By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The Bowling Green Board of Public Utilities agreed Monday evening to split the tab on sewer improvements that will allow the Brathaus bar to expand.
Doug Doren, owner of the bar at 115 E. Court St., wants to expand the existing building to the north. The city has been working with Doren to relocate the existing city sewer that is partially underneath the existing building. The expansion would also be over the sewer, according to Brian O’Connell, director of public utilities for the city.
O’Connell explained to the board Monday evening that both the city and property owner will benefit from the sewer relocation. Doren will be able to move forward with the building expansion, and the city will have a new accessible sewer that will be within a utility easement. The sewer also serves other customers in the area.
Originally, Doren was going to cover the full price tag for the sewer relocation. However, the costs will be higher than first expected.
So O’Connell proposed a 50/50 split on the anticipated $50,000 cost.
At the same time, the city’s electric division plans to have work performed in the utility easement to relocate the overhead electric lines to underground service. This would allow for the removal of the large self-supporting pole that is located in the sidewalk on the south side of East Court Street, O’Connell said. The cost for the electric work is estimated at $50,000. The city will pick up that entire tab, since it is the sole entity to benefit from that work.
Doren would like to work on the bar expansion in April, so the city plans to complete the sewer and electric work this winter.
City Council heard the first reading on this project last week. Second and third readings will be requested at the Dec. 5 meeting, O’Connell said.
In other business on Monday, the board of public utilities adopted a resolution supporting the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Government’s efforts to provide interconnection of water services in emergency situations.
O’Connell explained that he revised the TMAGOC resolution to reflect Bowling Green’s position.
“Emergency connections are a good thing. We support that,” he said.
However, the resolution was originally written for Toledo and its water customers. The resolution supports a regional water system approach as Toledo moves forward with water plant improvements to the city system.
“While Bowling Green is not part of the Toledo water system, we do have an interest in supporting emergency interconnections between the water systems,” O’Connell said.
“Bowling Green supports a redundant water infrastructure and interconnectivity between neighboring water systems to ensure safe drinking water in emergency situations,” the revised resolution said.
Mayor Dick Edwards said “discussions have been going on months on end,” on the water issue with TMACOG. He agreed that building redundancies in the system makes sense.
Also at the meeting, it was reported that the city electric division worked on Thanksgiving day on a transformer at Southeastern Container, so the plant would not have to shut down operations any other day. The transformer was back in service the day after Thanksgiving, while city crews finished up the work.
