Both Athens County and City officials entered 2014 with resolutions of their own: see improvements at the local wastewater treatment plant, renovate the city’s parking garage, implement electric aggregation county-wide and seek a new location for the county sherriff’s office. But budgets can be sparse, more pressing issues can arise and projects can be put on the backburner. That’s why officials are now planning for the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of some of the area’s largest projects coming to light.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Grade B
The city would like to see improvements to Athens’ Wastewater Treatment Plant, located east of campus, come to a close this year, after beginning the project in 2011.
Improvements would make the plant more environmentally sound, said Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl.
“It’s the most pricey project we’re working on — we’re less than halfway through an $18 million project,” Wiehl said.
The project is intended to seek closure late this year, but there is a possibility that renovations could extend into early 2015.
ELECTRIC AGGREGATION
Grade A
Athens City and County officials continue to work together to develop a plan for electric aggregation — the energy package that passed in November’s elections — that would promote clean energy. County commissioner Chris Chmiel said that city officials are currently working with the county to finalize energy contracts.
“This year we’re going to try to get our requests for proposals together,” Chmiel said.
Wiehl said energy prices are increasing and therefore it’s vital the city and county come to a conclusion soon, so that residents can certainly look forward to the energy plan’s completion by the end of the year.
CITY PARKING GARAGE
Grade B
The city has yet to attach a dollar figure to improving the parking garage on Washington Street, Wiehl said.
“We’ll have to spend some money,” he said. “We want to make sure it’s well prepared.”
The city went into debt after the garage’s most recent renovation in 1999, so city officials are hesitant to jump into the project without careful consideration.
“I suspect we’ll start this year and get a handle on it,” Wiehl said.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Grade C
Athens County commissioners are hoping to relocate the Athens County Sheriff’s Office from its current location at 13 W. Washington Street, Adkins said.
“We continue to look for space that would be appropriate, and right now nothing is on our radar,” he said.
County officials are currently looking for a space that would be farther away from Uptown and closer to the freeway for safety reasons, but Chmiel said it’s highly unlikely that the Sheriff’s office will relocate this year.
@eockerman
eo300813@ohiou.edu
