HUBBARD — With the streets still white from January’s snowstorm and temperatures still frigid, city council had infrastructure updates and advice for residents braving it.

At Monday’s regular meeting, Councilman Mike Kerr, D-4th Ward, said there have been a few water breaks — not just in Hubbard, but the surrounding areas — noting that things go from “zero to 20” in hours.

“Just people be aware of the infrastructure’s old; I know Youngstown had a huge one coming home on Bell (Wick Road), which is by Youngstown Hubbard and Carter Street, there was one there just coming home,” Kerr said. “We had one on Doris (Drive), we had a big one on Hall.”

Kerr said city employees were out in 10- to 20-degree weather, which is why he wanted to focus on it, noting that the wastewater treatment plant provided him with information on what shouldn’t be flushed into the sewer.

“This kind of adheres to possibly helping plug it up or mess it up — some of the stuff that we put down that they’ve gotten,” Kerr said. “People think they can pour cooking grease or oil down their toilets, which they should not be doing.”

Kerr named an assortment of other items, ranging from candy wrappers, food packages and straws, to dental floss, syringes and needles, and medications.

He said the city’s police department has a medication disposal system in place, adding that other parts of the city have similar systems.

“The last thing I’d like to really jump on, and I know where I work, we have the same issue, is wipes — stop putting these wipes down the toilet,” Kerr said. “They all say they’re safe for your septic system — they’re not.”

STREETS UPDATE

Councilman Jerome Crowe, D-at Large and president pro tem, said the street department coordinated with the water department on the breaks, naming Hall Avenue as one of the locations in particular.

“I know they had three trucks up there, trying to direct the water from the 7 17 (Credit Union) parking lot over to the drain,” Crowe said.

Acting Mayor Michael Mogg said he’s received numerous text messages and calls about snow on the sidewalks, which the city has an ordinance against.

“It’s just tough to follow up on; people are complaining about all of the snow on the sidewalks, the mounds of snow. We got a lot of snow in two days, guys, there’s nowhere to go with it,” Mogg said.

Mogg said residents have said they have to walk on the streets because of the snow, encouraging them to wear bright colored clothing.

“I see a lot of people walking around in darker coats and stuff — it’s just a bad move, you’re going to get hit,” Mogg said.