Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1951-11-02

ment of Health had sent represen-
tatives to appear before Council
urging that some definite action
be taken to proceed with the sew
erage program, for the control of
pollution of the waters of the Por-
tage River and Lake Erie. Each
time they appeared, we advised
them that the cost of a new sew
crage system and treatment plant
were prohibitive, and that we
were working out an alternate
plan, one less costly and that
could be financed. We received a
booklet from the Department OF
Health, showing the status OF
Sewer Rental in Ohio, which list
ed some eighty-eight other Viii
lagos, which already had or were
preparing to adopt Sewer Rental
as a method of financing, inclu IT,
ing the repayment of advance
planning loans, which had been
received from the Government.
We are one of the Villages, which
had received one of these loans
for preparing plans, but the plans
turned out to be too costly, due
to the increased costs of construc-
ton work of this nature. An al
ternate plan, which would save
the people of Port Clinton more
than half a million dollars was
proposed and presented to Coun-
Gil, and with this, together with
advise from the Department of
Health, we had something to
work on.
After eight months of careful
planning and pressure from the
Department of Health, our Solici-
tor drew up Ordinance No. 369.
We carefully analized this Ordin-
ance and after comparison with
the Ordinances of other Villages
and small Cities, we felt that the
alternate plan would be approved
by the Department of Health and
also the method of financing
same.
After this Ordinance was drawn
up, it was presented to Council
and read three times over a
period of six weeks, or three reg
ular sessions of Council, and at
my recommendation, it was tabled
for another two weeks before
Council voted their approval and
passage, giving oCr citizens plenty
of time to voice their approval or
disapproval to Council before
they took final action on the Or
dinance.
Within two weeks after the
passing of Ordinance No. 369, a
petition for a referendum on the
Ordinance was presented to Coun-
Gil. AS this was the first protest
that Council had received against
this method of financing, the Viii
age Clerk was Immediately in
structed to file the petition with
the Board of Elections, SO that the
entire voting public could voice
their opinion, as that is what
Council felt the public wanted.
| Council had given this matter
much thought and attention and
with the continuous pressure
from the Department of Health,
felt that they had given the
people the most economical plan
of financing the project, which
would be fair and to the best in
terest of the people. However,
when the petition was presented,
they felt that it was not par
tisan political issue with them,
when they had passed it, and
were willing to leave the matter
entirely up to the decision of the
voters. The referendum on the
Ordinance is on the ballot, and
the entire purpose of the petition
has ben accomplished.
Your Council is the only legis-
lative body in your local govern
ment with the power to enact or
repeal ordinances, and in no case
| is this power granted to the May
or or any other official, so please
bear in mind that this is not a po.
litical issue, and should not be
used as such in this election.
Carl Becker, Mayor.