SHELBY — Two dozen Shelby residents along West Main Street will pay for part of a sanitary sewer project in the city after a Shelby City Council vote on Tuesday.
Council voted 3-1 to proceed with the construction of a sanitary sewer system in the area, including the construction and installation of sanitary sewer lines, a force main and lift station, and service connections. The estimated cost to individual property owners is around $15,000.
Councilman Steve McLaughlin was the lone vote opposing the sanitary sewer project on Monday. The ordinance passed its third reading without discussion from council or the public.
The other vocal opponent of the legislation, Councilman Charlie Roub, was absent. Roub has spoken out about his concerns regarding residents affording the sewer project.
“I have no problem with this project, I think it’s something that needs to be done, said Roub during the ordinance’s first reading on Aug. 27. “What I have a problem with is the expense. I just don’t think the city is doing enough to reduce the expense to these people.”
According to Project Manager Joe Gies, the entire cost of upgrading the area to a sanitary sewer system, including engineering, property acquisition and the installation of a lift station, totals $528,400.
The city will be responsible for 2 percent of the total project cost, totaling $147,600. The remainder of the cost, approximately $380,800, will be assessed upon the 24 properties in various stages of failure, to be paid in 20 semi-annual installments over 10 years.
Costs to homeowners will be further assisted through a grant received by Director of Environmental Health Beth Conrad.
City officials in Shelby have long been in talks about updating the residences on West Main Street from septic systems to the city’s sanitary sewer system. New state sewage rules from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that were passed on Jan. 1, 2015, hastened the process.
