NILES — Several of the city’s infrastructure areas may soon see improvements, as officials approved a set of ordinances aimed at addressing needs.

At Wednesday’s city council meeting, officials approved three separate ordinances for the issuance and sale of bonds for the city’s street facilities, sewer system and city building improvements.

The bonds for the street facilities would be in the maximum principal amount of $660,000, and would pay the costs of constructing and equipping a salt storage dome and acquiring a dump truck and tractor for use by the department.

The bonds for the city building would be in the maximum principal amount of $1 million for window and building facade repairs, and the sanitary sewer bonds, $2.45 million, would go toward acquiring and equipping a vacuum truck and improving the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

City Auditor Giovanne Merlo, who wasn’t at Wednesday’s meeting, said during a June 10 finance committee meeting that there was certain equipment officials needed to look at, and the legislation in front of them was a “not to exceed” number.

Merlo said the “not to exceed” number compensated for the fact that they were just estimating what money the city was getting and rates, but they have rough estimates on equipment costs.

Regarding the sewer improvements outside of the truck, Merlo said they included several clarifier weir covers and cost $300,000, as well as two new blowers.

“We’re looking at either a 15- or 10-year bond; current bond rates are anywhere from 3.75% to 4.25%,” Merlo said. “Our financial advisers, Xena Associates out of Cleveland, would put it out for bid as a private placement.”

Regarding the street department, Merlo said a dump truck would cost $250,000 and a new salt dome would cost $150,000, adding that the current one needs “massive” repairs.

Merlo said the department is also considering a hot box for patching roads, noting that they think it would go a long way if they put grindings in to patch holes instead of cold patching, which just pops out.

“The brush hog is old and in need of repairs, so that’s going to be addressed as well — and that’s sitting around $100,000,” Merlo said.

Mayor Steven Mientkiewicz said the current brush hog would probably go up for auction on GovDeals.com

“The attachment itself is in decent shape — it’s the tractor. So this will be an enclosed cab tractor, a little larger in size,” Mientkiewicz said. “Preferably, if we’re able to get a brush hog with a boom (arm) to reach over guard rails and hills.”

Mientkiewicz said officials have considered moving the salt dome, but the street department would remain downtown, adding that he thought it would be beneficial for them to be next to their trucks.

Mientkiewicz said the structure of the salt dome’s fabric isn’t too bad, but there is concern about the interior wall’s quality.

“This new one would be a little bit more sturdy, a tad bit larger, but meet the needs of the operation,” said Mientkiewicz, who confirmed the city still operates through the county for salt.

With the city building, Merlo says it needs a full window replacement, noting it has certain areas where windows are perceived as dirty, but they aren’t, because of their age.

Merlo said they also were looking at refacing the building’s east side with stucco, a durable cement-like plaster made of Portland cement, sand, lime, and water, which he said would bring the total to $1.6 million.

Merlo said $1.6 million was an architect’s high number, and the cost could be as low as $885,000.

“Once the theatre came down for Main Street, we were able to notice the different brick styles, brick colors, (and) the mortar joints aren’t uniform,” Mientkiewicz said.

He said the cheaper methods suggested were painting or staining the bricks, but the architect suggested stucco.

Councilman Aaron Johnstone, D-2nd Ward, said during discussions following the ordinances’ approvals that the stucco is not happening.

“All the council at the committee meeting, that cost was well above what everybody was comfortable with,” Johnstone said. “The way this bond is going to be written tonight, all we’re doing is securing the money.”

Johnstone said that of the $1 million, the $450,000 would go toward the windows, but there was also $200,000 to $250,000 considered for sidewalk concrete repair.

“The remaining balance was what council wanted to have another discussion (about), as to what to do with it,” Johnstone said. “The idea behind this was to enhance the appearance of the city building exterior wall that is now the backdrop for Niles Public Square.”

Johnstone said officials don’t know what money would remain out of the $1 million, but officials have to secure the money first.