Storm water utility could go from $3 to $6.50

On the agenda for the Ironton City Council tonight is increasing storm water utility fee, contracts with city workers, issuing bonds to buy police vehicles and equipment, getting a loan for the wastewater facility and hiring an engineer to investigate the flooding on North Second Street.

The storm water rate would be increased from $3 to $6.50 per gallon, which, if a household uses 5,000 gallons of water a month, they would see an increase of $17.50 monthly. The money is to go for the completion of Phase 4 and 5 of the EPA-mandated separation of the city’s combined sewer and wastewater lines.

The council will also consider entering into a water pollution control loan agreement between the city, the Ohio EPA and Ohio Water Development Authority for the purpose of planning and building of a wastewater facility. The loan would be repaid from the city’s storm water utility fund.

The council will vote on accepting agreements between the city and workers with AFSCME Local 771and the city firefighters.

The council will also consider issuing $180,000 in bonds to get new equipment for the police department, including four 2018 Ford Taurus Interceptor, a 2018 Ford Explorer, radio equipment including mobile units, antennas and a repeater.

The flooding of basements in homes on North Second Street has been a hot button issue at the last several council meetings. The homes’ basements have been flooding during heavy rains since the combined sewer system was separated four years by EPA order.

To get to the bottom of it, the council will decide about hiring an independent engineering firm to study the problem and offer solutions.

An agenda item would be to hire Tribute Contracting $90,162 to fix the issue of 13 basin drains on Orchard Street.

There will be an issue of vacating Locust Alley from Lawrence Street to Corn Alley.

The council will also consider adopting an alternative tax budget for the next fiscal year.

The Ironton City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the city center. The finance committee will meet at 5 p.m.