The Toledo City Council on Sept. 23 approved Ordinance 4-64-25 authorizing the mayor to apply for and enter into loan agreements with the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account and to accept, deposit, appropriate and expend loan proceeds not to exceed $75,000,000 for a distribution system improvements project.

Councilmember Mario Martinez, who presented the item on behalf of the Department of Public Utilities, said the ordinance authorizes adjustments and transfers of expenses to comply with loan agreements, sets a dedicated source for repayment and allows the mayor to accept bids and execute contracts related to the project. The council declared an emergency and approved the ordinance by voice vote; the motion carried and the ordinance passed.

The measure directs the mayor to pursue loan proceeds rather than obligate the city to a specific contractor or construction schedule. It authorizes the city to accept and expend the loan funds once the loan agreements are finalized and the funds deposited into the designated Water Replacement Loan Fund, and it permits necessary accounting transfers to align project expenses with loan terms.

Council members recorded assent during the passage sequence recorded in the meeting minutes; the ordinance passed on the council floor the same day. The ordinance text in the agenda instructs the mayor to accept bids and execute agreements related to the distribution system improvements project, but the council did not adopt project-level contracts or awards at the Sept. 23 meeting.

Because the ordinance authorizes applying for and accepting loan proceeds, implementation depends on entering loan agreements and receiving loan funds. The council did not set a construction start date in the debated ordinance nor approve individual construction contracts at this meeting.

Ordinance 4-64-25: approved; next steps include loan negotiations and, after funds or loan terms are final, the city will proceed with bid solicitations and contract awards as authorized by the ordinance.