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EAST PALESTINE -- East Palestine Village Council met on Monday and moved forward on the carbon filter project being installed as precautionary protection for the municipal water supply in the wake of February's Norfolk Southern train derailment.
Council approved an ordinance to enter into a contract with Youngstown-based Murphy Contracting to begin construction on the building to house the carbon-filtration system. Work on the 101-by-42-foot structure to house the system to prevent freezing in colder weather is set to begin July 10.
Water superintendent Scott Wolfe made council members aware of the size of the building which is being built behind the current water plant.
"This is going to be a pretty big building," he said. "These filters are 23-feet high and 10 feet in diameter. This will be a 4,200 square foot building."
Council first announced plans to install the carbon filtration system during a March 27 meeting. The village received $425,000 from Norfolk Southern to obtain the filters. The carbon filters, manufactured by Calgon, will be installed at the water treatment plant to combat any future contamination.
So far, no contamination has been detected in the water supply and, when the project was first announced, Wolfe said that carbon filters were the direction the village was headed before the derailment. The rail disaster merely expedited the process. The filters, which comply with the new federal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) guidelines, are ready to be shipped.
Construction costs to erect the housing structure will also be covered by Norfolk Southern. Wolfe said that no interruption of water services is anticipated through the construction or installation process.
Council also discussed the possibility of a new water plant but said those plans are in the early stages. In related water news, it was reported that the waterline project is expected to get underway in early fall.
In other legislation matters, council once again revisited Village Code 832 concerning peddlers and solicitors in the village. Council is in the process of passing a revision that would lower the costs of those wishing to do business in East Palestine. A revision was requested by small business owners in April to help lessen the burden the derailment has caused village businesses.
Council also moved forward on an ordinance to allow golf carts and low-speed vehicles to operate on village roadways. A proposal was brought to council by the village garden club which recently required a modified golf cart to assist in the watering of flowers and other greenery throughout the village. On Monday, council heard from the East Palestine police department on concerns about the pending ordinance as it is currently worded. Council took the concerns under advisement.
In other matters, it was reported that U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and Rep. Bill Johnson reached out to council to establish a better line of communication between the legislators and members of the community to ensure community needs are met following the rail disaster.
Local businesses were also urged to take advantage of the East Palestine Emergency Support Program, which will provide zero interest, forgivable loans to businesses to assist with ongoing expenses and recovery efforts associated with the train derailment. The program is open to for-profit and nonprofit Ohio businesses located within a two-mile radius of East Palestine that were operational on or prior to Dec. 1, 2022, are eligible to apply for loans ranging from $10,000 to $1 million. The program will be administered by the Ohio Department of Development. Additional details on the program are available at development.ohio.gov/eastpalestine.
In other small-business matters, council reported that the East Palestine Think Tank met with Lamppost Farms and was presented with an idea to promote organic farming in Columbiana County. Lamppost Farms will hold an event doing so on Aug. 5 from 4-9 p.m. on its grounds located at 14900 Market St. in Columbiana.
The upcoming July 4 celebration was also discussed. Council announced that food vendors will be available 1-10 p.m., inflatables for children 1-9 p.m., live bands 2-9 p.m. and fireworks to start at 10 p.m. A pet parade and bicycle parade are also planned.