Council approves pass-through grant, hears construction plan for Mentor harbor channel restoration

Mentor City Council on Feb. 4 approved a pass-through grant agreement with the Lake Development Authority and a related cost‑sharing agreement with the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club that advance a restoration of the channel leading to Mentor Harbor and Mentor Lagoons Marina.

The city’s presenter told council the city received a $3,000,000 grant through the Ohio capital budget for restoration of the Channel Harbor walls; the Lake Development Authority received a companion $3,000,000, making the project cost described in the meeting $6,000,000. Staff said the Lake Development Authority will serve as lead agency and the city will enter a subrecipient agreement so the Lake Development Authority can expend the funds as the contract proceeds.

Project consultant Mister Swigger described the work in detail: crews will encapsulate the existing channel walls with 2-to-5-ton limestone boulders; a sunken barge on the west side will be removed and replaced by two steel cribs filled with stone; the channel mouth will be reduced to about 140 feet at the surface and 80 feet at the bottom to lessen wave energy; overall channel depth inside the project area is expected to be approximately 15 feet once work is complete. Swigger said about 60,000 tons of stone will be placed overall, with 25,000 tons delivered through the Mentor Lagoons Marina, and that hauling through the marina is expected to take 64 work days.

Staff outlined the proposed timeline and logistics: mobilization at the end of February with major stone placement beginning in March, east‑side stone placement (through the Mentor Lagoons Marina) expected to begin in May and conclude in early October, and an overall project period concluding Dec. 1. Work hours were described as 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with occasional weekend work coordinated with the marina. The consultant said the contractor will be responsible for repairing any road damage caused by hauling. Swigger said 30 to 40 trucks per day are expected during peak stone hauling.

Council members asked whether dredging needs in other marina areas would be reduced the year this work is done; staff responded it would be a cost savings to the city for that year and those funds would be redirected to other dredging needs at E-dock. Council also discussed the project’s long history and several residents and officials were thanked by council for their roles in securing grant funding.

Ending

Council approved both ordinances to authorize the pass-through agreement and the cost-sharing agreement, allowing the Lake Development Authority to manage contract expenditures and obligating the city to its share of the local match.