Wayne County Public Services Committee approves 14 contracts and capital actions, including sewer work and MDOT road projects

The Wayne County Commission Public Services Committee on Oct. 27 approved 14 agenda items in a single omnibus motion, authorizing contracts, intergovernmental agreements and amendments for public works, parks and wastewater programs.

Committee members approved continuing a four-year sole-source contract with VersaLift Midwest for parts, repairs and inspections for aerial platform equipment and a three-year contract (with options) with RTI Laboratories for water sampling and laboratory services linked to the Rouge Valley sewage disposal system and combined sewer overflow (CSO) basins. The committee also approved Comcast to provide Ethernet and dedicated internet transport for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems at environmental services facilities; staff said the contract will replace a previous AT&T arrangement and that a temporary radio/hotspot system will remain as a backup.

The committee approved amendments to existing janitorial contracts, including a name-change update to an addendum for Clean Tech Services (continuing interim janitorial coverage while a new contract is bid) and an amendment to retain Master Maintenance Corporation for janitorial and window cleaning at the Central Maintenance Yard building complex.

Members reviewed a revised fiscal 2025 capital improvement plan (CIP). Assistant Division Director of Engineering Alan Koh said the revision removed about 20 projects completed last year and the Allen Road grade-separation bridge project (a bridge item the staff said should not have been in the CIP), reducing the FY 2025–26 program from about $57 million to roughly $47 million. Koh said the Allen Road bridge removal represented roughly a $10,000,000 item that was taken out of the CIP.

On infrastructure agreements, the committee approved a reimbursement agreement with Kinder Morgan tied to the Allen Road grade-separation project in Woodhaven and two contracts with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT): one for road improvements on Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth Township (MDOT contribution $545,000; Wayne County contribution $236,000 to be reimbursed by Plymouth Township) and one for rehabilitation of Evergreen Road bridge over the Rouge River in Dearborn. The committee also approved a legislative-earmarked MDOT contract for a pedestrian bridge on Palmer Road over I‑275 in Canton.

Environmental services staff described ongoing work and financing for the Rouge Valley sewage disposal system. Elizabeth Barrera, assistant division director for environmental services, said the county has applied for several State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans and is working on loan 3 while loan 2 has closed and loan 4 is expected to close in fiscal 2026. The committee approved an amendment to a cooperative agreement with OHM (Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment) to continue professional engineering services related to a long-term corrective action plan required by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

Committee counsel flagged contract language in the Comcast agreement. Mary Parishian, assistant commission counsel, said, “While the liability cap, the warranties, all of those things are not ideal language that we would typically see in a standard county contract ... there’s not much you can do” with large telecom providers. Staff noted price changes on the lease extension discussed earlier were nominal. A staff member characterized the increase as “literally pennies, per square foot.”

The committee moved and approved the omnibus motion covering items 1 through 14 by roll call; Commissioners Kellogg, Palomira and Chair Morecki recorded votes of “yes,” and the motion carried.

Votes at a glance - Item 1: Lease amendment (terms shortened to 3 years with two 1-year renewal options); discussion noted county exploration of property purchase as an option. Outcome: approved as part of omnibus motion. - Item 2: Four-year sole-source professional services contract with VersaLift Midwest for OEM parts, repairs and inspections for aerial equipment. Outcome: approved. - Item 3: Intergovernmental agreement with the City of Belleville for improvements to Victory Park. Outcome: approved. - Item 4: Amendment 2 to a two-year professional services contract (with one-year option) to reflect a contractor name change and continue janitorial services for Parks and Administration buildings. Outcome: approved. - Item 5: Amendment 1 to a five-year professional services contract with Master Maintenance Corporation for janitorial and window cleaning at Central Maintenance Yard. Outcome: approved. - Item 6: Revised Capital Improvement Plan 2025 B (removed ~20 completed projects; FY25–26 program reduced from ~$57,000,000 to ~$47,000,000; Allen Road bridge item removed, ~ $10,000,000). Outcome: approved. - Item 7: Four-year facility adjustment and reimbursement agreement with Kinder Morgan related to the Allen Road grade-separation project (Woodhaven). Outcome: approved. - Item 8: Amendment 3/addendum to cooperative agreement with OHM for professional engineering services and long-term corrective action plan for the Rouge Valley sewage disposal system (EGLE-mandated). Outcome: approved. - Item 9: Three-year professional services contract (two 1-year options) with RTI Laboratories for water sampling and lab services for Rouge Valley system, CSO retention/treatment basins and watershed management. Outcome: approved. - Item 10: Contract with MDOT for road improvements on Ann Arbor Road from General Drive to Gold Arbor Road in Plymouth Township (MDOT contribution $545,000; Wayne County contribution $236,000 to be reimbursed by Plymouth Township). Outcome: approved. - Item 11: Contract with MDOT for rehabilitation of Evergreen Road bridge over the Rouge River in Dearborn (maintenance project; construction to start late summer with completion anticipated in fall). Outcome: approved. - Item 12 (addenda): Five-year comparable-source enterprise services contract (two-year option) with Comcast Cable Communication Management for Ethernet/dedicated internet for SCADA systems at DPS environmental services facilities (Comcast to replace prior AT&T service; temporary radio/hotspot to remain as backup). Outcome: approved. - Item 13 (addenda): Three-year contract (one-year option) with Cadillac’s Asphalt for purchase and delivery of cold patching mixture on an as‑needed basis for DPS equipment division. Outcome: approved. - Item 14 (second addenda): MDOT contract for legislative-earmarked funds to complete a pedestrian bridge on Palmer Road over I‑275 in Canton (staff said project will start this year; schedule details to be provided before the voting meeting). Outcome: approved.

The committee heard no public comments and adjourned after the vote.