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Conneaut Council authorizes loan applications for wastewater and water projects; Old Main loan passes 6–1
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Summary
Council authorized the City Manager to apply for state loan programs to fund wastewater and water projects and passed three ordinances enabling those applications; the WSRLA application for the Old Main Street waterline passed 6–1 with Mr. Castrilla dissenting.
Conneaut City Council on Feb. 23 authorized the City Manager to apply for state revolving-loan programs to fund wastewater and water infrastructure improvements and designated repayment sources for those loans.
Ordinance No. 19-26 authorizes the city to apply for a Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) agreement for wastewater facility construction. Ordinances No. 20-26 and No. 21-26 authorize Water Supply Revolving Loan Account (WSRLA) applications for the Old Main Street waterline and lift station project and for the Park, Day and Buffalo Street improvement project, respectively. Council suspended the three-reading rule and declared emergencies to act on each ordinance the same night.
The Old Main Street WSRLA measure (Ordinance No. 20-26) passed on a 6–1 roll call; Councilperson Mr. Castrilla voted No, and all other members voted Yes. Councilmembers who spoke on the agenda emphasized that the Old Main relocation must be completed before bridge work begins and noted partial funding through OPWC. City Manager Mr. Sanford said bids for the Old Main waterline relocation have been received and that work must be completed prior to bridge construction.
Council and staff also discussed the dredge program and the risk that the federal allocation (10,000 cubic yards in 2026 versus the facility’s 80,000-cubic-yard design) may require congressional appropriations to maintain federal channel capacity. Officials said they are consulting with Senator Husted’s and Congressman Joyce’s offices on funding options.
Ordinance No. 21-26 (Park/Day/Buffalo) and Ordinance No. 19-26 (WPCLF wastewater loan) were adopted on the evening’s vote; the meeting record contains a clerical transcript entry that appears to mislabel one motion (it references Ordinance No. 18-26 where Council was acting on No. 19-26). City staff confirmed the intent to apply for the named loan programs and said repayment sources were designated in the ordinances.