons, both seniors, playing their final regular season games. The meetings will start at 7 p.m. |
