In Cortland, council OKs rainwater study

CORTLAND -- City council approved spending $49,000 on a study to determine where rainwater seeps into the city sewer system.
The flow of rainwater is blamed for a $186,000 increase this year in the amount the city pays Trumbull County to treat sewage from its system.
The study, using flow meters in a half-dozen locations, is expected to form the basis of further work by the city service department.
In her final address to council Monday, Mayor Melissa Long said the overly strong council was eroding the power of the mayor's office and was spending too much on consultants.
Council member Michael Hillman responded that the expenditures were only necessary because the administration failed to keep on top of public works projects.
In other business, three candidates for service director will be interviewed by council members Wednesday.
The candidates, narrowed from a field of more than a dozen, are Paul Wise of East Liverpool, Christopher Tolnar of Cortland and Donald Wittman of Youngstown.
The successful candidate will replace Paul Makosky, who was fired by council in September.
Charles Miller, a former Trumbull County sanitary engineer, has been filling the post part time on a temporary basis. He did not apply for the permanent job.