EAST LIVERPOOL –City council Monday night tabled an easement ordinance regarding a water line replacement.

Council tabled the legislation with a five to two vote and sent it back to committees for further discussion.

The legislation is to adopt a temporary easement for construction and hold harmless agreement regarding the authorization to replace private lead and galvanized steel service lines was sent back to the Finance Committee and passed to the Refuse and Recycling/Public Utilities/Franchise Committee discussion and clarification after Council Member Debra Danver raised concerns over the hold harmless portion of the agreement and whether residents would have any recourse if there property wasn’t repaired to back to original condition after the work to replace the lines is completed.

Danver and Council Member John Mercer were in agreement that the ordinance needs amended before they were comfortable voting on it, so Danver made a motion to table it.

Tim Clark, Utilities Manager, said the project hasn’t gone out for bid yet, and the restoration of the properties would be handled by the contractors and would be included in the bids.

Danver countered that it was in the residents’ best interest to address the issue before having to sign the hold harmless agreement.

Council President John Torma noted that the residents were getting the lines replaced for free and those who don’t sign the agreement are responsible for the cost of replacing the lines themselves and he doesn’t see residents objecting to having the lines replaced at no cost.

Following further discussion, a vote was taken on Danver’s motion to table the matter for further discussion.

The legislation will be further discussed at the Refuse and Recycling/Public Utilities/Franchise Committee meeting scheduled for April 23.

The East Liverpool City Council as a whole meets the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in council chambers at East Liverpool City Hall. The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 4.

Kgarabrandt@mojonews.com