SALEM — The utilities commission will hold its next meeting at the city’s wastewater treatment plant ahead of an opportunity for residents to see plant upgrades.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Dean Stokes said phase three upgrades at the plant were still in the final punch list phase, and that these final items were expected to be completed by mid-October. Commission Chairman Bob Hodgson said that with upgrades drawing to a close he felt it was important to ensure that residents were aware of the scope and impact of the upgrades to the plant.

The commission has previously discussed holding an open house at the plant following the completion of work –a possibility which Hodgson said he still wanted to pursue and to have tours around the plant for residents to show them the improvements at the plant and how they’ll make it more efficient.

Commissioner Randall Malmsberry said that if the department was going to do tours at the plant it would need to do so soon as evenings are becoming darker with the onset of fall season which would reduce visibility during tours. Utilities Superintendent Butch Donnalley suggested that the open house could be held after the commission’s next meeting if it was held earlier during the day, and Hodgson said that they could also plan to have an abbreviate agenda compared to their typical meetings. It was ultimately agreed that the board would hold its next meeting at the plant at 2 p.m. on Oct. 16, and that the department would host an open house with public tours afterwards.

Work on the East Cold Run Rip-Rap Project also remains in the late stages with Water Plant Manager Larry Sebrell telling commissioners that the fence which was installed at the property had been completed but that he had no other updates. Hodgson asked if the gate had also been completed and could be closed properly which both Sebrell and Donnalley confirmed. Hodgson also asked if the recent rainfall had increased water levels at the lake and Sebrell said that it had not, with most of the rain being absorbed by the dry ground.

Project Engineer Drew Paul told commissioners that he was currently working with Project Contractor A.P. Ohoro to thicken the new roadways at the water treatment plant, explaining that they were only paved with three inches of asphalt rather than the six inches which are recommended for standard roadways. Paul said that he was working to get a change order in place to correct the issue and that they were working to determine the most effective method for the work. He also said that the cost should be covered through the savings from prior change orders and buffer funding built into the project loan.

Paul also said that he had met with the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association (OMEGA), which will be submitting a $500,00 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission(ARC) for phase two upgrades on the department’s behalf, prior to the meeting to discuss potentially submitting a possible grant to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He said that

OMEGA had advised against submitting the application as it might influence whether the department was awarded the ARC grant which OMEGA feels the department is “extremely likely” to be awarded otherwise.

The commission also voted unanimously to discharge the water and sewer bill for 608 Cherry Street totaling $90.43. Hodgson explained that the balance had been assessed to the owner’s property taxes but that the property had subsequently been forfeited and demolished and the balance of the property taxes had been waived by the county.

The utilities commission will meet next 2 p.m. Oct. 16 at Wastewater Treatment Plant.