Repair of 5th Street sewer delayed

FINDLAY — An attempt to rush through legislation for the replacement of a damaged sanitary sewer off 5th Street failed at Tuesday's regular meeting of city council, despite City Engineer Jeremy Kalb asking that council treat it like an emergency. Legislation to appropriate $115,000 to replace the sewer will be introduced to council at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The money would be taken from the city's sewer fund. Councilman Grant Russel, R-at-large, made the motion to waive council's three-reading rule. The rule requires the public reading of proposed legislation at three separate council meetings before a vote is taken. Russel said the situation can't go "anywhere but bad," and argued that council should move quickly. He said the city has to do the project, and it would be best to get it done before sewage starts overrunning neighborhood yards. However, the motion failed to garner the required supermajority support, which is three-fourths of council's members. The vote was 7-2, with council members Jeff Wobser, R-at-large, and Holly Frische, R-1, voting against waiving the rules. Randy Greeno, R-at-large, was absent from Tuesday's meeting. In a letter to council dated July 10, City Engineer Jeremy Kalb said the sanitary sewer, which is located in a grass alley off 5th Street, is severely damaged, and cannot be lined. The damaged pipe was discovered when city workers attempted to cut through roots grown into the pipe. An inspection of the sewer by camera found that the roots were the only thing keeping the pipe intact. "After several attempts to clean and repair the pipe, it was determined that the whole line would need to be replaced," Kalb said in the letter. Three local contractors were asked to provide proposals, with two responding. The lowest and best price was submitted by Hohenbrink Excavating, LLC, Findlay, for $102,882. "Due to the condition of the pipe, it is desired to treat this sanitary sewer as an emergency project and replace the sewer as soon as possible," Kalb said. "Since the cost proposal is over the $75,000 threshold, it is requested to waive formal advertising and bidding requirements for the project." Kalb said the company is already working with the city on a small waterline project and will be able to start the sewer replacement project as soon as the material is obtained.