St. Marys council acts to connect two homes to city utilities

ST. MARYS - New utility lines will be installed north along St. Marys River Road to U.S. 33 at the request of two property owners.

At Monday's regular council meeting, city law director Kraig Noble said the well shared by the two River Road residences recently went dry and the residents do not want to pay for another well. The residents said they would pay their portion for utility extensions and tap-in fees if the city would handle the rest. The extension will include water, sewer and storm water lines.

Council passed an emergency ordinance allowing the extension. The city will pay for the oversized lines to allow for future additional tap-ins, and the property owners agreed to future annexation as part of plans to eventually expand the city north of U.S. 33.

Safety service director Greg Foxhoven said he did not know yet how much the project would cost or how much the property owners' portion would be. He noted, however, that work needs to begin soon since the property owners have no water service. The work would all be done in-house, he added.

"We have all the equipment, so if council approves, we can begin tomorrow," he said.

Five to six additional customers could be able to tap in once the lines are installed, Foxhoven said, adding he would get the project cost to council as soon as possible.

In other action, council member Robin Willoughby asked council to consider amending the city's vicious dog ordinance. Noble said the city's former ordinance specifically named pit bulls as vicious. However, Ohio Revised Code does not list specific breeds as vicious, so St. Marys amended the ordinance to match state law.

Willoughby said she has heard of issues with pit bulls going without muzzles or staying in a yard where they could easily escape.
"It's a big accident waiting to happen," she said.
She asked council to revisit the ordinance and consider rewording parts to allow for better protection. Council members agreed to send the issue to the streets and sidewalks committee to discuss the issue at 5:25 p.m. Monday.

Also scheduled was a solid waste committee meeting at 5:15 p.m. Monday and a finance committee meeting at 5 p.m. Sept. 17. The meetings will take place at the municipal building.

Also on Monday, council members,

• gave second reading to an ordinance that would reinstate an unpaid auxiliary police force. The force would cover special events and provide additional security at the school, alleviating most of the overtime worked by the city's police officers.

Police Chief Mark Ernst said the cost to equip five auxiliary officers is $10,895. However, the city would save about $24,000 each year by eliminating the overtime.

Ernst has said he hopes to bring in students from Wright State University-Lake Campus' police academy, who are looking for experience, and retired officers who aren't ready to give up the job entirely. He would like to start with five or six members and add a few more in the future, if needed.

• heard a request to vacate an east-west alley between Madison and Jefferson streets to the east of Front Street. Council sent the request to the city Planning Commission.

• learned 181 ash trees infected with emerald ash borer were removed as of Sept. 4.