Union contracts passed at special Saturday meeting

 

Ground will be broken for the Ironton riverfront marina project at the end of June. Ironton Mayor Katrina Keith told council that she recently received the needed approval of the Corps of Engineers in order to begin the project.

The project was originally bid at $716,916.97 in September of last year by Allard Excavation, LLC, of South Webster, but was redesigned and re-bid to the same company at $668,877.79 with the city paying the difference of $9,429.79 out of the general fund.

The 450-foot-long marina will feature a 6-foot wide concrete capping on top of the seawall and have 33 boat docks.

Keith said parts of the riverfront would be blocked off during construction.

Also at council:

Ordinance 16-27, providing for the issuance of not to exceed $1,120,000 of bonds by the city for making storm water system improvements, authorizing sale of bonds and declaring an emergency, was favorably recommended by finance committee and given its first reading. Keith said the city could borrow up to $850,000.

Ordinance 16-28, authorizing the mayor to award contracts for the disposal of municipal solid waste and declaring an emergency, was favorably recommended by finance committee and given its first reading.

Ordinance 16-29, authorizing and directing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Tribute Contracting and Consultants, LLC for construction of the Ironton storm/sanitary sewers separation phase three project and declaring an emergency, was favorably recommended by finance committee and given its first reading.

All of the above ordinances were later passed at a special Saturday morning council meeting.

Ordinance 16-26, regarding the rejection of the AFSCME union contract was voted on, but died for lack of votes. Council members Dave Frazer and Beth Rist were not at the meeting Thursday. At the special Saturday meeting, the proposed AFSCME union contract was passed.

Resolution 16-26, requesting the governor of the state of Ohio to reconsider the decision of the Ohio Department of Transportation to tear down the existing Ironton-Russell Bridge and declaring an emergency was passed. Councilman Kevin Waldo sponsored the resolution in support of Ironton resident Elle Dew’s efforts to save the bridge. The bridge was recently named to Preservation Ohio’s 2016 list of most endangered historic sites.

Mayor Keith reminded council that America in Boom, Ironton in Bloom’s umbrella organization, is scheduled to be in Ironton June 21 and 22 to judge the city’s appearance on certain criteria to see the image Ironton is projecting as a city.

Ironton resident Jerry Sites addressed council about the cat issue in the city, citing the cats being a nuisance spraying and destroying houses and outdoor furniture. Waldo said he has experienced similar issues and would sponsor an ordinance to try and solve the issue. Currently, the cost to take a cat to the Lawrence County Animal Shelter is $12.