BWD Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday - January 5: The Buckeye Water District Finance Committee met at the Water Treatment Plant. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss A & L Salvage defaulting on their Ohio Public Works Commission loan payments for their share of a new water line that was installed past their place of business on Route 45. Present at the meeting was Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Bibbee and committee members Bob Wines & Gene McGaffick. Also in attendance was Board President Mike Ryan, District Manager Al DeAngelis & BWD Fiscal Officer Sara Crouch.

A & L Salvage has long been in the news for various environmental violations, closed their doors last year. One of the possible violations investigated by the Ohio EPA was the contamination of ground water affecting the well water of area residents. When the new water line going to the CC Career Center was installed A & L obtained a $260,000 OPWC loan to tap in. The salvage company agreed to make $13,021.85 payments every six months and has failed to do so. The loan has a 10 year repayment schedule at 0% interest.

Since then Columbiana County has been making the payments and recently requested that BWD assume the payments. Fiscal Officer Crouch stated she was advised by County officials that the company is attempting to sell some land from the 382 acres they own to satisfy their debts. County officials have filed a law suit to recover the loan payments. According to a MJ article last March any sale of that land has to be submitted to the Ohio EPA.

Chairman Bibbee stated it is BWD water line, BWD water and recommended the district assume the payments as a favor to the County. The other two committee members agreed and that recommendation will be submitted to the full Board of Directors for their approval at the next regular meeting later this month. If pending litigation is ruled in favor of the County the loan payments will eventually be recovered by the water district.

Before the meeting was closed F.O. Crouch said another Committee meeting will be required before the regular monthly meeting for some budget adjustment items. The date for that meeting will be announced at a later time.

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