Muskingum River nitrate testing called off
A proposal to test the level of nitrates in the Muskingum River above and below the Devola area has been scrapped for now at the recommendation of Washington County’s health commissioner.
Dr. Richard Wittberg had previously encouraged the county commissioners to have Marietta College biochemistry professor Jim Jeitler test the river’s nitrate levels in response to an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency order to construct a sanitary sewer system in Devola.
“But my boss, Dick Taylor (chairman of the county health board) thinks the health department should step out of the picture,” Wittberg said during Thursday’s county commission meeting.
“So I’m retracting my encouragement to have this study done,” he said.
The health board is apparently concerned about becoming too involved in the county’s controversy with Ohio EPA over sewering or not sewering the Devola area.
In 2012 the Ohio EPA blamed a high level of nitrates discovered in Devola’s groundwater on a number of failing septic systems in that area. Groundwater there flows into the Muskingum River.
But the county commissioners have taken exception with the agency’s orders, citing private property rights of Devola residents and concerns about the cost to sewer the community.
Wittberg suggested testing the Muskingum River nitrate levels above and below Devola could help determine what impact any nitrates from the community may have on the river.
“My assumption was that there would be no difference in those nitrate levels,” he said.
Wittberg added that river tests could possibly still be conducted if needed as the county is facing possible litigation from the Ohio Attorney General in order to force the commissioners to comply with the Ohio EPA findings and orders.
Following Thursday’s meeting, county commission president Ron Feathers said he had received a proposal to have a river nitrates level study performed, but he had never brought that proposal before the commission for a public discussion.
“At this time, no matter what we do it won’t make a difference to the Ohio Attorney General or to the EPA,” he told Wittberg Thursday, noting the state will likely uphold the Ohio EPA’s orders to install the sewer system.
Feathers added that, if the county does have to build the sewer system infrastructure, a law firm with expertise in that area should be hired to help determine how the best way to do the project.
In other business Thursday, Washington County Job and Family Services Director Tom Ballengee told the commissioners that a memorandum of understanding is being completed with three other counties to shift one-stop employment services to the job and family services office.
“Washington County’s MOU is fully done, but the other three counties still have to complete their memorandums,” Ballengee said.
The one-year contract is with the Ohio Valley Employment Resource that operates through Ohio Means Jobs centers in the four-county region including Washington, Morgan, Monroe and Noble counties.
Ballengee said the MOU would establish Washington County as the lead for the four-county district.
“Once this is done we’re ready to go with the one-stop center on July 1,” he said.
The commissioners approved the MOU Thursday.
“We want this to be successful for area businesses and for job seekers,” said commissioner Rick Walters. “We have to get employers and job seekers in the same room.”
He said once the one-stop center is officially established at Jobs and Family Services, 1115 Gilman Ave., the commissioners should have an open house there for small businesses to become acquainted with what the center has to offer.
The one stop job center was previously operated by Washington-Morgan Community Action.
Upcoming dates
¯ The Washington County Courthouse will be closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.
¯ The Washington County Commissioners will next meet at 9 a.m. Thursday in the commission meeting room at the courthouse annex.
¯ All commission meetings, except executive sessions, are open to the public.