Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Finance County Payment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council defers $3.7 million Wayne County CSO retention‑basin payment, asks administration for documentation
Summary
The council discussed a $3,707,786.62 charge from Wayne County for CSO retention‑basin operations and maintenance. Staff argued the contract is longstanding and the county met obligations; council asked for written confirmation of county debts to the city and asked administration to return with documentation before approving payment.
Dearborn Heights administration asked the City Council to approve a $3,707,786.62 payment to Wayne County for operations and maintenance of combined sewer overflow (CSO) retention basins on April 8. The council referred the item back to administration and requested documentation showing the county’s acknowledgement of debts the city says the county owes.
Deputy or acting staff explained that the contract dates to the 1990s and that the county has operated and maintained the retention basin system for decades. “They have met their obligations,” a staff speaker said; staff noted the city had stopped annual payments after 2016 and that the county’s invoices had accrued while the city retained an outstanding audit liability.
Councilwoman Nancy Bridal moved to approve the payment; discussion revealed confusion about the total and whether the county also owes the city for over‑charges tied to a separate EPA/CSO account. Controller Mariana (last name) told the council the liability is recorded in the water fund and that county communications indicate an outstanding liability on the county books of approximately $1.386 million for an overcapture claim. Council members asked administration to secure a written acknowledgement from Wayne County that the county owes the city the stated overcapture amount and to return with a proposal that offsets both balances where appropriate.
Outcome: The council voted to refer the item back to administration. Members asked staff to seek written confirmation from Wayne County of the amounts the county owes and to return with a proposal that either offsets the county’s liability against the retention‑basin invoice or explains why separate settlements must be handled differently.
Ending: Council members said they wanted the city to preserve fiscal oversight and asked for a full audit trail of the invoices and any reimbursements owed before releasing the $3.7 million payment.
