TRUMBULL COUNTY McDonald village officials express frustration over Girard water pact

Council could shut off water to Girard if the matter isn't settled.
BY ANTHONY M. NICK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MCDONALD -- Village council members and the mayor say they are frustrated by Girard officials' apparent unwillingness to sign a new water contract with the village.
Village officials also want Girard to pay money owed under provisions of the old contract. McDonald buys its water wholesale from the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District and provides village residents with water, and sells the excess to Girard. Girard also buys water from Youngstown and Niles.
During the caucus session before council's regular meeting Wednesday, village Solicitor William Roux presented council with a new three-year agreement to provide Girard with water.
Roux said the contract was mailed Tuesday to Girard Mayor James Melfi.
The new contract will charge Girard $2.55 per 1,000 gallons of water based on actual consumption. The city would receive a discounted rate of $2.39 per 1,000 gallons used if officials agree to pay for a minimum guaranteed consumption of 3.5 million gallons a month.
Based on usage history
Roux said the 3.5 million-gallon consumption minimum was based on Girard's recent usage history. He added the village would be paid about $8,400 a month based on the discounted rate. The village receives approximately $6,000 per month under the old contract, said Roux.
The old three-year contract with the city charged $1.98 per 1,000 gallons used, based on a guaranteed minimum usage of 6.5 million gallons per month.
The old three-year contract with Girard expired in April 2003.
Mayor James Border said that when the old contract expired, former village Administrator Robert O'Connell agreed to let Girard pay on a month-to-month basis at the rates set under the old contract. The mayor added that the village administrator is in charge of the water department.
The mayor added that O'Connell also allowed Girard to pay based on actual consumption and not on the 6.5 million-gallon guaranteed minimum specified in the old contract.
Border explained that beginning in 2003 the city experienced a drastic reduction in consumption after a water leak was found in one of the pipes providing water to Girard.
Despite the reduction, the contract still required Girard to pay for 6.5 million gallons of water per month, said Border.
The village supplies Girard with water from a line connected to the Girard-McDonald Viaduct, and services the area around Interstate 80 and Salt Springs Road.
Started talks
Current village Administrator Thomas Domitrovich initiated negotiations for a new water contract and for payment on the money owed with city officials in the spring, but council and Border feel city officials, and Melfi in particular, are "ignoring" them.
"We have two issues here," said Councilman Michael O'Brien. He explained Girard needs to respond to the new contract proposal and payment of the old water bill, or action will be taken, He did not specify what that would be, but set a service committee meeting for Tuesday to discuss the matter if no progress has been made.
"They are not going to do anything until we force them to," said Councilwoman Rose Yakulbov.
Border said the strongest action available to the village would be to shut off the water supply to Girard.
"We have bills to pay too," said Border.
The mayor also said the new rates compare favorably with what Girard pays Niles and Youngstown.
In a related matter, Domitrovich said he has not received any specific information from MVSD about its proposed rate increase. The increase, which calls for a 36.8 percent increase in water rates to be implemented in three steps over a two-year period, is set to take effect Nov. 1, pending approval by the court of jurisdiction. The court of jurisdiction is made up of one common pleas court judge each from Mahoning and Trumbull counties.
"I have no facts to base a [rate] adjustment on," Domitrovich said.