Soil & Water seeks county engineering help for ditch projects; commissioners approve intergovernmental agreement

Breann Hohman, director of the Erie Soil & Water Conservation District, told the Erie County Commissioners on May 22 that her office needs design and survey assistance and is seeking to partner with the County Engineer’s Office because it is not cost-effective to hire a full-time design engineer. "My office is in need of design and survey assistance," Hohman said, and she asked the board to allow the county engineer to provide those services under a formal agreement.

Hohman said three upcoming ditch projects will require the Engineer’s design assistance and that a corresponding contract would be presented to the board if the partnership is approved. She said two active ditch petitions require formal action; one petition covers a drainage improvement on a small, unmaintained tributary that connects to a county-maintained section of Delematre Ditch and is being funded through the H2Ohio Two-Stage Ditch Grant Program. Under the grant's terms, completed work must be placed on the county maintenance program, Hohman said.

Hohman said she consulted Prosecuting Attorney Jason Hinners, who confirmed the partnership is permissible under Ohio Revised Code 6131. County Engineer Eric Dodrill was present for the discussion; the board later approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Board of Commissioners, the Erie County Engineer and the Erie Soil & Water Conservation District to provide engineering and design services for ditch projects.

County Administrator Hank Solowiej told commissioners the collaboration aligns with the Blue Ribbon Commission's goals and commended the cooperation. The board also set a public hearing on the ditch petition for Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., to comply with statutory hearing requirements; Hohman said all but one landowner waived the hearing but that a hearing was still required.

The intergovernmental agreement approved by the commissioners authorizes the county engineer to provide design and survey services to Soil & Water so that the district can proceed with projects without hiring a full‑time engineer. The board adopted the agreement by roll-call vote with all commissioners recorded as voting yes.

Next steps: the county and Soil & Water will finalize the contract language for the design work, and the public hearing on the ditch petition is scheduled for July 2, 2025.