YOUNGSTOWN — While council members said they weren’t pleased with having to raise wastewater rates, legislation for 5% annual increases for the next four years passed 6-1.

The lone no vote came from independent 7th Ward Councilwoman Amber White, who didn’t participate in the sewer rate increase discussion during Wednesday’s council meeting.

Councilwoman Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, said an increase had to be adopted because of “the fault of the (city) leadership over all these years to not prioritize long-term solutions.”

She added, “We all have to apologize for it. We have to do better.”

Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, said, “This does not fall on this council and this administration. It’s been happening for years. This can has been kicked all the way to us. We’re at the point where we have no choice.”

The rate increase is part of a 2014 federal consent decree the city is fighting the federal government in court to reduce.

The rate increase would begin Jan. 1. Between 2021 and this year, city wastewater customers saw their rates increase annually by 4%.

An average city wastewater customer is charged for the processing of 500 cubic feet of wastewater a month, costing $79.09. That amount will go to $83.05 in January and to $96.14 by Jan. 1, 2028.

The new rate increase would be used to cover $34.9 million in design work for a “wet weather facility,” to reduce combined sewer overflows, and $2.3 million more needed for the design phase of an interceptor sewer to stop wastewater from flowing into Mill Creek Park.

The money from the rate increase would also go towards paying the city’s debt for improvement work.

That rate increase wouldn’t include more than $300 million in costs for construction work under a federal improvement mandate currently at the center of the court dispute.

DORA APPROVED

Council also approved a resolution Wednesday to create a 34.4-acre Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) for downtown restaurants and bars to sell alcohol for outdoor consumption.

The resolution needs to be approved by the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control, which has permitted more than 150 DORAs in the state since they were legalized in 2015.

The approval for Youngstown is a formality.

Once approved, the city would require alcohol to be sold in specific plastic cups from 4 to 11 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturdays. Special hours of DORA operation would be permitted in advance by the mayor with the consent of city council.

The DORA would include nearly all of downtown, including the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre.

The city has considered a DORA for about five years.

“It’s a great tool to put in our toolbox,” said Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th Ward.

Turner expressed concern about the need for more police in downtown because of the DORA.

Police Chief Carl Davis said officers are downtown and the department would find ways to have a presence there even if it requires overtime.

Turner said to Davis, “You’ve opened up a small can of worms with overtime in downtown.”

Davis responded, “I didn’t open up a can of anything. But we will have a police presence in downtown.”

Oliver, whose ward includes downtown, said Economic Action Group will have people in the DORA keeping an eye on potential problems. They would call police if there’s an issue so additional officers aren’t needed there, he said.

Turner said she was worried about civilians being involved, which led Oliver to tell her that she’d know more about the issue if she bothered to come to his community planning and economic development committee meetings.

Nikki Posterli, Community Planned and Economic Development director, said the city already has a contract with EAG that includes them being the “eyes and ears” at downtown events in case of problems.

OTHER BUSINESS

Council agreed to permit the board of control to waive formal bidding and pay $175,000 to Daniel A. Terreri & Sons of Youngstown for emergency repair work after the floor and wall between the upper two floors of the nine-story 20 Federal Place separated.

The work should be finished by the end of September, said Charles Shasho, deputy director of public works.

Until the building is stabilized, Commerce Street behind 20 Federal Place will remain closed, he said.

Terreri recently finished a $7.4 million project at the city-owned building at 20 W. Federal St. that included asbestos remediation and partial demolition.

Council approved $1.12 million in new American Rescue Plan spending with $1 million of it sponsored by Ray.

Of that, $500,000 is going toward the rehabilitation of Borts Field and $100,000 to the MVSD Playground.

Borts will also get another $500,000 in ARP money and MVSD is getting $700,000 more, Ray said.

Ray also sponsored a $400,000 ARP allocation from his ward fund for pedestrian and safety enhancements on Mahoning Avenue, the main corridor on the city’s West Side.

Oliver sponsored two ARP items, totaling $70,000.

One was $50,000 for Youngstown Jubilee Urban Development to help offset the cost of renovating the former South High School auditorium including restoration of wood floors, replacing 800 broken seats and updating stage lighting and the audio system.

The other was $20,000 to EAG to buy a utility task vehicle and attachments for neighborhood cleanups, maintenance and other activities that focus on vacant and abandoned properties.

Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, sponsored legislation to give $50,000 to Bess Purpose Inc. to expand its outreach services at its McGuffey Road location in his ward.

Bess Purpose provides shelter, counseling and support services to abused and / or homeless women.

Have an interesting story? Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.