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EAST LIVERPOOL - Water Superintendent Paul McCarthy told the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) during its monthly meeting Thursday that the water plant's number two variable frequency drive has been having issues and they have had electrical companies there twice to try to trouble shoot it. They can't seem to identify the problem.
McCarthy reached out to Automation Services Controls to see about getting a quote for a new variable frequency drive and said he would be reaching back out to the BPU once he hears something back.
McCarthy also noted that the plant's elevator also went down about 10 days ago, and he contacted Otis (the elevator manufacturer) to schedule a service call. A service person was at the plant on Wednesday and told McCarthy there was a low oil sensor that he thinks is bad. He said he wasn't sure if it was part of the control panel, but he was going to look into it further.
McCarthy said the elevator is operable and will get staff up to the top floor of the plant but then you have to kill the power and reset it to get it back down again and then repeat the process to get it up again. He is waiting to hear what the status is on getting that fixed.
One of the day tanks was cleaned out. It had a lot of buildup in it. He recommends cleaning those out yearly.
The bid opening for chemicals for the department will be at the Feb. 15 BPU meeting.
McCarthy noted that the city only has nine months to complete the city's water service line inventory and identify which service lines are lead and provide that information to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He has looked at software which can be costly for tracking the line inventory and doesn't believe that is the way to go right now with the current financial situation. His suggestion was to hire temporary help to get started on the line identification since they are running low on time.
He also suggested that with the valve exercise program needing done that possibly a temporary hire or a new hire could start the line inventory and then begin exercising the valves.
The department has a new line foreman starting soon, but the department does not have a truck to put him in. They had a truck, but it was given to the street department.
McCarthy told the BPU that when divers inspected the raw water line, they had to take a knife valve off and they didn't put it back on and that is something that needs looked at.
The east side tank will be rehabbed in the spring. The west side tank was done this past summer.
The maintenance crew has been working on breaks while the weather is good and fixing some of the curb stops.
BPU member Tim Clark told McCarthy that it was state law that a city must wait until March to access any funds carried over from the previous year and now all the things, they had planned to start this month they are now held back on. This includes the hiring of any employees for the department right away.
Clark also said that on Jan. 23 would be the signing for part B for the demolition of the intake and he had mistakenly thought they would need the $482,000 for phase two, but when he clarified it with the engineer, he found there are two phases to the project There is phase A and B and then phase two which is five years away.
Wastewater Superintendent Dave Freeman said that TS Elliot had been out working on the skimmers.
He also told the BPU that he was trying to get information on a boiler for the heat exchanger and trying to figure out if it will last until the plant upgrades begin. He thinks it could be a bigger fix than what they currently think. He can only get an approximate estimate on what it would cost, to get a more accurate estimate it would have to be completely torn down to locate the leak. There is concerns that it will need to be replaced not repaired. The boiler is working but it starts
The EPA will be in the plant on Jan. 30 for another inspection and get some updates from the city on the upgrades.
There was a company at the plant on Friday and another coming in on Tuesday to provide a quote for baskets and rails.
Freeman asked Clark if he heard anything on the new industrial pre-treatment local limits. Clark asked council member Brian Kerr who was present during the meeting if he could get the ordinance to council to get it passed. Kerr said he would call a Finance Committee meeting for Jan. 23 to discuss that.
Freeman finished his report by saying the department was just trying to keep everything going, cleaning and getting ready the inspection on Jan. 30.
Under old business Clark mentioned the T-Mobile contract for $782 a month. Clark and BPU member Ray Sullivan agreed to renew the contract since T-Mobile said they wouldn't raise rates until 2027. BPU member Jim Swoger was not in attendance to vote.
During public portion, Kathy Tanner and Mark Stewart, owners of Heights Manor, requested an exemption to the water rate increase since it would cause financial burden due to what they can ask for rent since the rent amount is set by HUD and they cannot have the tenants pay the water bill or control how much water tenants use.
Clark said that it was a tough issue for the BPU and that the BPU could look at that, but he didn't think that was going to be possible as they would have other entities who would want that. Clark said the request would be tabled for discussion but doesn't think the BPU can do it because there must be a unified rate increase and they can't pick winners and losers. He noted that it could possibly be discussed in an executive session
Kerr also spoke during the public portion about having only two employees working 12-hour shifts at the treatment plant. He noted they were working 12 hours on then 12 hours off. He expressed concern over these employees not having time with their families, their spouses having to readjust their schedules or if one of them were to quit. He requested the BPU get the ball rolling sooner than later on the issue of hiring another person and possibly talk to the union about hiring temporary help, since the plant is supposed to be staffed with five employees.
Kerr also noted that he was concerned if stuff doesn't get fixed there won't be any water.
Sullivan wrapped up the meeting by making a motion to go into executive session which was seconded by Clark who said there would be no action taken.
The Board of Public Utilities meets the third Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in council chambers located inside City Hall. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15.