Wayne County commissioners advance plan to clean Foster Ditch; set final hearing for June 3

The Wayne County Board of Commissioners held the first public hearing on a petition to clean and reconstruct Foster Ditch in LaGrange Township, Ohio, on April 1. Commissioners voted to proceed with the project, adopted an amendment moving the downstream terminus farther downstream, and set the final hearing and acceptance of the engineer’s final report for June 3, 2025.

The project would clean and reshape about 1.75 miles of Foster Ditch, remove log jams, sediment and deteriorated private crossings, clear trees along access routes, and establish a 50-foot permanent easement for county maintenance. Engineers estimate the work would restore drainage for roughly 1,396–1,420 acres of farmland and rural residences and reduce local flooding.

Peter Zwick, representing the county engineer’s office, told commissioners his office “fully supports this ditch project” and that the county engineer “expects that the benefits will outweigh the costs.” Zwick said the office helped advise the consulting engineer and concurred with the preliminary recommendations, including adjustments to the project termini in response to public comments at the viewing.

Alex Holt of K. McCartney & Associates, the stormwater district’s engineering consultant, presented a preliminary engineering report prepared March 26 and a photo log documenting log jams and sediment accumulation that obstruct both high and low flows. Holt said the preliminary report estimates "$0 in damages" to property owners from construction and that "the benefits will outweigh the cost." He described a 1,420-acre benefit area derived from the drainage basin and explained recommended changes to the downstream and upstream termini so the improvement ties into roadside ditches at Whitney Road.

Don (last name not specified), representing the stormwater district, outlined project funding. He said the construction estimate is about $1,320,000 and that the Lorain County Engineer secured $307,300 in reimbursement from the H2Ohio conservation ditch grant program administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and coordinated with the Ohio Department of Agriculture for reimbursement. Don said the stormwater district, county commissioners and the state grant together provide sufficient funds to cover the estimated cost so that "no one would need to be assessed for the construction of this project." He also said the district plans to request additional extension under a separate process if downstream work is later shown to be beneficial.

Resident Keith Jewett of 17925 Whitehead Road described flooding on his property and reported a sewage-like discharge he and neighbors have smelled in the ditch. County staff said they have investigated, sent a camera crew (KEM) that was initially unable to trace the source because of high water and obstructions, and plan to return when water levels allow. County staff said the discharge appears to be coming from inside a large culvert and that the stormwater district will follow its illicit-discharge investigation policy before conducting work on private property.

Commissioners made and passed multiple motions during the hearing: to close the public hearing; to schedule the final hearing/acceptance of the engineer’s final report for June 3, 2025; to move forward with the project as amended; and to amend the downstream terminus in the petition to 1,216 feet west of Whitehead Road (instead of the original ~350 feet). Commissioners who voiced recorded “Aye” votes during the motions included Commissioners Weddell, Gallagher, McDowell and Rundell as noted on the record. The record does not list a completed roll-call tally naming every commissioner’s vote for each motion.

The preliminary report also identifies two conservation-ditch sections to be constructed under the H2Ohio program; the county engineer said those sections will be designed using the Agricultural Ditches Regional Curve method and will provide additional detention and water-quality benefits. The consultants said no structures, usable land or legal property setbacks will be taken or changed by the project; instead, the county will acquire permanent easements for maintenance.

Next steps: if commissioners confirm the project route and scope at the final hearing, the county engineer’s office will finalize plans, specifications and assessments (even though staff anticipates using grant and county/stormwater funds so no assessments will be billed to owners). The staff follow-up on the reported sewage-like discharge will continue separately under the stormwater district’s illicit-discharge procedures.

The record of today’s hearing and the consultants’ preliminary engineering report were entered into the docket; the commissioners fixed June 3, 2025 as the date to accept the engineer’s final report and estimate of assessments.