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Primarily serving Pataskala and surrounding areas
August 7, 2011
Licking Heights
$5M in construction contracts approved By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers The Licking Heights school board held a special meeting at 6 a.m. Aug. 5 to approve $5.1 million in contracts for construction at West Elementary School. The work will expand the capacity of the building from approximately 475 students to approximately 675 students, in addition to providing space for special-education services.
Among the contracts approved were $3.4 million to the Altman Co. for general construction; $732,000 to Aggressive Mechanical for plumbing and HVAC; $517,000 to Vaughn Industries for electrical services; $57,000 to Dalmatian Fire for fire protection; $357,000 to Settle Muter Electric for communications and technology; and $30,000 to Fanning/Howey Associates for consulting and design work. Board president Matt Satterwhite
said the early meeting was to allow all the board members to attend and to make sure the contracts for West could be completed in time to allow construction this month. Building and grounds supervisor Allen Rogers said the work is beginning this month, with a projected completion date in one year. “We want to be open for the start of school in 2012-2013 school year,” Rogers said.
Project manager Stephen Dzuranin Jr. said the amount of the contracts approved Aug. 5, along with about $60,000 in preliminary work already approved to move utilities at the site, is significantly less than the original estimates. “We are $1 million under the (original) goal,” Dzuranin said. “It’s the market right now. We did get a lot of competition. Contracts and prices are starting to creep up a little bit, but it is still
very competitive out there and contractors are hungry and pursuing work aggressively, and that is reflected in bid numbers.” The building will not change significantly in appearance. “From an aesthetic standpoint, we’re not doing anything different than the current building,” Dzuranin said. “We’re using the same materials on the exteSee LICKING HEIGHTS, page A2
Etna Township
Trustees OK ditch petition to stop flooding By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
Pataskala police officers Mark Decker (left) and Alex Colles ride south through downtown Pataskala on Aug. 4.
Pataskala police re-establish bicycle patrol By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers They have been collecting mothballs for a few years, but two heavy-duty bicycles owned by the city are about to be put back into service by the Pataskala Division of Police. “Due to the low staffing we’ve had, it was just one of the things we could not afford to do,” said Chief Bruce Brooks. “Back at the time (before passage of the city income tax), we were as low as two officers on the street (during a single shift). It’s just not feasible when you have a city of 40 square miles, to have one of them on a bicycle, if he needs to give backup to another officer. It just wasn’t safe.” But bicycle patrols are popular with law enforcement in Ohio, with the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy providing annual certification of bike patrol officers.
cycle, he has a better feel, and they’re more accessible. If the officer is driving, you can’t just flag him down. And if he’s on a bicycle, he may stop and say, ‘Hi.’ We’ll get a lot more feedback from It’s pretty grueling. They have to be citizens and business-owners who can talk to him able to control the bike in a lot of more often.” different situations. They have to Officer Mark Decker, one of the Pataskala’s two learn to control it going down curbs trained bike patrol officers, said the bike patrol provides more intimate opportunities for commuand stairs, and they have to be able nication. to shoot off the bicycle. “It brings the officer out of the cruiser and brings him face to face with people,” Decker said. “We’re stopping and talking to kids and talking to adults. BRUCE BROOKS It’s easier to patrol.” Pataskala police chief Brooks said Pataskala is unusual, with its large geographic area and its mix of rural areas and sub“It has to do with getting closer to the commu- divisions, so that only some areas will be suitable nity,” Brooks said. “If you go down the street with for bike patrol. your air-conditioner on and your windows up, it’s harder to get a feel. If you have an officer on a biSee BICYCLE PATROL, page A2
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In a last-ditch effort, Etna Township trustees voted 3-0 to begin a county petition process Aug. 2 to alleviate flooding so severe that a York Road family was forced to leave their home for three months when a stagnant pond flooded the house and overwhelmed utility services. The trustees approved a $500 expenditure to begin a ditch petition process, under which the county would construct a ditch and drainage system to alleviate the flooding. Homeowners whose properties drain into the area would then be assessed for the cost of the project. Sara Bobst, of 8839 York Road, said the West Licking Fire Department told her family to leave the home immediately because flooded air-conditioning and electrical service posed a danger. Bobst said the problem has been ongoing for years, but her family was not aware of it when they purchased the property. “My husband and I purchased our home in good faith about a year-anda-half ago,” Bobst said. “Through no fault of our own, I’ve learned this year there has been an ongoing drainage problem. This spring, the water covered our entire backyard and up to our house and into our house, forcing us to leave for (three) months.” Trustee John Carlisle said he had spoken with several county and state authorities about the problem. “This is a terrible issue,” Carlisle said. “The health department has treated twice for mosquitoes that I know of. I feel so sorry for these people getting kicked out of their house for a problem they did not create.” See DITCH PETITION, page A2
Pataskala
New utility director looks to improve water, sewage systems By MICHAEL J. MAURER ThisWeek Community Newspapers Nathan Coey is settling in to his new job as Pataskala director of utilities. He started in June after working in Plain City, where he was superintendent of utilities. He also has worked for Sunbury and Columbus. Coey’s top priorities have included increased plant maintenance, waterdistribution system breaks and the balance of production between the city’s two water plants.
“Our plant No. 1 is showing its age and we’re making up for that now,” Coey said, noting that his staff of nine has put more than 120 hours into maintenance in the plant in the last month, compared to 20 to 40 hours monthly during earlier periods. Pataskala benefits from a ready supply of groundwater and has the capacity to produce more than 2-million gallons per day, a million from each plant. The city currently uses less than 1 million gallons daily. “We’re using groundwater, which is
one of the best sources,” Coey said. “You have less potential for contamination (than with surface water supplies).” Coey also will be responsible for overseeing the completion of the sewage-treatment plant upgrades currently under way and scheduled to be complete by December. Changes at the plant include creating an oxidation ditch, which serves as one of the primary biotreatments for wastewater, and improved handling of sludge. “As it stands now, we send (sludge)
to the landfill at least every day, and that’s costly,” Coey said. “With the new system, we’ll be able to do it at a more cost-effective pace.” Pataskala and many cities are facing an aging infrastructure problem, where sewage collection and water-distribution systems need to be replaced. “This city and any city, you’re starting to see the age of infrastructure in water and sewer lines,” Coey said. “And there is a lot of cost that goes into operating these plants.” Coey said he also expects state and
federal environmental protection agencies to impose increasingly stringent stormwater and surface-water runoff regulations in coming years. “In the next several years, as EPA begins to implement programs and best practices, I see that as requiring permitted facilities or locations, and when that happens, our office will have to monitor that,” Coey said. “It’s getting to be a hot topic.” Coey said plant wastewater disSee UTILITY DIRECTOR, page A2