Council to consider revisions to deal with debris

The Ironton City Council will discuss changing an ordinance to focus on weeds, litter and outdoor storage problems throughout the town.

Since the Ironton Health Department is merging with the Lawrence County Health Department into a general health district, there will be no agency to enforce the Ordinances 660.16 and 660.17. So the council will consider changing the enforcement of those to the Public Service Department, the Mayor’s Office or designated city representative.

A second ordinance will establish a fee schedule for property owners who don’t comply with Ordinances 660.16 and 660.17. The fees will be sent to the Lawrence County Auditor and added to the property owner’s next tax bill.

Fees will depend on what has to be done to clean up a lot to comply with city code. For example, it will cost $100 for each tire that is removed, it will be $140 for the first truck load of trash, debris or brush removed from the property and $160 for each additional load, and it will be $60 for first appliance removed from the property and then $40 for each additional appliance.

The council will consider authorizing the mayor to apply for a NatureWorks grant to be used for public recreation.

Before the main meeting at 6 p.m., the Public Utilities Committee will meet at 4:45 p.m. to discuss a back flow preventer project and a wastewater plant discharge permit. At 5:45, the Finance Committee will meet to discuss a weir project at the wastewater plant that was given a favorable recommendation from the Public Utilities Committee.

The project is $114,300 and the capital improvement fund has $112,000, so the city needs to come up with $2,300 to complete the project. A weir is a controlled obstruction where wastewater cascades over the top of the weir and adds air in the clarifier tank. This project is due to a violation letter sent to the city from the Ohio EPA.

All the meetings are held in council chambers on the third floor of the Ironton City Center.