Follansbee Council approves loan, bonds for sewer project
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FOLLANSBEE -- On Monday, Follansbee Council approved the sale of $2.8 million in bonds to repay a loan to be taken for an upcoming, major sewer project.
Council approved the bonds' sale following the city sewer board's approval of the loan during separate special meetings held Monday.
Mayor David Velegol Jr. noted the funds will supplement a $10,269,000 grant secured for the sewer project by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
He said the grant requires a 20 percent local match, adding later the cost for the project had been estimated at $10.2 million but could be higher because of the recent inflation.
Designed by Ghosh Engineering of Charleston, it will involve upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment plant and pump stations near the city's fire station and south end and separation of combined sewer and stormwater lines.
The city is among many ordered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to separate the lines to address the risk of raw sewage being discharged into waterways when the combined systems become overtaxed by heavy rain.
Velegol said he and others had hoped for work to begin in September but it seems likely it will start in the spring.
Council is expected to consider a second reading for the bond ordinance at its next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, with a third reading expected at a special meeting to be announced later this month.
Next week council also is expected to consider rate increases for the city's water customers in support of another major project.
Former city manager Jack McIntosh had indicated in May that the base water rate could be raised from $6.84 to $11.29.
Velegol said Monday that projection is believed to be accurate.
The city was awarded a $3.1 million grant from the Army Corps of Engineers for improvements to the city's water treatment system, including replacement of aging lines and a new water tank with greater capacity.
But it also owes $280,000 on a past loan taken for new water meters which, because they are 15 years old, are due for replacement at an estimated cost of $1 million.
McIntosh noted then that the city also saw a loss of about $425,000 in revenue from the Mountain State Carbon plant, which had been a major water customer before it closed in April.
On Monday, Velegol told council representatives of Ghosh Engineering, which also designed the water project, are in talks with the Army Corps of Engineering which, as a condition of its grant, will advertise for and select a contractor.
In related business, Velegol said Capito and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., have been approached for about $2.7 million to renovate the city's fire station and Joe Edmiston, an independent grant writer employed by the city, is pursuing $500,000 for the town square eyed for the Ray Stoaks Plaza.
A total of $50,000 from revenue generated each year by a 1 percent municipal sales tax approved by a former council in 2017 has been allocated for the fire station.
A $120,000 bequest from the late Dorothy Kotroumanis and grants from the Charles and Thelma Pugliese Foundation and Hancock County Savings Bank Charitable Foundation in the amounts of $45,000 and $2,500, respectively, have been received for the town square.
Council has approved a $310,600 contract for Empire Go-Green Recycling of Follansbee to do initial work on the square.
In other business:
— The mayor and council recognized Franki Neff and Johnna Knorr, two lifeguards at the Follansbee Pool who rescued a drowning boy on July 17.
In related business, City Clerk David Kurcina announced that after closing for the summer, the pool will be open for dogs from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 20.
Scheduled before the pool is drained for the winter, the event was launched last year.
Kurcina said there's no admission, but dog owners are invited to donate food, leashes, collars and cleaning supplies for the Brooke County Animal Shelter.