Easements for sewers blocked

Trumbull County faces a deadline to obtain easements for sewers.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BROOKFIELD -- The lack of easements from four property owners is blocking a $2.7 million sanitary sewer project.
When it's completed, the long-awaited project will provide sewers to 243 homeowners in the West Hill section of the township now using septic tank systems.
Gary E. Newbrough, Trumbull County sanitary engineer, said the county has obtained five of the nine easements needed to get construction under way.
Eminent domain
Newbrough said that if the four remaining property owners don't OK the easements, he plans to turn the issue over to the county prosecutor's office to obtain them through eminent domain.
The easements must be secured by Sunday, the sanitary engineer explained.
Project bids were opened May 26. If the contract is not awarded in 60 days, the bidding process must begin again.
Newbrough explained that the contract cannot be awarded until all easements are obtained.
"I believe we can make the deadline," he said.
Newbrough pointed out that the easements don't allow for the construction of any permanent structures on the properties involved, but do allow for driveways and utility lines.
Some property owners have balked at granting the easements, he said, because they just aren't informed about what the project means.
Kirila Contractors of Brookfield was the lowest bidder at $2,478,000. This does not include engineers and other costs, which bring the project to a total $2.7 million.
Also, $200,000 is being set aside for other capital sewer projects in the county.
Project details
The project calls for construction of 21,500 feet of 8- and 12-inch sewers along 14 streets.
West Hill qualified for Ohio Department of Development funds because of the large percentage of residents with low to moderate incomes.
The area qualified after the Trumbull County Planning Commission and volunteers completed a 2003 survey.
Fifty-one percent of residents in the area must have low to moderate incomes to qualify for Community Development Block Grant funding. The 2000 U.S. Census placed the figure at 37.3 percent, but the survey showed that 79.6 percent of households actually qualified.
The area is bounded by Lincoln Road to the north, Warren-Sharon Road to the south, Yankee Run Road to the west and State Line Road to the east.
The project is scheduled to begin in August and should be completed by the end of the year, Newbrough noted.
To fund the project, the county commissioners borrowed $1.3 million through the issuing of notes. There is $900,000 in CDBG funds and $400,000 in state Issue 2 funding.
Some must pay
Those households that are not in the low- and moderate-income category, Newbrough explained, will pay between $1,000 and $2,500 to run lateral lines to their homes.
CDBG funds will pay for the laterals for those who do qualify because of income status, he added.
yovich@vindy.com