Wellsville Begins Work For Additional Sewage Rehabilitation

Last week's progress is pictured here.  The tower to the right
is an existing manhole that was exposed after the digging.  Tanks
for the wet well are due to arrive this week and will be placed in the
hole on the left of that tower.

A huge mound of dirt was dug from the
hole temporarily changing the landscape
next to the Stevenson foundry.

Wellsville is on the verge of some very exciting times as a player in the developing production of oil & gas from drilling in the Marcellus & Utica shale in the region.  In addition to a lot of work being done to expand existing transportation facilities with the Columbiana Port Authority’s Intermodal Park and Marathon Oil there are whispers of industrial expansion in our area.  If even part of the rumors are true it’ll be an exciting moving forward period for our Village.  We won’t speculate but we’ve been given hints it’s getting close to buckle up and hold on to your hats. 

Part of that preparation to get ready is the upgrading of the Village infrastructure.  Although money for financing upgrades is still very tight Village officials were able to start the first phase of a project that has been in the making for some time.   The overall project will eventually stretch from 2^nd Street all the way through town to the Wellsville Sewage Treatment Plant.  This past week saw the start of rehabilitating the “forced main” sewage line.  The forced main is a sewage line that runs from 2^nd Street to 17^th for the upper part of the Village.  Sewage from homes & businesses all through that area flow to that main line and is forced to the treatment plant by pumps.  Being in the oldest part of the Village the pumps and lines are very old and have been showing their age.  Repairing line breaks over the years is very costly.

Upgrading that system is very important to the progression of Wellsville that is expected in the coming months and years.  Having available a reliable infrastructure makes our Village very attractive to new businesses and residents that want to be part of the action.  With the ever improving source of water provided by the Buckeye Water District these past few years having a reliable, trouble free sewer system is a must for Wellsville to move forward.  Not being forced to spend scarce money with emergencies to repair breaks will be another plus.

Rudzik Excavation of Struthers was awarded the contract to replace the pumps at 2^nd Street and to install a new wet well.  Pictured here is part of the hole dug as part of that project.  A nearby neighbor told us yesterday the water seen seeping in is river water.  Although the hole where the water is seen is only some 20 feet deep it is below the surface level of the river. 

The contract given to Rudzik was awarded last year but with budget restraints and the inability to acquire additional grants the start of the project was delayed.  Village administrators did not answer our e-mail asking for details on the additional funding needed to get this phase started.  Nor was our question about future plans to replace the rest of the forced main answered but that is understandable. It is probably unknown at this time since Village officials are still forced to operate on a very tight budget.   

ole nib

WHS Lady Tigers To Take Their Game To Tournaments

Senior Sarah Skinner with parents Dave
& Michelle Skinner

Senior McKenna Pierson with parents
Sam & Kara Pierson

Senior Maleya Fultz with parents Antonio
Fultz and Sissy Wilson

The Wellsville Lady Tigers Volleyball team wrapped up their regular season schedule this past week with two very impressive victories.  This past Tuesday afternoon they defeated Leetonia in 3 straight matches and then traveled to Lowellville on Thursday to repeat that performance. It was an excellent season for the Lady Tigers. They finished their regular season with a record of 19&3 overall and were undefeated in league play with 12 wins and no loses.  The Tigers are in the Lower Tier of the Inter Tri-County League.  Now it’s on to the tournaments.

The Lady Tigers open up in Ohio Div. IV Northeast Sectional Tournaments in Lisbon tomorrow evening at 7:30.  Their opponent in the opening round is Canton Heritage Christian. 

Three very talented Wellsville seniors played their last match on the WHS home court and were honored at Senior Night last Tuesday.  They are pictured here being recognized with their parents.  The seniors lead the way for an extremely talented team and played some exciting matches over the course of the season.  Wellsville can be very proud of their accomplishments.  They represented the whole Village and their school on a high note all season. 

Good Luck in the tournament Ladies!  You got the talent and the skills.  Show ‘em what a Wellsville Tiger can do…

ole nib

The Bunting House

The Wellsville Historical Society was recently given a box of Bunting family memorabilia that was collected by a Bunting descendant.  Ed & Carol Haywood of Elyria, Ohio visited the River Museum with the generous donation.  The collection belonged to Carol’s late step-mother whose maiden name was Alice Louise Bunting.  Among them was a folder of 8X10 black & white photographs from the early 1950s.

Here is one of the pictures in that collection.  This house was the Bunting House at one time and was located on the corner of Virgin Alley & Main Street.  Virgin Alley runs from Commerce to Riverside between 4^th & 5^th Streets.   The house is long gone and the lot is now a parking lot owned by Center Pharmacy.   The Bunting name goes way back in Wellsville’s history.

Here is a then & now picture.  We remember the house but can’t recall when it was demolished.  In some of the old city directories we have on hand at the River Museum there is no Bunting listed in that section of Main Street.  Any help with the history of the house would be greatly appreciated.

The collection of photographs have been put in a notebook and labeled by Historical Society Bob Lloyd.  It will be available for viewing in the Wellsville Room when regular tours at the River Museum resume.  As time permits we’ll show more of them. 

 ole nib

Beresford Speaks At Mooretown

This past Monday, October 8, was the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Perryville in Kentucky.  There were over 7,000 casualties in that 1862 battle. The 2^nd Ohio Voluntary Infantry played a major role in that battle and their unit suffered 40% casualties fighting against the Confederates over a source of fresh water for their men and horses.  Kentucky was one of four states that remained neutral in the Civil War.

The 2^nd OVI roles were made up of many men from Jefferson County, Ohio.  In the Jefferson County Ross Township area known as Mooretown there is an impressive monument erected in 1871 in honor of the township’s fallen Civil War soldiers.  The monument was dedicated to a whole list of soldiers who died in that battle.  Among them was Thomas George.  Thomas was the son of Robert & Martha George who helped finance and donated the land for the memorial. 

This past Sunday, October 7, the Battle of Perryville was commemorated at the Mooretown Monument.  Wellsville resident Robert Brass Beresford was a guest speaker at the ceremony.  Beresford is a retired Columbiana County Sheriff and Past President of the Wellsville Historical Society.  Among the survivors of the Perryville Battle were Beresford’s great uncle and grandfather. 

John & Robert Beresford’s picture appear on the cover of the recently published book entitled Bully Boys.  The book is a collection of letters written by Civil War soldiers.  There are four letters that Thomas George wrote to his brother and 22 letters written by Civil War Medal-of-Honor recipient William PIttinger in that book.  Pittinger was also from Jefferson County.  His letters were sent to the Steubenville Herald newspaper. 

Beresford briefly reviewed the book and explained how he was related to his ascendants pictured on the cover.  Beresford was named in honor of his Grandfather Robert.  His Great-uncle John Claudius Beresford was instrumental in getting the Mooretown Monument built and his signature appears on the charter issued by the State of Ohio for the memorial. 

The Mooretown Monument is located on Ross Township County Highway 53 four miles east of Bergholz just across from the Happy Lake Resort at George’s Lake.  For more information on the monument visit their web site www.mooretownmonument.com.  The Wellsville Historical Society is in the process of negotiating a deal to make the book Bully Boys available.   

ole nib

Birdseye View of Wellsville

Remember those old, collectable post cards titled "Birdseye View of Wellsville" that were taken about a 100 years ago?  This was taken from an angle that wasn't accessible back then.  Wellsville hadn't yet developed that far west in those days.

This was taken two days ago looking east over the 'ville.  Thanks to the folks that permitted me to tromp through their back yard...

ole nib

Wellsville Tiger Spirit Parade Set For Thursday

It’s time to rekindle the fire and heat up the spirit for the annual “Rumble in the Jungle” as the Wellsville Tigers prepare to take on the Southern Local Indians.  The annual backyard rivalry takes place Friday evening at Southern Local. 

Starting at 7 PM Thursday evening the annual Spirit Parade will start at 9^th Street and proceed to Nicholson Stadium. A bonfire will again light up the excitement for this year’s gridiron showdown.  Join in cheering the Tiger football team on to victory.  

Pictures shown are of last year's parade & bon fire.  

Go Tigers! 

 ole nib

Wellsville Village Council Meets

Memorial Council President Don Brown presents Wellsville
Mayor Susan Haugh a plaque listing the names of Village POWs

 In a brief, 19 minute meeting last night Wellsville Council took care of business and went home.  Except for John Morrow all Council members were present.  Also attending was Fiscal Officer Dale Davis, Village Administrator Thom Edgell, Legal Advisor Andy Beech and Zoning Administrator Rick Williams.  Morrow was reported to be working and was excused. 

In his report, Village Administrator Thom Edgell displayed pictures of water ponding at the doors to the Village Hall basement during rain storms.  With the storm sewer clogged up it would seep under the doors and flood the basement.  Allison Construction installed a new catch basin and cleared the sewer lines which seem to be working.  Except for some landscaping once the dirt settles the Highland Avenue project is completed.  Councilwoman Diane Dinch thanked Edgell for having the yellow curbs painted in the business district. 

In a year-to-date report Zoning Administrator Rick Williams reported that 32 Zoning Permits, 42 contractor licenses, a couple of demolition permits and a couple of vendor licenses have been sold this year.  Mayor Susan Haugh commended Williams for his job well done.

Finance Committee Chairwoman Dinch got approval for the Fiscal Officer to pay bills amounting to $40,383.  She also advised that the committee has met to study updating the Village income tax for 2013.  At that meeting she remarked that the income tax is not being repealed and there is no increases being considered. 

United Water’s Greg Stewart reported that nearly 24 million gallons were treated and discharged in September at the Sewage Treatment Plant.  There was 6.48 dry tons of sludge sent to the approved landfill.  Stewart also reported he has been working with Buckeye Water Asst. Manager Todd Brown to determine the difference in the amount of treated water used in the Village versus the amount of liquid treated at the plant.  For the month of August there was nearly 22 million gallons of waste water treated compared to nearly 13 million gallons of water from BWD used in town.  That is a discrepancy that Village officials have been trying for years to determine the cause.  Stewart remarked that most of it is probably run-off water from rain and added it will probably be costly to determine for sure.  In the meantime Wellsville is paying to have rain water treated.

Stewart wrapped up his report advising the contracting firm doing the first phase of the sewage forced main project has begun setting up at the 2^nd Street location.  There was a meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning to go over the plans.

With legislation ordered in at the last Council meeting a resolution was declared an emergency and place on final reading requesting that the County Commissioners share casino revenues with Wellsville.  Many of the area communities have already passed similar legislation. 

Another resolution was passed to apply for Issue 1 funds for street paving.  Street Committee Chairwoman Tonda Ross advised the money would be used to pave Commerce Street from 9^th to 15^th Street.  If enough money is left in the fund it is hoped to have Third Street from Main to Riverside and Riverside from Third to Fourth Street paved.  Councilman Cataldo remarked that Issue 1 money has been applied for the last three years to do Commerce but it always included installing new catch basins.  Since the new administration found a way to have the catch basins done there should be enough funds to do the paving.  The Salem firm Howells & Baird will be asked to do the engineering for the project. 

The final piece of legislation passed was an ordinance authorizing ODOT to go ahead with upgrading the lighting on the Village’s three intersections to and from Route 7.  It is expected the maintenance of the lighting will then be turned over to the Village once that project is completed. 

Representing the Wellsville Memorial Council, Councilman Don Brown presented a new plaque to the Mayor listing the names of POWs from Wellsville.  The new plaque is larger and easier to read and will be displayed at Village Hall.  Brown has been with the Memorial Council for many years.  The Memorial Council was also responsible for installing the new flag poles at both ends of Broadway Park recently and yearly place the flags along Main Street.

Trick or Treat hours were set for Halloween for 5:30 to 7 PM on October 31. 

The meeting was adjourned at 6:19 PM.  The next regular  meeting will be held at Village Hall on Tuesday, October 16, at 6 PM.   

ole nib