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Bring back infrastructure See page 6
Stormwater:
RESS October 12, 2015
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Serving More Than h 33 33,000 000 H Homes & B Businesses i iin 4 C Counties ti
Cancer Awareness See page 8 M
Oregon to charge for overflow By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
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She’s excited to play Cousin It.
Stephanie Book See page 5
New school for Northwood
Northwood students and officials celebrated the construction of a new school building at a ground breaking ceremony held at the school’s football stadium. The new building is scheduled to open in the fall of 2017 and will hold Northwood students from pre-school to high school. Top left, Senator Randy Gardner, along with other officials, spoke to parents and students. Top right, balloons are released in celebration of the new construction. Bottom left, faculty and students get involved at the ceremony. Officials representing fire and police departments, and local businesses also participated. See story on page 3. (Photos courtesy of Kris James)
Trustees choosing nuisance policy By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com Policies used by Allen and Clay townships in Ottawa County may become the template for how Lake Township responds to complaints about nuisance properties. After reviewing their policies, the police and fire chiefs of Lake Township have advised township trustees they could also utilize them. Lake Township Police Chief/ Administrator Mark Hummer told the trustees Tuesday he will first forward a copy of the policies to the Wood County prosecutor’s office for review. “It looks like very good work,” he said, calling the policies “a pretty effective way to deal with severely dilapidated properties. We’re not talking about the guy who doesn’t cut his grass.” Last month, Walbridge Mayor Ed Kolanko sent a letter to the trustees asking them to consider declaring two properties on Drouillard Road as nuisances. The properties, located at 30854 and
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We’re not talking about the guy who doesn’t cut his grass.
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Oregon City Council on Monday will consider amending a sewer agreement with the Northwestern Water and Sewer District (NWSD) for billing and a schedule for the district’s sewer improvements. Oregon entered into a sewer agreement with the NWSD on April 14, 2014 that required the district to construct a 2 million gallon sanitary sewer overflow storage facility or tank and install new flow meters within 18 months of executing the sewer agreement, which is October 2015, according to Public Service Director Paul Roman. The tank would hold excess sewage and storm water during heavy rain before it can be released and treated by Oregon’s sanitary sewer treatment plant. Oregon has an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to make improvements to its system. As a result, Oregon will only treat up to 5 million gallons of storm water per day. Excess sewer and storm water overflow ends up untreated and flows into the lake. The NWSD reviewed the flow over 18 months and determined it exceeded 5 million gallons per day 60 times. The overflow storage facility, a 30 foot tall basin to be located on a 2 acre parcel between Curtice Road and Wise Street, will be 1,350 feet east of the nearest house in the Greenway Estates subdivision. The tank will catch and hold the excess flow of sanitary sewage and storm water temporarily before it is released for treatment in Oregon. Plans called for the facility to be completed in October, but the district has asked for a 1 year extension. In exchange for the extension, the city will start billing the district for sewer overflows. “Considering the project has not been bid yet, they are not going to meet that [October] deadline,” said Roman. “They definitely need more time – about a year’s
30848 Drouillard Road, sit just outside the village limits but the mayor said village residents have approached him about the properties. The mayor’s letter included photos that show the houses with boarded up windows and doors, and over grown weeds. Under the Allen Township policy, a property owner is notified by letter the property has been inspected by the chief of the Allen-Clay Joint Fire District. The chief
files a report of the property condition with the township trustees and a copy is provided to the owner. If the property is determined to be unsafe and structurally defective, the letter informs the owner of the township’s intent to raze the building. The owner is entitled to a hearing but must file a request for a hearing within 30 days of the day the notice was mailed. Gas provider chosen In other business, the trustees approved a proposal submitted by Volunteer Energy Services, Inc, Pickerington, O. to provide natural gas service for residential and small-business customers. The agreement will be in effect for 17 months and is expected to save consumers on average between $9 and $23. The township is a member of the Northwest Ohio Aggregation Coalition, which negotiates with gas providers. Residents and businesses who rely on natural gas will have the option of choosing another supplier, Richard Welling, a trustee, said.
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