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Public Service Committee backs ODOT bridge fence upgrade, approves final water-meter purchases and joins challenge to AT&T tariff
Summary
The Public Service Committee advanced authorization for Akron to share $288,000 in costs for an 8-foot fence replacement on the State Route 261 Y-bridge, approved the purchase of the final 6,000 water meters from Xylem Inc., put a consolidated underground utility-locating contract on the consent agenda and voted to support a challenge to AT&T—s tariff at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
The Akron City Council Public Service Committee advanced four items Tuesday: participation in an Ohio Department of Transportation bridge rehabilitation that will replace the Y-bridge fence with an 8-foot anti-climb barrier, authorization to procure the city’s final 6,000 water meters from Xylem Inc., permission to bid a consolidated underground utility-locating contract, and a resolution backing the Ohio Municipal League—s challenge to AT&T—s tariff application at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Service Director Chris Lotto told the committee that ODOT will perform extensive surface repairs and replace the bridge fence on State Route 261 (the city’s “Y bridge”). ODOT’s standard fence is a 6-foot galvanized anti-vandalism design; the committee agreed the project should use an 8-foot fence to match the existing height. Lotto said the city agreed to pay the difference between the 6-foot and 8-foot standard, which he estimated at $288,000, and that the full ODOT project is about $4 million. The committee moved the measure forward on a suspension of the rules with a favorable report.
Lotto also described a contract action to allow procurement without formal advertisement to Xylem Inc. for the final 6,000 water meters and transmitters needed to complete the citywide replacement program. He said supply-chain issues delayed some deliveries between the city—s contractor and Xylem; the ordinance would let the city set up accounts with Xylem, hold meters in inventory and finish installations by late spring. The committee approved suspension of the rules so the purchase order can move forward.
On underground utility locating, Lotto said the ordinance will allow the city to publicly advertise for bids or request proposals for a contractor to mark and locate all utilities at once (sewer, water, street lighting and traffic engineering needs) rather than send multiple city crews to the same site. The committee placed that item on the consent agenda.
On telecommunications, the committee heard from the law director and Service Director Lotto about a resolution urging rejection of AT&T—s tariff language at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. According to the law director, AT&T sought tariff changes that would require municipal taxpayers to pay relocation costs for AT&T facilities in public rights-of-way when a public entity asks AT&T to move facilities; the city and municipal organizations object because the proposed language would shift relocation costs to municipalities rather than the carrier or its customers. The committee voted to suspend the rules and give the resolution a favorable report; members discussed sending the resolution to Summit County Council, state legislative offices and the Ohio Municipal League and Attorneys Association.
Committee members asked about warranty and maintenance for the bridge fence (Lotto said ODOT will own and maintain the new fence and hold the warranty), design details for the meters and timing for citizen bill changes tied to a new customer-information system, and whether the AT&T resolution should be forwarded beyond the league. Lotto and the law director said staff would send the resolution to OML, OMAA and other local jurisdictions as appropriate.
