COLUMBIANA CO. Vote OKs expansion by Salem

Salem has said it's willing to pay for half the utility expansion project.
LISBON -- Nearly 75 homes on Salem's northeast side are now eligible to receive a municipal sewer system that will blot out a pollution risk.
Columbiana County commissioners made way for the utility installation Wednesday by approving the annexation into Salem of about 33 acres in Perry Township.
The property lies along North Lincoln Avenue near 15th Street.
Property owners wanted the land to be annexed so they will be eligible to receive city sewer service.
The utility is needed because many septic systems in the area are failing and pose a pollution threat.
The city has said it's willing to aid in the project by paying for half its cost. Affected homeowners, however, must still pay a nearly $5,000 assessment to help fund the undertaking.
What happened: Wednesday's action is related to an adjacent annexation approved in July of about 184 acres containing nearly 180 homes, many of which also have failing septic systems.
The city will install sewer lines to the area annexed in July as well.
The city also is providing to the 184-acre annexation the same terms included in the annexation approved Wednesday. That is, Salem will pay half the sewer installation cost and assess users $5,000.
Installing sewer to both newly annexed areas will cost about $1.5 million.
City officials have said they hope to begin the installation project late this winter or in early spring.
The work could be done about six months later.