SALEM Officials hoping to trim the cost of sewage plant

The project could end up costing about $1 million.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- City officials are continuing to try to whittle down the cost of a sewage treatment plant improvement project that originally was expected to cost nearly $7 million.
Utilities Superintendent Don Weingart told city council Tuesday that the city utilities commission plans to hire an attorney to advise the panel of its chances of getting the project reduced by an additional $2 million.
Last month, Weingart reported that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency had, at the city's request, relaxed some standards for discharges from the sewage treatment plant.
Not having to meet the higher discharge standards lowered the project cost from $7 million to about $3 million.
Now the city is hoping to reduce the cost to $1 million by possibly seeking a further reduction of discharge standards.
The reduction will be sought if attorneys advise the city that it stands a chance of winning an appeal of the standards before the Ohio EPA, Weingart explained.
The city is considering an appeal based on the argument that the sewer plant already discharges into a creek polluted with Mirex, a carcinogen.
Mirex entered the Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek decades ago through the operations of a chemical plant once located near Salem.
Further relaxing the discharge standards wouldn't further pollute the creek, the city may argue, if attorneys advise it to do so.
Weingart said a law firm to advise the city has yet to be hired.
The plant has been operating satisfactorily. But stricter environmental standards for sewage treatment facilities are forcing some communities to upgrade their plants.
Facade improvements
In other business, council approved lending $7,000 to Nicholas Bush to be used for improving the facade of 130 S. Broadway Ave. in the city's central business district.
The commercial structure houses Mountz Gallery.
Money for the loan will come from a revolving loan fund the city created to foster improvements to facades in the city's central business district.
Councilwoman Nancy Cope, R-at-large, introduced the measure approving the loan.
Cope didn't immediately know the terms of the loan or the improvements planned for the building.