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Wintersville faces limited salt supplies

WINTERSVILLE – The winter weather is causing a salt shortage across the state of Ohio, and according to Mayor Bob Gale, the village is running on a limited supply.

“We ordered salt from Morton on Jan. 3 but they are running behind and telling us that we will not get our next shipment until end of February,” he explained at Thursday’s Village Council meeting. “We have been in touch with the governor’s office as well as the Ohio Department of Transportation. We are taking care of roads as best as we can. However, if you see the streets aren’t up to par, this is the reason why.”

Gale asked village residents to be patient and understand the circumstances.

“Unfortunately this has been a rough winter,” he continued. “The state gets the bulk of the salt and the smaller communities are put on the back burner. We are going to have to use sparingly over the next couple months. We currently have about 50 tons of salt, it normally takes 23 tons to cover the village. For the next few weeks, we are going to have to just salt the hills and the main roads, and push the snow off of the other roads.”

In other matters, Village Administrator Walt Ziemba briefed council on the wastewater treatment plant project.

“We are around 85 percent complete,” he began. “The two biggest items left are geodesic domes over the clarifiers along with the paving and cleanup. We have also had to modify the contract with W.E. Quicksall because of the weather. We’ve asked for an extension of the project through May. Hopefully this will allow us to get everything done.”

Ziemba also requested $100,000 worth of extras and repairs.

“The money will go to fixing some leaks in existing air piping going to digesters; purchasing large water filters for the potable water as the grit removal system needs clean water to run on; a non-potable water pressure system to be able to re-use water to hose down the clarifiers; and a dump station, which is a concrete pad with a slotted drain in the middle EPA would like us to have one,” he explained.

Phase 1 of the project will include headwords, new screening, grit and grease removal; new grit classifier building; new influent and effluent flow monitoring; new aerobic digester tank; new scum pump station; replace aeration diffusers; new belt filter press; rehab clarifiers; geodesic dome clarifier covers; UV disinfection system; update electrical system; add two new blowers; raise flow EQ tank wall; and asphalt resurfacing.

Phase 2 of the project will focus on updating the lift stations with computer capability lines and remote monitoring system.

“Quicksall has sent a spec package into the EPA for their review,” Ziemba said. “We are hoping to go to bid either late this month or the beginning of March. This project will be around $4 million, and we are hoping to get it under way by May.”

He then noted Phase 3 of the project, which will include manhole inspections, has been put on hold due to the weather.

Ziemba also presented a potable water leak detection proposal before council.

“Aqua-Line company of Findlay gave two estimates, one to do the whole system, and one to exclude 3 miles of the newer part of the line,” he stated. “I am recommending that they do the entire system. This will take two to three days, and the total is $3,845.00 for the whole system.”

In other business:

– The monthly magistrate, police and code enforcement officer reports were presented for January.

– Village offices will be closed Feb. 17 in observance of Presidents’ Day. There will be no change in sanitation.

The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20 at the municipal building.

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