Glenwood sewer laterals replacement to begin soon

TWINSBURG – Some 22 sanitary sewer laterals on Glenwood Drive will be replaced this fall after City Council awarded a contract at its Aug. 22 meeting.

Matt Winters Excavating LLC of Atwater Township in Portage County landed the contract at a cost of $162,495, $150,000 of which will come from the city’s sewer improvement fund and $12,495 from the sewer improvement-emergency repairs fund.

City engineer Amy Mohr said she expects the work to take about three months and be completed by the end of the year. Some trees will be removed, but will be replaced next spring.

The city is looking at a larger infrastructure improvement project – a waterline replacement – next year on Glenwood Drive.

Earlier this summer, Council gave Mohr the go-ahead to apply for an Ohio Public Works Commission grant worth $250,000 or loan worth $285,000 for that project, which is estimated to cost about $570,000.

Two ordinances went to second reading. One would accept the redistricting committee’s redrawing of city wards and the other would enact a new code Chapter 919 called “illicit discharge and illegal connection control.”

Council president Scott Barr said the redistricting panel has worked on the new wards map for the last few months, and the legislation will be read three times before Council acts on it.

The wards map is typically redrawn every 10 years after a U.S. Census is completed to even up the number of residents in the city’s five wards.

As for the illicit discharge legislation, Mohr explained the state requires communities to develop a stormwater management program which “prohibits illicit discharges into the storm water system and implements appropriate enforcement procedures.”

MAYOR’S COMMENTS

Acting Mayor Sam Scaffide reported he, law director Matt Vazzana and finance director Sarah Buccigross recently met with Summit County Executive Illene Shapiro to talk about programs the county offers to municipalities and how to improve communications between the county and city.

Scaffide said the economic picture in Twinsburg is bright, with Mold-Rite Packaging getting its third expansion under way, and Crossfit Saol, Airgas ALTEC, Sixth City CPR and Necessity Spa recently having ribbon cuttings.

“Twinsburg is open for business, and people are coming here,” he said. “And we’re doing our best to fill vacant storefronts and industrial/commercial spaces.”

Buccigross reported income tax revenue through August is up about $1 million – to $17 million – from 2021. She added the city had a clean audit from the state for 2021.

OTHER BUSINESS

A special revenue fund was created to accept money from the OneOhio opioid settlement. Buccigross said the first installment will amount to $7,200, with payments totaling about $160,000 to be made over 18 years.

In another financial action, Council authorized a two-year lease of two used 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SEs from Kempthorn Inc. of Canton at a cost of $22,090.

The unmarked vehicles are for the police department, and the money will come from the police capital equipment fund.

Council sent a list of delinquent sanitary sewer rentals and water fund maintenance charges to the Summit County fiscal officer for placement on property owners’ real estate tax duplicates.

Council also affirmed the planning commission’s decision to grant a conditional use permit for a resident to replace a damaged telecommunications tower at 8960 Gettysburg Drive.

Section 1151 of the city’s zoning and development regulations gives Council the final authority to issue such permits after notification, a public hearing and recommendation by the planning panel.

Council rescinded a previous request for a state liquor board hearing on an application for Super 8 motel’s new permit, and will not oppose it.

Because the permit application was the first of its type in the city, Vazzana said city officials initially had some questions/concerns about it.

Meanwhile, Council had no objection to the transfer of a D5 liquor permit for the Sushi En restaurant on Hadden Road.

Contact the newspaper at twinsburgbulletin@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Glenwood sewer laterals to be replaced; proposed ward maps introduced