The Maumee Finance & Economic Development Committee voted to recommend that the city offer a direct-payment pathway to sewer-lateral contractors, while retaining an option for homeowners to pay upfront and seek reimbursement. The recommendation includes developing a contractor authorization form and requiring itemized invoices and final inspections before payment.

Committee members said the change is intended to reduce homeowner confusion and cash‑flow barriers. Unidentified Speaker 2 summarized the program’s scope: "we're paying for the sewer lateral repairs, replacement, whatever it takes. End of story." Members agreed the city should only pay for pre‑authorized items on an invoice and that contractors must understand the city will not provide a 50% down payment. As the chair put it, "the contractor needs to be aware that they won't be getting a 50% down."

Why it matters: many homeowners lack funds to pay contractors up front, and participants said a direct-payment pathway could speed repairs and simplify oversight. The committee discussed trade-offs: direct payment creates a single paper trail for oversight but requires contractor buy‑in and a clear, itemized invoice process so the city does not pay for noneligible or additional private work.

What the committee decided: members asked staff to draft a contractor/homeowner authorization form that requires the contractor to agree payment will follow inspection and completion. The group also agreed that grant income documentation remains necessary to determine the size of a homeowner’s eligible grant award; the committee’s simplification affects only the payment routing, not eligibility for grant funds.

Public and practical concerns raised during the meeting included whether contractors would accept delayed payment, potential delays from building-permit inspections, and a cautionary reference to prior price‑gouging complaints. A resident, Barbara, explained the expected billing process: eligible items will be preauthorized, contractors will submit invoices, and the city will approve only the covered items.

The committee made a formal motion to update the "sewer remediation program presentation" to reflect the choices agreed at the meeting and recommend that updated presentation to the full Maumee City Council. The motion was seconded and approved by roll call (Barrow: Yes; Harris: Yes; Oppenberger: Yes). The committee also voted to adjourn.

Next steps: staff will draft the contractor authorization form and revise the sewer remediation presentation for council consideration; members asked that related topics (appeals process and new-homeowner purchases) be placed on a Committee of the Whole agenda for further discussion.