Toronto council discusses alley problem

TORONTO - Problems associated with a city alley were discussed during Monday's City Council meeting.

Mary Beth Lewis of 706 Main St. requested council members and the city consider closing an alleyway adjacent to her residence.

"I'm here on behalf of myself and my neighbors," said Lewis, adding the paved alley has caused numerous problems ranging from property destruction to littering. "The reason we'd like to see it closed is because of property damage."

Lewis said incidents of property damage to neighboring residences, including shrubs being run over by vehicles and mailboxes and fence posts damaged, were being caused by drivers trying to navigate the narrow alley. She also said the paving of the alley has caused water runoff into adjacent properties.

"We'd like to petition the city to consider closing the alley," she continued, adding some motorists are driving recklessly, and there are children in the vicinity. "Also, people are driving very fast down the alley. We feel it's unsafe. People also are throwing garbage into the alley. I'm pleading with the city to help us."

Council President Tom Thomas referred the matter to Councilman at large Glenn Dickinson, a member of the zoning committee.

In other matters:

Mayor John Geddis told council Bonamase Contracting of Youngstown was the low bidder on the next phase of the city's project to separate the city's combined storm water and sewage systems.

The first leg of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency-ordered mandate to separate the systems was completed earlier in the year. The second phase will be more extensive, and is expected to begin in February, said Geddis. He added the contractor's bid of $716,000 was significantly lower than the engineer's estimate for the project.

The city obtained federal stimulus funds to pay for the majority of the project. Geddis said the city will reap savings in the long term because the city's water treatment plant only will be treating city sewage, while rainwater will be diverted to the Ohio River.

"(The project long term) does affect our cost (at the city's water treatment plant), and it keeps us in compliance with the OEPA mandate," said Geddis, adding the next phase will include road construction throughout the city. "There will be a lot of (tearing up) of city streets."

It was announced the city health department has H1N1 flu vaccinations available for all ages. There also will be a Well Baby clinic from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the health department office in the city Municipal Building.

A meeting of the finance committee is scheduled prior to the next council meeting on Dec. 28. No time has been set.

(Miller can be contacted at mmiller@heraldstaronline.com.)