[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6168745,"mediaKeyId","5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32","parentId",5406920,"title","Spectrum awarded ORBEC 2 grant to bring fiber to four Lorain County townships","audioSeconds",82,"startMs",2968000,"endMs",3050000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32&start=2968&end=3050","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32/thumbnail_2968000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6168745/Lorain-County/Ohio/Spectrum-awarded-ORBEC-2-grant-to-bring-fiber-to-four-Lorain-County-townships","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168745-b441b1dd127745e99afda9d5f4b63ff9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776139984&Signature=WBkkMroBIehb8CezzYI870-shXTXCkVQdy0ZrfkvXZ0wdDQ9XZWkjoWftTRd6~113pK1LRIqvr6sEt0DHnp4GTipGfMvUuzaXGxow6pp1Xs-oNMVgtRfPIw3aU-rMbvl6QtfyWH3jN7GN8Dg5Uyw1JVBeC3t1CKs9wHIiCOB3gb9Aop~hULNtjWORpn0vKTGXiDo2r4HxCNcY35HZJkRCQYT0mPuMypD9aDN6ZgcZBEMHpSxul6dmjwHdi38vVEPES-KJDVIIAGevOn712LUmULdyZpYvZIy8u1sCsd2XhT3jW4-CQrq7P8i0HVk69d3BCOwLO4YRtk4ni9DnadEpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lorain County OH","date","2025-07-16T09:21:15Z","article","A Spectrum representative told the Lorain County Board of Commissioners on July 15 that the company received an award under Ohio’s Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program (ORBEG 2) to bring fiber-based internet service to unserved or underserved parts of four Lorain County townships.

Public commenter Sandra Williams, who identified herself as representing Spectrum Charter Communications, told commissioners that the award covers Eaton Township, Grafton Township, LaGrange Township and New Russia Township and will pass approximately 285 locations over about 28.8 fiber route miles. She said the estimated build cost is about $1.6 million and that Spectrum will contribute financially to the project in addition to the grant award.

Williams thanked commissioners for a letter of support the county provided to BroadbandOhio and said design work for the project had begun; the project’s completion deadline is December 2026 under the state grant terms. She said the list of addresses included in the award is available on the BroadbandOhio website and that she could email a copy to commissioners.

Why it matters: The ORBEG 2 round is intended to fund last-mile broadband infrastructure to improve household internet access speeds in areas lacking reliable high-speed service. Williams said the service standard being provided is 100 Mbps symmetric (100 by 100).

Action and next steps: This presentation was made during the public-comment portion of the meeting; commissioners did not take formal action on the item during the session. Staff and the company may coordinate design and implementation as the build progresses toward the state-mandated completion date.

Ending: Commissioners thanked the commenter. County staff did not identify any additional county funding for the project during the meeting; the speaker said Spectrum would also contribute to the build cost.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners' Board Meeting 7/15/25","oneSentenceSummary","A public commenter representing Spectrum told commissioners that the company received an award under Ohio’s Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program (ORBEG 2) to build roughly 28.8 fiber miles serving about 285 locations across Eaton, Grafton, LaGrange and New Russia townships; the project must be completed by December 2026.","taxTitle","Lorain County, Ohio","taxId",4370,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168750,"FAA advertises 315-acre land release; commissioners say airport master plan update on track for November",98,2573000,2671000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32&start=2573&end=2671","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32/thumbnail_2573000.jpg","/articles/6168750/Lorain-County/Ohio/FAA-advertises-315-acre-land-release-commissioners-say-airport-master-plan-update-on-track-for-November","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168750-df3b92e6c569a8a1d9fbf2dbada60d1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776139984&Signature=D3GX9P-U-hay6M5iLoTUPS4DWLZetvxJ1UPcr~~aK9dWjxUmJboMLgPWXCfnExDf5NnyxgjeDyPeSbTE7KIWo8fGPw5QM998ZLg4pMa1nJqLehJUPksZuOtNJv~~m7RhvTGTwFYp6Onr9lc5AeXqMjLazT5wUi5hq-s~wrpTUIHFoFxc2ln3YeYkOuxsy3nMP91YyVIE8TaPuztyW88-hLu7iXm7vYD46nnN2bJ0MhFqmRpBUUGmIgklYB5oafzr6rU53ZJ4-xcrdMUn8PuW~tTng4eMTTEOnE0tbOCeukN8t4JXLlxb8EGIEUTSv5KD03bESdXZ1XdDXXR-PnilRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lorain County officials told the Board of Commissioners on July 15 that the Federal Aviation Administration has published a federal-register notice to release roughly 3.15 acres of aeronautical land, clearing a step needed before the county can use the parcel for non-airport economic development such as a mega-site.

An airport official said the FAA’s notice begins a 30-day process after which the land could be released to the county. The official reminded commissioners that any proceeds from sale or lease of released airport property must be reinvested into the airport, a federal requirement tied to past airport grant assurances.

Master plan update and timing: County staff reported the airport master plan update — which must be completed before certain development decisions — remains on schedule and that the FAA has already approved the forecast portion of the plan. Staff said the full master plan update is expected to be complete and presentable to the board by Nov. 1, 2025.

Community and planning outreach: Officials described a New Russia Township planning group meeting that included township officials, farmers and other local stakeholders; the county said the township’s planner from Columbus welcomed proactive engagement and commended local officials for preparing zoning and planning ahead of potential county-initiated development.

Why it matters: A federal land release and an updated master plan are prerequisites to repurposing specific airport parcels for non-aeronautical uses. The county indicated it retains about 650 acres for airport use and expansion after the release, preserving capacity for future aviation needs.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the update; staff said they will continue coordination with FAA and township planners and will present the master plan update in the fall for board consideration.","County officials reported that the Federal Aviation Administration has advertised the release of 3.15 acres of aeronautical land to the county and that the airport master plan update — required before major non-aeronautical development — is scheduled for completion by Nov. 1, 2025.",{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168755,"Microtransit service reduced after Chrysler Pacifica recall; county, vendor plan temporary driver-owned-vehicle program",114,2373000,2487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32&start=2373&end=2487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32/thumbnail_2373000.jpg","/articles/6168755/Lorain-County/Ohio/Microtransit-service-reduced-after-Chrysler-Pacifica-recall-county-vendor-plan-temporary-driver-owned-vehicle-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168755-e7eaee96a69f78ac4ad2da109d2f54ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1776139984&Signature=AHcWU7AoCdEGx3LuDGo1~iATTY~FePdb2XlZwdDlaL90Ed5otPo6KrrPeZRE6K0GerLqKwLOXYbMaqgv5J6hhrYKtYd317aT~D~Rj4Mr~~7kINHcd78tOIKIiacvRnSsQIWC-nZ1JxkQi1DhgK2W5PHBrf7e9Vnq1oNEgx8TBt5ZJsBJ78L8Fja7LAk1keOEBgGucZRB1yqftooRJOt8qUQj6E-innxVYzoaryiba6qHIbnfFtHbDjZ531CyjHtop5E-lk60aXs31QQGFQnlWc6RVXdYLtDc5fZ6vfkun4rmtkI9XKEc6-xj3xtAvcSlW2LPD8PGfmP-3D9og9okrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lorain County officials reported a reduced microtransit service July 14–15 after Chrysler issued a recall affecting Pacifica minivans used in the county’s shared-ride fleet. County staff and the contracted vendor, Via, presented a temporary plan that would allow drivers to use qualifying personal vehicles with vendor-supplied signage while vehicles are under recall repair.

A county staff speaker described how the vendor notified riders by text and posted updates on county and municipal transit web pages. The vendor recommended a temporary program “where the drivers bring their own vehicles” and place county/vendor magnets on qualifying cars, the staff report said.

Service impact and timeframe: Staff said the reduction in service was noticeable on the day following the recall notice and estimated the temporary arrangement would run approximately 30–60 days while recalled vehicles are repaired and returned to service. The county said the program should not increase the county’s contract cost; Via is expected to compensate drivers for mileage and any additional expenses.

Eligibility and safeguards: The temporary program includes vehicle eligibility criteria: vehicles must be no older than two years, have four doors, be a sedan, SUV or minivan, be clean and smoke-free, and carry appropriate insurance. Via will administer driver compensation under the terms of its vendor contract.

Why it matters: Microtransit provides on-demand rides in parts of Elyria and Lorain that are not served by fixed-route buses. Staff called continuity of service important and described the proposed solution as a vendor-driven temporary fix that preserves rider access while the fleet is repaired.

Questions and oversight: Commissioners asked how many drivers and vehicles are involved; staff said there are 13 county-assigned vehicles across Elyria and Lorain and estimated roughly 20 drivers involved systemwide. The county said it will monitor service levels and require the vendor to comply with the temporary program’s vehicle and driver standards.

Ending: Commissioners accepted the update and said staff and the vendor should report back if the repair timeline changes or if costs shift to the county.","Lorain County transit officials reported service reductions after Chrysler recalled Pacifica minivans used in the county’s microtransit fleet. Vendor Via proposed a temporary program allowing drivers to use qualifying personal vehicles to continue service while recalled vehicles are repaired.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168759,"Commissioners approve $1 million advance from stormwater fund to bridge grant reimbursements",43,270000,313000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32&start=270&end=313","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32/thumbnail_270000.jpg","/articles/6168759/Lorain-County/Ohio/Commissioners-approve-1-million-advance-from-stormwater-fund-to-bridge-grant-reimbursements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168759-5e7e4ff30aef1a3e1942e76dbae6374b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776139984&Signature=GP9Xp5mBsiNZP7eNa1VZ1S5hAa8z3nPnmdyovKv~skVQPN6X0-wO4pHwgoXWuOl6vI-ZKiLoeZPFcL1uhnsF8AsMDPR8CvGYMccmisuq6StOGrw7EqJOzmahb4lvw9Vbw046ywnA5wdyg5Ax5Q9SN3YjbP-wbEUercSQnacB4Iz3SIOGwE-b1GqOsiYJXO1rCtjz854gstz4bttBYSOYlipJZEfLXXKcD1F3X-3zO22ZAufohPFrhqOYOOXSy-bjSUo9EN2xJ4Gmhu9ttuHpTrRaKwbvlCn-aFsU8EUg4IuM6h78FPAmVOenHEnbKtrkZWmazl0R0IMkCKOIZ7pRfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lorain County Board of Commissioners approved a $1 million advance from the county stormwater fund on July 15 to provide working capital for watershed and stormwater projects while state and federal grant reimbursements lag.

A county staff speaker explained commissioners that the funds would move from the stormwater fund into watershed project accounts so contractors could be paid without delay. “The million dollars is coming out of the stormwater fund to basically advance us funds into our state and federal grant,” the staff speaker said during the appropriation discussion. The staff member said the county currently had about $1,100,000 outstanding in grant drawdowns and that the advance would allow the county to maintain timely contractor payments until reimbursements arrive.

Why it matters: Several ongoing stormwater projects rely on reimbursements from higher-level grants; delayed draws can leave contractors unpaid and slow work. The board’s action provides short-term liquidity while staff expect reimbursements to bring the money back into the stormwater fund later in the year.

Details: The staff presentation identified existing outstanding grant drawdowns of about $1.1 million and described the advance as temporary working capital. Commissioners indicated the county will return the advanced funds to the stormwater fund as reimbursements arrive and the year closes.

Decision and vote: The appropriation motion to approve the advance was moved and seconded on the consent agenda and recorded as approved during the board’s roll-call for appropriations.

Implementation: Staff said the advance will be transferred to watershed accounts and used to pay an existing purchase order and other contractor invoices; reimbursements will restore the stormwater fund balance as federal and state grants are drawn down.

Ending: Commissioners approved the advance to keep construction and watershed work moving on schedule while grant reimbursements are pending.","Lorain County commissioners approved an advance of $1 million from the stormwater fund to provide working capital for ongoing state and federal stormwater projects while grant reimbursements are delayed.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168764,"Lorain County commissioners adopt nonbinding FY26 tax budget amid $5.1M projected gap",343,557000,900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32&start=557&end=900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406920-6da432e70584ae01501c65874093ca32/thumbnail_557000.jpg","/articles/6168764/Lorain-County/Ohio/Lorain-County-commissioners-adopt-nonbinding-FY26-tax-budget-amid-51M-projected-gap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168764-765d3a77ee706ae27ab782b728559762/orig.mp4?Expires=1776139984&Signature=GVnlShPpxQMMDiF716b7acqonM6EdWQm2-nIoLavsa6-AlF5DNVOsMprdDFNhNWZpw75kVBgaKKG~~gLqE4eB~WcWLhheiXjQPjAIeF5hvFPp7yzuBHpcIQQborOHpJQcNFiC3s6pj-YDrqyn7ZYl4TpGV4LpmiGtt7sMGWYr1lE69OejqsfJV8AK5nUyLnU7oXsb~KEfbhM0R73ncNq1eiL3iSdhGi5WXHVXU~iBFjzrQnBrM51pyYoIl77DX--FzvRxrljobHDXFLK8xw4TBq7w-KwuYbzGEPzEttt031XO2SHAjbGzrKcOqQUv06z9eEvXFddejHUZHd~Rnyt7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lorain County Board of Commissioners on July 15 adopted a nonbinding FY2026 tax budget that projects roughly $81,000,006 in county receipts and shows a preliminary gap between departmental requests and the board’s working figure.

Commissioner Gallagher, who led the presentation, said the county had received departmental budget requests totaling about $97 million while the board’s working, conservative figure for FY26 was approximately $86.7 million, producing a projected deficit if all requests were funded.

The tax budget adopted is nonbinding and is the statutory document the county must submit now to begin the FY26 budget process. “Unfortunately, based on statute, we have to pass something today,” Gallagher said during the presentation. The board discussed a process to narrow the difference between requests and projected revenues over the next 90 days.

Why it matters: The tax budget is the county’s working projection that informs departments, taxpayers and bond markets about anticipated revenue and spending for the coming year. Commissioners said they want to avoid repeating prior years’ pattern of conservative revenue estimates followed by large year-end adjustments, and they emphasized limiting use of one-time federal ARPA money that they said is largely exhausted.

Most important facts: Gallagher walked members through four pages of a “cliff notes” summary showing historical receipts (back to 2020) and projections for 2025–26. He said the estimated cash balance for 2026 would be about $13.08 million and that projected total receipts for the relevant funds were about $81.0 million. Departmental asks totalled roughly $97 million, creating a preliminary difference the board must address. Gallagher said the board marked several departmental lines (blue stars on the presented packet) as targets for cuts if needed and emphasized that some accounts are protected by statute and cannot be reduced.

Commissioners discussed the principal drivers of budget pressure: wage increases and rising health-insurance costs. Gallagher said roughly 68.8 percent of the $81 million projected receipts is committed to payroll and related personnel costs, leaving limited flexibility for other spending.

Next steps: Commissioners instructed staff and departments to look for duplications, identify savings, and hold departments to near their 2025 budgets where feasible. Gallagher said the board will review progress as revenues for the rest of 2025 become clearer and expects to complete the FY26 appropriations process by the usual November–December budget schedule.

What was not decided: The tax budget adopted on July 15 is nonbinding; it does not finalize departmental appropriations or staffing changes. Commissioners did not adopt specific cuts at the meeting.

Meeting context and engagement: The discussion occupied the bulk of the agenda after the tax-budget motion was introduced. Budget Director Casey Saunders and a staff member identified as Victor provided figures and screen materials; commissioners asked questions about how health-insurance costs were allocated across departments for apples-to-apples comparisons.

Ending: The board approved the nonbinding FY26 tax budget and scheduled follow-up work with departments over the coming 90 days to reconcile departmental requests with revenue projections.","The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt a nonbinding FY2026 tax budget that shows projected revenue of about $81.0 million and a preliminary shortfall compared with department requests; commissioners directed staff to seek $5–15 million in reductions and to work with departments over the next 90 days.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Spectrum awarded ORBEC 2 grant to bring fiber to four Lorain County townships

FAA advertises 315-acre land release; commissioners say airport master plan update on track for November

Microtransit service reduced after Chrysler Pacifica recall; county, vendor plan temporary driver-owned-vehicle program

Commissioners approve $1 million advance from stormwater fund to bridge grant reimbursements

Lorain County commissioners adopt nonbinding FY26 tax budget amid $5.1M projected gap