Lorain County commissioners on the first meeting of 2026 heard detailed testimony about a long-standing safety and access problem in the Brentwood Lake subdivision and moved to pursue and administer a $1.6 million repair and restoration project funded in part by a $750,000 Ohio Lake Erie Commission Community Grant.

The board discussed the application and local support for the project, which addresses a culvert failure that officials say has left about 270 homes with limited access and increased emergency response times. Trustee Jared and county staff described debris in the old lake bed, erosion of banks, and a narrow single access route that could leave residents cut off in a serious crash or other emergency.

Don Romancic, county staff, said the project scope would include culvert installation and roadway reconstruction to reconnect Brentwood Lake to State Route 57, stream cleanup and floodplain enhancement, and improvements to water-quality features. He said the overall project is roughly $1.6 million: $750,000 from the Ohio Lake Erie Commission grant, approximately $850,000 expected from Ohio Public Works Commission programming and local match including stormwater funds and staff-in-kind contributions.

Romancic and other staff described a rapid two-week push to assemble the application and multiple letters of support — from Carlisle Township trustees, Midview Schools, Rumpke, Murray Ridge, OSU Extension, the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities, the Soil and Water Conservation District, and others. Romancic said, “we were able to put this together realistically … we had about a month to go,” and that local match and OPWC programming would be sought to cover the remaining costs.

Commissioners asked about timing and whether any construction would begin in 2026. County staff said final design and bidding work would proceed first, with contract execution for construction eligible on 07/01/2027 and an 18-month window to complete construction thereafter. Romancic clarified that the project will install a culvert and would not restore a historical lake; a resident who had previously wanted the lake back said she now prefers not to have it returned because of changed ground conditions near her home.

Public testimony and trustee remarks emphasized safety for older residents and for a medically fragile group home within the neighborhood. The board praised staff and community partners for the rapid grant work and for coordinating cost estimates and support letters.

The board did not adopt a separate formal appropriation during the discussion; commissioners discussed next steps on design, OPWC programming, and assigning local match as the grant and programming proceed.