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NILES -- None of the cracks in the dam over Meander Reservoir have led to leaks and are not considered alarming, though the dam needs substantial work, the outgoing chief engineer told Niles City Council members Jan. 11.
Engineer Tom Holloway said he and the four board members that govern the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District have received a preliminary report about the cracks in the dam and the facility's buildings, but it must be reviewed and followed up on before a full report can be released to the public.
The company conducting the study, Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, still needs to explore more of the dam's surface below the water, Holloway said.
The dam needs substantial work, he said. Designs alone will cost about $1 million, and the total project could be more than $25 million. Construction could begin in October 2018 if plans start moving forward soon. The work will ensure the dam can withstand a probable maximum precipitation event, which is 22 inches in 24 hours for this region, Holloway said.
Holloway and Richard Hale, the board member appointed by Niles City Council, were asked to attend a council roundtable in order to keep members updated on the study, several multi-million dollar projects in the works, including large shut-off valve replacements, and to address rate concerns.
The cause of the cracks is unknown, though they may be the result of some type of earth settling or age in some cases, Holloway said. He could not say what kind of damage could be done to the dam if an earthquake occurred, but said cracks on the road on top of the dam are likely from traffic going over the unreinforced and aging concrete.
At the plant, new meters that track how much water Niles buys from the facility in two different ways are being installed. Niles officials are welcome to observe the calibration of the meters, Holloway said. Niles officials are currently creating a system to track how much water it sells, to make it easier to notice unintended losses, as recommended by an earlier performance audit.
And, even though the water treatment plant has other projects in the works and an ever-evolving list of capital improvements, financial models show water rate increases won't be necessary, at least through 2022, Holloway said.
In reaction to the roundtable discussion, Matt Blair, the man Niles Mayor Tom Scarnecchia appointed to the board, penned a letter to Council President Robert Marino, questioning why he wasn't invited and stating where Niles-related issues at the plant stand.
"As you know, I am president of the MVSD and one of two directors from the city of Niles. I have served as a Niles director for over 20 years and Rich Hale has served as a director for less than a year. I, of course, have great respect for (Hale), but I am concerned about the timing of this roundtable meeting," Blair wrote. "You should note that Councilman (Frank) Pezzano and Anthony Vigorito Sr. have been attending all MVSD meetings. I will not speculate as to the motive of their attendance, but their attendance did not occur until an issue arose regarding who will serve as our chief engineer at the MVSD."
Holloway is going back into retirement Jan. 22, after coming back from retirement last year to fill the chief engineer spot when Anthony Vigorito Jr. did not obtain a Class IV license through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in time to replace him.
Marino said it was up to Scarnecchia to invite Blair, and Hale was appointed by council with the understanding he would be asked to update council members every so often on what was going on at the plant. Marino directed all council members to refrain from addressing plant personnel.
Pezzano, D-1st Ward, said he has the right to attend the public meetings, and to call his motivation into question when he is a council member and citizen is out of line.
"The city of Niles is a big customer of MVSD, so what you say, when it comes to projects and different things that may be going on out there, it is important to us. Niles, and Youngstown, all of them, you are customers and we are going to listen to what you say. As far as board member responsibilities go, we are all equal, with an equal vote and there is no one person who speaks solely for the board," Hale said.
Blair states in the letter the board has always made personnel decisions without the influence of its member cities, and that whichever firm or person is hired to the chief engineer position will not affect water rates in the city. He added that the board must consider a firm or person who isn't only qualified to run a Class IV plant, but one that is also capable of overseeing the "massive" dam project.
The Meander Reservoir has about 220,000 customers, Holloway said. Niles, Youngstown and McDonald buy the water directly from the plant, and Niles and Youngstown sell it to their respective counties and other communities.