Wellman

During a brief council meeting, council member Nathan Klostermann told the group that he is starting a podcast about Wellman. The Advancing Wellman Podcast will feature conversations with local business owners, community leaders and other council members.

Klostermann said he wants to talk with guests about their life stories, what led them to where they are today and their work in the community. He hopes the podcast will help residents get to know the people and businesses shaping Wellman, share information about what is happening in town and perhaps generate new ideas.

“The goal is for it to be very conversational and very informational,” Klostermann said. He explained that the episodes will be less produced than the trailer, which gave him a chance to test what he was capable of and hear how the podcast might sound.

The trailer has been released and is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Klostermann is aiming to release the first episode in October, followed by new episodes every two weeks. He has considered eventually moving to a weekly schedule but wants to start at a pace he can maintain.

“So that I don’t bite out more than I can chew,” he said.

ION Environmental Solutions update

With heavy rain and flooding in the area over the past few days, an ION Environmental Solutions representative updated the council on the city’s water and wastewater systems.

The main concern was whether high water would prevent treated wastewater from discharging properly. When asked if conditions came close to causing a problem, the representative said they came “very close.” He also reported that the water system was operating well.

City administrator Kelly Litwiller said a broken line connected to the sanitary sewer had caused a large sinkhole on 3rd St. She said the city believes water from a storm drain may be entering the sanitary sewer, though it has not determined where the water is coming from.

Sheriff’s report 

Washington County Lt. Aaron Gould gave the council the sheriff’s report. During the discussion, the council asked about two separate incidents involving dogs. 

Gould said one dog bite was still being investigated. In the other incident, a leashed dog lunged at a runner but did not bite her. By the time she returned to the school and the incident was reported, the person walking the dog had left the area.

Gould also said the sheriff’s office is short three deputies and will soon be down a fourth, when a deputy retires in December.

3rd Street

Litwiller gave the council more details about the 3rd St sinkhole. While repairing a broken line connected to the sanitary sewer, crews found clear water flowing from a pipe coming from the north.

Crews reconnected the line so they could repair the street and reopen it. The city plans to investigate where the line comes from when conditions are drier. Litwiller said the wet soil made the work difficult because the sides of the hole kept caving in.

Other business

The water main was discussed and the project is 97% complete.

Klostermann said more than 20 people attended a recent Wellman Community Club meeting about getting involved. Many of them signed up to receive email and text updates.

The council also discussed reports of water in residents’ basements after the heavy rain over the last few days. Some of the sump pumps could not keep up, while other cases appeared to involve rainwater.

Next meeting

The next Wellman city council meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 5, at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.