Youngstown will use $500,000 from its wastewater fund to remove asbestos and demolish the rest of the former Wick Six buildings
youngstown council
YOUNGSTOWN
Facing an $88,000 fine from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for emission violations at its wastewater treatment plant, the city is in the final stages of getting approval to use that money and up to $500,000 in total in wastewater funds to remove asbestos and demolish the remains of former Wick Avenue car-dealership properties.
The deal is in the final stages of approval by the EPA, which is allowing city council to consider legislation Wednesday to allow the board of control to seek proposals for asbestos abatement and the demolition on Wick Avenue of the remaining buildings from the former Wick Six dealerships, said Law Director Martin Hume and Mark D’Apolito, an assistant law director.
If finalized, the work would be done next year.
There are six structures on the former State Chevrolet, between Olive Street and Strausbaugh Avenue, and the former Barrett Cadillac, between Linden Avenue and Sycamore Street.
The work won’t start until the EPA gives the city final approval, which is expected shortly, Hume and D’Apolito said.
The five violations are from 2010 to 2014.
Three violations were for failing to conduct timely emissions tests at its Poland Avenue wastewater treatment plant. The other two were for emitting higher-than-permitted pollution from the burning of human waste and other waste at the plant, and releasing it into the air through the facility’s smokestacks, according to a June 23, 2014, letter from EPA Director Craig W. Butler to Thomas Mirante, the city’s wastewater treatment superintendent.
During negotiations, EPA officials gave tentative approval to the city’s proposal to not pay the fine and use $500,000 in wastewater money to take down the six buildings at the two former dealerships on Wick Avenue, Hume said.
While the plant is currently in compliance, new tougher state laws to take effect March 2016 that “the city is working to come into compliance,” Hume said. “We’re concerned we’ll be in violation.”
The city has money in its demolition fund to abate and demolish the buildings, Mayor John A. McNally said.
But, if approved by the EPA, the city won’t have to use general fund money for the work, and instead use wastewater funds, McNally said.
Council will also consider authorizing the board of control Wednesday to borrow $2 million with no interest from the Ohio Pubic Works Commission to upgrade the wastewater plant’s electrical system.
It’s the first major project the city will start related to its $147 million consent degree with the U.S. EPA to upgrade its wastewater system by 2033.
The city plans to make other improvements to the Wick/Logan avenues corridor next year including repaving sections as well as demolishing about 75 vacant houses in that area, he said.
“The Wick/Logan corridor is in the worst shape of any of the corridors,” McNally said.
Also on council’s agenda is approving state funding for improvement projects to sections of South Avenue and North Meridian Road, two other main corridors in the city. Those projects, about $1.2 million each, would be done next year.
Council is expected to vote Wednesday on proposals to raise the residential sanitary fee from $14.75 now to $24.75 on July 1 to create a fund to pay for the demolition of vacant structures. To offset most of that cost, the city would reduce its water fee to city residents by 30 percent, about $9 a month.
Council members will add provisions to the proposal before approving it, including a sunset clause that would eliminate the fees in four or five years to make sure the policy is working, McNally said.
Attempts Monday by The Vindicator to reach Councilwomen Janet Tarpley, D-6th, and Annie Gillam, D-1st, to comment about provisions to the proposal were unsuccessful.