At Thursday’s Ironton City Council meeting, the council passed a budget, a fire fee increase, a water rate increase, replacing bricks in the streets, and the purchase of chemicals.

The council passed an ordinance to raise the fire safety fee from the current rates of $4.75 for household and $12 for businesses by $2.15 to $6.90 per month for residences and $14.15 per month for businesses. The increase will generate approximately $116,500 annually. The money is to be “used exclusively for capital improvement, manpower, and the necessary operating expenses of the Ironton Fire Department” according to ordinance 17-11.

The measure past 5 to 1, with Vice Mayor Craig Harvey voting “no” as he had previously said he would since he opposes any increase in fees.

The Ironton Fire Department firefighters were happy to see it pass.

“I’m happy to see that,” said Aaron Collins, an Ironton firefighter and president of International Association Firefighters union Local 532. He added his concern was that the city was going forward with a new budget that includes a $15,000 deficit.

“So we may be here again in October again, we may be here in mid-June fighting for our jobs again. I hope not, hopefully this fee will go a long way. But I am very excited to see that we are going to keep our men.”

The fire fee increase takes effect May 1.

The council voted to amend an ordinance that when the police cite someone for having a vehicle on the street, in an alley or a public right-of-way and the owner is told to move it, the owner has 24 hours to move it. The amendment was changed to give the owner five days to move it before it is towed and impounded.

Before council voted on amending the rule, Councilman Bob Cleary explained that it was changed because the council felt that 24 hours wasn’t enough.

“If they ticket your camper and then come back at the same time the next day and tow it, it wouldn’t be right,” he said, adding the police said they would never do that, but in the future they might have a police chief who would tow after 24 hours because that was what the ordinance said.

All council members voted for the change.

The council voted to suspend the rules and have the clerk give second and third reading by title only, on an ordinance to put the original bricks back into the roads where they were removed for work to separate the combined sewer and storm water lines. The contract went go to Tribute Contracting and Consultants LLC of South Point, which had a bid of $79,800.

All members voted yes.

For the chemicals, the council voted to suspend the rules and have the clerk give second and third reading by title only. All members voted for the purchase of chemicals for the water treatment plant.

Council passed an ordinance to raise the wastewater usage rate from $5 per 1,000 gallons to $8.25 per 1,000 gallons, effective April 1. The money will go towards making upgrades at the Ironton Wastewater plant, which was built in the 1950s and hasn’t been upgraded since 1987. That was the same year the wastewater rate was set at $5 per 1,000 gallon.

The upgrades are necessary because of a mandate from the Ohio EPA that standard calls for decrease of 77 percent from the current level of 53 nanograms per liter to 12 nanograms per liter. The new lower rates take effect on Sept. 1. The Ironton wastewater plant is up for its permit renewal on Sept. 31.

Ironton Mayor Katrina Keith said it would cost an additional $300,000 or more to treat the sludge for mercury annually.

And two men stood before council and said they would be interested in the seat left vacant by the death of Councilman Dave Frazer last week.

Brad Lowe said he was a lifelong resident except for four years in the military.

“I have a lot of invested in this city,” he said. “I would like to help turn this ship around.” Specifically, he would like to help bring jobs to the city.

Nate Kline delivered a letter to the council.

“I am here tonight to ask for your consideration to serve Ironton in the open council seat,” he said. He added he would be running for city council in the upcoming election. “I would like to serve because I want to raise my family here and I want to contribute to making our city a better place.

Harvey said the council would meet next week to pick someone to fill the seat. The special meeting will be scheduled early next week depending on the council members’ schedule.