May 27, 2026: Get the Lead Out
The Rome Common Council voted to borrow $1 million to begin counting the city's lead water pipes. This is a project the federal government is requiring, not one the city chose. Councilors were careful to spell out what the money does and doesn't cover. It pays to locate and map the lead lines, but not to replace a single one of them. The city still doesn't know how many lead pipes it has, replacement work isn't expected to begin until 2028, and so far no state or federal grants have come in to offset that first million.
The council also approved its annual plan for federal community-development money, created a reserve account for future pension costs, and passed a batch of traffic-sign ordinances around Galluppi Court and Highland Avenue. The night's only public comment came from a trails advocate worried about a construction staging area going up next to the new West Rome trailhead days before a 600-rider bike event uses the trail. Two of the council's biggest pending items, a senior-housing project and a pause on battery storage systems, were put off again, both still waiting on the planning board.
What Happened at the meeting
The headline item was a $1 million bond for lead pipes, and the council went out of its way to explain what it actually buys. To walk through this one, Councilor Sbaraglia read aloud an email from Public Works Commissioner Guiliano. In summary, the inventory is mandated by the federal EPA, not the city; the $1 million covers building a required database and planning how to meet the federal rules; and it does not pay to replace any lead lines. That work isn't expected to start until 2028, and the city still doesn't know how many lead pipes exist or what replacing them will cost. The effort to find out by asking residents to self-report has gone almost nowhere. Out of roughly 10,000 water services, only about 200 owners responded over 18 months. The detail worth underlining: the city has secured no grant money to offset this first $1 million, though it has applied, with decisions expected in late August. When replacements eventually happen, the city pays for the public side of the line (up to the curb) and the homeowner pays for the side that runs into the house.
The annual federal grant plan passed. Resolution 67 authorizes the city to submit its 2026 Community Development Block Grant plan to the federal housing department for approval. This is federal money Rome receives each year. Councilor Dursi described it as the city reclaiming dollars for things like sidewalk improvements in lower-income neighborhoods, blight cleanup, and local services. Filing the plan is a yearly requirement to keep the funding flowing.
A new reserve for pensions. Resolution 68 creates a savings account within the city's general fund dedicated to future retirement contributions. In plain terms, they are getting ready to set money aside now against pension costs the city will owe later.
Traffic housekeeping. Several sign ordinances passed without debate: a "No Parking Anytime" sign and "One Way" signs on Galluppi Court, plus weekday daytime parking restrictions on Highland Avenue from Wood Street to the dead end. The council also signed off on street closures for a Connected Community Schools event.
A staging area near the trail drew the only public comment. Bobby O'Brien of Rome Waterways and Trails asked about Ordinance 9875. It grants the Dolomite Group a temporary permit for a construction staging area beside the new West Rome trailhead. Her concern was timing: the permit runs through July 15, and a bike event with more than 600 riders uses the trail the very next day. Commissioner Guiliano said the staging area sits in a mapped zone off the trail itself. It will hold only metal guide rails, not heavy equipment, and he deliberately built in extra time as a buffer. One catch: the map wasn't on hand at the meeting, so the council president noted it wouldn't become part of the official record. Guiliano said the written agreement still spells out the confined area. The permit passed.
Two of the biggest items stayed tabled. The council took no action on two of its biggest pending items. One is the Beeches senior-housing project (Ordinance 9867, at 7900-7902 Turin Road). The other is the six-month moratorium on battery storage systems (Ordinance 9869). Both stayed "tabled" for a future meeting, and both remain on hold pending the planning board.