[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6085347,"mediaKeyId","2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7","parentId",2903846,"title","Council signals support for another Maumee River water-quality grant application","audioSeconds",188,"startMs",2011000,"endMs",2199000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7&start=2011&end=2199","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7/thumbnail_2011000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6085347/Ohio/Council-signals-support-for-another-Maumee-River-water-quality-grant-application","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085347-68da295557d17752945344456c7c9c81/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057748&Signature=axBOERM~T-yalGpvjR053wdGAIjT7i7sUyl4FB~LU8zHR8mvr55tzAdPeG0RzXyA9dK2vAu1BCkodR9DbwcFu~8GUUnVGylA9iSTxB016MjbvfD-eWKIQuINL4Uhb0xJ8b82eoZGlD4vhowx10AT3wHP-kQjMUQQGifP86fVtxm3PSyBSiA2nSDz-yYpXkA2bSit1zqdiciIbA9glllNoaqfJn7lXrlP6Kkr5lVBbiubx7SBX31fMebC4xduaiRlrk9HL6COB6~rXLvE62JLauliz7CGXJ0Kw8xdukLMDq3-im6PFp747tQhVhOUGYUs834p8NOUYaTev25v3GRNow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Defiance, OH ","date","2025-04-09T03:30:09.217Z","article","At the meeting Ben McCann (identified in discussion as mayor) described a multi‑year water-quality project originally funded through a grant applied for by Defiance College with support from Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s office. McCann said the current grant is ending and that the college’s grant writer, Bobby Mills, indicated the next application must come from the City of Defiance rather than the college.

McCann said the proposed application would seek another three‑year grant to continue water-quality sampling and on‑the‑ground practices such as small ditches and swales that have supported improvements to source water in the Maumee River. He asked council for informal support to proceed with preparing the grant application because the formal ordinance or approvals could not be completed before the grant deadline.

Council members expressed general support. Council member Resty said, “I think it's a worthwhile project. I support that.” Council member Mas and others signaled support during the discussion. McCann said the grant is not “zero cost” to the city but that it does not require a large capital outlay; he said staff time and coordination would be necessary and that further details would be provided as the application progresses.

The meeting record does not include a formal vote or ordinance authorizing the grant application at this session; McCann asked for a head‑nod of support to proceed with application preparation so staff could meet the impending deadline. Details about matching requirements, final budget, the specific grant program name and the submission deadline were not specified in the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Defiance, OH Council Meeting 4.8.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members gave informal support for the city to submit a three-year water quality grant application in partnership with Defiance College and Congresswoman Kaptur’s office; formal ordinance or matching requirements were not specified at the meeting.","taxTitle","Defiance City Council , Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio","taxId",71646,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6085351,"Council adopts construction services contract for wastewater plant improvements",0,2532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7&start=2532&end=2532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7/thumbnail_2532000.jpg","/articles/6085351/Ohio/Council-adopts-construction-services-contract-for-wastewater-plant-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085351-e5776067b3c375d9563cbbf0bec36bc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057748&Signature=jRknbYV2D7ZfmosKdkj8jo6Bzmmv59ukPI869h~QMQ~yJQYfDz~A-EBDKo4qahGTeXHCAhjc8TgAqmO8PnpaSjFGWoLeaA7SyH-TasNmxEsLhPF3AuS3jnUjzxauiswhH1R3A0VdgaChvvt-t9r01TLBAqD7ZnO4KxMBNTgNGVUEFnTJZH~omSZMl~HZVCG2W4ZL6xc37lNfYIG4NmsAImol7WQ3hIovz8LCs0R6osSJYdPF1F2Zhu5KIgZpkhTOI7gVJYxC4P5GuO~U5u733rRe4wNe8ld~JazOv5QCB5iLgIOvHS~lGFkNWCi62vyYwBVYdAkUXznsV9kcaq1izw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council member Mack presented first reading by caption to authorize a construction services contract for water pollution control plant improvements and to declare an emergency. Mark Leonard, the city’s water pollution control superintendent, described the contract scope and schedule.

The ordinance authorizes construction‑phase services — construction monitoring, project administration, submittal review, construction progress meetings, pay‑application review, equipment start‑up and training, operation and maintenance manuals, record drawings and post‑construction consultation — to support work on a new headworks building, a bypass, and a septic receiving station. Leonard said the construction cost estimate for the related work is about $4,700,000 and advised that using $5,000,000 is a reasonable rounded estimate during planning.

Leonard told council that the project is tied to a WPCLF (Water Pollution Control Loan Fund) construction loan and that the project schedule submitted to Ohio EPA aims for construction completion by 2027. “We have to answer to EPA. We are under a deadline of what we submitted … and what we submitted to Ohio EPA,” Leonard said.

Council member Mast sought confirmation that the contract covers monitoring once construction is underway; Leonard said the services cover construction monitoring and related tasks and that bid opening is planned in June with an award targeted by Aug. 1. Leonard also said the septic receiving station will allow the city to accept septage at controlled times and that it will generate modest revenue when operational.

Council member Engel moved to adopt the ordinance; Council member Rusty seconded. The council held roll-call votes on the motions to suspend the call and to adopt. The roll call on adoption recorded votes in favor by: Hancock (yes), Uresti (yes), Mast (yes), Wexler (yes), Krech (yes), Engel (yes), Corbett (yes), and others recorded as yes on the roll call. The ordinance was adopted and declared an emergency.

The council discussed that the contract with Strand & Associates will continue the firm’s role from earlier design and EPA negotiations into the construction phase; Leonard said the firm will be available to respond during bidding and construction, review bids, and assist with start‑up and training.

No funding appropriation detail beyond the loan source (WPCLF construction loan) was presented at the meeting; Leonard said the work will be rolled into the same loan as prior wastewater work and referenced the 2027 deadline for required schedule items with Ohio EPA.","Council approved a construction services contract extension with Strand & Associates to provide construction-phase services for headworks and a septic receiving station; council members voted to adopt the ordinance and declared an emergency.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6085356,"Defiance consultants present two riverfront concepts after yearlong public process",1678,129000,1807000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7&start=129&end=1807","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2903846-8bb5ce7ba6ed6fd3d30874d0e9ac40c7/thumbnail_129000.jpg","/articles/6085356/Ohio/Defiance-consultants-present-two-riverfront-concepts-after-yearlong-public-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085356-9a5f3e57577aa1acfa70991505f224d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057748&Signature=XAiHxMhgCNNh5vVvdMa9pHnwWqj1IOkhNqTZxkPzKxCt4Zo0SmQpYmYEPI-NRmJ6UEDDE1rzxCowtpIboGwrSJw3Gq2wkgcbgC68U037DWrcML~VL3s1JHrvS1KTp5RmVG22UFakrse-ki-mogA8qVxJEV0QL5BbrEaER4pAKDFfHz0U57HUNnhdNEredeE5mxaDyzZy8OXbUgEbxQ-YHMDyachZ8Q~g2cfrDAoRqZmpzngkO4EW4wZzhkbOkfS2Cd3ChIYSDCqP6HL98S-7HhOp8P0RsLUUGM8A~Oz4-8o6EPKg6MJchYLChUmTmZyI7zxuR5izzfz7AslKaGJuDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nathan Daigle, a consultant with JPR and lead on the project, told the Defiance City Council that the parks and riverfront master plan process has produced two final concepts after nearly a year of outreach and four public surveys.

The presentation, introduced by Nikki Boronke, summarized Phase 1 and Phase 2 work — inventory, site visits, steering-committee meetings, public workshops and survey rounds — and focused on two competing concept packages for the riverfront and for 20 parks across the city. “Tonight we will go through kind of an overview of the project, where we've come today, and we'll also look at a couple of the concepts that have been developed for the riverfront,” Daigle said.

The nut graf: The consultants said the process produced broad public input — roughly 2,000 participants across events and surveys — and that the next step is to combine elements of both concepts into a final, implementable master plan with an associated partnering and operations framework that lists costs, responsible parties and permitting considerations.

Key elements presented included a proposed pedestrian connection across the Maumee River, Centennial Plaza at Clinton Street Bridge, boardwalks and trails, kayak launches and expanded event lawns. Concept 1 emphasizes a pedestrian landing in the fort grounds, a botanical garden in Pontiac, an event lawn and a smaller event center; Concept 2 shows a larger event center overlooking the confluence, marsh/naturalized areas in Kingsbury, additional boardwalks and options for boat docking downtown. The consultants said Concept 1 led Concept 2 in the closed survey by about 60% to 40%, but many respondents mixed features from both concepts in comments.

Council members asked for specifics about maintenance, operating costs and timing. Council member Hancock asked whether the implementation framework will include maintenance requirements; Sydney King, a consultant on the project, answered that “each park is then broken down by each task” and that the implementation section will list operational impacts such as manpower and ongoing cost for each action item. Council member Uresti said he favors seeing cost estimates before making judgments about priorities; Daigle confirmed the implementation package will provide budget estimates for each line item and an overall budget.

The consultants described Phase 3 as the period to merge preferred features into one final concept, produce 3-D renderings and create a partnering/implementation plan that identifies quick wins, capital projects and potential partners for funding or delivery. They also said they are considering flood risk and FEMA‑owned parcels in siting features and emphasized placing higher-investment items where they can better withstand periodic inundation.

The presentation named parks by site (Kingsbury, Bronson, Reservoir, Pontiac, Buckman, Holgate, Riverside and others) and highlighted frequently requested amenities from the surveys: improved connectivity, an event lawn, boat launches/docks, and an outdoor education or nature center. The consultants said some sites will keep current recreational fields while adding pathways, overlooks, shelters and program elements requested by respondents.

City staff and the steering committee will review the consultant team’s draft final report and the implementation framework; the consultants said they will return with a consolidated final concept and the full report for the council and the public.

The presentation closed with an invitation for questions and continued public feedback as the consultants finalize renderings and the implementation plan.","Consultants from JPR reviewed two concept designs for the parks and riverfront master plan, reported engagement results from four surveys and nearly 2,000 participants, and said a single merged concept and implementation framework will follow.","actionData","errors"]

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Council signals support for another Maumee River water-quality grant application

Council adopts construction services contract for wastewater plant improvements

Defiance consultants present two riverfront concepts after yearlong public process