MVSD adopts new name, looks to expand
Official: JEDDs won’t be forced on townshipsBy AMANDA SMITH-TEUTSCH / Tribune Chronicle
MINERAL RIDGE - As the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District is revamping its public image and pushing for more water customers, some people in the area say the water authority's actions are being undermined by member city Youngstown.
"The MVSD needs to get their distributors on the same page," Austintown Township Trustee David Ditzler said. "If they are trying to expand their customer base, what Youngstown is doing is a complete 180."
Wednesday, the MVSD held a press conference to announce its new identity as "Meander Water" as the ending of its 75th anniversary celebration. Ditzler, who did not attend the event, made his comments Wednesday afternoon.
"We have quite a bit of reserve, and we're looking to sell more water," district engineer Tom Holloway said. "We are asking the local communities to push to get our water out there."
Selling more water in the community will lower expenses and keep costs down for the member cites, he said, and eventually their customers. MVSD board member Matt Blair said an increase of 5 million gallons per day could reduce costs to member cities by 5 percent.
The MVSD has a production capacity of 60 million gallons per day; the current averages place usage at 25.3 million gallons per day.
But the expansion strategy could be compromised by Youngstown mayor Jay Williams' Joint Economic Development District efforts, Ditzler said. Austintown and Boardman were approached with a JEDD plan by the city; township trustees in both instances rejected the plan.
Williams also has requested Liberty form a JEDD in order to get water service to the proposed Wal-Mart site on Belmont Avenue. The Liberty trustees also have rejected that plan.
Blair said the district and the city aren't working at cross purposes.
"No one will ever force townships into a JEDD to get water," Blair said.
The MVSD processes the water from Meander Reservoir and sells it to member cities of Youngstown, Niles and McDonald, who, in turn, sell it at a marked-up rate to individual users.
Originally, Austintown trustees, approached with the JEDD proposal, had said they were willing to consider such a venture in undeveloped land, but that is no longer the case, Ditzler said.
"We are looking at forming a water district, and then bringing new suppliers into undeveloped areas," Ditzler said.
He said the township has contacted Niles on the possibility of providing water lines up State Route 46 to undeveloped business property near the Interstate, is looking at the possibility of buying in bulk from Mahoning County for the western residential portions of the township where water service is needed and is inviting a private company in to provide water for some southern portions.
"Anyone who's currently on Youngstown water will stay on Youngstown water," Ditzler said.
At Wednesday's event, Williams said water is one of the richest natural resources the area has to offer and is the domain of local public entities.
"There will be debates and discussions over water, and those debates and discussions are best if those debating and discussing are those responsible to the public,'' Williams said. ''At the end of the day, our interest is for the public, not shareholders ... who want to make sure their profits are maximized."
Williams concluded by saying he would work with the district to help expand into areas not currently serviced by public water utilities. He couldn't be reached for further comment Wednesday afternoon.
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Billdog
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07-24-08 10:32 AM
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Maybe Boardman and Austintown could charge Youngstown taxes for running water lines through their township. See how that sits with Mayor Jayhotdog Williams. Peanut head looking freak.
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Dschweck
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07-24-08 10:19 AM
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Oldmangrump2;Save us all and Move away!
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OldManGrump2
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07-24-08 7:47 AM
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Will the stiories about Youngstown's Mayor Jay Williams blackmail scheme of water for income taxes never end? No township has signed up for his fund Youngstown plan. Changing the name doesn't make it any better, but forming a water district away from Youngstown control would. We have got to save the Mahoning Valley inspite of Youngstown.
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