Replacement sought for four clarifiers

SOUTH POINT — South Point’s council has approved the application to borrow money to replace four clarifiers on the village’s sewer system.

Mayor Jeff Gaskin said the matter was discussed in last week’s council meeting.

“We’re finally getting started on that,” he said of the $625,000, which would be borrowed from the Ohio Water Development Authority.

He said the village has six clarifiers, settling tanks for the removal of solids and sedimentation from the water, four of which are old and in need of replacement.

“These are 1974, 1975 models,” Gaskin said. “We say a prayer each morning that they’ll get by.”

Gaskin said construction could start in 30 days and would take approximately 90 days.

In addition, he said the council has talked about replacing 16 miles of water pipeline, of 1957 vintage, in the village.

“There’s a risk of breaks,” Gaskin said. “We’re going to have to start thinking about how to pay for those, which would be about $50 a foot.”

He said the council is asking people to come up with ideas to pay for the project, which could be done in phases.

“We are going to have to do it sooner or later,” he said. “We’re asking people ‘What would you like to see?’”

Gaskin said the village has decided to wait until after the Fourth of July holiday to move on acquiring new equipment for the village park’s playground.

The mayor and council are hoping to install handicapped-accessible swings or other equipment at the location, using money from a grant that was originally going to be used to build a spray park in the village.

Plans for the spray park were abandoned after costs were more than the village could afford.

Gaskin said the village has tentative agreement from the state to transfer the grant funds to the playground.

“We wanted to get the Fourth of July party out of the way first,” Gaskin said, noting the village celebration is set for July 1 and will run from 9 a.m. until that evening’s fireworks.

In other business, fiscal officer Scott Thomas said a petition has been filed with the court to re-open a bankruptcy case on a dilapidated property on North Kenova Road.

“This is so the property can be declared a nuisance and torn down,” Thomas said.

The next meeting of South Point’s council is set for Thursday, July 11.