Addition of streets, meter installations discussed by council
WINTERSVILLE — Wintersville Council Thursday received an update on efforts to adopt three streets into the village while Village Administrator Jesse Kosegi warned that water customers who haven’t arranged for a new radio-read meter to be installed in their homes could have their service shut off.
Kosegi told council Chapel Hill, Furda and Morrow lanes have been surveyed and a plat is to be presented to owners of property along the streets to secure their permission for them to be made public roads.
Mayor Mike Petrella said a number of residents of that area had requested that when he was campaigning for office a few years ago, citing the poor condition of the roads.
Located off Woodridge Drive, the roads were established as private driveways more than 30 years ago, but the number of homes along them has since grown to about a dozen.
Kosegi said residents there are Wintersville citizens who pay for water and sewer service and garbage pickup from the village and pay taxes to it through the Regional Income Tax Agency.
He said the streets will require a new base as well as paving and pending approval of their adoption by the village’s planning commission and council, he will seek state funds to restore them.
Kosegi said three streetlights have already been added on Morrow Lane and have been greatly appreciated by residents there.
The village administrator also reported letters have been sent to 94 water customers with indoor water meters advising they must cooperate with efforts to replace them with the radio-read units.
Wintersville officials secured a $341,000 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission while allocating about $644,000 of the village’s own funds to install new meters that transmit readings to the Village Building through an antenna on a water tower.
They are intended to reduce labor required for manual readings by village crews while providing more accurate readings and allowing residents to pay their water bills online if they wish.
Kosegi said since the letters were sent, the village has heard from three or four customers each day. But he said village crews, aided by staff from Fort Steuben Maintenance, are prepared to shut off service for those who fail to comply though he conceded that won’t occur if temperatures put closed water lines at risk of freezing.
Kosegi said the transfer to the new system has delayed the most recent billing cycle, and staff were slated to come in early today to print the bills. He said customers who receive those bills late won’t be penalized for late payments.
In other business:
• Petrella asked for residents’ patience with village crews clearing and treating snow-covered roads, adding any complaints or concerns should be conveyed, not through social media, but by calling the Village Building at (740) 266-3175 or him at (740) 424-1975.
Councilman Jason Mattern also asked residents to be patient, noting the timing of snowfall can affect crews’ ability to treat the roads’ surfaces.
“These guys are doing the best they can with what they have,” he said.
• Council approved the rezoning of property at 713 Fernwood Road to commercial at the request of CMC Partners, which has been operating a daycare center there.
The move was recommended by the village’s planning commission.
• Councilman Randy Spence suggested council’s rules be changed to require each of its committees to meet at least once a year.
In addition to the planning commission, they include finance, annexation, rules and ordinances, streets and sanitation, water and sewer, safety, personnel and parks and recreation.
Councilwoman Gael Damron asked if minutes are formally documented for each committee and was told they are recorded and transcribed.
Petrella noted that unlike council, which reserves a time for public comment during its meetings, the public may attend the committee meetings but may not speak unless invited by that panel.
It was announced the finance committee will meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 27.
• Petrella announced the Village Building will be closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There is no residential garbage collection scheduled for Mondays in the village.
Council’s next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Village Building.