MS fee elicits council debate
A new waterline project is to begin in January and be completed by spring.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- Discontent is growing within city council over fees being charged by MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown.
The issue surfaced Monday when Service Director Don Wittman asked lawmakers to approve an additional 6,247 for inspection work MS did on the Rosewae Avenue sanitary sewer improvement project.
MS has already been paid 22,500 for inspections.
Wittman said the additional money is being charged by MS because wet weather caused the project to take longer than expected.
Councilman Terry Tackett objected to the additional cost.
"Quite frankly, I'm tired of it," Tackett said, adding that MS is always seeking more money than stipulated in its contracts with the city.
Council approved the additional expenditure by a 5-1 vote. Councilwoman Deidre Petrosky was absent.
But Tackett, who cast the dissenting vote, got support from Council President Frank Stocz, who can vote only in the case of a tie.
Stocz told Wittman that he should begin to look at other companies to perform consultant engineering work for the city.
Waterline project
In other business, council gave its clerk authorization to advertise for bids for the Southern Waterline Extension Project. The engineer's estimate is 278,300.
The project calls for the installation of a 12-inch line along state Route 46, from state Route 5 to Windsor Drive, just north of state Route 305.
Waterlines currently exist along streets off Route 46, but the project would result in a transmission line through the city.
Some of the areas along Route 46 are in Bazetta Township and would be allowed to connect, but pay a higher water rate than city residents, Mayor Curt Moll explained.
Wittman said construction would begin in January and be completed in the spring.
Also during the meeting, lawmakers moved to a second reading an ordinance authorizing the city to pay 4,260 to partially pay to hire a consultant to make recommendations on how best to save money by cooperating with other fire departments.
Officials from Cortland and Howland, Champion and Fowler townships have been discussing the hiring of a consultant.
Moll said Bazetta has decided not to participate because trustees there don't want to spend the money on a consultant.
Although lawmakers advanced the legislation, Councilwoman Diana Sweeney and Councilman Dennis Linville expressed concern that other communities may want to use city fire equipment and manpower.
yovich@vindy.com