Council OKs a $233,149 bid for three projects.

Sugarcreek council gave the go-ahead Wednesday to begin the latest round of work on the borough's sewer system.

Members unanimously approved a $233,149 bid from Mortimer's Excavating of Pulaski, the lowest of four bids received.

Construction will begin pending approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for a siphon-chamber cover, approval from DEP and Pennvest for funding and the acquisition of rights-of-way for sewer-line construction.

The bid covers the installation of three flow meters, work on the Meadville Pike-area sewer lines and the installation of a cover on the Washington Crossing siphon.

Officials decided to construct the cover for the siphon instead of raising the chamber's walls, which would have required extensive permitting and would have been more expensive.

The siphon is designed to keep French Creek out of the sewer system and to keep the sewer waste water in.

Also at its regular meeting, council voted to allow no exceptions for payment of water and sewer bills starting July 1 for all the borough's systems.

The borough will no longer provide relief from water and/or sewer bills for properties across the board - including vacant and seasonal dwellings.

Approximately 119 customers currently have had relief from the bills for a variety of reasons, said business administrator Jody Davison.

"Those people are going to be notified that they are going to have to start paying," Davison said after the board decided to provide no exceptions.

"There are people who live in Rocky Grove that go to Florida that pay their bills and don't think anything of it," said vice president Susan Titus.

Also at the meeting, officials reviewed the borough's budget.

Davison said the police and maintenance departments are both operating close to their budgets - with one exception.

"The only line item that appears to go over budget is fuel, which we're all aware of," Davison said. "Not too much to be done about that."

Davison added that the police department brings in money that helps offset fuel costs. The department received a $2,000 contribution that will be applied toward gas costs.

Additionally, money comes into the department from seatbelt enforcement and DUI campaigns, said chief Mark Whitman, who added that officers scrimp when they can.

Some police cruisers may be turned off instead of idling during an upcoming DUI campaign, said Whitman, who has found other ways to save during the operation.

"I have the K-9 dog working the night shift," Whitman said. "So there is less chance of having to use air conditioning for it - it's more out of the car or with the windows down."

"We're going to be over (for the year)," he said. "But we'll probably be able to find (money) from other locations, and still hopefully come in under budget."

In other business: The board will hold a public hearing July 16 for the modification of 2004 CDBG funds.

The board approved a motion to complete repairs to the traffic signal loop at the intersection of Route 8 and the Bi-Lo driveway at a cost of approximately $1,224.