Mayor says city is documenting street work, water main breaks and pursuing EPA discussions
VERMILION — Vermilion Mayor Russ Owens said the city is beginning a new process to digitally track road repairs as officials continue work on streets, water infrastructure, wastewater issues and long-term EPA-related requirements.
Owens gave the update during his mayor and safety director’s report at the June 1 Vermilion City Council meeting.
The mayor said city crews have been focused on filling as many potholes as possible during recent stretches of good weather. He also told council that the city is launching a street improvement process that will digitally monitor and document work performed on city streets.
The work will be recorded on computer tablets provided to the city by Verizon.
Owens said the city will document the date and time of the work, the street, the section of street being repaired, the type of work being done, the materials used, the amount of time spent on the repair and before-and-after photos.
The information will then be downloaded into the city’s computer system.
The same process will also be used by the city’s distribution department to track water main breaks.
During council discussion, Owens said the data could serve multiple purposes, including helping the city maintain a repair history and showing the condition of roads when seeking assistance from the state or county, depending on the jurisdiction of a road.
The mayor said the city knows road conditions remain one of the top concerns for residents.
Owens said the city can have improved processes and updated road assessment data, but the work still depends on finding enough revenue to complete major repairs and replacements.
Owens also said he is exploring possible financial tools that could increase revenue dedicated specifically to fixing and replacing roads.
“We can have all the great new processes in place. We can have the updated road assessment data, but it means nothing unless we can find the revenue to do the work,” Owens said.
Water and wastewater updates
Owens also reported that he recently met with Ben Sloan, the city’s EPA water plant representative.
The mayor said Vermilion’s water plant is one of the oldest on the Great Lakes, but Sloan praised its current condition and outlined minor maintenance work the city plans to complete in the coming weeks.
Owens credited the city’s water plant team for its work and said the department has earned respect from the EPA.
At the wastewater plant, Owens said the city continues to make small and affordable capital improvements that he said have been overdue.
He said the wastewater plant recently completed a thermal imaging review of its electrical system. According to Owens, the EPA and the city’s engineering consultant have identified the electrical system as one of the most pressing needs at the plant.
Owens said the city was scheduled to review the findings with the thermal imaging company.
The mayor also said he continues to have discussions and negotiations with Lorain, Lorain County and Erie County as the city looks for partnerships that could provide long-term solutions connected to the EPA consent decree against Vermilion.
Owens said those meetings have been productive.
He also said the city has sent a formal letter to the federal EPA requesting a meeting as part of its effort to reduce the consent decree requirements against the city.
Owens said the city is working to finalize a presentation and argument for that request.