Council agrees to sell bonds to fund improvements

By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- City council has decided to borrow $1.8 million to improve waterlines so the city can increase water sales by 1 million gallons per day.
On Wednesday, lawmakers agreed unanimously that the city sell $1.8 million in bonds it will repay over 20 years.
Randy Fabrizio, city superintendent of water and wastewater, said the project calls for an additional line to run from Stevens Park to U.S. Route 422.
Also, a new pumping station will be constructed at the park to replace the existing one.
Work on the line and pump station will begin after the first of the year with the line taking three months and the station six months to complete.
Fabrizio explained that the city line will tie into county lines that service the four-township water district of Hubbard, Vienna, Liberty and Brookfield.
Niles will sell the water to the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer's Office, which owns the township lines.
This will add an additional 1 million gallons in water sales per day by Niles.
Niles buys bulk water from the Mahoning County Sanitary District for resale to its customers. Other member cities are Youngstown and McDonald.
Private providers
Council agreed to ask that a resolution be prepared asking county commissioners not to approve the construction of waterlines by private water providers.
The county is in competition with Aqua Ohio, a private water provider, to serve water customers.
Tom Holloway, MVSD director, told council that waterlines should remain public. He said private water rates are higher because the companies have to pay taxes and the quality of water isn't as good as it is from public sources.
Rather, Holloway said, the county sanitary engineer can provide water.
"Once you let a private company in, we're history," Mayor Ralph Infante told council.
Holloway said the county doesn't need a petition from residents to get water from the county system. The commissioners can initiate the process.
He noted that other townships such as Fowler and Bazetta are also seeking a water source.
yovich@vindy.com