MANSFIELD — A voter-approved Mansfield water main initiative will begin putting new pipes in the ground in 2025.
City Council on Tuesday evening approved the administration’s request to enter into a contract for engineering services related to a water main replacement program.
The work will be funded by a four-year, 0.25-percent municipal income tax city voters approved in March the city will begin collecting in January.
The new revenue, which can only be used for water main replacement, is expected to generate between $18 and $19 million over four years.
The funds will help the city begin the process of replacing 53 miles of aging, 4-inch water lines in the community.
City engineer Bob Bianchi has said the levy will allow Mansfield to replace about 13 miles of the aging, small mains.
“It would take about four cycles (of the four-year tax) to replace all of our 4-inch mains,” Bianchi said before the election.
On Tuesday, the engineer said it’s time to get started on the work.
“In order for us to start construction next year, we have to start the process now. This legislation is to simply authorize the public works director to enter into a contract to design the water main replacement program for year one in 2025,” he said.
He said the design process will take “more than a few months.”
“There’s a lot of surveying that will be needed. And of course, the design of the water mains,” Bianchi said, adding the city will direct the engineering firm on the locations of mains it wants to replace.
“I anticipate year one design work to be about $350,000 for a $4.7 million (replacement) program. This work will be paid for out of the water fund and we will start the selection process, which takes about six weeks. We will then hire the engineer and move forward with design for next year,” he said.
In other activity on Tuesday, City Council:
— gave a first read to a proposed crackdown on “cruising” on the so-called “Miracle Mile, reducing weekend evening “cruising” in the area along Park Avenue West between Home and Trimble roads.
— voted to spend $30,000 from the unappropriated water fund to repair and resurface the marina parking lot, campground entrance and boat ramps at the Clear Fork Reservoir.
— approved personnel changes in the Law Director’s office as requested by new Law Director Rollie Harper. The number of executive assistants was increased to two from one and the number of case coordinators was decreased to two from three.
— honored recently retired Mansfield Assistant Fire Chief Jim Bishop, who left the department in April after 33 years of service.
— voted to appoint Ellen Heinz to the Downtown Improvement Advisory Board. Heinz began work March 25 as the new Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development president and CEO.
— listened to requests from local organizations and agencies seeking funds from the city’s annual federal Community Development Block Grant funds, including Catholic Charities, Richland County Transit, City of Mansfield Parks & Recreation Dept. Summer Fun program, the City of Mansfield Police Department ShotSpotter program and the YMCA of North Central Ohio open doors scholarship program. Council will vote on the appropriations in May.
— approved an agreement with Ardane Miller to provide marine sales services and repair and bait shop services at the Clear Fork Reservoir. Miller will also provide campground and boat dock management services at the site.
— heard Mayor Jodie Perry proclaim April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the city. Representatives from Richland County Children Services were in attendance to accept the proclamation.
Brigette Coles, community engagement coordinator for RCCS, told council that in 2023 the public child welfare agency took 2,972 reports from the public and conducted more than 1,100 investigations.
“The agency gained custody of 75 children last year. We currently have a total of 133 children right now in foster and residential care. We also have 180 more children that are living with kinship caregivers,” Coles said.