(Photo by Gwen Sour) Councilman Jon Grimm, right, explains the sewer replacement project on Acme Street during Monday evening’s special Marietta City Council meeting.

Marietta City Council approved several ordinances related to seasonal hiring, utility infrastructure financing and budgeting transfers during a special meeting Monday evening at the Armory.

Council adopted Ordinance 27 (26-27), an emergency ordinance that authorizes the city to apply for and enter into a revised cooperative agreement for up to $1.48 million in supplemental loan funding through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Water Development Authority. According to the ordinance, the funds will support continued administrative and construction services and forever chemical treatment for the city’s reverse osmosis water treatment plant project. Forever chemicals is the name given to a family of chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

“The ordinance is to authorize borrowing funds to continue the engineering and administrative support for the water treatment plant,” said Councilman Jon Grimm. “It also includes somewhere around $300,00 for the preliminary design for the PFAS addition, which we will need to pursue grants or other funding for construction.”

Council adopted Ordinance 16 (26-27) and Ordinance 17 (26-27), creating temporary seasonal labor positions in the Public Works Department to assist with cemetery maintenance and work at the Marietta Harbor. The positions will be filled through Washington County Job and Family Services employment programs.

During discussions on the positions, Councilman Ron Wesel said the goal was to move quickly so seasonal workers can be in place for the spring season.

“Trying to get everything ready so they can be ready to hire people on April 1,” said Wesel.

Council also approved Ordinance 26 (26-27), an emergency ordinance authorizing the city’s director of public safety and service to apply for and enter into a cooperative agreement with the Ohio Water Development Authority for a Fresh Water Design Loan for the Acme Street water main and sanitary sewer improvements project for $2,166,557.

“This is an ordinance to proceed with water line replacement and some sewer line repairs to be in conjunction with Acme Street improvement,” said Grimm. “I believe this is a time-sensitive thing.”

Council members suspended the third reading and adopted the ordinance during the meeting.

An ordinance appropriating and transferring funds among several city accounts was also approved.

The transfers included $3,886.01 within the general fund for police uniforms and clothing; $23,919.37 from an unappropriated fund to the Sandra and Sylvia Jones donation fund; $167,250 from the street fund for curbs, walks and highways; $9,500 from the state highway fund for street, curb and sidewalk projects; $6,995 from the law enforcement trust fund for equipment.

Council suspended the third reading and adopted the ordinance unanimously.

The next regularly scheduled Marietta City Council meeting is March 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Armory.