City seeking to move forward with sewer project

For several years now, city of Urbana officials have been working on a plan to alleviate the amount of sewage flowing through the Amherst Drive sewer main. During City Council’s 6 p.m. meeting today in municipal court chambers, council will hear the second reading of a resolution that would address the sewage flow issue by allowing Director of Administration Kerry Brugger to seek funding for the Powell Avenue/Cemetery Sanitary Sewer Project through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) State Capital Improvement Program.

During the first reading of the ordinance on April 19, Brugger said, the project would essentially divide the amount of sewage traveling from the Bon Air subdivision into two by diverting part of the flow away from the sewer main on Amherst Drive.

“There is a lot of volume that runs through that system,” he said. “We would take all that volume that is coming out of the east side of town and split it into two to allow that system to operate a little more effectively.”

If funding is secured through OPWC, the project would involve a new section of sewer main being installed from the intersection of Bon Air Drive/Miller Drive to the east side of the Champaign County Fairgrounds. From the tie-in at Bon Air and Miller drives, the sewer main would travel along the southern boundary of Oak Dale Cemetery, head down a section of state Route 54, and travel west across Powell Avenue to the large city-owned interceptor sewer located at the fairgrounds.

Brugger said engineering estimates from a few years back had the total project costs in the $750,000 range.

“I think now we are closer to $1 million,” he said. “Without taking advantage of the opportunity through OPWC, there is really no way we can fund this on a local level.”

If funding for the project is awarded to the city, construction isn’t expected to take place until 2018, Brugger added.

Also during today’s meeting, council will hear the third and final reading of an ordinance to provide a statement of services to the property at 638 Childrens Home Road and approve an agreement with Urbana Township for the annexation of the property into the city.

The measure was scheduled to be voted on during the April 19 council meeting, but it was tabled due to Urbana Township Trustees requesting changes be made to the agreement.

In other business:

•An ordinance to submit city charter amendments to voters will undergo a second reading.

The proposed changes, as outlined by Director of Law Breanne Parcels, involve residency requirements, streamlining legislation, publication of ordinances and resolutions, alternates for boards and commissions, and competitive bidding.

•A second reading will take place on an ordinance establishing salary and benefits for central staff employees.

•Administration will seek approval on a purchase order in the amount of $15,037.01 to Cherokee Run Landfill for the hauling away of sludge.

By Joshua Keeran

[email protected]

Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-652-1331 (ext. 1774) or on Twitter @UDCKeeran.

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