St. Marys City Council has approved moving forward with the replacement of aging fuel storage tanks used by the city’s General Services Department.

During its Monday, September 28 meeting, council approved legislation under suspension of the rules allowing the city to purchase new fuel tanks and related equipment without going through the competitive bidding process.

City officials said the existing tanks are approximately 30 years old and have begun leaking in recent months.

Gasoline and diesel fuel have already been removed from the tanks and transferred to other storage while the city works toward replacing them.

Officials cited a roughly 14-week lead time for the new tanks as one reason for moving quickly. That timeline would put delivery near the beginning of winter, when city snowplows and other equipment will depend heavily on the city’s fuel supply.

The replacement tanks are also expected to provide additional storage capacity, which officials said could allow the city to purchase larger quantities of fuel at potentially lower per-gallon prices.

Council also heard a zoning change request involving two lots at 315 Freewalt Way.

The approximately 3.237-acre property is currently zoned C-2 General Commercial. The request would change the zoning to I-2 Light Industrial.

The request will now go before the St. Marys Planning Commission. If approved by the commission, the matter would return to City Council for final consideration.

Council also held a second reading on an emergency resolution authorizing an application for a Transportation Alternatives Program grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation for Phase 5 of the Spring Street Reconstruction Project.

That resolution is expected to return for a third reading and vote at council’s next meeting.

Council also approved a resolution accepting tax rates determined by the Auglaize County Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies. City officials said the levies represent approximately $279,000 for St. Marys.

Another resolution moving through council would formally clarify the name of Yorkshire Court. Officials said the street is identified as Yorkshire Drive on a plat, despite having long been known as Yorkshire Court.

The city’s next council meeting has also been moved from Monday, October 12, to Tuesday, October 13, at 5:15 p.m. in council chambers.