City Council moves forward with Lake Breeze projects

Sheffield Lake City Council approved a plan Jan. 24 to seek funds from the Ohio Water Development Authority to replace the water main on Lake Breeze Road.

The project is expected to cost $545,935 and is being done in conjunction with Council’s plan for the repaving of Lake Breeze Road supported with $425,000 in funding from Ohio Public Works.

Sheffield Lake Superintendent Pat Hastings said the city is hoping to replace the water main before the repaving project begins. Once completed, repaving should take place throughout the summer construction season, Hastings said.

These projects fall in line with a desire to replace some of the city’s aging water management infrastructure after experiencing numerous water main breaks over the summer, he said.

“Logically, replacement of the main in advance of asphalt will reduce or eliminate our need to excavate the street in the future — a street historically plagued with water breaks due to aging infrastructure,” Hastings said.

In other business, Council approved water rate increases over the next three years of 3 percent in 2017 and 2018, and 2 percent in 2019.

These increases will allow the city to improve aging infrastructure and will support the five-year Capital Improvement Guide.

The rate increases fall in line with annual increases charged to the city for facility servicing of water infrastructure.

Hastings said the increases represent a 5 cent per unit increase and will cost the average household about 30 cents a month. The increase was discussed in Council over a period of four months

Council also finalized the appointment of Cody Shinsky as a full time dispatcher with the Sheffield Lake Police Department following a resignation.

Shinsky has experience as a part-time dispatcher in Sheffield Village and he was sworn in at the start of Council’s regular session.