T-L Photo/ LENNY WITTENBROOK The village of Flushing council members discuss upcoming repairs and plans.

FLUSHING — Village officials continue to discuss and plan repairs and improvements to the village water and sewer systems as well Schuler Park.

During his April report to council, Village Administrator Kris Chini said that a water leak had been found and repaired on Stratton Lane, noting that the repair had made a noticeable difference at the village’s water tank.

Councilman Chad Sutton, who acts as the village’s water operator of record, said the village had used 2.79 million gallons during March, or about 62.5 gallons per minute. He pointed out that before Chini took over as administrator in September of last year and began aggressively locating and eliminating leaks, that number had been closer to 90 gallons per minute.

In response to a question from Councilman Chuck Nucci, Sutton said he thought this rate was more in line with what the village should be using and is about the same usage as was reported in 2010.

Sutton also presented the annual water consumer confidence report, saying he had included five previous violations, one of which dated back to 2013, in order to clear them out of the system. He noted that all of the violations had been corrected.

Sutton also informed council that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency had introduced a new water test for PFAS, or forever chemicals, that he and Chini would be responsible for.

A question from Councilwoman Sandy Twarog spurred a discussion about the ongoing lead and copper test and survey, with Chini explaining that he would make sure any water customers who needed assistance filling out the forms could call and someone would come out and help them through the process.

Chini said that the forms that had been sent out to customers had the instructions and phone number to call for help, and clearly state that water service could be shut off to ensure participation.

Sutton noted that this was part of a three-year process and the village had to have the current round turned in by October.

Council discussed the findings of an informational meeting held last month with representatives from the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, with the conclusion being that going through RCAP for grants to improve the village’s water and wastewater systems wasn’t feasible since doing so would essentially require the doubling of water and sewer rates in the village.

Nucci was upset that he had to defend himself to residents who believed he was in favor of doing so after hearing secondhand reports of what was discussed at that meeting. All of the other council members agreed there was nothing said at the meeting to indicate they would take on any grants that would require that kind of increase.

Nucci said he and Chini had discussed the village continuing to do smaller, sectional repairs on its own as crews were able and contracting out other, larger repairs if needed.

“We have to find the I and I (inflow and infiltration), that’s what is killing our system,” Chini said, adding that they knew where some of their problem areas were but that overall he was pleased with the progress they had made so far to get their water costs down.

Inflow and infiltration is when ground water or storm water enters a sanitary sewer system, resulting in decreased efficiency of the system and risking the system’s capacity being exceeded.

Mayor Preston Eberhart said he had received information about online training available pertaining to RCAP-related programs if anyone wished to take them, but that they were not required.

Meanwhile, Chini informed council that while inspecting assets at the village’s Schuler Park he and village crews found that the roof of the shelter by the pond was in very bad shape and would require “substantial repairs.”

Councilman Dave Coe asked what the extent of those repairs would be, saying that if the village would purchase supplies he believed he could get the labor provided.

Eberhart said he wanted to get it done soon since it is the shelter the village rents out on occasion and that sees the most use otherwise. Council approved a budget of $1,650 for the project, based on Chini’s estimate.

Twarog reported on a recent meeting of the Park Committee, saying that Chini had provided an estimate of $2,920 for materials needed to convert half of the pavilion by the ball fields into a concession stand as had been discussed during the March meeting.

Twarog said this figure did not include cabinets or a countertop, but that it did include lights and that they planned to contact Flushing Junior Sports about helping with that project.

She added that they planned to see how well they did with the upcoming Lil Hustlers Tractor Pull before deciding whether to proceed with that project. The tractor pull is being held at the park as part of the Flushing Business Association’s Heritage Days on June 22.

She also said Chini had provided an estimate of $5,000 to repair the ceiling and facia of the park amphitheater.

Council approved the committee’s recommendations to rent two handicap accessible port-a-johns for the park through October and to get new rubber mulch for the playground at a cost of $2,000.

Members discussed having lines painted at the tennis court and including pickleball lines as well.

They also planned to move some sand from one of the ball fields to the volleyball pit and to purchase a volleyball net, while Eberhart brought up the possibility of putting up solar-powered lights at the basketball court if they were provided by a resident.

Flushing Village Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in the village offices on High Street.