Columbiana officials mull renovations

By D.A. WILKINSON

wilkinson@vindy.com

COLUMBIANA

Council has taken the first step to renovate South Main Street from town’s central turn-around to the railroad tracks at the city’s southern limit.

The first reading of an ordinance earlier this week gave City Manager Keith Chamberlin authority to proceed. A second reading of the ordinance is needed before the project can begin.

The city hopes to get funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Chamberlin said that the cost would be about $1.5 million. If the ODOT grant application is approved, Chamberlin said, it would cost the city about $500,000. The deadline to apply is May 1.

City officials said that the project could be the city’s last major capital- improvement project for upward of 10 years.

Officials previously agreed to replace Columbiana’s water-treatment plant, which was built in 1935 and last updated in 1957, with a new $13.5 million water-treatment plant. They also are trying to procure funds to help deal with storm-water runoff.

In discussion during the meeting, city officials talked about the storm water problems along the street as well as the appearance of benches and light poles.

Jon Vollnogle of Howells & Baird, an engineering company in Salem, said that if the plan goes forward, there would be a “fusion” process where all the issues could be brought together.