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Step taken toward possible reopening of mill

MINGO JUNCTION — Village officials learned Tuesday of another step in the possible reopening of the steel mill in the community.

Village Administrator Bob Smith confirmed water to the plant was turned on Tuesday.

Smith emphasized it is still too soon for any definites to be assumed about the reopening of the plant.

Jefferson County Commissioner Thomas Graham in August said he heard there may be as many as 300 workers hired. He noted he heard about the reopening of the steelmaking operations at the plant from reliable sources.

Village officials have said workers have been in the mill for the past several weeks checking equipment for the possible restart of the 80-inch rolling mill. Steel slabs reportedly have been delivered to the mill site as part of the checking of the equipment.

The Mingo facility, the largest of the former Wheeling-Pitt plants, still contains the modern $115 million electric arc furnace installed in 2004. However, workers have not produced any steel at the plant since its 2009 idling while under the ownership of OAO Severstal.

Due to RG Steel’s 2012 bankruptcy, Buffalo, N.Y.-based Frontier Group of Cos. purchased the entire Mingo facility — including its electric arc furnace — for $20 million. Frontier since has demolished most of the northern part of the plant.

A Canton Realtor started marketing the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. plant in Mingo Junction in March.

Councilman George Irvin, chairman of council’s water and sewer committee, said the water being turned on at the plant won’t mean much in the short term.

“We will have to see how much production is done at the plant, how stabile the production is and how much water is used,” Irvin said.

Irvin said a lot will depend of the condition of the water lines and how many repairs will have to be fixed since the plant has sat idle for so long.

“If it opens for production, it will help the water and sewer department out quite well. We can maybe hire workers at the plants and make repairs to our infrastructure,” he said.

Irvin said the plant’s operation won’t be the same as before, since a large section of the plant was demolished by Frontier.

“We have nothing to base future predictions (of revenue). The opening of the plant is still speculative,” he said.

The village’s finances also will be aided with an increase in the income tax collections.

Council during its regular meeting on Tuesday heard the second reading of an ordinance to impose a $10 license plate tax. Council must give the ordinance three separate readings.

Councilman Michael Herrick said village residents have a misconception about the ordinance, adding the license plate tax won’t go into effect until 2018.

Village Solicitor Ernest Wilson said new license plate taxes must be received by the state by July to begin the following year.

Herrick said the estimated $30,000 to be generated from the license plate tax will only be used for road maintenance.

“It won’t generate enough money to pave roads,” he said, but added it will be enough to buy asphalt patch for potholes.

The ordinance committee reported on work to rewrite and clarify the garbage and rubbish ordinances.

Village officials have been receiving complaints from residents about the once-a-month rubbish collection being abused by landlords putting out large amounts of construction debris when homes are remodeled. The material is being placed at the curb long before the once-a-month collection.

Irvin said the committee is formulating a new ordinance based on one from New Philadelphia. He said the ordinance committee is looking at eliminating construction debris from the list of allowed items. He said the rubbish ordinance was designed for a homeowner placing an old couch or similar item out for collection.

Household hazardous waste also will be excluded. Irvin noted the JB Green Team holds annual collections for household hazardous waste.

TVs, computers, shrubs and tree trimmings and tires also will be prohibited from the monthly rubbish collection.

The proposed ordinance also calls for residents to place garbage in either garbage bags or tight containers. The garbage must be placed at the curb after 5 p.m. on the day before the scheduled garbage collection.

Residents face a fine of up to $100 for violating the ordinance.

Irvin said he still is waiting on information from one of three companies that have made proposals to replace the aging water meters throughout town. Irvin said the water and sewer committee will make a recommendation based on what is best financially for the village.

The old meters around town have lost accuracy, and the village may not be billing an accurate amount for water actually used.

Irvin said he hopes to make a proposal for council’s consideration in October.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)

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