Officials award sewer contracts

It's the largest expenditure in the sanitary engineer department's history.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
LAKE MILTON -- Once new water and sewer lines are available, the president of the Lake Milton Association believes this community's rural atmosphere and public utilities will be attractive to developers.
Mahoning County commissioners met in special session Monday to award $7.2 million in contracts for installation of about 20 miles of sanitary sewers and six new pump stations to serve Lake Milton and Craig Beach residents.
That complements a waterline construction project that is nearing completion, the county's sanitary engineer, Joseph V. Warino, said. Combined cost of the project is about $20 million, with the bulk of the money coming from federal grants and loans.
It's the largest single expenditure in the county sanitary engineer department's history, Warino said.
"This will open it up to a lot of developers," said Paul Wolf, Lake Milton Association president. "It'll just be a real big bonus to [Milton] township."
Wolf said residents would welcome more home construction as well as some new businesses, such as restaurants.
Wolf has owned property here for 20 years and became a full-time resident about six years ago. "I like being at the lake," he said. "It's a great place. It has a rural flavor. It's close enough to the city and shopping."
Some projections
Sanitary sewer service will be available to 923 properties already developed and, if Lake Milton's population increases as the USDA projects, another 200 homes by 2010, Warino said.
The county Board of Health declared a public health nuisance in Lake Milton in September 2000 after studies showed that 45 percent of septic systems were malfunctioning and 37 percent of wells were unsafe.
Funding for this project began with $5 million that was secured by former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant. That became the local share of the $20 million project, Warino said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provided federal grant and loan money, with some interim financing by Mahoning County, he noted.
The special commissioners' meeting was needed in order to satisfy USDA requirements, Warino said.
Sewer line construction is expected to begin in early 2006.
shaulis@vindy.com