Superior council discusses future of EPA site

Mineral County Planner Tim Read was present at the March meeting of the Superior Town Council to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in town.
According to Read, the EPA is not planning on funding any new start-up projects due to Federal budgeting.
“The first cleanup was done with time critical funding and the EPA has determined the second part of the cleanup (mitigation) is considered a new start up,” Read reported to the council.
The EPA decision prompted Read to approach both the town council and Mineral County Commissioners with a letter he composed urging members of congress to assist in “securing a commitment” from the EPA to fund the final portion of cleanup.
After discussion on the content of the letters, Councilor Angelo Ververis made a motion to approve the letter drafted by Read.
The motion was approved unanimously (4-0, with Nolan Webber and Denyse Traeder absent from the meeting) and was signed by the council.
Read also reported that he is in the process of developing a mapping system for the cleanup which will include all properties in Superior and the surrounding areas.
“The system will have the property information, testing locations, results, type of cleanup etc.,” the official minutes read. “Tim Read asked the council if they would approve part of the costs out of the town’s EPA grant estimated at $2,000.”
Discussion on approving the funds occurred prior to Councilor Ververis making a motion to approve the funding, which passed unanimously.
In other council business, Councilor Kelly Dillon reported that the merry-go-round in Frank James Park is broken and he is concerned it could cause injury.
Roger Wasley told the council he would remove the merry-go-round from the park to see if it needs to be repaired or permanently removed adding he would also look into replacing the broken piece of playground equipment.
Superior Mayor Michael Wood read the February report from the Superior Volunteer Fire Department, who responded to three emergency calls during the month.
On February 19, the SVFD received a call from dispatch about a carbon monoxide detector sounding.
Assistant Chief Rick Miller responded to the page and “determined there was no actual problem but requested the furnace be checked just in any event.”
“It appeared the detector was beeping because the protective strip on the detector’s back up battery had not been removed at the time of installation,” Mayor Wood read.
On February 28, the SVFD received a call for a structure fire on Spirit Walk Lane.
“This location is in St. Regis’s fire district but as per an agreement with St. Regis, both departments were dispatched,” Mayor Wood read. “The same agreement applies to locations on the west end of the Superior rural fire district.”
When the call came through, Assistant Chief Miller was conducting a Firefighter One Course so “the response was almost immediate.”
On route the SVFD was informed the structure was fully engulfed and when they arrived the first thing the department did was ensure no one was in the building.
“From there we focused on preventing fire spread to adjacent structures and vehicles,” Mayor Wood read.
“St. Regis arrived after us with an engine, tender and three firefighters.”
A member of the SVFD was injured fighting the blaze but according to the report the department does not “anticipate any long term impact.”