JEFFERSON — After many months of debate and study, the Austinburg Township sanitary sewer project received unanimous support from Ashtabula County commissioners at Tuesday afternoon’s regular meeting.
The $2.78 million project, first announced more than two years ago, was mandated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. It was supposed to be finished last year, but the EPA granted an 18-month extension to help officials find additional money to trim assessments that await affected landowners.
“I’m glad to see this coming to an end,” said Peggy Carlo, Board of Commissioners president.
Property-owners will pay no more than $43 a linear foot for pipe that passes their parcels. Initially, costs were pegged at $140 a foot.
Officials were able to find nearly $2 million in outside funding to reduce the landowners’ share of the project. The biggest chunk came from federal stimulus funds ($825,000) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ($655,000). The Ohio Public Works Commission pitched in another $475,000.
Some 107 different parcels will be affected by the project, commissioners said. The project will install pipe and a pump station to serve sections of Route 45 and Route 307 and Industrial Park Drive, along with Mill, Chestnut, Betts and Maple streets.
Dozens of residents attended a public hearing earlier this month to discuss the project and its cost. Residents still have an opportunity to appeal their assessment but must file their objection no later than 4:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Appeals received by then will be considered by a court, according to legislation. If no appeals are received, then the county will proceed with the project.
In other business, commissioners formally accepted grant dollars that will finance a variety of home-improvement projects around the county. More than $1 million from various sources, including the Community Housing Improvement Program, ultimately will help make repairs to four Rock Creek-area homes, help rehabilitate 14 additional houses, provide five would-be home buyers with down-payment assistance and provide service housing counseling for 20 households. Also, money will be available to help Habitat with Humanity construct a new home within the county.
There are no shortage of applications for the housing assistance, said Janice Switzer, Community Services Department program manager. “It will go very quickly,” she said.
Local News
County approves Austinburg sewer work
Ohio EPA ordered $2.8 million project
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