Members of Athens City Council amended the city's wellhead protection plan and discussed structural improvements through a neighborhood revitalization grant, at last night's meeting.
Councilman Elahu Gosney, D-At Large said the wellhead protection ordinance simplifies the language of the previous plan and addresses other sources that could contaminate the water supply.
We had a situation occur where there was a gas station that shut down
and it was difficult for the city to track down who bought the property to make sure everything was cleaned up safely and properly Gosney said, adding the new regulations will require the property owners to remove the regulated substance within 60 days.
Under the new regulations, the city has a greater capacity to oversee construction projects, said Gosney, adding that in the past, there were problems with vehicles being stored in the winter that might leak and the wrong type of material being used when people were filling in land.
People who illegally dump materials or contaminate the water supply could receive a fine of up to $10,000 under the new plan, Gosney said.
Members of council also discussed possible neighborhood improvements during a public hearing before the meeting.
If the city receives grants from the Ohio Department of Development, city employees will work to fix the sidewalks on Stimson and Morris avenues and make sanitation improvements, among other projects, according to the city engineer's cost statement for the projects.
Representatives from Atco, Inc., an organization that employs adults with disabilities, expressed their gratitude for the possible improvements that would make the sidewalks on Stimson Avenue accessible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Several Atco affiliates are located off Stimson Avenue.
The estimated cost of the improvements is about $475,000, according to the cost statement.
If the city does not receive all the desired grants, it will focus on replacing the sanitary sewer on Mill Street because it is the most needed improvement, Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said.
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Gail Burkhardt
