Ashtabula Council Backs Pump Station Grant, Yacht Club Bid and New Trash Routes

The Ashtabula City Council passed six ordinances on a 5 to 0 vote at its Oct. 5 meeting. Council also agreed to prepare a resolution supporting a yacht club grant request. City Manager James Timonere used the pre council session to walk through the new garbage routes, which start today, Monday, Oct. 12. Vice President Russell Simeone and Ward III Councilor RoLesia Holman were excused. New Garbage Routes and Recycling Carts Timonere said garbage will be collected four days a week under the new system. Recycling will be collected on Fridays, alternating between two routes. Garbage is being picked up today on the new schedule, even though city offices are closed for Columbus Day. Residents can find their route on the city website under the Sanitation Department. Three tabs show pickup routes, a map color coded by route and a pickup schedule. Both sides of a street are collected on the same day. The city uses route numbers instead of weekdays because holidays shift collection days. The city expects 6,000 carts in all, with 3,000 for garbage and 3,000 for recycling. About 1,700 to 1,800 had arrived in two shipments as of the meeting. Timonere said he did not expect carts to be delivered this week. Neighborhoods without carts should set out garbage as usual, up to three cans or nine bags, on their new day. Crews will not collect recycling in those areas until carts are delivered and the city says go. Timonere asked residents for patience and said the city will be lenient while crews learn the routes. He encouraged neighbors to help anyone who misses the message. Cart Rules and Resident Questions Each cart carries a serial number registered to a home address. The carts belong to the city. Renters should not take them when they move, and property owners are responsible for any that go missing. Recycling is single stream and must not be bagged. Grocery store plastic bags are not recyclable because they tangle in sorting machines. Garbage must be bagged and sealed, with liquids dumped out first. On windy nights, residents can put recycling out in the morning. Crews are fine with loose bungee cords on the lids. Ward V Councilor Jane DiGiacomo asked whether residents would receive route details with their carts. Timonere said each cart will come with a generic letter on how to recycle. The city cannot print a separate letter for every address, so the website is the main source. The Sanitation Department is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and its number is on the city website. DiGiacomo also asked about Michigan Avenue south of West 19th Street. Timonere said that area was not included in earlier recycling service. Main Avenue Work and the Ribbon Cutting The Main Avenue ribbon cutting has moved from Oct. 22 to next Monday, Oct. 19. Timonere said state officials wanted to attend and were available only that day. He said the city welcomes the attention for the project. Lights on the west side were turned on Friday, Oct. 2. At the meeting, Timonere said crews expected to finish the east side lights that night. He said painting of the striping had started and would continue through Wednesday, Oct. 7. The intersection had been closed since Sept. 28 as of the meeting. Crews poured curbs on Oct. 5 and were preparing for asphalt. Timonere said the road could open early if work stays ahead of schedule. The city planned to keep it closed until painting is done, which avoids the cost of traffic control. Pedestrians cannot cross the intersection but can walk around by way of Park. Storefront work is due by the end of October. Timonere said many are finished and others are in progress. Ward IV Councilor Jodi Mills asked about the sidewalk repair in front of Soiree. Timonere said the basement must be rebuilt, the work is under contract and it is part of the grant, so it will meet the timeline. Legislation Passed 5 to 0 Council handled all six ordinances together on the consent agenda and passed them unanimously. Ordinance 2026-164: Approves current replacement pages to the Ashtabula Codified Ordinances. Ordinance 2026-165: Authorizes change order number one with Koski Construction Co. for the West 19th Street resurfacing project. Timonere put the cost at $67,285.53. About 700 feet of the street was not in the original plan, and crews also made adjustments on Carpenter Road. He said the 2026 paving program is running about $30,000 under budget, which offsets part of the cost. He added that Collins Boulevard could add $13,000 to $15,000. Ordinance 2026-166: Lets the city apply to the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for the Minnesota Avenue storm pump station replacement. The city did not apply in earlier years because of funding. Timonere said the local share would be almost $100,000, with $183,170 in grants and a $50,000 loan. He noted that OPWC loans carry no interest. Ordinance 2026-167: Authorizes buying a small parcel for no more than $384.74 from the Ashtabula County Land Reutilization Corporation for recreational park purposes. The p