Mingo Council addresses improvements, complaints
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MINGO JUNCTION -- The Mingo Junction Village Council addressed a handful of improvements and complaints at its regular meeting Tuesday night, with topics including fire hydrants, sewage treatment plant upgrades and pet pigs causing a nuisance.
Mayor Ed Fithen read an ordinance on animal nuisances, stating, "No person shall keep or harbor any animal or fowl in this valley so as to create noxious or offensive odors or unsanitary conditions."
Fithen read over the ordinance and referenced nuisance complaints received in Mingo about pigs in the village that have allegedly drawn flies and created noxious odors. Council deliberated over whether the ordinance covers the situation at hand, and Fithen determined that something needs to be done about the nuisance.
Kyle Moffat, chief operator at the Mingo Junction Waste Water facility, said that two new wastewater treatment mixers were purchased for the facility, totaling $92,000 with an additional $8,000 for installation. Moffat said the mixers will be installed on Monday, and two skimmers will be replaced next week for $23,000.
"Everything will be fixed," Moffat said. "Fixing the skimmers ... gives me another whole line of things (so) that I can make it better."
Bob Smith, village administrator, said of the mixers, "They're needed, and we keep re-investing back in our infrastructure."
In his administrator's report, Smith said that a U-Haul business that "just showed up" without warning at 605 Commercial St. should be "hauled out of there" and that he is trying to track down the owners.
Councilwoman Pat Cramblett expressed concern over the trucks driving over the curb and into the vacant lot at the address. To that, Fithen said he and Mingo Junction Police Chief Willie McKenzie had considered putting chains around parking meters to keep the trucks from driving over the curb.
Separately, Smith said in his report that about two miles of road in the village have been paved with chip and seal. Councilwoman Jodilynn Fitzgerald, following a complaint of a sullied vehicle, asked Smith if fliers could be distributed to people with cars parked along routes soon to be chip and sealed.
To that, Smith said, "We try to let them know the best that we can" but "it's very hard to predict with the county."
Also, Smith said a packer has been purchased, and it is awaiting shipment from East Liverpool. In addition, Smith said a downtown building has been released by the Land Bank, and estimates to have it razed hover around $17,000.
Patrol Officer Ashley Close read a report from McKenzie, which expressed gratitude for spotlights being kept on during night hours at the Mingo Pool. That action enabled police to identify teenagers who "jumped the fence and recorded themselves jumping off the diving board."
Close said the police department will be drawing names for a back-to-school giveaway on Friday, with Wednesday being the last day to sign up. She said the giveaway will consist of 20 Wal-Mart gift cards of $50 each.
Also, Close relayed a suggestion from McKenzie that council consider updating "outdated" surveillance cameras, formerly serviced by Comcast, in Aracoma Park.
Moffat encouraged council to entirely replace the "dilapidated" camera system in Aracoma Park. Council discussed the possible use of a wireless camera system for the location.
George Stoddart, chief operator of the Mingo Junction Water Department, asked council for a temporary vacancy fill for a distribution foreman position, a request he said has been standing since June.
Separately, Stoddart said the water department's new billing system, Muni-Link, has been implemented with "very little problems on our end," apart from some on "the financial part of reporting."
Fithen debated with Stoddart over whether there were problems with Muni-Link's implementation, to which Stoddart said, "This is progress. You have to have progress. Progress means pain."
Stoddart reported three water line breaks in North Hill, on Murdock Avenue and on Ohio Street. Stoddart said his department was able to handle the breaks, but the process was made "very difficult" due to the lack of a distribution foreman.
"We're a little shorthanded, and we need some more personnel, possibly, and mostly a distribution foreman," Stoddart said.
Additionally, Stoddart said a fire hydrant was taken out by a car on Sunday. The hydrant has an atypical 7-foot base, making it a special order that would cost around $4,400.
Stoddart told council that the location of the new hydrant would be within the jurisdiction of the Brilliant Volunteer Dire Department. Stoddart said that Brilliant Fire Chief Donald Hutchinson recommended they purchase a new hydrant for the area, which council gave Stoddart permission to do.
Cathy Risdon of Lincoln Avenue told council she has been experiencing the effects of a water line leak on her property for a year, resulting in her backyard being filled with mud. Stoddart said the job is big and would require removal of the entire water line. Fithen asked Stoddart to go to the site and assess what can be done.
Patti Mannarino of the nonprofit Women in Action Against Cancer Coalition said a community yard sale event on Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Aracoma Park will fill the parking lot with vendors. She asked council if the park grounds could be cleaned up prior to the event. Mannarino offered, along with other volunteers, to paint a wall of the shelter house if it is power washed.