GAS LEASE, ROAD WORK DISCUSSED — Wintersville Council Thursday approved a natural gas lease for village property and discussed upcoming road work and issues involving the village’s water bills. -- Warren Scott

WINTERSVILLE — Approval of a natural gas lease for village property and issues involving road work and payment of water bills were before Wintersville Council on Thursday.

The lease will allow Ascent Resources to drill under 71 village-owned parcels amounting to 37.7 acres, for which the village will receive $5,250 per acre.

Mayor Mike Petrella said attorney Michael Shaheen will receive 12.5 percent of the proceeds for negotiating the lease, so the village will net $170,625 through the deal and 19 percent in royalties when production from the lines starts.

Asked following the meeting how the money will be used, Petrella said that’s not been determined but he expects street paving and water line replacement to be top considerations.

The two were recurring topics for village officials on Thursday.

Following the meeting, Village Administrator Jesse Kosegi said engineers have begun surveying Cadiz Road in preparation for the four-lane road’s repaving from the Wintersville Kroger to Park Drive and replacement of a main water line beneath the one-mile section of road.

A $1.9 million grant has been awarded by the Ohio Public Works Commission for the project, which will include replacement of drainage structures, 10 hydrants and school zone lights along the road.

The Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission has secured a $400,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to replace sections of sidewalk there and create handicap-accessible curbs at each intersection.

Kosegi said the engineers have 270 days from July 1 to submit designs for the project.

Petrella said earlier it’s slated to begin in the spring and be completed by December 2027.

On Thursday, council authorized Petrella to apply for additional OPWC funds for future street paving and water line replacements.

Kosegi said he’s getting estimates for such work, and plans were made for a streets and sanitation committee meeting to discuss those that should be named top priorities.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. before council’s next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 18.

Until more funding is secured for paving, village crews are slated to patch areas of state Route 43, McCoy Street, Parkview, Stardust and Woodridge drives; Milky Way and Day Circle.

Crews with Barbicas Construction of Akron, which have been delayed by other contracts, are slated later to patch areas of Main Street, Welday Street, Rex Avenue, Woodland Park and Old Main near Chase Bank at a cost of about $38,000.

Kosegi said employing village crews for the first round will save the village about $40,000 in labor costs.

He said crews will create a trench in an area near Garden Drive and Meadow Road to address heavy water saturation that has affected nearby residential properties.

Kosegi said the problem is believed to stem from an underground spring.

The village administrator also advised several residents of Rex Avenue reported they hadn’t received their water bills.

Kosegi said it’s not clear why that happened, but the local postmaster said it could be the bills, which are perforated to allow customers to return payment with a stub, got stuck in a sorting machine.

He said the customers will be required to pay the late charge for their water if they missed the posted deadline.

Kosegi said the village’s water bills are mailed on the first or second of each month, and the deadline for payment without penalty is always the 20th of the month unless it’s a holiday and then, it’s the 19th.

He said some consideration may be given to sending non-perforated bills.

Kosegi said he understands customers being unhappy about the situation but it doesn’t excuse clerks in the water department being yelled or sworn at, which has occurred.

He and other village officials asked residents to refrain from such behavior, and Kosegi said his door always is open to those with concerns.

He noted customers can call the Village Building at (740) 264-7171 to learn the amount of their bills and may make payments using a credit or debit card, though a 3 percent fee will apply.

He added he hopes customers soon will be able to make online payments with the adoption of a web-based billing system.

Kosegi said the water department will be closed on Monday and Tuesday so staff there can undergo training on the new system.

The system is closely linked with new radio-read water meters being installed for residential and commercial customers.

Kosegi said after more than a year of installations, the village still hasn’t heard from some customers whose meters are inside.

He confirmed a warning has been issued that those with indoor meters who fail to set up appointments for the installations face having their water shut off.

To schedule an installation, those customers should call (740) 461-5270 or (740) 266-3175.