Commissioners approve $216,000 amendment for regional wastewater feasibility and implementation work

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 14 to amend an existing agreement with Raftelis to add $216,000 for continued feasibility and implementation work on a proposed regional wastewater district under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6119.

County staff said the additional funds pay for repeated analyses and extra outreach after the project team changed the proposed wastewater treatment plant and had to redo earlier work.

"So we went from one wastewater treatment plant to a different wastewater treatment plant, and we had to recreate all the work that we'd already done. So that's what this $216,000 additional fee for Raftelis covers," a county staff member explained during the meeting. "So it was that bump in the road that we had. It cost us quite a bit of money and quite a bit of time. But we are now back on track and ready to continue forward."

Staff said hearings on the chapter 6119 petition are expected in March or April and that the project team is meeting weekly while the work continues.

The motion to approve the amendment passed by recorded vote; commissioners indicated the work resumed after an earlier roadblock in the petition process. The board did not identify final proponents or contractors for the wastewater treatment plant; next steps described at the meeting were completing the financial analysis, outreach activities and drafting the petition exhibits required for filing.