Mentor council advances $1.2 million Smith Group engineering contract for lagoons shoreline to second reading

Council advanced a $1.2 million engineering contract with Smith Group for preliminary design work on a shoreline protection plan at the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve to second reading on May 5.

City Manager Ken Philippia told the Mentor City Council the agreement is the first of two contracts that together would cover about $3.5 million in engineering work, with the city’s $1.2 million first phase matched by a $1.75 million congressional appropriation secured through Rep. Dave Joyce’s office. "You're committing to a $1.2 million contract with Smith Group this evening with anticipation for a $2.3 million followup," Philippia said, explaining the phase will include data collection, due diligence, coastal and storm-water engineering and roughly 30% of final design.

The presentation, led by city engineering staff, described accelerated erosion along sections of the preserve and estimates that the city had lost roughly a dozen lots and about 12 acres to shoreline recession between 2007 and 2025. Staff said the first phase is expected to take 12 to 16 months and noted that external permitting and multi-agency coordination will be required before any construction.

Several council members pressed staff on whether engineered protections could resist lake forces and whether the city should commit local funds now. "Looking at the layouts and the enormous force of the lake, why do we feel that we can stop that?" Councilman Blake asked, citing estimates that full construction could reach tens of millions of dollars. City engineering staff responded that similar projects and revetments in the region have been effective and that the engineering phase is intended to study wave action, soil types and appropriate construction approaches.

Other councilors raised funding and timing concerns. One member noted the potential need to bond construction costs and asked whether voters should weigh in before the city spends local dollars on engineering; another cautioned that declining to proceed could jeopardize the $1.75 million appropriation. "Congress gave us $1.7. That would be gone if we don't proceed," a council member said. Staff replied the city must have a defined engineered project to pursue large construction grants and that the engineering contract keeps funding opportunities open.

Council debate also touched on permitting constraints imposed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and tradeoffs between different shoreline approaches (revetments, barrier islands and beach restoration). Staff said the designs under study would aim to balance erosion control with regulatory approvals and long-term public access.

After discussion, a motion was made to send Ordinance 26-039 to second reading rather than adopt it as an emergency measure. The motion passed on roll call. No construction contract was approved; the council authorized proceeding with engineering and further review.

What happens next: staff said phase one work would proceed over about a year if council ultimately approves the contract; the city expects to pursue additional state and federal funding later in design, and councilors said any later decision to obligate construction funds would be subject to additional council action and likely public review or voter approval.

Authorities and funding notes: the presentation referenced a congressional appropriation obtained through Rep. Dave Joyce’s office and state permitting oversight by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Exact construction cost estimates were described as preliminary; staff repeatedly urged that final construction scope and cost will depend on the engineering work and permitting outcomes.