St. Henry ordered to upgrade plant

ST. HENRY - The village wastewater treatment plant must be expanded to meet future growth, according to Ohio's Environmental Protection Agency.

Council members on Monday learned OEPA has sent a draft of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination permit.

Village administrator Ron Gelhaus said the permit dictates that by December 2020 the village must upgrade its wastewater treatment plant to comply with OEPA specifications.

The plant "doesn't have capacity for future growth, so we have to expand," Gelhaus said.

Pilot studies are being conducted to determine the most cost-effective plan, Gelhaus noted.

The studies must be completed by April and be submitted to OEPA by August, along with drafts of the plans to update the plant, Gelhaus said. OEPA then is requiring the plant to be completed by August 2020 and online by December 2020.

According to the OEPA's website, the Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging pollutants through a point source into water of the United States without an NPDES permit.

Council members also gave the second reading of the resolution authorizing 3 percent pay raises for village employees.

If passed after third reading, salaries for 2018 would include a one-time payment of $5,137 for mayor Steve Koesters, $52,063 per year for fiscal officer/village tax administrator Ruth Miller and $58,867 annually for police chief Bob Garman. Other annual salaries would be for village administrator Ron Gelhaus, $67,651; public works superintendent Bob Borgerding, $54,813; and public utilities superintendent Stan Sutter, $53,393, Gelhaus said.

Councilors gave second reading of an ordinance to reappoint attorney Richard Delzeith as village solicitor at a rate of $900 per month.

Members also gave second reading of a resolution authorizing temporary appropriations to cover any expenses in 2018 until the final budget can be approved.

Third reading was given to a resolution to construct certain sidewalks and driveway approaches in the village as part of the 2018 street and sidewalk project.

Gelhaus said village officials try to complete a sidewalk project every year. The project for 2018 will be on the east side of town from State Route 118 to the water plant. Property owners have until July 31 to have the sidewalks installed or the village will have them installed as part of the street project. The residents then can pay the village the amount due or have the cost assessed on their property taxes over three years.

Construction of the village pool is progressing, Gelhaus said. The cement floor has been poured and the contractor is installing the gutter. Filters and pumps are expected to be shipped within the next two to three weeks.

Gelhaus said the public reading of bids for a transmission line is 11 a.m. Dec. 21. The line will run from the wells dug west of town to the village water treatment plant.

Councilors rescheduled their next meeting to 8 p.m. Dec. 28 due to the conflict with Christmas.