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LISBON --Village residents may notice their water and sewer bills are a little higher this month since an automatic 3 percent rate increase took effect Jan. 1.
Board of Public Affairs Chairman Bill Hoover reminded council members about the increase during the council meeting Tuesday night. He said by having automatic increases, rate hikes don't have to be as large.
For a customer with a $100 bill, they'll now be paying $103, he said.
The rate hike was one of many topics that came up during council's first meeting of the year, including changes to the ordinance followed by the Architectural and Historic Board of Review, which took away much of the board's power regarding signage in downtown Lisbon.
Lisbon resident Patricia Kronenberg, who's a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, asked council to repeal that ordinance, saying they passed it as an emergency and they didn't respect the board they appointed by eliminating or altering some historic design standards. She said then that the changes were rushed through.
The rules had come under fire by the owner of The Lincoln Social Hall, whose sign application was rejected by the AHBR over the font used. Kronenberg noted that council went through due process. The appeal board was formed and agreed with the AHBR decision, then council stepped in and allowed the sign, after the village solicitor had told them they had no power to overturn decisions by either board.
She also pointed out that a question was raised at the last meeting about the Garretson building next door to village hall by a council member questioning whether permits were obtained for the festive window coverings or any approvals.
She asked that the ordinance be put on the next meeting agenda for council to repeal it.
Council indicated no problem with having Mayor Peter Wilson talk to Trebel Aggregation about a study for a gas aggregation program for village residents, which he said would be at no cost.
Council approved an agreement for the village to cooperate with the Ohio Department of Transportation on the Grant Street bridge replacement project, which Wilson said was necessary to tap the funds for the project. Construction is expected to begin May 15. Rules were suspended so the ordinance could be passed as an emergency.
Wilson also gave updates on the Pritchard Avenue bridge project and the request submitted for funds from the Ohio budget, with a list of companies for the environmental study for the bridge expected for the next meeting. Council gave Wilson permission during the last meeting to seek interested firms and pricing for the environmental study. Wilson said he submitted a request for $90,000 from the state budget for a skid steer for the street department, listing $25,000 received from Columbiana County as a match. He said he should know more by May or June.
Regarding the proposed Dollar General store on state Route 154 and the questions over the right of way, zoning officer Zackary Barkley said he learned the village has a right to permit a driveway, but any request for a vacation of the right of way would fall to ODOT. He said the developer, the Zaremba Group, can make a formal submission of plans now to the village Board of Zoning Appeals that would require at least four variances regarding set backs and the number of parking spots. If the company wanted the right of way vacated, the village would have to request that from ODOT.
In another zoning matter, Columbiana County Regional Park District Board Chairman Eileen Dray Bardon requested council's permission for a trail head sign at the park and ride on state Route 154 where the new trail head parking lot is located. She was told an application would need filed for a sign permit. She said she's hoping the new leg of the Greenway Trail can be dedicated in the spring.
In water and sewer business, Hoover reported the department experienced a major water leak before Christmas, losing 100,000 gallons of water per day. The leak could not be found, then Leak Seekers was called and had a hard time finding the leak, but did find it. He said it was hard to find because a plastic pipe, which was hard to hear, was leaking into a storm sewer.
In other business, council hired Jordin Campbell of East Liverpool as a part-time police officer, reappointed Jim Landfried and Gene Krotky to the cemetery board for new three-year terms, agreed to place a classified ad in the newspaper for life guards and a pool manager, approved an expense of $650 for the fire department for online training and set a Committee of the Whole meeting at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 16 to discuss finances and parking meters.
Wilson announced that he's taking letters of interest at village hall for an open position on the Architectural and Historic Board of Review.