Lucas County Commissioners approve settlement with Maumee over recreation center sewer flows

Lucas County commissioners voted June 6 to approve a resolution settling a dispute with the City of Maumee over flows from the Lucas County Recreation Center into the Maumee sewer system.

Administrator Ford asked the board to enter an executive session under Ohio Revised Code section 121.22(G)(3) to discuss pending litigation and later presented a resolution authorizing settlement. "Please approve the resolution, to settle this dispute," Administrator Ford said during the meeting. The commissioners then voted to adopt the resolution.

The settlement, described by Administrator Ford as reflected in a "settlement agreement, release and covenant not to sue," is intended to resolve which entity is responsible for flows that "were accurately determined flow from the Lucas County Recreation Center into the Maumee sewer system and the appropriate amount to be paid by the county to the city," according to Ford's summary. The public remarks at the meeting did not specify the dollar amount the county would pay or other financial details; those terms are set out in the attached agreement, the administrator said.

A motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Gerken and approved by roll call: Commissioner Cabecki — yes; Commissioner Gerken — yes; Commissioner Lopez — yes. Earlier in the meeting the board voted, again by roll call, to enter the executive session under ORC 121.22(G)(3). The meeting record does not show additional debate about the settlement on the public record.

The board held the special meeting at noon and conducted the settlement vote after returning from the executive session, which the administrator said included the county's legal counsel. The resolution and the attached settlement agreement, release and covenant not to sue were referenced on the record as the documents setting the terms of the settlement.

The county did not provide additional detail at the meeting about the calculation of flows, the timeline for payment, or whether the agreement requires further approvals. Those details are contained in the attached settlement document and were not read aloud at the public meeting.

The board adjourned following the vote; no further public comment on the item was recorded during the special session.