Lake County OKs Lakeshore Boulevard water-line plans, advances utility financing and contracts

At a meeting of the Lake County Board of Commissioners, the board approved plans and an engineer's estimate of $984,074 for the Lakeshore Boulevard water-line replacement and set the project — No. 466W2023 — for advertisement and a June 18, 2025 bid opening.

The approval authorizes staff to advertise for bids on the Lakeshore Boulevard water and service transfer work. Randy, speaking for the county utilities department, described the work as “phase 3” of the Lakeshore Boulevard program and said it is an OPWC project funded in part by grant dollars and a 0% loan. “We call this our phase 3 for Lakeshore Boulevard. It's an OPWC project, that we've got some grant money, and some 0% loan money. So, we're looking forward to this,” Randy said.

Randy said the project will effectively complete replacement along Lakeshore Boulevard from the county line to the Sherwin River and that the work will extend to the Vine Street area.

The board approved the utility project along with a batch of finance and procurement resolutions largely by voice vote. Key items included awarding a contract to Kokosing Materials Incorporated for roadway materials in the amount of $365,435 and authorizing notes and renewals for several Lake County Department of Utilities capital projects, including a $1,000,000 note for the Aquarius Water Treatment Facility electrical motor control center replacement (Project 451W2021) and $1,600,000 in notes for digester cleaning and rehabilitation at the Mentor wastewater treatment facility (Phase 2, 461S200222).

The board also authorized an engineering agreement with Mannik & Smith Group, Inc., for design of a solid-waste scale replacement (Project 491L2025) and executed a contract for powdered activated carbon for the Aquarius plant as part of routine utility procurement.

County finance measures approved included certifying unpaid water and sewer sums to the Lake County Auditor, authorizing credit-card use for the Auditor's office, information technology and the Department of Job and Family Services under Section 301.27 of the Ohio Revised Code, approving purchase orders totaling $522,999.65 and approving payment of bills in the amount of $3,216,311.34. A separate payment to CT Consultants Inc. for $27,115.23 was approved with one commissioner recorded as abstaining.

Most measures were handled with little discussion on the record beyond standard project descriptions and roll-call votes. The board listed the next regular meeting for Thursday, May 29, at 10 a.m., followed by a 10:30 a.m. workshop.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution rejecting bids received 09/18/2024 for pavement markings (LCE project 2023-020): approved (voice vote). - Resolution awarding contract to Kokosing Materials Incorporated for roadway materials, $365,435: approved (voice vote). - Resolution approving plans/specs/estimate $984,074 for Lakeshore Boulevard water-line replacement (Project 466W2023) and advertising for bids (bid opening 06/18/2025): approved (voice vote). - Resolution providing for $1,000,000 notes for Aquarius Water Treatment Facility — Electrical Motor Control Center Replacement (451W2021): approved (voice vote). - Resolution providing for $750,000 note renewal for Lake County Department of Utilities (project number not specified): approved (voice vote). - Resolution providing for $1,600,000 notes for Mentor wastewater treatment digester cleaning and rehabilitation, Phase 2 (461S200222): approved (voice vote). - Resolution authorizing execution of engineering agreement with Mannik & Smith Group, Inc. for solid waste scale replacement design (491L2025): approved (voice vote). - Resolution authorizing contract with Carbon Activated Corporation for powdered activated carbon for the Aquarius water treatment plant: approved (voice vote). - Resolution certifying unpaid water and sewer sums and administrative charges to the Lake County Auditor: approved (voice vote). - Resolution amending authorization of credit-card use held by the Lake County Auditor's office and the information technology department under Section 301.27, Ohio Revised Code: approved (voice vote). - Resolution authorizing the use of a credit card held by the Lake County Department of Job and Family Services under Section 301.27, Ohio Revised Code: approved (voice vote). - Resolution approving payment of bills listed on the commissioner's approval journal, $3,216,311.34: approved (voice vote). - Resolution approving payment of bills to CT Consultants Incorporated, $27,115.23: approved (2 yes, 1 abstain recorded). - Resolution approving purchase orders as listed, $522,999.65: approved (voice vote). - Resolution transferring an appropriation within a non-general fund account: approved (voice vote).

All roll-call statements on individual resolutions were transcribed by the clerk as affirmative except where noted; the transcript records one abstention on the CT Consultants payment item.

Sources: meeting transcript, statements recorded by the clerk and remarks by Randy, utilities department representative.