MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners may approve an additional employee in the local Soil & Water Conservation District to assist in stormwater improvements required by Ohio EPA regulations.
The new staff member would allow District Administrator Erica Thomas to devote staff member Dan Herrold to work full-time on bringing the district into compliance with the Clean Water Act municipal stormwater provisions for urban areas, known as the MS4 program.
The Ohio EPA, which administers the MS4, first notified the county in 2015 that it was violating six provisions of the act. A second notification was sent in September 2018.
Failing to come into compliance could lead to fines of $10,000 per day, local officials have said.
Thomas took over as the district administrator in December. Commissioners have discussed the issue for the last two months, first considering a stormwater utility program in March and then agreeing in April to spend $27,000 for an engineering study to determine the best way to comply.
At the end of a 70-minute meeting Thursday morning with SWCD leaders and trustees from Mifflin, Madison, Springfield and Washington townships, commissioners told Thomas to determine the financial impact of hiring an additional technician.
The money allocated for the study could instead be used to help fund the new staff member, according to commissioners, who noted significant progress made by the SWCD since Thomas took over five months ago.
No utility program, which could cost each household in the four townships as much as $36 annually, is planned at this time.
The new employee would not cost any of the four townships additional money in 2019 and could be assisted by state matching funds.
Herrold, currently the urban district technician, would work full-time on the MS4 compliance. Matt Wallace would continue as the agriculture district technician and the new hire would assume Herrold’s former duties.
Commissioners said they will also consult with the county prosecutor’s office to update the memorandum of understanding among the county, townships and SWCD.
Another meeting with all of the township trustees is planned in November to discuss progress.
