By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
SOUTH ENGLISH – For years, South English has had problems with the city’s water main system, which frequently has had leaks that went months without being found. The city council is now looking into a massive project to replace nearly all of the city’s water lines. During the March 10 meeting, the council spoke with Richard Teed from the engineering firm Garden & Associates, who informed them that they could receive $900,000 in loan forgiveness SRF funding for this project. He stated that the likelihood of receiving this funding is high, but that it would require spending $150,000 upfront in design and loan closing costs, paid off over a 20-year low interest Planning and Design Loan.
The council approved going forward with Garden & Associates with the next steps of the project. Teed stated that they could start work as soon as next year. Councilwoman Hope Frazier stated that she was itching to get started, noting that they had lost all of the profit the city normally makes from water last year, plus an additional $10,000. Councilman Cameron Miller stated there had been months where they lost a million gallons from leaks. Mayor Ed Shafranek stated that the two-inch mains were close to fifty years old and that most of the service lines were replaced 23-years-ago.
Also at the Tuesday meeting, the council discussed increasing the city’s water rates. Hope Frazier suggested waiting until they were further along with Gardener & Associates before raising rates. Miller stated they were going to continue losing money no matter what and that they had lost money on water each of the last five years. Shafranek stated there was no way to not raise rates, with the project they were looking at. Councilman Nick Frazier stated the public would be more accepting if they raised rates after the project got going. Hope Frazier noted that a lot of people in town were on fixed incomes. Shafranek stated it was better to raise rates now than to do a huge jump like North English did a few years ago. The council decided to discuss this more during a March 24 special meeting, the same night they discuss the tax levy.
The council approved not increasing employee wages, with Hope Frazier explaining that they lost a bunch of money this year on water, had a big project coming, and also need to redo the roads. She brought up a quote from ION Water for $1,450 a month, which would do everything they needed for cheaper than giving the two water employees raises. Shafranek stated that, if they approved this, they would need to eliminate the water employee positions and give them 60 day warnings. City Clerk Stephanie Lown asked if ION would do water shutoffs and Hope Frazier said that, worst case scenario, the council could shut off water lines.
Nick Frazier brought up the old hotel, which has become less structurally sound after its porch was removed. Councilman Roger Murphy noted that there was a hole in the hotel’s foundation, with a six-foot drop into the basement. Shafranek stated they should at least rope the hole off, to keep kids from falling in. The council voted to have their lawyer send a letter to the property owner.
