SALEM – The utilities commission discussed its ongoing construction projects in its meeting Thursday.

The utilities commission completed its annual re-organizational procedures in its first meeting of the year as required by its charter. The commissioners re-appointed the officers to their posts, with Bob Hodgson remaining chairman, and Kyle Cranmer vice chairman.

The commissioners also reviewed the department’s final financial report for 2025 Hodgson said that the department now had a total of 6,970 customers for water and 6,509 for total sewer service, an increase of approximately 2,000 customers for each service. He also said that in 2025 the department produced 632,534,980 gallons of water and treated 492,865,428 gallons of wastewater.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Dean Stokes told the commissioners that work was still being done on the final punch list items for phase three improvements at the wastewater plant. He said that training for the boiler had been completed and that Avid Electrical Contracting had been on site troubleshooting issues with the sludge conveyor, and that issues with “no motion detected errors” seem to have been resolved.

Hodgson asked Stokes what the status of the PONDUS system was, noting that he heard it was “not working as advertised.” Stokes said that the system was still having issues with a main valve, but that it was otherwise functioning, and that Centrisys was working to resolve the issue.

“It’s doing its job when it comes to conditioning the sludge and digesting the sludge. It’s more so that we’re having issues with this one valve,” said Stokes.

Utilities Superintendent Butch Donnalley said that all paperwork had been completed to have the department’s consent decree with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency discharged and was pending review by Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas Judge Scott Washam to be discharged.

Work on phase one improvements at the water treatment plant is also continuing in the wake of the department invoking liquidated damages against project contractor A. P. Ohoro for failing to reach substantial completion by the agreed upon date. Water Treatment Plant Manager Larry Sebrell told the commissioners that the doors and vents had been completed on the generator building, and that work on the new roof was underway. He also said that he estimated that one more day of work would be required to finish the roof, but that it likely would have to wait until the current winter weather conditions improve.

Project Engineer Drew Paul said that while the roof on top still needed to be finished, weather sealing had been completed. He also said that A.P. Ohoro had provided an updated schedule for the project, which projects all electrical work to be completed the week of July 19, and for the main switch gear to be delivered the week of March 22.

Hodgson asked when they were projected to reach substantial completion with the exception for the main switch gear, and Paul said substantial completion was projected for the week of March 22.

The commissioners also addressed claims that the department was overcharging the Salem City School District to install and connect the district’s upcoming K-8 school building to a new water line.

“One of the allegations being made right now is that we’re gouging the school system by having them pay for part of our extension, and [Assistant Superintendent Chad Hess] has put together a worksheet that gives the footage of the line, what the total cost would be, what their cost to connect to the minimum they need would be; and what it works out to is we’re paying a little over 60% and they’re paying just under 40%,” said Hodgson.

Hodgson said that the last estimated construction cost for that line was $500,000, and both he and Hess said that participating in the proposed cost-sharing agreement would ultimately save the district money compared to the price it would typically pay to tap into the line if the department paid the full price of the installation.

“If they took advantage of the offer for a 50:50 split, we would be assumed about 15%, maybe 20% of what they would pay if we ran it ourselves down to the last dead-end road. So, we’d be absorbing a good amount off their cost by offering that deal,” said Hess

The meeting concluded with an executive session to discuss contract negotiations with no action to follow.

The utilities commission will meet next at 3 p.m. on Feb. 19.