Council approves bridge engineering amendment, road salt contract, wastewater equipment purchase and splash pad application; adopts social equity plan on first 

The Oberlin City Council on April 21 passed a package of ordinances addressing a bridge replacement, road salt purchasing, wastewater equipment and a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application for a splash pad, and it approved the city’s social equity plan on first reading.

All votes recorded in the meeting were unanimous.

South Pleasant Street bridge — ordinance 25-21 The council approved an amendment to a professional-engineering-services agreement with Schaefer Johnston, Lick and Waters and Associates Inc. to provide additional design work for the South Pleasant Street bridge replacement and authorized an additional payment not to exceed $6,220. City staff explained the project had been delayed by a 1973 Land and Water Conservation Fund commitment that designated part of the park as dedicated parkland; the city proposed a small land swap and sewer relocation to resolve the conflict. City staff said right-of-way acquisition has begun and the plan is to be ready to bid the project in approximately one year. Quote: Jeff Baumann, city staff, summarized the issue during the reading: "You can't build that bridge like that in that location because you committed that property as parkland in 1973." (reading and explanation recorded during the meeting.) Action: Ordinance 25-21 (amend engineering agreement for South Pleasant Street bridge). Motion to waive three readings and move to first and final reading carried by roll call; ordinance passed on first and final reading. Vote record (examples from roll calls): English Aye; Lopez Aye; Peterson Aye; Walter Aye; New Aye; McFarland Aye.

ODOT road salt contract participation — ordinance 25-22 Council authorized the city manager to participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) road-salt contract awarded in February 2025 and to execute necessary contracts. Staff recommended continued participation to achieve stable pricing and avoid buying salt on the open market. Action: Ordinance 25-22 (participate in ODOT road salt contract). Motion to waive three readings and move to first and final reading carried by roll call; ordinance passed on first and final reading. Vote record: unanimous aye votes recorded.

Wastewater facility gear-drive assembly — ordinance 25-23 Council authorized the city manager to contract with Bergen Associates of Sylvania, Ohio, to purchase a new gear-drive assembly for the Water Environment Protection Facility at a purchase price of $80,820 and waived competitive bidding under the city charter. Staff said the drives remove settled solids from primary and secondary tanks; staff had planned to rebuild an existing unit for roughly $75,000 but recommended buying a new unit for approximately $80,820. Action: Ordinance 25-23 (purchase gear-drive assembly, waive bidding). Motion to waive three readings and move to first and final reading carried by roll call; ordinance passed on first and final reading. Vote record: unanimous aye votes recorded.

Park Street Park splash pad CDBG application — ordinance 25-24 Council authorized the city manager to apply for up to $150,000 in CDBG funds from the Lorain County Commissioners toward installing a splash pad in Park Street Park and committed up to $163,944.70 in income tax capital-improvement funds as a local match if an award is made. Recreation staff said the park falls in a qualifying low- to moderate-income neighborhood and that, if awarded, the project would need to be completed by February 2028. Council members pressed staff about restrooms and accessibility; staff said restroom construction was not included in the CDBG request but that plans would stub utilities for a future restroom building. During discussion a councilmember noted that a restroom building could have a cost similar to the splash pad and therefore would be a separate funding question. Action: Ordinance 25-24 (apply for CDBG funds for splash pad; commit matching funds). Motion to waive three readings and move to first and final reading carried by roll call; ordinance passed on first and final reading. Vote record: unanimous aye votes recorded.

Social equity plan — ordinance 25-25 Council approved the city’s Social Equity Plan on first reading and directed that members of the public may comment; staff and committee members said a redline amendment could be brought at later readings if council wishes to make changes. The plan document and a public comment portal are available at OberlinSocialEquityPlan.com. Action: Ordinance 25-25 (approve and adopt social equity plan). Motion to approve on first reading carried by roll call; first-reading vote recorded as unanimous aye votes.

Meeting context and next steps Several ordinances were moved and adopted on first and final reading after council voted to waive the three-reading rule; in each case council recorded unanimous aye votes during the roll calls recorded in the meeting minutes. Staff provided timelines for follow-up: right-of-way acquisition and bidding for the South Pleasant Street bridge are underway with bidding targeted for next year; the splash pad application must be submitted by April 25 and, if funded, the project completion deadline cited in the application would be February 2028; the wastewater purchase will allow continued compliance with Ohio EPA permitting requirements.

Votes at a glance (ordinance number — short result) - Ord. 25-21 — approve engineering amendment for South Pleasant Street bridge; passed (unanimous). - Ord. 25-22 — participate in ODOT road-salt contract; passed (unanimous). - Ord. 25-23 — purchase gear-drive assembly for wastewater plant and waive bidding; passed (unanimous). - Ord. 25-24 — authorize CDBG application for Park Street Park splash pad and commit matching funds; passed (unanimous). - Ord. 25-25 — approve Social Equity Plan (first reading); passed first reading (unanimous).