Landmark panel dies for lack of a second

Cortland residents will begin seeing a water rate increase in the June bill.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- City council has turned away legislation that would have created a commission to oversee the community's historic structures.
An ordinance creating the Cortland Landmark Commission was brought before lawmakers Monday, but died for the lack of a second.
Councilwoman Deidre Petrosky, who has worked on the idea with a citizens committee for two years, moved that council give a first of three readings to the legislation creating the commission.
Council President Frank Stocz asked for another member of council to second the motion, but none did.
"Wow!" Petrosky reacted, thanking committee members who had worked to preserve the community's heritage.
Councilman James Woofter said that rejection of the legislation doesn't reflect negatively on the city.
"Those against it were, in part, for it. They don't want somebody else taking control of their property," Woofter said.
Urges change
He urged Petrosky to remove the portion of the legislation that makes mandatory the landmark designation of properties.
Petrosky countered that property owners won't be forced to comply with commission recommendations.
"I feel like I did my committee a disservice by not educating the public," the councilwoman added.
She said after the meeting that she isn't sure what she will do.
Youngstown State University's Department of Urban Studies has identified 65 buildings that might be of historic value.
Water rates
In other business, lawmakers approved a 70 percent increase in water rates to offset the cost of improvements to the water distribution system.
This does not mean a 70 percent increase in the overall water bill because there is no increase in the fee for sanitary sewer service that is included in the bill.
The water portion will increase from $1.88 per 1,000 gallons to $12.80 for the first 4,000 gallons, or $3.13 per 1,000; and $3.20 for each 1,000 gallons after that.
Finance Director Frances Moyer said customers will notice a one-month increase in the June bill and all three months in the August billing.
The city is anticipating $4.5 million in capital improvements, including a new storage tank, to increase pressure.
Loan OK'd
Also concerning water, council authorized a $328,900 loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission to increase water volume to the southern end of the city.
Service Director Don Whitman said the new line will double the volume of water to the area to allow for development and for firefighting.
Also during the meeting, council approved the modification of the city contract with URS Corp. for a sanitary sewer inventory.
The engineering company contracted with the city last September for $253,899 to determine where the lines are located, their size and slope.
Wittman said URS must do more work, thus put in more time, to complete the survey at an added cost of $28,500.
Work began on the project last September and is scheduled for completion in early May.
The inventory is being done because the city has paper maps showing where the lines are located, but some of the maps are missing. Also, the maps don't show the slope, thus the flow.
yovich@vindy.com