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Water Pollution Control budgets apprentices, maintenance and hazmat lines amid staffing questions
Summary
Council and city staff discussed the Water Pollution Control 2025 budget: increased professional services, hazmat/disposal lines, pump station maintenance, and plans to budget four sewer‑service apprentices in 2025 while noting current vacancies.
Council reviewed the Division of Water Pollution Control’s 2025 budget and staffing needs, with staff explaining increases in professional services, hazardous-materials contingencies, SCADA and plant maintenance, and entry-level apprenticeship positions.
The division reported an unencumbered cash balance of about $23,200,000 at the end of 2024 and projected roughly $22,000,000 by 2029 under its five‑year plan, the director told the committee. Under professional services staff cited recurring needs: pump-station maintenance, landscaping and youth programming; staff said some prior year savings made the 2025 ask appear larger than recent unaudited spending.
The division expects to budget four sewer-service-worker apprentices for 2025. “We're hoping 4 more sewer service worker apprentices in 2025,” the director said, adding the program is negotiated with the unions and includes classroom and on-the‑job training; staff confirmed applicants do not have to be Cleveland Metropolitan School District students but officials prefer Cleveland residents. Council members asked that the administration share outreach materials and apprenticeship counts so neighborhood schools and community partners can connect candidates with openings.
Council questions focused on select line items: the division reported larger planned maintenance and SCADA spending to address aging control panels at treatment plants; hazardous-materials and debris budget items were described as intentionally conservative because unknowns arise once crews begin excavation or repairs. Past one‑time purchases — protective trench boxes, heat‑stress equipment and gas detectors — explained prior year spikes in materials and supplies lines; the division said these purchases returned those lines to a lower recurring level in 2025.
The director and CFO agreed to provide details on capital outlays and maintenance contracts for prior years; council members requested a recap of inspections and connection-investigation counts (curb-to-house investigations) and asked the law department and staff to clarify the municipal authority to inspect or require repairs that extend from the curb versus the property line.
Ending: The committee asked Water Pollution Control staff to provide a detailed apprenticeship outreach plan, clarify historical capital/maintenance outlays for 2022–2024, and provide counts and outcomes for recent connection investigations.
