The Summit County Public Works committee on Nov. 4 confirmed a three-year contract to dispose of sludge from two county wastewater treatment plants to a solid-waste landfill operated by Kimball Company.

"We are required by the EPA to landfill this sludge," Michael Venet, director of the Department of Sanitary Sewer Services, told the committee, describing the sludge as a byproduct of the wastewater-treatment process. Venet said the county received three bids and one bidder had a lower per-ton price but was farther away; after factoring internal trucking costs the three-year net price from Kimball was lower.

The contract covers sludge disposal from Fish Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 25 (City of Stowe, Council District 3) and Upper Tuscaroras Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 36 (Springfield Township, Council District 8), for a three-year term from Dec. 1, 2025, through Nov. 30, 2028. Committee materials described a not-to-exceed amount but the transcript wording was unclear; the committee cited the fiscal limit in the board-of-control award documents.

A motion to confirm the award was moved and carried by voice vote. Committee members did not read a full roll-call tally during the public committee discussion.

Venet said staff are available to answer follow-up questions about landfill selection, transport logistics and environmental compliance noted in the procurement record.