In its first meeting of the new year, the Ironton City Council will consider design services for the waste water treatment plant and a contract with the Ironton Police Department.

First on the agenda is ordinance 20-01, which is to have E.L. Robinson Engineering do a comprehensive feasibility study as to whether it is better to rehabilitate or rebuild the city waste water treatment plant. The cost of the study is $35,000 to see what can be done about the four clarifiers and a thickener at the plant. The study would help the council to better determine whether it would be better to rebuild the machines or rehabilitate them so that they meet federal standards. The study is to be completed by March 31.

The second ordinance, 20-02, is a one-year contract between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police #75, which represents the officers of the Ironton Police Department. After negotiations, the tentative agreement is a 25 cent per hour increase in hourly wage retroactive to April 2019.

All other items in the contract, such as insurance and clothing allowance, would remain the same as last year.

In communications to the council, there are three items.

Two are liquor control permits, one for the Armory Steakhouse and one for the Marlow Grill.

The other is a letter from Ironton Mayor Sam Cramblit on why he vetoed ordinance 19-76, which would have established a utility fee on vacant properties. It was passed by council on Dec. 12.

He said he vetoed it “due to vagueness of the language used to describe what dictates a vacant property. This ordinance does not clearly state what vacant properties are to be billed under this legislation, leaving it open to litigation.” He said that meant things like side yards and parking lots would be considered vacant properties and property owners would have to pay a vacant property fee along with a utility bill. He said future ordinances like this would have to clearly state what type of properties fall under a vacant category.

There will be a finance committee meeting at 5:45 p.m. The members will discuss E.L. Robinson Engineering’s feasibility study of the waste water treatment plant and the contract with the FOP. They will also hear from Marc Hollinger with Aspen Energy Corporation.

The meetings are held at 6 p.m. in council chambers on the third floor of the City Center. The meetings are open to the public.