IS Ohio Valley Energy Renegging On Its Promises?Ohio Valley Energy (OVE) is the company responsible for the gas well that contaminated an acquifer in Bainbridge caused an explosion in a residential home.
They had promised to install city water for impacted Bainbridge residents, whose water wells have been rendered unusable as a result of their residential drilling.
That water line was supposed to have been installed this summer, according to
Sean Logan, the head of the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
ODNR has total authority and control over gas drilling in the state.
Turns out, it may be a matter of
promises, promises.
ODNR issued this statement this week:
ODNR assembled a meeting with OVE and Geauga County officials on July 31....The County was very agreeable and made concessions to address OVE’s issues. ...Since then, OVE has not made any recent efforts that indicate they are moving forward with the approved plans for the waterline. On Friday, we followed up with a letter ...to OVE, reminding them of our expectations and the August 15 deadline. ...If OVE does not begin construction or make significant efforts to meet the August 15 deadline, ODNR will refer this to the Attorney General’s office for enforcement.
Cristie Wilt
Chief of Communications
Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources
Pre-Election Game-Playing ?
It's always interesting to watch and see how political races shape up. For the Highland Heights council race, the drop dead deadline for candidates to file is Thursday August 20th.It looked like there might be a contest in Ward 4.
Ted Anderson, the incumbent Ward 4 council rep (
and the big booster for the proposed quater million dollar + old pool house renovation project) took out his nominating petition last winter.
Ann D'Amico, a former councilwoman, submitted Ward 4 petitions to the Board of Elections for pre-checking in July. It looked like a real race for awhile, but
D'Amico never followed up. She never took the next step, to have her name officially placed on the ballot. Yesterday, two days before the filing deadline, she disclosed that she wasn't going to run.
The buzz going around town is that
D'Amico's pulling of petitions was all a ruse, to discourage anyone else from challenging
Anderson, who along with
Jamie Pilla and
Frank Legan, have been solid supporters of the mayor for the last two years.
Update: According to the Board of Election's website, a last-minute filer entered the Ward 4 council race. Lisa Stickan of West Mill Drive turned in nominating petitions on August 20th, just a hair's breath before the filing deadline expired.
Looks like Ted Anderson will have a challenger for the Ward 4 seat after all....
An interesting element in this year's race
One interesting aspect has begun emerged, with regard to the candidates whose names will appear on the ballot this fall. Four of them are past or present municipal employees or close family members of municipal employees.
Ted Anderson, the Ward 4 incumbent, is a former service department employee. He worked for a nearby city.
Charles Brunello Jr., a council at large candidate, currently works in the Mayfield Heights Service Department.
Ronald Fornaro Jr's dad is Brunella's boss in Mayfield Heights. Fornaro is also a candidate for council at large.
And Christina Nelson, who is challenging Ward 1 incumbent Cathy Murphy, is married to a Highland Heights fire fighter.
It should be interesting to hear what issues this particular group of four candidates brings forward in the next few months.
In Case You Missed It:
From Judge Gallagher's Opinion in the Bass Energy Suit:
"Section 2 of Resolution 63-2006 (authorizing Mayor Coleman to sign a drilling lease ) states that (it) is contingent upon the approval of... three (well) sites by the City of Highalnd Heights and the commitment of Bass Energy to drill the wells on all three sites. Pursuant to Resolution 63-2006, Defendant's mayor (Mayor Coleman) had no power to enter into the Lease until three locations were selected. Despite the fact that three locations were not selected or approved (of) in writing, the parties (Mayor Coleman and Bass) signed the Lease agreement."
No power, but Mayor Coleman signed the Bass Energy drilling lease anyway---- OH MY.
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