Commissioners will hold work sessions beginning at 6:20 p.m. to discuss the barrel fill and an active transportation plan, meeting in the City Commission Forum in City Hall, 76 E. High St. The formal meeting will follow at 7 p.m.
The talk regarding the barrel fill will include Clark County Health Commissioner Charles Patterson and members of the local group People for Safe Water. They will discuss the industrial waste barrels filled with chemicals dumped decades ago in a portion of the closed landfill at Snyder Domer Road.
The barrel fill is located near a large aquifer that provides drinking water to thousands in the community. The concern is that if the waste is not addressed, it could seep out and contaminate that water source.
“Negotiations to finalize the cleanup of this site have been ongoing for over two years,” Springfield City Commissioner David Estrop said. “This is a serious matter that poses a threat to the safety and good health of those in our community, and it must be resolved as soon as possible.”
A cleanup plan has been proposed that would remove liquid waste from the site and store solid waste in a double lined pit that would be monitored.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice began negotiations with Potential Responsible Parties in 2019 and have yet to finalize a consent decree placing the financial burden on the companies who contributed chemicals to the barrel fill site, according to a news release from the city of Springfield.
In addition to that discussion, city commissioners are expected to conduct several first readings during their public meeting that relate to vacating the first alley south of East High Street from South Limestone Street west to Primrose Alley, vacating the second alley west of Tibbetts Avenue from East Liberty Street north to the first intersecting east-west alley, and vacating the first alley west of Erie Avenue from Auburn Avenue north to the first intersecting east-west alley.
Another first reading would pertain to the purchase of seven 2022 Ford Police Interceptors from the National Auto Fleet Group. The purchase is expected to be more than $286,000.
Commissioners also will consider renewing the city’s parking management agreement with Reef Parking for downtown parking management services for a parking garage on North Fountain Avenue.
Commissioners are expected to vote on those items during their next meeting on Feb. 15.
Springfield commissioners will also be asked Tuesday evening to finance about $548,500 for the purchase of a Sutphen Custom Pumper Truck for the city’s Fire/Rescue Division.
They are also expected to vote to authorize the purchase of two Frazer Type III 14-foot Ambulances from Frazer Ltd., for about $360,200.
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