SALEM – City council reviewed proposed changes to the city’s ordinance regarding illicit storm water discharge in its meeting Tuesday. 

A first reading was held on a proposed update which would add a new paragraph to section 1186.07 (a) which outlines exceptions to the prohibition against discharging any materials into the municipal storm drain system or watercourses. The proposed paragraph would permit “discharges from off-lot household sewage treatment systems permitted by the Board of Health for the purpose of discharging treated sewage effluent in accordance with any other Board of Health regulations, until such time as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issues and NPDES permitting mechanism for household sewage treatment systems … unless such discharges are deemed to create a public health nuisance.” 

The proposed updates also include a new first paragraph in section 1186.10 which would “establish a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges and illicit connections” to its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4). It specifies that this program would “include the mapping of the MS4 outfalls and household sewage treatment systems; the routine inspection of stormwater outfalls and household sewage treatment systems, and the systematic investigation of potential residential, commercial, and industrial facilities for the sources of any dry weather flows found as the result of these inspections.” 

A first reading was also held on an ordinance modifying and amending section 1125.16-chapter 1125 of part eleven of the codified ordinances of the city of Salem regarding construction standards. The proposed ordinance would add language specifying that the erosion and sediment control measures must be in accordance with “the current Ohio EPA General Construction Permit” in addition to the city’s own regulations. 

The city council also voted unanimously to approve a resolution authorizing the city to participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s annual road salt contracts. 

City Service Safety Director Joe Cappuzzello said that with the amount of salt the street department had to use to address the severe snow storms this year that they would likely be ordering a similar amount to the 2,000 tons the city ordered this year. 

Cappuzzello also said that as part of ODOT’s salt contract system, which see participating municipalities place orders for salt a year in advance, that the city will be able to accept up to 15% more or less than the initial order total at the contract price, and that if weather conditions require the city to use more than that it could purchase more on the open market. 

During his report, Cappuzzello said that he and the street department were reviewing the possibility of doing a second round of leaf pick-up sometime at the end of April or beginning of May. He said that with the early onset and severity of inclement weather conditions this winter may residents didn’t get the chance to bag their leaves in time for the usual pickup. He said that the pickup dates would be finalized soon, and that the same rules would apply as usual with leaves to be collected in paper bags and placed on the curb. 

During his report, City Law Director Brooke Zellers was asked by Councilman Jim Harrington if the city’s notice of appeal had been filed with the Ohio Supreme Court to challenge the denial of a proposed annexation on Beechwood Road and he confirmed that it had been filed on April 3. 

Zellers requested the city council to hold an executive session to discuss a pending legal case. Following that executive session, the council voted unanimously to permit Zellers to accept a settlement in a pending legal case. 

Zellers said that the settlement was for a pending workers compensation case that the city and the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation were co-defendants in. He explained that the Attorney General’s Office had informed him that it had received a settlement offer for $10,000 which it intended to accept and recommended the city do so as well. 

Zellers said that no city dollars would be used for the settlement, and that it would instead be paid with insurance funds from a pool shared by participating municipalities across the state for workers’ compensation claims. 

During the reports of standing committees Councilman Jeff Stockman announced that the rules and ordinances committee would meet at 6 p.m. on April 21, and Councilman Trent Tice announced that the public services committee would also meet on April 21 at 6:30 p.m. 

City Council Presidents Evan Newman announced there would be a public hearing for any feedback on the renewal of the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area at 6:45 p.m. May 5 prior to the city council’s meeting. 

The city council will meet next at 7 p.m. on April 21.