Cleveland utilities committee approves four emergency ordinances to refinance debt, align sewer contracts and authorize sewer projects

The Cleveland City Council Utilities Committee approved four emergency ordinances Thursday, Aug. 23, during a roughly 22-minute meeting that the chair opened at 10:01 a.m. The measures cover refinancing of 2016 water pollution control debt, authorization to apply for OWDA refinancing, alignment of public-improvement requirements contracts for sewer work, and authorization of specific sewer replacement and rehabilitation projects across multiple neighborhoods.

Committee members said the refinancing could produce direct savings for ratepayers and that timing and coordination of capital projects remain priorities. Director Barrett, representing the Department of Public Utilities, told the committee the city seeks to amend the 2016 enabling legislation so the Division of Water Pollution Control can participate in a new subordinate-debt refinancing opportunity created by OWDA in 2022. "We are…