By: 1812Blockhouse Staff
At Council’s virtual meetings on Monday evening, two pieces of legislation received the most discussion.
One, the creation of a Community Reinvestment Area program for the City of Mansfield, was covered by 1812Blockhouse in a previous post.
The other dealt with a $58,000 piece of cleaning. In specific, the measure first heard by Council’s Finance Committee would authorize a contract with a particular vendor, without bidding, for the inspection and cleaning of the main service line at the City’s Water Treatment Plant.
As introduced by Public Works DIrector David Remy, the proposal was not included in distributed Council member packets because the quote was received last Monday and after the normal time deadline for submission of legislation. Remy nonetheless asked Council to pass the measure on an emergency basis and without the normal three readings.
The situation which gave rise to this proposed expense took place over the New Year’s Eve holiday when the line in question was almost completely blocked and water had to be rerouted causing serious service issues
At that time, the Ohio EPA became involved and issued four notices of violation. Those notices have been addressed, at least one — the regular maintenance of the line — by the development of a plan to address the situation.
To accomplish mandated inspection and cleaning of the 300 feet long, 48 inches in diameter line, a diving team of five individuals will be on site during four, ten-hour days. Then to get the “clear well” cleaned, another two to three person dive team will take an additional four, ten-hour days to finish.
In response to questions, Remy told Committee meetings that the company in question, Allied Technical Services, Inc. is not only the same company that performed work in January, but is one of very few enterprises in the country which undertake similar projects. The material has been building up for one to two decades.
There is a tight window to get the work done, Remy added. The City has until June to get the line cleared out, and until July 1 to get a report together for submission to the EPA. Allied is prepared to begin work by the end of next week.
Committee Chair Jon Van Harlingen stated that as this is a serious issue for public health, the City is obligated to get the work completed in a timely manner. Committee members agreed, sending it to full Council, where it was unanimously approved on a final reading.
Image by David Mark from Pixabay
