EAST LIVERPOOL - No action was taken Thursday by the Board of Public Utilities on a request by the city school district to consider waiving a sewer tap-in fee at the Patterson Field improvement project, although a considerable savings has already been realized, according to Utilities Director Bob Disch.
Water Superintendent Keith Clark told the board that Mark Reed, school district director of buildings and grounds, had asked about the likelihood of the board waiving the $3,200 tap-in fee, saying Superintendent James Herring had planned on attending Thursday's meeting to make a formal request but was unable to do so.
Disch said tap-in fees have been established by ordinance and to have it waived, the board would have to approach City Council to have the ordinance amended.
He cautioned the board, "You're going to get a lot of requests for this if we do it (for the school district)."
Although Mayor Jim Swoger spoke up and said the city should "do all we can" to help the district, Disch replied, "We already did."
He explained that the district originally planned on installing a four-inch meter for a shower room when only a two-inch meter is needed.
A four-inch meter has a $10,000 tap-in fee compared to the $3,200 fee for a two-inch meter, and Disch said, "So, they settled for a two-inch meter," noting it has actually already been installed and the city has not yet been paid the tap-in fee to date.
Clark questioned the board on the status of an electrical system upgrade at the water plant he had asked about some time ago, saying a $20,000 pump recently blew and had to be replaced.
"We accumulated a lot of motors, troubles and electrical costs over the years," Clark said.
A company had come in and offered a presentation on upgrading the system but Law Director Charles Payne is still researching the legality of hiring the firm under a "design-build" system rather than competitive bidding, which is normally required for a project of that magnitude, which is estimated at nearly $500,000.
