Commissioners hear status updates on county trails, sewer projects and demolition grant

Hocking County officials received progress reports Thursday on multiple infrastructure projects, including trail work, sewer extensions and a demolition grant that staff expect will require a closeout extension.

The updates came from Gary Silcott, EOC associate vice president, and Tracy Schultz, project manager, who briefed the Hocking County Board of Commissioners during the April 17 meeting.

Silcott said work on the Valley City trail is proceeding and that the county is waiting for the Ohio Department of Transportation to schedule a walk-through to finalize the scope for phase 1. He reported the contractor for the Rock Ridge project was back on site and expected to complete excavation and lining within a couple of weeks.

"They're doing the excavating. It looks like as of yesterday, they plan to be done with the excavating this week, follow-up with the remaining lining next week and the week after," Silcott said.

On the Haydenville Regional Connection — a larger sewer study that grew out of an earlier effort focused only on Haydenville — Silcott said a regional option was estimated at just over $10,000,000 to rehabilitate Haydenville, eliminate infiltration and inflow (I&I), abandon the lagoon and move flow back to Logan. He said the county has applied repeatedly to EPA programs for design funding and has submitted a $5,000,000 congressional directed spending request through Representative Dave Taylor's office.

"We keep submitting to the EPA, hoping that they'll give us money for design, principle forgiveness for design to move it through the design," Silcott said. "Once design's done, then get principle forgiveness and then hopefully like this congressional directed spending thing."

Schultz told the board the contract for a demolition grant had been awarded and a pre-construction meeting was scheduled for April 23; she added the grant's original closeout date is June 30 and paperwork is already being prepared to request an extension to the end of the year because closing out demolition work and related paperwork does not look achievable by June 30.

Silcott said the State Route 664 Sewer Extension had advanced to an agreement with the developer and that a preconstruction meeting was planned; he noted the county engineer was seeking a performance bond because the work is being done by a private developer and the county wants inspection assurance before final approval.

He also said Scenic Hill Senior Center is in use but the county cannot yet obtain a required state permit for some element of the project.

Why it matters: These projects affect county infrastructure capacity, developer activity and eligibility for state or federal funding. Several projects depend on outside approvals (ODOT, county engineer, state permits, EPA and congressional funding), which could affect schedules and cost-sharing.

Among key clarifications given to commissioners: the county has applied for RTAP and STBG funds for design, Rock Ridge excavation and lining work was advancing to completion, the Haydenville concept estimated at roughly $10 million including lagoon abandonment, the demolition contract has a preconstruction meeting set for April 23 and staff intend to request a closeout extension to year-end, and the SR 664 extension requires permit work and possibly a bond to satisfy the county engineer.

The board had no formal vote tied to these updates; staff asked commissioners to review and approve any necessary follow-up paperwork during general business.

Looking ahead: Silcott said the county will continue pursuing every available grant pot for design and principal forgiveness to keep projects affordable and will return with further scheduling and funding details as they develop.