Village faced with costly sewer line repair

0

WOODSTOCK – A blockage in the main sewer line on Main Street last week resulted in costly repairs, Village Council learned Monday.

Village Administrator Bradley Herron said the issue came to light after individuals moved into a home that had been vacant nearly eight years. The home is near the end of the sewer line on South Main Street.

Herron said it appears that, over time, moisture in the material in that section of the line dried and formed a solid that plugged the line.

To remedy the situation, a vacuum truck outfitted with a water jet was called in. During the two-and-a-half-day repair, the sewer line had to be cut and a new valve was installed, Herron said.

“The line is open now,” he added. “We water-jetted it, which was an expensive operation. Those trucks are $200 an hour for a water jet.”

Herron informed council the exact cost of the sewer line repair should be in by January’s meeting.

“We had an estimate, but the estimate was for about a day as opposed to two-and-a-half days,” he said. “I don’t know what it will be, but it’s thousands of dollars.”

Financial update

With a new year less than a month away, council passed an ordinance approving the village’s temporary annual appropriations for fiscal year 2017.

The anticipated budget shows revenue of $54,600 in the General Fund and expenses topping out at $57,530.

By the end of 2017, the village’s General Fund balance is anticipated to be $53,672.07.

As for village audits from now through 2020, Fiscal Officer Tom Hallinan said the state auditor’s office will be using independent public account firms to conduct them.

The village of Woodstock, he said, has been placed in the Champaign-Clark Village Pool for audit purposes. The pool includes the villages of Mechanicsburg, Christiansburg, Donnelsville and Enon.

Hallinan said the state awarded this particular pool’s audits to Columbus-based Balestra, Harr & Scherer CPAs Inc.

According to the firm’s bid summary, the all-inclusive maximum fixed fee the village could be charged for audits Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2020, is $21,600.

The village, Hallinan added, will be saving money by having an independent firm conduct the audits instead of the state.

In other business:

•In addressing concerns expressed by a resident over trash burning as well as the use of firearms within village limits, Mayor Jackie Hayes reminded residents that both the burning of trash and the use of firearms are prohibited within the village under Ohio Revised Code.

Hayes said anyone witnessing these illegal acts within village limits is asked to contact the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.

•Council passed a motion agreeing to pay Ron Moore, village maintenance worker, a $200 “Christmas bonus.”

“We owe Ronnie a lot,” Hayes said. “When you call him, he is there. I think he is well worth a Christmas bonus.”

By Joshua Keeran

[email protected]

Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-508-2304 or on Twitter @UDCKeeran.

No posts to display